We Are Love, 2
Title:We Are Love
Author: heartsdesire456
Rating: Eventually NC-17
POV: 3rd
Pairing: Marcel Gothow(Shin)/ Gustav Schafer
Summary: In life there were always moments when a single choice or action made all the difference. There were tiny details that could come to change lives forever. There were split-second decisions that would set in motion changes throughout one’s life, twisting and turning every second of one’s future based on a single, solitary event.
When he took a seat in almost the very back of the lecture hall on the first morning of class, Marcel had no way of knowing that his choice of seat would be one of those decisions.
A fic in which Marcel and Gustav happen to go to the same University and meet unexpectedly (based on the rumors about Gustav attending University during the break).
Disclaimer: "-Fic.tion: [noun] something feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story"
Author's Note: SOMEBODY READ THE FIRST CHAPTER! HUZZAH! here have another!
As soon as Marcel walked into Carsten and Ricky’s flat, he and Carsten set to getting everything ready for dinner. Marcel had agreed to help Carsten cook Ricky dinner for their anniversary, and he had agreed to be there are four, but it was five-thirty before he got there, leaving them only two hours to get dinner done so Marcel could leave before Ricky got home. He didn’t want to ruin Carsten’s romantic surprise dinner by accidently still being there.
However, once the food was cooking and they had nothing left to do but wait and slowly prepare ingredients for dessert (they couldn’t use the oven for that until dinner was finished). It was then that Carsten pounced. “So, what on earth happened to make you have lunch so late?” he asked, and Marcel chuckled.
“Well, I sort of maybe had an accidental date… possibly,” he said, still a little confused on the matter.
Carsten stopped and shot him a look. “First off, how the hell do you have an accidental date?! Second- HOLY SHIT!” He bounced in place. “You went on a date!” he said excitedly. He was forever teasing Marcel about how pretty he was and how easy it would be for him to date whoever he wanted.
Marcel smiled bashfully. “Well, I doubt you’ll believe me if I even tell you who, so I’ll start with I met him sort of in class. He was sitting behind me and I left my notebook and after class he ran after me to give it back-“
“Awwwww!” Carsten interrupted. “It’s like American high school movies!” he gushed and Marcel snorted.
“Well, he said I seemed interested and he wanted to talk to me some more, so he asked if I was busy and when I said no he suggested we go get lunch together.” Marcel walked around the counter and grabbed a spoon from the drawer before turning back to the bowl where he was currently mixing. “I didn’t realize it was almost like a date until he paid for me on the grounds that he had asked me out.”
Carsten smirked. “Definitely a date.”
“I’m not sure,” Marcel hummed. “He sort of blushed and got all adorable awkward when he realized he made it sound like he’d asked me out.” He giggled. “It was actually really cute. He covered his face and smushed his glasses all crooked and said he wouldn’t blame me for running away after he was being so awkward, but I’m just as bad so I actually found it really sweet.”
Carsten shot him an amused look. “Wow, you met someone nearly as lame as you?” he teased.
Marcel shrugged. “I think so… and when he asked for my number, he added a joke about whether or not I’d give him a fake one just to be rid of him after failing so hard. I told him I’d call him, but he has my number too, so he could call me maybe.” He sighed sadly. “Although… I am pretty sure it’s wishful thinking,” he said softly. “Even if he was very funny and interesting, I highly doubt anything will come of it except maybe someone to text occasionally.”
Carsten glared. “You always do this, stop putting yourself down! You are beautiful, and smart, and talented, and you were famous! Even if you had never been famous, as pretty as you are, there is no excuse for how much you think nobody has a reason to like you.” He grumbled. “I wish I was as pretty and talented as you!”
Marcel shot him a look, then pointed at him with his spoon. “You are celebrating four years with a really cute man who is not only faithful to you- shocking enough when dating boys- but is actually stupidly in love with you and thinks you are the center of the damn world.” He poked him with his spoon, fighting a grin at the spot of chocolate on his cheek. “You don’t get to say a word!”
Carsten glowered as he wiped off the chocolate. “You are tall, thin, curvy, you have legs to die for, your face is unfairly pretty, and you look like a supermodel in a dress! Add that you’re smart and interesting and the only reason you aren’t beating boys off of you with a stick is because you have the confidence of a fat girl with no friends,” he said and Marcel glared.
“That’s mean-“
“It’s TRUE!” he countered. He sighed. “Whatever, there is a man out there who apparently liked you enough to ask you out to lunch after sitting behind you in class! What on earth could you get from that besides ‘I am worth his attention’, Marcel?” Carsten challenged, crossing his arms expectantly.
Marcel flushed. “You won’t believe me if I tell you-“
“Try me!” Carsten demanded and Marcel bit his lip before it all tumbled out in a rush.
