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The couch in the goffice creaked softly under the weight of both Will and Anthony. Will looked quietly confused in that way that he always played up for the camera. Anthony only vaguely registered his reaction, more focused on the silly grin on his boyfriend’s face.
Coy and Hanbon stood in front of the others, chattering and gesturing excitedly at the robot baby that couldn’t have possibly cost $600. Anthony made a mental note to extend the credit limit on the company card.
“- Or we have to take care of the baby until we send him off to boarding school in August,” Coy finished with a dramatic flair, while Hanbon held the baby up towards the ceiling. “Our son!” she shouted, her slightly raspy voice echoing through the disheveled room.
“Wait,” Will cut in. “We’re just watching the baby for a week? That’s so easy.” Anthony shook his head.
“No way. Knowing these morons, there’s definitely a catch.” Hanbon yelped indignantly, but Coy just smirked before flipping to the next slide, which listed all of the metrics the baby tracked. “We just have to score above 90%, and we get all of Anthony’s precious money back,” he snarked, shooting his boyfriend a sarcastic smile. Anthony flipped him off.
Will made grabby hands for the baby. Hanbon eyed him suspiciously.
“Be careful,” she frowned. “If we don’t pass, I’m blaming it all on Anthony.” Anthony threw his hands up.
“What the fuck did I do?” Hanbon waved her hand passively. “It’s your general negative energy.” Next to him, Will was bending the baby’s limbs backwards into an awkward legs-up position. “Look how flexible he is!”
Coy laughed. “We have to go to the store and get supplies for the baby before we go to dinner tonight.”
Anthony shook his head. “I have a business dinner tonight.” Which Coy most certainly already knew. Hanbon perked up and nudged Coy, prompting his response.
“I called your company and booked us a table at the same restaurant so we could have our first family dinner,” Coy replied, looking far too pleased. Anthony stared back.
Coy clapped his hands. “So who’s watching the baby while we go to the store?”
-
After losing nose-goes and having a deeply embarrassing interaction with their sweet old neighbor Francisco, Anthony plodded back to the house and out to Coy’s car, where his boyfriend was leaning against the passenger side door and fiddling with the sleeves of his baggy sweater. When he looked up and saw Anthony, the expression that crossed his face was almost painfully fond.
Anthony sighed heavily and pressed his head into the sharp point of Coy’s shoulder. “That was so embarrassing,” he groaned. Coy chuckled and stroked a hand through the hair at the nape of Anthony’s neck. “You big baby,” he teased.
The dark-haired man didn’t respond for a moment, content to nuzzle Coy in the driveway. “I don’t feel like going,” Anthony whispered, barely audibly.
Coy seemed to catch on to the hesitation in his boyfriend's voice. “We don’t have to come tonight, if it’ll make things worse.” He scratched lightly at Anthony’s scalp. “We could always refilm the last part.”
Anthony snapped to attention. “No!” He cleared his throat. “I mean. I don’t mind you guys being there. I’m just not in the mood for client stuff today.” Coy hummed understandingly.
“We were all planning on sleeping in the goffice tonight to watch the baby, so we’ll be here when you get back.” He nudged Anthony up to make eye contact. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
Anthony couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. "Okay, baby." He swooped in to press a kiss to Coy’s cheek at the exact moment the front door opened, and Will and Hanbon tumbled into the driveway.
Will wolf-whistled at the pair. “Get a room, you two!” Hanbon giggled and swept in to take a furiously blushing Coy by the arm, whispering in his ear as she led him towards the driver's side door.
“Shut up!” Anthony snapped at Will, the tips of his ears burning. Will clapped him on the shoulder before climbing into the car.
Hanbon was already seated inside Coy’s hatchback, and she wiggled her eyebrows dramatically at Anthony when he slid in next to her. “Things are going good!” she hissed, gesturing unsubtly to Coy, who was still slightly pink behind the wheel. Anthony smacked her hand down. “You guys already knew about us; it’s not a big deal.”
