by me
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Mine.
Summary: ...
Notes: Yay for returning muses. I'm sorry I write such short chapters...but I'll likely skip a week or so for the next one, so it wouldn't make much sense to combine them. This seems a little more on track than the last chapter, luckily...
Damien sat on the bed, staring as Ryan adjusted his shirt collar for the nine zillionth time. �I cannot believe you�re going on a date with my coach.�
�It�s not a date, Damien.�
�It is a date. And I can�t believe you�re going on one. With my COACH.�
�It is not a date. We�re just talking.�
Dame rolled his eyes. �Look at yourself and tell me seriously it�s not a date.�
Ryan ignored the suggestion. �It�s a nice restaurant. You dress nicely for nice restaurants.�
�Or dates.�
Sighing, Ryan went downstairs, Damien following. The doctor turned around at the door, looking at his son. �Does it really bother you?�
Damien thought about it. �No, I just like to tease you. Have fun...on your date.�
�I will, and it�s not. Bye, Dame.�
�Bye,� Dame replied, leaning against the doorframe until Ryan pulled out of the driveway. Then he went inside and dialed Kyle�s number.
�Hello?� the other pitcher answered.
�Hi. Want to come over? We need to study for that calculus test.�
�Yep,� Kyle replied. �On my way.�
�See you,� Dame said. He hung up and clicked the timer on his wristwatch. When the doorbell rang, he clicked it off and opened the door. �You�re like 10 seconds off your record!�
�Damn...humidity...� Kyle panted. Laughing, Dame put an arm around his shoulder to usher him inside, and Kyle�s arm encircled his waist almost automatically.
Dame swallowed and looked at him, flushed and still breathing heavily from the sprint. A smile grew on the lefty�s face, and he ruffled his best friend�s hair. �Humidity, huh? That�s likely. I think you�re just out of shape. You know...since you�re throwing all that easy stuff while I�m doing all the hard work.�
Kyle smiled back, then tackled him onto the living room floor. �Out of shape, huh? I can handle you.�
�I let you win.�
�Right, Mr. Competitive lets me win.�
�Ah, shut up.�
He did, and simply grinned at his friend, keeping the larger pitcher pinned to the floor. �So. Calculus.�
�Well, you have to get off me before I can go get my book, asshole.�
Laughing, Kyle let him up, pulling his own textbook and notebook from his backpack. �You have no excuse now, we have to study.�
�Actually, Kylie, I have something to ask you, something serious, before we start.�
�I should�ve known better than to let you hang out with my sister. I am not being serious so long as you�re calling me �Kylie�.�
Damien rolled his eyes. �How well do you know Coach Titon?�
Kyle�s blue eyes darkened inexplicably. �Pretty well, I guess.�
�Really, Kyle. How well?�
He sighed and looked at the floor. �Really well. He...he worries about me, I think, for some reason. We talk a lot. He�s helped me through some...stuff.�
�This may seem random...but is he gay?�
�Why?�
�Because he�s on a date with my father tonight.�
Kyle looked up, his eyes big, a smile creeping onto his face. �He is? With Ryan? That�s cool...he�s pretty lonely, I think.�
�So�s Ryan,� Damien said, also smiling again. �So you think it�s a good thing? You don�t think he�s leading him on?�
�Riley has never led anyone on in his life. He doesn�t know how. He�s spent his entire life comfortable enough with his own sexuality, but without enough trust to let anyone else know. He�s always afraid it will jeopardize his career, both as a player and a coach.�
�Oh,� Dame said softly. �I just don�t want Ryan to get hurt, you know. He�s been hurt enough. He may not be able to handle it again. Especially if it�s not an accident.�
�I think,� Kyle said thoughtfully, �that the two of them could be very, very good for each other.�
Damien nodded. �Thanks. That makes me feel better. Now. Calculus.�
Sighing, Kyle opened his book and the two of them started their work.
Damien blinked sleepily and raised his head as the front door closed softly. He was lying on the living room floor, a calculus textbook folded over his chest. His head had been pillowed on Kyle�s shoulder, and Kyle was still asleep. �Hey,� he whispered, as Ryan paused in front of the two of them.
�What are you two doing there?�
�We were studying. Until we fell asleep. How�d it go? Need I ask seeing as it�s like 2 in the morning?�
Ryan shrugged, but the broad smile on his face revealed his feelings. �No, to what you�re implying, Dame. We talked.�
�For like 6 hours?�
�Yep. Good night.�
�Night,� Damien muttered. He reached up and pulled the blanket off the couch, tossing it over himself and Kyle. He lay back down, head still on Kyle�s shoulder, and got comfortable again, smiling as his pillow sighed in his sleep, his breath ruffling Damien�s hair. Before he could analyze that thought, though, he was asleep.
tbc...