"So, we gonna play 'Rocket League' or 'Cuphead'?" Marcus asked, turning on and setting up the PlayStation. He handed a wireless controller to Liam and he sat down next to him. Liam's heart already began to race and tried to control his hitched breathing.

   "Oh! Uhm, Cuphead, I think?" Liam said hesitantly. "Good choice." Marcus grinned at the screen, picking the game on the menu. "I still need to beat 'Botanic Panic' level with you as well!" he added.

Liam blushed a shade of light pink as he tried to calm down. Marcus began to load in their save file and the familiar music of 'Cuphead' began to play as he set up. He configured both of their controllers and soon they were playing their level in the first hub-world.

   "No, no! Hit him with your laser beam!" Marcus half-yelled, button mashing on his controller. 

   "I am, Marcus, you need to smack his eye!" Liam exclaimed back at his fellow gamer, dodging the villain's moves before he could get knocked out. Cuphead and Mugman were both shooting as much as they could at the freaky hypnotizing carrot that loomed before their characters. 

   "Quick, use your extra super power!" Liam shouted, giving Marcus cover as he equipped it.

   "Got it!" He called out, grinning in response and sending a massive blast to the carrot's face. But it wasn't enough to kill it.

   "Why won't this bloody carrot just die already!" Marcus cried, getting hit by the hypnotizing rings that the evil carrot sent out.

   "You're down to one life." Liam called out. "Just dodge his attacks and I'll try to kill it!"

By now Liam and Marcus were already at the edge of their seats, trying as earnestly as they could to defeat this particularly difficult boss. Without this, they wouldn't be able to pass through to the next hub-world.

   "DIE MOTHERFUCKERS!" Liam screamed at the TV, nearly breaking Marcus's poor controllers.

   "They're just characters, Liam. It's a game," Marcus said in a low voice, a little shocked at the sudden outburst. But he couldn't help it and laughed at Liam's antics as he continued to protect Marcus's character as best he could.

After an embarrassingly long time, the duo managed to kill the evil vegetables of that level and scrape through with a 'C' grade. It wasn't an 'A', but it was enough to let them through to the next hub-world. They grinned and high-fived each other, proud of their teamwork and for a brief moment, everything was right. Liam wasn't panicking or worried or full of fear. He was playing one of his favourite video-games with his best friend. Nothing was wrong at all and he grinned over at him who returned the gesture. 

They played a few more levels of 'Cuphead' before getting worked up over how hard the levels were and before Liam could go into a full gamer rage, Marcus took the controller away from him, deciding it was probably a good time to take a break and cool down with something else.

   "Phew! That was a mission and a half," Marcus chuckled to his teammate, getting up from the couch. "Have you eaten yet? We could get a pizza if you haven't?"

   "Um, yeah, sure. Sounds like a good idea!" Liam replied, grabbing the bowl and standing up. The two headed over to the kitchen once again and Marcus reached for his phone in his pocket and made a quick call to Dominos whilst Liam put on the lights in the growing dark house.

After a little while, the delivery man arrived and handed Marcus their food and drinks. He carried the pizza boxes to the kitchen and the friends piled their plates full of food, heading back to the living room and switched the TV to the movies channels where 'Hunger Games' was playing. Liam grabbed a large grey blanket on the opposite couch and wrapped himself in it as Marcus reached for the coffee table, grabbed two cans of coke and handed one of them to Liam.

   "Thanks." The blonde said gratefully, breaking the seal and sipping the can. Marcus did the same and chewed on his pizza slices, watching the movie intensely as Katniss Everdeen tried to navigate her way through the forest. 

Liam looked over at Marcus, catching his eye and he smiled over at him and then turned back to the TV and all of a sudden Liam's heart skipped a beat. Liam noticed how his green eyes were illuminated by the light of the TV, how he was so easily startled by surprises but could still smile just as freely and effortlessly and how he was just so...perfect.

I need to do this now.

   "Uh, Marc, do you think we could talk?" Liam asked, setting down his empty plate, only for it to be taken from him by the older man who was tidying everything away.

Marc?