Hanbon just stared at him with her wide brown eyes, patiently waiting for a response. Anthony grumbled out a “whatever” before plopping his head down on her shoulder. He watched Hanbon make eye contact with Coy in the rearview mirror and mouth something unintelligible to him that made the corners of his eyes crinkle in a smile. All Anthony could do was hide his grin in Hanbon’s shoulder.
-
The atmosphere of Jacob’s Pickles was dark and loud, and Anthony was desperately trying to make insightful commentary on the client’s rambling when he saw the others enter the restaurant out of the corner of his eye.
His eyes trailed over the unlikely trio, muffling a snort into the crook of his arm at the image of his three best friends carrying a shrieking robot baby into a trendy New York restaurant. Talia noticed his distraction and nudged him. “See someone you know?”
Anthony nodded. “It can wait. These are your clients; I don’t want to interrupt.” He watched as Hanbon took the baby (and the camera) toward the bathrooms, and Will stepped outside to take a phone call, leaving Coy alone at the table. Talia shrugged. “I don’t think Ricky would mind meeting your boyfriend.”
Anthony flushed. His excitement at seeing Coy was more noticeable than he thought, but he waved the taller man over anyway, relishing in the confused panic on his face.
Coy waved awkwardly at Talia when he reached the table, stopping next to Anthony’s chair and making frantic eye contact with his boyfriend. Anthony grinned and wrapped an arm around Coy’s waist, thumbing at the fabric of his sweater. He noted how the conversation had ceased at the end of the table and cleared his throat.
“This is my boyfriend, Coy. He’s here with some of our friends.” He noted Will returning to the table and shaking his head fondly at the pair. “We also work together on Bunch of Friends; he’s a great writer.” Now it was Coy’s turn to blush.
Ricky leaned across the table to shake Coy’s hand. “Yeah, I’ve seen some of your stuff before. Nice work, man.” Coy shook his hand before wrapping an arm around Anthony’s shoulders. Anthony beamed.
The two had been dating for more than 3 months now, but had only recently told their friends. Anthony had been slowly introducing more PDA into their relationship, trying to gauge Coy’s reaction, but he was much more receptive to it than previously anticipated. Coy had taken to holding Anthony’s hand when they walked through the city, and Anthony would slide his arm around Coy’s hips when he noticed another guy looking for too long.
He had always been a possessive man. Sue him.
Coy was making polite conversation with the rest of the table when Anthony noticed Will and Hanbon approaching the group, Will holding the camera at his side and giving Anthony a frantic look.
Anthony pinched Coy’s hip through his sweater, motioning for the two to separate. He felt more than saw the distance Coy put between them as they slipped into their on-camera roles with practiced ease.
It hurt to hide their relationship. It wasn’t really hidden, at least not from the people who mattered. Will and Hanbon knew; all their other roommates had figured it out on their own; Anthony’s mom loved Coy and was always trying to invite him over; Coy’s parents knew and didn’t outright disapprove, which was big for them. But sometimes Anthony wanted to shout it from the rooftops, let everyone know about them so random guys at the club would stop trying to hit on Coy Piso, internet celebrity. They all saw him on Instagram or TikTok or Twitch; all wanted a chance to get an influencer into their beds.
Anthony was the only one who got to see Coy, the guy with tangled hair and chewed-up cuticles and cold feet and a habit of only leaving one sock in his boyfriend’s room so he had an excuse to come back and bother him while editing. And that was usually enough.
“This is our son,” Hanbon chirped, snapping Anthony out of his melancholy stupor. She held the robot baby up, flashing a grin to the rest of Anthony’s table.
“We’re in a heteroplatonic multi-racial polycule,” Will chimed in, and Anthony laughed despite himself. Hanbon tilted her head in fake confusion. “Anthony didn’t tell you about our baby?”
Talia chuckled beside him, along with the rest of the table. “I like them,” she whispered into Anthony’s ear. He felt a genuine smile crinkle the corners of his eyes, and he watched his friends retreat to their table to start eating. “Me too,” he whispered back.
