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Sometimes things felt so obvious. Painfully so when they were pointed out to him. Unless he wasn't on the receiving end of the obliviousness. Although second hand embarrassment was a very real thing.
Other times Stuart felt sure that things couldn't be more confusing even if they tried. Considering he had scientists as his closest friends, that said a lot. So it was even more mind boggling listening to Raj's casual words.
Stuart blinked at his friend before looking up at the ceiling trying to process his words. He pursed his lips in thought. As someone who spoke English they technically did make sense. Although from another applied perspective it sounded absolutely crazy. As in insane.
"What?" Stuart asked lamely, because no that did not make any sense to him.
"I'm just saying that..." Raj started hesitantly.
"Oh no," Stuart interrupted, waving a hand to stop him as he sat up straight. "No, I know what you're saying, it's more like how are you saying it. I thought you figured out how to say things in your head before you know… saying them."
Raj had the decency to look a little bashful at that. He shrugged a little, licking his lips and ducked his head down. Stuart watched him closely, praying to every deity he was only hyperfocusing on those details due to the topic being broached. Sure there had been a few times he'd considered what that particular road would be like, but it wasn't a possibility he'd ever lingered on or genuinely considered a possibility.
"I did thank you very much," Raj finally said, sounding defensive with a pout.
"...and you're still saying it to me? Do you not realize how bad of an idea that is?" Stuart asked bluntly. "I don't know about you but I'm not exactly friend making material. I'd rather keep the ones I have."
"You can't ruin friendship with sex," Raj said with a smile, like it was obvious. "It would be like trying to ruin ice cream with chocolate covered sprinkles!"
“You are insane,” Stuart responded. “Crazy. Who wants to have sex with me?”
“I do,” Raj answered with a shrug, taking him off guard by scooting up next to him on the couch with a hop. “I want to do a lot with you. We do so much together already, why can’t we do more? I can cook for us. We can go out. See more movies. Have sleepovers… and have sex after we make out.”
“Say that in your head,” Stuart told him, blinking and ignoring the way he made it clear kissing was a must. “I mean… that’s not even friends with benefits. All of that would be you dating me.”
“Oh,” Raj said, and his mouth formed an o in understanding. “I uh… wow.”
“Wow?” Stuart repeated, raising his eyebrows. “Last I heard you passionately declared you were a ladies man.”
“Well…” Raj trailed off sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Maybe I do… and maybe, I like you.”
“Maybe?” he repeated, because still nothing was making sense.
“Are you going to make me say it?” Raj practically whined at him with puppy eyes.
“Are you going to start making any sense?” Stuart asked.
“We have fun together. I like being with you and doing things with you,” Raj sighed in admittance. “Now I want to kiss you and put you in bed. Take you…”
“Okay!” Stuart interrupted him, waving his hands around in distress because he didn’t know what to handle first. “You’re saying you both like guys and are you… like, you want to date me? As in, me?”
Raj raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. Stuart finally felt himself flush in embarrassment. Although it could have been a blush. Either way he felt his face growing hot and he was the one to avert his gaze. He wasn’t opposed to dating his friend, he had thought about it before after all. Having him putting it on the table though, waiting for him to basically say yes or no?
“Yes,” Raj said, placing a hand on his knee and lifting his chin up so he had to look at his serious brown eyes. “If that’s dating you, I would like that very much. I want to kiss you all the same right now.”
“Okay,” Stuart breathed, and Raj smiled.
The word escaped him since no part of his body was actually responding. Although technically he knew he wasn’t telling it to do anything due to shock. Nothing was as shocking though as Raj glancing down at his mouth, slowly closing the space between them. Stuart thought he might melt in his friends hands as he softly pressed their lips together. Inside and out, he felt himself swoon in the embrace and their first kiss.