It's been like a century I know. I'm sorry :( The update inspired me though!

The first thing Reed could make out when he opened his eyes was red. Red everywhere. His first instinct was blood, and he didn't have time to assure himself that wasn't the case. He was already screaming, though he had no idea why. Why was that thought so traumatizing?

After thrashing on the bed for a couple of seconds, his wide eyes seemed to focus and he could register that the red wasn't blood, but balloons. A shit ton of balloons.

He sat up and gasped, looking around in astonishment.

The door flew open before he could make sense of the situation and he was embarrassed to see Shane standing there, looking scared to death.

"What happened?! Why were you screaming? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Reed blinked, shaking his head dumbly. He still wasn't used to the way Shane worried over him. How did he even hear him scream? Why was he here so early? Was he just waiting outside the door? But no, he was panting, which mean he ran. So how did he know?

His eyes darted away and he let himself be distracted by the dozens of balloons in his room. They were all the same and all red. Which was so weird. Why red?

He didn't want to look at Shane, but he didn't think it would polite to talk to someone while trying to avoid looking at them. This was first time he was alone with him, well it was the first time for him. He felt extremely uncomfortable.

"Um," he began, barely taking note of the way Shane's eyes lit up when he spoke, like he was happy Reed was talking to him at all. He probably was. This was the first time he did so unprovoked. "Did you do this?" He gestured to the balloons. It was so weird and from what he knew about Shane, he was too. It seemed like someone this strange would do something this strange.

Shane laughed a little, looking them over. He hadn't really noticed when he first came in the room. He was too worried about Reed screaming. There were a lot of balloons. And that could only mean one thing. "No, I didn't. But I have a pretty good idea of who did."

Reed squinted a little in confusion. He looked at Shane's amused expression before realization hit. "Oh."

'Oh,' was all he got out before the door opened again and Shane was pushed forward roughly.

"Surprise!" identical voices called out as the owners rushed into the room with arms spread.

Reed looked them over, stunned. They seemed even taller than before. And even though they looked more mature, he was sure they were still just as bizarre as he remembered.

Evan stepped forward to give Reed a teddy bear. "We came here as soon as we could."

"You look awful," Ethan said as he handed him some candy. "But we don't mean that in a bad way. You're still just as adorable as ever."

Reed blushed. The only time he ever remembered someone being interested in him was when the twins hit on him so long ago. Even longer for them.

"You just look banged up," Evan clarified. "How do you feel?"

"I…" Reed stuttered. He wasn't sure. He was trying to remember the last time he'd seen them but that obviously wasn't working.

"Of course." They both stepped back as soon as they seemed to realize. "You're probably overwhelmed. I guess we're not really helping with that, are we?"

Reed shook his head. "No, it's okay. I just," he looked around. "Why so much red?"

"Red's your favorite color." They stated together, simple, like the answer was obvious.

His eyebrows shot up. "It is?" His favorite color was blue. Or at least, it was when he was 16.

"Yep." They both took the seats Kurt and Blaine usually occupied. "You're going through a red phase."

"I am?" It felt so weird asking questions about himself. But he didn't know himself anymore. "My last red phase was two years ago." He stopped talking when he realized. "I mean, ten years ago."

His face fell when he was suddenly reminded of how much time he missed. Shane noticed this and was about to step forward from the doorway to try to console him even though he knew he shouldn't. He stopped when he heard Reed speak up.

"It's not fair," he mumbled a little. He didn't mean to say it, it just slipped out.

The twins' smiles fell. "We know it's not –"

Reed's head snapped up, catching himself. "No! I mean. Not that." It was that, but they didn't need to know. He tried to quickly think of something else. "It's just that you guys were already giants and now you're even taller. And I've grown like an inch. How does that happen!?"

The twins laughed at that and Shane smiled a little. They seemed to buy it and start talking and laughing, saying Reed didn't need to worry about being short, it just made him cuter, which of course made Reed blush and stammer. But Shane could see that wasn't entirely the truth. He could tell what Reed really meant when he said it wasn't fair because he agreed one hundred percent. And since Reed seemed to think he didn't deserve this either, it only made Shane feel that much worse for getting him in this situation in the first place. And for the thousandth time he wished it was him instead.

"I just want to be tall. Is that so much to ask?" He pouted, rolling his eyes as the twins 'awww'd' at this.

