Roman didn't know how to feel.

He liked Dean. A lot. And apparently Dean liked him, seeing as he was fully willing to kiss him. What a kiss it was, too. The circumstances were odd, to say the least. Roman hated to think that Seth's little dream had just gotten Dean going, and that was the reason he kissed him. Though, he did seem pretty willing to get kissed the first time around, until his mom interrupted.

His mom.

Fuck, she wanted to talk, didn't she? Maybe she could help. Roman wasn't sure how much she knew about having crushes on your long-time best friend of the same sex, but you never really knew with moms.

He pulled himself out of his bed and padded out of his room, walking downstairs and to his mom's office.

"Roman? Do you need something?" Her soft voice called out, prompting Roman to turn and look at her. She was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, a concerned look on her face.

"Uh, yeah, I do, actually," Roman follows his mom into the kitchen and takes a seat in one of the stools at the counter. "So...you know how you kinda walked in on me and Dean?"

She raised and eyebrow and looked back at Roman. "Ah, so that's what this is about," She says, opening a cabinet and taking out a box of tea bags. "Honestly, Roman, it's okay. You're exploring. It's fine."

"We never really got to kiss," Roman says. "At least, before you walked in." He mutters the last part.

"I figured that," Patricia retorts, filling a pot up with water and putting it on the stove, which Roman didn't even see her turn on.

"Yeah, but, we kinda did, y'know..."

"Kiss?" Roman nods sheepishly, and a small smile graces his mother's face. "Roman, sweetie, it's fine. Dean's a nice kid."

"I think I like him," Roman states, looking at his mom. Scratch that, he knew he liked Dean, but he didn't want to tell his mom that.

She nods, slowly, and raises an eyebrow. "Like him, as in, romantically?" Another sheepish nod from Roman. "How'd you come to that conclusion?"

Roman wasn't sure what else he was expecting from his mother. She worked in a school for, shit, before he was even born. She was pregnant with Roman's older brother when she got her job. She's still working in a school, but instead of a teacher, she's a therapist. Meaning, she knows how to make you talk.

"I mean, it wasn't just all at once. It was kinda slow-going, I guess?" He shrugs and takes the mug of tea his mother gives him. "Like, I started to admire the way he acted. He's brash but real vulnerable, and, I don't know, I like it," Roman looks down at the counter and smiles. "He's pretty handsome, too. He's got really nice eyes."

"He does," His mother agrees.

Roman's smile only gets bigger. "I like him, mom, but I don't know what to do." The smile was wiped from Roman's face, replaced by a helpless expression.

She sighs and leans on the counter, looking directly at Roman. "You mentioned he was brash, yet vulnerable. You know that we're a protective family, caring for people is practically in your blood," Her expression was soft, and her eyes were full of love. Roman never felt more comfortable. "When he's vulnerable and needs someone, you feel attracted to him because you feel like you can protect him, and you want to protect someone."

"That makes sense," Roman nods.

"And, with the brashness, well, that's...I'm not sure you want to speak of that right now," She pats the top of Roman's hand.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Roman asks, his brows furrowed.

Patricia sets her mug down and sighs again. "You're used to protecting others. You've protected Seth for over a decade. Now, not only have you found someone new to protect, you've also found someone who's a bit more...edgy, so to say," She says, patting Roman's hand once more. "I don't want to say 'dominant,' because I know how you are, but that's really all that comes to mind. You aren't in charge when Dean's around, like you are with Seth."

"Okay, well, what does all that mean?" Roman's voice was soft, a stark contest to his almost bitchy question.

"You're intrigued. Interested. Dean facinates you, quite simply."

Roman nodded, but didn't say a word.

"It'll all make sense soon enough," His mother says softly, kissing his forehead before leaving the kitchen.

"Wait, Mom?" Roman calls out, his mother turning around just before she left the kitchen. "What do you know about wet dreams?"

She laughs. "Roman, sweetie, if stuff like that is happening-"

"I'm asking for a friend!" Roman's face flushes.

Again, she laughs, but softer this time. "Ask your father. Or your brother."

"Hello?"

"Hey, Seth, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to come over?"

"Like, now?"

"Yeah, if that's alright with you."

"Uh, yeah, I'll be there in a bit."

