A/N: First off, thank you to sarsaparilla and Sasha404 for the reviews! I couldn't direct message you guys so wanted to thank you here. Each review is so appreciated, you have no idea.
So, some things about this chapter:
The parts in italics between Glenn, Katie and Chrissy should be thought of as spoken in Korean. It's just a better flow than having translations.
Phone text typos are intentional. (Sort of. I'm not that into text acronyms since my phone tends to auto fill everything.)
Soju is a Korean distilled alcohol beverage.
Syngman Rhee was the first president of South Korea
Warning: More kissing. A tiny more descriptive this time. Sorry, forgot to put that in the last chapter warning.
Chapter 10
On Thanksgiving morning Glenn wakes up to see Daryl heading out. When Glenn first invited him, Daryl told him he had to go somewhere to take care of some "business." Okay, Glenn mentally added the air quotes, but he had wondered about that all week. It sounded vaguely like he was going to be making some shady drug deal. Glenn chuckles at his wild imagination. But then, come to think of it, how well does he know his roommate anyway?
During the day, Glenn and Ella help their mom prepare for dinner while the Macy's parade is on TV in the background. When the food is pretty much done, they sprawl out in the family room watching a Man vs. Wild marathon on TV and texting with friends. When Daryl gets back from his thing he joins them, making knowledgeable comments about Bear's survival techniques. Like, Daryl could totally give Bear Grylls a run for his money Glenn thinks. He for one would watch the hell out of a TV show starring Daryl surviving in the wilderness.
Glenn's dad gets back from his meeting with business associates ("meeting," aka round of golf), and his mom calls them all to the table. Dinner is nice. Usually when it's just their family, they eat quickly and Glenn and Ella watch early Christmas specials or play video games in the family room while his dad watches Korean history programs in the living room and his mom cleans up in the kitchen. Since Daryl is their guest, they take their time and everything is a little more formal. Glenn notices his parents are dressed up and the food is served on the nice dishes.
Daryl has warmed up and chats with his parents. Well, maybe not chats, but readily answers their questions. When they're done eating, Daryl takes his plate into the kitchen and helps clear the table and even attempts to wash some dishes before Glenn's mom swats at him with a kitchen towel. Glenn can tell she is impressed. His dad invites them into the living room and Daryl and Glenn both sit on the couch. It's kind of weird since this is the kind of formal sitting his dad normally does with adults. He half expects his dad to call for his mom to pour them some Soju. As if on cue, Ella comes in with a tray of coffee. His mom brings the pie and they eat quietly until his dad notices Daryl looking at a framed snapshot from when they first arrived in the US. In it, Glenn is three and dressed in a horribly embarrassing pants suit (shorts suit? It has shorts and a big round white collar, ugh) with a bowl haircut. So his dad recounts the story of how they came here and surprisingly Daryl seems really interested. He asks some questions about Korea and then asks if they are related to Syngman Rhee. At Glenn's shocked look, Daryl ducks his head sheepishly. He mumbles, but Glenn can still hear, he saw the name when he was flipping through his history textbook. And now Glenn's dad is impressed as well.
Daryl spending the day with Ella is really going above and beyond. Okay, the comment about finding a store that sells guns is kind of scary. He wonders briefly if introducing someone like Daryl into Ella's life is a bad idea. But then seeing Daryl and Ella picking out a bow and arrow set together is just...mesmerizing. He's so enthralled that he buys the set even though he really should wait and ask his parents first.
And he's glad he did. Seeing how kind and patient Daryl is teaching Ella just melts his heart. There is a moment, after Daryl helps El set up her shot, that Daryl glances up at Glenn and their eyes meet. His breath catches and he swears he must grow a pair of ovaries because in that moment he wants to have babies with Daryl. Holy shit.
The blind date turns out to be the worst. idea. ever. At first it seems to be going okay. Fun even. Daryl's t-shirt has sleeves today, but you can still see his muscles flex every time he picks up the ball. And his ass...what a view. Glenn mentally pats himself on the back for suggesting bowling. The end of the date, however, is where things fall apart.
