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1.
Theon felt bad…really bad, but it hadn’t been his fault. He would swear to the old gods and the new. Honest. He never meant to flood the bathroom. Seven Hells, he didn’t even know how he managed it! He had only been living in the apartment for a week and now he was worried about facing his landlord with a flooded bathroom. Crap.
He hesitantly and lightly knocked on his landlord’s door (after standing outside it for ten minutes building up the courage), hoping that maybe he wouldn’t be home or hear him. Ned Stark had been gracious enough to let a twenty year old Theon stay there, but Theon wasn’t prepared to fuck it up and get himself evicted. He needed this. He couldn’t go back home.
Much to Theon’s misfortune, the door opened but it was not Ned Stark behind it. It was his son Robb. Theon had met Robb once before when turning in his security deposit. He was Ned’s oldest son and often helped with the apartment complex and managed the front desk a lot. It doesn’t help that the whole family lived on the top floor. Maybe Theon was more surprised this was only the second time he had seen him all things considering.
“Greyjoy?” Robb asked, eyebrows furrowed. “Theon Greyjoy, right?”
Theon nodded his head quickly. “Yeah, uh, your father isn’t home, is he?”
“He just laid down for a nap. Had some problems with the Reeds on the third floor. Why, should I get him?”
“No!” Theon yelped. Ned Stark was already upset; he didn’t want him coming to Theon in a bad mood when he was only going to make it worse. “It’s nothing. I promise. Actually, forget I was here.”
Theon went to turn and thought he was in the clear when he heard the door shut, but then he felt a warm hand grab his elbow turn him around.
“Is something wrong?”
“I’m just having a small leak, that’s all.”
Robb’s nodded his head knowingly. “The toilet.” He smiled sheepishly at Theon’s face. “Our last tenants had some…problems with it. Let me get something and I’ll meet you at your apartment.”
Theon didn’t even have a chance to object since Robb slipped back into his apartment leaving Theon standing there confused and shell-shocked.
Not even ten minutes later, Robb was standing there was a toilet plunger and a plastic bag. Theon led him silently into the bathroom and Robb took one look at the overflowing toilet before throwing himself at it with the plunger.
After a few hard thrusts, Robb pulled the plunger out and surfacing to the top came a wad of used feminine products. Robb didn’t even cast Theon a glance as he pulled on rubber gloves and threw the waste into a plastic bag he had brought. Once the water level went back to normal and Robb had double checked everything, he left the bathroom with a large grin.
“All fixed!” He smiled at his proud achievement.
“Just like that?” Theon asked in a tone of sheer amazement. This kid was only seventeen and still more put together than Theon.
“Yup. The old tenants wouldn’t listen to us after we repeatedly told them not to do this.”
“Thanks.” Theon gulped with relief. “Oh and-”
“Don’t worry.” Robb cut him off and moved to stand beside Theon. “I won’t tell my dad. This will be our little secret.” Robb put his hand on Theon’s shoulder in a comforting sort of way before letting himself out of the apartment.
Theon stood in the nearly empty living room of his apartment, mouth agape. The spot were Robb had touched Theon burned.
2.
It had been four months since the toilet incident (TTI as Robb had been referring to it as). Theon found himself in the company of the landlord’s son more often than not. Despite Robb being younger than him and still in high school (gods), they hit it off pretty well. It didn’t help that Robb knew a lot about repairs and often helped Theon out since he knew nothing about home care.
That how he found himself texting Robb at three o’clock in the morning on a Tuesday (he felt bad since the kid had school tomorrow).
ROBB. I locked myself out. Can you get keys and let me back in, please?
Theon didn’t get a response back via text and Theon cursed after a minute of standing there because that meant he was going to have to go wake up Ned Stark and pay a fifty dollar key fee. He really didn’t want to do that.
He was halfway up the stairs when he saw Robb descending down them wearing a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie (it was cold and drafty in the building). He looked tired.
“I’m so sorry-” Theon immediately began but Robb stopped him.
“It’s fine. I was up anyways.” He said with flushed cheeks.
Theon only had to take one look at him to know the kid was lying, but didn’t say anything on the matter.
“So you left your keys inside?” Robb asked as he fiddled with the spare key that the landlord kept. He must have snatched it from the key box without his father knowing.