“It was Gustav Schafer! The really really super famous drummer from Tokio Hotel,” he gushed, giving Carsten a somewhat stricken look.
Carsten’s eyes bulged and his jaw dropped. “Shut up!”
“YES!” Marcel hissed. “Oh my God, I had no idea he was a university student, and apparently he takes my Professor’s Tuesday and Thursday class but he missed it so he sat in my class today to make it up because he just came back from America from visiting Bill and Tom Kaulitz because he’s the drummer of Tokio. Hotel. THAT Carsten is why you won’t believe me!” he said in a rush, words tripping over one another in an attempt to spill out of his mouth.
He and Carsten just stared at each other for a while in total silence before Carsten shook his head, flapping his hands uselessly. “Wait, wait, wait… so not only is one of the most famous drummers to ever come out of Germany a student at the same university you go to… but he noticed you and asked you to lunch and you went on an accidental date with Gustav. Schafer. today?!” he asked, clearly just as shocked as Marcel seemed to be.
Marcel nodded, laughing almost hysterically. “Some people up in the front of the class were glancing back and whispering about ‘that drummer’ and naturally, since I didn’t know anybody was behind me, I assumed they had recognized me since it happens occasionally, but we both kind of groaned at the same time and I turned around and he was staring at me, all confused, and then when I left my notebook and he brought it to me, I realized who he was and he asked me why I groaned and I said it was cause I thought they meant me, and I felt stupid, but he came after me and wanted to talk so we went to lunch!” he said, taking a gasping breath as he finished his speech.
Carsten just stared. “I think that was one giant run-on sentence,” he said after a moment, and Marcel laughed.
“Carsten… a world famous drummer bought me lunch today,” he said, somewhat giddy. “And he told me I was pretty then turned pink because he was worried he had offended me! Me!” he gushed. “I’m just a nobody and he’s really cute and really famous and smart and funny and he actually likes to hear me go on and on about music and we discussed influences and he understood what I was talking about!” He covered his face, laughing. “Even if he never calls me and it was a one-time date, I went on an accidental date with someone that actually seemed to like me, and I liked him… I haven’t been on a decent date since I was eighteen years old, Carsten,” he said earnestly, eyes bright. “Nobody ever likes me when I get to rambling, but he followed them!”
Carsten just smirked. “Tomorrow, we are going to sit together and you are going to call him,” he instructed and Marcel flushed.
“No, he’ll think I’m weird-“
“Oh come on, the man blushed because he thought calling you pretty would make you feel like a girl. He made you like him- an impossible feat, it seems- and you are not letting this one slip away,” he said firmly. Marcel gave him a distressed look and Carsten walked over to hug him. “You’re a beautiful person, inside and out, and you deserve someone who can appreciate that.” He poked him in the tummy. “Maybe this shocking occurrence is a sign that someone who appreciates you like you are might just exist.”
Marcel sighed. “What if he doesn’t like me like that?” he mumbled worriedly.
Carsten shrugged. “Then you have a new friend, completely platonic,” he said simply. “Now come on. Let’s finish this and you can tell me every little detail!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marcel didn’t get to Carsten’s place until nearly three, so he was surprised to find Carsten still in pajamas. “What the hell?” he asked, and Carsten just smirked, flopping on the couch.
“Mmmm, fell asleep about dawn,” he said and Marcel snorted, rolling his eyes.
“My God, where the hell do you two get the energy for so much sex?” he asked and Carsten snickered.
“When it’s good, it’s good,” he said, stretching languidly. “I do believe Ricky will fall asleep at work though,” he added.
Marcel just shook his head. “I need a boyfriend,” he said and Carsten grinned.
“Poor, sexless Marcel.”
Marcel narrowed his eyes warningly. “Yeah, yeah, you get enough sex for the both of us,” he countered, then held up his phone. “Are you seriously going to make me do this? Or can we just talk about Ricky naked?” He sat back, grinning. “I like thinking about your man naked, he’s hot-“
“Put your eyes back in your head, skank!” Carsten growled. “Mine,” he grumbled possessively, making Marcel smirk.
“Yes, and we all know it,” he said, shaking his head. “Alright, are you sure the next day isn’t too early to call back?”
Carsten shot him a look. “You said he was a massive dork like you. It’s never too early. No use trying to play it cool when you aren’t.”
Marcel scoffed. “Bitch.” He found Gustav’s contact and pointed at Carsten. “Not a word, you ONLY listen!” he demanded and Carsten grabbed a notepad and sharpie.
“I plan to communicate this way,” he said, and Marcel rolled his eyes.
Marcel let it ring, hoping Gustav actually answered. After a few rings and rising panic, there was a click and the sound of fumbling as well as a ‘STOP THAT’ before Gustav finally answered with a, “Sorry, sorry my dog thinks the phone is for eating!”
