It wasn’t as though he would be against doing anything with Satoru, exactly - he just didn’t know where they stood with each other on the matter. They hadn’t talked about what had happened after the love potion incident, and whenever someone brought it up, one or both of them would divert the conversation immediately.
“…and then he just seemed so surprised when I told him we weren’t together!” Drew exclaimed to his roommate.
The two were finally reunited after the summer apart, regaling stories as they unpacked their belongings. Drew had heard all about Satoru’s time back in Japan with his family, and Drew was excited to finally be able to tell someone about his dad’s new boyfriend.
“Cooper Anderson, can you believe it?” Drew rolled his eyes as Satoru stared, shocked.
“Whoa, wait, like-”
“Yeah, like Blaine and Shane, they have an older brother apparently?”
“And he’s dating your dad?”
“And he’s dating my dad. Has been for a while, apparently – not that Blaine and Shane know?”
“Why don’t they know?”
“No clue, apparently they’re keeping it on the down low for a while. I only found out because, you know, I live there.”
“That’s insane, dude.”
“You’re telling me,” Drew shrugged, and picked up a box with an assortment of chemicals in it. He frowned. “Are we planning on doing anything today, or should I put these away until tomorrow?”
“Nah, put them away, we can just take it easy tonight,” Satoru said, collapsing back onto his bed having finally finished his own unpacking. “You wanna have a movie night?”
“Sure, what are you thinking?”
“Something we’ve seen before, please, I’m too exhausted to focus on anything new,” Satoru groaned, and rubbed his hands over his face. He pulled them away and turned his head to look at Drew. “Your dad really thought we were together?”
“Yeah, I don’t know where he got that from. He said back in his day, everyone was at the very least friends with benefits with their roommate. Or roommates, I suppose for some of them.”
Satoru shook his head.
“Why do people always assume we’re together? Lucy, the twins – hell, this whole house, now your dad… I even had Mika bothering me about it. All summer she was asking me if I was sure! Like yeah, I think I’d know if I was sleeping with my best friend.”
He laughed, and Drew grimaced to himself as he turned away to unpack his clothes.
It wasn’t as though he would be against doing anything with Satoru, exactly - he just didn’t know where they stood with each other on the matter. They hadn’t talked about what had happened after the love potion incident, and whenever someone brought it up, one or both of them would divert the conversation immediately.
Not to mention, he was confused by his own feelings. He wasn’t sure if what he felt towards the other boy was platonic or romantic, or if he just liked the occasional affection they gave each other; looking out for each other in their crazier experiments, brushing dust off each other’s faces after explosions, holding each other and hearing out the other’s troubles when they were upset by something –
…and movie nights. Movie nights were his favourite. When they’d grab their blankets and pillows, turn out all the lights save for their solar system projection lamp, and curl up against the wall that ran alongside Satoru’s bed. When they’d wake up just a little too close after they’d accidentally fallen asleep together.
Accidentally, Drew thought to himself as he closed the wardrobe door, leaning his forehead against it as he sighed.
“What’s up?”
Well, no time like the present. Drew turned around to look at Satoru, who had turned to lie on his stomach, legs kicked up in the air.
“Are we ever gonna talk about the love potion?”
Satoru blanched, legs coming to a still from their swinging. He sat himself up, placing his hands in his lap.
“What – what about it?” Satoru stammered out, his eyes looking down, face flushed.
Drew was almost surprised. He’d assumed it had just been him who’d been nervously avoiding the topic, and had almost thought Satoru would immediately brush his question off with a joke. He raked his brain to think of what to say in response.
“We kissed.” He eventually settled on, feeling his own face turning red as the words left his mouth.
“We did more than kiss,” Satoru mumbled in response, his eyes still not meeting Drew’s own. “I distinctly remember neither of us having shirts on.”
Drew glowered.
“We both know what happened that night, let’s not act like it was some drunken half-forgotten experience – or do we need to discuss those too?”
Satoru bit his lip, and Drew sighed again.
“Sorry. But – I think we do need to talk about it.”
