Chapter 2

Stupid jacket.

The jacket glared at Dean from the chair in his room. He felt it watching him as he tried to concentrate on his game on the television but no such luck. He dropped the game controller next to him on the bed and heaved out a heavy sigh. It had been two days since he last saw Roman. He knew that he had to return the jacket but he kept on putting it off and stalling.

He really didn't want to see Roman any time soon after how it ended. Seth insulted him and it brought him back down to earth really quickly. Him and Roman were opposites. He was cool and popular and a great athlete. While Dean was just the kid that drifted through school that teachers would no longer remembered a year after he graduated. Plus he felt funny on the inside when Roman was trying to hit on him. Well at least he thought so. Dean scrunched up his face and furrowed his brow deep in thought. In fact he wasn't really sure what Roman's motives were. If he was messing with him or being serious. He shook his head. Nope. Roman was perfectly straight as far as he knew and so was he. He had to be messing with him. Stupid prick.

He glanced at the jacket and pouted. With a resigning grumble he got off the bed and started looking for his shoes. The jacket wasn't going to return itself.


Dean was making his way to Roman's house and as he did so he had to pass the basketball court. The sound of a ball repeatedly hitting the ground caught his attention. He glanced across to see who was playing the court and to his surprise he saw Roman shooting rebounds off the backboard. He watched as Roman scored the next basket with a precision that Dean was yet to perfect. He squeezed the jacket in his hand as he made his way on to the court.

Roman skin held a light sheen of sweat. His shoulder length hair pulled back into a ponytail. He dribbled the ball a few times before taking aim.

" Hi."

His fingers released the ball as if unexpectedly and it bounced off the rim of the basket. Dean grinned.

Roman turned to him obviously surprised to see him. He smiled at Dean. " Hi." He then jogged to pick up the basketball and returned tossing the ball effortlessly between his hands. " What brings you by?"

Dean held up the black jacket. " I had to return this."

" Oh." Roman shrugged his shoulders. " You didn't have to do that right away. You could've kept it until whenever."

" Well I figured that you would need it so..." Dean found himself shuffling around on his feet nervously. He didn't know what had come over him. It had something to do with being under Roman's intense gaze. It felt as if his brown eyes were analyzing every movement that he made even though he was standing still.

Roman sighed and propped the ball between his torso and his arm. " Look Dean, I'm really sorry about the other night. Seth could be quite rude without realizing how he comes across."

" Yeah right." Dean rolled his eyes. " He knew damn well what he was doing."

The guilty look that flashed across Roman's face told him that he knew this as well and Dean started to get annoyed again.

" I know you're trying to cover for your buddy so don't treat me like if I'm stupid." Dean stepped forward and placed the jacket over Roman's shoulder. " Let's just go back to a few months ago when you ignored me along with everyone else."

Dean turned and started to walk away. He was glad that he never fully trusted Roman. In the end he still chose to protect his friend instead of coming right out admitting that he was a jerk. He pretended that he didn't feel that tiny pang of disappointment that came along with it.

" Dean, wait!"

There was a tight grip around his right bicep and he paused in mid stride to look down at the hand holding on to him.

Dean jerked his shoulder in an attempt to break free of the grip. " Let go of me." But no such luck. The pressure increased.

" Dean, please." He could actually hear the pleading in Roman's voice. He pivoted on his feet to face him.

" What?" The word came out gruff with the perfect amount of annoyance tainting it.

" I didn't mean to treat you as if you were stupid. You're right." He conceded. " Seth was out of line. I just... ugh!" Roman let go of him and closed his eyes momentarily in frustration. He opened his eyes to see Dean watching him with curiosity. " Can we start over?"

Dean gave him a look that was washed completely in skepticism.

" Please? A clean slate. Start this friendship fresh."

Dean raised an eyebrow. " Why?"

Roman instantly looked puzzled. " Why what?"

" Why do you want to be friends with me?"

Roman shrugged as if he was trying to be nonchalant about it but there was a stiffness to the movement that didn't quite convey that. " Because I think you're interesting." It was obvious from Dean's expression that he wasn't buying it. "Isn't that good enough?"

