User: jenish (posted by fizzyblogic) Date: 2007-11-11 14:21 Subject: Or, What You Will [3/7] Security: Public

Or, What You Will
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* * *

Tuesday was Nick’s early finish day, when his last period was a planning period, so he basically finished up at one twenty-five. Most Tuesdays he spent the last hour at school, though, working on the lesson plans for the next few days, getting as much of his paperwork done as possible so he didn’t have to take any home.

On that particular Tuesday, after a weekend spent partly at Mike and Chris’s suppressing the simultaneous urges to drive as far away as possible and proposition them for a threesome, and partly at home watching movies with Robyn and Toad and Jeff (because Jeff’s fiancée was visiting her parents and Nick had not hung out with Jeff at the weekend for almost three weeks) Nick realised at lunch time that his cell phone had been stolen by one of the kids. It had been left to languish at the bottom of a paint tin and was discovered during a freshman art class, when it had almost been poured out into a paper tray.

So he spent his free period and the rest of the afternoon at first trying to salvage what he could of the phone, but at last giving up and driving into town to find a cell phone store. It took him a lot longer than he’d thought it possibly could to buy a new phone and have it activated, so he only had enough time to program in Robyn’s number and John’s, both of which he knew from memory, before he had to get ready for his second date with Tyson.

This time, he dressed even more carefully. It was a nice bar, so he felt okay with wearing a pair of his more casual suit pants. The kind that said hey, he was well-dressed, but he wasn’t afraid to have a good relaxing time either. He coupled those with his favourite pair of boots, which had the added advantage of the very small heel that put him at an even height with Tyson. Then he picked out a well-cut black shirt that sidled up to you and stated, softly, “Well hello there. Care for a small chatette?” He laid them out on the bed, after making it up with new sheets, shook out the curtains, wiped the windows, hoovered the floor, and took the basket to the laundry room. Then he showered, brushed his teeth, cleaned the bath and the floor, got the specks of toothpaste off the mirror, and finally got dressed, his towel hanging over the heater.

Robyn would be at Toad’s that night. He swept his eyes one last time over his bedroom and decided it was good enough. He gathered the few glasses that had been left out in the living room and put them in the dishwasher. He wiped the kitchen counters down, checked the clock again, and concluded that he wouldn’t be too early if he left right then.

There was a pleasant breeze in the air. The bar was only ten blocks away, so he walked it, drinking in the scents of the trees lining the streets. The route took a gentle downhill slope, and he felt good. He felt like a guy who was going to finally fucking get laid tonight.

When he got to the bar, he ordered a glass of wine and sat up on one of the high stools, positioned near enough to the door that Tyson would see him even if the place was crowded, but not so close it looked like he was waiting for someone. He sipped his drink and watched the other bar goers. A couple who were obviously still in the first flushes were sitting at a table near him, their ankles slowly entwining as they gazed into each other’s eyes and she played with her straw. A group of women, one of whom was in a wedding dress and another in a supposedly nurse’s uniform, gathered at the bar and loudly ordered cocktails. A man who looked to be in his late thirties was sitting in one corner, resolutely reading a book. To Nick, sitting there feeling detached from the scene, it seemed like a small act of rebellion.

He noticed himself getting existential and thoughtful, so he ordered another glass of wine and tried not to sneak too many glances at his watch.

After a while, the couple left, probably to go home and have sex. The group of loud women in costumes also left, gleefully shouting something about a club. The man with the book read on. Nick looked at his watch. Tyson was twenty minutes late, he’d give him another five. Tyson was half an hour late, maybe his taxi had got stuck in traffic. Tyson was forty-five minutes late, perhaps it had taken him a while to find one.

Tyson was an hour late.

Tyson, Nick realised, had stood him up.

He drained his glass and got up. The book-reading man gave him a tiny smile as he left, but Nick just grunted in return. He walked the ten blocks back, the air colder, his shirt too thin, too wide open at the neck. He let himself in and saw the empty living room, the too-clean bedroom, the sparkling bathroom.

He flung himself onto the couch and found his episodes of Good Eats on the TiVo. At least Alton Brown had never let him down. Alton wouldn’t stand you up after making you think he liked you. Alton would cook you delicious potato bakes and woo you with vegetables. Nick hugged the remote and thought about putting an ad in the personals. Wanted: a guy like Alton Brown. Glasses optional.

