Open Secret

In Crystal Gallery ・ By sassthathoopy
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“God dammit, Clover, what in tarnation makes you think you can control Paprika’s schedule like that?”

Clover frowned. Habanero rarely listened to him and today seemed like no exception. He pointedly slapped a wet rag onto the countertop and began to clean.

“You think I have a bigger influence over him than I really do,” He said. “I make plenty of suggestions, it’s up to him whether or not he heeds them. And as for why he won’t join you for “a-huntin’” today is because he specifically requested to be left alone today.”

Hab scoffed. “How do I know you ain’t lyin’? And besides, you always go a buggin’ when he asks for some privacy, how is this any different?”

“Oh so, you want Pap to tear you apart at the seams, I see,” Clover chided. “In that case, go right ahead, Habanero.” He huffed, wiping all the crumbs on the counter to the floor for crabbots 75694573 and 49973272 to eat. “I cross those boundaries ‘cause the worst I’ll get is some curses and a pillow to the face. And because I know what Pap needs better than you do. And right now he doesn’t need some jumped up excuse of a cowboy trying to crawl up his ass.”

If looks could kill, Clover would have been dead a while ago. Habanero muttered something under his breath, likely at Clover’s expense, as he stormed out of the kitchen.

Clover sighed, rinsing out the rag and doing his best to dry his hands. It was so much easier to dry with a towel when his skin was flesh, and not the fabric the All-Mother had chosen for him.

Opal whistled from the corner, where he was enjoying a bowl of cereal. Clover had forgotten he was there.

“Some fight there, Clove,” He said, mouthful of colorful mash. “If you don’t mind me asking, you and Paprika are dating, right?”

Clover stared at him incredulous. He had his suspicions that Habanero thought this, but Opal too?

“Are you fucking stupid?”

“Woah, man, no need to be upset,” Opal said, raising his hands up. “It’s totally cool for you love another man, and a bit homophobic to say otherwise.”

Clover rubbed his face, feeling a headache coming on.

“Okay, first of all, I already know that ‘cause I’m temperamental,” Clover snapped, ignoring the confusion on Opal’s face. Slang must’ve changed in the years following his death. “And secondly, Pap is my brother. I’d sooner unravel myself than consider him a potential romantic partner.”

“Oh shit, sorry,” Opal back tracked. “Um, so, Hab thinks you two are dating though, which is why I think he’s, well, Like That.”

“I know Opal.”

“Wha-? Then why are you letting him think that?”

Clover shrugged. “If he doesn’t bother to ask, it’s his problem. And besides, he ain’t getting anywhere by kissing Pap’s ass. The idiot needs someone who can and will, tell him no, and I think our local cowboy worships him too much to do that.”

As Opal went to respond, Clover caught sight of Habanero returning in the kitchen window. Whether he was returning for something he forgot or to continue the fight, he hadn’t a clue. But he did know that Opal kept running his mouth, Hab would know it all and well, that would take all the fun out of it.

If he told Opal to shut up, not only would he express confusion and clue Hab into the conversation, he would be butthurt about it. And Clover really did not want to deal with three sour pusses today.

So he kissed him. Even slipped a little tongue in.

He didn’t really like to kiss or even touch without permission. Lord knows he knows how uncomfortable it can be if it’s unwanted. But he had been teasing Opal long enough to know that the fox really, really wanted to be kissed.

And it definitely had the desired effect. Opal immediately leaned into it, wrapping his long arms around Clover, pulling him closer. He could feel the smile on his lips.

Clover peeked his eyes open just in time to see Habanero quickly leave again, an expression of gleeful victory on his face. Surely he thinks he had found something to blackmail Clover with, a trump card in his back pocket. The knowledge of that being further from the truth brought Clover boundless excitement.

He broke the kiss, patting Opal on the head. “Sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize,” Opal replied, seeming a little dizzy. Perhaps it was just because he was touch starved, but Clover liked to think he still had it.

“If you don’t mind, Opal, can you keep me and Pap being brothers a secret from Habanero? At least for now?”

“I mean sure, but like, why?”

He shrugged. “I like seeing him try to figure it out. It’s a fun little game.”

“Okay, weirdo,” Opal half-heartedly chuckled.

Open Secret
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In Crystal Gallery ・ By sassthathoopy
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Submitted: 3 years ago ・ Last Updated: 3 years ago

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