The next few weeks passed quietly and uneventfully. Sam spent a lot of time with Katrina. Her schedule was about to hit its busy cram this weekend and the couple was milking what time they had together before she was too packed to even think about doing anything. Honestly, that girl was a saint. Volunteering and working every shift she could at her two job and not even bothering to complain once to anyone. It'd drive anyone else insane.

"It's the price I pay to live alone in a nice apartment!" She chimed, still happily beaming. "Well, I say alone, but it's also the price I pay to keep my two babies fed!" 'Babies' referred to her excitable dog and bouncy kitten. Colby adored them. Sam did, too, but he had to stick to the dog as the little kitten liked to rub up on him and leave its allergy inducing fur all over him and his favorite shirts.

The boys agreed, however, that they both took a lot of money to care for. Plus, she was indeed right about her appartment. It was nice and spacious and even though it took a lot of her time away occasionally to maintain it all, she did a damn well job at it.

When Sam returned to the flat on Friday afternoon, he looked crushed. Colby laughed just to poke fun at him. He jumped up from the sofa, coming up to pinch both his flatmate's cheeks. "Hey! Don't be sad! Remember, dinner tomorrow night?" That made Sam lighten up and suddenly he was hugging Colby, lifting him off his feet in the slightest. Colby was shocked, gripping onto the back of Sam's shirt. He was set back onto his feet, and he looked at Colby with a blush, "Sorry! I got a little too excited- the place has mirrors on the ceiling and there's a little koi pond and the tables have cute lights on them and I'm also a bit affection deprived so I wanted a hug." He blurted.

Colby covered his mouth to stifle a giggle. "Yeah, I'm excited too. Plus, I love Chinese food."

Sam stared at Colby for a moment. He was holding the younger boy close and his cheeks were tinged pink, his eyes squinted from the wide smile on his lips. Sam swallowed hard, feeling a strange feeling twist in his stomach.

He suddenly pushed forward, locking their lips and leading Colby in a stumbling haste to the sofa.

________________

Colby observed his appearance in the mirror, spinning around once. As soon as he realized how stupid and embarrassing the action was, he looked away from his reflection, blushing. He jumped, spinning around as his door opened and Sam waved him over, "Come on! You look fine, let's go!"

Colby shuffled over to Sam, and they left the flat together, "I know this place is fancy and all, but do I look to formal? Or, like, even to underdressed? I dunno!" Sam snorted, looking over at Colby with a raised brow. "What? I just don't want to stand out."

"You won't," He gigged out, tossing his hand up to catch a cab's attention. "Besides, you're worrying over your appearance like you're going on the date of your life."

Colby knew he was teasing. His tone was joking and he bumped his arm with his elbow, but Colby couldn't help but look down at his shoes guiltily. "Um, yeah." He mumbles, rocking on his heels. When the cab pulls up the curb, Sam climbs in, patting the seat next to him before Colby slips in next to him and shuts the door.

He gives the directions to the restaurant, leaning back into the seat and looking over to Colby, "Okay, so, listen. You know what the place has on top of amazing decor? Listen to what it serves!"

Colby smiles sheepishly as Sam begins to ramble and he wished his could reach over, hold his hand, and kiss him on the forehead.

But this wasn't a date and this wasn't his boyfriend. He was only his best friend...and his fuckbuddy.

___________________

"So, she turned around and almost hit me with her umbrella! All over a candy wrapper!" Sam finished off his outrageous story, leaning back in his seat with an exasperated huff.

Colby takes a sip from his drink with a grin, "You run into the weirdest people, you know? Like, random dudes whispering to you? Hell, someone licked you, Sam."

"Don't bring it up!" He whines, covering his face with his hands. Colby snickered, looking up as the waiter came over. She bounced on her heels, scribbling down their orders before spinning around and walking away. Colby glances out the window they were sitting next to, admiring the scenery and glittering lights, the dark making them bright and the city look full of life. He smiled.

Sam settled back into his chair, eyes settling on the brunette boy. His soft face was illuminated by the dim lighting around them and the lights outside the window made his eyes sparkle. His cheeks were indented with the cute little dimple that Sam had come to adore and flushed a bright red, and his hair had curled a bit more. Sam's eyes wandered down. His clothes really were nice. The jacket fitted his form nicely and his shirt was neatly ironed-he must've spent a good deal of time on his outfit. The sleeves of the coat were a bit too long, and he gripped them in his hands. It was adorable. Sam bit his lip.

When Colby looked back at him and started telling him a story of his own, and Sam ignored how he kept staring at his lips, how much he wanted to kiss him, how much he wanted to hold his hand, and what? He resisted the urge to shake his head so that's he didn't give away that he wasn't exactly paying too much attention to what Colby was saying.

Sure, him and Colby had sex. But that's all. It was just sex. There were no feelings behind it, no strings, no regrets once it was broken off.

He loved Katrina. A lot.

Colby was his best friend. Katrina was his girlfriend. And he liked it that way.

...Right?

_________________

They arrived home and Colby finally broke the prolonged silence. "Why....aren't you talking to me anymore? Did I say something wrong at dinner?"

Sa looked over at him, a bit scared-like. "No! No, you didn't. I'm sorry! I just got way too caught up in dumb thoughts." He chuckled, setting his stuff on the table and turning the lights on in the lounge.

He sat next to Colby who had removed his jacket at this point and curled up on the sofa. He glanced at Colby, who was looking down at his pants, picking at a loose thread. He admired his slightly parted, pink lips, his few freckles, and his generally admirable profile. Colby looked up and smiled, and that's all it took to send Sam spiraling back into his complicated thoughts.

Colby was always there for him. He helped him with his problems, no matter what they were. Even when it involved giving him a handjob. He seemed to bend over backwards for Sam. He appeased him all the time, listened to him complain, smiled and bared it when he was upset until he was at his breaking point because Sam, I just didn't want to cause you any trouble with my issues.

He wouldn't admit it, but Sam could easily sense his bitterness towards his relationship with Kat. He liked her, they were friends. But he shifted when they held hands, looked away when they hugged, and broke it up fast when they kissed.

Lately, it was becoming more obvious to Sam. And along with that, Sam had found himself wanting Colby for more than the sex. He liked to kiss him, wrap him up in his arms, and treat him like he treated Kat. Colby, oddly, didn't complain. He never turned the kissing and innocent holding each other into sex.

He just let it happen. He even seemed to enjoy more than he would ever admit. It pissed Sam off. He wanted Colby to complain, to make him remember that their relationship outside of being best friends was just to fuck. Quickly fuck and get off and then go back to their friendship. Play a goddamn video game, not kiss and lay in bed together. That's what he should do with his girlfriend.

His eyebrows furrowed.

No, this didn't mean anything. He was just a hopeless romantic. He couldn't help wanting to kiss and hug someone he'd had sex with. That's all. Once his relationship with Kat advanced, he'd break off the pointless sex with Colby and continue with the way things used to be.

Before they'd got weird.
He really liked the sex, guiltily enough. Despite the bad feeling in his gut about it all, he kept doing it. Despite how it was making him second guess his feelings for his best friend, he kept doing it. Despite how he was starting to wonder the difference between his friends with benefits a relationship and his actual relationship, he kept doing it.

"Sam?" Colby pulled him from his thoughts, a worried look on his face.

Sam's mind was clouded, a million thoughts bouncing around his skull.

Colby. Feelings. Katrina. Friends with benefits. Relationships. Sex. Love.

"Colby, are you in love with me?"

Colby's mouth dropped open and Sam's eyes widened. No, no, no, that's not what he meant to say.

Oh shit.