Dean tapped his fingers against his collarbone as if he was in thought contemplating something. " Why now? Why wait until senior year?"

" Geez Ambrose." Roman threw his arms up in exasperation which cause the jacket to bunch up against this neck. " I don't know. It just happened that way. Are you always this difficult?"

Dean puffed his chest out a bit and cocked his head arrogantly to a side. " Yes."

Roman chuckled and then smiled broadly at him. Dean pretended that it didn't bring down his defences a bit. " Good. I like a challenge."

Dean found himself grinning back at Roman despite his better judgement. And for a few seconds they were two idiots grinning at each other in this strange game of cat and mouse.

" So um..." were Dean's eyes playing tricks on him or did Roman look a bit bashful right now. " What are you doing for New Year's Eve?"

Dean just looked at him for the first few seconds uncertain about how to answer question. The tone in which Roman said it made it seem as if he was asking him out. Even now Roman was nervously worrying his bottom lip with the edge of his teeth.

Dean shrugged and pushed his hands into his pants pockets. " Nothing really. Why?"

" Well a bunch of us are going down to beach and to watch the fireworks go off and I wondered if you want to as well." Roman suddenly started talking really quickly. " Well not go off. The fireworks will go off not you. Of course not. Why would you go off?" Roman laughed nervously and Dean couldn't help but to laugh a bit at Roman being flustered. " Fuck. You know what I mean."

Dean could feel his defenses dropping completely. Roman was a bit scatterbrained but he meant well. He wasn't asking him out in that sense which was a relief. He figured he could be friends with the guy. Didn't have anything much to lose.

" Sure." He nodded. Roman smiled. He does that a lot, Dean noted to himself. " Sounds like fun."

" Great." Roman stepped closer to him as if he was contemplating something when a loud sharp horn broke through the quiet reprieve.

They both turned around to see Seth pulling up in a black Mercedes Benz convertible. That was another thing Dean didn't like about Seth. He was well off and had no qualms about rubbing it in other people's faces. The top was down and Dean could see the scowl on Seth's face as he glanced from him to Roman.

" Romie!"

Seth easily got out of the car and walked briskly towards them. His long, muscular legs encased in a tight pair of faded grey jeans. A black metal band t-shirt completed the outfit.

" Romie." Seth said again inserting himself between Roman and Dean with his back to the latter. " What are you doing here? I was about to pass by your house."

Dean could've sworn that he saw Roman's eyes lingering a second too long on Seth's ass before looking up at his face to answer. Was Roman into guys? He watched him carefully as he answered Seth. He seemed normal.

Dean glanced down at Seth's rear. Well he guessed it was a nice butt as far as butts go. Probably got all of those curves from all of those sports that he played. Dean suddenly caught himself and what he was doing. He was actually checking Seth's ass out. Man, fuck this and fuck Seth Rollins and his perfect ass.

" Hey Rome."

Roman stopped speaking mid sentence to look at him. Dean saw the frown line forming on Seth's lips and felt a bit victorious on the inside.

" I have to get going. See you around." He started to walk backwards keeping his eyes on Roman.

" Yeah see you around. Looking forward to it."

Seth smacked Roman in the middle of his chest.

" Ow!" Roman looked more affected by the fact that Seth had actually hit him than the smack itself.

They sure were a strange pair of best friends Dean thought to himself as he walked away.


" Romie." Seth whined and nuzzled his face into the crook of Roman's neck.

It was night time now. They had gone back to Roman's house where he took a shower and then ate dinner together. Now they were in Roman's bed with the television on looking for something to watch on Netflix. Roman was lying down on the bed with his head propped up with pillows. Seth laid next to him with one leg draped over Roman's and his arms wrapped tightly around Roman's upper arm. He removed his face from Roman's neck and rested his head on the solid chest.

" What is it?" One of his hands were underneath Seth's shirt with his fingers lightly caressing the smooth skin of Seth's back.

Seth sighed and Roman braced himself because he knew what was coming.

" Why won't you fuck me?"

There it is.

