Eli's room was unusually quiet. No music playing, no pages flipping from one of his sketchpads—just the rustle of papers and the scratch of a pen moving across lined notebooks. His desk, normally scattered with novels and unfinished doodles, was now buried under textbooks, highlighters, and review sheets.
Across from him sat Kai.
It felt strange, almost surreal, having Kai here of all places. His room was *his*, personal and private, a space no one but family usually entered. And yet, Kai seemed to belong so easily—sitting comfortably, his focus locked on the math problems in front of him, his posture relaxed but intent. The afternoon sun poured through the curtains, soft and golden, catching in his hair and painting him in warm light.
Eli tried to look at his notes, tried to force himself to care about the equations that sprawled across the page, but his eyes kept drifting back. He caught himself tracing the way Kai's brows furrowed slightly when he thought, or the way he tapped his pen against the paper before writing an answer down.
And underneath it all, that memory tugged at him again.
Just remember, I'll always be waiting for you. It's okay to take your time.
Kai's words from the campfire echoed like a whisper at the back of Eli's mind, growing louder the longer he sat across from him. His chest felt tight, restless, like something inside him was pressing to be let out.
Finally, he set his pencil down, his hand trembling slightly. "Kai," he said softly.
Kai glanced up immediately, pen still between his fingers. "Hm? What's wrong?"
Eli fiddled with the corner of his notebook, staring at the pages though the words blurred in front of him. His throat felt dry, but he forced himself to continue. "That night… at camp." His voice dipped quieter. "You said… you'd wait for me. That it's okay to take my time."
Kai didn't flinch. His expression didn't shift dramatically, but his eyes grew sharper, focused completely on Eli. "I did," he said simply.
Eli swallowed hard, his pulse thundering in his ears. "What… did you mean by that? Do you…" His fingers curled tightly against the paper, nails pressing dents into it. "Do you mean you… like me too?"
The silence stretched. It wasn't uncomfortable exactly, but heavy—charged, like the air right before a storm. Eli's heart pounded so fast it almost hurt, and part of him wished he could swallow the question back, erase it, pretend he hadn't asked. But another part—stronger, braver—needed to know.
Kai finally set his pen down with deliberate care, as if giving the moment the weight it deserved. He leaned forward across the desk, close enough that Eli could see the faint warmth in his eyes. Then, with a teasing gentleness, he reached out and pinched Eli's cheek—not hard, just enough to make him blink in startled confusion.
"Eli," Kai said quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips, "I wouldn't say something like that if I didn't mean it."
Eli froze. His breath caught, his chest tightening almost painfully.
"I like you," Kai continued, his voice steady, calm—but underneath it was something deeper, something Eli felt all the way down to his bones. "I've liked you for a long time."
Eli's mind went blank. His lips parted, but the words tangled in his throat, refusing to form. All he could do was stare, wide-eyed, his thoughts a chaotic mess of confusion, fear, warmth, and an ache that was strangely sweet.
Kai's smile softened. "You don't have to say anything yet," he said, his tone gentle. "I meant what I said… take your time. I'll wait."
Something in Eli broke loose at those words. The nervous knot in his chest loosened, replaced by a rush of heat that spread to his cheeks. Slowly, he lowered his gaze, the corners of his lips curling despite himself. The smile that formed was small, shy, but real.
For the first time in a long while, he didn't fight it. He just let himself feel it.