Marcel giggled. “You have a dog?” he asked, not bothering with an introduction.
Gustav sighed. “Yes and most days I wonder why,” he joked. “Stop it! No! I’m on the phone, dumb dog, stop- Hold on, Marcel, give me a moment,” he groaned and Marcel grinned, leaning his elbows on his knees with a giggle.
Carsten shot him a look then scribbled something, marker squeaking on the page before he held it up and Marcel glared. You are a teenage girl!
“Sorry, back!” Gustav said, sounding out of breath. “Hi,” he said in a small voice and Marcel rolled his eyes, still somewhat shocked that Gustav Schafer was talking to him.
“Hi,” he said softly. “Everything okay?” he asked, looking down at the phone.
“Oh yeah,” Gustav reassured. “My dog is just a big puppy most days. She’s the sweetest thing, she just never really grew out of being hyperactive and an all-around pain.”
Marcel shot Carsten a look. “I know the feeling, my best friend is just like that,” he said and Carsten glowered, not bothering to write on the page as he expressed his opinion with a free hand.
“Oh God, don’t even get me started on friends. I question my sanity every damn time I go see those idiots,” Gustav said and Marcel grinned, leaning back with one leg over the arm of the oversized chair he was in, leaning his head against the other. “Was your friend angry about yesterday? I really am sorry I kept you, I just… didn’t realize we’d been there so long.”
Marcel blushed when Carsten shot him an amused look. “No, he wasn’t so upset. He was mostly stressed. It was his anniversary and he lied to his man that he cooked him a nice, romantic dinner when really I did it for him,” he said, shooting Carsten a look. “I did all the work, he gets all the reward. It’s like I’m the unappreciated third wheel, sometimes.” Carsten just snickered into his hands, trying to stay quiet.
“Is that the one you mentioned? The one that isn’t all that bright?” he asked and Marcel flushed when Carsten shot him an offended look, narrowing his eyes before taking up his pad and marker to scribble furiously.
Marcel smiled apologetically. “Well, he’s not stupid, but yeah, he has a fiancé who will take care of him. He just has to be the pretty little house-husband for the rest of his life.”
“Haha, that would be convenient, I guess,” Gustav said. “And they’re engaged? That’s really sweet. I really doubt my friends will ever settle down. Even the one with the girlfriend he’s had for ages is a commitment-phobe. I think the only reason he doesn’t realize he has been committed to her is because he pretends it’s not ‘serious’, whatever that means.”
Marcel snorted. “Better than me at least. Carsten is sickeningly sweet with his boyfriend. I mean, I don’t have many other friends I see anymore, but I’d almost like going out without feeling like I’m with an old married couple,” he said and Carsten flipped him off again.
“Well at least there’s that. It’s never easy going out with my friends because I have absolutely no chance of finding a person to talk to with them around. Any girls I meet want to sleep with my friends and any just talk to me to stare at my pretty friends while I’m talking to them.” He chuckled. “If I were less shy and actually not so awkward, I’d probably be offended.”
Marcel scoffed. “Back when I was in a band, I was the shy, quiet one and every time I finally started talking to somebody, my loud, slutty friend would interrupt on accident, strike up a conversation, and end up having sex with whoever I was talking to in a closet somewhere. I was pretty damn offended. I mean, really… I wasn’t going around trying to pick up every person I met, so immediately that meant I wasn’t any fun. Now I don’t mind, but I was still in the ‘I’m a rock star’ mindset back then,” he admitted. Carsten just fought giggles from his seat. Marcel glowered, mouthing shut up! at him.
“Oh I know all about that. Apparently, talking to a girl at a bar and not taking her back to your hotel room was against the rules, so my friends stole any girl I was talking to all the time,” Gustav said and Marcel smiled uneasily.
“You only ever talked to girls?” he asked, trying to not sound too interested in Gustav’s answer.
Gustav paused. “Well, it’s not exactly like I could get caught with men on tour. It was hard for a long time to squash the rumors our singer is gay. Now it isn’t so bad, I could probably talk to whoever I wanted, but our management would’ve killed me.”
Marcel smiled and Carsten gave him a triumphant smirk. “It wasn’t like that for me. I mean, I didn’t talk to much of anybody, but our first keyboard player was gay, the rest of us were bi on some level at least until our second keyboard player, so it wasn’t anything like I was alone talking to boys. I mean Ricky used to come to all of our shows when he and Carsten started getting serious, so if somebody’s boyfriend can come play supportive partner, it wasn’t ever a big deal for us.”
Gustav chuckled. “That would be nice, I think. I’m the only person I know that likes both boys and girls, actually. I mean, obviously random people I met were gay or bi along the way, but as for friends or family, I’m the only one.”
