„Stay."

With a small snort, he glanced down at Fin, all messy and beautiful in his bed.

"I can't, I have architecture classes in thirty minutes. I'll be late anyway."

"Don't go then. Stay." The blond grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down. Thel allowed it, thinking that a minute more couldn't really hurt. What he didn't predict were the legs that tangled with his and arms that wrapped around him tightly.

"Fin! You'll suffocate me!" He breathed with some trouble, amused.

"You'll stay then."

"Oh, good to know you'd be pleased with my cold corpse."

"Eww, don't say stuff like that." The blonde said, kicking him somewhere on the calf. "Of course I wouldn't."

"I know. Now let me go. I need to learn this stuff or else I won't be able to make a living for both of us." He insisted, though didn't make a move to push him away or slip from his embrace. There was a moment of silence between them and he could sense that his words meant more to Fin that he expected.

"You mean this stuff?" Fin asked finally, his tone slightly uncertain.

"Yeah. It's not like you're gonna earn enough, my lousy painter." He teased and earned himself a punch to the ribs.

"Shut up! I'm good!"

"Sure you are…" He continued in a teasing tone and this time he felt a knee dangerously close to his groin. "Oi, cut it!"

"Then say I'm good."

"You are marvelous, you idiot." He snorted, leaning to kiss him playfully. "And you know it. And you know I really think you are brilliant. You just like to hear it, don't you?"

The other smiled wickedly, very pleased, and moved his knee to a position safer for Thel's crotch.

"I like it when you say it." He admitted, squeezing Thel in his arms a little tighter. "But I was asking… You say this stuff about the future all the time, as if it was no big deal…" He was clearly uncertain, gaze slipping to the side.

"Hey, silly." Thel touched his boyfriend's chin, moving his head so he had to look at him. "I mean it. I say it because I have you in my future. I want you to paint and I want to be fucking best architect so you can paint even if those stupid critiques won't appreciate your work. I love you, 'kay?" He smiled at him, gently now, with honesty and affection. "So please, let me go now. " He kissed his nose. " I need to make it to those classes."