A/N: this took so long to write and yet i couldn't come up with a title lol
Zuke had left earlier. Something about a quick errand he had to run.
The sewers were rather quiet. Ellie had already eaten her fair share of snacks, and was now taking a rest in her usual room. Mayday was strumming on her guitar. Improvising notes for a potential song. Once she was satisfied with what she played, she reached to her phone and ended the voice recording.
Looking around, she noticed something that Zuke had forgotten when he left.. His coat.
She could have just left it, but an impulse got in the way. She set her guitar aside and picked up the jacket. She held it up to her face, and gave it a long whiff.
"Oh.."
It smelled just like him. Not in a bad way, but in an almost alluring way. It made her miss Zuke, even though he wouldn't be long running whatever errand he had to run.
No, she had to hold back. He'd probably think she was weird if he caught her like this. She put the jacket back where she found it and resumed her previous improv.
The minutes passed, almost too quickly. But time stood still when the all too familiar sound of a moving manhole snapped May out of her escapism. She looked to see the one she was just thinking about.
"I'm home." Zuke carefully lowered himself from the ladder.
"Welcome back!" Mayday tried to keep an optimistic attitude. The fact she could even look him in the eyes was a miracle.
"I'm just gonna get a bath. Wanna join?"
The idea of bathing with Zuke made May's heart skip a beat. But this wasn't the first time they bathed together..
"Yeah, sure."
This was a common occurrence for them. It was too easy to get carried away in a shower and use up too much water. Plus, taking baths at the same time meant saving water.
It was merely just a matter of convenience. Right? Just two best friends saving water by bathing together. Surely this wouldn't affect any developing feelings..
•○●○•
Mayday went first, carefully getting Zuke's hair wet and applying shampoo. She liked the way it felt in her hands, she wished she could drift her hands through it if they ever had the chance to cuddle. When she washed the shampoo out, she took in the sight for a brief moment. Her feelings really were eating her up inside.
Zuke's hands in her hair made her feel nervous. Something about being tenderly handled. It made her feel mushy.. She was only used to this when it was a fleeting crush. But when it's your best friend that you've fallen head over heels for, it's a completely different story. It made her feel almost trapped. A feeling of lingering shame.
"You seem nervous, May."
So he noticed. Mayday curses herself internally. How could she be so obvious, so easy to read?
"I'm fine." She replied. She knew it was a lie. Probably a very bad one.
"It's okay if you want to talk about it." She felt Zuke's hand brush her bangs up, a signal to tip her head back. He poured the shampoo out of her hair. "How about I give you a massage?"
"That would be nice."
Zuke puts his hands on May's shoulders and back. He worked at the tension gently, but still enough to calm her down. She wanted to melt into his touch. To tell him..
"Can I tell you something?" May breaks the silence. That lasted throughout the massage.
"Go on."
"I've thought a lot about our friendship. We work really well together and.. Were so comfortable touching each other like this. I've had a bit of a realization." The words didn't come out exactly how she wanted them to. But it was too late to go back.
"I love you."
She finally did it. May finally told Zuke how she felt. Now she just needed to hear how he felt back.
".. I feel the same."
The response made Mayday turn to face him. A look of joyous surprise across her face.
"Do you think we could make this work? If we became more than friends?"
"I think we could." He rests his hand on her cheek. It was in that moment he took in how beautiful she was with her hair down.
Soft. A quick kiss shared between budding lovers. A breath taken, and then another. But this time, there was more passion. The need to release those pent up feelings. Their bodies became closer.
When they pulled away, their foreheads pressed together. Mayday opened her eyes to meet Zuke's gaze. They both giggled from the silence.
"We should probably get out now."
•○●○•
While they slept in their respective bunks that night, May leaned over the bed just to get a kiss.