Maybe it was time for the ice cream.

He was just doling out three scoops and drizzling chocolate sauce onto them when he heard the front door open. “Rob?” he called, wondering if she and Toad had had a fight. He hoped not. “What are you doing home, I thought you were –”

“Nick, where have you been?” Robyn stood in the kitchen doorway, her hair awry from where she’d just yanked off her hat. “Didn’t you get our messages?”

“What – no, my phone took a bath in some paint, I had to get a new one – what messages? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, it’s Kim. She’s in the hospital.”

Nick dropped his spoon. “Shit, what happened, is she okay?”

“She was in a car accident this morning, on her way to that interview. The other guy was alright, but Kim – she broke some bones, there was some kind of bruising, the doctors said she’s lucky she didn’t puncture a lung – she’ll be okay, they’re just keeping her in to make sure. But she’ll be alright.”

“Shit.” Nick grasped the counter for something to do. “Is she – can I go see her, is it –”

“It’s too late tonight, they made us leave. Tyson said he’ll go back tomorrow morning before work, he’s starting read-throughs but the hours are weird. I said I’d go in after school.”

“Yeah, yeah I’ll come with you.” Nick stopped. “Wait, Tyson was there?”

“Yeah, he’s been there since this morning. Y-- oh.” Robyn’s hand flew to her mouth. “You – you thought he stood you up?”

“Um. Yeah.” Nick moved so he was standing in front of the ice cream bowl, but Robyn had already seen it.

“And you – wow,” she said, craning her neck to look around him, “chocolate sauce? Were you going to put sprinkles on?”

“Um.” Nick examined the floor. It was pretty clean, but he’d probably need to go over it again at the weekend.

“Wow.” Robyn was looking at him, soft, when he glanced back up. “You really like him, don’t you?”

“I don’t – I don’t know him, Rob,” Nick sighed. “I always feel like he’s playing a game with me. But I guess I, I mean – I kind of want to see him again,” he admitted.

Robyn put her arm around his shoulders. “He really likes you too, you know. He was going frantic when he couldn’t get hold of you, but when Kim said he should go find you and explain, he refused to leave her bedside. He’s really sweet, I swear to you.”

“Maybe around Kim,” he shook his head. “But every time he talks to me, it’s like – I don’t know, it gets weird. And really intense. I’m not sure I want to do intense, y’know?”

Robyn shook her head in exasperation. “My God you’re so picky.” She squeezed his side in a quick half-hug. “I love you, you weirdo.”

“I love you too. Weirdo yourself. You going over to Toad’s tonight?”

“Yeah, is that okay?” Nick nodded, so she kissed his cheek and put her hat back on. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“Have a good night,” Nick called after her. He grabbed the sprinkles out of the cupboard and went back to his TiVo.

He drove Robyn to the hospital after school the next day, since her car was still at Toad’s and Toad was having a football night with some of his friends. He’d run out at lunch time and returned with a Get Well Soon card he’d passed around the faculty room. He pressed it into Nick’s hands when school ended that day and told him to give Kim his love. Robyn blew a kiss to him as he drove off, and he cheerfully blew one back.

“Things with you and Kevin are getting kind of serious, huh?” Nick asked, as Robyn buckled her seatbelt.

“Thank you,” she said, quiet. “You called him Kevin.”

Nick shrugged. “He doesn’t mind me calling him Toad, right?”

“No, no, he thinks it’s neat, it’s just. Sometimes it’s like I’m the only one who uses his name,” she shrugged.

“Isn’t that,” Nick faltered but carried on, “kind of nice, though? I mean, that you have this – special thing that only you get to do?”

Robyn patted his leg. “You really miss having a boyfriend, don’t you?” she said, sympathetic. Nick just nodded.

“I’m a house cat,” he reminded her. They had once had a three-day-long discussion of what animal they’d be, and both had agreed that Nick would be a cat. Most of the three days had been devoted to what kind of cat he’d be; it had quickly been established that Robyn would be a tigress, and once that was agreed there was nothing either could add to it. In the end, they had concluded that Nick would be a tabby, one of those ones with dark stripes, a few ginger patches, and white paws. Robyn had then sketched him as a cat, with the glasses he occasionally wore for reading perched on its whiskers, and coloured the drawing in with pencils. Nick had had it framed, and it still hung near his wardrobe.

