Chapter 10. The date. Um...yay?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

"Paige!"

"Paige!!!"

"Pai-i-i-i-ge!!"

"What Dylan?" roared Paige from her brother's doorway, looking very irritated.

Dylan ran to her with scared eyes from the train wreck that was his room. "What do guys wear on dates!?! I'm going out of mind!"

Paige stared at her brother wide eyed for a long moment before her face contorted and she exploded into helpless laughter. Oh my god! She staggered over and landed on his bed with a thump, and doubled over, giggling manically. This was just too rich. Dylan asking for advice on clothes! The world was freezing over! She couldn't blame him or anything. The guy had never been on a date before with a guy...but this was ridiculous!

Wiping tears from her eyes she sat up and faced her now very defensive looking older brother. "Okay, okay, sorry. That was just hilarious. You've never cared before, and now all of the sudden you call me to your room asking for advice. It's just so funny. I wish Marco could see how crazy he makes you. I bet he would have a fit!"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. But please!" Dylan pleaded with his eyes. "I've never dressed up for anything in my life except for Aunt Marie's funeral...and even then I was way underdressed in comparison!"

She grabbed his face in her hands and forced him to stop pacing and look at her. "Hun! It'll be fine! Nobody cares how you dress! Especially Marco! You're blowing this way out of porportion." She let go of his face and walked to his closet, and began riffling through his clothes. Grabbing a dark grey sweater, she threw it at him, landing it on his head perfectly. "Wear that and chill out. Just breathe and get ready. Honestly."

Paige flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked out of the room muttering what sounded suspiciously like "boys" under her breath. Dylan shook his head to rid it of the shirt and smiled stupidly after her. Taking a deep breath he headed for the shower.

She was right though. Marco probably would have a fit if he saw how crazy he made him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --

Marco stood before the full length mirror on the inside of his closet door, buttoning up his black shirt. God, he was so nervous. But, it was subtle...like the whole idea of actually going on a date with Dylan hadn't yet sunk in. Which, in all reality, it probably hadn't.

He had went through their entire two month friendship telling himself to never have any ideas on dating the other boy. That way his hopes never had to crash later on. And then, amazingly, Dylan had asked him out. Just yesterday. So the fact that he was still stunned didn't seem all that weird he supposed.

The fact that he was nervous beyond all measure didn't seem so weird either.

Behind his mirror reflection self he saw his mother float into view and wrap her arms around his waist, and rest her chin on his shoulder. "Nervous?"

"Got a tranquilizing gun?"

She laughed. Marco could feel the vibration of it go down his spine. It was comforting in a way. It gave him something real for his mind to hold on to for a moments time. "That bad huh?"

Marco only nodded and pushed his hair this way and that, fixing it into place, all while his mother stood behind him. He finished and turned to her. "I feel like an idiot. Really I do. I have this crazy feeling that I'm about to walk out of the house half naked or something."

She only grinned at him and pushed a stray tuft of hair out of his eyes. "You worry too much."

"Ellie says that too."

"She's a smart one."

Marco looked at her doubtfully at the first mention of his best friend. He whispered "Do you ever wish I had ended up with Ellie instead of all this?" He paused and looked at his shoes. "That I was normal? All this drama wouldn't have had to happen?"

"No, Marco...I don't. As odd as that seems, it never crossed my mind. As long as you are happy, I don't care about the gender of who you love or even if it causes problems." She smiled at him. "Don't back out on me now! I've been waiting for you to go on an actual date since you were small!"

"No, not backing out. Just curious." Marco replied, relieved. "Where's dad?"

"I sent him off to spend time with his friends tonight. So you wouldn't have to deal with his obnoxious behaviour. I hate the way he leaves the room. I was not having him do that while Dylan was here."

"Thank you."

A knock on the front door was heard, and Marco and Mrs. del Rossi snapped their heads towards the bedroom door. "Well, there he is. Better get going."

Marco gave her a last hug before bounding down the stairs. "Bye Ma!"

"Bye honey! Have fun!"

Stopping at the door, Marco took one final deep breath, trying in vain to slow his heartbeat a bit. Reaching out shakily, he slowly opened his front door. And there was Dylan in all his amazing, smiling glory.

"Hey" said Dylan, tucking some loose hair behind his ear.

"Hey"

The two stared at each other for what seemed to be eternity. It was awkward. That was the first thought Dylan had. It wasn't what he wanted at all, but it was awkward just the same. The silence was getting opressive and his ability of speech seemed to have taken a vacation. So they continued their little stare-down while the silence pressed ever tighter around them.

All of the sudden the stupidity of the situation caught up with Dylan and he busted out laughing, with Marco not far behind, ending the quiet. They laughed for ages. So long even, that Marco's mother now stood in the entry way smiling, puzzled at the two boys. Dylan looked up through his hair at the women behind Marco and, still wheezing, greeted "Hello Mrs. del Rossi. Nice to see you again."

Her reply was slow and teasing. "Yes, nice to see you again too. Marco, you were planning on leaving right?"

"Yes ma'am. We are. Right now in fact." Shaking his head, he grabbed Dylan by his shirt sleeve and walked over the threshold, throwing a last goodbye over his shoulder as he dragged his date from his house.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

They went to The Dot for dinner first. The whole time Dylan kept cracking jokes and saying stupid things to loosen the other boy up. He wanted them to have fun. Like they usually did together. He really didn't want a thing to change between them. Except maybe the whole 'no touching' thing. That was becoming really hard to get used to. The idea...that sooner or later he would be allowed, gave Dylan quite the feeling of euphoria and intense nerves.

