Let's Be Friends

Did he mean...?

This time, Stephen awoke to the soft buzzing on Gray's phone on the coffee table. The smaller's eyes watched the glowing screen with a mix of dread and annoyance. "You have long arms Stephen," Gray mumbled into Stephen's shirt, "Turn it off," He groaned, snuggling even closer.

"You have to get up you know?" Stephen took his hand and instead rubbed it against Gray's lower back. "School?"

"Fuck school,"

The auburn chuckled, "What a delinquent,"

"Ooh? Does that mean you're into bad boys?"

"So very much so."

"Noted." Gray giggled in response. Stephen tried to memorize the feeling of the boy's laughter against his chest. Maybe the softness of Gray's skin as well, or the lightness of his hair. The phone buzzed on and on in the background, Stephen could've forever regarded it as nothing. That's what it was after all, nothing, compared to Gray, everything fell short. The other, however, could not, "Stephen, turn it off!" He groaned again. "Please?"

His heart fluttered at the change in tone, "No can do I'm afraid,"

"You want me gone that bad?" Gray's voice sounded nearly sad, though his heart wanted to apologize, his head knew well that Gray was using his tricks. Still, it hurt a little to hear. Stephen kissed his hair again, feeling a freedom he'd never felt before, then he shifted and moved from under Gray, getting up off the couch and leaving a rather confused Gray Yeon laying down alone. Stephen extended two hands to the boy.

"C'mon," He cooed, watching the other's forming smile. Cold hands took his with care as Gray stood up, still in yesterday's day clothes. "Why don't you go take a shower and change, then I'll walk with you to campus?" Stephen's hands moved to hold the boy in a close embrace instead, swaying them both little by little to the rhythm of Gray's alarm. 

Gray still held him close, after all this time, "What would you do at campus so early?" He questioned, not objecting to the idea.

"I'll head to the library and catch up on some work, or plan next week's photo."

The smaller boy mumbled something, then lifted himself on to his tip-toes, taking Stephen's lips in his own. Stephen reciprocated, dipping a little lower to ease Gray's struggle. It wasn't a long kiss, nor was it as passionate as the first one they shared, though it still meant just as much to each boy.

"What was that for?" Stephen smiled, repeating the words Gray had muttered to him just earlier, his head rested on the silverettte's shoulder. 

"I," Gray paused, then quit.

"Hey?" The taller ran his fingertips over the other's back, "Are you alright?" He whispered into the boy's hair.

"Thank you," Gray answered after a moment, hugging his arms a little tighter around Stephen's torso, "For loving me softly I guess," Gray half laughed half sighed, "I suppose I wanted to make sure it actually happened and that you still..." A soft voice trailed off, "It's stupid,"

"It's not," Stephen repositioned himself, looking Gray in the eyes with gentle fingers cupping the boy's blushed face, "It's not stupid, and I'm still absolutely in love with you." He wasn't exactly sure what 'loving someone softly' meant, but decided it had to have been a good thing if Gray was thanking him.

Fuchsia eyes watered, though he blinked desperately to keep the tears away, "How can you say something like that?" He questioned, face flushing a deep red rather than soft pink.

Oh don't cry please, I don't want to make you cry, "Like what? That I think you're adorable, with perfect little cold hands, and shitty attitude." He kissed Gray's forehead this time, "I love that your native tongue is sarcasm, and that you think you're such an expert at flirting. I love kissing you too, and cuddling with you and seeing your little flushed face."

Gray's eyes widened, and a little stream of tears did fall. He hugged Stephen closer, breaking away from his hands, "Thank you Stephen Ahn," Gray whispered, "Nobody has ever said those things about me," He sniffled, "Usually they just talk about wanting to fuck me," It was quiet aside from the soft sound of Gray crying, his alarm had stopped. "I haven't had an actual partner probably ever, because I've never had time or desire before now... and it almost hurts to hear this,"

Stephen's eyes widened, as suddenly, the words 'loving me softly' had a definition, "I'm sorry for making you cry," He mumbled into the boy's hair a careful apology.

"Apologize for swearing too,"

"I'm sorry for saying shitty,"

Gray giggled, "Well you said it again."

"Oh, dammit,"

"Hush," Gray smiled and Stephen stayed quiet, wondering how else he could make it up to Gray. The boy dabbed at his eyes with his jacket sleeves, a navy blue one he'd thrown on at some point, "God, I do not know why I'm crying," Tears fell quicker, "I'm not usually like this," He joked.

"It's okay," Stephen dabbed at tears with his own sweatshirt sleeve, "Cry if you want to."

"You're so sweet Stephen," Gray sniffled again, "I really like you."

"You.." Stephen looked side to side as if to watch for ease droppers, "Like-like me?" He asked with a gasp. Gray laughed so hard his ribs hurt, and immediately sat himself down on the couch.

"Oh my God Stephen," Still he cried and still he laughed, "I love you," Gray smiled through it all, trying to calm his emotions. "I love you a lot, so much that I know I've never loved anyone else before,"

The taller buried his face in Gray's shoulder, relishing in the warmth he found there along with the faint smell of vanilla, it was odd that the smell wasn't more prominent, though Stephen didn't question it. "That's sweet."

After a moment's silence, Gray spoke soft hushed words, "I have to go get ready for class now right?" 

Stephen hummed.

"If..." He paused, "You be interested in staying with me, as my flatmate that is, next year we can work out our schedules so that they sync up." Small hands hugged back against Stephen's frame, "And no more of this early class bullshit." It was really nonsense, "If you'd be interested that is..."

"Yes of course!" Stephen smiled, beaming, Gray wanted him around. Gray actually wanted him to stay! "As your partner, I have to stick around don't I? You said so yourself after all."

Gray groaned, "That's so cringy." Finally he was back to his old sarcastic remarks, "And I didn't even ask you-"

"I agree," The taller refused to give the boy even a moment to reconsider since he quite fancied the idea himself. "I'll be your partner," He half-mocked half laughed.

"You're such a nerd Stephen Ahn." Gray smiled, finally releasing from their embrace, "I need to shower and get ready and...ugh," He sighed, his previous smirk and calm composure returning to his face. "You need to as well I suppose... and we don't have much time anyway do we? It would take too long to run the shower twice, wouldn't it?" His eyes were planning something, though Stephen couldn't put his finger on it.

He let Gray go completely, collecting the empty bowl on the table to be deposited in the kitchen, "No worries! I'm planning on doing some basketball, with some kids in my major, later anyway so I'll shower when we get back."

After a moment of blankness, the smaller boy fell into another fit of laughter, "Okay Stephen, give me a couple minutes and then we can head out," The soft smile that covered his slightly reddened face, made Gray all the more beautiful.

"Alright," He smiled back once more, moving to the kitchen to wash the empty popcorn bowl. Gray disappeared down the hall to his room, most likely to retrieve clothes, as Stephen did so. It wouldn't take the auburn long to get ready. Another few seconds went by, following close by a single thought.

Did he mean...?

Stephen paused.

Nah. 

Continuing the dishes unbothered.

....................................................................................

so uhhh... this will be finished.

sometime.

so...... yeahhhhhhhhhhh

love you! drink water! Bye!