Whispers of the Heart

Boom's POV

I could feel the heat of my blush creeping up my neck, my heart racing as I read Perth's message. How did he always manage to see right through me? It was like he could read my mind, my emotions—all the things I tried so hard to keep hidden. 

Aou, still acting oblivious to the war raging inside my head, grinned at me, clearly enjoying the show. He was so damn good at this—teasing, pushing buttons, and never backing down. He shot me another knowing look, probably reading me like an open book. I just wanted to disappear. Or maybe, just maybe, I wanted to face this head-on. But damn, it was complicated.

I pocketed my phone as we reached the drinks stall, hoping the distraction of choosing something would calm me down. Aou seemed content to let the silence stretch between us, but I could feel his eyes on me. I could feel him waiting for me to crack.

"You're not fooling anyone," he said under his breath, close enough that I had no choice but to hear him. His voice was soft but insistent, like he knew the truth and wasn't afraid to point it out. "You like him, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep the blush from spreading any further. "Shut up, Aou."

But even as I said it, I couldn't help but glance at Perth across the room. He was laughing with Santa, that damn smile of his lighting up his face, and for a second, I felt something shift. Something I wasn't prepared to feel.

Aou noticed too, of course. "You sure you want to ignore that?" he teased, nudging my shoulder.

I turned away quickly, focusing on picking a drink, but Aou didn't let up. "It's obvious, Boom. You've been looking at him like he's the only thing that matters."

My stomach flipped. Was it that obvious? Did everyone see it but me?

I grabbed a drink, trying to regain some sense of control, but the thought of Perth's message kept circling back in my mind. "Your face gave it away, Boom." I felt exposed, like somehow, he could see every little crack I tried to hide. And part of me hated it, but another part... another part was grateful. Maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to keep pretending anymore.

Aou watched me silently, then gave me a half-smile. "You've got a lot to figure out, don't you?" he said, not unkindly.

I couldn't answer. I wasn't sure what to say. Everything felt like a mess, but a mess I kind of wanted to unravel. With Perth.

Perth's POV

I leaned back against the seat, waiting for Boom to come back with the drinks. The soft hum of conversation around me barely registered as my focus zeroed in on him. His figure cut through the crowd, moving with that same confident stride I'd always admired. But today—there was something different. There was a tension in the way his shoulders held just a little tighter, a wariness in his posture that wasn't there before.

I couldn't help but watch him, feeling the weight of unspoken things between us. The teasing messages, the way he couldn't quite hide that he missed me. I knew he was struggling with it, trying to push down whatever was building between us. It wasn't easy for him to let anyone in, let alone someone like me. But damn, I could feel it. We were slowly, painfully, and yet so naturally getting closer. Even if he wouldn't admit it, we both knew there was something there. Something we were both tiptoeing around.

My mind wandered back to earlier, when I'd sent that message, "Your face gave it away, Boom." The way his expression had shifted, even for a second, had told me everything I needed to know. He was trying to keep it casual, like it wasn't a big deal, but I could tell. 

I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning back just a little more, letting the space between us settle in my mind. He hadn't said anything outright, but I could see the flicker of something in his eyes whenever they met mine, like he was weighing everything on the edge of his tongue but too afraid to speak it. It was both infuriating and... captivating.

A part of me wanted to make him say it. To admit it out loud, to make it real. But I also knew Boom wasn't someone who was easily rushed. He had his own pace, and I had to respect that. But, god, I couldn't help but want to push him, to see how far I could go before he cracked.

I caught sight of him again, walking back toward me with a couple of drinks in his hand, his brow furrowed slightly as he scanned the area. His eyes met mine for a brief moment, and it was like the world paused for a second. Something passed between us in that look—something unspoken but undeniable. A flicker of recognition, maybe, or even something warmer than that.

As he reached the table, I couldn't stop myself from letting out a quiet chuckle. "Took you long enough," I teased, leaning forward just a little.

Boom shot me a glance that was half-amused, half-annoyed, but there was something else in it too. Something that made my heart pick up pace. "You're lucky I came back at all," he muttered, setting the drinks down in front of me. But the edge to his voice was softer than usual. 

I raised an eyebrow, enjoying the way his words didn't carry the usual bite. "Oh? You could've left me here to drink alone?"

He shrugged, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I guess I couldn't let you have all the fun."

And there it was. The smallest, simplest exchange, but it felt like a milestone. In that moment, the space between us felt just a little smaller. Just a little more comfortable. I could tell Boom wasn't used to this—being vulnerable, or even admitting to enjoying someone else's company in a way that wasn't casual. But I could see it, in the way he looked at me, the way his words came a little slower, a little softer.

I picked up my drink, tapping it lightly against his. "Well, I guess I'll just have to keep you around then."

Boom's eyes flicked to mine, and for a second, I could see the hesitation, the uncertainty behind them. But then he grinned, that familiar mischievous glint returning. "Don't get used to it, Perth," he said, but his voice had lost its edge. It was quieter, almost fond.

And in that moment, I knew. This thing between us, whatever it was, was no longer just a game. It was something real. Something worth figuring out.