It took them a few minutes to find a parking space in the hospital’s lot, and when they passed by the shop inside it they bought a bunch of flowers, so by the time they finally got to Kim’s room a nurse ushered them out again straight away, saying that Kim needed her regular checks but it would only take a few minutes. They waited outside, Nick holding onto the card and Robyn sniffing at the flowers. Brittany showed up right before the nurse called them back in.

“Hi baby,” Brittany said, her voice hushed, as she leaned over and kissed Kim’s cheek. Nick edged around the bed and sat in one of the chairs on the other side of it. He smiled at her and held out the card.

“This is from everyone at school. Toad sends his love,” he added. Kim smiled as she opened the envelope and read all the messages inside.

“I haven’t even met most of these people,” she said. Her voice sounded slightly hoarse.

“Well, they’re all thinking of you,” Robyn told her, gentle.

“That’s really nice of them.” Kim sounded grateful, and kind of content. She patted Brittany’s hand and said, “Listen, girls, can I have a minute with Nick?”

“Sure, honey,” Brittany replied. “We’ll just be outside, okay?”

“Thanks. I love you,” Kim called after them both as they left. She turned to Nick when the door had closed.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. “You … look pretty beat up.” He tried not to wince, but mentally kicked himself. She just laughed.

“I had a fight with a car,” she said, grinning a little. She leaned closer and added, in a conspiratorial sort of voice, “It didn’t win.”

“Good.” Nick couldn’t help grinning back. “Rob said you’ll be okay, that – the doctors said you’ll be fine.”

“Oh, I will. Quit stalling, you know I want to talk to you about Tyson.” Kim was watching him closely, and Nick blushed.

“Uh. Okay then.” He shifted in his seat.

“He told me you blew him off at the end of your first date,” she said, sitting up carefully. He held her pillows for her and tried to arrange them comfortably. “Thanks, it’s okay, I’ve got it. So – what happened?”

Nick blew the air out of his cheeks. “Well, it – the date was okay, I guess. He’s just – he’s a little intense, y’know? And it was just kind of … weird. Like he was playing some big game but nobody told me the rules. Does … that make any sense?”

Kim was watching him, thoughtful. “Yeah, you know what, it does.” She paused. “Why’d you give him a second chance?”

Nick sat back and looked up at the ceiling for a second. “He called me at my school, Kim. He … I don’t know, I just thought –” He looked at her quickly, and then down at his lap. “I thought maybe he liked me. And, I don’t know, I kind of just wanted to see if – if it could go anywhere. But I guess, I mean – it didn’t happen, and he’s just so weird, like – he puts on these voices,” he said, talking faster, leaning forward and watching her eyes, “he talks to everyone differently. I just don’t think he’s being him when he talks to me, and I’m … to be honest, okay, I’m kind of desperate. But I’m not that desperate.”

Kim didn’t say anything for a minute. She just nodded, and looked over at the wall. Nick played with his cuffs nervously, wishing she would speak. At last, she said, “I spent all weekend with Ty, and he didn’t bring anyone home. That hasn’t happened … since I’ve known the guy, basically.” She looked at him. “I don’t know if it means anything, he’s kind of been taking care of me, but –”

“Taking care of you? Are you okay?” Nick thought that, aside from the bruising and the casts on her arm and leg, she looked fine.

“I thought I was getting sick, and either I was and all the meds Ty gave me made it go away, or I wasn’t and I just had a nice weekend in bed. But yeah, Ty’s been making soup and we’ve watched old movies and stuff.”

“Really? Does he like old movies?” Nick didn’t realise he was leaning forward eagerly until she laughed.

“You know, me and Rob wanted to set you up because you were both so annoying. We figured you’d hate each other, but God, you should see you two. I don’t think Ty even realises it, but he likes you a lot.”

“We were annoying?” Nick thought about it for a minute. “Well, I guess, I mean – I can be kind of a bitch sometimes.”

“Especially, according to Rob, when you haven’t gotten laid in forever. And Ty is always bringing home these bright young boythings who screw him and get fake phone numbers if they ask for one. He screws around, Nick. I don’t mean that he’d cheat on a boyfriend, but he hasn’t had a boyfriend in his entire life. To be totally honest with you, it was sort of a … payback thing, that first date. Because Tyson doesn’t date and you’re really picky, but – I guess it backfired, because Tyson really likes you and now he thinks he’s blown it.”

