Heavenly Habits

I watch as he picks up his chopsticks and skillfully picks up a piece of chicken. He has such able hands, it's amazing the things he can do with them.

I glare at him as I pick up my fork. Not all of us possess so much talent.

He chuckles as he makes a show of picking up his rice, shoving it in his mouth, and chewing. I watch his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallows. God, his throat is fantastic.

"So," he starts as he finishes swallowing. "I think we forgot to pause the movie."

I shrug as I shove a piece of sesame chicken into my mouth. "Whatever. We've both seen it countless times. We'll catch the ending."

"And then Funny Face," Ryan says, grinning.

"Yes," I say. "You'll love it."

"I'm sure," Ryan says sweetly.

He takes a long drink of tea and my eyes are once again drawn to his throat, watching the liquid glide down.

"So Shar and Zeke?" I ask casually, trying to distract myself from watching Ryan eat.

"Yeah," Ryan says. "It's a little weird, but you know Zeke's my best guy friend and I love 'em both so if they really want to…"

I giggle. "You don't understand it, do you?"

"Not at all!" Ryan answers truthfully, eyes wide open with confusion and shock. "I mean, Zeke just isn't the type of guy you would think could handle Shar, but I don't know…"

"I agree it's a little…unexpected," I reply. "But as long as they're happy."

"Oh yeah," Ryan says. "Obviously, I support them one hundred percent, I just worry about what will happen if they break up. Things would be different."

I feel a lump forming in my throat and I start to panic. What if Ryan likes me and the reason he's never acted on his feelings is because he's afraid of what would happen if we broke up? What if he's afraid of wrecking our friendship?

I wish that he wouldn't think of things like that. Things would work out. Especially if he loves me like I love him. If we were as equally infatuated with each other…

"I suppose," I mutter quietly.

He swallows and says, "I mean, things would be awkward and we wouldn't all be able to hang out together and I guess I just dislike change," he concludes with a laugh.

"I'm sure things will be fine," I reassure him. I frown taking in his thoughts. He doesn't like change. Maybe he likes what we have, being friends. Maybe he doesn't what to change anything.

"Yeah," Ryan says softly. "You're right. Besides tonight is about me and you anyway."

I smile to myself, staring down at my plate yet he catches my reaction anyway and grins back.

"Mmm," he remarks satisfactorily as he shoves yet another piece of chicken into his mouth. "Gabby," he says through his chewing. "You must try this."

He takes his chopsticks, picks up a piece and aims it at my mouth.

I press my lips tightly together and start shaking my head.

He laughs. "Gabs, it's really good. Promise."
"It doesn't sound very good," I say through my teeth.

"It's not really a cooked Mongol," he says sarcastically.

I roll my eyes. "Fine,"

I part my lips and lean over, dragging my teeth along the chopsticks as I capture the disgusting piece of food. I chew thoughtfully. "Not half bad," I reply, smiling a little.

I notice he has this weird look on his face, and his arm is still extended out, eyes on his chopsticks.

"Ryan," I say cautiously. He shakes his head and looks at me, then his arms, and quickly draws his hand back.

"Uh," he says nervously as he goes back to eating.

"Is something wrong?" I ask.

"No, nope, everything's peachy."

"Peachy?" I ask giggling. "That's odd. Even coming from you."

"Gee thanks," he remarks. "Uh, so you done."

"Yep," I reply, cheerfully. I realize he's changed the subject and obviously doesn't want to talk about whatever it was he was thinking about. It must not be that important.

"Fortune cookie time!" he says fake enthusiastically, clapping his hands together girlishly. Oh yeah, he definitely doesn't want me to know what he was thinking.

I laugh and pull out the four fortune cookies. I place two in front of Ryan and two in front of myself.

We both tear off the clear wrappers of our first cookies and break them apart.

"Time is precious, but truth is more precious than time," I read aloud, blushing slightly. Oh my gosh, how true is this fortune.

"Seeing is believing," Ryan reads, and I notice a faint blush spread across his cheeks as well. Does his quote have some meaning to him as does mine?

"I didn't really like this one," I whisper.

"Me neither," Ryan replies softly. He reaches for his other cookie and begins opening it. "You know, I'm starting to get the whole extra fortune cookie thing now."

I smile a little and open my other cookie.

"Your dearest wish will come true," I say quietly. God, I wish. I really wish my dearest wish would just come true already.

