Age 6:
"Tucker, you awake?" The young voice asks from the comfort of his bed.
"Why?" The boy answers from the mountain of blankets on the trundlebed.
"I have a crush on someone."
"Who is it?" Tucker asks, more awake and sitting up staring at his best friend. Steven could see the eagerness in his friends' eyes from the moonlight pouring in the window.
"Sarah," Steven answers, grinning. Tucker thinks for a minute.
"I guess she's cute, but Tammy shared her fruit snacks with me at snack time yesterday. I think I'm gonna marry her."
"Am I gonna be your bestman?"
"Of course you are, Steven. You're my best friend."
Age 13:
"Steve, you awake?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I have a crush on someone."
Sitting up, Steven's hands finds his glasses and puts them on his face. His back finds the wall of the tree house as Tucker turns on the lantern.
"Who is it?" Steven asks. He watches his friend pull the blanket closer around him as he leans against the wall opposite Steven.
"Claire. She asked for my notes today in history class. She also smells really good," Tucker says, smiling. Steven felt his stomach churn at the answer, but brushed it off as eating too many sweets.
"I don't know, Tuck. She makes fun of my glasses. Calls me Specs. Hannah is better."
"Hannah C., Hannah H., or Hannah Q.?" Tucker asks, his arms folding across his chest in defiance.
"Doesn't matter. They're all better than Claire."
"Pick one."
"Q."
"You make a good point."
"Of course I do."
"Specs."
"Shut up."
Age 17:
"Specs, you awake?"
"No," Specs answers and he shoves his head under his pillow.
"Dude, I had that date with Miranda tonight."
Specs reluctantly pulls his head out from under the pillow. He grabs his glasses and winces as his companion turns on his desk lamp.
"How'd it go?"
"Great. We did it in her dad's car at the lake," Tucker smiles. Specs felt uncomfortable hearing that, but being the supportive best friend he is, he knows he has to power through this conversation.
"Tell me all about it. I'll try not to fall asleep," Specs smiles as he props himself on pillows. Tucker smile grows at his best friend's words. Within moments he's in a spare pair of pajama pants Specs' mom keeps around for him. The trundlebed makes an awful noise when Tucker pulls it from its spot under the bed. Specs covers his ears and starts counting down the seconds until his mother enters the room. Within ten seconds of the sound ending, the bedroom door swings open to reveal not only Specs' mother, but his father too.
"Steven, what was-," Mrs. Fisher starts before cutting herself off at the sight of Tucker wrapping himself in blankets.
"I'm starting to regret ever giving you a key, kid," Mr. Fisher says, annoyed, yet amused.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up. I went on a date tonight and just wanted to tell Specs," Tucker explains.
"How was it?" Mr. Fisher asks. Tucker grins and gives a thumbs up. Mrs. Fisher walks over to Specs and gives him a kiss on the head. She then moves to Tucker, who sits up to meet her halfway. She places a kiss on his head.
"Try to get some sleep, boys. Goodnight. Love you both."
"Night, boys," Mr. Fisher calls as he closes the door. As soon as the door closes, Specs flips off the light and stares at his friends eyes shining in the moonlight from the window.
Age 20:
"Tuck, you awake?"
"What's up, Specs? I have a final in the morning."
"I know. I'm sorry. I just need to tell you something."
"Who's the lucky lady you have a crush on now?"
"Well, that's the thing. It's not a lady."
The lamp switches on. The shared dorm room washed in a harsh yellow glow. Tucker swings his feet off the bed and leans forward. Specs mirrors the movements.
"A guy, then?" Tucker asks. Specs nods as his cheeks heat up. "Who?"
"Jason," Specs lies. Tucker doesn't need to know who it is.
"From chem? He does have nice hair," Tuck jokes.
"Nice face, too."
"How long have you known?"
"About Jason? A couple weeks. About liking boys. Senior year."
"That's almost three years, Specs."
"I know."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"You were constantly fighting and making up with Miranda. When I wanted to tell you, she was there and I would chicken out."
"I'm sorry, Specs. I guess I haven't been the greatest of friends lately."
"No, you haven't. You've been the bestest of friends. Breaking things off with Miranda when you realized she was trying to push me away, defending my glasses from Claire and making the name she tried to tease me with into a term of endearment nickname, and not judging me for being myself. From the nerdy stuff to not making a big fuss about me liking Jason. You're the bestest friend anyone could ever ask for."
"I pushed you away."
"You realized your mistakes. You've apologized. I accepted. Let's move on."
"So, Jason, huh? He's not the first?" Tucker asks as he lays back on his bed. His arm finds a place under his head as Specs wraps himself in his covers. He lays on his side, facing his friend.
"Not by a long shot."
Age 25:
"Congrats, man. Happy for you guys."
"Thanks, Speccy, we're so happy," the woman clinging to Tucker's arm chirps. Specs cringes, but tries to hide it.
"Christine, we've talked about this."
"Only call him Specs or Steven. I forgot."
"It's alright. I'll let it slide this once, for your engagement and all," Specs says as he forces a smile. A dull ache in his stomach forms as she flashes her ring at him again. "I'll buy you guys dinner."
Age 27:
"Specs, you home?" A choked sob sounds from the other side of the apartment door. Specs pulls away from his boyfriend, Howard. Moments later he's at the door.
