Okay so. Lest/Doug where Doug comes to terms with him liking a guy? (Maybe in the Sechs it wasn't accepted and that's why he gets so freaked out if you confess to him as a guy, right? But in Norad it's more accepted (let me pretend that the other guys don't get weird) so Doug slowly begins to accept that too and he asks Lest out?)
It started at a sleepover.
Doug wasn’t sure when it really began, this downward spiral between them, but the sleepover with Kiel was what brought it to Doug’s attention.
All of the boys sat around Kiel’s room chatting when someone brought up Truth or Dare. It was either Kiel or Leon. Doug couldn’t remember who, but all the boys automatically jumped in on it. It was stupid things at first--lick his foot, tell your worst wet dream, etc.
But then it was Leon’s turn. Leon always turned it up a notch, so the boys vibrated in excitement as his gaze flickered over them. They settled on Lest.
“Lest,” he said calmly. “Truth or Dare?”
Lest’s eyes darted around the room. They met Doug’s and Lest quickly looked away again.
“I dare you to kiss Dylas.”
Something in Doug’s stomach twisted. Kiss Dylas? A man? What was Leon thinking?
His lips parted to protest, but--to his surprise--all the other boys only laughed and encouraged them.
Doug watched in amazement as Lest’s cheeks turned cherry red and he crawled onto his knees, shifting towards a blushing Dylas. They gave each other small smiles before Lest leaned forward. Their mouths met in a small peck. It was over in half a second, a mere brush of the lips, but Doug’s jaw dropped.
His heart hammered and something dark tugged at his chest.
Lest settled down next to him again. He glanced at Doug who wrenched his gaze away, not seeing the way Lest’s face fell.
He did notice that Lest barely looked at him the rest of the night, though.
A few days later, Lest came into the shop while Doug was working. They hadn’t talked since then besides the faint hello’s when passing each other. Doug found that his heart still hammered with he looked or even thought about Lest, his mind flickering back to him kissing Dylas.
The door jingled and Doug looked up from the logbook he was updating for Blossom. Lest’s golden hair shone in the sun, his eyes bright as they looked at each other.
A jolt ran through Doug and he looked away.
Awkward silence threatened to overwhelm them. Doug heard Lest pad forward and a shadow fell over the book. Doug looked up. Lest chewed on his lip, his eyes on his feet.
“I, uh... wanted to talk. If you had a minute.”
Doug straightened and folded the corner of the page he was on, flipping the logbook closed.
“Sure. Is something wrong?”
“No. Well... at least, I hope not.”
Doug’s brow furrowed. Lest took a deep breath and finally met his eyes.
“We haven’t really talked since Kiel’s sleepover,” Lest said. “Since... um, since that dare. With Dylas.”
Doug’s throat tightened.
Lest winced and looked away. There was a beat. Then--
“I just... I don’t want this to change anything between us,” he said quietly. “Even if... if you don’t approve of someone like me, I still want to be friends--”
“Someone like you?” Doug echoed.
Lest glanced up from beneath his lashes. The sunlight played on his pale skin, his eyes bright and worried.
“I like men, Doug,” Lest said. “In... um. In a romantic way. I figured you knew that after the dare, and that’s why you were avoiding me. But... Even if you don’t like it, I want to be friends.”
“I don’t--” Doug swallowed as Lest looked up at him again, hope sparking in his gaze. “It’s not--it’s not that. I was just surprised. That’s all. I don’t--I don’t dislike you, Lest. I’m just not used to it. The Sechs don’t really... like that kind of thing. I don’t have a problem with it, though, Lest. I haven’t been avoiding you.”
Or perhaps he had, but not for the reason Lest thought.
The farmer perked up, his eyes brightening.
“Really?” he said, and Doug nodded. Lest beamed them, a sight that stole the breath right from Doug’s chest. “Great! Well, I’m glad we talked. I was stressing out a lot over it.”
Lest laughed and Doug’s heart constricted.
“So,” he began slowly, “You and Dylas...?”
“Oh! No. I’m not... I’m not with anyone.” Lest smiled tightly. “Dylas and I are just friends.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later, Doug.”
Lest swept out of the store then, a hop in his step as though a weight had been taken from his shoulders.
Behind him, Doug slumped in his chair.
He couldn’t get him out of his mind.
Every moment, Doug couldn’t help but wonder where Lest was and what he was doing. When they spent time together, Doug’s gaze lingered, taking in every inch of pale skin, the easy way Lest smiled, the soft curve of his plump mouth. He shouldn’t feel this way. Should he? Then again, Lest felt this way about men. He’d said so himself.Â
Saying Doug was wrong for feeling this way would say the same of Lest, and Doug refused to think like that. There was nothing wrong with Lest.
Convincing himself that there was nothing wrong with him, either, was harder.
Time passed and they kept up their friendship. They grew closer, as friends do--they spoke more about Doug’s past and Lest’s lack of one, of their insecurities, their hopes. They didn’t talk about romance. They didn’t talk about men or women or dating. Part of Doug was grateful, but the other half was paranoid that Lest was too worried to bring it up. Despite his newfound feelings, Doug wanted Lest to be able to come to him with anything--crushes, dates, the works.
They were friends, after all.
“Stop it--Doug, you traitor--”
Lest’s laughter peeled across the room, his head falling back as Doug’s fingers tickled his sides. The farmer squirmed, grasping for anything on the desk to throw at Doug.
The sun was fading and the store had been closed for about thirty minutes now, but the two boys had hardly noticed, caught up in conversation.
Now they laughed as Doug pulled back, allowing Lest to catch his breath.
Lest’s cheeks were pink, his hair mussed and his shirt tugged off-center to reveal a glimpse of his milky collarbone.
Doug took in all of these things, as well as the way Lest’s tongue darted across his lips before he spoke.
“That’s not fair,” he teased.
“All’s fair in love and war,” Doug shot back.
Lest flushed and looked away, but his grin grew. Doug watched him for a moment.
Lest glanced up at him. Doug pushed on.
“Have you been interested in anyone lately?” he asked innocently. “I mean... any dates or anything like that?”
“Oh... no. I’m not really... well. People might be okay with it here, but that doesn’t make dating much easier.”
He laughed, but it was strained. Doug watched him, gathering his courage. Before he could back out, he said--
“Would you go on a date with me?”
Lest’s head snapped to him, purple eyes wide. Doug’s heart hammered. For a long moment they stood watching each other, Doug’s breath caught in his throat.
“You...” Lest finally began. “...Really? I thought...?”
Lest watched him for a moment before smiling. Doug’s heart soared.
“Sure, Doug. I’ll go on a date with you.”
