Title: Unconscious Grace
Author: Liat
Disclaimer: not mine
Also found at:
~*~
Part 6:
~*~
"Say it again."
Arms folded, "No."
"Come on, "Bright pleaded, "say it again! Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with a grand piano on top?"
Ephram laughed despite himself, lounging back on Bright's bed. Shaking his head, he said,
"No, damn it."
Bright pouted,
"Why not."
Ephram shrugged,
"I feel stupid for even saying it to begin with. I mean, you just sat there, looking so shocked.you didn't respond for a full 5 minutes, and then when you did, you laughed. You laughed!"
Bright sighed,
"Come on, Ephram. I so didn't mean it that way. I was just so shocked you acctually said it! I mean, I never expected to hear that from you. Just, please, say it again. I want to hear you say it again."
Ephram sighed, rolling his eyes,
"Fine. But just because you asked so pretty."
Bright beamed at Ephram, snuggling closer against his side and wrapping his arms around Ephram's waist. Ephram kept his arms crossed and, refusing to look at him, said in a forcedly flat tone,
"You look hot today."
Bright giggled, nuzzling Ephram's chest. Sighing, Ephram relaxed his stance, covering Bright's arms with his own. He rested his chin on the top of Bright's head and said, turning his head to rub his cheek against Bright's hair affectionately,
"You suck, Bright."
Bright looked up at Ephram, grinned devilishly,
"Yes, I do."
Ephram raised his eyebrows and looked down at Bright. He caught the smirk and rolled his eyes,
"Perv."
Bright laughed, sliding down so he was level with Ephram's waist. He said, eyes wide, his look angelic and innocent.
"But don't you want me to suck, Ephram?"
Ephram tried to smile, but his breath was backing up in his lungs and he was nearly trembling in anticipation. His eyes fluttered shut when Bright reached a hand up to caress his cheek. He turned his face into Bright's hand, and Bright gasped, marveling at the tender gesture. Slowly, he scooted back up, leaning towards Ephram. He kissed him, then, slowly, softly, wanting to convey his feelings for Ephram without using words. Ephram sighed, moving languidly, shifting closer to Bright, pressing up against his entire length. Wanting to feel the heat from that lithe body. Bright murmured something unintelligible against Ephram's lips before settling over Ephram, pinning him to the bed. Bright's hand was just stealing under Ephram's shirt when a door slammed somewhere in the house and a voice called out,
"Bright! Bright, are you home?"
Cursing, Bright scrambled off the bed, ran a hand through his hair, trying unsuccessfully to tame the curls, and then, smoothing down his shirt, he walked to the bedroom door, taking deep, calming breaths all the while, and unlocked it and swung it open. He walked out to the banister and shouted down,
"I'm upstairs!"
He turned to shoot an apologetic look at Ephram and they heard footsteps on the stairs. Seconds later, Colin appeared at the top of the stairs, slightly winded but grinning widely.
"Hey, Abbot! Amy said you'd be home, so I thought I'd come over and see."
He trailed off, noticing Bright glancing apprehensively into his room. Colin turned to look inside the room and saw Ephram casually sprawled across Bright's bed perusing a Sports Illustrated. Colin's eager grin faded and he said softly,
".Oh."
Bright reached out to touch Colin's arm and said,
"Maybe we could hang out tomorrow?"
Colin turned to look at Bright, disappointment written on his face. He shrugged dejectedly,
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
Bright glanced at Ephram again and said to Colin,
"I'm really sorry. I had no idea you wanted to do something today."
Colin shrugged again,
"Whatever man. It's no problem."
Bright nodded hesitantly, then followed Colin downstairs and to the front door. Colin went out, then turned around and said by with a little wave and a half-hearted smile. Bright closed the door and went back upstairs. Ephram was sitting cross-legged, the magazine closed next to him. He said the moment Bright entered the room,
"He wants you."
Bright stopped walking and said, looking at Ephram in shock,
"What?"
Ephram tilted his head and said,
"He wants you, Bright. I can tell."
Bright shook his head as he continued towards the bed,
"No way, Ephram. He's dating Amy, for God's sake. Plus, he's, like, the straightest guy there is."