"You're perfect." Shane didn't mean to say it, but seeing Reed feel bad about so many things at once hurt. He thought Reed didn't need to feel bad about this especially because he was so perfect, height and all. And Shane never really was one for having a filter between his brain and mouth.

The twins turned to stare at him, smirks across their faces. The only thing across Reed's face was a dark shade of red. And shock.

No one had ever called him perfect before, because he wasn't. He was far from it. And some things Shane had said or done in the past three days surprised him, but this was the biggest. Shane thought he was perfect. Even if he was in love with him, it didn't mean he had to think he was perfect. But apparently he did, and Reed couldn't understand that.

He obviously didn't mean it then. Reed told himself that, but the way Shane was still starting at him, the only sign of embarrassment over what he said being his pink cheeks, said differently. Reed pretended not to notice.

"Awwww," the twins started again. "Good to know that Reed losing his memory and not having a clue who you are hasn't dampened your ability to embarrass him, and not to mention yourself, with your affection."

Shane glared at them playfully, before turning towards the door. "I'm gonna go find Kurt and Blaine."

"Try not to miss Reed too badly," Ethan called to his retreating back.

"We know it'll be hard for you!"

Shane held up his middle finger as he disappeared into the hallway.

The twins laughed again and turned back around. Reed just stared at the door in shock.

"So I take it you're still not used to him unintentionally spewing crap like that around you?" Evan guessed.

Reed's wide eyes turned to them. It took him a second to register what he said. Did that mean Shane always said things like that? He shook his head slowly.

"Does he… does he do that a lot?"

The twins laughed. "See Shane is what we like to call an idiot."

"He hardly thinks things through before he says them."

"And it seems to become more of a problem when he's around something that he's particularly taken by."

"Which of course means it happens all the time around you."

"We suspect you're used to it though."

"But you still blush whenever he lets something like that slip."

"It's adorable really."

Reed was blushing just as bad as before. Shane's love for him kept being confirmed time and time again but he still couldn't really believe it. It was too weird. This guy he didn't even know seemed to care about him so much but he still couldn't understand it. Or understand how he reciprocated.

"We can tell what you're thinking." Evan said quietly. "And yes, he does love you."

Ethan nodded. "And we know you don't get it, but just give him a chance and don't be too scared of him. He's a good guy."

"We wouldn't let him be with you if he wasn't."

"And we're pretty sure you wouldn't have fallen in love with him either."

Reed's body was frozen still. Everything he'd been worried about and here they were, confirming it again. And there it was again: he loved him back. He fell in love with him too. Everyone said so, and he could tell it was true. He just didn't know how. How could he fall in love with this weird guy in the first place? How could he when he didn't even know want he wanted, if he was gay or straight. What did Shane do to make him decide, to not be confused anymore?

He swallowed. The thing that stood out the most to him, instead of him falling in love with Shane, he'd been told that before, was that the twins trusted him enough to assure Reed that he was good, that he didn't need to be scared of him.

He wasn't scared, he was… terrified. What if he didn't like what Shane said or who he was? What if the person he was but didn't remember being fell in love with someone he didn't even like? And even worse, what if this accident woke Shane up to the fact that Reed wasn't who he wanted? What if Shane didn't want to be with who Reed now was? What if he got annoyed that Reed wasn't the Reed he remembered? Reed didn't know why, but more than anything he didn't want that to happen.

The confusion and worry were starting to make him feel sick. What did he care if Shane didn't like him anymore? He didn't even know him.

Something inside him knew that wasn't true at all. He would care because he loved him back. He just didn't remember loving him.

"Are you okay?" Evan asked.

He snapped out of it to find them both staring at him with worry.

"Um, yes. Just. So confused."

"Sorry, Reed. We should have known better."

"Yes. That was stupid of us. From now on we won't try to push anything on you. You can tell us what you want to know instead."

Reed had to take a breath to calm down. He just needed to forget about it, if only for right now. He would deal with all this later. "Uh… well I guess I want to know what happened around Windsor. Where is everyone now? How did our last two years go?"

The twins both exhaled. "That's going to be a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it all today?"

Reed nodded a little unsure. This was the only thing he remembered caring about. "Yeah, I mean why not?"

The twins nodded in agreement. "Alright. But maybe we should wait a little bit."

"Wait? For what?"

"You'll see."

Reed didn't have very long to feel confused over what that meant. Not ten minutes had passed when the door opened again, and, instead of Kurt and Blaine or even Shane, someone he didn't really expect entered.