He helps Katie out of the car.
I think they need some privacy.
Wh..Are they talking?
No. Katie smiles knowingly and closes the car door.
Oh. Glenn thinks about Daryl kissing Chrissy. He's...sad. Not that, well, it's not that he thought he and Daryl... But it still sucks when you find out your crush likes someone else.
"I had a nice time." Katie smiles at him.
"Me too. But we can't tell our moms this went well. They would just be encouraged to do it more."
"I know! Okay, I had a horrible time. So did my friend. I can't believe we got set up with such jerks." She has a look of mock outrage on her face, then breaks into a smile.
"Whoa. Um, maybe we're not jerks, maybe you two are just uptight princesses that can't be pleased." He attempts to look disgusted.
They both chuckle.
"I think your friend's getting lucky".
"WHAT?" Glenn turns and sees Daryl and Chrissy through the rear window kissing. Katie makes him turn away.
"Don't look, perv. Would you want someone watching you?"
"Maybe we should, uh." Glenn gestures away from the car. They wander along the sidewalk a little further until they come to a tree in the parkway, moving under the canopy into the shadows. Glenn feels Katie's arms slip around his waist. She tilts her face up to him and smiles. He's a little startled by the physical contact, but it's nice. Nice to feel affection from someone other than his mom or sister, and he finds himself putting his arms around her. Leaning in. Then they're kissing, and maybe it's all the pent up tension of being around Daryl and not being able to do anything about it, but he's really getting into it. Their tongues explore each other's mouths and Glenn moves his hands so one's at her neck, running lightly over the soft skin there, and the other is pressing at the small of her back.
Katie's lips travel down across his jaw and onto his neck. Glenn opens his eyes and looks at the car again, but it's further away now so he can see movement but not details...and...why is he torturing himself like this? Still, he keeps looking. He sees Daryl get out of the car and walk around to help Chrissy out. They're leaning against the car waiting so Glenn pushes on Katie's shoulder. She pulls away and looks up at him.
"Uh, maybe we should..." he gestures toward the car. She sees the other two waiting and nods. They walk back.
"How was it?" Katie gives Chrissy a raised eyebrow.
"Hush. Older brother will say something." Chrissy smiles coyly at Glenn.
Glenn blinks. Yeah, he'd rather not hear any details.
They drop the girls at the door and start the drive back. The car is quiet. Maybe tense. Glenn wonders if Daryl might have been upset that they were speaking Korean and he couldn't understand.
"Uh. Katie was just asking Chrissy if she had a good time. Tonight. You know, when she was speaking Korean." He glances at Daryl who is staring out the window. Well, that wasn't exactly what she said. Maybe Daryl can sense the half truth and so that's why he doesn't respond. Damn his horrible lying skills.
Daryl makes a sound, but nothing intelligible. Glenn figures he should shut up before he makes it worse.
Back at the house, Daryl says he's going home tomorrow. Glenn is sort of shocked. They had planned for him to stay the whole weekend so why the sudden change? He's...really sad. It actually felt like he and Daryl were starting to become friends but maybe he read too much into the situation. He goes into his room while Daryl is using the bathroom and texts Rick. Maybe Rick can cheer him up.
G: U busy?
R: No. How was ur date?
G: Fine. Great if straight
R: Ha. What did u do?
G: Bowling. Boba tea
R: Daryl have fun?
G: IDK. He's leaving tomorrow
R: So not good?
G: ?
R: Pix?
Glenn sends a picture he had taken of the four of them at the tea shop.
R: So girls r both Korean?
G: Yes
R: Daryl dated a Korean girl!
G: I know rite
R: Good. Maybe he's more tolerant now. Shit or less.
G: Shit or less?
R: Less tolerant. In warfare when one race conquers another they have sex w the women to assert dominance
G: What?! Nooooooo
R: Good going dumbass
G: FU. My moms fault
R: Or maybe ur creating one of those white guys who like only Asians. #asianfetish
G: Shit. Shit shit shit.
