Chapter Five
Author: Keishi
BIG FAT WARNING:
Contains m/m relationships
ONLY read if you are of age and open-minded!!
Gade was almost asleep in his bed, wearing only boxers, when he heard something strike his window. He groaned to himself, knowing exactly who it was, and threw on a t-shirt before sliding the window open and sticking his head out.
"What the fuck?" he barely had time to say, when he suddenly found himself with an armful of red-headed best friend. Tumbling backwards onto his bed, the pair scrambled for a second, arms and legs untangling as Drayne tried to regain his balance and Gade tried not to blush too hard at where Drayne's hands currently were.
"Dude, what the hell? It's--" Gade glanced quickly at his bedside alarm clock, "almost two o'clock in the fuckin' morning!" he whispered sharply.
Finally disentangling himself from Gade, Drayne sat on his knees on the small twin bed. "I wanted to know what happened today after school," he said without preamble.
Gade ran a hand through his hair, untying where he'd pulled it back to go to sleep. It tumbled forward, effectively obscuring his face. He felt like Drayne at that moment. "So you, what, climbed up my tree to _fall_ into my room? Normally you just stay at the bottom."
"Well, I wanted to see you," Drayne said quietly, his face flushed. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to climb that monstrosity you call a tree? It must be a hundred years old!"
"Most likely," Gade muttered, shifting so his legs were underneath the covers. He nearly squeaked when Drayne pulled the blanket over his own body, snuggling close. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked for the millionth time that night, it seemed.
"Are you avoiding me?" Drayne ignored Gade's repeated question. "Because if you are, I think I have a right to know why." He pressed his forehead to Gade's and stared into his eyes.
Gade shifted away, uncomfortable. They were so close, they could have... Shaking his thoughts away, Gade said, "No, of course I'm not avoiding you. Why would you think that?" he asked his pillow, which he'd unconsciously pulled into his lap and began yanking at the frayed ends of its case.
"Because you're doing it right now," Drayne answered quietly, staring at Gade through his bangs.
"Am not," Gade scoffed.
"Then look at me."
Gade slowly raised his eyes to meet Drayne's. The pale grey eyes glinted silver in the soft moonlight coming through the window. The silvery light cast Drayne in palest white, his hair muted and his gaze expressive, mouth generous. He was achingly beautiful to Gade, and close, so damn close it was beginning to affect Gade in what he deemed unnatural ways. He wanted to touch that face, breathe in his scent, hear that pale, long throat make noises just for him, just for Gade.
"What are you doing?"
Gade snapped his head back. "N-nothing." He hadn't realized he had moved closer, was almost a breath apart from kissing his best friend when Drayne had snapped him out of his trance. Those pouty, kissable lips were frowning at him, confused. "I wasn't doing anything," he reiterated.
"Yeah, okay." Drayne looked concernedly at his friend, but shrugged it off. "So... are we... y'know, cool?"
Gade smiled faintly. "Yeah, man, we've always been cool. I've just had a lot on my mind lately."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Nah, that's alright. Hey, how did you get out anyway? Parents not watching you like a hawk, as always?"
Drayne smiled wide, showing fang. "Parentals have left the building, dude. I guess they trust me enough to let me stay home alone now. I came home to two hundred bucks and a note saying they went on a cruise to the Keys for a week and to behave myself."
"Totally sweet!"
"I know!" Drayne bounced up and down on the bed, lightly touching Gade's shoulders to keep balance. "You'll stay over, right? The note said no guests, but surely they knew I'd invite _you_ over."
"Definitely!" Gade whispered excitedly, for a moment forgetting just why he'd been avoiding Drayne in the first place. He bounced quietly with Drayne until the latter fell over, grabbing Gade at the last second and dragging him along. Laughing, they ended up with Gade on top, Drayne grinning stupidly up at him, his hair falling away from his forehead. Gade's own hair tumbled over his shoulders to tickle Drayne's face. The redhead scrunched his nose up cutely at the sensation. Gade's heart melted at the sight.
Throwing caution to the wind, Gade leaned down, one hand moving to cup Drayne's face. His eyes widened when Drayne, still smiling, turned his cheek into the caress. A spark of happiness entered Gade's heart for a brief moment, as he thought Drayne might possibly return his feelings. He leaned down further, mouths centimeters apart, intent on kissing his redheaded best friend.
