Take Me From This Pain, Kevin's story

“Hey, Lee, you ready to go?” Ryan asked the lean boy in the bathroom.

The boy in question had light brown hair and turquoise eyes. And he was hot. Ryan couldn’t believe Lee had still agreed to date him either, especially after what happened when they’d met.

“Yeah, but can we go for pizza again?” Lee asked as he walked out of the bathroom and followed Ryan out the door. “It’s really good here and we don’t have great pizza where I come from.”

“Anything you want,” Ryan laughed as he locked the dorm room door and led the way out to his car.

This was only the second date they’d been on and Ryan knew they would be in the ‘discovery stage’ for a while longer yet. He still laughed at himself when he thought about how confused he’d been at the end of the summer.

He’d been watching Brian and Matt together for most of his senior year in high school and he discovered something about himself. Though he liked girls well enough, he also found guys attractive. Now, he would be the first to admit that exposure may have had something to do with it, but it couldn’t be the only explanation. In the past, he’d found himself watching guys he’d found interesting or attractive, but he’d always chalked it up to comparing body builds and athleticism. But while watching Brian slowly begin to open up and respond to Matt, Ryan began to see another side to it. He was almost drawn to them when they were together for the emotional aspect of the relationship. Matt and Brian were visibly and completely connected.

When he’d come out to Connecticut, he’d thought the feeling might fade. But seeing Jason and Kevin together was like watching a bolder version of Matt and Brian. Only the people’s names changed, but the feelings remained the same. And Ryan had to admit that Jason was truly Kevin’s soul mate. No one else could diffuse the temperamental youth so easily as the easygoing, dark-haired basketball player. Ryan could actually feel the love in the room when he was with them.

Though he still found girls attractive, Ryan knew he had to try dating a guy to see if what he suspected about himself was true, that he was in fact bisexual. He wasn’t actively looking, though, when he happened upon Lee.

It was just after classes started when Ryan was walking back from the school bookstore, having just finished getting everything he needed. He was trying to balance some of the heavier tomes when he ran smack into someone.

“Geez, I’m sorry!” he yelped as he dropped his books to help the other person up.

“You should be,” the thin boy groused as he took Ryan’s proffered hand. “I dropped my ice cream all over my new pants!”

“I’m sorry,” Ryan said again. “I’ll pay to have them cleaned.”

“Don’t bother,” the boy sighed, looking down glumly at the large chocolate stain on his bright tan pair of slacks. “They’re ruined.”

“I’ll get you a new pair!”

The boy looked up and Ryan was staring into the prettiest pair of eyes he’d ever seen. The boy stared back for a moment then smiled brilliantly.

“How about you take me out for dinner and a movie instead?” he asked engagingly, making Ryan smile a little shyly in return.

“You sure that’ll make up for your pants?”

“If I decide it doesn’t, you’ll just have to take me out again,” the boy replied coyly and stuck out his hand. “My name’s Lee. What’s yours?”

“Ryan,” the dark-haired boy smiled. “It’s definitely a pleasure.”

They’d met the following week to go see “Kinsey,” and try the newest pizza place right near the cinema. Ryan was thrilled when their first date went so well that Lee invoked his privilege of demanding a second. It was one condition the dark-haired boy had no trouble agreeing to. They’d been casually together ever since.

“Earth to Ryan,” Lee waved a hand in front of his face to catch his attention and Ryan smiled.

“Sorry.”

“You zoned out there for a minute,” Lee smiled handing him a penny.

“No need to pay, I’ll tell you what I’m thinking if you want to know.”

“Okay then.” Lee waited expectantly next to the car door.

“I was just thinking about how cool it was to meet you so soon.”

“So soon?” Lee purred as he leaned in to gently peck Ryan’s lips. “What makes you think I haven’t been waiting for you?”

“We just got to school the week before we met,” Ryan smiled against Lee’s lips.

“And I’ll bet you thought it was just a lucky accident, huh?” Lee chuckled, wrapping his arms around Ryan’s lean but muscular torso. “That those pants really were new.”

Ryan looked at him with disbelief before he broke into a huge grin.

“You little brat,” he laughed. “You were following me.”

“Stalking, actually,” Lee grinned back. “Just waiting for the right moment to ‘bump’ into you. Man, all the chocolate ice cream cones I went through until I finally had you.”

