Friends Don't, But We Do

8. Lay Here

We don't even end up going to the bars.

Once I got to my place, we both yawned at the same time and went straight to the couch. "You wanna just stay in?" He asks, raising his eyebrows.

I chuckle and nod enthusiastically. He agrees and fits his arm between my shoulders and the back of the couch. "I just wanna sleep," he whines and rests his cheek on top of my head.

"Wait I wanna change," I say and push up from the couch. He groans and I say I'll be right back. I softly close the door to my bedroom and take a few deep breaths, having to calm myself down.

Friends don't cuddle together on the couch on Friday nights when all their other friends are at a bar. Friends don't do that, because then they would be more than friends.

But I love the way it feels.

I shake the thoughts away and change into a pair of flannel shorts and a T-shirt to sleep in, before making my way back into the living room. I can smell the popcorn in the microwave and I settle on the couch to wait for Nolan.

When he returns with a bowl of the snack, I'm already starting the last episode of You. It's taking us forever to finish this series.

We keep our distance during the episode. The bowl of popcorn sits on its own couch cushion between us. The most amount of contact we have is accidental hand touches when we both go for the snack.

After we finish that show, we watch a stupid Netflix original movie, and then take turns picking our favorite episodes of Friends. During The One Where No One's Ready, I put the now empty bowl on the coffee table and stretch out my legs. Nolan surprises me by pulling on my ankles until my hips are next to his and my legs can drape across his lap.

We sit like this a lot, but my head never fell onto his shoulder so naturally. His arm never fit around my waist so easily. Tonight feels different.

He clears his throat in the lull between episodes, and I glance up at him. "So... you don't feel weird that I told you everyone thinks we're dating, do you?"

Feel weird? It only causes me to question our current relationship, friendship. "A little," I admit. "Just because... well I don't know, because we aren't."

He nods slowly. "Yeah..." he trails off. But he wasn't finished. I look up at him, suddenly feeling the heat of his hand on my knee. He looks like he's going to keep going, but then he shuts his mouth and says nothing.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," he laughs. I drop it and he drops it and we just finish watching a few more episodes in a comfortable silence.

Eventually, it's nearing two in the morning and I'm falling asleep on Nolan's shoulder. "Teegs, you wanna go to sleep?"

I nod, but contrast that by clutching onto his arm and keeping my head firmly on his shoulder. He laughs softly. "C'mon Teegs, you'll be more comfortable in your bed."

And then I get the sensation of being lifted and carried. He easily brings me down the hall and into my bedroom, and lays me down softly. "Are you tired?" I ask, finally opening my eyes.

He shrugs. He looks so tall standing above me. He always looks tall, but now he looks really tall. "Just stay here, Nolan. It's late and you might fall asleep at the wheel or something," I say.

He rolls his eyes and tells me he's not gonna fall asleep at the wheel, but he yawns in the middle of his sentence. I reach for his hand and repeat again that he should just stay here tonight. He purses his lips in thought and then sighs in agreement. I smile in victory.