“I think. I thought I grabbed them. I don’t know. I’ll take a look around in the morning. They’ll turn up eventually.” Theon shrugged as Robb opened the door and they both fled inside. It was quite warm inside.
“We can look now.” Robb looked at Theon earnestly. “That way if you need a new one we can make a copy tomorrow morning without my dad knowing so you don’t have to pay the fee.”
Theon was overcome by the kindness of this kid. Really, he was too nice for his own good. Theon was used to being surrounded by assholes. Maybe that was why he found himself so attracted to Robb.
They spent fifteen minutes looking around. The apartment was still fairly empty but it had been gradually filled as the months went by. Robb thought it needed a touch of personality and often ‘left’ things there until they became permanent fixtures. Like a ceramic bowl that Robb had made in the second grade and had wanted to show to Theon and then conveniently left it on the table beside the door. Now it acts as a loose change and key depository.
That’s were Robb found his key, buried under a mountain of loose change.
“Found them!” Robb exclaimed excitedly, like he had (and very much did) find the hidden treasure. Theon rushed over to Robb, relief painting his features.
“Oh thank gods.” He sighed as he took them from Robb. “You’re a life saver.”
“A selfless one at that.” Robb smiled sleepily and yawned. “I should get a reward.”
Theon tried to keep his disturbing thoughts a bay. “Sleep would be a nice one. Need me to help you back up?” He didn’t want the poor kid to fall down the stairs from exhaustion. He barely looked fit to stand.
“No.” Robb waved off as he dug through his hoodie pocket. He froze suddenly and started blushing furiously. “Crap.”
“What?”
“You’re not going to believe this.” Robb scratched the back of his head distractingly. “I left my keys inside my room.”
Theon burst out laughing, finding the entire situation too much. “You’re such a dork. Oh gods. You can sleep here, man. Look, I’ll even set an alarm so you can get yourself pretty little self up for school tomorrow.”
Robb smiled graciously. “Pretty?”
Theon rolled his eyes to signal that it was a joke (it wasn’t). “Take the bed.”
Theon flopped onto the couch. Robb stood there looking awkward.
“I can’t take you out of your bed.”
“Robb, I insist. It’s my fault you’re in this situation anyways. Plus, I don’t have anything of extreme importance to do tomorrow. My shift doesn’t start till three and I finished my online assignments.” (Yes, he was taking college online. He couldn’t stand the university.)
“I don’t feel right doing that though.” Robb shuffled his feet. “We can share!” Robb’s eyes lit up with revelation. “Come on, it’s no different that when we fall asleep together playing video games. Please. I want you to be comfortable too if you’re going to make me take your bed.”
Theon was about to object. He really was. He didn’t want to take advantage of Robb and his ignorance (innocence) like that. Seriously, this kid was too nice. While it might make no difference to Robb, it made all the difference to Theon. Even sleeping next to Robb on the couch was too much sometimes, it would be even worse with the intimate connotations of the bed.
“Fine.” He found himself agreeing because he could never say no to Robb and especially with Robb giving him that look with his big blue eyes staring him down. Plus, Robb really did need to sleep. Theon didn’t want him falling behind in school because of him. He didn’t want to be the one holding him back.
Robb’s face split into a grin as he walked toward Theon’s room with Theon close behind. Robb settled beneath the covers and Theon fell in beside him. Silence wafted over them for a full minute.
“Should you tell your family?” Theon asked suddenly. They would surely freak out if they found their eldest son missing.
“No, it’ll be fine. Sansa is the only one who gets up at that time anyways and she’ll open the door.”
“And what will you tell her.” Theon cocked and eyebrow at Robb who was laying on his side looking at Theon sleepily.
“That I hung out here.” Robb yawned. “And I fell asleep on your couch.”
“My couch?” Theon couldn’t help smirk.
“Mhmm.” Robb wiggled around to get more comfy (and to Theon’s torture, closer), “It’ll be our little secret.”
Robb fell asleep shortly afterwards and Theon didn’t sleep a wink. They didn’t even touch and Theon’s entire side next to Robb’s was burning.
3.
Summer had finally come around and Theon and Robb found themselves spending the day playing campaigns for Call of Duty. It was too hot to go outside without a for sure plan and it was nice to just lazy around the slightly more decorated apartment (there were now pictures on the wall that Robb had taken and printed out of Theon and him).