Roman hung up, as did Seth, and Roman couldn't help but sigh as he placed his phone down. Seth hadn't contacted him in over a week. He was leaving to check out another college in a few days, and he didn't want to leave on a bad note like he did the last time. That was a shitty few days, between the traveling and the lack of contact with Seth and everything else that made that trip suck.

Abotu fifteen minutes after their call, there was a knock on Roman's bedroom door.

"Come in."

Seth walked in tentatively, his hair tied back in a ponytail, his brown eyes filled with confusion. He didn't say a word, but his tense position spoke volumes for Roman. The older teen just sat in his bed, extending a hand in Seth's direction. Seth took it and allowed Roman to pull him closer, those big hands resting on his waist, Seth's own hands landing on Roman's broad shoulders.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You've been ignoring me."

"Have not."

"Have to."

Seth sighed and took a rare chance to look down at Roman. The older teen's chin was resting right below Seth's chest, his hands now clasped behind Seth's back while Seth stood between his legs. "Roman..."

"Look, if this is about your little thing a few days ago, it's fine," Roman states, pulling Seth down so he was sitting on his lap. "It happens to everyone, no big deal."

"Actually, huge deal," Seth corrects, pushing off Roman's lap. "How are you so calm after that? Like, had you been Dean, he would've punched me by now."

"Are you forgetting that Dean was in the bed...?"

"But I was all up against you, Rome."

Roman stood up and walked over to Seth, wrapping his arms around the younger teen's waist and peppering kisses down his neck. "You remember our agreement?"

"The kissing thing?" Seth's response was a bit breathier than he anticipated, but really, no one would be able to to keep their composure under Roman's lips.

"Yeah," Roman answered, nipping at a particularly sensitive spot on Seth's neck before moving his lips up to the smaller teen's ear. "We have our thing. Seth, you know that I like you. You having a sex dream in my presence doesn't change how I feel."

"Alright," Seth sighs, turning around in Roman's arms and wrapping his arms around Roman's neck.

"Hey, uh, what was it even about?" Roman asks. "Y'know, the dream?"

"What? Oh, nothing, nothing," Seth says quickly, pressing a kiss to Roman's lips as the older teen tried to respond. Roman let him do what he wanted, but Seth's very obvious dismissal of his question left a very heavy weight on his shoulders.

"This seems extremely familiar."

Roman smiles softly and looks over at Dean, the Ohio native laying down on the grass and staring right back at him. The bright sun made his blonde hair nearly glow, and his eyes were the most impossible shade of blue. It was the day before Roman left for Georgia to check out another college, and Dean had insisted on coming over instead of letting Roman pack.

"Yeah, it does." Roman agreed.

"Hey, did you ever talk to Seth?" Dean asks after a few comfortably silent minutes.

"Yeah, we cleared everything up," Roman glances back down at Dean. "He's fucking mortified, you know."

"Oh yeah, he came to me and started talking about it. He was afraid you'd be mad at him."

"I don't think I have the ability to be mad at him."

Both teens laughed softly before slipping into another one of those comfortable silences. Eventually, Dean reached over and placed a hand on Roman's hip, his fingertips slipping just under the older teen's shirt. Roman looked down at him, Dean's face breaking out into a smile at the sight of Roman's confused face.

"You know...if you wanna sit on my lap and start making out with me, I'd be cool with it."

Roman scoffed and rolled his eyes, but the smile on his face didn't falter at all. He turned and straddled Dean's hips, placing his hands on the younger teen's chest before leaning down and kissing him. Dean's arms almost immediately wrapped around Roman's waist, his lips eagerly kissing Roman's. Their first kiss was memorable, no doubt, but it wasn't shit compared to the kiss they were sharing in that moment. Dean hadn't given himself the time to focus on Roman's beautiful lips, or the way he seemed to be shy about kissing Dean. Dean sat up, Roman going with him, and tightened his arms around Roman's waist.

"Wait," Roman pulled back, and Dean nearly groaned, until he saw the look on Roman's face.

"What's up, Rome? You alright?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, yeah, it's just...did Seth tell you about his dream?" Roman asked shyly, idly playing with the hem of Dean's shirt. "Like, I asked him, but he refused to say anything."

"It's no big deal," Dean says, giving Roman a small squeeze.

"I hope so."

woo! late update! alright, so, we hit over 50 reviews on this story! thank you to everyone who's been reading and reviewing, it means the world to me! reviews are, as always, welcome with open arms!