"I got a date for this Friday." The words were blurted out.
Gade paused, hovering over Drayne, and blinked. "What?" he said cautiously, leaning up to straddle the smaller boy.
"That's what I wanted to tell you earlier!" Drayne said excitedly, eyes a bit too bright. He sat up, his legs still pinned under Gade's weight. "You know that girl we saw in the mall? She _does_ go to our school! She's a transfer student from Hillsboro and she sits next to me in Trig and AP English, and, man, is she cool. We have the same taste in music, and she asked me to the movies Friday night to see that new Tarantino film." Drayne paused to regain his breath. "And--"
"Wait," Gade interrupted, holding up a hand. He moved off of Drayne's legs. "So, you're telling me," he said slowly, "that you have a _girlfriend_ now?"
"Well, kinda--"
"No 'kinda' about it, man. Either she's your girlfriend or she's not." Gade's voice was final.
Drayne fisted the bedcovers, looking down. "It's more complicated than that, but..." he sighed. "Fine, she's my girlfriend," he said dully.
"You hardly even know her," Gade accused, voice icy.
"What is your deal?" Drayne shot back, looking fiercely into Gade's narrow green eyes. "I thought you'd be happy for me; after all, you were the one who said it was unnatural that I didn't like a girl!"
"That was before!"
"Before WHAT?!"
"Before--" Gade cut himself off, closing his eyes. He exhaled slowly. "I think you should go."
"Gade!"
"Please!"
Drayne looked at his best friend for a long moment, hurt and confusion written all across his features. "Can't you just tell me what I did wrong?" The words came out pained.
Gade looked away, eyes wounded. "Trust me when I say its not you."
Drayne glanced one last time at Gade, eyes large. Gade felt like his heart was breaking, but he couldn't bring himself to face the redhead. Without a word, Drayne slipped off the bed. He paused at the door. "I'll just go out the back door," he said quietly. Gade only nodded. Drayne left, closing the door softly behind him.
Gade curled up into a ball, willing the tears not to fall from his eyes. They fell anyway.
--
"Goddammit!" Gade punched his locker hard, not even registering the pain shooting up his arm. The chipped blue paint did nothing to prevent a fist- sized dent from working its way into the metal. It was the end of the day, and he hadn't even seen Drayne yet, despite waiting for him outside of his last class. Apparently Drayne had cut, or not shown up to school at all, which worried Gade a great deal. He sighed and turned, sliding down his locker to land crouched on the floor. His hair fell into his eyes, irritating him further; he pushed it back, annoyed.
It had been two days since Drayne had come into his bedroom, uninvited and worried about him. Two days since Gade had yelled at him, and probably made Drayne feel like shit. And he had no one to talk to about it. Or, almost no one.
"Gade!" The brunet turned toward the voice, groaning softly at the blond head that bobbed down the hall toward him. Wilhelm Jones stopped in front of Gade, hand proffered in front of him. "What's up, man?"
"Nothing much, Will," Gade said automatically, despite his scowl. Wilhelm was a friend, a good one, too; one that could get Gade a late pass in the blink of an eye, no questions asked. But as far as confidantes went, Will lacked a certain something. Mainly, the ability to keep his mouth shut.
Ignoring Will's hand, Gade got up on his own. It was also a rule of thumb among the rest of the guys to avoid contact with Wilhelm at all costs. The older boy was quite a tease, and loved making everyone flustered. And he meant _everyone_.
"Where's Drayne been?" Will asked conversationally, falling into step beside the shorter Gade as he trailed reluctantly up the hallway, shoving his hair behind his ears again.
"We had a fight," Gade said monotonously, not looking at Will. The blond hiked an eyebrow up at him.
"Lover's spat?" Will asked mischievously.
"Fuck. You." Gade spat.
Will laughed, "Maybe later." He ignored the death glare Gade gave him. "So then where are Those Who Make Us Look Like Floundering Prepubescent Idiots? I need Trig notes."
Gade blinked owlishly up at him. "What?" he asked dumbly.
"The Bobsey Twins. Y'know, Joined-At-The-Groin? The Amazing Assfuck Duo?"
"Oh, Sebastian and Chasey," Gade said slowly. "Dude, who _knows_ where they are? Today's their two-year anniversary; they're probably fucking as we speak."