Marcel giggled. “That was never a problem for me. Even in school, my friends were all pretty open. Then I joined a band that was started by a pair of fuck-buddies and things sort of went from there, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it. You seem very secure of yourself. I like that,” he said and Marcel flushed.
“I don’t know, I’m so shy some people think I’m very insecure,” he admitted softly.
“I don’t,” Gustav said in a gentle voice, making Marcel smile wide. “You seem very self-aware when you are talking about something you’re passionate about. Yesterday I saw that a few times. You’re shy, but when you opened up, it was like you were very confident because you knew what you were talking about and nobody’s opinion mattered. I like that you speak so strongly about things you like.” He paused and chuckled. “Especially since it’s been so long since I met someone who gave a damn about anything I care for.”
Marcel giggled. “I haven’t spoken to a drummer in a really long time. It was very refreshing,” he agreed, hiding his face when he saw Carsten making kissy faces at him. He pulled his knees up to his chest, smiling against his jeans. “You get very animated.” He cringed. “I mean, you’re a very soft spoken guy and uneasy with it at first, but whenever we got to really talking, you gestured a lot and made jokes and it made me smile. I liked how you opened up as well.” He grimaced and let his forehead hit his knees with a thud. “What I’m trying and failing to say, I guess, is that I really had a nice time… with you,” he added, cringing automatically since it was unnecessary to add the ‘with you’.
He felt so lame sometimes.
Gustav just made a small, nervous sound. “I- I had fun with you too,” he said, then groaned. “I mean… God it was so much easier to speak with you face to face,” he admitted desperately, and Marcel laughed.
“Oh it really was,” he sympathized, shaking his head.
Carsten just stared at him like he was absolutely the biggest failure ever and then smacked himself in the face with his notepad.
Gustav suddenly spoke up. “What are you doing right now?” he asked, and Marcel frowned.
“Nothing…. Why?” he asked and, hearing rustling on Gustav’s end.
“Let’s meet up somewhere. Right now. I just- I know I must sound mad, but I want to see you again. I barely know you, but you’re so interesting. And clearly, talking on the phone isn’t my best trait,” he added and Carsten shot Marcel a blank look.
“Um… well what do-“
Gustav cut him off. “I don’t care where. Where would you like me to meet you? We can just go sit at a bus stop for all I care, I just like speaking to you, and it was so much easier face to face than I’ve ever spoken to someone I had just met.”
Marcel blushed and Carsten gave him a wide eyed, slightly manic grin, bouncing in his seat. “I know a little row of shops… we could meet up for- for coffee maybe?” he suggested bashfully, cheeks heating from the combined blush and the exertion of smiling so hard.
“Great! Just tell me where and I’ll tell you how soon I can be there,” Gustav said bravely.
After working out a place and a time, Marcel and Gustav said goodbye. As soon as the call was ended, Carsten leapt up, throwing his pen and pad over his head. “HOLY SHIT MARCEL!” he cried, and Marcel let out a burst of giddy laughter, slapping a hand over his face. Carsten leapt over the coffee table and swept Marcel up into a dance around the room. “That man!” he gushed and Marcel laughed, amazed.
“I know! I just…” He flapped his hand uselessly. “What the hell happened to me?!” he asked, putting his hands over his face. “Carsten, I haven’t met a person I really liked in four years. Four years,” he stressed. “How the hell is it a handsome, smart, incredibly funny, and interesting man took a chance on talking to me when he’s nearly as shy as I am, and after a spontaneous lunch together, only a day later he’s asking me out just so he can speak to me again?!” he asked, beaming.
Carsten just laughed. “I have no idea, but it’s incredible!” he said, hugging his friend. “God, do you know how long I’ve wondered why nobody else sees you the way I do?” he asked, looking up at Marcel’s face.
Marcel smirked. “I sure hope you don’t see me the way I hope he seems me, or else Ricky is really going to hate me-“
“Oh shut up, bitch,” Carsten grumbled, slapping him on the ass as he let go, giggling when Marcel squeaked. “I just mean, you’re one of the funniest, prettiest, most interesting people I’ve ever known, you’re my best friend because I think you’re an amazing person, and I have always failed to understand why nobody sees more than your pretty face,” he admitted. “I mean… you’re so interesting and fun to be around. Why the hell haven’t boys been all over you forever?!” he asked and Marcel smiled shyly.
“I think this one really likes me, Carsten. I mean… it’s only been one afternoon and a half a phone call, but he seems so interested in me as a person, not just a face,” he mumbled and Carsten clapped excitedly.
“Let’s make you extra pretty!” he cried, grabbing his friend’s wrist, dragging him towards the bathroom, both of them laughing excitedly as they went.
