After their conversation, things between Nio and Tee started to feel… easier. The weight of unspoken words had lifted, and they both seemed to understand each other more clearly. There were still moments of tension, of course - moments when Nio could sense Tee's jealousy flare up again - but they were learning to navigate it, to trust each other more deeply.
One night, they sat on the roof of the dorm building, the city lights flickering below them. Tee leaned back against the wall, his arm draped across Nio's shoulders as they stared at the stars above.
"I'm glad we talked," Tee said, his voice quiet.
"Me too," Nio replied, resting his head against Tee's chest. "I think I was just scared. Scared of what this could mean."
"You don't have to be scared," Tee said, his voice warm. "We'll take it one step at a time. No rush."
"I like that," Nio said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "One step at a time."
Tee leaned down and kissed the top of Nio's head. "Yeah. And no matter what happens, I'll always be here."
Nio closed his eyes, feeling his heart swell with affection for Tee. This felt right. Finally, it felt like they were on the same page. He wasn't sure what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, he wasn't afraid to face it.
A few days after their heartfelt conversation, Nio and Tee found themselves falling into a new routine. They spent every morning together, whether it was grabbing coffee on their way to class or walking side by side through the campus, exchanging jokes and stories. The tension that had once felt unbearable now seemed like a natural part of their connection. They were growing, understanding each other more deeply.
But that didn't mean everything was perfect. Tee still had moments of jealousy, and Nio still felt unsure about the depth of his feelings. It was a delicate dance they were doing, but at least now they were both fully aware of where they stood with each other.
That afternoon, they sat outside on the lawn, talking quietly about their upcoming finals.
"I think I'm going to fail that History exam," Nio said, looking over his notes with a sigh. "I don't get half of this stuff."
Tee looked over at him, eyebrow raised. "You're fine. You always stress over exams, but you always do well. You're smart."
Nio chuckled, shaking his head. "Not as smart as you."
Tee rolled his eyes. "That's a low bar, Nio."
"Maybe," Nio said, looking over at him with a smile. "But I can't help it. You make everything look easy."
Tee shifted a little closer, nudging Nio playfully with his shoulder. "I didn't realize you thought I was that great."
Nio smiled, his gaze softening. "Well, I do."
Tee didn't say anything for a moment, but there was something in the way he looked at Nio - something deep and unspoken that made Nio's heart flutter in his chest.
"Let's get through these exams first," Tee said quietly, his voice almost too soft. "Then we can celebrate."
Nio nodded, but the smile on his face never faded. The bond between them was undeniable now, something that didn't need to be put into words.
The finals week passed in a blur. Nio and Tee studied together as much as they could, often losing track of time and slipping into comfortable silences between bursts of conversation. They were both under pressure, but there was something comforting in the way they supported each other. They didn't need to talk about everything - they knew what the other needed without saying a word.
On the last night before their last exam, Nio lay on Tee's bed, his head resting on Tee's chest as they reviewed their notes for what felt like the hundredth time.
"I can't believe this semester is over," Nio murmured, staring up at the ceiling.
"I know," Tee replied, absentmindedly running his fingers through Nio's hair. "Feels like it flew by."
"Feels like everything's flying by," Nio said with a soft laugh. "But at least we survived."
"We did," Tee agreed. "And we're doing this together."
Nio's heart skipped a beat at the casual way Tee said it. They were in this together. It was simple, but it was enough to make Nio feel like everything had fallen into place.
"I like being with you like this," Nio admitted, turning his head to look up at Tee. "More than I thought I would."
Tee smiled, brushing a hand across Nio's cheek. "I like being with you, too."
They didn't need to say anything else. The silence between them was comfortable, a reflection of how much they had grown to understand each other over the past few months.
It was a few days after finals, and the campus was starting to quiet down as everyone prepared for the break. Nio and Tee were walking to a nearby café when they saw Somchai with a group of his friends. Nio waved, but he could already feel Tee's hand tighten around his.
"Somchai again?" Tee asked, his voice low.
Nio glanced at him, noticing the familiar edge to Tee's tone. "What's wrong with Somchai?"
Tee's jaw clenched, and for a moment, Nio could feel the familiar jealousy that had bubbled to the surface in the past. It wasn't as intense as before, but it was still there, lingering just below the surface.
"He spends too much time with you," Tee muttered.
Nio raised an eyebrow. "You know he's just a friend, right? You don't have to worry about him."
"I don't worry about him," Tee said, though his tone didn't match his words. "I just… don't like how close you two are."
Nio stopped walking, turning to face Tee fully. "Tee," he said, his voice firm. "We've talked about this. I'm not going anywhere. Somchai is just a friend, okay?"
Tee didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked down at the ground, his fingers loosening around Nio's hand.
"I just don't want to lose you," Tee finally admitted, his voice quieter than Nio had ever heard it.
"You're not going to lose me," Nio said, his heart aching at Tee's vulnerability. "But you've got to trust me. I'm right here, with you. Only you."
Tee looked up at Nio, his eyes softening. Slowly, he nodded. "I know. I just need to let go sometimes."
Nio smiled gently. "We'll get through it, Tee. I promise."
A week later, Nio and Tee were sitting on the couch in Tee's dorm room, the weight of the previous conversation still lingering but no longer heavy. They had talked about their boundaries, their fears, and their hopes for the future. It wasn't perfect - jealousy still reared its head from time to time - but they had learned to navigate it together.
Tee leaned back, his arm around Nio as they watched a movie. Nio rested his head against Tee's shoulder, feeling a sense of peace that he hadn't realized he was missing.
"You know, I'm really glad we're doing this," Nio said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tee turned his head to look at him, his gaze warm. "Doing what?"
"This," Nio said, gesturing between them. "Being together. Taking things slow. Figuring it out. I'm glad we're in this together."
Tee smiled, leaning down to kiss Nio's forehead. "I'm glad, too."
The movie played on, but neither of them was paying attention anymore. They were just content to be in each other's presence, the quiet comfort of their connection louder than anything else.