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Sean is sprawled horizontally on Bill’s bed, legs hanging and feet barely on the ground. The mattress dips under his weight, sheets rumpled where he’s kicked them into disarray. Behind him is Bill, sitting in front of his computer, shoulders slightly hunched as he types. Sean can only see the edge of Bill’s hair poking out from the chair and the faint glow of the monitor, but the steady clicking of the keyboard gives him a small comfort, just to know that he's still there.
“Hey, Bill.” In his left hand, Sean holds his phone that still has a TikTok playing on repeat, the sound low and tinny. In his right, there is nothing but the lingering warmth of Bill’s hand, the ghost of his fingers laced with his. Sean swallows, shifting slightly on his bed, staring up at the ceiling until the words come tumbling out of his mouth. “What do you love most about me?”
That… came out wrong. Clearly, Bill thought the same, because the click-clack immediately stops. Sean hears the chair swivel slowly, creaking in complaint.
Bill rolls closer, pushing himself forward until he’s looming upside down in Sean’s peripheral vision. Sean stays sprawled out, but when he tilts his head back, Bill’s face fills his view, curious and a little amused.
“You know,” Bill says, resting his elbows on the edge of the bed, “most people ease into questions like that.”
Sean groans, covering his eyes with his forearm. “You can pretend I didn’t say it, then.”
“Nope,” Bill replies cheerfully. “Too late. You already asked.”
For a moment, Bill just watches him. Sean can feel the weight of the pause settling in, stretching long enough that he almost wants to laugh it off and say never mind. But then Bill chuckles, letting out a quiet hum as his expression changes into something a little more thoughtful.
“I love that you laugh at everything,” he says. When Sean lowers his arm and peers up at him in confusion, he continues, “Like that one time you laughed after you tripped over the power cord and somehow spilled your Monster onto your hair.”
Sean blinks, taken aback. “What the fuck?” he protests, incredulous. “That can’t be what you love most about me. Be serious.”
“I am serious,” Bill retorts, laughing when Sean reaches up and punches his shoulder lightly in retaliation. His smile softens as he reaches his hand out, thumb gently brushing Sean’s cheek. “I liked the way you laughed despite getting Monster onto your beloved hair. I liked how you got up and walked regardless.”
There’s something in Bill’s eyes that makes Sean blank. It’s warm and steady, like he’s being seen in a way that doesn’t ask for anything more, like Bill has already decided all the small things he loves about Sean and nothing Sean could do would ever change it. “Oh,” is all Sean manages to say.
“But if that’s not enough for you,” Bill says, smirking, “I love your smile. I love how it sneaks up on you before you even realize you’re doing it. I love the way your eyes crinkle when you’re really happy. I love—”
“O-kay. You can stop now,” Sean interrupts, grabbing Bill’s wrist and pushing his hand away so he could hide his face instead. He can feel the heat reddening his cheeks. “You’re so fucking embarrassing.”
Bill scoffs. “I’m embarrassing? You were the one who asked!”
“Well, I wasn’t expecting a real answer,” Sean mutters quietly.
“But you got one.” Bill leans down, careful not to tip the chair, and presses a kiss to Sean’s forehead. “Because I love you.”
Sean smiles, reaching up, fingers curling into Bill’s shirt and tugging him closer. “Yeah,” he says, pulling Bill down just to meet his eyes, lightly kissing his lips. “I love you, too.”