Theon tried not to think about how close Robb was sitting next to Theon. Their legs were bumping next to each other and occasionally their elbows would collide. It was torture, but Theon rather have this torture than nothing from Robb at all. It was a horrible, selfish, guilty pleasure of his and Robb could never know. And even now, with Robb eighteen and legal, Theon would never act out on anything between them.
They had been playing around for about three hours, mostly talking about whatever came to their heads and drinking sodas when it started.
About two months prior, a new tenant moved in above Theon. His name was Ramsay Bolton and he had a sick fixation on making Theon miserable, uncomfortable, and distressed. He was also very good at it. Perhaps it had to do with their unfortunate first encounter (Theon had gotten bored in the lobby waiting for Robb and had flirted with Ramsay vaguely enough that he could say he didn’t before simply leaving him out to dry when Robb showed up. How was he supposed to know that they were going to be neighbors now?).
Regardless, each week or so aside from the border line physical (and/or) sexual assault Ramsay would find a new way to disturb Theon’s peace. This week was finding partners to have sexual experiences with anytime during the day or night as loudly as he could. The walls were thin so he didn’t even have to try very hard…the thing was, he never told them his own name.
“Theoooon!”
Robb froze and looked up at the ceiling all the while Theon groaned.
“Are you seriously that good?” Robb jested. Theon had come to tell Robb all about his sexual conquests. “You can have them like that all the way over here?”
“It’s Bolton.” Theon shoved Robb playfully. “He won’t fucking stop.”
“You shouldn’t have been mean to him.” Robb poked Theon sharply, but jokingly. “Do you want to complain?”
“What happens if I do?” Theon quirked an eyebrow.
“He’ll get a stern written warning.” Robb nodded his head and Theon smiled at his confidence.
“No. Not worth it.” He sighed. “Sure, he’ll stop this, but he will find something probably worse to annoy me with.”
“Theon, Theon, Theon, Theoonnnnnn!”
“Are you sure you don’t keep it around as an ego boost?” Robb teased, leaning in closely.
Theon smirked. “Trust me. I don’t need Ramsay doing the work to spread my good name. I’m pretty good at doing that all on my own.”
“We have to do something.” Robb said seriously leaning back on the couch and looking up with narrowed eyes at the ceiling.
“Evict him.” Theon suggested with mirth.
“Can’t. We need a real reason.” Robb frowned crossing his arms. “I can turn his power off. Accidently, of course.” Robb winked.
“Robb Stark, are you offering up a game of Mess with Ramsay?” Theon sat up with a dark smile coating his features.
“Let’s see which one of us can get him to leave without getting caught by father.” Robb stuck his hand out. “Winner…”
“Winner gets Bolton’s missing driver’s license.” Theon stood up and grabbed the card from a wooden box on his counter top, another left over thing from Robb (he had made it during his summer camp when he was seven and wanted to show Theon the craftwork). “A trophy of sorts.”
“Where did you even get that?” Robb laughed as he studied the picture of his new target.
“I kind of started the game a little sooner.” Theon shrugged as he sat beside Robb again.
“Deal.” Robb held out his hand again which Theon took, but both looked up in unison as a loud grunt echoed. “Was that-”
“He always finishes like that.” Theon gave Robb a knowing look and as if on cue, both of them erupted into cheers and clapping.
“Go Theon! I knew you could do it!” Theon yelped as loud as he could before following with hollering.
“You finally did it! We are so proud of you, Theon! You satisfied your first person!” Robb laughed aloud all the while clapping loudly.
The two finally broke into fits of laughter unable to do much else and once the laughter died down and they both gained their breath, they went back to playing their video game.
“You are so on.” Theon muttered after a while. “I have better access to him; he’ll be gone soon enough.”
“But I have access to a lot more sensitive information.” Robb winked with a giggle.
“Abusing your landlordship powers.” Theon smiled. “Impressive.”
“And remember,” Robb snatched his control. “It’s our little secret.”
Theon laughed as they continued to play their game, all the while his hand still burned from their shake.
4.