Ephram shook his head, said insistently,
"I'm telling you Bright. He wants you."
Bright shook his head back,
"You're wrong. And plus, it doesn't matter, because I don't want him. I want you."
Bright punctuated that last 'you' with a firm kiss on Ephram's mouth before he plopped down next to him, drawing Ephram into his arms. Ephram sighed, leaning into Bright. He mumbled against the soft cotton of Bright's shirt,
"I should do my schoolwork."
Bright looked at Ephram down the bridge of his nose,
"Do you really want to do that now?"
Ephram snorted,
"Hell no, but I should.if I want to pass Chemistry."
Bright grinned, unable to resist,
"If you wanted to do Chemistry, why didn't you say so?"
Ephram frowned, looking up,
"You know Chemistry?"
"Aced the class."
Ephram couldn't control his jaw before it dropped open and he said,
"Really?"
Bright stifled a laugh,
"Oh yeah."
Ephram narrowed his eyes, finally getting it.
"Oh, ha ha. I mean real Chemistry. As in experiments, equations."
Bright grinned, winking,
"You plus me equals us. And I know all about experimentation. Of the non- chemical variety, that is."
Ephram rolled his eyes,
"Bright, you are so immature."
"And that's why you love me."
"That is not why."
Bright laughed, doubting that Ephram realized that he had just admitted that he loved him.
"Well, it's one of the reasons, right?"
"I do not condone immatureness. Nor do I encourage it in any way."
Bright tilted his head to the side. He hadn't really answered the question.
"Is immatureness a word?"
Ephram pushed away from Bright, sliding off the bed, hands on his hips,
"Bright, don't deliberately try to piss me off, okay?"
Bright's eyes widened, a little bit hurt.
"I'm not!"
Ephram sighed, reaching one hand up to tug on his hair in exasperation,
"I should go. I have homework, it's my night to make dinner.I'll call you later, okay?"
Ephram walked over to the door, grabbed his backpack, and turned to look at Bright. Bright sighed, stood up and walked over to Ephram, expression still depicting the hurt he felt at Ephram's dig. Ephram rose on tiptoe, pressing a kiss to Bright's cheek, then, with a lingering look, he turned around and left.
Once he heard the door slam shut, Bright walked back over to his bed and flopped, stomach down, onto the bed. After a few minutes' thought, he reached for the phone on his bedside table, punching in a number.
"Colin? Hey, you wanna do something?"
~*~
Two hours later, Ephram lay on his bed in a pose similar to Bright's earlier one. A cordless phone rested in his open palm, a speed-dial number displayed on the little screen. Biting his lip, Ephram pressed TALK and lifted the phone to his ear. After a couple minutes of the phone just ringing and ringing, Ephram hung up. Sighing, he got off the bed and went into the kitchen. Dr. Brown was sitting there reading an old issue of TIME magazine and sipping tea.
"Dad, I'm gonna go pick up some pizza, okay?"
Andy looked up,
"We can have it delivered, Ephram."
Ephram shrugged,
"I know, but I kinda just want to get out of the house for a while, okay?"
Andy nodded,
"Sure thing. Just get the usual." Standing up, he fished his wallet out of his pocket. "Here, take this. Why don't you stop at Mama Joy's and get a large order of fries, too?"
Ephram nodded, pocketing the cash. Then he grabbed his jacket from a peg near the door and left.
Walking into the noisy pizza parlor, Ephram glanced around casually before walking up to the counter. As he ordered, he studied the room and he people in it more closely. His eyes glanced over a booth in the corner, then doubled back. There sat Bright and Colin, laughing and fooling around just like old times. Eyes narrowed, Ephram deliberately looked away. Once he got the pizza, he left without a backward glance.
~*~
Colin looked up, feeling someone looking at them. He scanned the room and his eyes alighted on a familiar face at the counter. Eyes narrowed in anger and suspicion, Ephram deliberately turned away. Colin nudged Bright, inclining his head towards the counter. Bright swiveled in the booth and he saw Ephram standing broodily at the counter, he was about to get up and go talk to him when Ephram grabbed the pizza box handed to him and left without so much as a glance in Bright's direction.