Author: heartsdesire456
Rating: Eventually NC-17
POV: 3rd
Pairing: Marcel Gothow(Shin)/ Gustav Schafer
Summary: In life there were always moments when a single choice or action made all the difference. There were tiny details that could come to change lives forever. There were split-second decisions that would set in motion changes throughout one’s life, twisting and turning every second of one’s future based on a single, solitary event.
When he took a seat in almost the very back of the lecture hall on the first morning of class, Marcel had no way of knowing that his choice of seat would be one of those decisions.
A fic in which Marcel and Gustav happen to go to the same University and meet unexpectedly (based on the rumors about Gustav attending University during the break).
Disclaimer: "-Fic.tion: [noun] something feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story"
Author's Note: SOMEBODY READ THE FIRST CHAPTER! HUZZAH! here have another!
As soon as Marcel walked into Carsten and Ricky’s flat, he and Carsten set to getting everything ready for dinner. Marcel had agreed to help Carsten cook Ricky dinner for their anniversary, and he had agreed to be there are four, but it was five-thirty before he got there, leaving them only two hours to get dinner done so Marcel could leave before Ricky got home. He didn’t want to ruin Carsten’s romantic surprise dinner by accidently still being there.
However, once the food was cooking and they had nothing left to do but wait and slowly prepare ingredients for dessert (they couldn’t use the oven for that until dinner was finished). It was then that Carsten pounced. “So, what on earth happened to make you have lunch so late?” he asked, and Marcel chuckled.
“Well, I sort of maybe had an accidental date… possibly,” he said, still a little confused on the matter.
Carsten stopped and shot him a look. “First off, how the hell do you have an accidental date?! Second- HOLY SHIT!” He bounced in place. “You went on a date!” he said excitedly. He was forever teasing Marcel about how pretty he was and how easy it would be for him to date whoever he wanted.
Marcel smiled bashfully. “Well, I doubt you’ll believe me if I even tell you who, so I’ll start with I met him sort of in class. He was sitting behind me and I left my notebook and after class he ran after me to give it back-“
“Awwwww!” Carsten interrupted. “It’s like American high school movies!” he gushed and Marcel snorted.
“Well, he said I seemed interested and he wanted to talk to me some more, so he asked if I was busy and when I said no he suggested we go get lunch together.” Marcel walked around the counter and grabbed a spoon from the drawer before turning back to the bowl where he was currently mixing. “I didn’t realize it was almost like a date until he paid for me on the grounds that he had asked me out.”
Carsten smirked. “Definitely a date.”
“I’m not sure,” Marcel hummed. “He sort of blushed and got all adorable awkward when he realized he made it sound like he’d asked me out.” He giggled. “It was actually really cute. He covered his face and smushed his glasses all crooked and said he wouldn’t blame me for running away after he was being so awkward, but I’m just as bad so I actually found it really sweet.”
Carsten shot him an amused look. “Wow, you met someone nearly as lame as you?” he teased.
Marcel shrugged. “I think so… and when he asked for my number, he added a joke about whether or not I’d give him a fake one just to be rid of him after failing so hard. I told him I’d call him, but he has my number too, so he could call me maybe.” He sighed sadly. “Although… I am pretty sure it’s wishful thinking,” he said softly. “Even if he was very funny and interesting, I highly doubt anything will come of it except maybe someone to text occasionally.”
Carsten glared. “You always do this, stop putting yourself down! You are beautiful, and smart, and talented, and you were famous! Even if you had never been famous, as pretty as you are, there is no excuse for how much you think nobody has a reason to like you.” He grumbled. “I wish I was as pretty and talented as you!”
Marcel shot him a look, then pointed at him with his spoon. “You are celebrating four years with a really cute man who is not only faithful to you- shocking enough when dating boys- but is actually stupidly in love with you and thinks you are the center of the damn world.” He poked him with his spoon, fighting a grin at the spot of chocolate on his cheek. “You don’t get to say a word!”
Carsten glowered as he wiped off the chocolate. “You are tall, thin, curvy, you have legs to die for, your face is unfairly pretty, and you look like a supermodel in a dress! Add that you’re smart and interesting and the only reason you aren’t beating boys off of you with a stick is because you have the confidence of a fat girl with no friends,” he said and Marcel glared.
“That’s mean-“
“It’s TRUE!” he countered. He sighed. “Whatever, there is a man out there who apparently liked you enough to ask you out to lunch after sitting behind you in class! What on earth could you get from that besides ‘I am worth his attention’, Marcel?” Carsten challenged, crossing his arms expectantly.
Marcel flushed. “You won’t believe me if I tell you-“
“Try me!” Carsten demanded and Marcel bit his lip before it all tumbled out in a rush.
