Au: Highschool 

Word count: ~2k

Been a while since I wrote a oneshot, I hope this makes up for it! :D

Bdubs sat on his bed, leaning against his window. Tango and Impulse had just texted saying they were on their way. He looked up and over to the house next door to him.

His heart tightened as he saw Doc in the window, laughing as he turned the page of his book.

He quickly looked away, immediately feeling creepy.

The two had been neighbors since they were little, but now that... certain feelings had developed, it was making everything a little more awkward, to say the least.

"Bubs! Your friends are here!" His mom called from downstairs, snapping him out of his daze.

Yanking his shade down, he scrambled off his bed. "Coming, coming!"

"I know it's warm out but I think it might rain," his mom worried when he came downstairs. "You sure you don't want to take a sweater?"

Tango and Impulse were standing in the doorway, with their matching grins. "We'll tough it out!" Tango assured her.

"Worst-case scenario; we'll duck into a store until it clears up," Impulse added as Bdubs pulled his sneakers on.

-

As they left his house, Tango held out an arm, stopping the other two beside him. He lightly tapped Bdubs' chest with the back of his hand. "Why don't we invite Doc too?"

His cheeks grew warm. "I- You guys know him! He likes to plan things like, a week in advance. He's not gonna want to hang out," he sputtered, pushing away the arm.

Impulse nudged him. "I bet if you ask he'll say yes." He waggled his eyebrows, knowing full well how Bdubs felt about the hybrid.

"I bet he won't, but whatever," he muttered, walking up the porch steps.

Ignoring the two cheering from the sidewalk, he took a deep breath and lightly knocked on the door.

Bdubs didn't have to wait long for the door to open. He sharply inhaled to find Doc looming over him and boy was he too close.

"Hey!" Doc greeted with his signature lopsided smile.

"Hi! I um- Impulse, Tango, and I were going to head downtown and hang out. And we uh, we were wondering if you wanted to join us?" He asked, trying not to sound so nervous.

Bdubs was fully prepared to launch into a 'you don't have to' ramble, but before he could begin Doc shrugged. "Sure, I'm not doing anything."

Maybe it was just his imagination, but it looked like his smile grew.

Doc slipped on his shoes and closed the door behind him, stepping even closer to Bdubs, who forgot how to move for a second. He quickly turned away and headed back over to his other friends.

"Alright let's hit the road!" Tango cheered, pumping his fists into the air.

-

Their first stop was the new tea shop.

For Doc, an iced green tea.

For Bdubs, mango boba.

For Impulse, strawberry boba.

And for Tango, iced raspberry tea.

Since he had known him for so long, Bdubs genuinely didn't think twice when Doc asked to try his. It wasn't until after he tilted his cup towards him, and the hybrid bent down, that he cursed at himself.

Don't think about the fact you just shared an indirect kiss with him, that's no big deal. If you think about it, you've done it multiple times!

Okay, so that last bit didn't help.

The four aimlessly walked around downtown, partaking in some lovely window shopping.

"Hey, why don't we head to the park?" Impulse suggested as they reached the corner of the sidewalk.

Bdubs turned around but continued to walk around the corner. "Sure! We can-"

He was cut off by Doc grabbing his arm and quickly pulling him into his chest as someone on a skateboard zipped by them. With wide eyes, he listened to the hybrid's racing heart while his friends shouted at the skateboarder.

Mentally shaking himself off, Bdubs moved back. "Sorry," he lightly laughed. "I should've watched where I was going."

"Well that dumbass shouldn't have been going so fast," Doc huffed.

Tango patted his shoulder. "Glad you're still alive dude," he teased, and Bdubs knew all too well he meant more than just avoiding being hit by a skateboarder.

-

Finally, in the park with empty drink cups properly disposed of, the four stopped to admire a fenced-in garden of multicolored roses.

Bdubs leaned forward, bracing himself on his forearms. "Can't believe this is still here," he lightly laughed, glancing over at the sign.

In small black lettering, a birch sign explained how the garden was planted by a fourth-grade elementary class. Their fourth-grade elementary class.

"I thought it'd be gone after like, five years or something. But it's been, what? Eight, nine years?" Doc added, leaning forward like he was. A part of Bdubs wondered if it was imagination, or if Doc intentionally pressed his arm against his.

"Remember when Zedaph's science fair project caused a mini fire?" Tango recalled with a light laugh.

"I swear if it wasn't for that, he would've taken first instead of me," the hybrid said.

Impulse's phone buzzed and he looked between the three. "Ah, that was my mom. She's gonna bring Tango and me home."

"Ooh! Before you guys leave we should all pick a flower!" Bdubs excitedly suggested, pushing himself off the fence.

Doc lightly hit the back of his head. "You're not stealing any roses today, Bee. Not on my watch," he teased.

Bdubs huffed as he realized identical grins had formed on Tango and Impulse's face. "Oh yeah? You're gonna stop him?" Impulse teased with raised eyebrows.

Despite the hybrid looking confused, the freckled boy rolled his eyes. "Go home already!" He stuck out his tongue and the two laughed.

"You know you love us," Tango cooed, tussling his hair.

He lightly shoved him but Tango hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him with.