TBC
Author: Liat
Disclaimer: not mine
Also found at:
~*~
Part 6:
~*~
"Say it again."
Arms folded, "No."
"Come on, "Bright pleaded, "say it again! Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with a grand piano on top?"
Ephram laughed despite himself, lounging back on Bright's bed. Shaking his head, he said,
"No, damn it."
Bright pouted,
"Why not."
Ephram shrugged,
"I feel stupid for even saying it to begin with. I mean, you just sat there, looking so shocked.you didn't respond for a full 5 minutes, and then when you did, you laughed. You laughed!"
Bright sighed,
"Come on, Ephram. I so didn't mean it that way. I was just so shocked you acctually said it! I mean, I never expected to hear that from you. Just, please, say it again. I want to hear you say it again."
Ephram sighed, rolling his eyes,
"Fine. But just because you asked so pretty."
Bright beamed at Ephram, snuggling closer against his side and wrapping his arms around Ephram's waist. Ephram kept his arms crossed and, refusing to look at him, said in a forcedly flat tone,
"You look hot today."
Bright giggled, nuzzling Ephram's chest. Sighing, Ephram relaxed his stance, covering Bright's arms with his own. He rested his chin on the top of Bright's head and said, turning his head to rub his cheek against Bright's hair affectionately,
"You suck, Bright."
Bright looked up at Ephram, grinned devilishly,
"Yes, I do."
Ephram raised his eyebrows and looked down at Bright. He caught the smirk and rolled his eyes,
"Perv."
Bright laughed, sliding down so he was level with Ephram's waist. He said, eyes wide, his look angelic and innocent.
"But don't you want me to suck, Ephram?"
Ephram tried to smile, but his breath was backing up in his lungs and he was nearly trembling in anticipation. His eyes fluttered shut when Bright reached a hand up to caress his cheek. He turned his face into Bright's hand, and Bright gasped, marveling at the tender gesture. Slowly, he scooted back up, leaning towards Ephram. He kissed him, then, slowly, softly, wanting to convey his feelings for Ephram without using words. Ephram sighed, moving languidly, shifting closer to Bright, pressing up against his entire length. Wanting to feel the heat from that lithe body. Bright murmured something unintelligible against Ephram's lips before settling over Ephram, pinning him to the bed. Bright's hand was just stealing under Ephram's shirt when a door slammed somewhere in the house and a voice called out,
"Bright! Bright, are you home?"
Cursing, Bright scrambled off the bed, ran a hand through his hair, trying unsuccessfully to tame the curls, and then, smoothing down his shirt, he walked to the bedroom door, taking deep, calming breaths all the while, and unlocked it and swung it open. He walked out to the banister and shouted down,
"I'm upstairs!"
He turned to shoot an apologetic look at Ephram and they heard footsteps on the stairs. Seconds later, Colin appeared at the top of the stairs, slightly winded but grinning widely.
"Hey, Abbot! Amy said you'd be home, so I thought I'd come over and see."
He trailed off, noticing Bright glancing apprehensively into his room. Colin turned to look inside the room and saw Ephram casually sprawled across Bright's bed perusing a Sports Illustrated. Colin's eager grin faded and he said softly,
".Oh."
Bright reached out to touch Colin's arm and said,
"Maybe we could hang out tomorrow?"
Colin turned to look at Bright, disappointment written on his face. He shrugged dejectedly,
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
Bright glanced at Ephram again and said to Colin,
"I'm really sorry. I had no idea you wanted to do something today."
Colin shrugged again,
"Whatever man. It's no problem."
Bright nodded hesitantly, then followed Colin downstairs and to the front door. Colin went out, then turned around and said by with a little wave and a half-hearted smile. Bright closed the door and went back upstairs. Ephram was sitting cross-legged, the magazine closed next to him. He said the moment Bright entered the room,
"He wants you."
Bright stopped walking and said, looking at Ephram in shock,
"What?"
Ephram tilted his head and said,
"He wants you, Bright. I can tell."
Bright shook his head as he continued towards the bed,
"No way, Ephram. He's dating Amy, for God's sake. Plus, he's, like, the straightest guy there is."
