Pounding Heartbeats 3: Modern Love
By Maureen
Disclaimer: see previous chapters. Again, this fic deals in m/m relationships so if you can't handle it, TURN BACK KNOW! you have no excuse if you get upset!
***
"Ever stop to think and forget to start again?" Tyler asked Catie one day at the station. Val and Hank were doing inventory since Jamie was still in the hospital. Tyler was working on his college essay questions and Catie was pouring over her sign language books, intent on mastering the new words.
"All the time," Catie replied, "I think it means that whatever we were thinking about was something we shouldn't've been."
"Makes sense," Tyler replied, going back to trying to figure out what event helped to define him as an adult. Where did colleges get these essay questions from anyways?
"Are you Christian?" Tyler asked a few minutes later.
"My family is," Catie replied cautiously. Where was he going with all this? She and Tyler weren't close; he was a jock, prep, and a member of the 'super squad'. She was a rebel, a Goth, a bleacher junkie. They had nothing in common.
"And you?"
"I prefer to think for myself instead of following blindly like sheep, but if that's what floats your boat then bully for you. I believe in god though."
"I thought I was Christian. But now I'm not so sure. They hate people that are gay or bi," Tyler put his pen down, giving up all pretenses of working on his homework.
"See? That's what I'm saying, why would this so-called omni benevolent god hate people because of who they love?"
"Man created god, though, remember, and man decides who god or what god loves. I don't agree with this, but I do like the idea of a being greater than me somewhere, it's kind of comforting."
"Yeah."
Catie tucked an errant lock of her dark hair behind her ear. Who knew that Tyler could have such deep thoughts? Sure, everyone knew he was smart, but she had no idea he was this...metaphysical. "What brought all this on?"
"Jamie. Val. You. Everything. I'm just worried about it all."
Ah. Yes. The events in the past two weeks had been challenging to all. Having to go save their friend and teammate was trying at best, but then finding out that he'd been abused for years without anyone realizing it. If that weren't enough, he was suddenly deaf, off the squad and about to go live with Alex. Of course, in the soap opera that is life, it is never enough; Hank and Tyler had just come out of the closet.
Catie scooted to the other end of the couch where Tyler was sitting and hugged him awkwardly. "We're all worried. I wish there was something we could do, you know?"
"Yeah," Tyler replied, dully. How strange that he couldn't talk to Hank or Val or any of the football team about any of this, yet he could talk to Catie. The last person on earth he thought he could ever talk to without fighting a few weeks ago. "Thanks."
"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Catie replied, moving back to her side of the couch.
Friends, huh? Strange the way life works out sometimes. Tyler thought, a slight smile playing on his lips. He picked his pen back up and was soon scratching away at his notebooks paper, knowing what he needed to write about.
***
"Jamie's getting out today, Jamie's getting out today, Jamie's getting out today -" a hand clamped over Catie's mouth, interrupting her.
"We heard." Kenny said, "Shut up."
Catie glared at him from her seat under the bleachers, but quieted. Everyone else there was glad he had stopped her, she was sounding like a broken record.
"I thought you were 'just friends'," Brianne said, her hand moving rapidly as she sketched something.
"Shut up, Brianne!" Catie told her, "After two weeks in the hospital, I can be happy that my best friend is getting out!" Okay, she told herself, I do like him, even as more than a friend, but right now he needs friends, not a girlfriend!
A lone figure was walking slowly towards the bleachers. While obviously a 'he', and not Carlson, the glare of the noonday sun was such that they couldn't make out who it was. A minute later, Jamie's face could be made out.
Everyone stared at him, not expecting the faded bruises along his face and around his ears, or the small bandage up by his head. He had looked much worse when he had first been admitted, not that anyone knew that except Catie.
"Hey," Jamie said, running his hand through his hair nervously, hoping he sounded normal.
"Hey James," Kenny replied. "Thought you were deaf or something, that you weren't coming back here."
Jamie replied angrily, "That's why you shouldn't think Kenny!" Not wanting to continue speaking with him, or any of the other bleacher junkies except Catie, he continued, "I just came to say 'hi'. So hi."
Catie stood up from where she was sitting next to Brianne and signed *I'm going to go see Val. Want to come?*
*Sure.* "Bye guys!"
"It's weird," Jamie said, "I know the cafeteria is roaring with noise, but I can't hear anything. It's so disconcerting."
Catie only nodded in response as they weaved though people and tables to where the super squad usually sat. When Val saw them she immediately jumped up, giving Jamie a huge hug.
*How are you!* she asked, signing quickly. In sign language they had discovered that there were degrees of excitement like with spoken words. The faster a person signed showed their proficiency as well as their excitement and the larger a person made the signs the more they were exaggerating or excited.
*I'm fine. It's weird to be back* before anyone could reply or pull a piece of paper out Tyler and Hank came out of the hot lunch line complaining about the 'mystery meat'.