It was the midst of fall and Theon found himself drunk and shivering outside Robb’s door. It used to be Ramsay’s door, but Robb had won their little bet and when the fall came around, Robb took his apartment. He was starting college now and wanted to stay close to home but still live on his own. Theon certainly wasn’t complaining. Now he just had better access to the boy.
Theon banged his head against the door to knock, temporarily forgetting how to use his hands (he had also left the key Robb had given him in his own apartment). Robb appeared moments later opening the door and catching Theon from falling on him.
“You reek.” Robb teased as he closed the door behind Theon. “Did you and Asha drink the whole bar?” Asha, Theon’s sister, had decided to go drinking with Theon. They did this often enough. But never to this extent.
Theon didn’t even bother responding and just fell on Robb’s couch. That’s when Robb noticed that Theon was sporting a black eye and bruised knuckles.
“What happened to you?” Robb sat on the edge of the couch worried.
“I got into a fight.” Theon slurred into the seat cushions.
“I can see that.” Robb said gently before falling to the floor on his knees and resting his head on the couch beside Theon. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.” Theon muttered lowly.
“Okay.” Robb smiled sadly as he carded his fingers through Theon’s hair in a calming manner. He watched as Theon’s shoulders lost tension and his breathing evened. He didn’t see Theon’s pulse quicken because of his touch.
“It was my dad.” Theon finally offered after twenty minutes of silence. He looked over at Robb resting his cheek on the sofa. “He wanted to start shit.”
“I’m sorry.” Robb truly was. He had heard many stories about Theon’s dad and knew he was a prick.
“It’s not your fault.” Theon looked at Robb and despite his shitty night, he was glad he found his way there. His safe heaven (his Robb).
“I know. But I don’t like seeing you like this. You’re my best friend.” Robb whispered comfortingly. “When you’re sad, I’m sad.”
“I don’t deserve you.” Theon slowly sat up and Robb joined him. “You’re too good. Too good, Robb. And I’m not. I’m a fuck up. I’ll fuck you up too if you stick around too long.”
“No, you won’t.”
“I will! I don’t deserve you and you definitely don’t deserve being stuck with me. You’re too good for anyone, Robb. You’re perfect. You deserve the world.” Theon said with earnest but a slight sniffle.
“Theon…” Robb crawled closer to Theon and wrapped him up in his arms.
“My dad was right.” Theon sniffled and Robb could feel moisture on his shirt. “I should just disappear.” He hiccupped. “It should have been me. Not Rodrick or Maron. It should have been me.”
Robb didn’t say anything and just held Theon. He rubbed slow and calm circles on his back and rested his cheek on Theon’s soft hair. Theon clutched to Robb painfully but Robb didn’t even care. Eventually, Theon stopped speaking actually words and just sobbed against Robb. Robb took this time to confess to Theon.
“You are the most important person in my life. You are my best friend, my brother, and I love you, okay? Theon, don’t ever say I don’t deserve you because I can’t live without you. I’d be lost without you because I need you. Your dad is dead wrong, you hear that? Dead wrong. Because if you ever left me, I wouldn’t be able to do anything and I’d disappear too.”
Theon looked up at Robb, his eyes still moist. “You mean that?” His eyes looked like a mixture of unconvinced and still hopeful, like he thought Robb might be teasing him but he hoped otherwise.
Robb wiped a tear away. “I do. I mean that now. I will mean that tomorrow. I will mean that in fifty years. I will mean it always.”
Theon rubbed his face into Robb’s chest. “Now and always.” Theon murmured.
Robb nodded his head even though Theon couldn’t see it. “Now and always.”
Theon’s phone vibrated from the floor (it must have taken a fall when Theon came in) and Robb picked it up.
“Don’t answer it.” Theon pleaded with big eyes.
“It’s Asha.” Robb whispered. “I’m just going to tell her where you are, okay?”
“Don’t tell her I cried.” Theon shook and looked ready to break down again.
“I won’t.” Robb promised, keeping one arm secured around Theon while pressing a chaste kiss on Theon’s forehead. “It’s our little secret.”
Theon kept himself curled to Robb’s side as he talked to Asha and explained that Theon was with him and asleep and that Theon would call her in the next day. All the while, Theon just rested with his eyes closed, listening to Robb’s heart beat as his forehead burned hotter than the rest of his body.
5.
