More than Friends
folder
Drama › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
9
Views:
1,469
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Drama › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
9
Views:
1,469
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
“It won’t change anything!” Lee said for the millionth time since they’d found out Danny was coming to their school. “I promise you, it won’t.”
“I believe you,” Ryan smiled.
But inside he didn’t know what to think. Lee obviously had some reaction to Danny, or he wouldn’t still be wound up over it. They’d spent the rest of their visit in Rhode Island exchanging polite conversations with Lee’s parents then promptly headed back to Connecticut to set up their new off-campus apartment. Now school was only a week away and Ryan still wasn’t sure where Danny was going to figure into things.
“Good,” Lee said with a nod, bringing Ryan’s thoughts back to the present. “Now, are we going to a movie tonight?”
Ryan nodded and pulled up the theater times on his laptop for Lee to choose a film. He liked to let his boyfriend pick the movie. It made Lee happy and the guy hadn’t picked a bad one yet. Lee opted for something only released into the artsy-cinema. He always seemed to go for the independent films, which Ryan also liked.
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“I think I liked that one better than the documentary we saw last week,” Lee said after the movie while they ate pizza.
“It had a more complex plot line,” Ryan agreed.
“Hey, guys!”
They both grinned as a small blonde bounced into the booth next to Ryan and snatched a piece of pizza off the tray in the middle of the table.
“Uh, Kev, you might want to ask first,” Jason laughed as he dropped himself onto the seat next to Lee.
“That’s okay,” Ryan grinned. “Why do you think we order whole pies now?”
“They anticipate my arrival!” Kevin grinned at his lover before chomping down on the slice of pizza.
“Well, we were hopeful, anyway,” Lee added.
“Hopeful?” the blonde turned to him. “Does that mean you missed me?”
“Who wouldn’t miss you?” Ryan chuckled. “By the way, your brother’s gained some weight hasn’t he?”
“Oh, yeah! You saw Brian and Matt,” the blonde exclaimed around his mouthful. “He looks good, doesn’t he?”
“Much better than he used to.”
Lee glanced at Ryan for a second, trying to gauge his real interest in the topic. He knew he had nothing to be jealous of though, as Matt was Ryan’s best friend and Brian made no secret of his attachment to Matt. Still, Lee’s old fears were deeply entrenched and he sometimes worried that Ryan would leave him behind for someone else. Old habits died hard, he guessed. He often wondered why Ryan’s relationship with Kevin never seemed to bother him, but he chalked it up to having spent more time with Kevin when he and Ryan started seeing each other. In fact, it was Kevin’s advice that had finally led Ryan to understand he hadn’t been clear about his feelings for Lee. It kind of made Lee feel a bit indebted to the blonde boy.
“Are you two ready to start Yale?” he asked the munching kid.
“Definitely!” Kevin’s eyes lit up. “We’re all packed and set.”
“I can’t believe we’re going on Saturday already,” Jason murmured. “Seemed so far away not too long ago.”
“You guys got a dorm together?” Ryan asked.
“Dorm?!” Jason cried. “And risk NOT getting one together? Uh, no. We have a nice off-campus apartment. Even if it is kind of small.”
“How much room do we need?” Kevin demanded. “As long as it fits a queen-size bed, we’re all set.”
If only life were that easy, Lee mused. He smiled at Ryan wistfully as he sipped his Coke. Ryan grinned back but then he looked over Lee’s shoulder and the smile faded. Lee looked in the same direction and frowned.
“Hey, Lee,” Danny smirked as he approached their table. “Ryan,” he added dourly.
Ryan nodded at him, but his eyes held a hint of coolness that seemed to pique Kevin’s curiosity. He looked back and forth between Ryan and this dark-blonde-haired guy uncertainly.
“Uh, hello,” he said to diffuse the tension.
Lee rolled his eyes knowing he had no choice but to acknowledge his ex’s presence now. “Kevin, Jay, this is … Danny.” He said meaningfully, because after all of their conversations before summer, Kevin would know who Danny was.
“Oh,” Kevin said in understanding. He looked up at Danny icily and raised a blonde eyebrow. “Nice to meet you.” But the tone he used clearly said it was anything but.
Danny raised his own eyebrow at that and offered a curt nod. Jason gave a small wave but didn’t say anything.