“It was Gustav Schafer! The really really super famous drummer from Tokio Hotel,” he gushed, giving Carsten a somewhat stricken look.
Carsten’s eyes bulged and his jaw dropped. “Shut up!”
“YES!” Marcel hissed. “Oh my God, I had no idea he was a university student, and apparently he takes my Professor’s Tuesday and Thursday class but he missed it so he sat in my class today to make it up because he just came back from America from visiting Bill and Tom Kaulitz because he’s the drummer of Tokio. Hotel. THAT Carsten is why you won’t believe me!” he said in a rush, words tripping over one another in an attempt to spill out of his mouth.
He and Carsten just stared at each other for a while in total silence before Carsten shook his head, flapping his hands uselessly. “Wait, wait, wait… so not only is one of the most famous drummers to ever come out of Germany a student at the same university you go to… but he noticed you and asked you to lunch and you went on an accidental date with Gustav. Schafer. today?!” he asked, clearly just as shocked as Marcel seemed to be.
Marcel nodded, laughing almost hysterically. “Some people up in the front of the class were glancing back and whispering about ‘that drummer’ and naturally, since I didn’t know anybody was behind me, I assumed they had recognized me since it happens occasionally, but we both kind of groaned at the same time and I turned around and he was staring at me, all confused, and then when I left my notebook and he brought it to me, I realized who he was and he asked me why I groaned and I said it was cause I thought they meant me, and I felt stupid, but he came after me and wanted to talk so we went to lunch!” he said, taking a gasping breath as he finished his speech.
Carsten just stared. “I think that was one giant run-on sentence,” he said after a moment, and Marcel laughed.
“Carsten… a world famous drummer bought me lunch today,” he said, somewhat giddy. “And he told me I was pretty then turned pink because he was worried he had offended me! Me!” he gushed. “I’m just a nobody and he’s really cute and really famous and smart and funny and he actually likes to hear me go on and on about music and we discussed influences and he understood what I was talking about!” He covered his face, laughing. “Even if he never calls me and it was a one-time date, I went on an accidental date with someone that actually seemed to like me, and I liked him… I haven’t been on a decent date since I was eighteen years old, Carsten,” he said earnestly, eyes bright. “Nobody ever likes me when I get to rambling, but he followed them!”
Carsten just smirked. “Tomorrow, we are going to sit together and you are going to call him,” he instructed and Marcel flushed.
“No, he’ll think I’m weird-“
“Oh come on, the man blushed because he thought calling you pretty would make you feel like a girl. He made you like him- an impossible feat, it seems- and you are not letting this one slip away,” he said firmly. Marcel gave him a distressed look and Carsten walked over to hug him. “You’re a beautiful person, inside and out, and you deserve someone who can appreciate that.” He poked him in the tummy. “Maybe this shocking occurrence is a sign that someone who appreciates you like you are might just exist.”
Marcel sighed. “What if he doesn’t like me like that?” he mumbled worriedly.
Carsten shrugged. “Then you have a new friend, completely platonic,” he said simply. “Now come on. Let’s finish this and you can tell me every little detail!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marcel didn’t get to Carsten’s place until nearly three, so he was surprised to find Carsten still in pajamas. “What the hell?” he asked, and Carsten just smirked, flopping on the couch.
“Mmmm, fell asleep about dawn,” he said and Marcel snorted, rolling his eyes.
“My God, where the hell do you two get the energy for so much sex?” he asked and Carsten snickered.
“When it’s good, it’s good,” he said, stretching languidly. “I do believe Ricky will fall asleep at work though,” he added.
Marcel just shook his head. “I need a boyfriend,” he said and Carsten grinned.
“Poor, sexless Marcel.”
Marcel narrowed his eyes warningly. “Yeah, yeah, you get enough sex for the both of us,” he countered, then held up his phone. “Are you seriously going to make me do this? Or can we just talk about Ricky naked?” He sat back, grinning. “I like thinking about your man naked, he’s hot-“
“Put your eyes back in your head, skank!” Carsten growled. “Mine,” he grumbled possessively, making Marcel smirk.
“Yes, and we all know it,” he said, shaking his head. “Alright, are you sure the next day isn’t too early to call back?”
Carsten shot him a look. “You said he was a massive dork like you. It’s never too early. No use trying to play it cool when you aren’t.”
Marcel scoffed. “Bitch.” He found Gustav’s contact and pointed at Carsten. “Not a word, you ONLY listen!” he demanded and Carsten grabbed a notepad and sharpie.
“I plan to communicate this way,” he said, and Marcel rolled his eyes.
Marcel let it ring, hoping Gustav actually answered. After a few rings and rising panic, there was a click and the sound of fumbling as well as a ‘STOP THAT’ before Gustav finally answered with a, “Sorry, sorry my dog thinks the phone is for eating!”