"Mmm," Will said noncommittally, scratching at what he affectionately called his 'chin pubes.' Out of everyone in the school, Gade thought Will the crudest, loudest, nosiest, and all-around sweetest, most loyal friend a guy could have. His crass outward appearance usually offended most people, until you got to know him better and realized that he only said things for the shock value. Hell, for years he'd rubbed Gade the wrong way, until Drayne had set him straight. No pun intended. Gade scowled.
"You know," Will spoke, breaking Gade out of his thoughts, "Chasey asked me to join in once."
Gade stared up at Will. "You're shitting me."
"Au contraire, or whatever the fuck I just said. Chasey asked me quite openly if I'd like to be in the middle of a Sebastian/Chasey sandwich. I of course said, 'No thanks, as much as I'd like to fuck those sweet asscheeks of yours, Chasey, my bunghole is for export only.' He was quite disappointed."
"And you're lying out of your virgin ass," Gade quipped.
Will just shrugged, then grinned wolfishly. With one flat palm, he pushed Gade to the wall, then pressed his taller, thicker form flush against him, growling lowly in his throat. Gade tried to push Will away, but he was held fast, the blond looking down at him predatorily. Raising his arms, he used one hand to pin Gade's wrists over his head, the other tracing his jawline. "I said I'd never let Sebastian get a piece of me," he purred, "but I certainly wouldn't mind a romp in the hay with you, McKay."
Gade turned his face away, scowling, strategizing. With one swift motion he twisted in Will's grasp, wrenching his wrists free and kneeing his friend in the stomach. "Fuck, Jones! How many times do I have to tell you?! I. Ain't. Interested."
Looking up from where he was doubled over, relearning how to breathe, Will raised an eyebrow. "And if I had red hair?"
Gade punched Will on the shoulder lightly, then helped his friend regain his balance. "You'd have to have more than that, dude. Like breasts, first thing."
Will coughed, then began laughing. "Since-- ah fuck, you really kick _hard_. Since when has Drayne had tits, man?"
Gade stood stock-still, eyes wide and locked on Will. "What the fuck are you talking about?" he asked weakly, the words forced out of his throat.
Will just grinned knowingly at him, saying nothing. Suddenly, someone shouted "Will!" from further down the hallway, breaking their staring contest. They both turned at the call.
A girl with short black hair and blonde streaks was half-walking, half- jogging toward them. Gade's eyes widened. It was the girl from the mall. It was Drayne's new girlfriend.
"Theo!" Will said, amiably. The girl ran up to him and into his arms, enveloped in a giant bear hug. Gade stood off to the side, confused and a little angry. He coughed.
Almond-shaped aquamarine eyes turned toward Gade, smiling in recognition. "Oh! You're Gade, right? Drayne's told me all about you!"
"Pardon my manners," said Will, suddenly all chivalrous. "Yes, that's Gade, Drayne's best bud and occasional fuck buddy." Gade nearly choked at that. "Mind you, I've already had the pleasure of Gade's company, carnally speaking of course, and I must say he's got quite the talented mouth."
"Fucking liar," Gade interjected, red creeping up his face. Theo smiled, showing Gade she knew Will was kidding.
"Oh, look, he's blushing," gushed Will. "Anyway," swinging his gaze down to Theo, "Gade, this is Theadora, otherwise known as Theo. She's my cousin."
Smiling a bit painfully at the girl, Gade held out his hand, shaking her smaller one. "What, no embarrassing descriptions for your cousin?" he asked Will.
"And make fun of my family? That's just uncouth!" Will looked indignant.
Theo smiled wide, scarily reminiscent of her cousin's famous grin. "He also knows I've got wicked blackmail on him."
Gade was beginning to like this girl, despite the fact that by default, he should hate her. Dammit.
"So, anyway, I was just about to beg Will to take me out for a pizza, and maybe some DDR." She flashed that bright smile up at the blond, who looked suddenly pain-stricken. "Want to come along? Drayne said he'd meet me later."
"Uh, no that's okay," Gade said, backing away slowly, despite really wanting to ask where Drayne had been. "I gotta get home, tons of homework, y'know. Thanks, though!" With a wave, he turned and trotted off down the hallway.
Will and Theo watched his retreating form silently, puzzled. She turned to Will, "I guess he really had to go." Will just shrugged, and steered her toward the parking lot.
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