"You alright?" Dylan asked, as a comfortable lull settled on their conversation.

Marco looked up uncertainly. Everything had just sunk in. "Yeah. I'm fine. Why?" No, he thought. I'm nervous beyond belief.

The older boy gave a little chuckle and dug some money out of his pocket. "Dunno. You just kinda looked like the sky was going to fall any second."

Marco looked up at the ceiling, fake scared. "Really! It will?"

"Haha, yeah...don't they teach you these things in school?"

With big grins on their faces they left the restaurant for the car.

They were going to the movies tonight too. To 'be totally cliche' as Dylan put it. Marco didn't mind in the least. Especially since Dylan had chosen the movie he had had his eye on all week.

In the car they listened to the radio and sang along. Dylan in his absurdly horrible singing voice as always, and the top down. The nerves seem to float away when Dylan was being silly. Marco was very grateful for that, as he'd been acting like an idiot all night.

They entered the theatre and Dylan paid for the tickets. Marco, feeling bad, said he'd pay for the drinks and such. In line, Dylan kept leaning over and whispering in his ear, telling him stories of getting in trouble at the theatre for throwing food at people. Marco was laughing so hard that the girl behind the counter had to try and get his attention three times before he finally came to long enough to order a couple of drinks.

Dylan teased him about it on the way to the theatre and once their tickets had been given he swiveled around to look at the shorter boy behind him.

"Race you to the theatre!" and ran down the long hallway. Marco barely had time to register his words before the other boy had run past him, ruffling his hair. "You jerk!" he yelled but did, with a shake of his head, run after him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------

The movie had been good. Marco had missed some key parts because he kept glancing over at Dylan, but from the little he had watched it seemed to live up to it's preview. Not that he cared. Especially with Dylan not two feet away from him as they walked to the car.

Sitting together in the convertible, darkness settling over them like a blanket, Dylan turned to his companion with a question in his eyes. "I-I had planned on taking you home now...but, erm, would you like to go somewhere else first?"

Marco's eyes got big and round at Dylan's statement. He wanted to spend more time with him? "Um, s-sure. Where exactly did you want to go?"

Dylan smiled a secret little smile and started up the car. "It's a surprise."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------

Dylan pulled the convertible into a deserted parking lot. Marco recognized the place as the stadium where Dylan's team played their hockey games. The blonde boy opened his door and climbed out, turning to Marco. "Come on. I think you'll like this."

Marco, curious, got out and walked unsurely over to Dylan. They both set off to the stadium in companionable silence. It was very dark, as there were no lights on, but the moon was full and exceptionally bright.

Dylan looked over at the shorter boy. He was beautiful. All liquid moonlight and dark shadow. He wanted to touch him. See if he felt as delicate as he looked. Very uncertainly he reached over. He ran his fingers ever so softly down his arm, from his elbow, until he reached Marco's wrist, then gently and timidly intwined their fingers. It was warm and it created a giddy buzz throughout his mind. But what if the other boy wasn't ready for this?

Terrified, Dylan raised his head slightly to see the other boy's reaction. He almost fell forward in relief to see Marco looking in his direction with a soft, warm expression on his face. Dylan sighed. Thank god.

Dylan squeezed his hand and they continued towards the stadium. Dylan showed Marco a secret entrance into the building, telling him in hushed whispered tones of the time him and his friend Cale had discovered it by accident after a match.

It was dark. That was the only thought that registered through Marco's mind when they were inside. He clutched onto the hand he held even tighter, fearing he was cutting off the older teen's circulation. They grappled around the stadium in the dark for about twenty minutes. After much groping Dylan found a power box near the offices and flipped some switches. Lights above the ice exploded into life.

Dylan glanced at Marco out of the corner of his eye and flashed a brilliant smirk. He tugged a little and guided his friend down the steps to the ice below.

Marco was amazed. Everything was so...beautiful. The lights bounced off of the ice createing a cascade of blue and white and cold and fragile beauty. Marco turned to Dylan. Like other things too.

Dylan cautiously started to slide across the ice, his hand still gripping the other boy's, pulling him forward along for the ride. They slid toward the middle without falling, using the other person for support when needed, laughing about it the whole way. Soon they reached their goal and stopped to look around.

Dylan looked over at Marco. His eyes kept darting from one thing to another like he couldn't take it all in. Those eyes finally came back to himself and they stopped, stuck. "Thank you. I had no idea this place was so cool at night, in the dark."

"Thought you'd like it. Come on. It's getting late." Before he could turn around to guide his partner off the ice, his head was yanked down and warm lips descended on his own.

Dylan was stunned. It took all of half a second to figure out what was going on before he kissed back. It only lasted two seconds...but it seemed to go on forever, and when Marco pulled back he couldn't help but smile.

"Sorry. I-I..." Dylan pecked him on the head quickly to shut up him up and began to slide in the direction of the door, dragging a now smiling Marco behind him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------

Dylan opened his front door and was attacked by a blur of blonde hair and perfume. "Dylan! Tell me what happened! Now!"

Dylan only smiled at her and continued the walk to his room, saying over his shoulder "It was everything it was supposed to be. That's all you need to know."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------

I think I'm going to take a break on the story. The writer's block is just ruining it. I keep trying to write and it comes out half-assed, like this one. So I'm going to wait so that I don't ruin this.

Review, and since you asked ! with skittles! o.0 Weird combination. But oh well.

Also...the Paige scene at the start for you Tru. I had no idea what to do!