“Well.” Nick swallowed. “He kind of has. I – he screws around?”

Kim reached out and patted his hand. “Nick, I don’t know you all that well. Not as well as I’d like, maybe. But even I can see that you like him, and he likes you, so – why don’t you give him another chance?”

“Because he’s weird and he’s playing some dumb game and he screws around,” Nick answered, “and I just don’t want that.”

“What do you want?”

Most people ask that question as if they want to know the answer, but they don’t, and it’s clear that they don’t. Kim, however, asked because she really did want to know, so Nick sighed and said, “I guess, just … a good boyfriend. Someone like Toad is for Rob, y’know? Like Brittany is for you, although that’s girlfriend, but you know what I mean.”

Kim shrugged. “Partner. Same thing.”

“Right. I just, I kind of miss having that, y’know?”

“A kind of sense of belonging.” She looked almost close to tears, and he made a clumsy movement as if to hug her or wipe them away or stand up, or something in between.

“Hey, I’m – sorry, hey, are you okay?”

“People keep asking me that lately,” Kim said, sounding as if she didn’t know whether to sigh or laugh.

“Maybe you should talk to them,” Nick suggested, hoping it was the right thing to say.

“Yeah. Maybe. Hey, could you call the girls back in?”

“Yeah. And – and thanks.” He stood up and made to move towards the door, but she grabbed his wrist loosely.

“Will you be friends with him, at least? He’s a good friend, I promise.”

Nick realised he was smiling. “I’d like that.” She let go of his wrist; he patted hers affectionately and a little awkwardly, and then he went to call the girls back in.

On the way back home, Robyn asked him, “What did Kim want to talk to you about?”

“Tyson,” he answered. “Yeah, that whole thing’s … not really happening. But we’re gonna be friends, I hope.”

“Yeah?” She sat back and watched the streetlights go past. “I’m glad.”

* * *

Kim lay in silence for a while, after visiting hours had finished and Brittany and Robyn and Nick had gone home. Tyson wasn’t due to finish read-throughs for another half hour, but he’d already arranged to come in and visit after that, so she waited.

The hospital sounds settled around her and she listened until they melted into a background burr. A soothing murmur, almost, of squeaking footsteps and wheels and beeps and voices in another room. Her eyes drifted closed to the swish swish of distant hospital gowns.

When she woke up, Tyson was sitting next to her bed, holding her hand. “Hey, how’s my girl?” he asked, smiling at her softly, and she had a moment of perfect clarity and a thought that came with it: He’d be so happy with Nick. She tried to push away the tinge of sadness.

“I’m doing okay,” she answered. “How was work?”

“Thrilling,” he replied, half wry and half excited. “Although going on first impressions, I am not going to get on with my leading lady. But since she made it clear that she wants a stunt double for the kissing scenes, I’m guessing it goes both ways.”

“Oh Ty,” Kim sighed. “Was she horribly obnoxious?”

“Very. She called me a fag, and not affectionately. Just because – remember that party six months ago, with the dude’s house that had a spiral palm tree up his staircase? And remember the guy who was serving the vol-au-vents, how I ended up having sex with him in the pool? Yeah, apparently that was her brother, and she doesn’t approve.”

“Why, was he upset or something?”

“No, he’s on the cast, my character’s love interest’s cousin’s next-door neighbour, or something, he was fine. Said it was nice to see me again and I was looking good. I said the same to him. No, she just doesn’t want her baby brother to be gay.”

“Wow. Okay, yeah, permission to hate her.” Kim shook her head. “So hey, unless something else happened at work, I have something to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” Tyson shifted closer, tilting towards her quizzically. Kim almost patted him on the head, but thought better of it.

“Nick was here earlier. And I talked to him and … I’m sorry, Ty, he just doesn’t want to date you.”

“Oh.” Tyson sat back. “Oh. Um. Okay? Did he say why?”

“Yeah, he uh – he said you were kind of weird and intense, and he felt like you were playing games with him or something, and he’s not into that. He wants a boyfriend, Ty. And I … kind of told him that you screw around, so uh. Not – not that you’d cheat or anything, just sleeping with a lot of different guys. So. Sorry about that.”

