𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬

FIFTY: i love you more.

RHYS AND EDDIE got stuck with the others. Of course. Why would they get away scot-free like James and Steve have? But it was fine, their supper was at a nice restaurant across the street where the group of six enjoyed their time, laughing and talking before they broke off their separate ways, Nancy and Robin headed up to their bedroom, Jonathan and Argyle wanted to go to a nearby park to go and get high together so Rhys just slipped his hand into Eddie's and lead him away.

The walk was nice, at the Lakefront trail since the sun was setting and it would look nice. The two were just watching in peaceful silence when Rhys looks at Eddie. "You know I love you, right?" He squeezed his hand and Eddie quickly looks back at him. "Oh, yeah, sure." He nods, glancing away and Rhys frowns.

"Eds?" He whispered and the younger looks at him as the older now turns towards him. "What, Rhys?" The brunette glanced at him and the blond smiled softly at him. "I'm sorry I rarely say it... but I really do love you." He says quietly before leaning in, kissing Eddie's cheek. The Munson turns towards him, "I know you do, Rhys. You don't have to say it in order for me to know it... we don't have to be one of those couples." His face flush red, glancing away because he knows why Rhys is suddenly bringing this up to him.

Jonathan and Argyle constantly whisper it to each other and even say it loudly in front of others around them, within just their group of friends or with a large group of people like in public. And every single time, Eddie looks at them with a smile but a pained expression in his eyes Rhys had clearly noticed.

He says it. He does. He did that night Eddie said it, but never really bothered to say it again, like at all, only a quick love you and a peck on the cheek or in a little text. But never out loud and staring into Eddie's eyes the way Argyle does when he says it to Jonathan.

Rhys had noticed the little sense of jealousy. So he had to bring it up, had to ask. He grabs his boyfriend's cheek gently, leaning in to give him a passionate kiss and murmuring an I love you into his lover's lips before pulling away and giving a small smile at Eddie.

"I love you too..."

In their hotel room, it's a bit quiet and they're just watching a movie on the tv. When Rhys says it again. And Eddie says it back. Then again when they're about to sleep and Rhys kisses his temple, mumbling another I love you to him. And again in the morning when they wake up, doing their usual morning routine where Eddie crawls onto his lap, as he says it back. Then again during their bath which is usually a shower after their morning activities.

Eddie figured it was over when they were around their friends, enjoying brunch in the hotel's restaurant but when he cracks a joke, Rhys laughs, like a real laugh and not the forced awkward one he usually does, kisses his cheek and says those three words again, smiling at him. The others don't really react to it, but it's a big deal to him. A really big deal.

It happens quite a lot throughout the day, during their visit to the museum where Rhys had taken a handful amount of sneaky photos, (there were no photos allowed, but he figured it was fine because it was of his own muse), he said it a lot there too, holding Eddie's hand in his as they walk about and follow their friends who are having a major geek freak out over the paintings and the photographs.

Rhys never really cared for art, but he can tell it meant a lot to his friends and Eddie, the way his eyes light up everytime Nancy is explaining the story of the framed artwork. And after the museum was a little picnic in the park, Nancy had a backpack filled with a blanket, Robin had one filled with some sodas and they grabbed some food at a nearby convenience store before going to sit down at the grass. Jonathan had Argyle's head in his lap, Nancy and Robin sat side by side, as did Steve and James, but the moment Eddie got down, he laid across Rhys' lap who instantly wraps his arms around him tightly, kissing his cheek.