"Hey, Reed!" David's loud voice called. He was immediately followed by Wes and Dwight who both waved.

Wes and David both looked extremely happy, but Dwight looked a little awkward, nervous as if he didn't know how to act around him. Reed didn't blame him. He wouldn't know how to act around someone who lost eight years of his memory either.

"Hey," Reed smiled. "What are you guys doing here?" The question wasn't what occupied his mind though. He was busy looking over their features, seeing how much older they all looked. Not like growing teenagers stuck in their awkward years, but like young adults. Even Dwight had grown into his cheekbones. "You guys look great."

"Wish we could say the same about you," David commented as his eyes trailed over Reed's bruises and scars.

"Oh yeah, that's right," Wes dragged some chairs over from the wall to join the twins. "You haven't seen us since we were sixteen. Wow. How different do we look?"

David and Wes started to pose while Dwight just shuffled. Reed laughed and pretended that statement didn't make him feel even worse. "A lot. But in a good way."

"Of course."

"We didn't expect we'd look bad."

Evan was the one who spoke next. "And to answer your first question, we told them of course. After Shane told us."

At Shane's name Reed's smile faltered. He didn't really want to be reminded of him and all the confusion he brought when he was already having to take in his friends and their twenty four year old selves. He didn't even want to think about the fact that Shane knew before his closest friends. He knew he probably should and that made sense, but it felt weird having a stranger know more about him than they did.

Fortunately the change wasn't noticed. "And why wouldn't we come?" Wes asked. "Especially when this has happened."

"What's the last thing you remember?" David asked curiously.

The door opened again and Shane entered with Kurt and Blaine in tow. Reed didn't really notice though. He was lost in thought. "I don't know. I've tried thinking about it but I can't really remember."

"That would help us if you want to know everything," Ethan pointed out.

Shane's eyebrow rose but he didn't say anything. Kurt and Blaine greeted the new comers and went to join them, but he stayed back.

"I can't think," Reed mumbled. His eyes were closed and he had his hands to head. Shane's stomach fluttered with worry. "I can remember worrying about Dwight's birthday. Silent Hill. I knew it'd be scary, but I don't remember it ever happening?" He looked up hopefully, as if someone there had the answers.

They were all silent though. Knowing Reed's memory was stuck in 2010 was one thing, but knowing exactly how far back it was stuck made the situation worse, surreal.

But of course, the twins had something to say to lighten the mood. "So… you don't remember being a cheerleader?"

"What?!"

The whole group stayed the entire day. Even through all the meals, tests, and physical therapy. They talked about (almost) everything that had happened their junior and senior years, where they all went from there and where they were now. Shane warned them to not bring up anything about Hell Night. He didn't want to add another trauma to Reed's mind. They also mentioned nothing about Shane meeting Reed or how they fell in love. They figured it was best that he did that. They strictly stuck to themselves, answering any questions Reed had.

"Oh, whatever happened with you and Katherine?" Reed asked as the sun started to go down.

David pretended to shrug while he indiscreetly gestured to his left hand. The second Reed caught sight of the gold band he gasped.

"Oh my god! Oh my god, oh my god, you married her?!" He grabbed his hand to inspect the ring closer. It was very beautiful. He could hardly believe it. "Was I there? Was I at the wedding?"

"Of course you were," David took his hand back and grinned at the memory.

"I'm really happy for you. And you," he turned to Wes. "Did you marry Tabitha?"

The room exploded with laughter though neither Reed nor Shane had any idea what was so funny.

Wes wasted no time dispelling that. "Heeeeeeeeeeeell no."

Reed laughed. "So that didn't work out then?"

Wes shuddered. "Not at all."

His gaze moved to Dwight. "What about you Dwight? Did you ever fall in love?"

Dwight scoffed but his ears turned red. "No. I don't need love." He said the word like it was toxic. "I'm perfectly happy and content doing what I do best."

"Which is?"

The red on Dwight's ears got darker. "Protecting people."

Reed smiled and nodded. Dwight hadn't changed at all. None of them had really. They were still the same, just older, better versions of themselves. He was a little jealous. Not only had they all had these amazing experiences that molded who they were and made them even better people, but they remembered all those experiences. And he didn't. He hardly changed looks wise and he'd never know how he changed mentally because he couldn't remember it.

Knowing that still hurt.

