More than Friends

Chapter Nine

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Lee sighed when they got back to their place later on.

“It’s okay. I know you were going to.” Ryan gave him a reassuring smile, but inside he was seething.

Not at Lee, though … at Danny. He knew it wasn’t a coincidence the blonde had wormed his way into a few of his and Lee’s classes. He also knew the guy wouldn’t give up easily but he really wasn’t looking forward to the trouble he sensed Danny was aiming to cause. Still, he trusted Lee and knew in his heart that his boyfriend wanted nothing to do with his ex.

“It’s just irritating to have to work with him, you know?”

“Thankfully, no,” the dark-haired boy grimaced. “When he showed up in chem I was worried. But Joanne was closer and got to me first.”

“He actually tried to get paired with you?”

“I know. Stupid of him.”

“Well, at least I only have my lab once a week,” Lee sighed.

“How are your other classes?”

“The non-med ones?”

Ryan nodded.

“Pretty cool. I’m glad I’m finally taking psych. I wanted to last year but there didn’t seem to be anyplace to fit it.”

“He’s not in that one, too, is he?” Ryan tried to inject a little humor into his voice but he was dead serious.

“No. There’s this quiet freshman named Aiden in it though that I started talking to,” Lee replied. “It wasn’t easy. Kid’s a closed book, it seems. But you know how persistent I can be. His family owns a restaurant near here. He said we should let him know if we want to try it. He’ll give us a discount.”

Ryan chuckled as he pulled the smaller guy into his arms and settled onto the couch. Trust Lee to make friends with someone in the restaurant business. His boyfriend was the bubbly, outgoing type … at least he had been ever since Ryan met him. It was a great mesh with his more pensive moods. Ryan could be outgoing, too, but was a bit more reserved than his boyfriend. Lee seemed to be the perfect complement to him.

He breathed in deeply as he tucked his nose into the crook of Lee’s neck and sighed. No one smelled quite as good as he did, Ryan decided. No one could. It wasn’t an artificial, strong, perfumed smell, but a woodsy, clean scent that was all Lee. He kissed the boy’s neck and ears while Lee giggled and squirmed.

“Stay still,” he ordered with a smile.

“That would make it too easy on you,” Lee replied with a smirk.

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

Ryan watched Lee sleeping peacefully later on that night. It was another frustrating evening for him though. Lee still wasn’t ready to make love and Ryan was determined not to push the issue or let the other boy know how hard it was for him. The last thing Lee needed right now was to feel guilty on top of the stress that a new school year and Danny’s reappearance was already having on him. It wouldn’t be fair, and Ryan didn’t want Lee’s first time to be tainted by anything. When the boy was ready, and only when he was ready, would they consummate their relationship.

He slipped out of bed soundlessly and went into the living room to call his friend and gain some perspective. As he dialed the phone he hoped he wasn’t waking anyone up.

“Hello?” Matt’s voice didn’t sound hoarse with sleep.

“Hey, Matt,” he replied softly so he wouldn’t wake Lee. “How’s it going?”

“Rye! Good! It’s going good!”

“How’s Vixen?”

“Fine. He’s currently trying to coerce Trent into finishing a third piece of cake, but the poor guy is stuffed.”

“At least he has a couple of new victims now,” Ryan chuckled. “I was worried about you for a while there.”

“Nah. I tacked on a few extra gym days a week just to keep up with him. His cooking is better than most restaurants around here, you know.”

“That’s good since he never lets you guys eat out anymore.”

“Yeah, well makes it that much easier to cuddle with him, right?”

“I guess. You see the upside to everything now, don’t you?”

“You should talk,” Matt shot back. “Speaking of cuddling, why are you on the phone with me when you have your own full-sized pillow?”

“Lee’s asleep.”

“That didn’t answer my question.”

Ryan sighed inaudibly, wondering for the millionth time how Matt was able to pick up on his moods from so far a distance away. They’d always been close friends, so he supposed experience had to have a lot to do with it. Still, it was disconcerting. But then, Matt had accused him of having the same ability, so he guessed it was only fair.