"Now that's a good fortune," Ryan says, nodding approvingly. "Mine, just says What you've been looking for is near by. What does that mean?"

I laugh as he expects, but can't help but think if only I was what he was looking for. But he already has me. As a friend.

I look up and Ryan's cheeks are puffed out.

"Did you just stick both your cookies in your mouth?" I ask.

"Yeshmmm," he says through his mouthful.

I giggle and pick at my cookies, watching him chew.

He swallows and sighs. "That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be."

I giggle and gesture to my own picked at cookies. "Care to try again?"

He smiles and shakes his head. "I'm good."

"But wait, I left something in the car," he says jumping out of his chair and running towards the door.

I get up too and follow him. "But Ryan it's raining!" I cry, looking out the window at the rain falling down.

"I know. But I really got to go out there," he says, reaching for a sweatshirt.

"What could possibly be that important?" I ask.

"You'll see," he says grinning as he zips up the sweatshirt and pulls the hood over his head.

"Be careful," I call out as he slips out the front door and runs over to his car, parked in the front. In the dark, I see his form hunch over, grab something on the seat and close the door. And then he's jogging back towards me.

I pull the door open when he's close and he runs inside, slamming the door shut behind him.

He's soaking wet, bare feet slippery on the tile, plaid pants clinging tightly to his legs, light blue sweatshirt turned navy.

I reach for his cold hand and find a DVD.

"Funny Face," I whisper, taking the DVD. "Oh, Ryan." Unable to contain myself, I kiss his icy cheek.

"Your lips are warm," he says softly.

"Let-let's get you warm," I sputter out, his last comment running over and over in my mind.

He throws off the sweatshirt, revealing a heavenly sight. His gray shirt, now a much deeper gray, clings to him, every muscle visible now. Its as if the material doesn't even exist and my eyes linger on his abdomen, as my own tightens with lust.

He shakes his head, water springing off his short locks, waking me from my daydreams. I race over to the hall closet and grab a blanket. I walk carefully back, and wrap the blanket around him.

He grins. "Thanks, Gabby. Gosh, I'm freezing," he moans as he shivers. He blinks, and a raindrop that had been caught on his eyelashes trickles down to the corner of his eye, and trails down his cheek. And for some reason this mesmerizes me.

Suddenly, he grabs my hand and drags me down the hallway, into his room. He drops my hand and pushes me towards his closet.

"Pick me out a shirt," he says, a goofy grin on his face, another raindrop sliding down his neck.

I merely nod slowly and walk into his closet, scanning the row of colorful shirts.

I hear a rustle, and slowly turn my head around to find Ryan in merely a pair of silky black boxers, tugging on a pair of slick black jogging pants.

I hold in a gasp and whip my head back around, eyes blinking rapidly. I shouldn't have looked, why did I look? Because I so desperately wanted to see him like that. That's why. Cause he looks like a god, his skin sparkling, dripping wet, like some dream I tend to have much too often. And god that black just seems to make his gorgeous skin stand out even more. Is it possible for a boy to look so terribly nice? He's not just hot, he's beautiful.

I quickly grab a plain black tee shirt and walk over to him, handing it too him without looking. I stare down at the floor, holding in my breath, waiting for his drool-worthy chest to be properly concealed. I look up just in time to see the shirt float down over his stomach and rest at the tops of his pants. Oh the temptation!

"Are you trying to make me look emo?" he cracks.

I shake my head from side to side and watch him pull on a pair of black socks.

He notices my stare. "Just going with the theme," he jokes.

I smile and he races over to his bed and ducks under the covers, pulling them up to his chin.

He looks like a little kid, sitting there shaking. I giggle and sit down on the edge of the bed, tracing circles nervously on his duvet, as he shivers not saying a word.

"Oh no," he says through chattering teeth. "You get over here, little radiator."

I smirk and crawl towards him, settling myself neatly beside him, yet not touching.

"Come here," he says impatiently and wraps both his arms around my waist, leaning his head against my chest.

I begin to shiver too at his closeness.

"Am I making you cold?" he asks, lifting his head up as if he's going to move.

"No, no you're fine," I say quickly and place a hand on his cheek.

He moans happily. "Gosh, you're so warm."

Gosh I love you, I think forlornly.

Fun little fact: both of Gabby's fortunes I actually got in fortune cookies the other day. I made Ryan's up. Lol

Hope you liked the chapter. I hope to update soon as a Christmas present. Lol Thank you all so much for continuing to read and review. I appreciate it so much!