The rest of the time was spent very much the same. They all talked about things Reed didn't remember while Shane stayed silent by the wall. He didn't interrupt once, which was very unusual for him. He only ever talked when someone talked to him first, looking for verification to whatever they were discussing. Reed would only look at him in those moments too.

He supposed it sort of stung being left out, but this Reed didn't know him. He needed to talk to the people that he did know and cared about.

He knew Reed felt so lost and would need help finding out what happened in the time that was taken from him, and Shane couldn't really do that alone. Se he kept quiet and out of the way, even if it meant being ignored.

The others had to leave eventually, hugging Reed and telling him they hoped his memory came back soon, to keep them all updated. Kurt and Blaine went back to their apartment and the twins to theirs since they were back from Paris. But Shane only smiled at him and waved, like always, noticing the way Reed's eyes widened with the slightest hint of fear when he approached. That stung too, but he reminded himself that Reed had every right to feel scared of him when he didn't even know who he was. The only thing he knew was that he was supposed to be in love with him, and Shane knew that would be hard to process.

He would learn who he was eventually, and Shane would wait until Reed was comfortable enough with him to not look frightened every time he came close.

"Goodnight, Reed," he said simply, smiling and heading toward the door after the others. He didn't see Reed staring after him with something different in his eye.

After saying goodbye to everyone else in the lobby, he went back to the usual couch in the miniature waiting area, the one that was closest to Reed. It was too early to try to sleep, and he really hated sleeping here, so he got out his iPod, playing mindless games and listening to music.

He had just about fallen asleep with his headphones still in when he felt something on his arm. He brushed it off without thinking, barely awake. But the muffled voice he heard through the music accompanied by another tug on his shirt made his eyes pop open.

"Um, hello?" Reed tried again after his initial tap was ignored.

Shane ripped the headphones out so fast it made his ears ring. He was shocked to see Reed standing there in his oversized pajamas, shuffling and looking uncomfortable. He was still holding Shane's shirt that he tugged to get his attention, but once he had it he let go and jumped back.

"What's wrong?" Shane's thoughts immediately turned grim. He was sure Reed wouldn't want to talk to him unless it was an emergency. "Are you hurt? Do you need help with something?"

Reed was still taken back by Shane's concern. "Oh, um, no. I'm fine, I just," he gestured down the hall a little, looking lost for words. He finally sighed. "I'm hungry. And I would kind of like to choose my own food for once." His cheeks turned lightly pink. "Do you want to come?"

Shane only stared at him in disbelief so Reed started stuttering. "You don't have to, of course. You could stay here and sleep if you want. Although I don't think that'd be comfortable…" he trailed off and looked to his feet.

"No!" Shane finally snapped out of it. "Of course I want to come! I just didn't," he stood up too fast and nearly tripped over his own feet. After catching his balance he let out a breath. "Expect it, is all."

Reed looked up at him shyly and let out a small, "Oh." Shane felt his heart flutter when he did. It had been so long since Reed looked at him like that.

Shane's mouth turned up into a half smile. "So shall we?"

Reed nodded quickly and started walking, Shane falling in line beside him. Neither said anything else. It felt like an uncomfortable silence for Reed, but for Shane it wasn't even close to that. He was just happy to be walking next to Reed again, to be with him. He missed him so much.

It wasn't until they reached the cafeteria someone spoke. Shane was waiting for Reed to talk first, he wasn't going to push him into socializing when he was still clearly skeptical about him.

"I, uh," he coughed a little, nervously twisting his hands together. Shane knew that habit well. "I'm sorry."

Shane looked down at him with an eyebrow arched. "For what?" He couldn't imagine what Reed would feel the need to apologize for.

Reed's eyes found his feet again and he said in a quiet, guilty voice, "You're the only one I don't remember."

Shane's smile fell but he composed himself before Reed could look back up and notice. "Don't be silly. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault."

Reed gave him a small half smile and continued to walk. He looked like he didn't believe that and, if Shane was being honest with himself, a part of him didn't either. It had been weighing on his mind ever since Dr. Cole told him that Reed's mind could be suppressing memories on purpose because of the want to forget something specific. What if Reed regretted meeting him because the accident was his fault? The thought made him sick.

But he forced himself to shake it off. There was only a small chance that was the explanation, so he shouldn't worry about it. Even if that was the case, it wasn't like Reed was doing it on purpose. It still wouldn't be his fault.

Shane followed him to the counter and started getting food for himself as well. They stayed quiet until Shane paid and they found a seat.