“It’s just … frustrating sometimes.”

Matt murmured a short, “mm,” encouraging Ryan to elaborate. That’s what he usually did when he was trying to work things out of him, so Ryan wasn’t surprised or irked.

“It’s not like I want to rush him. Really, I don’t!”

“You don’t have to explain that to me,” Matt said. “I know you better than anyone.”

“I know. That’s why I called.”

“I’m sensing there’s more to this.”

“A bit,” Ryan sighed.

There was a long silent pause before Matt broke it. “What news, Sir Ryan?”

He knew he should have told Matt before, but he hadn’t wanted to discuss it. Still, his best friend might feel a bit put out that he hadn’t told him about the situation before.

“His ex found his way into our school and some of our classes,” he said flatly.

“Ex?” Matt said, sounding vaguely confused. “You mean that asshole that dumped him back in high school?”

“That’s the one.”

“Shit.” Matt only voiced what Ryan was feeling. “What are you going to do?”

“What can I do?” Ryan mumbled. “If I say or do anything directly to him, I sound like the possessive, jealous boyfriend.”

“And if you do nothing, you may be letting this shithead feel like he can run right in there and take Lee from you.”

“The operative subject there is the asshole. I trust Lee and he won’t let Danny back into his life.”

“But Danny’s already shown you how manipulative he can be,” Matt warned. “He managed to get himself into your school and your classes. That alone should raise some red flags.”

“Some? They’re all flying!”

“Okay,” Matt placated him. “Calm down. I don’t mean to piss you off any more than you are.”

“I know you don’t. It’s just … hard right now.”

“Is that Ryan?” a small voice called to Matt from somewhere on the other end.

“Yeah,” his friend replied.

“Lemme speak to him!” Brian squealed.

“But I’m not …”

There was a thump and Ryan chuckled as he heard Matt mutter a sharp, “Oof” before the phone was snatched away and Brian gasped into it.

“Well, you were right, Rye. I can tackle him if I concentrate on what I’m doing.”

The hoots of laughter he heard in the background probably came from Trent, Matt’s brother who lived with him and Brian. He and his roommate Niko, that is.

“Glad I could help,” he said to the small blonde now on the phone.

“Whatcha talking about?” Brian asked.

Man, had this kid come out of his shell since they’d moved to Boston from California. Ryan liked Brian’s new attitude, though. It was like he’d been awakened after a long nightmare. And, in a way, he had. Matt had taken him away from his abusive stepfather and now Brian was coming into his own.

“Just a few … problems I’m having.”

“What?” Brian couldn’t be deterred when he sensed his friends were upset. It’s what earned him Ryan’s nickname for him: vixen.

“Just Lee’s ex is now going to our school,” he sighed. “I’m trying not to overreact and to show Lee I trust him.”

“You’re doing the right thing then,” Brian replied seriously. “Lee knows you love him and that guy was never good for him when they were together.”

“He … told you?”

“A little.”

“When?”

“When you two were helping us move. It’s easy to talk to me, I guess. That’s how I met Niko, remember?”

The dark-haired boy smiled as he recalled Brian had that effect on people. It must be something innate. Kevin, Brian’s younger brother, possessed the ability to a certain degree. But he didn’t have the amount of patience Brian did.

“Sorry,” he grinned as he spoke into the phone. “I should have remembered that.”

“Yes.”

“But they had a history as friends first, Vix. What if Danny plays on that?”

“You said you trusted Lee, right?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then give him a chance to handle it.”

Ryan sighed, knowing the other boy was right. His instincts wanted to deal with Danny, but his head told him that would be a mistake. Brian was only confirming the course of action he was already on. It made him feel a little better knowing someone agreed with him.

“You’re right,” he sighed.

“Of course I am!” Brian chirped. “Now, I found a great recipe for orange muffins that travel well through the mail. Want some?”

“Do you really need to ask?” Ryan laughed.