“Oh.” Tyson nodded, a short movement. “No, that’s, yeah, that’s okay. Okay then. Good to know.”

“He did say he’d like to be friends, though. He likes you, he just … he’s looking for different … things.” Her voice trailed off as he shot her a wounded look.

“That’s bullshit. That’s one of those stupid bullshit things boyfriends say – you’re just not what I’m looking for right now, I need to find out about me, I want some space – bull. Shit.” He looked at her. “Tell me straight. Please.”

Kim looked back at him. “He wants commitment, Tyson. He wants a boyfriend who’ll be there and hang out with him. Someone to have communication with. You don’t do that, and he didn’t need me to tell him that. He’d already guessed.” She sighed. “But you should see his face when your name gets mentioned, Ty. He likes you, he really does.”

“Right. Right. Well, I guess, yeah. I guess it wouldn’t work out, I mean – yeah.” Tyson was looking at his lap. She squeezed his hand.

“But you two can be friends, and you can carry on having sex with as many boythings as you want,” she pointed out.

“They’re not boythings,” Tyson protested. “They’re – they’re Rich and Marco and Johnny and Taylor and Harry. These guys have names, okay?”

“I know, I’m sorry. But you can just do your thing with all the Richs and Marcos and Johnnys in Los Angeles, and you’ve got another friend now. Okay?”

“Right.” Tyson was still looking down at his lap. “Right.” Finally, he looked up, and he gave her a tight smile. “It’s all good.”

Kim opened her arms, and he leaned over to hug her. “Exactly,” she said, glad he couldn’t see her face. “It’s all good.”

* * *

Nick decided, after the whole Tyson thing, that he may as well make it official that he was desperate, and signed up for a dating website. The first four guys who sent him messages made him want to burn his computer just to get far enough away from them, but the fifth one sounded nice. A normal, down-to-earth kind of a guy, who liked music and movies and worked for a computer company. Nick sent him a message back and they arranged to meet up for a date.

Robyn hovered over his shoulder as he tried to pick out something to wear. “What happened to all this ‘I’ll never go on a date with someone I don’t know’ shit?”

“You set me up with Tyson,” he pointed out, moving hangars aside and holding up a red shirt. “Too much?”

“Mmm. Muted colours would be better, like …” She reached into the wardrobe and pulled out a silky dark brown shirt. “How about this one?”

He shrugged. “Alright.”

Toad managed not to snigger when he said to have a good night as Nick left, and Robyn just waved anxiously. Nick got a taxi, figuring that at least he could drink if it turned out to be a disaster.

The date, in fact, went well. Much better than any date Nick had had in a long while. They didn’t run out of topics of conversation, there were barely any awkward pauses, and the guy really was very cute. All the same, when the night ended, Nick kissed him and said it had been fun but he had to work in the morning. The guy looked disappointed, but nodded and said alright then.

The same thing happened with the next guy he met on the website; the date went well, the conversation barely stopped, and Nick laughed more in one night than he had in the previous week. But when it came to it, he just didn’t want to invite this stranger back home.

“What the fuck is wrong with me?” he moaned to Robyn, sprawled out on the couch and half over her legs. She was petting his knees soothingly. “I meet a nice guy, he’s funny and great, we hit it off, he’s interested, I’m not uninterested, but then I just … say fucking goodnight.” He dropped his arm over his eyes. “I am doomed. Doomed to be an old spinster fag with a million cats and two teeth between us.”

Robyn sighed. “You w-” she began, but just then Nick’s phone rang.

“Um,” Nick said, reading the display, “it’s Tyson.”

“I’ll be in my room, okay?” Robyn patted his shins and left while Nick pressed the ‘answer call’ button.

“Hey, hi,” he said, feeling his stomach swoop.

“Hi.” Tyson’s voice sounded different, and it took Nick a couple of seconds to realise that was because there was no seduction in it. “I was just … calling to ask how it’s going. Y’know. How are you?”

He sounded awkward, and a little hopeful, and he definitely wasn’t coming onto him. Nick felt relieved, but not as much as he’d thought he would. “Oh, you know. I just had a couple dates, not sure if either will go anywhere. You?”