He sat in front of him and waited for Reed to say something.

Unfortunately it wasn't what he was expecting. Four simple words that shot an arrow through Shane's heart. "I'm scared of you."

His eyes drifted to the table. "I know. I'm creepy." Even though he said it with acceptance and humor it secretly still hurt.

Reed's voice made him look back up. "No! You're not… creepy." He got quiet at the last part and started to look uncomfortable again. "I'm just scared of disappointing you." Shane's eyebrows shot up but Reed continued to speak quietly, like he was embarrassed. "I'm not the Reed you were in love with…"

Shane stared at him with wide eyes for a couple of seconds, wondering if he was serious. When Reed only continued to look at him guiltily, he smiled. "Reed, no. I fell in love with you three months after you can remember. You say you can only remember until October? I fell for you in December. I hardly think you would have changed much in three months. And besides, I'll love you in all your forms."

Now Reed's eyes were wide and a blush was reappearing. There was so much about all of that that had him baffled. The part he chose to speak on was the date. It was so soon! Way sooner than he expected. "December?! That's so…" he trailed off, looking dazed. Could he imagine himself being in love with someone in just three months' time? Not at all. Could he imagine someone else being in love with him in three months? Even more impossible. "Three months?! That's so sudden and soon and," he started tripping over words and Shane laughed.

"Well if it helps , you didn't exactly reciprocate until sometime after March. Or at least, you didn't tell me until then."

Reed looked back up at him, a little perplexed. "When did I tell you?"

"Hell Night. Or Parents' Night, you know. I'll never forget that night." For more than one reason, but he kept that part to himself.

"And when… when did you tell me?" He sounded so embarrassed Shane had to smile.

"I didn't officially tell you until then either, but you knew."

"I did? How?"

"Well," Shane laughed a little. "I'm not exactly the best at hiding my emotions. You were completely aware from the get go."

Reed pondered that over. "And when was the get go?"

"Winterfest. I met you right before the show. I was with Blaine when you came tripping into the room, literally." Reed's face turned red and he looked annoyed at his clumsiness. "I guess I was instantly struck at how perfect you were and I couldn't help but follow you around like a lost puppy." The red in Reed's face was now shades darker and he stared with his jaw open. "Also I have a problem with not thinking things through before I say them, as you just witnessed. So yes. You knew."

Reed only stared. He was having trouble wrapping his head around all of this. Winterfest? He could remember wanting to audition for it. But that's it. And he met Shane there, who was instantly taken by him? He couldn't see it happening. How could someone like him so much so soon? And there was that word again. Perfect. Something Shane kept using to describe him, but he couldn't see it at all.

When he calmed down, he spoke again. "Um. Then what? After Winterfest I mean?"

"Well I came to New York with you all for the twins' party." Reed remembered Kurt talking about how Logan showed up at the party because of Shane giving him that video. At least it kind of made sense now. But that meant… His stomach flipped with unease at the thought. Shane seemed to be thinking the same thing. "But don't worry, I did not kiss you." Reed exhaled a little in relief. "I may say and show what I think and feel but I'd never do something like to you."

Reed met his eyes and just stared for a few seconds. He was seeing him in a sort of new light now that he knew more about him. He didn't seem that bad, a little straightforward, but kind of… sweet. The twins were right.

"And after the party?"

"I went back to Walcott in Colorado, that's why I had never met you before."

"Why didn't you go to school closer to your brother?" Reed seemed genuinely interested in his life but Shane tried not to think too much about it or let it go to his head.

"Walcott had a good dance program. Dalton did not. But that didn't stop me from transferring."

Reed looked surprised. "You transferred to Dalton? Why?" No one said anything about Shane being there when they were telling him about his junior and senior years earlier.

Shane thought maybe he shouldn't put it so bluntly, but why not? "I couldn't stand being away from you."

The blush was back and Reed had to look away. He had no idea how to respond to that.

"Plus I missed Blaine a lot. And your group of friends seemed pretty amazing. I'm glad I transferred. I just wish I would have done it sooner so I would have had more time with you."

Reed didn't know what that meant exactly, but he still felt flustered by it. "What do you mean?"

"Well I'm a year younger than you. So you graduated and I didn't."

That was a shock. Reed's eyebrows were arched. "You are younger than me?"

Shane laughed at the disbelief in his tone. "Yes, why is that so hard to believe?"

