It wasn't until a late-night walk around campus that things finally came to a head. They had been sitting on a bench near the fountain, the world around them quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves in the trees. Tee had been distant all evening, his silence only adding to the weight of the air between them.
Nio had finally had enough. "Why don't you just tell me what's going on?" he asked, turning to Tee. "You're being so weird lately."
Tee's eyes were soft, his expression unreadable. For a moment, Nio thought Tee might just brush him off again. But then Tee shifted closer, his knee brushing Nio's. It was enough to make Nio's heart skip a beat.
"I'm scared," Tee admitted quietly, his voice barely audible over the sound of the fountain. "I'm scared that you'll get tired of me. That you'll find someone better. Someone who can give you what I can't."
Nio's chest tightened at the vulnerability in Tee's voice. He had never heard Tee speak like this before - so raw, so unsure. It shook him to his core.
"Tee…" Nio murmured, his hand instinctively reaching for Tee's. Tee didn't pull away, and the contact sent a jolt of warmth through Nio's body.
"I don't want anyone else," Nio whispered. "I want you."
Tee looked at him then, really looked at him, as if he were searching for something in Nio's face. There was a long pause before Tee's hand covered Nio's, fingers intertwining.
"Then you're not going anywhere?" Tee asked, his voice a mix of hope and fear.
Nio shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
And that was the moment everything changed.