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Steve presses a warm reusable to go cup into Billy’s right hand mid gesture.
“What’s this?” Billy asks.
“Cocoa,” Steve answers.
Billy hates cocoa. Hates it. But Steve’s looking at him with that sweet smile and Billy can’t stand to upset him. So he drinks the damn cocoa. Takes the lid off and blows on it a little so he doesn’t burn his tongue.
It’s terrible. Billy mostly keeps the grimace off his face, can’t quite stop wrinkling his nose just a little.
“Do you like it?”
Billy hums into the cup, stealthily spits some of it back in.
…
Apparently December means no coffee, Steve just keeps bringing him cocoa. He must have noticed Billy’s poorly disguised apprehension, ‘cause the flavour’s a little different everyday. Billy keeps bullshitting him. He appreciates the gesture he does, Steve’s just so sensitive and Billy’s so blunt, it’s hard to be honest with him about small things like this. Billy doesn’t think these are the sort of lies that really hurt anyone in the long run, so he drinks his cocoa and tells Steve thank you with every cup.
…
Billy’s actually starting to like cocoa. Maybe he’s acclimated to the taste, maybe Steve’s found the right ratio of sugar and flavoured syrup and cream. Maybe it’s just that Steve is the one who keeps buying it for him.
He hums during the first sip, Steve swipes foam off his top lip, licks it off his thumb.
“Good?”
Billy licks his lips, finds himself being honest when he says, “This is the best cup you’ve brought me.”
Steve lights up. “Really? I got the recipe right this time?”
“Wait, you’ve been making these?” Steve nods, looking very pleased with himself. “I thought you’d been buying them from Starbucks or something.”
“No, I made them all.”
Billy’s more than a little glad he’s not been honest till today. “I had no idea.”
Steve gets an arm round Billy’s shoulders, rests his chin on top of Billy’s head. “I’m glad you finally like it.”
“I liked all of them!”
Steve huffs a laugh into his hair. “No, you didn’t.”
Billy turns his head, presses his cold nose into Steve’s warm neck. “Am I that obvious?”
“Only to me,”