"I don't know," Reed shrugged. "Because you look like you and I look like me?"

Shane's lips turned up but he looked at Reed suspiciously. "Are you insulting me or yourself?"

Reed looked alarmed and started stammering, scared he'd said the wrong thing. "N-no one. It's just that you actually look your age I guess. And I look twelve."

"Hey now," Shane chastised playfully. "I happen to like the way you look. You're beautiful."

Reed could feel his cheeks warming up again, this time worse than the last. First perfect now beautiful. He didn't think he would ever get over being told he was something that he just didn't see himself as.

Shane bit his lip. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have –"

"No!" Reed interrupted. He was already feeling bad about how different Shane had to act around him. "It's not- It's –" He stopped to take a breath, trying to find the right words. They sounded cheesy, but he didn't know what else to say. "It's not you. It's me."

Shane eyed him skeptically, smiling again. "It's not you, it's me? What are you doing, breaking up with me?" After he said it his stomach twisted painfully just thinking of the possibility.

Thankfully Reed was quick to disprove that. "No! No, no I just can't," he had to pause to think it through. "Imagine being with anyone or anyone… loving me. I am… or was… so confused about want I wanted and I just can't get my head around the fact that it turns out that I'm, you know… gay." His voice kept getting quieter until he was whispering.

Shane had no idea why he would feel embarrassed about it though. "But you're not gay."

Reed's face blanked. "I'm... not? So what am I then?"

Shane smiled softly. "You don't know."

His mouth fell open and he looked a little irritated. "I still don't know?"

"No. And it doesn't really matter. You don't have to know, and you say you don't mind it, that you didn't need to put a label on it. And I agree. You are who you are and you like who you like. Why complicate it."

Reed guessed that made sense. But it still worried him. "But… doesn't it worry you to be with someone so… indecisive?"

Shane had no trouble answering that because Reed had asked the same question before. "Honey, I don't care what you identify as, as long as you're happy."

Shane continued to eat but Reed froze. Seeing Shane show affection for him was still the weirdest thing. It took him off guard every time he did it. He didn't think he could ever get used to it, but according to the twins, he did. And pet names. Did they really use pet names? Reed gulped. He had no idea how to be in a relationship, let alone how to be in one he had actually been in for eight years but didn't remember. Why wasn't there a manual that came with this whole memory loss thing?

"So um…" Reed indiscreetly tried to change the subject. "You said that your old school has a good dance program? Does that mean you're a dancer?"

"Yep." Shane answered with a grin. He was so used to calling Reed those names he didn't notice the previous change of atmosphere in the room. "That's actually what I do for a living."

"Wow," Reed said somewhat impressed. "What do they think about you being here all day?" Even more guilt was creeping over him with that thought. He messed up Shane's life so much.

"They're pretty understanding. I mean I was in the wreck, too. You can't expect someone who was just in a car accident to start dancing immediately after." Never mind how the crash was over three weeks ago.

Reed's face paled. "You were in the car too?"

Shane just nodded. He was clearly fine, so his wellbeing was always the last thing on his mind. But Reed felt even guiltier now and Shane could tell.

"Hey, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. You were the one who was hurt." And that would eat at Shane until the day he died.

Reed's eyes trailed to the table where they stayed until he finally spoke again in a small voice. "So… I guess you're too good for them to let go?"

There was a faint hint of humor in that question and Shane grinned again. "I'm good but I don't think I'm that good."

Reed glanced back up at him, interested. "So you're a good dancer. That's pretty impressive. I could never do that." He would surely end up in the hospital or the morgue, not broadway.

Shane laughed. "Well to be fair I could never paint like you do. You paint, I dance. You dress like a model, I dress like a slob. You have various products to style your hair, sometimes I don't even brush mine." He shrugged. "Everyone questioned your selection of me. We pretty much have nothing in common."

Reed felt a little worried at that and couldn't stop himself from asking. "Then how do we work?"

Thankfully Shane didn't look offended, only amused. "I love you."

That was all he said and Reed only blushed slightly. He figured as much. He bit his lip, debating whether to say it or not. "And I… love you?"

Shane smiled at him warmly. "Yes."

Reed nodded like he already knew the answer and his eyes drifted away. He wasn't looking at anything, seemingly lost. Shane didn't want things to get awkward again so he quickly changed the subject.

"So anything else you want to know?"