"The only mystery here is how this got classified as meat!" Hank proclaimed, setting his tray on the table.
"Nah," Tyler denied, "the mystery is why we haven't had a call because the meat got someone sick!" all three EMTs were on duty and in their uniforms, despite it being school. 24-hour shifts meant 24-hour shifts.
Val cleared her throat and motioned quickly with her head towards Jamie. *Hey Jamie* Hank signed, noticing him. *How's it going?*
"Hey Hank, Tyler. You two married yet?" Jamie asked, am evil glint in his eye.
"Not quite yet," Tyler said, grabbing a hold of Jamie's arm and propelling him towards the doors to the football field.
Hank followed, calling behind him "Guy stuff be right back!"
***
Out in the middle of the field where no one could possibly overhear them, they sat down. "Okay guys, what gives?" Jamie asked.
/Don't talk./ Hank wrote, /we have something to tell you, Val already knows./
*Knows what?* Jamie signed.
/Tyler and I are going out./
*What?* Jamie signed, confused. They were going out? /Like boyfriend...boyfriend going out?/ He wrote on the notepad Tyler had produced from his pocket.
*Yes* Tyler signed back.
*Weird* /but you two act like you're married, so I guess it was something to be expected. What about Val?/ Jamie asked, concerned. It was well known that Val had a huge crush on Tyler.
/I've already told Val and she's upset but all right. We weren't going out. We're still friends and everything and I'm not totally giving up on girls. I'm bi./ Tyler wrote.
*Weird. But cool.*
/You're not weirded out by this? /
/Nah, you're not the first people I've known to walk down the middle of Gay Street. Whatever tickles your pickle./ After Jamie wrote the last sentence the trio began to laugh and headed back inside. Jamie wouldn't tell, and as long as Val wasn't upset he had no problem with it.
***
"That went better than expected," Hank said as the trio walked back to the cafeteria.
"Yup," Tyler agreed. Now if only everything would be this painless. "I'll see you later, I need to finish typing up my English essay."
"Sure. I want to read that later, okay?" Hank asked, touching Tyler's hand surreptitiously. In school they had to be very careful and could not hold each other, kiss or even say 'I love you'. They weren't bleacher junkies and did not have the luxury of being able to do what they wished without significant repercussions.
"Maybe. Not sure yet. Later!" Tyler called, turning off to go to the library.
"Bye..." Hank said softly.
"Good luck," Jamie whispered, or thought he did, to Hank before rejoining Val and Catie.
A/n: none. ;)
By Maureen
Disclaimer: see previous chapters. Again, this fic deals in m/m relationships so if you can't handle it, TURN BACK KNOW! you have no excuse if you get upset!
***
"Ever stop to think and forget to start again?" Tyler asked Catie one day at the station. Val and Hank were doing inventory since Jamie was still in the hospital. Tyler was working on his college essay questions and Catie was pouring over her sign language books, intent on mastering the new words.
"All the time," Catie replied, "I think it means that whatever we were thinking about was something we shouldn't've been."
"Makes sense," Tyler replied, going back to trying to figure out what event helped to define him as an adult. Where did colleges get these essay questions from anyways?
"Are you Christian?" Tyler asked a few minutes later.
"My family is," Catie replied cautiously. Where was he going with all this? She and Tyler weren't close; he was a jock, prep, and a member of the 'super squad'. She was a rebel, a Goth, a bleacher junkie. They had nothing in common.
"And you?"
"I prefer to think for myself instead of following blindly like sheep, but if that's what floats your boat then bully for you. I believe in god though."
"I thought I was Christian. But now I'm not so sure. They hate people that are gay or bi," Tyler put his pen down, giving up all pretenses of working on his homework.
"See? That's what I'm saying, why would this so-called omni benevolent god hate people because of who they love?"
"Man created god, though, remember, and man decides who god or what god loves. I don't agree with this, but I do like the idea of a being greater than me somewhere, it's kind of comforting."
"Yeah."
Catie tucked an errant lock of her dark hair behind her ear. Who knew that Tyler could have such deep thoughts? Sure, everyone knew he was smart, but she had no idea he was this...metaphysical. "What brought all this on?"
"Jamie. Val. You. Everything. I'm just worried about it all."
Ah. Yes. The events in the past two weeks had been challenging to all. Having to go save their friend and teammate was trying at best, but then finding out that he'd been abused for years without anyone realizing it. If that weren't enough, he was suddenly deaf, off the squad and about to go live with Alex. Of course, in the soap opera that is life, it is never enough; Hank and Tyler had just come out of the closet.
Catie scooted to the other end of the couch where Tyler was sitting and hugged him awkwardly. "We're all worried. I wish there was something we could do, you know?"
"Yeah," Tyler replied, dully. How strange that he couldn't talk to Hank or Val or any of the football team about any of this, yet he could talk to Catie. The last person on earth he thought he could ever talk to without fighting a few weeks ago. "Thanks."