R: What do u care? You don't want Asian girls. He can have all he wants
G: I'm a traitor to my race. 2 my bros.
R: Yeah u r. Did u tell her ur gay?
G: No. Made out instead. FML
R: Srsly? No words.
G: Ur one to talk. How's Lori?
R: a. have not made out with her. b. could totally date a girl.
G: I could totally too
R: No. Just no.
G: STFU dick. What r u doing tomorrow?
R: Mom wants to put up xmas deco. Want to help?
G: Ill watch.
R: Lazy ass
They make plans to meet up on Saturday. Glenn can't hear any more sounds from the bathroom so quietly tiptoes over and brushes his teeth. On his way back he peeks into the family room. The lights are out but he can just see the outline of Daryl's face and hear his even breathing. He watches for just a minute. Not being creepy, just checking to make sure he's...got enough blankets. Glenn goes to sleep still trying to figure out why Daryl wants to leave. Maybe he really does have to start a paper...
Daryl gets ready to leave in the morning and Glenn gathers his family to say goodbye. Ella hugs Daryl. Her arms go around his waist and her cheek presses against his chest and Glenn feels jealous he can't do the same. Instead he brings out Daryl's laundry, washed and folded. He follows Daryl out to his truck and puts it in the truck bed, then stands awkwardly, hands shoved in his pockets.
"I'll see ya back at the room," Daryl finally says and turns to get into his truck. Glenn wants to say something that will make Daryl change his mind and stay longer, wants to yell out 'Don't go!' But that would be so pathetic. Instead, he blurts out, "I'm glad you came." His face immediately gets hot and he has a sinking feeling in his stomach because it sounds so pitiful. He hears the longing in his own voice.
"Glad I came too," Daryl responds. Glenn hopes he really means it.
He mopes around the house the rest of the morning. His mom tries to get him to spill some details about the date so he tells her they went bowling and boba tea after. That's all she gets. Then he sees his mom's eyes narrow and lock onto his neck and he groans to himself. In the bathroom he checks his neck and yes, he has a hickey. Great. Not huge or anything, but unmistakable if you know what to look for. He tries to cover it up with some stuff he uses for pimples but that just makes the whole area look weird so he washes it off and decides to pretend it isn't there. His mom is bustling around the house all cheerful and smug. It pisses him off. He's mad at himself but it's easier to blame her. It's a good thing he made plans to get out of the house.
"Nice hickey!" Rick greets him later in the day when Glenn shows up at his door.
"Shhhh!" Glenn looks around to see if Rick's mom heard. Luckily he doesn't see her around.
"So, you're done with this whole gay thing, right? Going straight? You should sell your method. I hear a lot of parents want to turn their kids. You could make a lot of money." Rick laughs at Glenn's obvious misery.
"Fucker." Glenn punches him in the chest but Rick laughs it off like he doesn't feel anything.
They spend the afternoon putting up Christmas decorations and talking about Katie and Lori. (And how weird it that? They used to spend their time talking about guys they were lusting after.) Actually, it's more about how Glenn can let Katie know he's not interested without saying he's gay - after all, he did make out with her, so she might be pretty pissed if he confessed something like that. Plus it could get back to his mom.
Rick talks about Lori, about how pretty she is, and nice, and smart. Glenn gets the feeling he's is putting on a show, but can't figure out why. Then again, he hasn't told Rick about his massive crush on Daryl. It feels weird not to tell his best friend about something that totally monopolizes his thoughts these days, but Rick is still wary of Daryl. Glenn knows if he admitted his feelings, Rick would get all serious and sit him down for a heart to heart talk about being careful, about trust and mutual respect, blah blah blah. And really, with Daryl being aloof, and distant and...straight, there really isn't anything to tell.
How did his life get so complicated?
A/N: So just letting you know, the next update might take a lot longer. My writing is not flowing as easily and I have to organize my thoughts a bit more on how some events are going to fit together. Plus, writing this is totally distracting me from other things I should be doing, like, to lead a healthy and productive life. I think that's the definition of addiction. (Darlenn is ruining my life.) (But I don't care.)