Reed tried to push past the latest shock and think of another question. He remembered something he was curious about since the day he woke up in the hospital. Seeing his mom snap at Shane and openly express her distaste for him made him curious. Not to mention the fact that Shane didn't hide his distaste of her either. He wondered if it had always been like that or if something had happened. If so what?

"Um, so do you not get along with my mother?"

Shane's face fell. That wasn't a question he'd been hoping for. Exactly the opposite actually. He sighed, resigned. If Reed wanted to know, he would tell him. "So do you want the truth?"

"Well, I certainly don't want you to lie to me." Reed could tell Shane wasn't exactly thrilled about this topic and it only made him more curious. It probably meant that this wouldn't be a good story. He hoped he could handle it.

Shane laughed at his answer. "Still Reed," he mused to himself. "Okay, but it's a little more complicated than her simply not liking me from the beginning, even though she didn't really like me then either. She was pretty indifferent to me. She didn't care that I existed; she knew you had a boyfriend but she never asked you about me. I suspect she didn't think it'd last and if she didn't acknowledge it, I'd disappear. Which obviously wasn't the case. But she never had a grudge against me, that is until…"

He trailed off so Reed had to urge him forward. "Until…?"

Shane's eyes locked with his again. Sometime during the beginning of the explanation they had drifted away. "She blames me. You would always do what she wanted and asked even if you didn't want to. And one day you finally stood up to her, and she thinks it's because of me. I think deep down she only wants to blame me. She knew it was coming and I had nothing to do with it. But she'd never consciously admit that it was her fault. She was pressuring you too much and you finally decided it was enough. She'll never forgive me for taking you away from her."

Something dawned on him at that last sentence. Something he couldn't believe he never realized before. "I… I don't live with her, do I?"

Shane pursed his lips. He forgot about that detail. "No."

Shane was watching him with such an expression Reed already knew the answer, but it didn't stop him from asking. "So I live with you?"

He nodded, lightly scratching the table as an anxious fidget. "Yes. Since your first year of college."

Reed's eyebrows drawled together in confusion. "But I'm older than you? Wouldn't you still be in high school my first year of college?"

"I should have been. I was there for the first half of my senior year but then I graduated early and moved to New York for you."

Reed stared him with an expression caught between confusion and disbelief. "For me? Why would you do that for me?" There he was, messing up Shane's life again.

"You were calling me, crying so hard you couldn't breathe. You were stressed to the max and couldn't take it anymore. You were always alone in that house except for when she was demanding even more of you, and on top of college, it was just too much. Those kinds of calls were coming more and more often and I had to do something. You didn't want to be alone and I had no intention of leaving you. I got my required credits and I left. My parents weren't happy either, especially when they found out I was living with a boy who I just happened to be dating." But that was a different story for a different day. It was even uglier than this one.

Reed was frozen in surprise. That was a lot to take in, but he bought every word of it. He had always been afraid of something like that happening. "When exactly did you leave?"

"Around Christmas. The apartment was your present." He would always remember Reed's confusion when he opened the big box that turned out to be empty except for a single post it note with an address scrawled on it.

"Christmas? But you were so close to graduating properly. You'd been in school for twelve years, didn't you want to celebrate making it through? And your friends and family would have wanted to see it, too. You were so close, why didn't you just tell me to suck it up?" Reed couldn't help but feel responsible for everything bad in Shane's life.

Shane stared at him incredulously. "Reed, you were hurting. And stressed. I was not about to let you hurt for five more months for just so I could have a graduation ceremony."

Reed fidgeted in his seat. "I don't want you to feel like you were pressured into moving in with me. Why didn't you tell me to move out on my own?"

"You were scared." Shane said. He smiled a little before continuing. "And I wanted to. I'd kind of been waiting to move in with you since we first started dating." Since they first met was more like it.

Reed glanced away as the knowledge that he actually lived with his boyfriend sank into his mind. It was still hard enough to believe that he even had one. The fact that he lived with him brought so many new questions, questions he was way too embarrassed to ask. His cheeks felt warm at the thought.

That was a conversation he was not ready to have. Instead he mumbled, "We live together," unintentionally.

Shane's smile grew wider. "Yes, and now that you know I can't wait to show you the apartment. That is, when you get out of here."

Reed stared at him blankly. He wasn't as enthusiastic about that as Shane seemed to be. He probably wouldn't need to be here much longer now that he was walking and eating on his own. And he just started talking to this guy, he wasn't sure if he was ready to live with him yet.