A Happiness That Makes the Heart Afraid

Notes: I wrote this before watching ep. 12 of TharnType. It's set in the last episode of Love By Chance and...yeah. Also, there's some casual ableism because Type.

Type was planning on a nice evening in with his boyfriend. Dinner and sex were definitely on the menu, although not necessarily in that order. Instead he had a junior on his couch trying not to cry and Tharn making incomprehensible gestures at him before rolling his eyes and sitting down behind Can so he could pat his shoulders.

"Hey," Tharn said. "Tell us what's wrong."

Type had some suspicions after their conversation several hours ago on campus. "What did your IC kid do?"

Red-eyed, Can stared at him. "How did you know?"

It's all Type could do to not smack Can in the forehead. He's a good kid but wow, he could be remarkably thick. Which...probably is a clue to what happened. "I saw him coming to talk to you, remember?"

"Oh right. Right." Can was momentarily lost in thought. "He asked me to be his boyfriend."

Tharn's eyebrows shot up but he didn't stop gently patting Can's back. "So he asked you and..."

"I said no." Can looked at him like this was an entirely reasonable response.

This time Type gave in to the urge and he flicked Can's forehead. "What the fuck? You've been mooning over him for weeks and I just pointed out that you clearly are falling in love, so what the fuck?"

"Putting it more nicely," Tharn said pointedly, "why did you say no? And why are you upset?"

"I don't know!" Can twisted to look at him.

Tharn blinked. "Which part?"

"All of it!" Can's waving hands were a menace. "I told him I don't know if I love him. I don't know what love is like! I don't know if I'm really jealous over him. I asked if we could be friends."

Type and Tharn winced in unison. But... "What did he say?" Type asked.

"He said he didn't want to be friends. And then he left." Can looked like an utterly lost puppy. "Why did he leave?"

Ouch. Type rubbed his temples. Okay, Can hadn't handled this well but who the hell would expect him to? Only the IC idiot, apparently. "He...he was probably upset that you didn't agree to be his boyfriend."

"I know that," Can said, scowling. "But why can't we be friends? Then I can figure out if I love him."

"Probably because he's an asshole," Tharn said. "That's kind of an asshole response to just walk off."

"He drove off."

Tharn started to reply to that but shook his head instead. "Anyway, if he needed time, he should have just said so. Definitely an asshole move."

"Tin's not an asshole!" Can lit up like beach fireworks. "He's not! I mean, he kind of is, but he's also a good guy. He loves his nephew even though his dad is definitely an asshole."

Type blinked. "Whose dad?"

"His nephew's dad. Tin's brother is such an asshole I would punch him if I met him." Can clenched his fists.

"Okay." Tharn raised his hands. "Let's focus here."

"Good luck," Type muttered.

Tharn sensibly ignored that. "You're defending him, so you clearly don't hate him. What do you want?"

"I want my friend back," Can said immediately.

Type looked at Tharn. "We can't guarantee that, kiddo. Sounds like his feelings are hurt and I can tell you that's not a great place to start from. But it's not hopeless." Tharn smiled at Type over Can's head and Type had to look away to keep from melting inside.