Close to You

William couldn't help but smile as Est's head rested on his shoulder. They were sitting side by side on the couch, the evening quiet except for the soft hum of the air conditioning and the distant sounds of the city outside.

Est, absorbed in his book, had placed his hand on the armrest between them, and without a second thought, William reached for it, gently intertwining their fingers.

The action was simple, yet it felt profound. They hadn't spoken much today, but the closeness was enough. The comfort they found in each other's presence had been growing steadily, like the gentle rise of the tide gradual, but undeniable.

Est glanced up at him, his expression softening when he saw William's smile. "What?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You know, I don't think I've ever been this comfortable with anyone," William confessed, his thumb lightly tracing the back of Est's hand. "I've never been so at ease with someone... just being myself. No act, no expectations. It's kind of nice."

Est's heart fluttered at his words, and he couldn't help but smile shyly. "I feel the same way," he replied quietly. "It's like, with you, I don't need to pretend. I can just be..."

"Exactly." William's smile widened as he squeezed Est's hand. "And that's something I don't take for granted. You're important to me, Est."

The sincerity in William's voice was clear, and it made Est's chest tighten in a way that was both unfamiliar and comforting. He hadn't been one to trust easily, had always kept people at arm's length, but with William, it felt like all of those walls had been slowly eroding.

Est opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

William raised an eyebrow, his gaze flickering toward the door. "Who's that?"

Est shrugged, looking a little confused. "Maybe it's Nut or Hong. They've been visiting us a lot lately."

William chuckled softly. "Probably Nut, I'm guessing."

As if on cue, the door swung open, and Nut stood there with his usual smirk, his arms crossed over his chest. "Hey, lovebirds. Hope I'm not interrupting anything," he teased, his gaze flickering between the two of them.

Est rolled his eyes, but his heart skipped a beat as Nut's smirk seemed to grow even wider. "You're impossible," Est muttered, though there was no real bite to his words.

Nut grinned, unphased. "Just checking in on you two. I mean, we're all friends, right? Friends who support each other... in every way possible."

William couldn't help but laugh at Nut's tone. He'd always been the one to stir the pot, but it was clear now that he was getting under Hong's skin and in the process, probably doing the same with Est. Their dynamic was becoming more than just playful teasing; it was something else entirely.

"Are you here to bother us or just checking up on your favorite couple?" William teased back.

Nut tilted his head. "You two are just too adorable. Thought I'd give you some space, but now I'm wondering if I should stick around longer. What do you think, Est?"

Est blinked, clearly taken aback by the sudden attention. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing," Nut said, wiggling his eyebrows. "Just wondering if I can crash here for a bit. Hong's out doing whatever he does, and I'm feeling bored."

William chuckled and glanced at Est. "Well, if it's alright with you..."

Est sighed, shaking his head, but there was no real frustration in his expression. "Fine. But don't make too much noise. We're trying to be... productive."

Nut's grin was a mischievous one, and he quickly plopped himself down next to William. "I'll try, but no promises."

Later that evening, after Nut had made himself comfortable far too comfortable, as usual Est and William tried to resume their quiet evening. But the interruptions were inevitable, especially when Nut had his mind set on something.

Meanwhile, Hong was walking back from the café with a lingering feeling in his chest. The kiss with Nut had left him reeling. He had tried to ignore the growing attraction, the way Nut's teasing had started to mean something more, but now it felt like he was falling deeper with every glance, every word.

As he walked into his dorm, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. It was a message from Nut. Hong hesitated before opening it.

"Hey, where are you? Wanna come over? I promise I won't bite... too hard ;)"

Hong's heart skipped a beat. He stared at the message for a long moment, trying to ignore the wave of emotions it brought up. He had been trying to distance himself from Nut lately. The teasing, the constant flirting—it had all been too much for him to handle. He wasn't sure how to react anymore, especially when it seemed like Nut was pushing all the right buttons.

He sat on his bed, phone still in hand, trying to make a decision. Should he go over? Should he let himself get swept up in the storm that Nut always seemed to create? Or should he stay away?

In the end, Hong didn't respond. Instead, he set his phone down and lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was confused, conflicted. Every time he thought he had it figured out, Nut would come along and turn his world upside down again.

But in that moment, Hong realized something. He didn't know what would happen between him and Nut, but maybe that was okay. Sometimes, it was about just letting things happen, letting go of control.

Back at William's place, Nut leaned back into the couch, his eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and curiosity. "Hong's being a little difficult," he said with a sigh. "Maybe I'm being too obvious. But, hey, I'm patient."

William chuckled, his gaze shifting to Est, who had remained unusually quiet throughout the exchange. "You're always like that, Nut. But I think you'll get through to him eventually."

Est, who had been quietly watching the interaction, looked up at William with a small smile. "I think you're right. It's just a matter of time."

Nut raised an eyebrow, turning to Est. "Oh? You think so? Guess you've got me figured out."

Est simply shrugged, but there was a softness in his expression as he gazed at Nut. It was almost like he understood Nut's playful side better than anyone else, as if he had seen through all the teasing and knew there was more beneath the surface.

And maybe, just maybe, that's what would allow Nut and Hong to eventually figure things out. Just like Est and William had.

---

As the evening wore on, Est and William found themselves alone again, Nut having retreated to the couch to do who knows what. The quietness between them was comfortable once again, and this time, William let himself sink into the stillness, his hand reaching for Est's.

"You know," William said softly, his voice breaking the silence, "I feel like we're really doing this. Like... we're really here."

Est nodded, leaning against William, the warmth of his body making him feel safe. "Yeah. I think we are."

And in that moment, with Nut's smirking presence fading into the background, all William could focus on was the quiet strength of his relationship with Est. It was slow, steady—yet it felt like it was something real.

For the first time, William allowed himself to imagine a future with Est, no longer second-guessing or holding back. They were both here, together. And that was enough for now.