-
It was well past 5 am, and Anthony was only now sobering up. “I’m just getting home,” he slurred into his phone camera. “I was out with some clients.” He crept slowly into the house, rounding the corner to the goffice and giggling quietly at what he saw.
Will was splayed out on the mattress against the wall, one hand pinned awkwardly under his back. Hanbon and Coy were curled up together on the air mattress, legs tangled under a thin blanket, while Hanbon snored softly.
Anthony had to press a hand to his mouth to keep from smiling too wide, vaguely aware of the camera set up in the corner of the room to capture anything weird their robot baby did at night.
He knelt next to the air mattress and carded a hand through Coy’s gingery-brown hair. “Coy,” he hissed. “Baby. I’m here. Wake up.”
Coy lifted his head, squinting into the darkness before his eyebrows quirked in recognition, and he dropped back onto the pillow. “Hey, Ant,” he mumbled, grasping Anthony’s wrist briefly.
Anthony pressed a featherlight kiss to the crown of Coy’s forehead. “I’m gonna go change; just wanted to let you know I was back.” He moved to stand.
Coy yawned widely and stretched his neck before rolling off the air mattress and standing beside Anthony. “I’ll come with,” he whispered, no doubt smelling the alcohol on Anthony’s breath, not trusting him to get ready alone. Anthony linked their hands together without complaint.
Anthony hooked his fingers into the waistband of Coy’s pants as they climbed the stairs, drawing a giggle from the other man. They fumbled upstairs through the dark.
“Time and place, Anthony,” Coy whispered, detangling the pair briefly to push open the door to Anthony’s room. Anthony pouted (honest-to-god pouted) and wandered to sit on his bed. He tugged off the scarf he had worn to dinner and watched it crumple to the floor, its colors stark against the cool wood.
Coy started rifling through Anthony’s drawer for a pair of sweatpants, and by the time he turned around, Anthony was leaning back on his hands, content to watch Coy. He motioned to the spot in front of him with a nod, beckoning his boyfriend closer.
Coy rolled his eyes. “You have to get to bed,” he murmured, but he still stepped forward, pajamas abandoned on the dresser. He stopped in front of Anthony. Their knees knocked together.
Anthony hooked both hands around Coy’s hips and pulled him down into his lap, nuzzling into the soft fabric of his pajama top. Coy huffed in surprise but adjusted quickly, his thighs bracketing Anthony’s hips. He slid his hands along the muscles of Anthony’s back, and the dark-haired man melted into the feeling.
The pair sat intertwined on Anthony’s bed for a few minutes. Anthony tightened his grip around Coy’s waist, breathing in the subtle scent of mint shampoo and the clean, laundry-detergent-esque smell that seemed to follow Coy around even when he was sweaty or fresh out of the shower. The shrieks of their robot baby were barely audible downstairs, the noise dwarfed by the thundering sound of Will’s footsteps.
“You okay?” Coy whispered. Anthony hummed wordlessly in response. He shifted Coy in his lap just enough to press a gentle kiss to the skin below his ear, and lingered long enough to relish in the full-body shiver it drew out of Coy.
Coy pulled back and rested his forehead against Anthony’s. The angle meant Anthony could count each individual freckle that dotted Coy’s nose and cheeks, even in the dimly lit room.
“What’s wrong?” Coy asked, breathing the words into Anthony’s mouth. Anthony held back a sigh. His boyfriend had always been disgustingly perceptive. He closed his eyes, feeling his eyelashes brush against Coy’s.
“I wish we could tell people,” he murmured, barely audible. “About us.” Anthony swallowed, his throat full of sand. “I know why it’s not a good idea; I just… hate keeping you a secret.”
He felt the brush of cold fingers against his jaw, Coy prompting him to open his eyes. “I know,” he whispered back, sinking further into Anthony’s lap. “I hate it too.”
Anthony blinked hard, feeling the wetness build behind his eyes. He swallowed again, uncharacteristically nervous. “I- I love you.” He shut his eyes again. “And I don’t ever- ever want you to think that- I’m- I would never be embarrassed or anything-” Anthony hiccupped. He buried his face back into Coy’s shoulder, taking deep shuddering breaths.
