Suspect

Troyes POV

"Thank you," I said, my voice hardly audible. Tyler didn't seem to hear it, his steady gaze at the decorated wall making me believe I hadn't successfully shaken him from his day dream. I nudged his shoulder, clearing my throat to catch his attention.

"Thank you," I repeated, continuing now that I knew he was focused on me.
"For sticking around and putting up with my pathetic ass. It means a lot. Sometimes I feel like I'm just a burden, and I'm just your charity case to make you feel better about myself. Which I know isn't true, it's just those nagging voices in the back of my mind, ya know? Always trying to make me feel worse about myself. But then you go and you do things like this, like sacrificing something important to you, and comforting me and making sure I'm okay. It shows me you genuinely care, and I don't know, I just want you to know I really appreciate it." I finished there, noticing I was rambling and getting way more sentimental than I had originally planned. I waited until Tyler's soft chuckle died down, turning my head at an awkward angle to look him in the eye.

"Why are you laughing?" I asked, his contagious laugh catching up to me as I began giggling myself.

"You're just such a dork is all.Honestly, that dance was not that big of deal, and you're way more important to me. Now stop being all intimate before you make me cry," Tyler said, a comfortable silence enveloping us as I obeyed him, for once. I remained quiet, retreating back to playing with his hair, saturating in the feel of his locks slipping through my fingers.

Regardless of how many times Tyler and I cuddled, his touch never failed to mesmerize me. The warmth in his fingertips as he splayed his palm flat against my chest, only to take tuffs of my shirt and bundle it up in his fist was adorable. This stage never lasted long, his hand always traveling to the skin he exposed by bundling my shirt up. He would rest his fingers near my navel, like he is now, beginning a soft pattern of swirls and circles. This only resulted in my stomach muscles contracting involuntarily, the tingling sensations sending summersaults to my heart. He traced his fingers lower, essentially brushing over my happy trail, then back again. And regardless of how many times he repeatedly ran his fingers over the hair that led straight to my dick, (to put it bluntly) it never failed to make my breathing hitch. Even now, as he relocated his hand upwards, abandoning my treasure trail and gradually feeling up my chest, my breaths became harsher and the tent in my boxers became more apparent.

"Platonic best friends" I told myself. Platonic best friends that turn each other on like its as casual as reading the morning paper.

Tyler shifted, supporting himself on his elbow as he began unbuttoning my shirt, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth in concentration. My breaths became increasingly harsher as my mind raced. What is he doing? This isn't our normal thing, he was supposed to rest his hand on my- oh. I suppose it would be hard to do that if my shirt didn't make the dip in my collar bone accessible. I calmed down then, sinking my head into the pillows, only to raise it again when Tyler pushed my shirt up and down my arms. I shivered as his fingertips danced mercilessly across my skin when he dragged the sleeves down to my wrist, finally tugging it off and tossing it to the side. He then proceeded to undo his own shirt, his fingers flying across the buttons, and throwing it off in a matter of seconds. Resting his head on my shoulder once again and placing his hand high on my chest, I felt my eyes begin to droop. Tyler's body warmth and steady breathing lulled me to near unconsciousness when he spoke up again.

"Your ass isn't pathetic either. I find it quite cute if I'm being totally honest."

I jolted up right, Tyler's sudden words snapping me back into reality with a start. Tyler giggled at my reaction, snuggling even deeper into my neck as he forced himself quiet.

"Sorry," he chuckled. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine," I breathed out, "I just thought you were asleep." Tyler shook his head, his smile tangible against my chest. It wasn't until my heart rate slowed considerably that his words registered in my mind.