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Fuck.
Kyle opened his eyes. Bill's were already open.
Ashamedly, Kyle jerked away. Bill seemed... uncomfortable.
"Are you... trying to kiss me?"
"Do you not- y'know..."
The silence hung in the air; words unsaid holding misguided understandings sliced through the tension not unlike a butter knife to a brick.
Kyle gulped. Had he ever gulped before? That's stupid. He was stupid. Why wasn't Bill saying anything?
"...gay?"
Bill sort of crumpled into himself the way a shy toddler does meeting a new relative for the first time. He scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.
"I.. I don't... I don't know?" The words after came pouring out, "I mean! I never really thought about it! I hadn't- there hadn't really been an opportunity- and I mean it's not like... I, uh..." he said, half baked explanations soon running out of steam as tears welled in Kyle's eyes.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine!" Kyle wiped his face with his sleeve. "I'm fine. It's- forget about it. Pretend it never happened."
Another silence.
"I mean if you wanted to... with me..."
Kyle looked up: brown puppy dog eyes under a mop of black mussy hair. His beanie was starting to fall off.
"I don't want pity. That's worse." He turned away from Bill.
Bill gulped. Had he ever gulped before? That's stupid. He didn't understand anything, he never understood anything, and yet...
"No."
"No?"
Bill took a breath.
"I want to try again. Genuinely."
"It's really fine, I told you, just fo-"
In a move that shocked both Kyle and Bill alike, Bill leaned down and kissed him. It was chaste by all accounts, but the intimacy made it feel exciting, terrifying. They broke away after only a few seconds.
Bill smiled softly.
"I think I might need to try again."