It was Christmas and Theon found himself standing in the Stark apartment awkwardly. Robb had dragged him there and promised they were going to have drinks when they left. Like a kind of payment for forcing Theon to endure their large Christmas.
The Stark’s took Christmas very seriously. Everyone was invited from extended family, to significant others, to significant others’ families. As of now, apartment was filled with the eight Starks (Ned, Catelyn, Robb, Jon [Snow], Sansa, Arya, Brann, and Rickon), their six dogs, Jon’s girlfriend Ygritte, their friends Mance, Tormund, Sam, Gilly, Pyp, and Grenn, Sansa’s girlfriend Margery, Margery’s brother Loras, Loras’ boyfriend Renly, Arya’s friends Gendry and Hotpie, Bran’s friends the Reeds, and Rickon’s friend Shireen along with her dad Stannis who also happened to be brothers with Renly which meant that they had to also invite the third brother Robert who was friends with Ned and then they had Robert’s huge family of Cersei the wife, their three kids, and Cersei’s brother Tyrion and Jamie along with their dates Shae and Brienne respectively. Simply, there was a fuckton of people.
Which means it was crowded, warm, and loud, all of things Theon hated unless they were administered by Robb himself (he could be all three of those things on his own if he wanted too). But he would suffer through the evening because Robb asked and he could never say no to those eyes, those lips, that boy. Theon loved that boy more than life and he was the reason life was worth living sometimes (all the time).
It wasn’t a bad evening. Sure, he only really talked to Robb and sure, he probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if it were just the two of them. But Theon liked being around Robb’s family. It was like having an actual family sometimes (at night he would often dream that he would one day be a part of this family for real). The food was great and always was and the conversation was funny.
The night ended in length, people drifting out slowly until it was just the family and Theon. When Theon tried to leave to give the family a moment alone, Robb put his hand on
Theon’s knee to keep him there. So he stayed through another hour of conversations, jokes, and stories until the youngest Starks started to get tired.
Theon and Robb went to Theon’s apartment right afterwards, huddling together in the cold until they were blasted by the warmth of his nearly full apartment. Little mementos and objects cluttered his shelves and surfaces, making the room seem fuller than it was (shelves contained movie stubs, books Robb and Theon liked, movies they watched, games they played together, thousands of pictures of the two of them). Really, the only reason Theon’s home felt like home was because Robb was his home.
So Theon told him as much over their third drink. Robb smiled warmly and snuggled up to him, which only boosted Theon’s confidence in what he wanted to do.
“We still haven’t exchanged gifts.” Theon murmured lowly.
Robb grinned up at Theon. “I hope you like yours.”
“Let me guess,” Theon leaned back as Robb grabbed the present from the floor and gave it to Theon. “Something for the apartment.”
“Open it.”
Theon opened the cardboard box to see it filled with a handful of little trinkets. There was a shiny ink black rock (they had found it while hiking and Theon ‘proposed’ to Robb with it), there was an old lotto ticket (they had bought ten of these when Robb turned 18 and this one’s numbers were their apartment numbers), there was a small glass squid (they had gone to the shore and Theon had admired it, Robb must have gone back to get it), and lastly there was Ramsay’s driver’s license.
Theon’s heart fluttered as he shifted through all of these. He looked up at Robb to see him looking uncertain and Theon realized he hadn’t said anything up until this point.
“Do you like it?” Robb bit his lip (a nervous habit).
Theon’s face split into a grin. “What do you think?” And Robb burst into a smile.
It was Theon’s turn to give him a gift and Theon went to his room and came back with a thick envelope. He gave it to Robb and tried to hide his blush.
Robb opened it to see wads of bills and looked up at Theon confused.
“You mentioned that in the summer, you wanted to go on a road trip but I told you it would be costly.” Theon coughed and looked away. “So I have been putting half my tips away into a jar to save up. It should actually be more than enough to get us around the country and back and I just thought-”
Robb had set the envelope down and lunged at Theon, grappling him into a tight embraced. They wrestled for a bit until Robb was nestled up against Theon, grinning into his neck.
“Thank you!” He was shaking with excitement and it made Theon’s heart speed up.
“Anything for you.” Theon said light heartedly, but he meant it very deeply.
“So you and me are going to hit the road, huh?” Robb looked up excitedly. “We better start planning.”
