"Rome!"

"Seth, I'm sorry-"

"Why are you still hanging out with him?"

"He doesn't like me anymore," Roman sighed, pulling his shirt on. "It's just a walk, Seth. We aren't gonna do anything."

"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Dean asked, tugging on Roman's belt loop.

"Brie just told me about it."

Dean and Seth both sighed, sitting back down on Seth's bed. It had been around three days since their little thing, and they'd been closer ever since. Of course, with a stronger relationship came a stronger attachment, and neither Seth nor Dean wanted Roman "taking a walk" with John. They were hanging out at Seth's house, getting ready to go to the beach, when Brie texted Roman and told him that John wanted to hang out. Obviously, some people (read, Seth and Dean) were upset. It's not that they didn't trust Roman, they just didn't trust John. Finding out that Roman had feelings for John at one point completely changed things for Dean and Seth.

Seth was nervous. He'd liked Roman for so long. And with John in the picture, it just made things harder. John was tall and muscular and grown-up, yet Seth was still slender with the slightest hints of muscle. John had a perfect smile, and Seth had a gap between his front teeth. John was John, and Seth didn't feel like he compared. Quite simply, Seth didn't think he was as good as John. If Roman started liking John again, he was screwed.

Dean was...something. He knew that John posed something of a threat, but he trusted Roman, which spoke volumes. Dean trusted nearly nobody. Yeah, John was attractive, no doubt. Roman just wasn't the type of person to drop two people because someone else came along. At least, Dean didn't see him that way. Roman was loyal, always had been, and so for him to leave Dean and Seth behind because a better deal came along seemed outlandish.

"It's nothing major," Roman kissed Seth and Dean's foreheads. "There are no feelings, okay? I only like you guys."

"Promise?" Seth asked, nearly making Dean chuckle at his feigned-innocence.

Roman did chuckle, though. "I promise," The oldest teen leaned down and kissed Seth, kissing Dean after getting a pinch on the side.

"Have fun," Dean called out as Roman left the room. "You do know that we're gonna have to prove that we like him the most, right?"

"Mhm," Seth mumbled.

"You're gonna have to bust that little move out again."

"God, that was so embarrassing," Seth groaned, covering his face with his hands and falling back on his bed.

"But you did it," Dean teased. "Where'd you even get that from?"

Seth shrugged. "I dunno. Girls do it, and the guy always seems to like it. I figured Roman would like it."

"Well I liked it a whole lot, if it counts," Dean chuckled as Seth groaned again. "Hey, let's go to the arcade."

"We haven't been there in like, three years," Seth retorted.

"Exactly."

"Hey, so, thanks for meeting me," John said, looking over at Roman with a smile.

Roman smiled back. "No problem, dude. We're still friends, even if you've seen me naked."

John blushed, looking down at the ground. Roman laughed quietly and looked ahead at the mostly uncrowded beach, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He'd been there with John so many times. They would go there all the time, before feelings ever got involved. It's like the sand had John's name all over it. Bringing Dean and Seth to he and John's spot almost felt wrong that day. Even if they weren't together, Roman felt some kind of attachment to John. Probably had something to do with that "first love" shit.

Admittedly, yes, John was Roman's first love. Roman didn't know what feelings were at that time. But something about he and John's "relationship" felt different than any crush Roman had previously had. The younger teen hadn't felt the way he felt towards John toward anyone else (before John, Dean and Seth pretty much made John look like a middle school crush). Mainly because all of his crushes were girls, Roman tended to overlook why John was different, but it always were farther than that. John was different, he was mature, he was new. The older teen was oddly enticing to Roman.

Roman glanced over at John, trying not to acknowledge that he was a good two inches taller than John. Of course, John was still all muscle and probably couldn't put his arms fully at his sides, yet Roman was taking that extra height and running. John seemingly noticed it too, because he smiled softly as he looked up at Roman.

"Shut up," John chuckled, looking ahead.

"I didn't say anything," Roman defended, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Just observing."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, stretch," John nudged Roman with his elbow, and Roman nudged him back.

They reached their spot, and both teens tensed. There were so many memories in that little sliver of beach. All Roman could think of was the last real night they spent there, about a week before John left prematurely for college.

"I'm gonna miss you," John said, kissing the top of Roman's head. "You better not forget about me."

"You know I'd never be able to do that," Roman shot back, lifting his head up from John's shoulder. He leaned in and kissed John on the lips, making a soft little noise as John almost immediately slipped his tongue into Roman's mouth.

John maneuvered around and gently pushed Roman down onto the sand, stopping any protests before they started by slipping his hand under Roman and cradling the other teen's head. Instead of trying to fight back, Roman only kissed back with more energy, letting John take full control of the kiss. He wrapped his arms around John's neck, desperately trying to bring the older teen in closer. John pushed Roman's hips down as he tried to arch up.

"Stop," John mumbled against Roman's lips.

"John, please," Roman hadn't begged like that...Roman hadn't begged like that, period. John shook his head.

"No," John said simply, sitting up. "Especially not here."

"So, that's a never?" Roman asked quietly, sitting up along with John.

"I wouldn't say never," John carded a hand through Roman's hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Maybe when you're older."

In that moment, the phrase "maybe when you're older" hurt quite a bit, but it hurt a lot less when Roman found out he only needed to be 4 days older. He glanced back at John, the older's blue eyes trained on the spot that they always sat. His arms were tense at his sides, his hands loosely balled into fists. Roman wanted to ask if he was alright, yet he felt like he already knew the answer. John was having the same thoughts as Roman, just a bit belatedly. John's eyes drifted away from the patch of sand and over to the crystal blue water, and up to Roman. He smiled, holding out his hand.

