KISS AND TELL
Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or it's characters or locations.
A/N: This story is set during my other Degrassi fan fiction, The Death of Riley Stavros so you can...
A. Read that story first then come back here to read this one. This story takes place after Chapter 7 but before Chapter 8.
B. Read this synopsis: Riley, Zane and some of their friends are celebrating Riley's 18th birthday when the conversation turns to crushes and kisses.
C. None of the above. This story as well as the chapters of my other story are mostly self-contained and can be read and enjoyed individually as well as a series.
"Look at those two, not a care in the world, dancing the night away." Peter Stone said looking at his friend Riley Stavros and Riley's boyfriend Zane Park. The two of them were slow dancing to some sweet pop ballad that Peter did not recognize. The way the two of them were looking at each other you would have thought they were the only two people there, which wasn't far from the truth. Riley, Zane and Peter along with Anya Macpherson and Athena Andropolous were the last guests to leave Riley's eighteenth birthday party. A staff member from the restaurant had poked her head into the party room to see if the group had needed anything and to remind them that they closed in another hour. Riley had told her they were fine and would be clearing out soon. After the pretty blonde left, Zane suggested one last dance and Riley had took him up on the offer.
"Well after the month they've had they deserve a moment like this." Athena told Peter.
"Yeah with the way everything blew up for Riley and Zane, I really regret not being around much." Anya replied.
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Peter asked. "You and Riley used to be inseparable, been doing the LARP thing again?"
"LARP?" Athena questioned.
Anya smiled at her and explained, "Live action role playing, it used to be a big hobby of mine but lately, not so much."
"Sounds fun, is that what you've been up to?" Athena asked.
"No." Anya said looking down. "Unfortunately my time has been taken up with things that are a lot less fun. Breaking up with Chris, being turned down for university, of course there's my on again, off again relationship with Owen. This year is shaping up to be a bust." She sighed.
"At least you have a social life." Peter told her. "Between school and work I've been way to busy to see anyone. It's been a stretch to even find the time to occasionally hang with you guys."
Athena slipped her shoes off and propped her legs on the empty chair beside her. "I don't know what you two are complaining about, I'm not even in university yet and my last real date was with Riley." The three of them shared a laugh.
"What's so funny?" Riley asked as he and Zane walked over to the table arm in arm.
"The state of our romantic and social lives, or lack thereof." Athena said. "Why don't you two have a seat and explain what we're doing wrong."
Riley and Zane sat down. "It can't be all that bad." Zane said which earned him an exasperated sigh from the other three.
"Things just used to be to be so much easier, less complicated." Anya said.
"Excuse me?" Riley said in disbelief. "Where did you go to school at because at the Degrassi I went to, love was totally a battlefield and the casualty list was huge. You added Sav's name to that list more than once you know?"
Anya smiled thinking back at her time with Sav Bhandari, okay perhaps the past wasn't so cut and dried after all. "Well you broke a few hearts too Mister Stavros. Have you forgotten our picnic in the park?"
Riley smiled. "No. I also haven't forgotten that you dumped me for Sav the next day."
"You bounced back rather quickly with Fiona Coyne as I recall." Anya countered.
"Yeah and that worked out so well." Peter added.
Riley and Anya laughed. "You had a really annoying habit of dating girls, I'm glad you got over that by the time I came around." Zane said.
"AHEM." Athena cleared her throat and Zane smiled.
"So he fell off the wagon once, no big deal. I'm still the first official boyfriend." Zane said.
"Actually," Peter began, "he was into me way before you showed up. You just better be glad I was with Mia Jones or he'd still be with me." Peter joked.
Riley grinned. "How weird was that. I was so jealous of Mia at the time but it was really her that had urged you to stay friends with me after our ill fated kiss." he said.
Peter's mood turned serious for a moment. "I'm glad we did stay friends, Riley. You helped me though some rough times."
Riley smiled at his friend and simply said, "Likewise."
Athena drug her feet off the chair and yawned. "Whew, I'm beat. We should probably clear out and let the staff close down for the night."
"Good idea." Anya said. "Anyone up to continue the party elsewhere, I know a great club downtown."
"I'm game." Peter said. "It's not often I get a chance to blow off some steam and just have fun."
"Not me." Riley said. "I'm pretty tired too. You wanna just call it a night and head home?" he asked Zane.
Zane smiled at the way Riley already thought of the Park's place as home. Zane's parents had let Riley move in after he had moved out of his own home a few weeks ago and it had not taken him long to settle in. "Sounds good to me." Zane said.
Riley moved to say his goodbyes. He gave Athena a hug and thanked her again for helping Zane put this party together. "Any time Riley. I'll call you tomorrow." she said. "Anya, Peter it was great meeting you guys, I hope we can hang out again soon."
"I'd love to." Anya said.
"Yeah, that'd be great." Peter agreed.
"Bye Zane." Athena said and left to head home.
Riley and Peter embraced and Riley said, "Don't be a stranger and make sure my girl gets home safe tonight."
"I'm on it." Peter said. "I've missed hanging out together, so you can expect to see more of me, at least until you head to the states this fall."
"I'm gonna hold you to that." Riley said.
Anya came up to the two of them and hugged Riley, giving him a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you at school. Love you both." she said to Riley and Zane before she and Peter left together.
After they were gone Zane looked at Riley concerned. "What?" Riley asked.
"It's not really like her to stay out so late on school night. Did Anya seem okay to you?"