Coy gripped Anthony by the shoulders and pulled him tighter into his chest. He raked his nails lightly down Anthony’s back in a repeated soothing motion, cradling the other man into his body.
“I love you too.”
Anthony sniffled and lifted his head. Coy was already looking at him with those gorgeous green eyes, bright and happy. “I love you too,” he repeated, this time pressing a chaste kiss to Anthony’s forehead. “And we don’t necessarily have to tell people; we can just… stop working so hard to hide it?”
Anthony blinked. He hadn’t thought of that. “Really?” he smiled up at Coy. The other boy nodded. “Will says we’re not especially subtle anyway.” Anthony chuckled at that, sliding his hands back around Coy’s waist.
“No way,” he teased. Coy rolled his eyes. “Not my fault you’re a jealous motherfucker.”
Anthony grinned and leaned in. Coy got the hint and pressed their lips together, warm and soft. The other man kept his eyes open for just a moment, just to see how Coy smiled into the kiss, and the cute little crease between his eyebrows when Anthony nipped at his bottom lip.
Anthony would have been content to make out until morning, his lap full of a beautiful boy who made beautiful noises when he gripped his waist, but Coy clearly had other plans.
He pulled back slowly, shifting off of Anthony’s lap. “Get changed and meet me downstairs, mkay? This stupid baby has been waking us up every 20 minutes, and I need at least some sleep before tomorrow.” Anthony shifted back on the bed.
“You don’t wanna stay for the gun show?” he ribbed, flexing his arm. The curve of his bicep was visible even through his sweater. Coy rolled his eyes again, failing to disguise the pale pink flush on the back of his neck when he turned around.
“I love you,” Anthony called after him. Coy leaned against the doorway, his smile toothy and unguarded. “I love you too.”
When Anthony slid onto the air mattress beside him 10 minutes later, one arm bracketing his waist, he let the gentle thud of Coy’s heartbeat lull him to sleep.
-
Anthony was curled up on his bed, scrolling on his phone and desperately trying to avoid answering emails when there was a soft knock at the door.
“Come in,” he called, already knowing who was at the door. Will poked his head into the room, squinting at the shape of Anthony buried under the blankets. “Is Coy in here?” he questioned, eyeing the bed suspiciously. Anthony snorted.
“No? Where the hell would I be keeping him?” Will shrugged. He tossed himself onto the bed, landing with an ‘oomf’.
“I just had an editing question.” Anthony yawned and sat up. “Hit me.”
Will drummed his fingers on his leg, seeming to consider his words for longer than usual. “Remember when we had the baby for the day? Just us?” Anthony nodded, prompting Will to continue.
“Right. Well, like, remember when we saw those videos? On the baby smartwatch, like of Bon and Coy.”
Anthony couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah. ‘Course I remember. Why?”
Will blinked. “Well, it’s just- when you were watching the video of Coy. There was this look on your face.” Anthony tensed slightly. “And I was wondering if you wanted me to cut that.” Will sat back.
“You know how people are. Obviously it’s fine with me, I just… wanted to ask what you wanted.”
Anthony sank back down into the pillows. “What kind of look?” Will shrugged. “The way you look at him. And the way he looks at you. It’s the same.” Anthony looked Will in the eyes.
There was no judgement spelled out on his face. Just the same soft, kind curve of his mouth that Will got when he was truly happy for someone else.
Anthony shrugged, faking nonchalance. “You can leave it in. People will talk.” Will nodded.
“But you don’t care as much anymore.” It wasn’t a question, but Anthony nodded back anyway.
Right as Will shuffled out of the room, he spun around for one final remark.
“Also, you called him like 4 different pet names on camera. So we do have to cut those.”
Anthony snorted out a laugh. “Fair.”
Will smiled and shut the door. Anthony folded his hands over his stomach and grinned. His face hurt a little from the magnitude of it. It was worth it.