Part 19: Things Are Changing

The apartment was quiet except for the soft hum of the TV in the background. Kion leaned back against the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him, feet resting on the table. He wasn't really watching the show; his mind kept drifting back to the last few days. Things between him and AJ had shifted. Not in some dramatic, out-of-nowhere way. It had been gradual. It was almost like they'd always been moving toward this, and neither of them had realized it until it was right there in their faces.

AJ was sitting on the other side of the couch, but the space between them felt smaller than ever. Every now and then, Kion would catch him looking over, his eyes lingering just a little longer than usual. He tried not to let it bother him, but part of him felt like he was caught in something he couldn't explain.

AJ was... different. He always had been, but now? Now, it felt like there was a quiet understanding between them. No need for words. Just being in the same space, that was enough.

"Man, I don't even know what this show is about," AJ muttered, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table. He glanced over at Kion, his eyes flickering with a grin. "But I'll watch it if you're watchin'."

Kion just smirked, not saying anything. He wasn't watching it either. His focus was on the way AJ's body was angled toward him, how natural it seemed. Like this was normal. Like they'd always been sitting this close. It wasn't normal for Kion, but... maybe it could be.

"Alright," Kion said, shifting his legs, getting up from the couch. He moved toward the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water, trying to clear his mind. But as he walked past AJ, something stopped him.

AJ's hand reached out, his fingers brushing Kion's wrist. Kion froze for a second, looking back at him. AJ didn't say anything, just gave him that look. That quiet confidence, like he wasn't questioning anything. He just... pulled Kion back toward him.

Kion didn't pull away. He didn't know why, but he didn't. AJ's lap felt warm beneath him as Kion sat down, not exactly sure what he was doing but rolling with it. AJ was already getting comfortable, his hands lightly resting on Kion's thighs, the other arm draped across the back of the couch like it was nothing.

Kion wasn't used to this. Hell, he wasn't used to being this close with anyone. But somehow, with AJ, it didn't feel all that strange. He shifted, adjusting himself, and then his hand found its way to AJ's neck. Slowly, Kion started rubbing his fingers along the back of AJ's dreads, a small chuckle escaping his lips as AJ leaned in closer.

"Guess we doin' this now, huh?" Kion muttered, still a little unsure, but not pulling away.

AJ just smiled, eyes soft. "If you cool with it, Pa."

The words felt so natural, Kion barely even registered them anymore. He had gotten used to AJ calling him that. It didn't faze him like it used to. The weird part was how comfortable it all felt. The way AJ's hand slid down to his waist, the way he didn't have to force anything. It was easy. Too easy.

"You tryna make this permanent or something?" Kion joked, trying to keep the mood light.

AJ looked up at him, his grin a little wider now. "Ain't no rush," he said, his voice lower now. "But I wouldn't mind."

Kion let out a short breath, trying to process everything. The last few weeks had been like a whirlwind. At first, this was all just something new, something he wasn't even sure about. But now? The connection between them felt... undeniable.

"You know, Laila asked about you earlier," AJ said, shifting his position so he could look Kion in the eye. "She said you were cool."

Kion stiffened for a moment but tried to keep it cool. "She did?"

AJ nodded, his fingers lightly tapping Kion's knee. "Yeah. Said you looked like you could handle her homework."

Kion chuckled softly. "Guess I could help her with that. She a smart little thing?"

"She's a genius in the making," AJ said with pride in his voice. "Real talk, I don't even know how she keeps up. But she likes when people pay attention."

Kion nodded, his thumb tracing small circles on AJ's neck. It felt good, like something real. Like something he didn't want to pull away from.

"Maybe I could do that sometime," Kion said quietly, his voice low, unsure of why it felt important. But it did.

AJ grinned, his hand sliding around to the back of Kion's neck, pulling him in closer. Kion's breath caught for a second as their faces were just inches apart. He didn't back away this time. He couldn't.

The kiss came naturally. AJ's lips were warm, pressing against his with a softness that caught Kion off guard. Kion didn't pull away, didn't fight it. He let it happen, even though every part of him was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on between them.

When they finally pulled back, AJ didn't say anything. He just rested his forehead against Kion's, his fingers brushing through Kion's hair.

Kion closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. This was new, yeah. But it didn't feel wrong. And that was something Kion could work with.

"Alright," Kion muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "This is... this is something."

AJ didn't say anything else. He just held him there, not needing to force any words. They were good like this. For now, that was enough.