figuring things
out, the same way you are.”
“Not
the same way I am,” Connor scoffed. “You may be just figuring out what it means
to be gay, but what about everything else? You’re an athlete, you’re popular,
you’re amazing-looking…”
Jared
cut him off with a wave of his hand. “I hope those aren’t the only reasons you
like me.” A frown crossed his face. “’Cause I’m a mediocre player at best, and
looks don’t last forever. I act the way I do because my father raised me to be
assertive even when I’m not entirely sure of myself. So I can present a
confident image, you know? Maybe you should try it sometime.”
“Uh…um,
okay,” Connor replied weakly. An awkward silence descended while he worked on
swallowing the lump in his throat.
Jared’s
expression softened. He leaned in, his lips grazing Connor’s temple. “Sorry. I
didn’t mean to interrupt you like that. So, you were saying, you like me
because I’m a popular athlete?” Despite the teasing smile, something sober
colored his voice.
“N-no.
I mean, th-those weren’t the reasons I like you. Just why I was so shocked you
liked me.”
Jared
rolled his eyes. “We’ve covered that territory. Let’s move on.”
Nodding,
Connor slipped his hand up Jared’s chest, absentmindedly tracing an infinity
sign along his ribs. When he realized what he was doing he hurriedly tucked the
hand away, as it clearly could not be trusted out in the open. “Well, you’re a
lot more than just good-looking. You’re…nice to me. You’re nice to everyone, as
far as I know. And you’re really…patient.” He hid an embarrassed smile in a
convenient lump of comforter.
“I
don’t know that I’m always so patient…but you’re worth it.” Jared pushed in to
kiss Connor’s nose. He yawned when he was through, arching his back against the
bed and giving Connor a glimpse of tan skin peeking out from under his shirt. “Hey,
would it be really weird if we took a little nap? I’m feeling kinda beat today.”
He didn’t wait for a response before pulling Connor against him in a
near-smothering embrace. “Wake me in like fifteen.”
Jared
drifted off easily, his breaths slipping into an even rhythm, his dark lashes
fluttering every so often beneath twitching lids. Not wanting to miss a minute
of his sleeping form, Connor fought to keep his eyes open. He wasn’t
exactly comfortable, but he remained still so as not to disturb Jared. Besides,
comfort was overrated if the alternative was being in Jared’s arms.
At
some point he must have dozed off, though, because the next thing he knew Jared
was sitting up and stretching.
“Hey,
I’d better get going. But I’ll be back for our next tutoring session.” He
chuckled. “This is a lot more enjoyable than hanging out at the athletic hall—not
that I minded that all that much.”
Connor
sat up as well, already missing the proximity to Jared’s body. “If…if you want,
I can still help you…with your anthro stuff.”
“I’ll
probably take you up on that.” Jared leaned over to plant what was quickly
becoming his customary goodbye kiss on Connor’s waiting lips. “See ya later,
bro.”
***
For
the first time since they’d met, Rebecca’s familiar form was missing from the
lunch table the next day. Connor approached hesitantly, his feet slowing as the
distance narrowed. He considered hanging back for a while to see if Rebecca came
late, but Chrissy looked up and caught sight of him.
She
patted the empty chair by her side. “Becca’s working on some project for her
film editing class, but she told us not to gang up on you for joining that hive
mind of music called orchestra.” She paused, putting a thoughtful finger to her
lips. “Or maybe she just told me that.”
Connor
blinked.
Tate
shook his head. “Seriously, you know you just ignore her when she says stuff
like that, right?”
There
was no way to escape now, so Connor shrugged and took his seat.
“You
know,
out, the same way you are.”
“Not
the same way I am,” Connor scoffed. “You may be just figuring out what it means
to be gay, but what about everything else? You’re an athlete, you’re popular,
you’re amazing-looking…”
Jared
cut him off with a wave of his hand. “I hope those aren’t the only reasons you
like me.” A frown crossed his face. “’Cause I’m a mediocre player at best, and
looks don’t last forever. I act the way I do because my father raised me to be
assertive even when I’m not entirely sure of myself. So I can present a
confident image, you know? Maybe you should try it sometime.”
“Uh…um,
okay,” Connor replied weakly. An awkward silence descended while he worked on
swallowing the lump in his throat.
Jared’s
expression softened. He leaned in, his lips grazing Connor’s temple. “Sorry. I
didn’t mean to interrupt you like that. So, you were saying, you like me
because I’m a popular athlete?” Despite the teasing smile, something sober
colored his voice.
“N-no.
I mean, th-those weren’t the reasons I like you. Just why I was so shocked you
liked me.”
Jared
rolled his eyes. “We’ve covered that territory. Let’s move on.”
Nodding,
Connor slipped his hand up Jared’s chest, absentmindedly tracing an infinity
sign along his ribs. When he realized what he was doing he hurriedly tucked the
hand away, as it clearly could not be trusted out in the open. “Well, you’re a
lot more than just good-looking. You’re…nice to me. You’re nice to everyone, as
far as I know. And you’re really…patient.” He hid an embarrassed smile in a
convenient lump of comforter.
“I
don’t know that I’m always so patient…but you’re worth it.” Jared pushed in to
kiss Connor’s nose. He yawned when he was through, arching his back against the
bed and giving Connor a glimpse of tan skin peeking out from under his shirt. “Hey,
would it be really weird if we took a little nap? I’m feeling kinda beat today.”
He didn’t wait for a response before pulling Connor against him in a
near-smothering embrace. “Wake me in like fifteen.”
Jared
drifted off easily, his breaths slipping into an even rhythm, his dark lashes
fluttering every so often beneath twitching lids. Not wanting to miss a minute
of his sleeping form, Connor fought to keep his eyes open. He wasn’t
exactly comfortable, but he remained still so as not to disturb Jared. Besides,
comfort was overrated if the alternative was being in Jared’s arms.
At
some point he must have dozed off, though, because the next thing he knew Jared
was sitting up and stretching.
“Hey,
I’d better get going. But I’ll be back for our next tutoring session.” He
chuckled. “This is a lot more enjoyable than hanging out at the athletic hall—not
that I minded that all that much.”
Connor
sat up as well, already missing the proximity to Jared’s body. “If…if you want,
I can still help you…with your anthro stuff.”
“I’ll
probably take you up on that.” Jared leaned over to plant what was quickly
becoming his customary goodbye kiss on Connor’s waiting lips. “See ya later,
bro.”
***
For
the first time since they’d met, Rebecca’s familiar form was missing from the
lunch table the next day. Connor approached hesitantly, his feet slowing as the
distance narrowed. He considered hanging back for a while to see if Rebecca came
late, but Chrissy looked up and caught sight of him.
She
patted the empty chair by her side. “Becca’s working on some project for her
film editing class, but she told us not to gang up on you for joining that hive
mind of music called orchestra.” She paused, putting a thoughtful finger to her
lips. “Or maybe she just told me that.”
Connor
blinked.
Tate
shook his head. “Seriously, you know you just ignore her when she says stuff
like that, right?”
There
was no way to escape now, so Connor shrugged and took his seat.
“You
know,
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