Morning

Victor stirred awake to the faint clinking of cups in the kitchen. For a moment, he forgot where he was, the unfamiliar couch beneath him and the scent of coffee wafting through the air jarring his senses. Then it all came flooding back—his confession, Milo's tears, and the way they had clung to each other as emotions spilled out.

He sat up, running a hand through his messy hair, trying to steady himself. Milo was standing at the counter, his back turned, busying himself with pouring coffee into two mugs. His movements seemed deliberate, almost too composed, as if trying to mask the turmoil within.

"Morning," Victor said softly, his voice still hoarse from the previous night.

Milo froze for a fraction of a second before turning around with a small, forced smile. "Morning. Coffee?"

Victor nodded, accepting the mug Milo handed him. Their fingers brushed, and Victor felt the same spark he'd felt so many times before, but Milo quickly pulled his hand away.

They sipped in silence, the tension hanging heavy between them. Victor could tell Milo was avoiding looking at him, his eyes fixed firmly on his cup.

Finally, Victor broke the silence. "Milo… about last night—"

Milo cut him off, his voice shaky but firm. "Let's not. It's fine."

"It's not fine," Victor interrupted, setting his mug down. "We need to talk about it. I need to know how you're feeling."

Milo sighed, placing his coffee on the counter and leaning against it, arms crossed. "How I'm feeling?" he repeated, almost bitterly. "Victor, I don't even know how to process this. You say you love me, but you've spent your whole life with women. How do you even know this isn't some… phase or confusion?"

Victor stood, his heart aching at the uncertainty in Milo's voice. "Because I know what I feel, Milo. This isn't sudden—it's been building for a long time. You're all I think about, all I want to be around. It's not a phase."

Milo shook his head, his eyes filling with tears again. "Victor, you don't understand. If this isn't real, if you wake up one day and realize you've made a mistake, it'll destroy me. I can't take that risk."

Victor closed the distance between them, gently placing his hands on Milo's shoulders. "I'm not asking you to take all the risk, Milo. I'll take it too. Let me prove it to you. Let me show you I'm serious."

Milo looked up at him, his eyes searching Victor's face for any sign of doubt. All he saw was earnestness. "Victor…"

"Please," Victor said, his voice breaking. "I'll wait. We can take things slow. I just need to know there's a chance for us."

Milo hesitated before nodding slightly. "Slow… okay. But I need time, Victor. I can't just jump into this."

Victor's face lit up with a hopeful smile. "That's all I'm asking."

To ease the tension, Victor suggested, "Why don't we do something today? Just hang out, like before."

Milo hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. Let me get ready."

***

Later That Day,

The two strolled through the park, the atmosphere lighter than it had been in the morning. Victor bought Milo an ice cream, earning a small laugh when he insisted on trying a bite.

As they walked, Victor felt himself growing more confident, Milo's laughter and smiles slowly easing the knot of tension in his chest. It felt almost normal, like before, except now there was an undercurrent of something more between them.

But as they turned a corner, a voice called out, breaking the moment. "Milo!"

Both of them turned to see the man Victor had seen with Milo on the street. The man approached with a bright smile, ignoring Victor entirely.

"Milo, there you are! I was hoping to catch you again before I left town."

Milo smiled awkwardly. "Oh, hey. Yeah, uh, Victor, this is Alex. He's an old friend of mine."

Victor's jaw tightened, but he forced a polite nod. "Nice to meet you."

Alex barely glanced at him before focusing back on Milo. "We still on for dinner tomorrow?"

Victor's heart sank, jealousy surging. Milo glanced at him before replying, "I'll let you know, Alex."

Alex left soon after, leaving Victor tense and Milo visibly uncomfortable.

Victor broke the silence. "Dinner, huh?"

Milo sighed. "It's just a catch-up. He's an old friend."

Victor didn't respond, his emotions simmering under the surface.