Riley thought for moment and said, "She's had a tough time lately, but I know Anya. She'll get everything sorted out and she knows I'm here if she needs me. I think she's gonna be fine."
Zane seemed satisfied with that. "Well what are waiting for then, let's go home.
A short time later Zane was snuggled under the covers next to Riley, his very favorite place to be. While Zane hated the rift that currently divided Riley from his family, he was so glad to have Riley here with him. Zane suppressed a laugh. "What's so funny? Riley asked wrapping a arm around him to pull him even closer.
"I was just thinking about our earlier conversation and how unusual our friends are." Zane said.
"How so?" Riley asked.
"Well you did date Anya , and Athena technically, you've kissed Anya and Peter before, there's just so much history with you guys that it's funny you are all still friends." Zane explained himself.
"We do have a lot of history, and thankfully it's made our friendships stronger. Just like our troubles have ultimately made us closer." Riley said. "I feel like there's nothing we couldn't get through together."
Zane hugged Riley tighter. He placed his head on Riley's chest and listened to his heart beat through the thin material of the white cotton tank top he had worn to bed. "So who was the best kisser?" Zane asked mischievously.
"What?" Riley asked.
"You heard me Romeo." Zane teased. "You were running around Degrassi breaking all those hearts, while I was sitting around waiting to get my chance, so who gave you the best kiss? Who was my biggest rival for your affection?"
"Zane!" Riley laughed. "Trust me, you had no competition. Most of my romantic relationships before you were a disaster. Besides haven't you heard a gentleman never kisses and tells."
"Well you, Mister Stavros, are no gentleman, or do I need to remind you of what you did to me in the laundry room the other day." Zane said.
Riley blushed a little and surrendered the point. "Okay, so best kisser, huh?" Riley considered a moment. " I can eliminate Anya, Fiona and Chantay right off the bat. Anya was still hung up on Sav and Fiona never wanted to be physical with me. Chantay was way upset because I moved too fast for her."
"That leaves Nathan and Peter. Unless there's some one else I don't know about?" Zane said.
Riley smiled. "Peter was totally freaked out and so was I, it was more than a little awkward. Nathan was really nice. A sweet guy but we were both nervous and very inexperienced so it's not either of them. But..." Riley said, "...there was this other guy."
"Other guy?" Zane puzzled.
"Yeah!" Riley said. "A real looker, smart and way more experienced than I was."
"Huh." Zane said. "And who was this guy again, because I don't remember..."
Riley went on ignoring Zane, "I had a big time crush on him but he never even seemed to notice me, until this one night that is. He and I were at this dance and I totally seduced him with my moves"
Zane grinned, suddenly this story sounded very familiar. "Are you sure about that Riley? Your dancing is actually pretty dorky. I bet he wasn't that impressed at all."
"He said my dancing wasn't so bad, but I could tell he was impressed and just trying to play it cool, y'know." Riley explained.
"Really?" asked Zane.
"Yeah, he was so into me." Riley laughed. "So we made plans to see each other again and he was getting into a cab, about to leave when..."
Zane propped up and looked Riley in the eyes as he finished the story himself, "...I looked at you and thought about how amazing you are, and how much fun we had together. I thought Damn, I just wish he would have kissed me. Then it was like you were reading my mind because as I turned to go you said Zane and you came up to me and you kissed me and it was perfect. Sweet and full of promise. After you kissed me, you stepped back and looked at me and smiled. My heart broke right then and there because I was so happy, I knew I would never love anyone the way I loved you right at that moment. I was happy and I was yours from then on Riley. I belonged to you then and I still do now." Zane said.
Riley leaned forward and his lips met Zane's, exploring them gently. Staking claim to familiar territory and yet never taking anything for granted. Riley kissed Zane firmly and then pulled back a little, letting Zane seek him out and then Riley would kiss him deeper. It made Zane's head spin until he was lost in Riley's arms, aware of only the kisses on his lips, the caresses on his skin and the whispered words in his ears. He felt Riley above and around him, surrounded and drowning in his lovers embrace. Finally he emerged, broke the surface feeling simultaneously spent and renewed. Being with Riley was always like this for Zane, intoxicating, provocative, fervent. He never wanted it to end.
Later, Riley snuggled closer to Zane and tenderly kissed his cheek. "Satisfied?" he asked.
"Always." Zane replied.
Riley laughed. "No, I mean with winning the title of my best kiss. Why was that so important to you anyway?"
"It's silly I guess," Zane told him, "but you were mine Riley. My best kiss, that night outside The Dot and I just hoped that it would be the same for you."
Riley held Zane close. "I'll remember that night forever and it will always be important to me, but what I look forward to the most is waking up beside you tomorrow. The kiss that means the most to me is the one you'll give me next week, or the week after. Our past is precious to me, but I treasure our future together even more."
Zane put his head down on Riley's chest and listened to his strong, steady heartbeat and again wondered how he 'd gotten so lucky. "I love you." he said and the last thing he heard before drifting off to sleep was Riley's voice.
"I love too."
A/N: Okay so that's my second Ziley story. It does connect to THE DEATH OF RILEY STAVROS, however as I mentioned at the beginning I don't think it's necessary to read one of them to enjoy the other. I'm trying to keep the story open and accessible to as many readers as possible. This was intended to be a part of TDORS but due to time and spacing concerns it was deleted, so I'm happy to be able to present it here as a stand alone. There are other ideas that didn't make it into the final version of my first story that I would like to revisit, like wouldn't it be fun to see Riley and Zane go on a double date with Anya and Owen? If things go well I'd like to do that story sometime.