It became easy.
—
Somewhere between shared lunches and quiet walks between classes
—
—
Jackson and Christopher had stopped feeling like strangers.
—
They weren't loud.
—
They didn't need to be.
—
But there were small things now
—
—
inside jokes that didn't make sense to anyone else.
—
Looks that lasted a second longer.
—
Silences that didn't feel empty anymore.
—
—
It was… simple.
—
And for Christopher
—
—
it was enough.
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—
That afternoon, the campus was quieter than usual.
—
Classes had ended early.
—
The hallways weren't as crowded.
—
—
They walked side by side.
—
Not touching.
—
But close.
—
—
Christopher was saying something
—
—
something small.
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Jackson wasn't really listening.
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—
Not because he didn't care
—
—
but because he was watching him.
—
—
The way his expressions changed when he spoke.
—
The way his voice softened without him realizing.
—
—
Jackson didn't notice he had stopped paying attention.
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—
"…and then I"
—
Christopher's foot caught on the uneven edge of the pavement.
—
—
It happened too fast.
—
—
A shift.
—
A stumble.
—
—
And then
—
—
Jackson moved.
—
—
His hand caught Christopher by the waist.
—
—
Firm.
—
Instinctive.
—
—
Pulling him back before he could fall.
—
—
Everything stopped.
—
—
Christopher's words disappeared.
—
—
The world didn't move.
—
—
They were too close now.
—
—
Closer than they had ever been.
—
—
Christopher's hand was still slightly raised
—
—
like he hadn't finished his sentence.
—
—
Jackson's grip didn't loosen.
—
—
Didn't move.
—
—
And then
—
—
their eyes met.
—
—
For a second
—
—
nothing made sense.
—
—
Jackson felt it first.
—
—
Something unfamiliar.
—
Sharp.
—
Quiet.
—
But there.
—
—
His hand
—
—
still at Christopher's waist
—
—
felt warmer than it should.
—
—
Like it didn't belong there.
—
—
Or maybe
—
—
like it belonged there too much.
—
—
Christopher blinked.
—
Once.
—
—
His cheeks turned soft pink
—
—
slowly
—
—
like color spreading across something delicate.
—
—
"…I"
—
He hesitated.
—
Then, quietly
—
—
"…Thank you."
—
—
His voice was softer than before.
—
—
Jackson didn't answer.
—
—
He was still looking at him.
—
—
Still too close.
—
—
Still holding him.
—
—
.. A second passed.
—
—
Then another.
—
—
Long enough to notice.
—
—
Long enough to feel wrong.
—
—
Jackson pulled his hand away.
—
—
Too quickly this time.
—
—
"…Watch where you're going," he muttered.
—
—
It didn't sound like him.
—
—
Christopher nodded slightly.
—
"…Yeah."
—
—
But he didn't move away immediately.
—
—
Neither did Jackson.
—
—
For a moment
—
—
they just stood there.
—
—
Something had shifted.
—
—
Not broken.
—
—
Not clear.
—
—
Just… different.
—
—
Christopher looked away first.
—
—
Jackson exhaled quietly.
—
—
And for the first time
—
—
something as simple as standing next to him
—
—
felt unfamiliar.
—
—
Like there was something there now
—
—
that hadn't been there before.
—
—
Something neither of them understood.
—
—
But neither of them could ignore.