The first time, it was an accident. Really, it was. They were on the roof, it was late, and Crutchie tripped. Jack tried to catch him but tripped on the crutch and just ended up bringing Crutchie down on top of him. Their faces hit, their lips bumped, and they both rolled sideways too fast for anything to come of it. The both blushed and laughed a little, Jack apologized, and they acted like it had never happened.
The second time was less of an accident, but it wasn't exactly a purposeful kiss either. It was more of an...expiriment. They were only fifteen, they were tired, and they just wanted to know what kissing felt like. The touched lips for just a second, then pulled back, giggling, and again pretended it had never happened.
The third time was almost an accident, but at the same time was more of a real kiss. They were sitting comfortably, looking out at the city at night, and Jack's arm was around his friend's shoulder. Crutchie jokingly mentioned that kiss a few years ago, and Jack just as jokingly mentioned the accidental one even before that. They both laughed at the memories of their young selves. It happened before either of them quite realized what was happening, Jack jokingly puckered up, Crutchie played along and kissed him, and they held it longer than either of the others, and when they parted, there was less laughing than before too. Because although neither of them would admit it, and both would try to forget it, they both felt something more than a joke in that kiss. They ignored it, and even though this time they didn't act as if it had never happened, they did pretend like it was nothing more than another joke or accident.
The fourth time was when Jack stopped pretending. Crutchie was laughing at something, and it made Jack think of that little tickle he'd felt in that third kiss, and he pulled Crutchie to him and kissed him for real, with a lot less laughing than ever before, because this time they both knew it wasn't a joke and they both stopped pretending it was. There was no more forgetting, no more acting as if they hadn't felt what they had, just a few simple kisses when they were alone at night, sweet soft ones and a few longer deeper ones.
The first time it was said, Jack blurted it in the heat of the moment after a long kiss. It came out in a rush, and yet it made Crutchie's breath catch in his chest and his cheeks flush.
The second time, Crutchie said it first and Jack almost cried from it. He had awoken from a terrible nightmare and Crutchie had sat beside him and rubbed his shoulder to soothe his fears, and calmed him with his words. He said it while telling Jack not to worry, he wouldn't ever leave him, and the words left his mouth almost on accident.
The third time was the first time they both trusted the others words, the first time they both said it. That was the time they really understood that they really could rely on each other, that they would never leave, and that what they had was real.
The fourth time was said with tears, and the words only escaped Crutchie's lips moments before the fire in his eyes dimmed and the fire in Jack's flared brighter than ever before. Jack whispered it into the night, knowing he wouldn't last long without Crutchie, and vowed to go down fighting. It was the only way to prove to the perfect angel that was surely looking down would see how much Jack had meant the words every one of the times he'd said them. The fire burned brightly, and the words were meant and the kisses final, and Jack went down fighting for his love.
I like how this one ended up, except for like the last sentence or two.