They kept shoving each other around and laughing until arms swiftly pulled Bdubs off him. "We'll see you guys tomorrow at school!" Doc called, his voice being so close to his ear it sent a slight shiver down his spine.

Bdubs dumbly waved as Tango and Impulse headed off, his heart racing at the fact that the hybrid had yet to let go of his abdomen.

Inevitably he did, hearing him clear his voice as he did. "S-Sorry. Um, what do you uh- do you want to do now?"

He pushed up his bandana, unable to suppress his smile. "Well, I wouldn't mind staying out a little longer if you're down."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind either."

Bdubs spotted a bench and opened his mouth to suggest sitting down, but he felt a drop of water hit his cheek.

The two looked up as it began to rain. "Shoot, I guess the storm is coming a little sooner than expected," Doc muttered. "We should head back before the thunder."

Leaving the park and heading back through town, the rain only became worse.

Without even thinking he grabbed Doc's hand. "C'mon! You're too slow!" He teased, pulling him into a run.

By the time they reached their street, Bdubs could barely see a foot in front of him. "We can take shelter on my porch," Doc suggested, running ahead and pulling him along.

He slipped climbing up the porch stairs, but thankfully the hybrid was there to catch him. As he caught his breath, Bdubs just looked around at the rain outside and began to laugh. "This- This is crazy!" He breathed.

Doc had started to say something, but he wasn't able to hear over the sudden roar of thunder. Flinching, he found himself gripping Doc's soaked shirt. He hadn't even realized he had done so, or that when lightning lit up the cul de sac he'd grip his shirt tighter when he jumped.

Hands hesitantly touched his waist and he looked up to find the hybrid leaning down, his eyebrows creased. "Are uh, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, yeah I'm fine!" He laughed, looking back to the road, to the pouring rain.

"Bdubs?" Doc whispered, regaining his attention.

The aforementioned stared up at him and felt his face grow warm.

Doc was staring at him with wide eyes and a nervous smile. He finally registered how tightly he was gripping his shirt and let go. "S-Sorry, I-" his words left him as the hands on his waist moved to lightly hug him.

"Do you want to come in? O-Or you could- I mean- I wouldn't advise going to your house. I know it's- it's right there but-" Doc was rambling as a reddish color bloomed on his cheek.

"I really like you," Bdubs breathed.

Doc seemed just as startled as he was by his sudden confession. His heart pounded as he waited for any form of response.

For what felt like an eternity the two stood on the porch, surrounded by a downpour with the occasional far-off rumble of thunder or flash of lightning. After letting go of his shirt Bdubs had his arms awkwardly held back, but he hesitantly placed them back on his chest.

With a small exhale, the hybrid leaned forward to press their foreheads together. "I... Bdubs I think I've always liked you," he murmured, making his heart jump.

He moved his arms up to wrap around his neck and tightly hugged him, dropping his head to Doc's shoulder. The hybrid squeezed him in return.

When they pulled back, they stared at each other with goofy smiles. Holding the back of his neck, Bdubs pulled him down as a flash of lightning lit up the street and pressed against his lips. As Doc kissed him back, he lifted an arm to cross across his back and hold his shoulder.

"If you wouldn't mind I'd very much like to go inside," Bdubs whispered against his lips. Lightly laughing, Doc kissed his cheek before taking his hand and leading him inside.

After they took off their shoes and Doc left to grab some towels, he pulled out his phone which had miraculously stayed mostly dried, and texted his mom he was next door. A towel landed on his head and he tugged it off to find Doc grinning at him.

"C'mon I'll put a towel down on the couch so we can sit." Doc gestured to him to follow with a tilt of his head, so he did.

They sat sideways on the couch, Bdubs in front of the hybrid who helped him dry off. Exhaling through his nose, Bdubs leaned his head back to look at him. "When did you realize you liked me?"

Humming, Doc dropped the towel. "Honestly I think- I think I've always liked you. It just took me a while to realize, y'know? And the- I guess the more I got to know you, the more sure I was," he explained.

Bdubs turned around so he could squeeze his hands. "Now I feel bad," he lightly laughed. "I only started crushing on you around two years ago."

"What? No, please don't feel bad," Doc worried, pressing their foreheads together. "I don't care how little or long you've liked me. You like me and that makes me so happy. Plus, two years is pretty freaking long."

"Can I kiss you again?" Bdubs whispered with half-lidded eyes.

He didn't get an answer, only lips connecting with his. When they parted, the lights flickered and he tensed up. "It's okay. Why don't you borrow some of my clothes and we can watch movies on my laptop?" Doc suggested. He knew he was trying to distract him and he deeply appreciated the notion.

-

Like back when they were little kids, they were laying on their stomachs, a large shared blanket covering from their toes to over their heads. Only this time instead of sharing books with a flashlight, they watched a fun film on the opened computer, arms tangled and heads leaned against one another. The power had gone out since before Bdubs had finished changing into Doc's clothes, but now it wasn't so bad.

"I love you, Doc."

"I love you too Bdubs." The hybrid squeezed his arm and kissed the top of his head.

Thunderstorms would always scare Bdubs, but this one would become a favorite.