“Isn’t that a bit early?” Theon smirked.
“It’s never too early to plan the best summer ever.”
“Even on Christmas day?”
“Especially.” Robb climbed off Theon and Theon found himself missing the warmth. “Man, your gift kicked the crap out of mine.” Robb smiled shyly.
“I got memories of the past and you got memories for the future. I think they fit quite nicely, don’t you.” Theon bumped his shoulder. “Besides, mine was a gift for both of us.”
“Oh, so I have to share my gifts now?” Robb teased. “Couldn’t get me something that was mine alone.”
Theon looked at Robb for a minute. He shouldn’t. It could ruin everything. Or it could be everything. Theon swallowed as he leaned close to Robb.
“You want something that’s yours alone?” He asked quietly, serious.
Robb tilted his head to the side. “I was just joking-”
Theon pushed his lips against Robb’s in a chaste kiss and waited. His heart was screaming loud beats in his ears and he felt like he was going to faint. He felt like they stayed like that forever and then…Robb moved away. Eyes wide and confusion in his eyes. It was then Theon knew, he fucked up. This, whatever their friendship was exactly, was over. Done.
“Theon-”
“I’m sorry.” He blurted out. “I don’t know what came over me. I was just…I don’t know.” Theon shook his head and stood up. He felt cold, freezing. He never felt that when around Robb but he had never been tossed aside by Robb either.
“Wait-”
“Forget it.” Theon cut him off. “Just please forget it. I just…I drank too much.” They both knew that was a lie. “I’m tired anyways.” He coughed, not meeting Robb’s eyes. He just couldn’t. He didn’t want to see the way he looked at him now.
“Right.” Robb nodded his head and grabbed the envelope. “I’ll get going. Uh, Theon,” Robb tapped Theon’s shoulder and Theon turned around looking at his nose rather than his blue eyes. “Don’t worry about it, okay? It’ll…It’ll be our little secret.” He was whispering now and Theon hated it. He hated those words even more it’ll be our little secret. Those words used to strike a fire in him and now, they just left him cold.
“Yeah, again sorry.” Theon threw out just to say something to make this all go away.
“No problem, really.” Robb murmured. Theon didn’t say a word so Robb walked towards the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Merry Christmas, Theon.”
“You too, Robb.”
Theon didn’t look as the door closed lightly. He just crumpled on the ground and pulled his knees to his chest. A rack of sobs shuttered through his body as tears fell. Not even those could soothe the burning of his lips.
+1
It had been two weeks since Christmas. Since Theon botched things up. Robb had called every day and texted twice as much but Theon never looked at the messages. His phone died on the four day and Theon never bothered to charge it. He couldn’t.
At some point Robb began leaving notes on Theon’s door. He never read them but he knew they were Robb’s. He could recognize that handwriting everywhere. Theon just crumpled them up and put them in the kitchen draw. He could never throw them out.
It was the beginning of January and Theon avoided Robb like the plague. He was coming home from a late shift at work (that way he didn’t have a chance of running into Robb) when he saw a notice on his door. An eviction notice.
Theon’s heart nearly stopped at the realization. Was this it then? He was going to have to leave. The apartment was now full of belongings but then he realized that none of them were really his (it was all Robb). And even then, they had all just become empty reminders of what Theon fucked up.
Theon didn’t bother reading it. He couldn’t. He knew what three-day notices looked like. He would read the finer details tomorrow. As for now, he needed a drink.
Theon opened his door to find it lit inside. He noticed a flash of red on the sofa and Theon’s heart broke in two. Robb was sitting there was a dark expression on his face. He forgot that Robb, being the landlord’s son, would be able to get keys to his apartment with ease.
Theon closed the door but other than that remained rooted in his spot.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.”
“For two weeks.” His voice was emotionless and cold. Theon hated it because even if it had Robb’s voice it didn’t sound like him.
“I suppose.”
Robb looked up at him and Theon turned away. Those Tully blue eyes looked broken. “You suppose? Theon-”
“Please stop.” Theon shook his head. “I can’t take it anymore, okay?”
Robb looked as if he had been slapped. “What did I do wrong?”
Theon swallowed hard. “Nothing.” He admitted truthfully. “You were perfect, I was¬-”
“Then why did you kick me out?” Robb whispered. “Why have you avoided me? Why won’t you talk to me?”