   "Um, sure, is everything okay?" Marcus asked kindly, trying to remain as calm as possible as he put the remaining pizza slices in the fridge and sat back down next to Liam who was suddenly incredibly nervous. Marcus looked up at Liam, noticing a serious expression etched on his beautiful face. He switched off the TV and turned to Liam to give his undivided attention.

Oh God. Has something happened?

   "Uh, no." Liam answered in a small voice. Marcus froze, wondering if he could dare ask. He literally prayed to God in that split-second that Liam was still okay with him or that nothing horrible from his side was about to happen.

   "W-What is it?"

Liam remained quiet for a minute, gathering as much courage as he could. He played with the hem of his t-shirt and kept his gaze glued to the floor, unable to face Marcus's expression at this moment.

   "W-Well, I-I've been meaning to talk to you for a long time actually," Liam rubbed the back of neck nervously as he stammered again, his voice wavering and shaking.

So cute.

   "But I'm finding it difficult to tell you because I don't want you to hate me because of this." He said very quietly.

   "Why would I ever hate you Liam?" Marcus asked puzzled, sitting closer to the younger man. "What could possibly be making you think like this? You know you can tell me anything, if you want to, of course."

The brown-eyed student couldn't help it and he let his head rest on Marcus's shoulder as he allowed himself to cry quietly for the second time today. Marcus raised his arms and wrapped them around Liam's shoulders, wondering how he could comfort his best friend from something he had no idea about.

   "I-I'm gay!" Liam burst out, unable to take the fear building in his heart. He felt Marcus freeze and immediately sat up and searched for any kind of emotion in his beautifully startling green irises.

For a moment, Marcus kept silent, deep in thought and stared into Liam's alluring light-brown eyes. The same eyes he was so in love with.

   "You a-are?" Marcus stuttered, not sounding disgusted or worried, but more relieved and happy even. "How long?"

   "I've pretty much known I was gay since I was around eleven or twelve," He answered, a shy smile appearing. "So, are we okay?"

   "Of course Liam, in fact, I'm gay too!" Marcus smiled, his eyes filling up with tears as well. "Wait, you are too?" Liam gasped, flabbergasted at his sudden outburst. "Yeah. But I've only just accepted it recently," he explained, wrapping an arm around Liam's shoulder in comfort and support as he cried along with his best friend.

   "God, you've no idea how hard that was for me to say," Liam said, pulling away from Marcus's touch for a minute. "But there's something else I need to tell you before I explode,"

   "Please tell me." Marcus said, his voice almost breaking from the intensity in the atmosphere, wiping a few tears.

Was he in love with someone else?

   "Please don't hate me for this," Liam cried into his hands that covered his face. "What is going on?" Marcus asked worriedly, not sure if he could take his heart aching anymore painfully than it already was. Tears began to fill Marcus's eyes once again.

   "I-uh, I-" Liam stumbled, his heart caught in throat, the pain becoming more and more unbearable the more he held back. Tears just kept continuing to fall and stream down his pale complexion.

   "Liam, are you alri-"

   "I-I'm in love with you." Liam blurted out.

Silence blared unbearably loud for the two friends and Liam had no courage to look at Marcus who had completely stopped responding. His eyes were widened, jaw hanging and utterly frozen at Liam's sudden confession.

   "You, y-you love me?" Marcus finally repeated, not knowing what else to say. Liam gave a tiny nod, not looking up in fear of seeing something his heart wouldn't be able to take.

   "How long have you-"

   "Since we met for the first time," Liam replied, beating Marcus to the punch for the second time. Both boys' breaths were hitched and Marcus stared at Liam, an unknown expression written all over his face and Liam couldn't quite tell what was going on in his mind.

He loves me...

   "Why didn't you tell me this before?" Marcus asked in a low voice finally looking up into the younger man's honest brown eyes. 

   "Because I was so afraid that we wouldn't be friends anymore if you didn't like me and, um," Liam wept quietly, burying his face in his hands again. "I distanced myself all those years ago because I couldn't take it. I wanted you to be happy, whether it's with me or someone else." He added, the last part nearly making Marcus cry all over again.

He was thinking about my happiness?

And just then, no words were spoken as Liam was gently interrupted by two arms engulfing him into an warm embrace.