"Sharing a Milkshake" starring Ron Andy and Boy Lynn Loud Jr.

It's a typical Tuesday afternoon for Lynn Loud Jr and his soccer mate Ronald Andrew Santiago. After absolutely dominating their practice game (despite Paul surprising them with a sick goal even with his broken leg), the two of them hit the showers, pack up their gear, and make their way out of Royal Woods Middle School side by side.

"Dang… Is it sad that I'm actually pretty tired? That practice kicked my butt," Ron Andy comments as they make their way down the block.

And while most of his friends would probably offer some sincere condolences or some sort of arbitrary message of agreement, most of his friends are not Lynn Loud Jr. The auburn haired boy deviously grins, and Ron Andy knows before he even opens his trap that he'll have only snarky things to say. Not that he'll complain. He kind of liked snarky. So he just braces himself for witty comebacks as Lynn begins tearing into him.

"You're tired? Seriously? I could have played for like, another hour at least. And I even played twice today! Once in the morning!" he boasts.

He didn't get this way with Paul or Marco. They might get hurt fee fees after while. But Ronnie Boy? He knows he can take it. It's why he likes walking home with him.

The other boy furrows his brow as he prepares to fire back. "Well, see, here's the thing. Between actually doing schoolwork and carrying you on my back for the whole thing, I'm a little fatigued," he teases, knowing full well it's only a decent retort. However… he has on more thing to add, and he knows it will put the self proclaimed 'walking trofy' in his place. "That, and all the time I spend with your sister."

Lynn can't help but let out an almost pained laugh upon hearing that. It wasn't the lowest Ron Andy ever stooped, but for now, it burned enough for him to back off the razzing. "Oww…" he simply says.

And Ron Andy just proudly smiles. "Yeah. I went there." During the first few weeks of getting to know each other, he would probably apologize here and now. But he knows his boy LJ. This is just their kind of song, as Luke would say.

Lynn just nods as he tries to dust off the defeat, maybe because he's just a little tired too. But more so because… every now and then, he likes to sprinkle in some sentimentality. "Hey, you better be thanking Linka. If it weren't for her, you would have never met me. Your best friend in the world," he haughtily touts.

It's about as close as real talk as the dude ever gets when he sneaks in his usage of terms like 'best friend' (and relenting from throwing insults), and Ron Andy sees that. And while part of him feels spazzy perpetuating it, he decides he'd rather just try to return the gesture instead of calling him a homophobic slur… for once.

"Yeah, I guess that's true. Crazy to think we've gotten so close."

What follows is only a brief silence to reflect on that information, maybe with the boys feeling their own sense of happiness because of that fact. But its short lived, because unlike before, Lynn decides it's time for more ball busting. "Eww you called us close."

Ron Andy playfully glares at his teammate. "Okay, I take back what I said. Next time I see Linka I'm pushing her off a cliff."

"Do me too. I'd rather be dead then listen to your crap," Lynn ripostes.

The other boy doesn't have much else to go with that, so he just relents with a shake of the head and a little laugh. Lynn joins in, and for a little bit, it's nice just to recognize how good they have it when it's just the two of them.

But like all boys, such personal matters always come second to food. That gets proven as they walk around the Burpin' Burger, and they just kind of stop and stare at the building for a moment with gawking eyes.

Finally, Lynn looks to his friend with an almost beseeching look on his eyes, and Ron Andy is quick to pounce with the perfect chance at striking.

"Oh let me guess fat boy, you're hungry. Let's go get a dozen sandwiches uh huh huh," he mocks.

Lynn doesn't even try to be clever. A Triple Gut Buster Supreme calls to him, and he knows how to get Ron's cheap ass to just say yes. "Okay but are you gonna say no to free lunch?"

As expected, he doesn't argue. He instead just sort of shrugs, which is as close as he'll get to just saying yes unlike the stubborn guy he is.

"No? Then shut up!" Lynn finishes with his usual in-your-face bravado.

Ron Andy just rolls his eyes, amused by the whole thing. But mostly because he's happy Lynn will buy his food. "Lead the way, Nancy boy."

