I don't own YA.

Don't Stay Up and Wait For Me

His cell phone was in his hand, his boyfriend's contact page displayed on the screen. A breath caught in his throat, and he gulped around a forming knot. He should call, he knew, but drew a blank about what to say. What excuse would he offer this time, how he'd avoid the obvious elephant in the room that must not be talked about... he came up with nothing. Finally, he told himself to stop stalling, and pressed the 'dial' button.
He'd come up with something, he had to. Might as well get this over with.

The waiting-tone that filled his ear was familiar and well liked, and he tried to enjoy it, be distracted by it when the call connected and a perky though worried voice was heard. He felt the knot tightening.

"Hey, you're alive. Lost reception or something?" The question came, concern badly veiled by a pretense of cheerfulness. He pulled the phone a bit away and exhaled briefly. When he finally replied, his voice sounded far more confident and stable than he realized he was capable of at the moment.

"Something like that, sorry." He replied but kept talking, not giving the guy on the other end of the line a chance to speak again. He knew that if he did - he'd crack.
"Listen, I'm going to be late tonight, so tell your folks not to worry, ok?"

"Is something wrong?" The question came during that one moment he stalled. He bit his lip and forced himself to smile. Even if it couldn't be seen over the phone, it could still be heard, or so he hoped.

"No, just a night out with the guys."

"Oh." Came the slightly hesitant reply. The line was silent for a moment, and he was beginning to think - to hope - they could end it with that, when-

"Should I save you some dinner? Dad's making your favorite and all..."

He shut his eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"No, we- we'll probably eat out. In fact, you probably shouldn't wait up for me."

"...ok." Came the resigned answer. He nodded to himself and was about to say his goodbye, when-

"Hey... I love you."

The statement that was barely over a whisper made him freeze, and he felt that shudder run down him again.

"...me too." He replied softly, honestly, and could hear the sincere smile in the other's voice when they finally said goodbye and hung up.

So that's what he was calling it now, Teddy thought bitterly as he looked at the phone where Billy's contact card displayed again after the call disconnected. 'A night out with the guys'... well, it wasn't completely a lie, he thought, but he also knew, as he shifted into his new Hulkling outfit - it wasn't true, either.

—

A hiss left Teddy when the key made too loud a noise, turning inside the lock. He tried closing the door behind him as quietly as he could, and let out a small sigh when that endeavor proved to be a more successful one. Finally, he was back home, and could get something to eat, wash up, and rest, he thought. He'd just have to be quiet, seeing how everyone were asleep-
Or not, he realized with a pang when he noticed the TV in the living-room was on. That made him slowly turn his look to the couch, and his hopes that the device was just left on were shattered.

Billy was sprawled on the sofa, head resting on the armrest, the hand holding the remote on the floor, and legs haphazardly covered with a thin blanket. Teddy stood by and watched him, and for a moment even managed to be fondly amused by the fact Billy fell asleep like that.
Then came the realizations both that it couldn't have been comfortable, as well as that Billy stayed up and waited for him - or tried to, as it was, and Teddy felt the knot again - could taste it, almost.

"Hnng..." A soft growl left Billy when Teddy approached, and the blond came to a stop. He watched as Billy reached for his face with the remote, and then swore as that wasn't the right way to rub his eyes. A chuckle left Teddy, and that finally made Billy look up at him, sleep-ridden and disoriented as he was.

"Hey, you're back!" Billy exclaimed weakly, and Teddy heard well the genuine happiness that observation held within it. He kneeled down while Billy pushed himself up to a sitting position and rubbed his eyes again - no remote at hand, this time.

"I thought I told you not to stay up for me?" Teddy berated softly, but couldn't quite deny how happy it made him - nor how guilty.
Oblivious to that last part, Billy leaned forward, hands resting on Teddy's arms while Teddy's hands moved slowly over Billy's sides.

"You did." Billy replied plainly before looking away in favor of yawning.
Teddy chuckled before closing his eyes.

"You shouldn't have, you're beat."

"Screw you, I do what I want." Billy replied and finally managed to look at Teddy properly. The look in his eyes was warm, and Teddy bit on the inside of his cheek.

"So how was it? You don't look all that thrilled...?"

"It was... long." Teddy concluded in a way he hoped would say enough without saying anything, at which point his stomach hindered his efforts by growling. Billy quirked a brow and pulled a bit away.

"You didn't eat."

"Yeah, culinary differences." Teddy tried sheepishly, and forced himself to look back at the questioning look in Billy's eyes. The staring contest ended abruptly when Billy yawned again, but the matter was let go afterward, at least - that certain angle of it.

"It's a good thing, then, I managed to save you some dinner after all. I risked arms and legs here, be grateful for it."

The smile that rose to Teddy's lips was indeed a grateful one, and he nodded slowly.
"That's wonderful, actually."

"...you know what'll be even better?" Billy asked, catching Teddy by surprise. The blond looked up at him with confusion and no small amount of question, only to be rewarded with a hand over his cheek.

"How about you go shower, wash up, and I'll heat it for you in the meanwhile, hm? How does that sound?"

Teddy shut his eyes tightly and pursed his lips. It sounded like something he didn't deserve, not with the way he was sneaking around behind Billy's back. But he knew he couldn't come clean about it, not if he wanted to keep what they managed to recover after no small amount of effort. Not if he wanted to keep holding onto this happiness that threatened to overflow, this fragile, precious thing...

"Teddy?" Billy's voice came again, soft and worried, and more than a bit confused. Teddy opened his eyes and met his gaze, and finally managed to offer him a small, tired smile.

"That... that sounds perfect." He admitted, before shrugging. "Sorry, it's... it's been a longnight."

Willing to settle for that, Billy nodded and leaned forward to brush his lips over Teddy's forehead.
"Get going, then. It doesn't take that long to heat." He said rather playfully and pushed himself up, yawning again as he made his way to the kitchen.

Teddy remained on the floor for a long moment more, eyes set on the discarded remote and his shadow in the middle of the alternating gray lights that came from the TV behind him.
It was for a brief moment, but it was sharp, and overwhelming, that demanding what am I doing that echoed in his mind before he pushed himself up and headed towards his room to prepare for the shower.