Let's Be Friends

Say it Again

"Are you going to help out with the dance preparations later today?" Gray asked, breaking the silence the two had been sitting in. His eyes remained forward and focused on the TV, though his cheeks still bore a splash of pink. The popcorn bowl was tucked thoroughly between his knees, which had been pulled in to allow his heels to rest on the edge of the couch, and his chest. 

Stephen hummed, "If you want me to," He didn't have anything going on at all, not now or later today, so hopefully Gray would just say yes and they could hang out together and decorate. 

Along with Gray's friends, he reminded, they would also be there.

Gray's eyes skirted over Stephen quickly, as the boy sat casually, flipping through his phone as if he didn't care that Gray was formulating a response. He absolutely did, but Gray didn't have to know that. "I do," He pouted, setting the bowl down on the opposite side of him. Delicate fingers pushed away Stephen phone slowly as a distraction as the boy pressed a soft kiss to Stephen's jaw. "Also, I want your attention," Gray added with a smile. 

"I thought you were watching something?" Stephen mused, discarding his phone and running his hands down Gray's back. 

"Doesn't matter," The boy giggled, snuggling closer to the other's chest. His hair was soft and tickled Stephen's neck. Again the pair were cuddling on the couch, and soon, again, they would have to part. After all, there was school today.

Stephen hugged Gray's small figure close, as if perhaps, closeness could put off the other, less exciting, things he had to do today. Maybe, if he held the boy close enough, they could stay this was all day repercussion free. "Okay, you can have my attention," He mumbled into the other's hair, taking in the light floral scent that accompanied him. Once more, Stephen recalled a certain train of thought. The smell of flowers, soft and sweet, saturated Gray's jackets and blanket; undoubtable, his room and bed as well.

"Good," Enjoying the moment seemingly as much as Stephen was, Gray smiled. The pair relished in the closeness, the carefulness, the comfort; they relished in the presence of each other. "I'm tired still Stephen Ahn," Gray whined, "Why'd you have to wake me up go early?" Stephen's heart melted a little.

He smiled back, finding himself doing that far more often than he used to, "I just love you so much," Stephen's fingers stroked Gray's hair with as much care as he could muster, "I couldn't bear the idea of being up without you," The smaller squirmed.

"Say it again,"

"I couldn't bear the idea of being up without you?" Stephen added the same amount of dramatic emphasis as the first time. Making his voice a mix of mock and fondness.

Gray's voice was small and hitched as he spoke, "The first part." The boy's shorter body fit perfectly against Stephen's long and lanky one, both were thin yet failed to find such a close embrace uncomfortable. Replaying the situation in his mind, Stephen caught on. Dread sunk deep in his chest as he feared that he'd made a mistake.

"I just love you so much?" He repeated, any hint of joking emphasis and dramatization was gone as his hand paused in Gray's hair. Sure, in his mind he'd said that many times to Gray directly. However, in reality he'd never even said anything close. They'd kissed for the first time today after all.

Careful fingers traced Stephen's arm, "I like the way it sounds from you," The smaller admitted in little squeaks, turning bright red as he once more buried himself in Stephen's shirt. Stephen wondered for a moment, if he too found Stephen's cologne to be as intoxicating as his, though he scrapped the thought immediately.

"That's adorable,"

"Shut up!" Gray groaned, not being one for the sweet and sappy couple-y things. His words were harsh, though his cute actions and shy tone masked it completely.

Stephen awed.

"I can't stand you actually, I retract my previous statement,"

"No you don't," The auburn smiled in response as his fingers pressed against the back of Gray's head, running upwards to part his soft hair a mess of different ways beneath fingertips, tugging on a fist full with care to not be too rough, "It's a cute thought though," before releasing and smoothing it flat again.

Gray was an incoherent mess of mumbles and red blush, "Fuck you," His knee shifted to the taller's side as he sat up straight away from the warm embrace and soft moment they'd been sharing. The small boy moved to straddle his partner, who had, at some point since Gray had tackled him into a cuddle, been laying down nearly flat against the couch. Smaller hands splayed against reddened cheeks as Gray cupped Stephen's face.

Last time, the boy had hidden his embarrassed face, this time Stephen got to see it. "You look so pretty," He remarked, finding Gray to be surprisingly bad at taking his compliments. In a way, it was refreshing to see him flustered instead.

"You're insufferable!" He declared, covering his face with his hands. As much as Stephen enjoyed teasing the boy, he never wanted Gray to be uncomfortable or embarrassed. Or at least, not too much. Some level of embarrassment was necessary for pay back after all.

He cooed, "I know, come back," reaching for Gray's small body with outstretched arms, beckoning for him to settle back down so they could cuddle some more before school. Seeing as how Gray was a psychopath who chose morning classes, they didn't have long before the boy had to go. He obliged and they fell back into their embrace, soaking in the essence of one another. It was crazy to Stephen how in a short amount of time, something as foreign as sleeping against each other had become familiar.

He kissed Gray's head, prompting a response from the other who was clearly planning on going back to sleep for as long as he could before, inevitably, being drug away by his classes, "What's that for?" His voice was a soft whisper as his eyes decided it was time to sleep.

Stephen didn't really have an answer, seeing as how it was just something he really wanted to do, "I just wanted to," He replied honestly, what was the point in lying if Gray could read him like an open book, voice a quiet whisper to match Gray's. If they went to sleep now, the next time they woke it would be to go their separate ways. Gray had class, and Stephen... he... had to sit at the house and wait until he had class. His heart deflated at the thought, honestly, it didn't feel like he did much.

"I'm glad," Gray started, "That you did. Thank you Stephen."

A smile pricked at his lips as once more he savored the floral scent of the boy he'd fallen head over heels with, the boy who snuggled against his chest, the boy who grounded him. "Anytime," He answered, finding himself drifting off to sleep that easy.

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Important Author's note concerning the future of this story: Quick summary is in bold

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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

*ahem*

Sorry about that, dunno what came over me there. Just realized I hadn't updated since December and that WON'T do.

Anyway, just so y'all know, I'm probably going to start rewriting some of the early chapters, so just know that, since (we knew it was coming) Let's Be Friends is coming to an end! It started in 2021 and will be ending uh.... sometime in the next month or two? (or longer if I forget to update)

BUT!

Don't cry my dear readers, as this is ABSOLUTLY not the plot I had for this book. It completely squirreled off, but I still love it as it is. 

SO!

I'm making that plot into a sequel!

If  you guys would like that? Just let me know you guy's thoughts about it before the end, since I suppose I could just scrap that part of the storyline and end the book at the first ending. It'd be less content, but if that's what you guys would like best I don't mind AT ALL. <3

^Feel free to leave your thoughts.

LOVE YOU LOTS!!! STAY SAFE!!! HAVE A WONDERFUL WHENEVER!!! BYEEEEE!!!