“Well, I saw you in here from the window and thought I’d stop by,” Danny said. “I guess I’ll see you around campus.” He directed the last comment at Lee before turning to walk away.
“See you around,” Ryan replied to his retreating form.
When he was gone the awkward silence seemed to stretch out for a minute or two … which felt more like ten or fifteen to Lee.
“So, that was Danny,” Kevin finally said.
Lee nodded.
“And now he’s here in Connecticut,” Jason added somberly.
“Uh huh,” Ryan sighed and leaned back in the booth seat.
Lee gave him a remorseful look. It was his ex that was stalking them after all. He thought he had a right to feel guilty. But Ryan caught his eye and shook his head slightly. And Lee knew that meant that he didn’t blame him. In Lee’s opinion, Ryan was too understanding for his own good.
“Anyone feel like one last bowling night?” Kevin asked.
“Last?” Ryan slanted him a look.
“Well, last for a while anyway,” the small blonde shrugged.
“I’m game,” Jason grinned.
“Me, too,” Lee and Ryan chimed in.
-------------------------------------
“So,” Kevin said to Lee later while Jason and Ryan went to the counter to get them all bowling shoes. “Danny’s here now?”
“Yeah. I don’t know how it happened either, but here he is.”
“Awkward doesn’t seem an apt enough description.”
“Tell me about it.”
Kevin shuffled his feet as they waited.
“You can say it,” Lee sighed.
“Say what?”
“Whatever it is that’s on your mind. I thought we were friends now.”
“We are,” the small blonde shrugged. “I just don’t know whether it’s my place to stick my nose in your business.”
“You?” Lee snorted. “You’re not sure? Since when have you needed permission to butt in.”
“Point taken. I don’t like him being here.”
“I don’t either.”
“Well, I’d be worried if I thought you did,” Kevin rolled his eyes. “But what I’m worried about is how Ryan feels about it.”
Lee nodded glumly. He was worried about that, too. It was almost like Kevin read his mind.
-------------------------------------
“So that was Danny.” Jason stated it rather than asked.
“Yeah,” Ryan said flatly.
“Kind of peculiar he shows up here now.”
“Not really.”
Jason studied Ryan’s scowling profile for a few seconds before replying, “No?”
“Nope.”
The silence stretched and Jason knew if he wanted more information he would have to ask for it, which was unlike Ryan usually.
“Why now?”
“He wants Lee back.”
“Just like that?”
Ryan nodded.
“He told you?”
Ryan nodded again.
“Wow,” Jason sighed. “What are you going to do?”
“What can I do?” he asked finally meeting Jay’s eyes. “Lee said he doesn’t want him and that nothing’s changed. If I do anything I come off like the jealous boyfriend, and I’m not sure how Lee would react to that.”
“Okay, but this guy told you he’s here to take your boyfriend away,” Jason reasoned. “That warrants some kind of action.”
Ryan shrugged and looked away.
-------------------------------------
“So … ?”
“What?”
Kevin exhaled sharply in frustration. “So, how IS Ryan taking it?”
“I don’t know,” Lee replied. “I told him this doesn’t change anything and he says he believes me. But I get the feeling he’s waiting for something bad to happen.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Lee, do you think he’s waiting for you to decide who you want to be with?”
Lee shrugged helplessly, but he had a feeling that was exactly what Ryan was waiting for. Before he and Kevin could discuss it further, Jason and Ryan returned with the shoes.
“Why don’t you two have your bowling balls yet?” Jason asked curiously.
“I want you to carry it for me,” Kevin whined theatrically.
“Diva,” Ryan coughed .
“You’ll miss me when I’m gone,” the small blonde laughed.
Ryan smiled and nodded, wondering what he was going to do without his support system.
-------------------------------------
After getting whipped by the team of Lee and Kevin, the four parted ways, with Lee and Ryan wishing the other two a good trip. When they got home Ryan tiredly sank onto the couch.
“You okay?” Lee asked with concern as he plopped down beside him.
“Yeah.” Ryan gathered Lee to his side and flipped the channel to a late night movie. “You?”
“Mmm,” Lee murmured drowsily.
Ryan chuckled and held him closer, kissing his forehead. He sure hoped he didn’t have anything to worry about from Danny. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost Lee.
