"Too bad I'll be moving out of here after graduation," James said with a small hum as he headed for the small kitchenette attached to the living room after pulling the curtains apart to let in a flood of light. Kenneth was with him. The dark-haired man threw him a smile from his place on the long sofa. They were both in James' studio apartment. Kenneth was visiting for the first time. James had brought up going to his place so suddenly that Ken didn't have the time to mentally prepare himself for it. Being surrounded by items that were so James was giving him sensory overload. He wanted to capture every nook and cranny of the house with his eyes.

"What? Is there something wrong?" Kenneth stopped staring at the picture behind the sofa to look over at James. The redhead was holding on to two glasses filled with juice. He was giving Kenneth a confused look, with a brow raised high, and a little crease forming on his forehead. The ends of his lips were curved a bit, giving him a nervous smile.

"Ahh... nothing," Kenneth said, rubbing the back of his neck before looking down at the soft carpet. He had just gotten carried away. The picture had been of James standing around with his family members as he held on to a certificate. He looked about six or seven years younger in it, and Kenneth wondered what had happened then. James hummed at Kenneth's reply before walking over to him and handing him a glass. He settled down beside him on the sofa before taking a sip of his juice.

The room went quiet as the two drank in silence. What now? Ken wondered, looking at James from the corner of his eyes. He didn't know what to do or say, and James being quiet made him nervous for some reason. Ken opened his mouth to say something, then he closed it and let out a sigh when nothing would come out. James turned, giving ken a confused look. He raised a brow, wondering what was going on in Ken's head.

"James."

"Hmm?" James responded when Kenneth spoke up. He dropped his half-finished glass of juice on the side table before turning his full attention to Kenneth who was still trying to put together what he wanted to say.

"That day... the day I told you I was in love with you," Kenneth started, turning his head so that he was looking straight at James' eyes. "You haven't really said anything about that, or is it that you just don't care?" Kenneth was trying to keep his voice neutral and calm, but his emotions were already starting to slip into his tone.

"I mean, it's okay if you don't feel the same way, but the silence is killing me. It's like you're ignoring me," Ken continued, looking away and turning his attention to the clock ticking in the distance. He let out a sigh, swallowing his anxiety before pushing stray strands of his dark hair back into place with his free hand. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'd love to know how you feel." The room went silent again, and Ken brought his glass of juice back to his lips as he waited for James to say something. Anything at all.

"I guess it's a bit overwhelming," James started, breaking the silence and making Kenneth drop his glass before turning his attention to him. "Love that is. It's a bit overwhelming," James explained, and Kenneth's face burned red as he looked away.

"So, what are you saying?" Ken asked. James had a roundabout way of talking when it came to his feelings. Ken knew that. Normally, his voice and manner of speech were rigid and professional. If Kenneth was honest with himself, he looked forward to the random bursts of emotion James would have. He was a lot more outspoken then. A lot less roundabout and confusing.

"I guess what I'm saying is that I think I love you." James paused, folding his hands before leaning his head back on the sofa's headrest and turning his gaze to Kenneth. "I think—not, I do."

"I've never been this close to someone, so I guess I don't know what it's supposed to feel like," James admitted, trying to search his head for a time he felt like this. He's had flings, and he had dated before. He had never had anything serious, but those had been more than he had with Kenneth, but things with Kenneth were just overwhelmingly different—sincerer.

'I think I know what you mean. It was sort of the same when I realized... You know..." Kenneth shrugged, making James stare at him. He observed Ken. The man with smooth tanned skin, a handsome jaw, and mischievous dark eyes. The man that had been the bane of his existence not too long ago. The way Ken acted made it look like he was new to dating, and maybe he was. James believed that if he hadn't been so full of himself Ken might have noticed the swarm of women that threw curious glances his way or outright showed an interest in getting to know him better.

James continued to stare, and he started wondering why he felt this way for Ken. Though, the reason Ken felt this way for him made little sense to him.

All the praise and talk about Kenneth that floated about his faculty used to make James irritated and angry. Sure, Kenneth was a dick to him and James used to wish that someone else was at the top of their faculty, and not the douche, but now that he thought about his feelings then he'd been a bit more than jealous, maybe curious about Ken, and trying to play his distaste of people bring him up as mere rivalry. And maybe—maybe Ken had pestered him because he liked him. The assumption seemed sensible. James tagged Kenneth as being childish, and, of course, he would do something as childish as that.

It was starting to make a little sense.

"Can you promise me something, James?" Kenneth's question pulled James out of his thoughts. James looked over at Ken as his lips molded into a thin line as he thought about his request. He hesitated a bit, but he finally answered Ken with a curt nod, and he watched as a smile formed on Ken's face. It was one of relief. It looked like Ken's nerves had been calmed.

"We're both going to France, so would it be too much if I asked us to stay in touch after graduation? I mean, I don't even have your number..." Kenneth said, leaning back on the sofa as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I would like to stay in touch. Just because things are a bit blurred now, doesn't mean it'll always be that way, right?" Kenneth asked, and James nodded. Kenneth hesitated a bit, but he soon reached out to take hold of James' hand that was laying in the space between them on the grey sofa. He gave it a small squeeze as his smile widened.

"I'm glad," he muttered in a low tone before scooting closer and resting his head on James' shoulder.

"Me too," James said in a small voice, and he could feel Kenneth freeze before relaxing again. James smiled, looking down at Ken's head of hair before squeezing Ken's hand that was holding to his. Kenneth looked vulnerable. It was a rare and confusing sight.

It made James smile though. James gave his impulse to run his hand through Kenneth's hair it a small thought before he acted on it. There was no protest, and Ken just stayed quiet as James played with his hair.

They still had a long way to go, but Kenneth felt relieved.