A/N:
i am so sorry for the amount of speech in this chapter. ANYWAYYYY ENJOY :3

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"Bye, Braydin."
    "Bye, Titus." Football practice just ended. They're all cleaning up in the locker rooms. Cade and Kai were talking about something out of earshot, Jack was bragging about something unintelligible, and Alec was walking out.
    "Bye, Braydin."
    "Bye, Titus." This phrase had been repeated more than ten times. Braydin shut the car door, and nodded off in the seat.

"He said WHAT?" Jack's bewildered voice rang out from the call.
    Braydin, in only boxers and ankle socks, was sitting in bed, on the phone in a group chat consisting of Jack, Kai, and Cade.
    "He said he was gay! And- and we like... I dunno."
    "What'd you do? Kiss?" Kai snickered.
    Cade jived, "I bet he wishes," and Braydin had to shush all of them.
    "But, guys. LISTEN. How do I just say, 'I'm in love with you'?" Braydin groaned.
    "Go to Carter," Cade rolled his eyes, "He's the one with like seven billion exes."
    "Don't even, dude." Jack scoffed, "You're one of them."
    "YOU-"

    "GUYS." Braydin shrieked at his phone. "LISTEN. I just need help, okay?"
    Braydin watched from his phone as all the little cameras showing the boys (or more, their foreheads) nod profusely.
Jack peered down at his side, and then said, "Maybe I should go to Carter about it." before hanging up.
"You know he wants your ex, right?" Kai queried Cade.
"HUH?" He shrieked, and then Braydin hung up and set his phone down, refusing to listen to any more.

The brunette now held his phone in his hands, typing the best he could. He was attempting to put together a confession that ended up just being him pouring his heart out. How could he be so dependent? It's Monday; can he make it through the week without thinking of Titus, let alone a day? He didn't know, he didn't care, he just—
    His phone buzzed in his hands. It's a message from Titus. "wsg".
    "Of course," He mumbled to himself before tapping the pop-up tab, opening messages.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

TIGHTY WHITY 🤍
wsg

Hi titusss

r u busy

If ur making plans then call meee

ugh who do u take me for bray bray

A man wit respect dfk

u right. ima call u in a min BRAYDIN REPP.

Yes sir🫡

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It took a moment for Braydin's phone to start ringing, but it did. As soon as he heard Titus's voice, his stomach felt like warm soup, gently being stirred by every syllable spoken.
    "Hello, Braydin."
    "Hello, Titus." Braydin's lips curled into a downward smile. "So."
    "So?" Titus repeated. Braydin could envision Titus's slight head tilt. He smiled harder.
"I told you to call me if you wanted to make plans."
    "Huh?"

    Braydin pursed his lips. "Were you gonna ask me something?"
    "Um... oh!" Titus paused before springing up. "You wanna have a sleepover this weekend?"
    Braydin's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. "Dude, this is so random... but yeah."
    "Sweet... I already asked your mom so thank you for saying yes."
    "Ha... you're welcome." The call fell silent, and Braydin found himself gripping his sheets and biting his lip at not the silence, but what could come afterward.
    "Why don't you talk more, Braydin?" Titus rasped.
    Braydin flushed. "Huh?"
    "I said, why don't you talk more?" The blonde repeated himself.
"Um.." The brunette bit his lip.
His heart beat rapidly and he felt the hand near his ear grow moist, gripping his phone harder. Braydin took in a rocky inhale before sighing hard and then tried to speak again.
"Well... it's- it's kind of hard to..." He struggled.
Titus tapped a finger against his phone and let out a chuckle. "Hard to what, Braydin?"
"Just..." Braydin's voice shied to a mumble. "Hard to think of something on the spot, dude."
"You don't have to think before you speak with me, you know that? I love your voice so much. You- WHAT?" Titus cooed before being cut off.
Braydin nearly jumped out of his skin. "Are you okay?!"
"Sorry, hun. I gotta go help with dinner. Call after?"
"Um.. probably. Wait-" Braydin spluttered, trying to speak before the line fell silent. Titus hung up.

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jack 😨
Okay so Cartet said that you should just
try and talk with him more but subtly
flirt
Carter*
Said something about me ebing good at it.
Idk what he's on

OK SO UM.
THIS DAMB GUY.

Damn*

SHUT UP.
anyway OH MY LORD.

What did he do

uhhh ok i cant think rn.
welllll FIRST OF ALL he called me hun
and and SECOND OMG.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

And after that, Braydin spent the rest of the night mooning over Titus to Jack, who fell asleep with his phone in his hand and Cade's ex on top of him.