With that, they make their way into the restaurant, and Ron Andy goes to find them a free booth as Lynn takes a place in line, practically gnawing at his bottom lip with anticipation. The boy in the purple hoodie finds a nice, quiet place for them to sit, and takes out his phone to check on things. Halfway through though, he decides there isn't really anything worth exploring on his apps, and he just puts it away to steal a look at the guy he went out of his way to spend this much time with today.

He's made it to the checkout counter, where he coolly tells Valerie the cashier he wants twelve burgers for he and 'his girl Ronnie Anne.' "Much wow, so clever," Ron thinks as he shakes his head. That's Lynn though. Always finding just the things to say to make him smile and laugh…

"God, I'm so in love with you, you idiot," he voices for only himself to hear.

It's true… No one else is so easy to talk to, or so fun to be around. Girl or boy. Sure, he'd probably be less hesitant to share his feelings if Lynn Loud Jr was a female, maybe, but even so, he can't help but be completely enamored by the jerk. Even if he is a jerk.

He sure as heck isn't going to make things weird by saying that though, so he just plays it cool (as always) when Lynn returns with the tray of a dozen burgers, as well as two large milkshakes.

"Oh hey, what's the occasion?" Ron Andy asks with a raise of the brow.

He expects something along the lines of, "I know how much you like milk tee hee," from his fellow soccer player, but… instead, he just kind of shrugs with a soft smile. "I don't know. Just thought I'd get us some milkshakes. I can't be nice for once?" he quips as he takes a seat and positions the tray for them to dine.

Ron Andy softly laughs as he takes one of the burgers with one hand and the strawberry milkshake with the other. "Heh, strawberry," he voices.

Lynn stops stuffing his pie hole for two seconds to meet that remark with some concern. "What? It's your favorite, isn't it?" he asks.

Ron Andy takes a moment to consider the fact that, yes, strawberry is indeed his favorite flavor. "You remembered…" he answers.

With a smirk, Lynn slightly furrows his brow at that. "You say that like you're surprised."

And while his friend would like to just put him in his place with some sort of witticism about having the memory of a four year old, or being an insensitive butthead who never pays attention… he relents. It's not often they're just (normal) nice, so he'll just smile before going back to his food.

The rest of their lunch is spent with the usual Loud/Santiago shenanigans. Of course, they fork down their sandwiches with competitive drive, ferociously stomaching them one by one in hopes to finish before the other. This time it's Ron Andy to finish his sixth burger first, and he brags about it a little before his bloated butt has to just sort of sit and do nothing to prevent cardiac arrest.

And there's jokes. Jokes about Marco's weird thing for Coca Cola, or Paul's habit of sending text walls in his messages, or the good ol' fashioned impressions of Mr. Johnson getting angry when people interrupt his soapboxes about old shows no one cares about. "Duh huh huh, Luan and Maggie though, Oh em gee," Lynn mocks while Ron Andy's bloated sides split.

As always, it's really nice. The laughter from Lynn makes it evident for Ron Andy that he's having some fun too, but he can't help but wonder if maybe… maybe he feels the same pitter pattering in his heart that he feels from this kind of company.

Probably not… probably not… But there's a chance, right?

Even if there is, he won't press his luck. Things are good the way they are, and if they're only meant to be friends, they're only meant to be friends. He's probably better off just forgetting his little (big) crush on LJ anyway, and like, actually going for someone of the feminine persuasion like all the other guys.

But even with all of those hindering thoughts, he doesn't let them get him down too bad. Not when he can just have Lynn to himself like this.

That, and there's more important matters to tend to. Like actually mustering the strength to move his fat ass from the booth and out the door.

"Bluh… I'm stuffed," he bemoans as he pats his tummy.

Lynn lets out a shameless belch before responding with, "You like getting stuffed."

"No you," RA lazily retorts before getting serious again. "You ready to bounce, man?"

Lynn takes a moment to catch his breath as well. "Uh, sure. If I can get up," he says with a little chuckle before motioning his hand to take the tray…

Which makes things a little awkward when Ron Andy does the same thing. Their hands try to grab the tray at the same time, but they just end up resting on each other before they both pull away like it's on fire.