"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Catie replied, moving back to her side of the couch.
Friends, huh? Strange the way life works out sometimes. Tyler thought, a slight smile playing on his lips. He picked his pen back up and was soon scratching away at his notebooks paper, knowing what he needed to write about.
***
"Jamie's getting out today, Jamie's getting out today, Jamie's getting out today -" a hand clamped over Catie's mouth, interrupting her.
"We heard." Kenny said, "Shut up."
Catie glared at him from her seat under the bleachers, but quieted. Everyone else there was glad he had stopped her, she was sounding like a broken record.
"I thought you were 'just friends'," Brianne said, her hand moving rapidly as she sketched something.
"Shut up, Brianne!" Catie told her, "After two weeks in the hospital, I can be happy that my best friend is getting out!" Okay, she told herself, I do like him, even as more than a friend, but right now he needs friends, not a girlfriend!
A lone figure was walking slowly towards the bleachers. While obviously a 'he', and not Carlson, the glare of the noonday sun was such that they couldn't make out who it was. A minute later, Jamie's face could be made out.
Everyone stared at him, not expecting the faded bruises along his face and around his ears, or the small bandage up by his head. He had looked much worse when he had first been admitted, not that anyone knew that except Catie.
"Hey," Jamie said, running his hand through his hair nervously, hoping he sounded normal.
"Hey James," Kenny replied. "Thought you were deaf or something, that you weren't coming back here."
Jamie replied angrily, "That's why you shouldn't think Kenny!" Not wanting to continue speaking with him, or any of the other bleacher junkies except Catie, he continued, "I just came to say 'hi'. So hi."
Catie stood up from where she was sitting next to Brianne and signed *I'm going to go see Val. Want to come?*
*Sure.* "Bye guys!"
"It's weird," Jamie said, "I know the cafeteria is roaring with noise, but I can't hear anything. It's so disconcerting."
Catie only nodded in response as they weaved though people and tables to where the super squad usually sat. When Val saw them she immediately jumped up, giving Jamie a huge hug.
*How are you!* she asked, signing quickly. In sign language they had discovered that there were degrees of excitement like with spoken words. The faster a person signed showed their proficiency as well as their excitement and the larger a person made the signs the more they were exaggerating or excited.
*I'm fine. It's weird to be back* before anyone could reply or pull a piece of paper out Tyler and Hank came out of the hot lunch line complaining about the 'mystery meat'.
"The only mystery here is how this got classified as meat!" Hank proclaimed, setting his tray on the table.
"Nah," Tyler denied, "the mystery is why we haven't had a call because the meat got someone sick!" all three EMTs were on duty and in their uniforms, despite it being school. 24-hour shifts meant 24-hour shifts.
Val cleared her throat and motioned quickly with her head towards Jamie. *Hey Jamie* Hank signed, noticing him. *How's it going?*
"Hey Hank, Tyler. You two married yet?" Jamie asked, am evil glint in his eye.
"Not quite yet," Tyler said, grabbing a hold of Jamie's arm and propelling him towards the doors to the football field.
Hank followed, calling behind him "Guy stuff be right back!"
***
Out in the middle of the field where no one could possibly overhear them, they sat down. "Okay guys, what gives?" Jamie asked.
/Don't talk./ Hank wrote, /we have something to tell you, Val already knows./
*Knows what?* Jamie signed.
/Tyler and I are going out./
*What?* Jamie signed, confused. They were going out? /Like boyfriend...boyfriend going out?/ He wrote on the notepad Tyler had produced from his pocket.
*Yes* Tyler signed back.
*Weird* /but you two act like you're married, so I guess it was something to be expected. What about Val?/ Jamie asked, concerned. It was well known that Val had a huge crush on Tyler.
/I've already told Val and she's upset but all right. We weren't going out. We're still friends and everything and I'm not totally giving up on girls. I'm bi./ Tyler wrote.
*Weird. But cool.*
/You're not weirded out by this? /
/Nah, you're not the first people I've known to walk down the middle of Gay Street. Whatever tickles your pickle./ After Jamie wrote the last sentence the trio began to laugh and headed back inside. Jamie wouldn't tell, and as long as Val wasn't upset he had no problem with it.
***
"That went better than expected," Hank said as the trio walked back to the cafeteria.
"Yup," Tyler agreed. Now if only everything would be this painless. "I'll see you later, I need to finish typing up my English essay."
"Sure. I want to read that later, okay?" Hank asked, touching Tyler's hand surreptitiously. In school they had to be very careful and could not hold each other, kiss or even say 'I love you'. They weren't bleacher junkies and did not have the luxury of being able to do what they wished without significant repercussions.
"Maybe. Not sure yet. Later!" Tyler called, turning off to go to the library.
"Bye..." Hank said softly.
"Good luck," Jamie whispered, or thought he did, to Hank before rejoining Val and Catie.
A/n: none. ;)