Their eyes met and Theon felt like the air had been kicked out of him. Robb looked like a wreck, red eyes and dark circles surrounding them. His auburn hair in disarray and his clothes wrinkled. Theon had done this and it only made the blow worse.
“Because…it’s too hard.”
“What is?” Robb stood up and walked toward Theon. Theon walked away but backed himself into a wall. Robb looked even more hurt by this but kept walking forward. “What’s too hard?” He asked when he was directly in front of Theon.
“Being around you.” Theon was looking at the ceiling but then he remembered that’s where Robb lived and focused at his feet instead.
“Because you like me?” Robb whispered it, like those little secrets of his.
“No.” Theon shook his head. “More than that.”
Theon hated the silence that followed and flinched when he felt Robb’s burning touch on his arm. He looked up to see Robb smiling.
“You never listened.” Robb rubbed his thumb on Theon’s wrist. “You never gave me the chance to act. You always pulled away.” Robb murmured.
“What?”
“Every time.” Robb nodded his head with certainty. “When we first met you would barely look at me. When we went to the movies the first time you sat as far away as the seat would allow. Every time we played video games you would move away from my touch. When you kissed me you kicked me out before I could tell you…” The words died in his mouth.
Theon’s heart was racing. He tried to tell himself no, this couldn’t be what he was thinking. This was something else. Another little secret. But he had to know.
"Tell me what?”
Robb frowned. “Didn’t you read the notice?” Robb gestured to the eviction still in his hand.
Theon stared at him. “What?”
A bright blush formed on Robb’s face and he looked down at Theon’s shoes. “Crap. I thought you read it.”
“I’ll read it now-”
“Oh gods not now. Not while I’m here.” Robb looked very much embarrassed. “Fuck it.” He shook his head before pressing his lips to Theon’s.
Theon wasn’t sure what was happening. One moment, Robb was talking about Theon not understanding, then he brought up the eviction notice and now they were….Theon’s brain was melting from the heat.
It wasn’t a particularly crazy kiss. Hell, it was completely chaste. But Robb pulled away blushing like a virgin. Theon’s mouth just hung open and neither of them spoke for a while.
“That’s what I wanted to tell you.” Robb coughed.
“Those weren’t a lot of words.” Theon lamely stated.
Robb smiled shyly. “Maybe you weren’t listening the first time.”
Theon’s eyes widened before a smirk fell on his face. “Maybe you need to say it again.”
And they were kissing again and Theon wasn’t really sure what was going on but he wasn’t going to miss this moment and he wasn’t going to let the burning feeling leave him. They kissed for a while, every time they pulled away for air, they’d crash back together harder than ever. Theon was not going to be the one to end this. He would make it last as long as he could (forever would be nice).
True to Theon’s word, Robb was the one to end their prolonged kiss.
“Did you listen this time?” Robb’s face was the same color of his hair and Theon was entranced with it. He was always entranced by Robb.
“I hope so.” He admitted and Robb smiled.
“I’m glad.” Robb clung to Theon tightly and Theon returned it, burying his face into Robb’s hair.
“Me too.” Theon whispered.
They pulled away after a few minutes, both not sure how to proceed. They had their feelings kind of on the table, but where did they go now? Theon decided to take this into his own hands.
“So this eviction-”
“Give me that.” Robb snatched it from Theon’s hands and Theon smirked as he tackled Robb for it.
They fell on the couch as they wrestled for it. While Theon was quick, Robb was strong and managed to hold Theon off.
What is it?” Theon grinned from above Robb. “If it’s not an eviction notice.”
Robb looked away for a long while.
“You weren’t answering my texts or calls or notes, so I thought if I wrote what I needed to say on the eviction form you would finally speak to me.”
“You wrote your feelings for me on an eviction notice?”
Theon had to choke back his laugh at Robb’s embarrassed look.
“…yes…”
“Isn’t that illegal?” Theon teased, brushing his lips against Robb’s.
“Yes.” Robb admitted shyly. Theon kissed him briefly and Robb sighed against him.
“Good, then this,” He took the note from Robb and folded it. “Will be out little secret.”
Robb’s eyes widened before his face cracked in the brightest of smiles that made Theon burn.