For Ron Andy, he'd admittedly like to keep them there, but he knows that'd uh… no way Lynn's going for it. So he just blurts out "Sorry, sorry!" as his cheeks turn crimson red.

As expected, Lynn responds to the moment with his usual brand of teasing. "Dang Ron, I buy you dinner and you look to make it gay with me?"

However, there's something different about the way he does it this time. He isn't brash and condescending with his tone. He isn't smirking and glaring. Instead, he nervously looks to the side while rubbing the back of his neck, his face becoming a little flushed as well.

Soon enough, they boys return to form though, looking to one another as they laugh weak little laughs over the silly, embarrassing thing that just happened to them. Dang, Lynn has a nice smile…

But Ron Andy won't say that. Heck no. He'll just pretend this never happened as he follows the older boy out of the booth and then out to the streets, because he knows that's what's best for their friendship.

…

In the while that it takes for the two of them to walk their way to Ron Andy's house, they're unusually more quiet than usual. Sure, they're sure to make a few ripostes here and there regarding their plays at their game earlier, but other than that, there isn't really anything to joke about. Not their lack of girlfriends, not their eating habits, nothing. Zip. Nada. It makes for some rather uncomfortable quiet, quiet that Ron Andy becomes rightfully worried about.

Would it be weird to just try and ask him how he's doing? Or what he plans on doing for the rest of the night? It'd probably just be boring and lame, and Lynn would just think he's a spaz. But then again, what about staying quiet? Isn't that just as lame and spazzy? Is there anything he can say right now to make things not quiet and weird?

Worse yet, they're only a few paces away from his front porch, where they'll say their goodbyes for the evening, makes some quick jabs at each other for being losers, then stay out of contact until tomorrow… And Ron Andy will dwell on things he could have and should have maybe said… as always…

But it's best for their friendship. Best to not say anything to push him away than say something stupid and ruin everything.

Just as he's accepted this defeating fact though, Lynn speaks up, breaking through the silence like Louds are known to do.

"Hey uh, Ron, I know you're probably in a hurry to get home and spank it like you always do," Lynn begins, a sort of somberness in his tone. "But I kind of wanted to talk about something. Something that's been bothering me."

Ron Andy stops in his tracks, looking to the other boy with a solemn expression. He sees the way Lynn keeps his hands in his pockets, and his eyes fixed to the ground. If something had been bothering him today, he did a great job wearing a poker face all the while, because it's only now that he displays any sort of guilt.

It's not very often (more like never) that Lynn talks like this, and chances are it could even be some sort of prank. Still, Ron Andy will put all jokes and tomfoolery to the side even for just a little bit, at least long enough to hear what his friend has to say.

"Uh… Alright. What's on your mind, LJ?"

The boy steels himself for a moment before forcing himself to look to Ron Andy, just barely ghosting his gaze at his eyes. "So uh, maybe this isn't even a big deal, and maybe I'm just overthinking things. But I just wanted to tell you that, I'm sorry if screw around too much. I know this is random, but just let me say it," he asserts with an anxious little chuckle.

It certainly catches Ron Andy by surprise. All he can really do is tell him "Okay?" before keeping still to pay further attention to whatever Lynn has to say.

Again, he takes a moment to think his words over, and then he belatedly braves forward. "Uh, I think the point I'm just trying to get at here is that… Here lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about this stuff. And well, I don't plan to get mushy like this a lot, but I want you to know that you're like… you're like my favorite person, dude. I really like spending time with you… Heh, I uh, I actually kind of thought about taking you to get food like we did today for a little while now," he confesses, his cheeks growing flushed.

Flabbergasted by this confession, Ron Andy dumbly struggles to find a proper response. It can mean so many things under the surface. "What do you mean by that?" is the response he eventually composes, but even then, he finds himself with a racing heart and sweaty palms.

Lynn looks away to think over just how he wants to explain himself, wearing a similar disposition to his soccer mate. And, like Ron Andy, he fights with himself to just say a respectable follow up.

"I… uh… I don't know. I just wanted to do something nice for you. I like you man. I like you a lot. Just let me be nice. Dang," he cusses with some forced laughter. But his words don't hide the way his cheeks turn crimson, or the way rubs his forearm.