“It won’t change anything!” Lee said for the millionth time since they’d found out Danny was coming to their school. “I promise you, it won’t.”
“I believe you,” Ryan smiled.
But inside he didn’t know what to think. Lee obviously had some reaction to Danny, or he wouldn’t still be wound up over it. They’d spent the rest of their visit in Rhode Island exchanging polite conversations with Lee’s parents then promptly headed back to Connecticut to set up their new off-campus apartment. Now school was only a week away and Ryan still wasn’t sure where Danny was going to figure into things.
“Good,” Lee said with a nod, bringing Ryan’s thoughts back to the present. “Now, are we going to a movie tonight?”
Ryan nodded and pulled up the theater times on his laptop for Lee to choose a film. He liked to let his boyfriend pick the movie. It made Lee happy and the guy hadn’t picked a bad one yet. Lee opted for something only released into the artsy-cinema. He always seemed to go for the independent films, which Ryan also liked.
-------------------------------------
“I think I liked that one better than the documentary we saw last week,” Lee said after the movie while they ate pizza.
“It had a more complex plot line,” Ryan agreed.
“Hey, guys!”
They both grinned as a small blonde bounced into the booth next to Ryan and snatched a piece of pizza off the tray in the middle of the table.
“Uh, Kev, you might want to ask first,” Jason laughed as he dropped himself onto the seat next to Lee.
“That’s okay,” Ryan grinned. “Why do you think we order whole pies now?”
“They anticipate my arrival!” Kevin grinned at his lover before chomping down on the slice of pizza.
“Well, we were hopeful, anyway,” Lee added.
“Hopeful?” the blonde turned to him. “Does that mean you missed me?”
“Who wouldn’t miss you?” Ryan chuckled. “By the way, your brother’s gained some weight hasn’t he?”
“Oh, yeah! You saw Brian and Matt,” the blonde exclaimed around his mouthful. “He looks good, doesn’t he?”
“Much better than he used to.”
Lee glanced at Ryan for a second, trying to gauge his real interest in the topic. He knew he had nothing to be jealous of though, as Matt was Ryan’s best friend and Brian made no secret of his attachment to Matt. Still, Lee’s old fears were deeply entrenched and he sometimes worried that Ryan would leave him behind for someone else. Old habits died hard, he guessed. He often wondered why Ryan’s relationship with Kevin never seemed to bother him, but he chalked it up to having spent more time with Kevin when he and Ryan started seeing each other. In fact, it was Kevin’s advice that had finally led Ryan to understand he hadn’t been clear about his feelings for Lee. It kind of made Lee feel a bit indebted to the blonde boy.
“Are you two ready to start Yale?” he asked the munching kid.
“Definitely!” Kevin’s eyes lit up. “We’re all packed and set.”
“I can’t believe we’re going on Saturday already,” Jason murmured. “Seemed so far away not too long ago.”
“You guys got a dorm together?” Ryan asked.
“Dorm?!” Jason cried. “And risk NOT getting one together? Uh, no. We have a nice off-campus apartment. Even if it is kind of small.”
“How much room do we need?” Kevin demanded. “As long as it fits a queen-size bed, we’re all set.”
If only life were that easy, Lee mused. He smiled at Ryan wistfully as he sipped his Coke. Ryan grinned back but then he looked over Lee’s shoulder and the smile faded. Lee looked in the same direction and frowned.
“Hey, Lee,” Danny smirked as he approached their table. “Ryan,” he added dourly.
Ryan nodded at him, but his eyes held a hint of coolness that seemed to pique Kevin’s curiosity. He looked back and forth between Ryan and this dark-blonde-haired guy uncertainly.
“Uh, hello,” he said to diffuse the tension.
Lee rolled his eyes knowing he had no choice but to acknowledge his ex’s presence now. “Kevin, Jay, this is … Danny.” He said meaningfully, because after all of their conversations before summer, Kevin would know who Danny was.
“Oh,” Kevin said in understanding. He looked up at Danny icily and raised a blonde eyebrow. “Nice to meet you.” But the tone he used clearly said it was anything but.
Danny raised his own eyebrow at that and offered a curt nod. Jason gave a small wave but didn’t say anything.
