Joe had two interviews a little while ago, precisely a few days back. One at an arcade, and another at a flower shop. He went to both interviews but, as much as he would love to work at a place surrounded by new and classic games, he was leaning more towards the flowery stuff. He wasn't much of a flower guy though.

Now why would a guy who doesn't particularly like flowers work in a flower shop of all places? The answer is very simple.

Because the owner was fucking hot.

But that thought alone made Joe feel kind of weird, he's never found a guy attractive before. Like, ever. Yet this colorfully tattoo covered, ginger-brown... whatever-haired, bearded man had somehow made Joe's stomach feel like a hive of angry bees.

He had nailed both of the interviews and both places wanted to hire him, both paid about the same and both were fairly close to home. After some serious decision making, --eenie meenie miney moe-- he had decided on working in the flower shop with Hot Tattooed Guy.

But before he could face the man again, he had to talk this over with Pete. If there was one person who would understand his situation the most, it would be him. So here he is, sitting with Pete on his couch, watching some shitty low budget animation about sea creatures or something.

Pete was resting his head on Joe's shoulder, bundled up in a brown throw blanket as the two cringed and mocked the movie. "That shark sounds like a dumbass. Why the fuck does he talk like that?"

"I have no idea, dude. The voice actors must not have cared much."

"Obviously. This movie is shit."

"Then why are we watching it?"

"Because nothing's good on TV." Pete unravels from his blanket burrito a bit to grab the remote from the coffee table, clicking the TV off then going back into his previous position. He closes his eyes but isn't dozing or anything, just laying on his friend's shoulder knowing he had something to get off his chest. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

Joe inhales deeply, letting it out slowly, absently staring at the blank TV screen. "There's, uh- remember that flower shop where I had the interview?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I got the job."

Pete opened his eyes, glancing up at Joe with a big smile on his face. "That's great, dude! You gonna give us all discounts on pretty bouquets?"

"Oh, ha ha," Joe deadpanned while Pete chuckled lightly. "But that's not the point I was getting at."

"Then what is your point?"

Joe sighs. " I think I might be... slightly attracted to my new boss."

Pete chuckles yet again, unphased by this attraction Joe was speaking of. It wasn't the first time, Pete's heard his share of the crushes Joe has had back in highschool so this is nothing new. Just another session of listening to all the things he likes about this person and him making heart eyes at the thought of them.

"Slightly, huh?" Pete lifts his head then sits up, readjusting until he's leaning his back against the arm of the couch and looking at his friend directly. "Okay. That sounds fake but okay." He wraps the warm blanket tighter around himself and pulls his knees up to his chest, sighing quietly at the comfort. "So, what's her name?"

"Andy."

Pete makes a face at that. If it's short for 'Andrew' then it made Pete wonder who this girl actually is, because he's never known a girl named Andy. A girl named Johnny in high school, yes, but not Andy. "Is she pretty?"

"Well," Joe awkwardly rubs the back of his neck. "I wouldn't say he's pretty, but-"

"What?! Whoa, wait, hold on. Did you just say 'he'?" If Pete had been drinking something during this conversation, he would've spit that shit everywhere. He thought he might have heard wrong and wasn't listening as well as he thought he was, but the nod of Joe's head had confirmed that he indeed heard him perfectly clear. Joe's attracted to a guy. Now that's new. "When the fuck did that happen?"

"I don't know, I just- when I first met him for the interview my heart started racing and my mind was like 'holy shit, look at that hot piece of tattooed cake'."

"'Hot piece of tattooed cake'?" Pete laughed. "That is probably the best thing I have ever heard you say."

Joe decides that that may have been a bad choice of words, but it was the best way he could describe Andy at the moment. "He's hot, dude. And it freaks me out a little 'cause I've never said or thought that a guy was hot before."

"Well, do you still find girls attractive?"

"Yeah."

"Then Joe, my friend, sounds like you might be bisexual."

"Bisexual?"

"Yeah, maybe having nothing but gay friends has rubbed off on you."

"But Hayley's not gay."

"Okay, let me rephrase then. Maybe having nothing but friends who like dick has rubbed off on you."

"Please, never say that again." Joe groans, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Say what? That all your friends like dick?"

"Oh my god-"

"You can't escape the dick, Joe."

"Shutup, Pete." Joe finds himself chuckling rather than being genuinely bothered by Pete saying the word 'dick' so much. For some reason 'dick' was kind of a funny word.

"Fine, fine, I'll stop." Pete said as his laughter died down. "But if you like this Andy guy, then why not talk to him? Get his number or something."

"He's my boss, Pete."

"So? I'm not telling you to fuck him, I'm telling you to get to know him. What's the harm in that?"

Joe let's out a sigh, knowing that Pete had a point. He stares at his hands as he twiddles his thumbs in his lap, thinking of what he could possibly say to Andy when he showed up for his first day. He came up with nothing but small talk, which usually makes things awkward. "Guess I'll give it a try." He mumbled.

"Alright, Joe with his first man crush!" Pete smiled, unraveling his arms from his blanket so he could clap his hands like an excited four year old. Joe simply shook head and hid his face in his hands to cover up the slight blush on his cheeks.

Then Pete stopped clapping, scooting back over beside Joe and moving some of his mane out of the way before resting his head on his shoulder again. He locks his eyes onto an empty mug that sat on the coffee table, one that Patrick had used a few days prior. Pete needed to wash that mug out, but he didn't want to, not yet.

"I really like Patrick." Pete said suddenly, voice soft and quiet but loud enough for Joe to hear. "I like him a lot."

Joe smiled lightly, glancing down at Pete but only able to see his hair and forehead. Then he rests his head on Pete's. "Yeah, I know you do. He likes you a lot, too."

"Really?" Pete nearly sounded incredulous.

"Mmhm. His eyes light up when he talks about you, and when I mention your name he smiles a little and asks how you're doing. And I can tell when you guys are texting because he grins at his phone like an idiot." He's known Pete and Patrick for a long time, knows everything about them like they were his own family. He can tell that those two are falling for each other, if they haven't fallen already. "He's got it bad for you, Pete."

Pete smiles softly to himself, replaying Joe's words in his head like an infinite loop. Pete has it bad, too.

"I'm really glad to hear that, dude."

"Yeah," Joe sighs with a smirk on his face. "I know you are."

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A/N: fun fact: I actually went to school with a girl named Johnny and she had a brother named Leslie. True shit. Nice ppl.

Another fun fact: there really is this shitty low budget animation about sea creatures, can't remember the name tho. But oh my god the shark sounds like a fucking dumbass, it's such an awful movie, holy shit. It makes dolphins cry.

Okay, bye
♥ na-na-na-nana