And that's when an almost epiphanic light bulb shines for Ron Andy. Lynn is… being sincere. He really is. Maybe even because he feels… something more.

But he won't press his luck. Sincerity is well enough for the Santiago boy in this moment, and with it, a warm smile encroaches on his face.

"Lynn… What you just said was really gay," he jokes, earning him a little laugh from the other boy. And with a brief pause to brace himself for more truth, he belatedly lets himself be known. "But uhm… real talk here, I appreciate it dude. I appreciate it a lot. I actually uh… I really like you too, man. I like this thing we've got going on here."

He's pretty confident with his statement… until he sees Lynn raise a brow and ask, "This thing?"

It wipes the smile from Ron Andy's face as he realizes he's been put between a rock and a proverbial hard place. On one hand, he has the perfect chance to just ask all the questions, and hear the things he really wants to know. Good or bad.

On the other, he can change all the answers.

Which scares him even more. What if he never gets another chance? What if this is a one time shot to speak his mind and free his heart? Heck, what if that's what Lynn really wants?

But it's so much easier said than done. Despite how badly he wants to let it go, he just… can't. At least not the way he wants to.

So with that, he swallows the spit he's choking on, and settles for this answer to Lynn's simple question with complicated consequences.

"Well, you know… Being friends, hanging out, I don't know what to call it."

In the seconds following Ron Andy's words, there's a palpable silence that permeates the summer air around them. Nothing is said as he just stands there with a contorted face and almost nauseous stomach, all while Lynn stares at him with this scrutinizing, disappointed, maybe judging expression. Like… what was he even thinking?

That's until his eyes slowly dilate, and his cramped, scrunchy face relaxes into a warm smile. It sends so many more conflicting feelings through poor Ronald's veins, most good, some bad, and a few that make him hate being a pubescent male.

It gets even worse when Lynn finally says something to match his almost devious grin.

"Hey Ron?"

Despite being damn near paralyzed, Ron Andy finds something deep down to give him the will to reply.

"Yeah?"

And for a short moment, Lynn thinks it over. He considers if it's really worth doing, or if he should maybe say more.

But he's always been an actions speak louder than words kind of guy, and an in your face sort of dude.

And in this case, it's in the literal sense.

He swiftly puckers his lips and leans forwards, stealing a kiss from Ron Andy's lips. It's almost so fast that he doesn't even taste the fleshy residue from his velvety lips, but it happened. He felt it. His boy crush Lynn Loud Jr just kissed him on the mouth, and frankly… he has no idea how to react.

"What the hell?" the boy in the purple hoodie blurts out.

Lynn just smiles widely without a care, proud of what he's done. "I don't know… I just kind of got this feeling that you might be totally gay for me, and I got excited," he explains.

The cogs work in Ron Andy's mind to fully register what's been said to him. It all begins to make sense with mental gymnastics, though. Lynn always felt the same way! That's why he always made time for him after games to just hang out and mess around. That's why he'd always do his best to make passes to him during games. That's why he bought him some steamed hams and milkshakes today, and that's why he stands before him now with this stupidly wonderful smile on his face over the fact that they just kissed.

Confident in these facts, Ron Andy smiles back, doing what he knows best when Lynn is at his best.

"Well, you're right… I'm totally gay for you. But you just kissed me. That's the gayest it gets."

The sporty Loud son just laughs a charmingly shameless laugh at that, happier than he has any right to be over what just transpired. "Well, you know how I love being first," he quips.

And for a short moment afterwards, there's a familiar quiet to linger in the space between them. But unlike the times before, Ron Andy doesn't feel so afraid to say what he just wants to say. So he doesn't overthink the repercussions, he just does it.

"You'll always be number one to me, Lynn," he affectionately tells his special friend.

Lynn just keeps smiling back, content with how he put things into balance. And with that, the other boy slowly makes his way to his porch, glancing back and forth and only stopping when he hears the other boy tell him, "I'll see you tomorrow, Ron Andy. You're buying the milkshakes this time, right?"

He could make a joke about him being a fatso, or about how lame and clingy he is for wanting to go on another dinner date. Instead, he just relents, deciding to let Lynn win this one.

And himself.

"Sure."