( sixth. he loves you, too. )
Every hair on Connor's body was standing up, every nerve on edge. He felt like he couldn't breathe, and not in the good way that Troye made him unable to breathe.
"I need to talk to you." Troye had said. Scary words, words that could mean so much, the best possible thing or the worst.
He'd made up his mind. No matter what Troye said, no matter what happened, he was going to tell Troye of his feelings.
It was six in the evening, the fading light coming through the windows aided only by a small lamp. Troye was sitting cross-legged on the couch, facing Connor, who was on the couch next to him.
A gentle smile was etched on Troye's features. He looked nervous too, his eyes darting around Connor's living room. Silence stretched on, until Troye broke it with a soft chuckle.
"I thought I was going to be brave," he said softly. "But here I am being cowardly again. I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Connor replied.
Again, silence. Connor focused on the sound of Troye's breathing, on the movement of his hands playing with his sweater, on the things that made him sure that everything was going to end up fine.
"Con-"
"Tro-"
Both of them started at the same time, Connor erupting into giggles as they both stopped talking.
Troye looked down, a soft smile on his face. Then, hesitantly, he looked up again, meeting Connor's eyes, and spoke. "Um... I had something I needed to tell you. Con..." Troye swallowed. Connor leaned forward, putting a hand on Troye's knee.
"Go ahead," Connor said softly.
"I get that you probably won't feel the same way and I hope this won't make things awkward between us... but um... Con... I... I love you."
Connor froze, his eyes going wide. Troye's fidgeting stopped as he went completely still, watching Connor for his reaction.
Connor could feel himself blushing. "I love you too, Troye," he said softly.
"You do?" Troye asked. Connor could see the uncertainty in Troye's eyes, and he nodded.
Suddenly, he was leaning closer and closer to Troye and he was forgot to breathe due to the proximity. Troye's eyes were a few inches away from his, and his fingers gently brushed under Connor's chin, the familiar sparks erupting from the contact.
"Con?"
"Hmmm?" Connor was too absorbed in the moment to formulate any other reply.
"May I... urm... kiss you?" Troye asked.
It didn't even take Connor a second to answer, Troye's question making his heart flutter.
"Yes," he replied breathlessly.
And then there were Troye's lips on his and fireworks in his chest and all he could think about was Troye and how, somehow, he loved Connor back.
Who knew?
( sixth. he loves you, too. )
He'd deliberated over whether or not to say anything, staying up into the late hours of the night for many, many nights. Finally, he'd come to a conclusion. He was going to tell Connor.
But yet, when he got there, when he was facing Connor, he was still nervous beyond measure. The silence was stretching on, and Troye finally couldn't take it. He chuckled slightly at the awkwardness of the situation, and then spoke. "I thought I was going to be brave," he said honestly. "But here I am being cowardly again. I'm sorry."
He was afraid. Afraid Connor wouldn't love him back. Afraid that this would mean the end of their friendship.
"It's fine," Connor replied softly. Troye couldn't think of where to start, there was too much he wanted to say, too much he needed to say.
"Con-" he began, hoping that maybe just starting would help.
"Tro-" Connor spoke up at the same time. Connor quickly started laughing. His giggles filled the empty space, and Troye was reminded of just how much he loved Connor, just why he was doing this, a smile crossing his face.
He wanted to see Connor's reaction, he needed to know if this was going to ruin things, so he looked back up. Connor quickly stopped laughing when Troye's eyes met his, probably noticing the nervousness in Troye's face.
"Um... I had something I needed to tell you, Con..." He swallowed. This was it. He was going to do it.
Connor leaned forward, his hand resting on Troye's knee comfortingly. "Go ahead," he said softly, the caring action making Troye's heart jump.
Troye took a deep breath. "I get that you probably won't feel the same way and I hope this won't make things awkward between us..." he began, allowing his fears to be vocalized. "But... um... Con... I..."
He was stuttering. He was nervous. If Connor didn't love him back...
"I love you."
He couldn't move, only watch the shock on Connor's face with his heart beating fast. He'd said it. No matter what happened that night, at least he'd said it.
And then the most unexpected thing happened.
"I love you too, Troye" Connor replied.
"You do?" Troye couldn't stop himself from asking. Part of him wondered if he was dreaming. Connor loved him.
Connor simply nodded, and suddenly they were inches apart. Troye wasn't sure if it was him or Connor who had leaned in.
Cautiously, Troye placed his hand under Connor's chin, tilting Connor's head ever so slightly.
"Con?" he asked. He was still unsure of himself, and besides, he still had to ask.
"Hmmm?"
"May I... umm... kiss you?" Troye asked nervously. He wanted to, god he wanted to, but he wouldn't without Connor's permission.
"Yes," Connor replied, not a second after the last word left Troye's lips. His eyes closed, his lips parted slightly as he waited.
Troye leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Their lips met, Troye's hand moving around to the back of Connor's neck and Connor's arms ending up around Troye.
And there it was, the feeling of flying. Nothing else was of importance to him in that moment, his mind consumed by the boy that he couldn't get enough of. Connor returned his feelings.
He loved Troye back, and Troye would do anything to make sure that that love remained, because he never wanted to lose Connor. He would do anything to make sure Connor was safe.
Connor was, at least in that moment, his everything.
And Troye would do anything for him.
