The next few days felt like they existed in a strange, surreal space. Nio couldn't shake the feeling of Tee's touch, the way his lips had tasted, how his hands had moved over him with such certainty. He hadn't realized how much he'd needed this - needed Tee - until now.
But with each passing hour, the questions in his mind grew louder. What were they? What did this mean for their friendship, for their futures? Nio was afraid to voice any of these concerns, afraid that speaking the words aloud would break something that had only just begun to feel real.
It was late afternoon when Tee called. Nio had just finished his last class of the day, and he was sitting in the small, shared lounge of the dorm, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone. The ringing pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Hey," Tee's voice came through the phone, steady and warm. "You free tonight?"
Nio's stomach fluttered. He could still feel Tee's presence in the room, as if Tee was still there beside him. "Yeah, I'm just about done with classes. What's up?"
"I was thinking we could grab dinner. Just the two of us."
Nio hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. A part of him wanted to say yes, wanted to give in to the quiet pull that was drawing him toward Tee. But the other part, the part that was still unsure, held him back.
"I don't know," Nio murmured. "It feels like things are moving too fast."
Tee was quiet for a beat, and Nio felt his heart skip in that space. He could practically hear Tee's smile on the other side of the phone. "I get it," Tee said gently. "But maybe... maybe this is the only way we figure out where we stand. Together."
Nio swallowed, feeling the heat creep up his neck. He had been avoiding the question of what they were, but he knew Tee was right. If they didn't talk about it, if they didn't figure it out, they might end up lost in their own confusion. He didn't want that. Not with Tee.
"Okay," Nio agreed, his voice soft but steady. "Let's do it. Dinner tonight."
Later that evening, Nio found himself standing outside the restaurant, a nervous knot in his stomach. The evening air was cool, but it did little to ease the heat that was radiating off his skin. He hadn't realized how much he'd been anticipating this moment - how much he'd been dreading it, too.
When Tee arrived, Nio's breath caught in his throat. He looked as effortlessly handsome as always, his dark hair slightly tousled, his jeans and jacket fitting perfectly, exuding the same kind of casual confidence Nio had always admired. But there was something different tonight. Something in the way Tee looked at him, his gaze intense, purposeful.
"You okay?" Tee asked, his voice low and filled with concern as he stepped closer.
Nio nodded quickly, too quickly. "Yeah, just... you know, a little nervous."
Tee smiled, the corners of his lips curling in a way that made Nio's heart race. "Me too." He reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from Nio's forehead, a touch that felt intimate despite being so simple. "But I think we're ready to talk, don't you?"
They entered the restaurant together, and the atmosphere seemed to shift. The usual hum of conversation and clinking cutlery seemed distant, as if the only world that existed in that moment was the one between them.
They sat down at a quiet table in the back, and for a while, they just looked at each other, neither of them speaking. The tension between them was palpable, a delicate balance of desire and uncertainty, of wanting to get closer and not knowing how.
Finally, Tee spoke, his voice soft but resolute. "Nio, I need to know... how do you feel about all of this? About us?"
Nio's throat went dry. He wasn't sure he was ready to admit everything he'd been feeling, but he knew this was the moment. If they were going to make it through this - whatever this was - they had to be honest with each other. And with himself.
"I don't know," Nio said, his voice trembling slightly. "I've been thinking about it a lot, about what happened between us. It feels right, Tee, when I'm with you. But I'm scared. I don't want to lose what we have."
Tee reached across the table, his hand settling over Nio's, grounding him. "You won't lose me," Tee said, his words a quiet promise. "I'm not going anywhere."
The reassurance in Tee's voice calmed Nio's racing heart, but there was still a storm of uncertainty brewing inside him. "I don't know what this means," Nio admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "What happens next? What are we?"
Tee smiled, squeezing Nio's hand gently. "I think that's something we figure out together. One step at a time."
The weight of Tee's words settled over Nio like a warm blanket. For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn't afraid to take the next step. He wasn't afraid to see where this could go. Because, somehow, with Tee by his side, it felt like everything was possible.
They spent the rest of the evening talking - really talking - about everything and nothing at all. About their hopes and their fears. About the future they weren't sure about, but were willing to face together. And when they left the restaurant, walking side by side under the stars, Nio realized that for the first time in his life, he wasn't scared of the unknown.
With Tee, he didn't need to have all the answers.