"She turned me down."
Neil just scoffed, he already knew she would, and he honestly didn't want to hear about it.
Rod made his way to Neil's bed, as he often did.
He threw himself at it, falling down against the mattress, practically collapsing, his body no longer holding any strength.
"She said…She wanted someone more unique…"
"Maybe Amir will try next…" Neil said bitterly, hating the look of total defeat on Rod's face.
It didn't suit him, at all.
Rod didn't reply, just stared at the ceiling, before turning his back towards his friend, not wanting him to see how his sky blue eyes were filling to the brim with tears.
I'm not a crybaby… He repeated to himself, over and over. He wasn't, no, not anymore. He refused to be. He'd changed, he really had. Even if he had to bite his tongue and clench his fists, he refused to shed a tear, though his heart had officially been torn in two.
Neil didn't know what to say. He'd never once had to comfort someone; he'd never had any real friends before Rod. All he knew was seeing Rod look so damn down had him itching under his skin. He wanted to crush Rachel.
Rod's shoulders shook lightly, and though he tried his damn hardest, he couldn't bite back the tears.
As his teeth pierced through the inside of his cheek, they started to stream, down his sun-tanned skin, following his jaw line, and dripping in little misery filled droplets onto Neil's bedcover.
Neil just watched him from his place against the wall, just staring, focusing on what words to say, but unable to force them out.
What was he supposed to do?
Without really knowing, Neil moved slowly, still trying to make up his mind as he went along.
Finally, he decided on gently placing his hand on Rod's trembling shoulder.
The redhead flinched, not expecting the sudden contact, especially not from Neil.
His thin hand felt both heavy, yet light.
It was comforting.
Rod gripped the bed sheets so hard his nails threatened to rip the fabric to shreds.
He really was a crybaby…
Neil shut his eyes and pressed his lips together, not really knowing where to go from there.
After a few minutes, he felt Rod's shoulder relax under his palm as he let out a shaky, broken sigh.
"Sorry…" He mumbled.
Neil simply removed his hand to scratch his cheek. "Don't worry about it."
"I-I think I'm gonna go home now…" Rod said, sitting up, his back to the blonde, ashamed at the tear streaks running down his face.
"Alright…feel better…" Neil said, looking everywhere but at Rod.
"Again, sorry. I don't normally cry…" Rod lied as he gave a half smile, standing up slowly, though still turned away, Neil couldn't see it.
"It's fine…" Neil said, chewing nervously on his bottom lip. "It's alright to let it out, you know…"
Rod turned towards him sharply, causing Neil to meet his red-rimmed eyes.
"What?"
"What?" Neil echoed, confused.
"What did you just say?"
"Um…it's okay to cry…?" Neil asked more than repeated.
Without much thought, Rod hugged him, tightly.
Neil's body instantly tensed up from the sudden contact.
"Thanks." Rod whispered, his shoulders, once again, trembling with the urge to cry stinging his eyes.
If he were with Allen, he'd be mocked. He'd never once been told it was alright to just let out his overpowering emotions, so he always shoved them down, so much until they burst at the seems.
Neil didn't know how to react, his entire body tingling with Rod's arms around him, the smell of the redhead so deep in his lungs he almost became dizzy.
He just wasn't used to it, human contact, always being so damn socially awkward as a kid, it honestly was the first time other than his parents that he'd been hugged.
His heart was beating out of his chest.
Rod, noting how fucking tense Neil was holding himself, let the blonde go, stepping back and smiling endearingly.
The smile that suited him.
"Sorry about that! I feel much better now." Rod said honestly.
Neil sharply nodded his head, his entire face covered in a deep shade of embarrassment that matched the color of his eyes.
"See you later!" Rod called over his shoulder as he jogged out of the room.
Neil was at a loss for words.