“Uh.” Tyson sounded kind of taken aback. “Yeah, no, I – there’s this guy at work, the dolly grip? He’s really cute. Was thinking of making some moves.”

“Right, yeah.” Nick felt as though he were sinking, and squeezed his eyes shut. “Sounds, uh. Good, yeah.”

There was a pause so awkward Nick was amazed it didn’t become solid and grow legs. “Can we start again?” Tyson asked at last, and Nick let the breath he’d been holding out.

“Yeah, yeah that sounds good. Listen, I hear your hours are crazy or something, but if you’re free this weekend maybe we could go for coffee somewhere? Just,” he added quickly, “just as friends, you know, not a date.”

“That sounds good. I’m free uh, how about Sunday afternoon? I could pick you up from your place, we could just see where we end up.”

“Yeah, great idea. Okay, so I’ll … see you Sunday – about three?”

“Three’s good. Yeah, I’ll see you then.”

“Yeah. Okay then.” Nick risked opening his eyes, and saw Robyn standing in the doorway. “See you then.” He hung up, and moved his legs so she could sit down again.

She didn’t sit down. “You need some ice cream?”

He shook his head. “We’re going for coffee on Sunday. Just as friends, you know.”

“Yeah.” Robyn sat, watching his face carefully. “You sure you don’t need ice cream? You look a little … low-fat soya worthy.”

“No, I’m okay, I’m just.” He sighed. “I’m doomed,” he repeated, slumping further into the cushions.

She held up the remote. “On a scale of Doctor Who to Muppets, how bad is it?”

He considered, carefully. “I’d say about a Columbo.”

“Columbo it is.” He bent his legs so she could get up, and kept them bent while she picked out the right DVD and started it up. She sat down again, and he stretched across her thighs.

“Toad coming over later?” he asked, as the menu screen started up.

“Yeah, his brother’s leaving in about,” she checked her watch, “an hour. Kevin’s going to see him off at the airport and come here.”

“Cool. I think my earplugs are still working.” He shot her a grin, and she thumped his leg with a loose fist.

“Ass.”

Kim was allowed home from the hospital that Friday, so Nick, Robyn and Toad went over with wine, pretzels and another bunch of flowers. Robyn also gave her a stuffed bear with “I ♥ you” stitched into its stomach. When Brittany started asking them what take-out they’d like for dinner, Nick offered to cook something instead.

“Take him up on it,” Toad told them. “I swear, if I swung that way, I would sleep with him just for his mushroom risotto. It’s tempting as it is.”

Nick puckered his lips and Robyn poked him on the arm. “Don’t you go stealing my boyfriend with your food,” she giggled. He put an arm around her.

“It’s okay, you’d just steal him back with that outfit I saw in your laundry yesterday.”

“Oh God.” Robyn buried her face in her hands. Toad was obviously trying not to grin too hard. “Shoot me now. This is like my brother finding out.”

Nick patted her on the arm, holding down laughter. “Honey, I think your brother’s gathered by now that you don’t just snuggle.” His voice cracked, a fraction of a laugh escaping.

“Oh don’t,” Robyn groaned, hiding in Toad’s shoulder. He was shaking with silent laughter already, and then another part of the same laugh made its way past Nick’s throat, and then all five of them were laughing.

Over the noise came the sound of the front door closing. “Hey, what’s funny?” Tyson asked as he shucked his jacket off. He dropped into the chair next to Kim’s and kissed her on the temple.

Brittany pointed at Robyn and said, through her giggles, “She has sex with Toad.” All five of them burst into fresh laughter. Tyson shook his head.

“I guess you had to be there, right?”

Toad composed himself enough to say, “Nick – Nick found one of Robyn’s, uh, outfits in the laundry. Poor Rob got all traumatised.”

“He’s like my brother,” she repeated, clearly torn between laughter and horror. “I don’t want him to know I have sex!”

“That’s what I have earplugs for,” Nick reminded her, and Robyn buried her face in Toad’s shoulder again, laughing.

“Wow, you crazy kids and your whirligig of fun.” Tyson shook his head. The laughter gradually died down. “I’m starving, folks, where’s the pizza guy?”

Brittany pointed at Nick. “He’s cooking.”

“Oh – you cook?” Tyson asked, looking at Nick. It was the first time he’d addressed him, in person, without obviously mentally taking his clothes off. Nick swallowed and shifted slightly.

