Blackmailing a Wolf
#7 of Jeff and Will
They're boyfriends, but where are their friends?
Will took off his glasses with a sigh and shut his laptop. Jeff chuckled as Will rubbed his eyes.
"How's school going?" Jeff asked teasingly.
"Fantastic. Wonderful. I plan to stay in school the rest of my life. How goes the sorting?"
Jeff threw a handful of papers into the trash he had moved to next to the table. "Fantastic. Wonderful. Plan to do it for the rest of my life."
Will rolled his eyes. "I think that's enough work for the day. We should do something fun."
Jeff raised a brow. "It's been fifteen minutes."
"You're not ready to stop?" Will raised a brow of his own.
"I was ready to stop before we began. I just wanted to show solidarity."
"You could show solidarity by stopping now."
"I dunno." Jeff made a show of looking over a paper. "I want to be a good influence on you."
Will snorted.
"Although," Jeff looked thoughtful, "I can think of something fun to do." He gave Will his best bedroom eyes.
"Oh, really? What's that?"
"Could play a board game."
Will laughed. "That's better with more people." It was Will's turn to look thoughtful. "Maybe you could invite some of your friends over."
"How about no." Jeff drew out the "o" for emphasis.
"Come on," Will laughed, getting up. He stood behind Jeff's chair and draped himself around Jeff's shoulders. "When do I get to meet your friends?"
"I'm going to go with never." Jeff was torn between shrugging off Will for emphasis and nuzzling his boyfriend's muzzle. The desire for physical contact won out.
"Why not?"
"I don't have any friends."
Will snorted but not before he stuck his nose in Jeff's ear for maximum effect. "You're a liar."
"I'm hurt."
"Not as hurt as I am by--"
"Physically hurt," Jeff put his hand on his chest for emphasis--
"Your blatant lies--"
"MY OWN BOYFRIEND--"
"YOU'RE LYING TO ME!"
"CALLING ME A LIAR!"
Will took advantage of his superior positioning to tickle Jeff into silence. Jeff escaped by falling off his chair, breathless with laughter over the exchange moreso than the tickling. Will joined him on the floor and snuggled close behind him.
"I know you have friends," Will said.
"How would you know? Have you ever seen them?"
"No, that's the p--"
"Exactly. I rest my case."
"Babe--"
"Overruled. The case is rested."
"You've told me about Grace and Fred and--"
"All imaginary."
"Babe." Will's voice was soft and serious, and Jeff quieted. "Why can't I meet your friends?"
There was a long moment of silence.
"Are you blushing?" Will asked.
"No."
Will nosed Jeff's ear. "You're still lying to me."
"I'm scared."
"Why?" Will's voice held no judgment.
"It's dumb."
"Probably. But tell me why."
Jeff sighed. "It's easier when things are... compartmentalized. Like what if you guys don't get along?"
"That's what's worrying you?"
"Well, not just that," Jeff mumbled. "I know for a fact you're all going to gang up on me and embarrass me."
"Sounds like we'll get along then."
Jeff snorted.
"Babe, I'd never gang up on you. I've always got your back."
"Oh, is that so?" Jeff said with an arch tone. "You'd never tease me? About anything? Like allegedly falling down some stairs?"
Will chuckled. Then he went quiet for a moment. "Does it bother you? Do you want me to stop?"
"What? No, it's--" Jeff sighed again. "I just get anxious. It's easier to be like, this is my friend. Introducing you as a boyfriend... It's a different kind of pressure. It's more scrutiny. On you and me. I have to answer enough questions as it is..."
Will snuggled close. "You know you have to eventually. Or else they'll think I'm imaginary."
"Do we, though? I mean, there's always eloping. I could have two separate houses."
"Eloping? You thinking of getting married?" Will grinned against Jeff's ear.
"No, you're stupid, shut up."
Jeff was definitely blushing now, no question about it.
"It doesn't have to be right now, but I do want to meet your friends. Your family too."
"Family, no. Friends, I'll think about."
Will chuckled. "Tell you what. You arrange a meeting, and I'll stop bugging you about it."
"Blackmailer." Jeff grumbled.
Will just pulled tighter. "We should probably get off the floor."
"Couch? Movie?"
"Sounds good."
AN: Oops. I actually wrote this *checks notes* two and a half weeks ago, but I forgot to ever put it up here. My bad. A return to a somewhat shorter thing. Also, titling these is getting impossible.