"One more time?"

Roman smiled and took John's hand, letting the other teen lead him to their spot. John sat down first, Roman following soon after, setting right back into John's embrace like they'd just done it the day before. Expectedly, Roman had to slouch down a little more than usual, but he still fit. John kissed Roman's forehead, and Roman couldn't help but feel guilty about how his heart fluttered. No feelings for John, he thought, Deam and Seth, thats it.

John's finger's curled around Roman's hip, pulling the teen closer than he needed to be in that moment. Roman didn't protest, though. John probably needed it in that moment. He'd be being back to college soon, so the least Roman could do was spend a little time with John. It wasn't necessarily bad for him, either. It felt good to be back in John's arms. The feeling was the type of familiarity that never got boring or bothersome, it just felt right. Like Roman was supposed to be with John.

Which wasn't true, Roman knew, so he scooted away the slightest bit. John let him move, sliding his hand back. Roman looked over at John, the older boy's eyes once again focused intently on something that wasn't Roman, so Roman let himself stare. John's jaw was locked, his shoulders visibly tense, eyes practically unblinking; he nearly looked uncomfortable.

"Hey," Roman nudged John with his elbow, prompting the older teen to look at him. "What's up?"

"Nothing," John said quietly, eyes once again looking not at Roman.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Roman breathed out, John raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm with Dean and Seth. I know you liked me, and you may still like me, but I really like them."

"I get that," John nodded. "Feelings don't just go away that easily, though."

"So you were bullshitting."

"Not completely," John corrected. "I was over you, but barely. Now? I'm still kinda into you."

"You know we'd never work out, right?" Roman asks, turning and facing John. "You're gonna go back to college."

"I know that, Roman," John replied, turning his head just slighrly and looking at Roman. "If I wasn't thinking of that, I would'be already asked you out."

Roman's lips parted. "Then why'd you want to meet up with me?" He asked after a few moments.

"I'm going back to Boston soon," John explained. "I just wanted to spend a little time with you."

Riman sighed and, after a few seconds of deliberation, he was shuffling in front of John and wrapping his arms around the bigger teen's neck. He pressed a gentle, chaste kiss on John's smooth cheek, feeling John's arms wrap around his midsection. It was a bit of an awkward squeeze, with Roman kneeling between John's legs but John's arms still pulling him closer, but it was good for the moment. Roman kissed John's cheek again, this time for a bit longer.

John pulled back and looked Roman in the eye. God, he was going to regret what he was about to do, but he obviously didn't care. He surged forward, pressing his lips to Roman's in a brief kiss. Roman pulled away, blushing, grey eyes wide. He retracted his hands from John's neck and placed them on his own thighs, opening his mouth to say something, but only silence followed.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm gonna go home," Roman said quietly, standing up and brushing the sand from his legs. He turned and began making his way back down the beach, John watching him as he went.

"Dean, let's get going," Seth poked Dean on the shoulder, watching the other teen purposefully crash in his game to stop it.

"Think Roman's back?" He asks, taking Seth's hand without even thinking as they left the arcade.

"Should be," Seth said quickly, looking down at the ground as he felt his face heat up.

Dean smiled at the sight, but he didn't say anything. Seth was the youngest out of all of them (and the only one that hadn't actually, seriously dated someone), and it didn't surprise Dean all too much that he was reacting the way he was. Dating was a new thing for all of them, really. Dean nearly felt awkward at times, just between Roman and Roman being Roman, and Seth being the cutest little thing on earth. Them just being themselves was almost odd.

The thing was, it never used to be odd. Roman was just caring and attentive and Seth was sensitive and energetic. Dean didn't label it the same way. When Roman smiled, it was different; his smile made his heart flutter, and his voice made his stomach do flips. He just wanted to wrap Seth up and never let him go. The boys were his boys, and his only. Dean had never had something like that before.

"It so weird," Dean said without thinking, earning a puzed look from Seth. He merely shrugged. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Us," Dean climbed into the driver's seat, waiting until Seth climbed in the passenger seat to start his old truck up. "Me, you, and Rome. It's weird, right? Just, two boyfriends at once, I mean, it's okay. We do it."

"You're rambling," Seth stated simply. "It might be weird, but we know that. It doesn't bother us."

"I didn't say it did," Dean replied, never taking his eyes off the road. "I just think it's weird to be dating any one at all. You and Roman, dude...you're great," He shook his head absently. "I look at you two differently."

"Good different or bad different?" Seth asked, a look of unmasked horror on his face as Dean drove. It was no secret that Seth did not like it when Dean drove. Dean didn't like it when he drove.

"Good different," Dean answered. "Like, has it happened to you? 'Cause every time Roman smiles or something, I feel like I'm blushing. I get embarrassed when he kisses me," Seth looked like he deflated. "I feel the same was with you. I just, fuck, Seth, I wanna protect you, y'know?"

"If you wanted protect me you'd ask Roman to give you driving lessons," Seth chuckled at the hurt look on Dean's face. "And I'm kidding. Dean, I feel the same. I mean, not exactly the same because you don't need to be protected and I kinda wanna attack Roman's face all the time-"

"What kind of attack?"

"Shut up," Seth blushed lightly. "Anyways, I get it."

"Good," Dean reached over and grabbed one of Seth's hands, watching the younger teen's face turn pink as their fingers intertwined. "You're so cute."

"I'm gonna punch you in the dick, Dean."

late update date because low motivation and life are things. reviews are appreciated.