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It was a normal day, a normal Friday evening VC for the sleepy boys incorporated ™. There was nothing out of the ordinary within it, either, just Wilbur animatedly explaining how to tell apart different flags. Wilbur had just laughed delightedly when Techno had jumped in with a comment, and Tommy was just suddenly struck by the thought of how much Will meant to him, of how much Will made his days better.
Tommy longed to voice his thoughts, to hear Will laugh like that again, full of unbridled joy, but Tommy knew that wouldn't be what happened. Wilbur would laugh it off, and not the carefree delighted laugh, but the laugh he makes when he's uncomfortable. Tommy can't stand seeing Will uncomfortable, especially when it's his fault, so he stays silent. He isn't sure he could handle Wilbur teasing him about this, anyway.
Tommy stayed silent, just basking in the warmth that was not needing to be loud to be included.
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Wilbur was here, in person, in front of Tommy. He couldn't believe it was real! Wilbur was a real, tangible person, and he was standing there, towering over Tommy, making stupid jokes about their surroundings. Tommy looked up at Wilbur, and was yet again hit with a wave of fondness. Wilbur was so endearing like this, making jokes not even for the vlog, since the cameras were off, but just for Tommy. To make Tommy laugh.
Tommy opened his mouth to speak, and Wilbur turned around and gave Tommy his full attention and Tommy felt his mouth open and make another joking comment about the buildings around them. He had meant to say something about his fondness for Wilbur, but he was just overwhelmed by Wilbur's simple gesture of giving Tommy his full attention, because Wilbur cared about and wanted to hear what Tommy had to say, and Tommy didn't have anything to say to that other than overwhelming fondness and joy.
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Tommy clapped as hard as he could as the members of Lovejoy finished playing a song for him. he was so proud of them and genuinely loved all of their songs, but especially because Wilbur was in it. Wilbur, who was so dedicated to this band that he was working on things for it almost every day. Wilbur, who was so excited about this band it was all he could talk about. Wilbur, who was Tommy's brother in all but legalities who loved this band.
Tommy wasn't hit with a wave of affection, this time. It didn't bowl him over with feeling, it didn't crash upon him. It trickled down his neck, a couple drops at first, as it slowly became a rushing river. He was carried along with it, but slowly, as he smiled with how much he cared about- no, how much he loved Wilbur.
It wasn't a private place, though. All of Wilbur's bandmates were there as well, glancing between Wilbur and Tommy with smiles on their faces. And they might all know exactly what Tommy was thinking, but Tommy wasn't going to say he loved Wilbur for the first time in front of all of them, as cool as they were.
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Tommy glanced around Wilbur's apartment, seeing all the personal touches that made this space Wilbur's. The map on the wall, the guitar in the corner, even the less decorative things like the dishes on the counter were things that made this place Wilbur's, and thus made it special to Tommy. Being allowed here felt mildly illegal, like he was trespassing somewhere he didn't belong, but he also felt like he fit perfectly, with the picture of him on the fridge that Wilbur had printed out and stuck there, the couch he was sitting on that was so perfectly comfortable, and the Lovejoy poster that Tommy had seen a million times.
Wilbur walked out of his room out to where Tommy was, with the paper that was the reason they had detoured to his apartment in his hand. Tommy saw him notice Tommy sitting down and break into a small smile, and Tommy couldn't help smiling back.
Tommy, sitting there in Wilbur's apartment, with them both almost certainly late for the place they had booked for a vlog, felt entirely at peace. He felt like he fit here, like he was a puzzle piece that had been waiting to be slotted into place. And he loved Wilbur, and the familiarity of this new place was a welcome reminder of that.
And well, at this point there was no reason not to voice it.
"Hey Will? I love you."
And Wilbur smiled wider and replied "I love you too, Tommy" and there was smile and laughter in his voice, but nothing mocking or insincere, just honest conviction and joy at the concept of love.