“Well, I saw you in here from the window and thought I’d stop by,” Danny said. “I guess I’ll see you around campus.” He directed the last comment at Lee before turning to walk away.
“See you around,” Ryan replied to his retreating form.
When he was gone the awkward silence seemed to stretch out for a minute or two … which felt more like ten or fifteen to Lee.
“So, that was Danny,” Kevin finally said.
Lee nodded.
“And now he’s here in Connecticut,” Jason added somberly.
“Uh huh,” Ryan sighed and leaned back in the booth seat.
Lee gave him a remorseful look. It was his ex that was stalking them after all. He thought he had a right to feel guilty. But Ryan caught his eye and shook his head slightly. And Lee knew that meant that he didn’t blame him. In Lee’s opinion, Ryan was too understanding for his own good.
“Anyone feel like one last bowling night?” Kevin asked.
“Last?” Ryan slanted him a look.
“Well, last for a while anyway,” the small blonde shrugged.
“I’m game,” Jason grinned.
“Me, too,” Lee and Ryan chimed in.
-------------------------------------
“So,” Kevin said to Lee later while Jason and Ryan went to the counter to get them all bowling shoes. “Danny’s here now?”
“Yeah. I don’t know how it happened either, but here he is.”
“Awkward doesn’t seem an apt enough description.”
“Tell me about it.”
Kevin shuffled his feet as they waited.
“You can say it,” Lee sighed.
“Say what?”
“Whatever it is that’s on your mind. I thought we were friends now.”
“We are,” the small blonde shrugged. “I just don’t know whether it’s my place to stick my nose in your business.”
“You?” Lee snorted. “You’re not sure? Since when have you needed permission to butt in.”
“Point taken. I don’t like him being here.”
“I don’t either.”
“Well, I’d be worried if I thought you did,” Kevin rolled his eyes. “But what I’m worried about is how Ryan feels about it.”
Lee nodded glumly. He was worried about that, too. It was almost like Kevin read his mind.
-------------------------------------
“So that was Danny.” Jason stated it rather than asked.
“Yeah,” Ryan said flatly.
“Kind of peculiar he shows up here now.”
“Not really.”
Jason studied Ryan’s scowling profile for a few seconds before replying, “No?”
“Nope.”
The silence stretched and Jason knew if he wanted more information he would have to ask for it, which was unlike Ryan usually.
“Why now?”
“He wants Lee back.”
“Just like that?”
Ryan nodded.
“He told you?”
Ryan nodded again.
“Wow,” Jason sighed. “What are you going to do?”
“What can I do?” he asked finally meeting Jay’s eyes. “Lee said he doesn’t want him and that nothing’s changed. If I do anything I come off like the jealous boyfriend, and I’m not sure how Lee would react to that.”
“Okay, but this guy told you he’s here to take your boyfriend away,” Jason reasoned. “That warrants some kind of action.”
Ryan shrugged and looked away.
-------------------------------------
“So … ?”
“What?”
Kevin exhaled sharply in frustration. “So, how IS Ryan taking it?”
“I don’t know,” Lee replied. “I told him this doesn’t change anything and he says he believes me. But I get the feeling he’s waiting for something bad to happen.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Lee, do you think he’s waiting for you to decide who you want to be with?”
Lee shrugged helplessly, but he had a feeling that was exactly what Ryan was waiting for. Before he and Kevin could discuss it further, Jason and Ryan returned with the shoes.
“Why don’t you two have your bowling balls yet?” Jason asked curiously.
“I want you to carry it for me,” Kevin whined theatrically.
“Diva,” Ryan coughed .
“You’ll miss me when I’m gone,” the small blonde laughed.
Ryan smiled and nodded, wondering what he was going to do without his support system.
-------------------------------------
After getting whipped by the team of Lee and Kevin, the four parted ways, with Lee and Ryan wishing the other two a good trip. When they got home Ryan tiredly sank onto the couch.
“You okay?” Lee asked with concern as he plopped down beside him.
“Yeah.” Ryan gathered Lee to his side and flipped the channel to a late night movie. “You?”
“Mmm,” Lee murmured drowsily.
Ryan chuckled and held him closer, kissing his forehead. He sure hoped he didn’t have anything to worry about from Danny. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost Lee.