"Are you okay?" Specs asks. He gets the larger man hugging his smaller frame in return. He rubs Tucker's back and starts to gently pull him along. "Let's get you to the couch."
"Honey, is everything okay?" Howard asks, walking into the entryway. He takes in Tucker's defeated form. "I'll get us some tea."
"Come on, Tuck, work with me. Come on to the couch," Specs pleads. Tucker walks with him to the couch and let's Specs wrap him in a blanket. Howard brings three mugs of tea and hands one to each of the men on the couch and keeps one for himself.
"She cheated. Christine cheated on me. When I caught her, she told me she only married me to make her dad happy. I was a safe choice. A safety net. She told me that I'm worthless and will never amount to anything."
"That's not true, Tuck. You're amazing. You're charming and caring and attentive. You're funny, a good cook, you have a good fashion sense. You're a good person and you're going to change the world some, Tuck, I'm sure of it. Any woman would be lucky to have you. She wouldn't make you a second choice. She'd make you a priority. Christine has messed up big time, but she's just to blind to see what she's lost."
Howard looks between the two and sees the love Specs has for the man wrapped in his arms. The trio talk we'll into the night until Tucker cries himself to sleep on the sofa. Specs and Howard make their way to the kitchen.
"Steven, you're in love with Tucker, aren't you?" Howard asks. Specs spins around on his heel. His eyes are wide and frantic as he tries to read Howard's face.
"I promised you that I'd never lie to you. The answer I need to give you would be breaking that promise, so please don't make me answer that question."
Howard nods, walks over to Specs, and grabs his hands.
"The answer I need is your truth."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"I won't be hurt. I'll be sad for a while, but hurt that you're in love with Tucker? Not at all."
"Are you going to leave me?"
"We have a lot to talk about, don't we?" Howard asks and Specs nods.
Age 29:
"I'm sorry for your loss, Specs. If you need anything, I'm here," Tucker says, placing a hand on the shorter man's shoulder.
"I was going to propose to him," Specs whispers. Tears fall down his face as Tucker pulls him into a hug.
"I'm sorry."
Age 32:
"Is he alright?" Elise asks as she watches Specs wash dishes.
"His boyfriend died three years ago today. He likes to do the things they did together. Keep his memory alive in some way.
"He's never mentioned it to me before."
"He doesn't like to talk about it," Tucker answers. He's fiddling with a camera while watching Specs. Eventually, Tucker can take it anymore, so he gets up and walks to the sink. He grabs a towel and starts drying the dishes Specs has already done. The shorter man looks up at Tucker, who smiles warmly in understanding. They silently finish the dishes, unaware that Elise is smiling at them.
Age 36:
"Hey, Specs, you wake?" Tucker asks from the doorway of the room. The light from the hallway illuminates Specs' sleeping form. Tucker walks into the room, leaving the door open so the light can stay on his sleeping friend's face. Tucker pulls the desk chair over to the bed and sits in silence, watching Specs sleep.
Specs shifts in his sleep, stretches, and opens his eyes. He squints as his eyes adjusts. He sees an odd shape beside his bed and gasps. He turns and grabs his flashlight from the nightstand and shines it on the figure. Tucker shields his eyes.
"It's me. It's just me. Get that thing out of my face."
"Tucker, what the hell?"
"I was just sitting here."
"In the dark? In my room?"
"Yeah, I kind of watch you sleep from time to time."
"Why?"
"It calms me down. Always has. Ever since we were kids."
"Is something bothering you?"
"Not anymore," Tucker smiles. Specs cuddles down into the covers.
"Okay, then can I go back to sleep?"
"Yeah, sure. Can I join you?"
"Why?"
Tucker doesn't answer. Instead, he crawls under the covers and slips his arms around Specs' smaller frame, pulling him close. Specs doesn't say anything. He lays perfectly still, trying to figure out why Tucker is doing this. Is it a joke?
"Is this okay?"
"Y-yeah. It's fine."
"Then relax, babe. I'm not gonna bite. I mean, I might, but only if you ask."
Babe? Where did that come from? What is happening?
"Tuck, what is going on here?"
"I'm cuddling with my best friend."
Specs pushes him away.
"We've never done this before and you called me 'babe' and that certainly has never happened before. So, please, tell me what the hell is happening here. I am so confused."
Tucker leans in and kisses Specs, who is surprised, but quickly reciprocates. He doesn't want to let this moment to get away. Tucker's hands travel down Specs' body to his waist, his hips, and, finally, to his ass. Specs breaks away and pushes back again.
"Tucker, please."
"Okay, okay," Tucker sits up, pulling Specs with him. He pulls the smaller man into his lap. "I'm in love with you."
"You what?"
"I'm in love with you, Specs," Tucker says and kisses Specs' shoulder. Specs sits and thinks for a few moments as Tucker litters kisses up and down his arm.
"I'm in love with you, too, Tucker," Specs says, turning towards Tucker. The two smile at each other before crashing their lips together again.
Age 40:
"Hey, Tuck, you awake?" Specs asks quietly.
"No."
"Well, wake up."
"Why?"
"We're married," Specs says softly, smiling and looking at the ring that's on his left hand.
"I know. You kept me up all night to celebrate."
"Yeah, but now you're my husband. I've wanted this since I was like thirteen."
"Almost thirty years? Wow, babe, you're really hung up on me."
"Shut up."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Speccy."
"Shut up."
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