Roman's fingers never stilled on Seth's back. " Seth you know why."

Seth groaned. " That's not good enough. Preserving our friendship is not a good excuse anymore."

" Yes it is." Roman pressed a button on the remote to select Walking Dead.

Seth lifted his head up to look at him. " No it isn't. We can still be friends even if we fuck."

" It wouldn't be the same. Having sex changes things." Roman reasoned.

" It doesn't have to." Seth inched his face closer to Roman's. " I know you want to. I know you check my ass out when you think I'm not looking."

A slight blush appeared on Roman's hair free cheeks. " So? It's a nice ass. Everyone looks at it."

" I don't care about everyone else." Seth's eyes were locked on Roman's lips now.

Roman looked down at him. " Seth, no."

" Just one little kiss." Seth pleaded.

" No." Roman replied firmly.

Seth pouted and dropped his head back down on Roman's chest. This time he faced the television.

Roman knew that he was disappointed and didn't say anything to him for a while. He just kept his fingers on Seth's back as the episode rolled on.

It was about twenty minutes into the show before Roman spoke again. " Seth, remember when we're fourteen and you told me that you were gay?"

" Yeah." Seth sounded muted as if his feelings were actually hurt from being rejected.

" And I told you that I would always be your friend no matter what?"

" Yeah?"

Roman pressed his hand firmly against Seth's back. " I meant that. I would do anything for you."

Seth turned and rested his chin on Roman's upper torso. His brown eyes a bit misty looking. " I remember you beating up those guys who had insulted me in the cafeteria."

The corner of Roman's mouth turned up in a smile. " And I got detention for it too."

" And then I purposefully got in trouble in geometry so I could join you." Seth smiled wryly.

Roman chuckled. " And you were such an ass to poor Ms. Smith too. I felt bad for her."

" I couldn't let you face detention alone. It was because of me after all." Seth caressed the side of Roman's shirt.

" It's what we do. We look out for each other. I just don't want to mess that up." Roman tucked a lock of wavy brown hair behind Seth's ear.

" So your solution is to leave me sexually frustrated." Seth raised an eyebrow at him. " Some friend you are."

Roman picked up on the teasing in Seth's voice. " That's why you have Randy isn't it?"

Seth snorted. " He's okay, I guess." Seth lifted his head up. " I know that you're attracted to me Ro."

Roman's eyes locked with Seth's. A sexual energy softly vibrating between them. " I never said I wasn't."

" Then why not?" Seth's voice soft and low.

Roman found that his tongue was sticking to the roof of his mouth. " I just told you why."

Seth's fingers curled up in Roman's shirt. " I think it would feel good. You and me."

He could feel Seth's length hardening through his jeans pants as he pressed against the side of his hip. At least he wasn't alone in that regard.

" Probably."

He shouldn't have said that. He was giving away entirely too much and giving Seth too much false hope. But he hadn't lied though. Sex with Seth would probably be incredible. That thought did it and now he was completely hard.

Without warning Seth lifted the hem of Roman's shirt, peeling it back to reveal his belly button. He couldn't help the sharp gasp that escaped his lips when Seth kissed the sensitive flesh underneath his navel. Such a brief contact of lips and slight moisture sent a tingle through his body like no other.

Seth then looked at him again with a solemn expression. " I want you Ro. But I'm not going to force you."

Seth sat back on his knees and Roman could easily make out the hard lump resting against Seth's inner thigh. The air in the room felt thick as they looked at each other while not saying a word.

" I think I should go now so that I can keep that promise."

Roman watched as Seth got off the bed and slipped on his shoes. He didn't want Seth to leave but it was truly for the best. His resolve was waning and he didn't want to slip up and jeopardize their entire friendship.

" See ya." Seth said as he opened the bedroom and stepped out into the hallway.

" See ya." Roman replied as the door closed.


A/N: Thank you guys so much for your incredible support. You guys never cease to amaze me. Your reviews are completely motivating, please keep them coming.

Roman and Dean in the park, thoughts? Any idea why Seth doesn't like Dean. And Seth and Roman?