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Joey's sitting on the steps outside, taking it all in.
They have a record deal now, signed the papers to make it official this morning. Shit's really happening. They're gonna make it big.
He's staring up at the stars, feeling the enormity of the universe, when Corey sits on the steps next to him. Corey smiles at him, as bright as the stars, and Joey can't help but smile back.
Corey stays quiet, because he knows Joey well enough to know he came out here to be with his own thoughts. He slings an arm around Joey and Joey relaxes into it, rests his head on Corey's shoulder, soaks up his quiet and calm presence. They sit like that for a while, and it's nice, exactly what Joey needed after such a crazy day.
“I love you,” Joey says. He wasn't planning for it to slip out, didn't even know until the words were leaving his mouth, but he really fucking means it.
It's the first time either of them have said it, might be the first time Joey’s actually meant it for real. He's liked people before, liked people a lot, but he's never felt as strongly about anyone as he does Corey.
It feels like the universe freezes the second his words are out, stars and all, everything except him and his racing heart and the furious blush rising on his cheeks.
But it's not frozen. Corey rests his own head on Joey's, squeezes him tighter.
“I love you too,” Corey says. His voice is still soft and raspy from their show last night. It makes the butterflies in Joey's stomach flap their wings a little faster.
And the universe might be enormous, but it's not so scary with Corey here next to him.