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On one cozy evening in March, as rain droplets gently hit the windows, Claude found himself in Leo’s apartment, watching a random comedy Leo had picked as background noise. The TV volume wasn’t too loud, allowing them a moment of hushed conversations.
Claude was talking almost excitedly about some new coding he had done just to progress in Minecraft, and he seemed so proud that Leo couldn’t miss the mischievous sparkle in his best friend’s eyes as he spoke.
Were his eyes always so bright and beautiful?
Leo had to pull himself out of his trance before replying to the blonde. “Man, we should hop on Minecraft sometime. We’d beat it in a heartbeat with your mind.”
He meant it as a joke, but when it earned him a laugh from Claude, he found himself hoping that only he had this privilege—of seeing Claude so carefree, guard down, clinging onto Leo like he was the warmest place in every room he was in.
He looks so handsome.
Leo found himself no longer listening to whatever Claude was saying, his eyes slowly scanning his best friend’s face. He took in the small details—the mole under his lip, the faint scar across it, his two-coloured eyes, and the way Claude’s hair fell into his face whenever he laughed a little too hard.
He didn’t miss the flicker of silver whenever Claude spoke, his tongue piercing catching the light with certain words. He didn’t miss the way Claude’s fingers curled into his sleeves when he got shy, or when he shivered from the chilly weather. In those moments, Leo held him a little closer.
If I can hold you for a little longer, that’s all I could ever need.
Leo snapped back only when he realised he had been staring at Claude’s lips for a little too long, which caused the blonde to poke his cheek. “You’re staring,” Claude teased.
The grey-haired man felt embarrassment wash over him, the tips of his ears turning red. “What? No, no… I’m not. I was just…” He fumbled for the right words. “Spaced out! Yeah.”
Claude gave him a knowing look. “Spaced out, huh?” he probed, which caused Leo to glance at the clock, searching for the easiest escape route. It’s not like he could kick Claude out. He would never.
“Oh, woah! Look! Time to shower,” he exclaimed quickly, standing up to rush to his bedroom. But he stopped when he felt fingers wrap around his wrist.
Your touch feels like a warm blanket.
“Don’t. Not yet. Stay with me,” Claude whispered, a blush creeping up his face, which almost made Leo melt on the spot. God, how could he ever refuse this boy? He was a weak man.
Reluctantly, Leo moved back to the couch and sat down, immediately getting tackled by Claude, who pushed him to lie down and wrapped himself around him. “Finally, man,” he said, and Leo laughed. “Bro, this is not very platonic of you.”
The blonde just shrugged, burrowing his face into Leo’s chest. “I like the way you feel in my arms. Is that a crime?” he mumbled against his hoodie.
And Leo would be lying if he said he didn’t love how that sounded. How he would choose these moments over and over again just to see Claude in his arms, cuddly and warm, seemingly so attached to Leo that neither of them wanted to separate.
I love you.
The realisation hit Leo like a punch to the gut, and he buried his face in Claude’s hair, tightening his grip on him as if afraid someone might try to pull him away, try to break Leo by taking Claude from him.
I’ve got you. I always have.
You’re my greatest love.