Work Text:
Yuu had made up their mind that day. Whatever the outcome was it wouldn't really matter.
They wrote a small letter on a piece of notebook paper.
"Hey. This is yuu. I really like you Trey. I don't want to fuck up our friendship, and you can feel free to completely ignore this letter if you don't like me back. We don't have to change anything. We can just pretend this note never existed"
-Yuu
_______________________________
Trey stared at the note as he read it and pulled it out of his locker. To think they had spent more words apologizing for feelings he may or may not have than actually confessing said a lot. They felt guilty for liking him... Well, I guess it was about time he told them as well. He did like them back. He watched every glitter in their eye when they got to rant about their special interests. The way they smiled so wide when they were genuinely happy. Even the way they would text him excitedly about a leak from their favorite game. And he didn't want to ignore this note and have to live with his feelings alone forever... He couldn't leave them alone.
Trey made his way to their room, note in hand. He went out of the main building, walked along the long path, and after roughly an hour, he made it to ramshackle.
He knocked on the door. Yuu panicked. They were so scared. Maybe he didn't like them at all and was annoyed? Maybe he wanted to stop being friends? Maybe they were never friends at all and they misunderstood everything.
"C-come in.." they said anyway
Trey walked in and saw Yuu sitting in their bed. They had clothes scattered on the bed, the floor a bit dirty, bed full of stuffed animals as usual, and a closed diary sitting next to them.
"Hey I just.. uhm.. I wanted to talk about this note" Trey said, holding up the note they had given him. "And I wanted to say that... I like you too."
"You do?.."
"Yeah. I like you too."
"Uhm.. okay" they look down, fidgeting with their fingers, eyes on the verge of tears
"Hey... Did I say something wrong?" Trey quickly asked, scared he had done something wrong
"No... Sorry" they tried to turn around and wipe their eyes
"Uhm... What's wrong?"
"Nothing..."
"Don't say that. Tell me, please" he said
"I just... There's stuff I wanna ask but it feels too early for that ..."
"Ask me anyway. It's not too early"
"It's just... It's complex stuff.. and we only just kind of confessed"
"Still, I don't care"
"Well... I always wonder if anyone will love me. Like, I know you said you do, and I don't want to overwhelm you. But there's these certain things I always wondered about someone who loved me."
"Go ahead"
"Will you love me even when you get to know me? Even when I spill everything? Even when you see me naked? Even when I'm bare and vulnerable and alone..."
Trey stays silent for a few moments. Then he brings them a bit closer, looking into their teary eyes. "You're brave okay. I know this is a little off topic. But you're really brave for crying in front of me. And I love you so much."
They hesitantly hold his hand, hesitant to make physical contact.
"I love every part of you. Even the parts that are ugly and horrific and unapproachable. And when I see your body.... I'm sure I'll live you the exact same as I did moments before. And when you're bare and vulnerable... I want to make you feel safe. I want you to feel safe and happy to be in my arms. I don't want you to be scared or worried that I would ever hurt you. You mean the world to me and I need to make sure you feel it." Trey looked at them, though they couldn't meet his eyes.
They didn't make eye contact and played with his hands excessively.
"Hun.. hey Hun, what's going on?" He looked down at them gently. He had never seen them so fidgety and avoidant of eye contact. And they seemed to curl up a bit.
"I uhm... I..." They started to cry again
"Hey... Take your time, okay?"
"Sometimes... When my feelings get overwhelmed... I break down a bit and I cry a lot. And I get really sensitive and a bit babyish... Like... Not a full meltdown or regression, but I'm still sensitive..." They say much quieter than usual.
Trey brings them closer gently. They look really hesitant and worried at the closeness and he picks up on it. "Hun?... Do you not like touching people?.." he questions
"I... I got lice one time and it made me really paranoid... And I don't know where people's hands and clothes have been..." They say, looking down.
"I see... Do you want me to take off my clothes? I promise my hair and everything else is clean." He says, trying to assure them
They nod. "I might have a baggy shirt that would fit you..." They point to their closet.
"Okay" Trey looks through the shirts and sweaters hanging up and finds a really big blue baggy shirt with a bike on it.
They look up. "That's...one of my dad's old shirts..."
"Oh I'm sorry. Is your dad... Gone?" Trey asks carefully
"No... He just isn't a nice..."
"Ah... I see... Is it still okay if I wear this then or is it triggering?"
"It's okay..." I sat on my bed in a really baggy white shirt and my lower half covered by blankets. "Speaking of shirts... I got this one not too long ago. I like wearing it because... It feels like I'm wearing one of your shirts..."
"It does look like something I would wear" Trey chuckles as he looks at the shirt
"Is it too early or do you want to lay down with me?..." They say, hesitantly looking down.
"No. It's okay" Trey gets into the bed with them. He lays next to them. "Do you want to cuddle, honey?"
They nod and wrap their arms around him, burying their face in his chest. He drags a gentle hand through their hair as he holds them in return.
"I kind of wanted to die when you came in here..." They admit quietly.
"What!?" Trey nearly yells. "Sorry... But... Really? Are you okay? What's making you feel that way?"
"I just... Sometimes I don't really feel like a person, you know? And sometimes everything just... I dunno, it just all hurts. I want to sleep in, read webtoons all day just go to bed when I want..."
"Yeah... Life is... It's really tiring" Trey said softly as he ran a hand through their hair. "It's gonna be alright, okay? I'm here now..."
"Mhm..."
They both embrace eachother quietly. Maybe they can make it in this world together, even if it felt crushing.