Holding his empty mug, Riley watched in amusement, affection, and attraction as Eran chugged down the drink with his eyebrows furrowed, Adam's apple bobbing, and a stream of hot chocolate pouring from the corner of his mouth and down his jaw.

Eran sighed and put his mug down forcefully on the table. He coughed before declaring, "It was a fluke."

"How?"

"Mine was hotter. Probably because it wasn't being waved around like yours."

Waved?

"Also, I just realized," he started, beginning to wipe off the leaked chocolate from his mouth and jaw with the half of his hand that was sleeved, "the volume of my cup is about four millilitres more than yours."

'Just realized'? "You really hate to lose don't you?"

Eran glared and rubbed at the new damp spot on his sleeve. "Yes."

Riley stared at Eran's jaw where it slightly shined—the light reflecting the moisture Eran had failed to remove.

I want to kiss him. I want to kiss him. I want to kiss him. Riley felt a pang in his chest and looked away, balling his fists. When he looked back, he noticed a small puddle of liquid held by Eran's collarbone. Riley relaxed his hands. After pulling his sleeves far enough over his hands that their skin would not touch, he dabbed at the puddle, then wiped the back of his hand across that spot and the area on Eran's jaw. If it's just things like this... If I can get away with just things like this, I'll be okay. Probably.

As Riley cleaned Eran dry, he put on a smile and said, "Going by your observations, even with those variables considered, the difference in the data is so small that I'd still have won, right?"

Eran pursed his lips before smirking. "Smartass."

"Work on your losing excuses, Mr. Kristiansen," Riley replied as he stood up, mainly because of the feeling he couldn't handle in his stomach. Is this what they call, "butterflies in your stomach?" I didn't think that happened past the age of 12. Riley held back a sigh.

"You took advantage of me while I was drunk." Eran followed Riley into the kitchen.

"Drunk?"

Eran pushed Riley out of the way to wash the cups. He poured detergent in each then swished the bubbly water around.

This way, still? Riley had already given Eran a course in washing dishes. He obviously goes back to his old ways when I'm not here. "Okay, Teacher. Let's just chalk it up to me having more experience." He was doing that 'shot' the wrong way too.

Eran turned off the water and looked at Riley with a serious expression.

"Ah! But I don't do that anymore. I've been good." He leaned towards Eran, smiling innocently.

"Good." Eran's hand stopped mid-air in reaching for Riley's head, likely to ruffle his hair. He pulled his hand back, finished drying the cups, then left the kitchen.

"I don't hate it," Riley muttered though he knew Eran wouldn't hear him. Even when you hit me... any touch... I like.

"Your shirt will stain if we don't wash it soon," Riley noticed.

Eran looked at the stain. "Then, here." He began taking off the shirt, nearly giving Riley a heart attack.

T-thank god. That was scary. Eran had been wearing a t-shirt underneath.

Eran tossed the stained shirt at Riley. "Oh... I don't have any clean shirts that'd fit you." Eran looked down with a guilty expression that had a hint of what seemed to be... sadness.

It must be creepy that I'd have no problem with smelling any remnants of Eran's scent; it'd actually make me happy. "Ah, that's fine." Riley went to Eran's room and took a hidden stash of his own clothes out of the top of the closet.

Eran was obviously shocked and at a loss for words. Finally, he turned and started walking towards the bathroom. "I guess I'll go first," he said while messing his hair.

The hair dryer hummed as Riley moved it around Eran's head. Eran sat on the floor, below Riley, tapping at his cellphone.

"What are you doing?" Riley asked, dampening the noise by turning the dryer in the opposite direction.

"I forgot to thank Elias."

"Oh. Elias." He turned the dryer back towards Eran's hair.

"Don't sound so jealous."

"I—" Riley pouted. I'm not jealous. Elias is just like Bubba, his friend but not friend. It's just that... Elias is so similar to Eran. What if I'm annoying? But Elias seems boring like nothing excites him. But to be honest, that relaxed attitude... "Elias is pretty cool."

Eran didn't say anything.

"Like a high-tech robot almost." He chuckled.

Riley noticed Eran's shoulders relax and wondered when they'd tensed. If only he was jealous too.

Eran's head leaned on Riley's knee. I'm going to attack him. Riley took two fingers of his free hand and pushed Eran's head off and upright.

Eran leaned back and looked at Riley by tilting his head up. "Hey, who do you think you are?"

You're the one begging to be jumped. Riley turned the dryer towards the ceiling and looked down at Eran. "Who do you want me to be?" He smirked teasingly.

Eran blinked with wide eyes, then sat upright. "Are we done yet? It's kind of warm."

Riley turned off the dryer and went to put it away. "It's good enough. Brush it."

Riley heard Eran grumble about being given orders, but was brushing his hair anyway.

After a few minutes of lying in bed, Eran spoke. "Hey... do you want to come to the lab? I mean inside the actual laboratory."

"I do. When?"

"I'll find a time when it's scheduled to be empty."

"That's good. I'd hate it if someone interrupted my studying."

"...Which way do you mean?"

"Hm, I wonder," Riley teased.

He heard a noise from Eran that might have been a chuckle.

Riley rolled over to look at Eran. He's going to fall asleep soon. Eran blinked slowly twice then closed his eyes.

"You'll cook breakfast, right?" Eran asked drowsily.

"It'll probably end up being brunch."

"Whatever. I'll be hungry." His voice was getting quieter.

"I will."

"Good. I can't eat without you," he slurred.

Huh? Is he half asleep? It doesn't matter, he still said he can't do something without me. Riley smiled giddily. I really want to be with him, always.

Perhaps an hour later, Riley awoke. Feeling a heaviness on his back that was keeping him from shifting, he reached around and touched... Eran's elbow? He shouldn't be that close, did I move too far? Riley saw that he was still on one side of the bed. He lifted his arm and realized that Eran was clinging to him. Eran's forehead rested against Riley's shoulder blade and his fingers were curled around Riley's shirt. Is he cold? Is he having a bad dream? Maybe I should turn around and h-hug him... to keep him warm, I mean...

But before Riley could do anything, he felt Eran move. He quickly closed his eyes, pretending to still be sleeping.

"Hm?" Riley heard Eran say as he moved his forehead away. He felt Eran's fingers flex on his shirt. Riley's back felt colder as he heard a quiet, shocked, "Ah!" He could tell Eran had moved away, but... was he tempted to grab Riley's shirt again? Riley felt Eran's fingers flex and unflex, move closer, then away a few times. "I must be cold," Eran muttered and got off the bed. He returned a short moment later. Riley felt a blanket drape across him and Eran hovered over for some seconds. He's looking at me. I'm asleep. I'm asleep.

The weight of Eran looking at him still didn't go away. What is he thinking? Finally, Eran moved away with a sigh.

Riley internally sighed in relief. That was... strange. I'll just pretend it never happened, otherwise I won't be able to get any sleep. I need to relax. Go back to sleep, go—

Eran clicked his tongue in annoyance and inched closer to Riley. He didn't come as close as the first time and he touched only one finger to Riley's shirt. Riley was surprised by Eran's return, and equally surprised by how happy and relieved it made him feel. Warm, he thought.

Eran sighed in a whisper, "Warm."