It was four in the morning, but Ryan decided now was as good a time as any to take a shower. As the blistering-hot water pounded down his back, he wondered why he should feel so lousy right after having amazing sex. Ryan turned off the water and headed back to bed, but he couldn't sleep. He kept picturing Jack with that girl in the library, Jack with the gymnast from Section, Jack with pretty much everyone he knew.

When Ryan finally drifted off to sleep, the sun was coming up. Ryan slept fitfully, and dreamed that he was in Humanities section, naked, and without having done any of the reading. Even worse, Jack was there and was blatantly hitting on pretty much the entire class: the T.A., the gymnast girl, the kid with the thick glasses who actually wore a pocket protector. Then for some reason, Tony came in dressed as a giant hammer and talking about going to a Halloween party. And then suddenly, Jack and Tony were making out right on the seminar table, and everyone was just calmly watching as it got more and more steamy and…

Ryan woke up with a start. It took him a second to remember where he was and that the strange scenario that had just been played out was only a dream. He glanced at the digital clock next to his bed: 2:43 p.m. Dammit, his review session for the math midterm started at three, and he couldn't afford to miss it. Ryan scrambled out of bed, pulled on the first clothes he could find, and was out the door.

At the review session, Ryan's head was somehow clearer than it had been in weeks. He took furious notes, sped back to his dorm, and kept right on working, pouring his heart and soul into his studying.

Ryan didn't stop until he felt a pang in his stomach. Glancing at the clock, he realized it was almost eight and he hadn't eaten at all today. Ryan shut his book, grabbed his jacket, and headed down to the student union to grab some food, since all the dining halls were already closed. After a quesadilla and Coke, he felt better, and his thoughts drifted towards Jack again.

Jack, always charming and wonderful—but charming and wonderful with everyone else, too. Jack, who always had to make the rules, who made and broke plans only so far as they suited him, Jack who basically just took Ryan for granted. Ryan sighed.

Ugh, but who was he kidding? As angry as he was with Jack, he knew that whenever Jack snapped his fingers, Ryan couldn't help but come running. Ryan put his head in his hands, hating himself.

"Hey, Ryan, are you okay, dude?" a familiar voice asked. Ryan looked up into Michael's brown eyes, which were full of concern.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Well, I'm not exactly fine, but I'm not, like, dying or anything," Ryan offered by way of explanation.

"Um, okay," Michael frowned. "Listen, I'm meeting some people here to work on a project, but if you wanna talk or hang out later or anything later, come by my room."

"Thanks, man," Ryan smiled grimly. "I'll see you later."

Ryan walked aimlessly back towards his dorm. Or at least, he thought he was walking towards his dorm. He didn't realize he was standing in front of Branner until he practically ran into the stone sign in front of it. Stupid. Ryan turned around and started to head back toward his own dorm, then stopped. Resolutely, he made a decision. It was time that Ryan started making some of the rules.

Ryan pounded on the front door of Branner until an irritated kid who'd been studying in the lounge let him in. Ryan raced up the stairs and down the hall to Jack's room. Gathering his courage, he knocked on the door.

"Just a second!" came a muffled voice from within. A few moments later, Jack opened the door, shirtless. His eyes widened when he saw Ryan. He quickly stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked, pursing his lips. Ryan took a deep breath.

"Look, Jack, I think we need to talk. I mean, I really like you, and I like hanging out with you, but I feel like you never…"

Just then, there was a thud and then a muffled "Ow!" from inside the room. Ryan's eyes darted quickly towards the door, then back at Jack, who was raising an eyebrow as if daring Ryan to ask.

Ryan leveled his gaze at Jack. Suddenly, Jack pulled him in for a fierce kiss. For just a second, Ryan allowed himself to close his eyes and lose himself in Jack. But then he remembered why he was here.

Snaking his arm around Jack's waist, Ryan suddenly reached around him and turned the door handle. He pushed Jack off him, letting the boy stumble backwards at hit the door, which swung open. Ryan gaped as Jack fell backwards into the room.

David was standing naked in the middle of the room, leaning over a lamp that seemed to have fallen over. David stood up quickly, looking like a deer caught in headlights, then quickly grabbed a shirt that was crumpled on the floor to cover himself. Jack stood up slowly, glancing back and forth between Ryan and David only slightly sheepishly. And Ryan just gawked, unable to muster any words.

Ryan wanted to throw up, laugh, and cry all at the same time. Instead, he mustered his dignity, turned on his heel, and left without another word.

Ryan was halfway down the stairs by the time Jack caught up with him.

"Ryan, wait up," Jack called. Ryan stopped, curious to hear just what Jack thought he could say. Silently, he turned to icily stare Jack in the eye.

"Hey, sorry about that, but you really should have called first, or something," Jack explained. Ryan snorted. Was Jack seriously going to try to pass the blame off onto him?

"But, I mean, it's not like we're exclusive or anything. I mean, we have a lot of fun together, but I'm not exactly a boyfriend-kind of guy," Jack finished, shooting Ryan his best trademark grin. Ryan blinked.

"Yeah, Jack. I think you've made that pretty clear." Ryan turned and kept going down the stairs.

"Hey, wait," Jack was right behind him. Reaching out, he grabbed Ryan's arm and started to pull him in close. "Are we cool here?"

"You know what Jack?" Ryan retorted, pulling his arm out of Jack's grasp. "I don't think it matters any more." Ryan stared for one moment more into Jack's surprised eyes before crossing the foyer, pushing open the door, and stepping out into the brisk November night.

A/N: That's it! Thanks, everyone, for reading and reviewing our first foray into fic-writing. We hope to write again soon!