“What’s there to talk about?” Satoru’s voice quivered, and he finally picked his gaze up to Drew’s.
Drew could see though the other boy’s glasses that tears were brimming in his eyes. He felt the mixture of guilt and anxiety rise within him.
“Well, everything,” Drew swallowed, and crossed the room to sit himself opposite Satoru on the bed, their knees nudging against each other. “Like the fact we never talked about it, for a start.”
“I didn’t think we had to,” Satoru’s voice was quiet. “You didn’t seem – I didn’t think we had to – it was so long ago now -”
“It was only January.”
“Eight months ago!” Satoru exclaimed, finally bringing his eyes to meet Drew’s, and Drew recoiled at his friend’s tone.
“Eight months,” He nodded in acknowledgement, and took Satoru’s hands in his own, “I didn’t think you – ah -” He looked away.
“I didn’t think you cared.” He finished. It was barely a whisper, and he closed his eyes as he spoke, not wanting Satoru to see his expression.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, feeling just the sweat of each-others’ palms; the only sounds echoing through the room being their breaths and the occasional yell filtering in from Reed or the twins, where ever they were in the house, until Satoru began rubbing his thumbs over the backs of Drew’s hands.
“Of course I cared,” Satoru muttered, eyes locked on their hands. “How couldn’t I?”
Drew looked up, and Satoru’s gaze slowly followed up to meet him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Drew’s voice came out, still quiet. He tried to pull his hands away to flick his hair from his eyes, but Satoru’s grip was firm, and Drew gulped when he realised the other boy was pulling him back.
“It means you’re my best friend, Drew,” Satoru’s eyes were still focused on his. “It means I care about you more than anyone else, and I have done since the first day we met.”
Drew looked back down at their connected hands.
“So - so you feel…” He trailed off, not even sure himself of what he was trying to ask.
“Yeah?” Satoru responded, and Drew figured that he hadn’t known the question either.
He sat himself up a little straighter and cleared his throat, their gaze locked once again. He took a deep breath in before he spoke.
“I don’t know what I want,” He admitted, and Satoru nodded, his mouth opening a little as he went to reply.
“But,” Drew cut him off before he had the chance. He swallowed. The two of them had taken a lot of risks over the years, with very little planning, and yet he’d never been more nervous about this one.
“I think I want you.”
He exhaled shakily, letting out the breath he’d been holding tight.
Satoru gave a small smile, barely upturning the ends of his mouth, but enough to reassure Drew.
“I don’t really know what I want either,” He agreed, finally releasing Drew’s hands, and using his own to rub gently at his forehead. “But – I’d be willing to try, um, something. You know, if you do?”
Drew’s heart was racing. He shifted himself to sit at Satoru’s side, bringing them closer, and he bumped their shoulders together jovially. A wide grin was begging to burst across his face, and he tucked his head down to hide it from Satoru.
“Hey, look at me.”
Satoru’s hand touched itself to Drew’s jawline, and he turned him so that they were facing each other. Drew could feel the fingers shaking against him, and he placed his own hand over the top of Satoru’s to quell the boy’s nerves – or at least, show him that he was just as scared.
Satoru smiled fully, stroking a thumb over his cheek, and Drew let himself release his own grin.
“We’re still best friends,” Satoru said to him, and Drew withheld his smirk when he realised neither of them could take their eyes from the other’s mouth. “We’ll just – add in a few more things to that friendship. Nothing has to change, really.”
“Until we want it to.” Drew murmured.
“Until we want it to.” Satoru nodded, and Drew closed his eyes, sighing in relief. Their hands were still against his face, and he gave Satoru’s a gentle squeeze before he brought it down to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the palm. He looked back at his friend, who’s eyes were wide and eager – and just a little dewy from tears.
“Movie night?” He whispered.
“I’ll go get my blankets.”
Drew made to move from the bed, but found himself caught by the wrist as he stood. He turned to look back, and Satoru was biting his lip apprehensively.
“I think we could share mine tonight?”
Drew could hear the fear in his voice, and he smiled in response.