Marcel giggled. “You have a dog?” he asked, not bothering with an introduction.
Gustav sighed. “Yes and most days I wonder why,” he joked. “Stop it! No! I’m on the phone, dumb dog, stop- Hold on, Marcel, give me a moment,” he groaned and Marcel grinned, leaning his elbows on his knees with a giggle.
Carsten shot him a look then scribbled something, marker squeaking on the page before he held it up and Marcel glared. You are a teenage girl!
“Sorry, back!” Gustav said, sounding out of breath. “Hi,” he said in a small voice and Marcel rolled his eyes, still somewhat shocked that Gustav Schafer was talking to him.
“Hi,” he said softly. “Everything okay?” he asked, looking down at the phone.
“Oh yeah,” Gustav reassured. “My dog is just a big puppy most days. She’s the sweetest thing, she just never really grew out of being hyperactive and an all-around pain.”
Marcel shot Carsten a look. “I know the feeling, my best friend is just like that,” he said and Carsten glowered, not bothering to write on the page as he expressed his opinion with a free hand.
“Oh God, don’t even get me started on friends. I question my sanity every damn time I go see those idiots,” Gustav said and Marcel grinned, leaning back with one leg over the arm of the oversized chair he was in, leaning his head against the other. “Was your friend angry about yesterday? I really am sorry I kept you, I just… didn’t realize we’d been there so long.”
Marcel blushed when Carsten shot him an amused look. “No, he wasn’t so upset. He was mostly stressed. It was his anniversary and he lied to his man that he cooked him a nice, romantic dinner when really I did it for him,” he said, shooting Carsten a look. “I did all the work, he gets all the reward. It’s like I’m the unappreciated third wheel, sometimes.” Carsten just snickered into his hands, trying to stay quiet.
“Is that the one you mentioned? The one that isn’t all that bright?” he asked and Marcel flushed when Carsten shot him an offended look, narrowing his eyes before taking up his pad and marker to scribble furiously.
Marcel smiled apologetically. “Well, he’s not stupid, but yeah, he has a fiancé who will take care of him. He just has to be the pretty little house-husband for the rest of his life.”
“Haha, that would be convenient, I guess,” Gustav said. “And they’re engaged? That’s really sweet. I really doubt my friends will ever settle down. Even the one with the girlfriend he’s had for ages is a commitment-phobe. I think the only reason he doesn’t realize he has been committed to her is because he pretends it’s not ‘serious’, whatever that means.”
Marcel snorted. “Better than me at least. Carsten is sickeningly sweet with his boyfriend. I mean, I don’t have many other friends I see anymore, but I’d almost like going out without feeling like I’m with an old married couple,” he said and Carsten flipped him off again.
“Well at least there’s that. It’s never easy going out with my friends because I have absolutely no chance of finding a person to talk to with them around. Any girls I meet want to sleep with my friends and any just talk to me to stare at my pretty friends while I’m talking to them.” He chuckled. “If I were less shy and actually not so awkward, I’d probably be offended.”
Marcel scoffed. “Back when I was in a band, I was the shy, quiet one and every time I finally started talking to somebody, my loud, slutty friend would interrupt on accident, strike up a conversation, and end up having sex with whoever I was talking to in a closet somewhere. I was pretty damn offended. I mean, really… I wasn’t going around trying to pick up every person I met, so immediately that meant I wasn’t any fun. Now I don’t mind, but I was still in the ‘I’m a rock star’ mindset back then,” he admitted. Carsten just fought giggles from his seat. Marcel glowered, mouthing shut up! at him.
“Oh I know all about that. Apparently, talking to a girl at a bar and not taking her back to your hotel room was against the rules, so my friends stole any girl I was talking to all the time,” Gustav said and Marcel smiled uneasily.
“You only ever talked to girls?” he asked, trying to not sound too interested in Gustav’s answer.
Gustav paused. “Well, it’s not exactly like I could get caught with men on tour. It was hard for a long time to squash the rumors our singer is gay. Now it isn’t so bad, I could probably talk to whoever I wanted, but our management would’ve killed me.”
Marcel smiled and Carsten gave him a triumphant smirk. “It wasn’t like that for me. I mean, I didn’t talk to much of anybody, but our first keyboard player was gay, the rest of us were bi on some level at least until our second keyboard player, so it wasn’t anything like I was alone talking to boys. I mean Ricky used to come to all of our shows when he and Carsten started getting serious, so if somebody’s boyfriend can come play supportive partner, it wasn’t ever a big deal for us.”
Gustav chuckled. “That would be nice, I think. I’m the only person I know that likes both boys and girls, actually. I mean, obviously random people I met were gay or bi along the way, but as for friends or family, I’m the only one.”
