For the @metalsandwichbingo, square B2 "free space", which I used for this (with only HOURS left to go). Short and fluffy, no warnings.
It’s a slow winter day. The three of them are over at Steve’s apartment – his in name but theirs in reality, considering how often the other two are there, too – and at the moment, they’re all doing their own thing. Steve is cooking, because ever since he moved out of his parents’ house he has refused to get takeout on weekdays, claiming that they’re basically adults now and that as such they cannot live on fast food alone. Eddie is sprawled out on the couch, zapping between channels – banned from the kitchen until further notice since the Potato Incident a couple of months ago. Billy is in the armchair in the corner of the living room, reading a book, and seemingly not at all bothered by the volume of the TV.
Outside, it’s snowing. Big, lazy flakes like mittens, floating to the ground and covering the world in a layer of soft white and dampened silence. It’s been snowing for most of the day already, and by now it is too deep to drive safely in, especially if one drives a muscle car from California or a beat-up old van.
None of the boys care. They have no other plans, and nowhere else to be. The bed – their bed – is big enough to fit all of them, and it won’t be the first time they share it for the night. Won’t even be the hundredth, at this point.
When the smell of garlic and spicy tomatoes starts wafting in from the kitchen, Eddie draws his attention away from the TV and leans back over the back of the couch, twisting his head so he can peer towards the doorway. He bites his lip, looking deep in thought, before righting himself and looking in the other direction, towards Billy.
“Hey guys?” he says, loudly enough that his voice carries into the kitchen.
Billy looks up from his book, marking his place in the text with his finger, and raises a questioning eyebrow. Eddie keeps silent, though, until Steve appears in the doorway, wiping his hands on a towel.
With one arm hanging over the back of the couch so he can look at both of his boyfriends at the same time, Eddie blurts out, “You guys know I love you, right?”
There’s a beat of silence following his words. Then Steve says, “Yeah, of course. Why?”
Billy, meanwhile, lowers his book with narrowed eyes and asks, “You’re not dying, are you?”
“No, of course I’m not dying!” Eddie laughs, which seems to be enough for Billy to lose interest, as he turns his attention back to his book. Steve, on the other hand, tilts his head to the side in confusion.
“Nothing! I mean, nothing in particular. I just …” Eddie trails off and gestures a little helplessly at the room around them. “I just, I look at you guys and this place and … I never thought I’d end up here, is all. And I’m … I’m just thankful for it, you know? And for … you two.”
Steve’s eyes soften and a smile grows on his face, at the same time as Billy mutters “Sap”, which makes Eddie laugh again. He picks up a pillow from next to him and throws it Billy’s way, but, as usual, Billy swipes it out of the way before it can hit – reflexes honed by years of playing sports – without even looking up from his book.
Steve is watching his boyfriends’ antics, and he’s still smiling as he walks up to the couch.“Aww,” he says and bends down to press a kiss to Eddie’s lips. “I love you too, Eds.”
“I know,” Eddie grins, and leans up to accept it. One kiss turns to two, which turns to something longer and a little more open-mouthed. When they part, they both wordlessly turn to look at Billy, who has lowered his book in order to watch them. It takes a moment or two for him to realize that they’re waiting for him to speak, and when he does he widens his eyes and gestures with one hand.
“I love you, Billy,” Steve prompts, an amused look on his face.
“So do I,” Eddie tacks on, grinning. “Like I just said.”
Billy glares at them, his shoulders raising defensively. “Good for you guys,” he says, a challenge in his voice.
“Oh come on,” Steve says with a laugh. “You can say it.”
“Yeah,” Eddie adds, “Come on. You know you do.”
Huffing, Billy rolls his eyes. “Of course I do. But I don’t see why I have to say it, like we’re in some goddamn chick flick. You already know I do, and despite all evidence of the contrary, none of you are dumb. You don’t need to have it spelled out.”
As one, Eddie and Steve turn towards each other, delight on their faces.
“‘Of course I do’, he says!”
“A ringing endorsement, coming from him.”
Billy scoffs and throws the pillow back, hitting Eddie – who is not blessed with the reflexes of someone who has played sports – in the chest. “I take it back. You are dumb, both of you.” They just laugh at him, and Steve goes as far as to walk up to him and press a kiss to his cheek. Billy swats him away, but it’s half-hearted, which Eddie takes as an invitation to shoot up from the couch and kiss his face from the other side.
Sandwiched between two giggling boyfriends, Billy gives up on both his book and his struggles.
“No you don’t, you just said you didn’t.”
Billy suffers his kisses in silence until his boyfriends finally relent, and doesn’t speak until both Steve and Eddie straighten up with matching grins on their faces.
“You’re both insufferable.” They don’t look too upset about this. “You do realize that this is the first time we’ve even said it out loud?”
“You know, that we … love each other.” Billy’s face is red as he says it, and he pointedly doesn’t look at any of them.
Steve looks struck at this realization, while Eddie exclaims “A-hah!” and points at Billy with both hands. “You said it! You said the L-word!”
“You know it already!” Billy insists. “Besides, you said it first!”
“And you said it last. Who cares, you still said it!”
“Wait,” Steve interjects, holding his hands up in front of him as if calling for a time-out. “Have we really not said it before? None of us?”
“No,” Eddie says, looking smug. “Which is why I said it to begin with.”
“No,” Billy agrees, and adds, with a pointed look at Eddie, “Because it’s not needed.”
“Huh,” Steve said, looking lost in thought before shaking himself out of it. “Well, I do. Love you guys. And I’ll try to get better at saying it.”
“No need,” Billy mutters and picks up his book from his lap.
“Yes need,” Eddie says to Steve and points at Billy with his thumb. “We’ve gotta wear that one down, get him used to using words to express his feelings.”
As if to demonstrate that words are not always needed, Billy gives Eddie the finger without looking up from the pages. The effect is slightly ruined by the way his cheeks are still flushed red.
As they continue to bicker good-naturedly, the snow continues to fall outside. But the three of them don’t care. It’s just another slow winter day, and they have no other plans, and nowhere else to be.