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Trait and Stoney lie together, (well, together as they can be with the former on the floor) staring at the ceiling in a quiet that is somehow right between comforting and unbearable. They would be together, until Stoney's ex-girlfriend was all like Why the fuck do you sleep in the same bed as Trait?! and they had to stop, what an asshole, it's always been like this. And then they broke up, and then it was still a habit.
Stoney's bed is starting to feel tremendously empty. It's been four months and 23 days since he's slept next to someone, and he's starting to want to rip his skin off. He hasn't even gotten laid, scored at a party, which is bullshit, because everyone knows he fucks and is super hot but for some reason all his potential hookups are weirded out because they've seen him leave with Trait at every other party. Trait's cool!
Thinking about Trait and getting laid at the same time is making his head hurt. He squints. He breathes in. He makes a bad decision.
"Oh, come here," Stoney says, trying to hide his hesitancy. He pats the blankets next to him, knowing Trait can't see him but will hopefully take the sound as his cue. He doesn't even know if Trait is awake.
Trait is awake, and he's clambering onto Stoney's bed, careful not to hit the bedpost because he did once and Stoney had to spend the next week taking care of the bruise on his hip.
"Hi," Trait says, breathless.
"Hi," Stoney responds.
They continue their silence, mostly because they're both tired, but it's nicer because Trait is in his bed. Trait is nice.
At least, Trait is tired. Stoney's mind is racing. Because after thinking of his ex, he's thinking about the past, and he's thinking of Trait and his--
"Do you... sometimes... miss Cossett?" Stoney asks, cautiously.
A pause. "No. Why?"
"Sometimes." Inhale. "I feel guilty... I totally broke you guys up just because of some shitty drama."
"No, don't be weird, Stoney," Trait tilts his head and looks away. Stoney's eye is twitching weirdly. "He was an ass to me, too. And I care about you more than any stupid partner I could have."
"But... I guess, I don't really miss him..." Trait's not wearing his gas mask, but the way his eyes dim is akin to what would happen if he were. The dog's heart pangs. His eye won't stop twitching. "I miss... I don't know. It felt good... making someone happy. Even if he was a total ass, it felt like maybe I was making him better."
He didn't expect to be having this conversation now, or ever. "It's not your job to make anyone better. And you're great, you deserve someone who isn't a total ass."
"Do I?" Trait's monotonous and self-deprecating response hits Stoney in the gut, but he's known the boy for long enough to know he appreciated the words. "Who do I even know that wants to date me anyways?" He chuckles dryly.
Stoney is going to say something stupid. If he opens his mouth, he's going to fumble every word, no matter what they are. He knows this, so he subverts it by doing something stupid instead. He ruffles Trait's hair, noticing how his ears twitch and he subtly leans into the touch.
He looks over at the bunny, eyes glinting with the moonlight through the window. He wants to kiss him. He wants to pull him close, to push his hair back and press his lips to his forehead for eternity. He also wants to run away and hide. Just in case he's totally misread everything and Trait wants nothing to do with him. He opts to split the difference and move his paw to Trait's cheek, giving it a few gentle strokes with his thumb. Platonic, it's platonic, he can excuse this as platonic. Trait gasps but doesn't recoil away, instead letting out a small chuckle at the gesture. They both are silent, now comfortably, for a while before nodding into a peaceful sleep.
Stoney doesn't miss the way there's a delicate paw on his hip the next morning.