“And where did you see me before?” Ryan laughingly demanded as he pulled Lee in for another small kiss.

“At orientation. I’m surprised my eyes didn’t burn a hole through your hot ass and alert you to the danger you were in.”

“Oh, I’m in danger, huh?”

“Hells yeah.”

“Good thing I like living dangerously.”

“Good thing.”

Lee pulled him in for another kiss and parted his lips this time. Ryan took the invitation gladly and explored his mouth teasingly for a few minutes before reluctantly pulling back when he heard Lee’s stomach protest the wait for food.

“I’d better feed you before you waste away.”

“I’d rather eat you,” Lee pouted.

“Maybe later,” Ryan sighed as he opened the door and settled Lee inside.

He nervously walked around to the other side and got in, not sure he was ready to take the sexual step yet. But then he relaxed, knowing Lee probably wouldn’t press him too hard yet. He knew Ryan was new at this kind of relationship. They’d spoken at length about it during their last date. Smiling happily at his date, Ryan started the car.

--------------------------------------

Ryan finished up the last of his pizza and balled up his napkin, throwing it onto his paper plate. He looked across the table and saw Lee wipe his mouth before chucking his napkin on his own plate and they smiled at each other.

“Want to catch a late movie?” Ryan asked.

“Why don’t we just go back to the dorm room and watch Saturday Night Live?” Lee winked at him.

“Um.”

“Hey, I know you’re not ready for anything more than kissing right now,” Lee shrugged. “It’s fine. I just really like cuddling and you look like the cuddling type.”

“I do?” Ryan laughed at Lee’s suggestive tone. “Okay then. Let’s go back.”

They picked up their plates and cups and walked to the trashcan to throw them out. They had just started for the door when it opened and Kevin and Jason walked in talking animatedly to each other. Ryan stepped back and hoped they wouldn’t notice him when Joey and Cindy waltzed in and looked right at him.

“Rye, man!” Joey grinned. “Couldn’t keep away from me, could you?”

“Um,” Ryan looked frazzled.

Kevin, apparently taking pity on him, walked over and poked Joey in the stomach. “Hey! I’m HUNGRY!”

“Geez, you’re a bottomless pit!” the redheaded football player groused. “Wait two minutes, will you? Ryan hasn’t even had a chance to introduce his friend yet.”

“Yeah,” Lee smiled in amusement. “It would be rude of him not to.”

Ryan sighed theatrically and rolled his eyes. “And heaven forbid I be rude!” he smiled at Lee nervously then turned back to his friends. “Lee, this is Jason, Kevin, Joey and Cindy. Guys, this is Lee.”

“Lee?” Joey asked, slightly startled. “As in ‘Leigh’ Lee?”

“Lee Lee,” Lee murmured. “I kind of like that. Maybe I’ll make you call me that,” he laughed turning to Ryan and taking his arm.

Ryan knew that if he pulled away Lee could take that as rejection and he didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He looked to Kevin for some silent advice. The small blonde smiled at him and took Jason’s arm.

“It’s great to meet you, Lee,” he said to the boy grasping Ryan. “Ryan’s told us only a little about you.”

“I’m not surprised,” Lee shrugged. “We’re still pretty new.”

“Yeah, well, he’s probably also still ticked that I keep winning our hockey practices,” Joey added in. “You know how sensitive the male ego can be.”

“Yeah, right,” Ryan replied testily. “You cheat every time.”

“You’d think you’d be prepared for it by now, though,” Joey laughed.

Ryan grinned back at him cheerily. It was hard to be mad at such a happy go lucky person. He was glad he became friends with him, easily seeing how he kept Trent’s spirits up when the other was stuck in such a dysfunctional family.

“Where you headed now?” Jason asked quietly.

“We were just going to go back and watch SNL in his dorm,” Lee answered for him.

“You married to that idea?” Kevin asked. “Or can you stick around until I’m fed? We were going to go bowling after this.”

“Bowling?” Lee wrinkled his nose. “I’ve never been any good.”

“Neither have I?” Kevin shrugged. “But that’s what makes it so much fun.”

Ryan looked at Lee hopefully, suddenly wanting to share his friends with him, and the other boy smiled back.

“Okay, then,” Lee grinned. “Bowling it is.”