Forelsket | Chris Evans ***ON HIATUS***

7.3

Camden barely spares Chris a glance when the other man slips into the room as he's chopping some vegetables to go with the dinner he's making, tracking him through sound alone as he focuses on not cutting himself. He's aware of Chris moving around him to get another knife before settling nearby and beginning to help by chopping one of the other things laid out on the counter that needs to be done, however, he doesn't risk taking his attention away from the knife just yet.

"Hey, umm... Cam?" Chris starts, hesitation clear in his tone.

The younger man hums in acknowledgement, waiting to see if Chris will go on with what he wants to say or if he'll back down and wave the conversation off. He's always been pretty open with Chris, and he sincerely hopes that Chris has felt okay with being open and himself around him too, so he doesn't know what Chris could feasibly be worried about discussing with him.

"Can I ask you something?"

Camden pauses what he's doing, putting the knife down so he can properly focus on the other man without cutting himself accidentally, and briefly glances up in preparation to answer, but Chris is cutting him off before he can get the words out.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to since it's none of my business anyway and -"

"Chris." Camden cuts in before Chris can go off on a tangent or start rambling. When Chris falls silent and properly focuses on him, Camden continues. "I don't mind you asking me things - no matter the subject. So, go ahead, ask away."

"Okay, umm..."

Camden waits as Chris seems to take a second to think about what it is he wants to ask and how to word it, somewhat preparing himself for all eventualities once it looks like the other man has figured it out and is ready to go on.

"Are you and Michael, like, a 'thing'? Because you said you were friends but the way you act around each other is a little too comfortable to be friends - even though I'm so not against male platonic intimacy because it's definitely bullshit that guys shouldn't cuddle and all that." Chris pauses, assessing Camden's reaction - although the younger man tries to keep his face as blank as possible because he wants to hear what else Chris has to say - before adding what is apparently his last point. "Plus, you went out with him the other night and didn't come back until the next morning with a hickey and this whole aura about you like you got laid recently."

The younger man thinks about it for a moment, not even sure how to explain the relationship between him and Michael without making it seem weird since it's never felt like that to them. "It's... complicated, let's go with that."

Chris has gone back to half-heartedly chopping the vegetable in front of him but Camden knows he's still focusing on their conversation since he's quick to make a querying noise in response to Camden's answer.

Camden also turns back to his task but decides to attempt to explain himself a little better even though he knows that there are probably a lot of people that would never be able to wrap their heads around the arrangement between himself and Michael.

"We are friends, that never changes. You know, go out for drinks, do normal platonic stuff together. We just... sometimes hook-up too." He's quick to explain when he sees the glance Chris shoots him, though, he doesn't meet his eyes in case he sees disgust or something - even though he knows Chris isn't like that. "It's only ever when we're both single and it's never been about feelings, it's more like... scratching an itch - hooking up when personal methods just aren't enough and then doing normal friend stuff the next day. If it bothers you then you don't have to worry about it now because he's working things out with his ex - or girlfriend? It was never quite clear what their status actually was, just that they were on a break. Anyway. The other night was the last time - unless we both end up being single again at the same time - but, yeah... it's not going to happen again for probably a while if it's a problem for you."

"No, it's not a problem for me, I'm just trying to understand so I don't make you uncomfortable or feel like you can't be yourself around me." Chris puts the knife down and turns to face Camden completely. "So, you're... what? Bisexual? Bi-curious? Open to all options? Gay only for him? I don't want to make assumptions and make it weird."

Camden also abandons his task, placing the knife in his hand back down and blinking in slight shock at the overwhelming acceptance from the other man. Outside of Tyler, anyone that has found out about the thing with Michael have been less than accepting of it or chose to overlook it completely without showing any concern for how easily that could have hurt one or both of them. "So you're just completely fine with it?"

"Camden, my brother is gay. If I can accept him, what made you think I would possibly have a problem with the fact you've been hooking up with a guy?"

"I know. It's just that most people don't want to acknowledge it. All my serious relationships have been with women so I'm "obviously straight" - you're the only one other than my family to ask what my sexuality is without assuming you already know." Camden shrugs. "And, I guess you could say I'm open to all options, for the record."

"Okay, thank you for sharing that information with me." Chris smiles. Motioning to the growing pile of chopped up items in front of them both, he chooses that moment to change the subject. "So, what exactly are we doing with all of this?"

"You'll see." Camden teases with a smile, feeling completely free to be himself for the first time in a while although he hadn't really realised that he'd been holding that much of himself back.