[Fic]: Kind To Be Cruel
Title: Kind To Be Cruel
Fandom: The Social Network
Rating: G
Summary: Dustin was too cruel
Disclaimer: TSN and its characters are not mine.
“I love you man. You’re my best friend.” Dustin said. Then, “Don’t tell Mark that.”
They went out because Dustin was in the mood for burgers. Chris wasn’t warmed up to the idea, but Dustin managed to convince him, like he always had.
“Mark doesn’t care,” Chris said, even though he knew that Mark was more sensitive to these kind of things than he would like to admit.
Dustin grinned. “He’ll be hurt. He loves me.”
“You think everyone loves you,” Chris pointed out.
“They do,” Dustin slapped Chris’s shoulder. “Especially you.”
Something was squeezing his chest painfully, but Chris plastered on his best smile. “You wish.”
Dustin’s grin softened. “You know, I really do love you. I’d even sleep with you if you’d ask.”
Chris dug into his palm with his nails until it hurt.
It was too cruel.
Chris tried to give Dustin his best unimpressed look, even though his insides were shaking. “No.”
“Not even once?” Dustin pouted.
“I have standards,” Chris took a sip of water.
“Rejected before I could even give a try,” Dustin sighed, and even though Chris could usually stand Dustin’s mock hurt, he was more annoyed by it today.
“Don’t use me to satisfy your homo-curiosity,” Chris chided, watching his own reflection on the glass cup shattering into tiny blue hexagonal fragments.
“Fine, fine,” Dustin said, eyes straying to that a girl at the register. She was in Dustin’s math class, and worked here part-time.
“I want to ask her out,” Dustin confided to Chris once. Chris didn't say anything at the time. He couldn't muster the strength to say something encouraging.
“She smelled like warm coconut,” Dustin told Chris as they left.
“You don’t even know what warm coconut smelled like,” Chris pointed out. He didn’t know how, but Dustin managed to catch the scent of the girl’s shampoo when all Chris could smell was greasy fries.
“Whatever,” Dustin turned away, face flushing red. “Hey, do you think she’ll be creeped out if I compliment her shampoo?”
“How would I know?” Chris said. Sometimes Chris wondered if Dustin even remembered that he was gay.
Suddenly, there was a warm hand at the back of his neck, and before Chris could protest, Dustin pulled Chris against him.
Chris was about to push Dustin off, but then there was a tingling feeling on his scalp because fuck, Dustin was sniffing his hair. Chris was frozen for a moment, but then his senses came back to him and he shoved Dustin away.
“Dustin, what the hell?”
“You smell minty,” Dustin smiled. “It’s good.”
“That’s creepy,” said Chris. He was surprised that his voice didn’t shake. “You just…you don’t do that with guys.”
Not unless you want something else.
“Ah,” Dustin rubbed his chin. “I guess complimenting the scent of her hair is out of the question?”
Chris didn’t say anything. He let his silence spoke instead.
“I’m sorry,” said Dustin, and Chris didn’t want to hear it. He sped up his pace because Dustin could be left behind for all he cared.
“Come on, Chris, I’m sorry,” Dustin jogged to catch up to his side. “Chris-”
“Yeah, yeah,” Chris turned away to look at anywhere but Dustin’s face. “I know.”
“I really do love you, you know,” Dustin said meekly. “Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad,” Chris said. “Don’t just throw I love you's all over the place.”
“I’m not,” Dustin said. “I meant it.”
Chris turned to look at Dustin.
“You’re a really good friend, Chris.”
Chris sighed.
“I know.”
Dustin, you’re really too cruel.