Marcel giggled. “That was never a problem for me. Even in school, my friends were all pretty open. Then I joined a band that was started by a pair of fuck-buddies and things sort of went from there, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it. You seem very secure of yourself. I like that,” he said and Marcel flushed.
“I don’t know, I’m so shy some people think I’m very insecure,” he admitted softly.
“I don’t,” Gustav said in a gentle voice, making Marcel smile wide. “You seem very self-aware when you are talking about something you’re passionate about. Yesterday I saw that a few times. You’re shy, but when you opened up, it was like you were very confident because you knew what you were talking about and nobody’s opinion mattered. I like that you speak so strongly about things you like.” He paused and chuckled. “Especially since it’s been so long since I met someone who gave a damn about anything I care for.”
Marcel giggled. “I haven’t spoken to a drummer in a really long time. It was very refreshing,” he agreed, hiding his face when he saw Carsten making kissy faces at him. He pulled his knees up to his chest, smiling against his jeans. “You get very animated.” He cringed. “I mean, you’re a very soft spoken guy and uneasy with it at first, but whenever we got to really talking, you gestured a lot and made jokes and it made me smile. I liked how you opened up as well.” He grimaced and let his forehead hit his knees with a thud. “What I’m trying and failing to say, I guess, is that I really had a nice time… with you,” he added, cringing automatically since it was unnecessary to add the ‘with you’.
He felt so lame sometimes.
Gustav just made a small, nervous sound. “I- I had fun with you too,” he said, then groaned. “I mean… God it was so much easier to speak with you face to face,” he admitted desperately, and Marcel laughed.
“Oh it really was,” he sympathized, shaking his head.
Carsten just stared at him like he was absolutely the biggest failure ever and then smacked himself in the face with his notepad.
Gustav suddenly spoke up. “What are you doing right now?” he asked, and Marcel frowned.
“Nothing…. Why?” he asked and, hearing rustling on Gustav’s end.
“Let’s meet up somewhere. Right now. I just- I know I must sound mad, but I want to see you again. I barely know you, but you’re so interesting. And clearly, talking on the phone isn’t my best trait,” he added and Carsten shot Marcel a blank look.
“Um… well what do-“
Gustav cut him off. “I don’t care where. Where would you like me to meet you? We can just go sit at a bus stop for all I care, I just like speaking to you, and it was so much easier face to face than I’ve ever spoken to someone I had just met.”
Marcel blushed and Carsten gave him a wide eyed, slightly manic grin, bouncing in his seat. “I know a little row of shops… we could meet up for- for coffee maybe?” he suggested bashfully, cheeks heating from the combined blush and the exertion of smiling so hard.
“Great! Just tell me where and I’ll tell you how soon I can be there,” Gustav said bravely.
After working out a place and a time, Marcel and Gustav said goodbye. As soon as the call was ended, Carsten leapt up, throwing his pen and pad over his head. “HOLY SHIT MARCEL!” he cried, and Marcel let out a burst of giddy laughter, slapping a hand over his face. Carsten leapt over the coffee table and swept Marcel up into a dance around the room. “That man!” he gushed and Marcel laughed, amazed.
“I know! I just…” He flapped his hand uselessly. “What the hell happened to me?!” he asked, putting his hands over his face. “Carsten, I haven’t met a person I really liked in four years. Four years,” he stressed. “How the hell is it a handsome, smart, incredibly funny, and interesting man took a chance on talking to me when he’s nearly as shy as I am, and after a spontaneous lunch together, only a day later he’s asking me out just so he can speak to me again?!” he asked, beaming.
Carsten just laughed. “I have no idea, but it’s incredible!” he said, hugging his friend. “God, do you know how long I’ve wondered why nobody else sees you the way I do?” he asked, looking up at Marcel’s face.
Marcel smirked. “I sure hope you don’t see me the way I hope he seems me, or else Ricky is really going to hate me-“
“Oh shut up, bitch,” Carsten grumbled, slapping him on the ass as he let go, giggling when Marcel squeaked. “I just mean, you’re one of the funniest, prettiest, most interesting people I’ve ever known, you’re my best friend because I think you’re an amazing person, and I have always failed to understand why nobody sees more than your pretty face,” he admitted. “I mean… you’re so interesting and fun to be around. Why the hell haven’t boys been all over you forever?!” he asked and Marcel smiled shyly.
“I think this one really likes me, Carsten. I mean… it’s only been one afternoon and a half a phone call, but he seems so interested in me as a person, not just a face,” he mumbled and Carsten clapped excitedly.
“Let’s make you extra pretty!” he cried, grabbing his friend’s wrist, dragging him towards the bathroom, both of them laughing excitedly as they went.