"What do you see?" Eric wistfully asks, and that's when Ryan finally sees it. The walls are the same green as his eyes, his blood turns cold.

the best scene from The Hating Game, with ryan and eric.

tumblr — @ericdelko

note, the dialogue is from the book, i just twisted some details to work for ryan and eric.

might go deeper into this au, haven't decided yet. just a little short au to feed the need to write this au.

"Every day, every minute, I've only ever been sitting there, looking at you. What I've done to you has been the worst mistake of my life."

"It's okay, it's okay."

"It's not. I don't know how you've coped with me. And I'm sorry, Wolfe."

"I forgive you. You forget, I've been a total dick to you."

"But you never would have been, if I'd just smiled back."

"I wish you had." Ryan's voice cracks and he curses silently to himself. He might as well have said I wish you loved me. Eric's brain is probably right behind him, slowly putting the pieces together.

"It made no difference. I loved you the moment I saw you."

Ryan's breath hitches and his eyes widen at the words.

"You love…What? Me?"

"Ryan Wolfe. One and the same."

"Me."

"Ryan, heir to the Wolfe Pack strawberry dynasty."

"Me."

"Could you show some ID so I can be certain?" Eric chuckles, that low, husky sound filling up the room and wrapping around Ryan like a blanket.

"But I love you." Ryan states, dumbfounded and blinking owlishly up at Eric.

"I know." He laughs and shakes his head at the same time.

"How do you always know everything?"

"I only figured it out a few minutes ago. Your heart has been breaking." Eric's smiles curves upwards, that smile easily disarming all of Ryan's defenses that he's building up.

"I can't hide anything from you. It's the worst." Ryan groans, muffled against Eric's chest where he's being embraced .

"You don't need to hide anything from me."

"You're scary. You'll hurt me."

"I guess I'm a bit scary. But I will never hurt you again. Anyone who ever does will find out about scary."

"You hate me."

"I never have. Not for a second. I have alwaysloved you."

"Prove it. there's no way you can." Ryan has that smug smile on his face, pulling away from Eric as he crosses his arms in satisfaction. There's no way Eric can prove it, it's an unwinnable challenge.

Eric smirks at him, and no, that should not be as hot as it is. "What's my favorite color?"

"Green, what's the point of this?"

Eric raises a finger, silencing Ryan easily. "What kind of green?"

"Bedroom green! The walls, your shirt, my tie, dark hazel green." Ryan answers, pointing at everything he says.

Eric snorts, wrapping a hand around Ryan's bicep and pulling him towards the mirror opposite of the bed. He shifts so he's sitting behind Ryan, back against his chest and rests his chin on Ryan's shoulder.

"What do you see?" Eric wistfully asks, and that's when Ryan finally sees it. The walls are the same green as his eyes, his blood turns cold.

"But that's like the nicest shade of green ever!"

"I know. Good lord, Ryan. I thought for sure I'd be busted the second you saw it."

Ryan turns around, wrapping his arms around Eric's neck and pulling him in for a kiss. He can't say the words, speechless over this realization, so he tries to push everything into that kiss, hoping that Eric knows.

And it turns out, he does. Eric smiles against his lips and tugs Ryan closer.

The hating game is over. What's left: the loving game.

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