“Yeah. Uh, let me go see what you guys have.” He stepped over several pairs of legs on his way to the kitchen, and when he got there he opened cupboards and looked in the fridge and the freezer.

“There’s saucepans under the drawers.” Tyson’s voice came from the doorway, making Nick jump. “Sorry. Hi.”

Nick swallowed, suddenly assaulted with a full-senses memory of the last time they’d kissed, Tyson pushing him up against his front door, the way he’d tasted. He swallowed again and said, “Thanks.”

They ate clustered around the coffee table, Nick sitting between Robyn and Brittany, trying not to stare at Tyson too much. “Oh wow,” Kim breathed after her first mouthful. “This really is good.”

“See, I told you.” Toad gestured with his fork at her. “I would totally sleep with you for food like this,” he added to Nick. Somewhat pointedly.

Tyson didn’t say a word, and Nick’s cheeks were red for the entire rest of the meal. Later, as they were leaving, Tyson pulled him aside and said, “Are we still on for Sunday?” and Nick nodded, avoiding his eyes because he had a horrible feeling that if he looked up he’d do something really stupid like kissing the living fucking daylights out of Tyson. So he just nodded again, grabbed his jacket, and left.

When they got home, Robyn hugged him and said, “Alton?”

He nodded. “Alton.”

“I’ll get the sprinkles.”

Nick sighed when she handed him a bowl full of ice cream scoops seeped in syrup and covered in sprinkles. “Robyn, you are a doll. Now go screw your boyfriend’s brains out.”

“Please stop,” she groaned, hitting him with a cushion. Toad just grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

“I think we should do as the man says,” he murmured.

Nick turned the volume up on the TV and dug his spoon into the ice cream structure, while on the screen Alton began to detail the many uses for cabbage.

* * *

“I don’t know if I can do this.”

Kim watched Tyson pace, one hand up to his face as he chewed on his thumb. “Do what?” she asked. Mr Whiskers, who was sitting on her lap, flicked his tail.

“Be friends with him, like – you saw what that dinner was like, he wouldn’t even look at me. Oh God, I blew it, I fucking blew it.” He collapsed into the armchair and looked over at her pathetically.

“Oh Ty,” was all she said. If she could have reached, she’d have petted his arm.

“Should I call him? I mean, maybe I should say I’m sick, or – no, wait, I don’t want to lie to the dude.” He stood up and started pacing again. “Maybe I can – maybe it’ll be okay. Right?” He turned to her, imploringly. “We can be friends, right?”

She bit her lip but said, “Of course you can.”

“Right.” He sat down in the chair again, the movement more a folding fall than anything. “Yeah. Shit, what should I wear? What do you wear for coffee with the guy you –” He stopped. “Shit, I don’t even know what.”

“The guy you like who rejected you but still has a very obvious and massive crush on you?” Kim supplied. “I’d say what you’re wearing now’s fine.”

“He – crush on me? Really?”

Kim rolled her eyes. “Huge. Trust me.” Mr Whiskers made a small mrrw sound as he yawned, as if in agreement.

Tyson played with the hem of his jeans. He was folded up so his legs and arms stuck out at odd angles.

“Almost as big as the one you have on him,” she continued, unable to suppress a grin as he looked up sharply. Then he just shrugged and nodded.

“Well. Yeah. He’s hot,” he exclaimed, falling back against the chair, “and he can cook and he makes me laugh and shit, seriously, Kim, I haven’t felt like this about anyone before. And ugh that’s such a fucking cliché, but it’s so fucking true. I’ve never met a guy like Nick Wheeler.”

Kim decided not to say You totally want to date him, hah, I knew it, and instead went with, “Aren’t you going to be late?”

Tyson looked at his watch. “Shit, yeah, unless I leave now.” He squared his shoulders. “Time to go be just friends.”

“You can do it.” Kim gave him two thumbs up.

He stopped at the door, darted back into the room and said, “Are you sure what I’m wearing is fine?”

“Yes, now go,” she gestured. “Shoo, go on. Go make googly eyes.”

Tyson said, “I hate you,” but he blew her a kiss before he left. She just laughed, and settled down with the pile of magazines Brittany had brought her, one hand kneading at Mr Whiskers’ fur.



[cont.]

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