Ephram shook his head, said insistently,
"I'm telling you Bright. He wants you."
Bright shook his head back,
"You're wrong. And plus, it doesn't matter, because I don't want him. I want you."
Bright punctuated that last 'you' with a firm kiss on Ephram's mouth before he plopped down next to him, drawing Ephram into his arms. Ephram sighed, leaning into Bright. He mumbled against the soft cotton of Bright's shirt,
"I should do my schoolwork."
Bright looked at Ephram down the bridge of his nose,
"Do you really want to do that now?"
Ephram snorted,
"Hell no, but I should.if I want to pass Chemistry."
Bright grinned, unable to resist,
"If you wanted to do Chemistry, why didn't you say so?"
Ephram frowned, looking up,
"You know Chemistry?"
"Aced the class."
Ephram couldn't control his jaw before it dropped open and he said,
"Really?"
Bright stifled a laugh,
"Oh yeah."
Ephram narrowed his eyes, finally getting it.
"Oh, ha ha. I mean real Chemistry. As in experiments, equations."
Bright grinned, winking,
"You plus me equals us. And I know all about experimentation. Of the non- chemical variety, that is."
Ephram rolled his eyes,
"Bright, you are so immature."
"And that's why you love me."
"That is not why."
Bright laughed, doubting that Ephram realized that he had just admitted that he loved him.
"Well, it's one of the reasons, right?"
"I do not condone immatureness. Nor do I encourage it in any way."
Bright tilted his head to the side. He hadn't really answered the question.
"Is immatureness a word?"
Ephram pushed away from Bright, sliding off the bed, hands on his hips,
"Bright, don't deliberately try to piss me off, okay?"
Bright's eyes widened, a little bit hurt.
"I'm not!"
Ephram sighed, reaching one hand up to tug on his hair in exasperation,
"I should go. I have homework, it's my night to make dinner.I'll call you later, okay?"
Ephram walked over to the door, grabbed his backpack, and turned to look at Bright. Bright sighed, stood up and walked over to Ephram, expression still depicting the hurt he felt at Ephram's dig. Ephram rose on tiptoe, pressing a kiss to Bright's cheek, then, with a lingering look, he turned around and left.
Once he heard the door slam shut, Bright walked back over to his bed and flopped, stomach down, onto the bed. After a few minutes' thought, he reached for the phone on his bedside table, punching in a number.
"Colin? Hey, you wanna do something?"
~*~
Two hours later, Ephram lay on his bed in a pose similar to Bright's earlier one. A cordless phone rested in his open palm, a speed-dial number displayed on the little screen. Biting his lip, Ephram pressed TALK and lifted the phone to his ear. After a couple minutes of the phone just ringing and ringing, Ephram hung up. Sighing, he got off the bed and went into the kitchen. Dr. Brown was sitting there reading an old issue of TIME magazine and sipping tea.
"Dad, I'm gonna go pick up some pizza, okay?"
Andy looked up,
"We can have it delivered, Ephram."
Ephram shrugged,
"I know, but I kinda just want to get out of the house for a while, okay?"
Andy nodded,
"Sure thing. Just get the usual." Standing up, he fished his wallet out of his pocket. "Here, take this. Why don't you stop at Mama Joy's and get a large order of fries, too?"
Ephram nodded, pocketing the cash. Then he grabbed his jacket from a peg near the door and left.
Walking into the noisy pizza parlor, Ephram glanced around casually before walking up to the counter. As he ordered, he studied the room and he people in it more closely. His eyes glanced over a booth in the corner, then doubled back. There sat Bright and Colin, laughing and fooling around just like old times. Eyes narrowed, Ephram deliberately looked away. Once he got the pizza, he left without a backward glance.
~*~
Colin looked up, feeling someone looking at them. He scanned the room and his eyes alighted on a familiar face at the counter. Eyes narrowed in anger and suspicion, Ephram deliberately turned away. Colin nudged Bright, inclining his head towards the counter. Bright swiveled in the booth and he saw Ephram standing broodily at the counter, he was about to get up and go talk to him when Ephram grabbed the pizza box handed to him and left without so much as a glance in Bright's direction.
TBC