A/N Well I got the time and the inspiration back so here's the next chapter. It's a bit shorter but I have to say I expected it to be like that because it is a preparation for shit that's about to go down XD
I have a special "thank you" to give out today to Sara who is the best ego buster I've ever met, so thank you so much
Hope you like this…
Oh…guess what…this information totally surprised me but as it turns out I own nothing…..weird right?
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It took Shane almost a week to finally find enough time to sit with Cam and ask him for help.
Reed was being his usual self; careful and weary and quiet. Shane would see him around the hallways during the day and he would notice the tension in his posture, the slight frown of his eyebrows and a look of cautiousness in his beautiful doe eyes.
He also noticed that Reed was quite an actor. As soon as he would catch Shane's eyes on him he would smile and try to appear relaxed and strong. But Shane knew better. And he swore that he would do whatever he had to do to keep his Bambi safe.
He was well aware of the fact that he knew nothing about why Reed came to Dalton in the first place, but all the boys had to sit through a lesson brought by Kurt who explained them that while it wasn't his secret to tell, what Reed went through was far worse than any of them did.
It made his gut turn upside down with blind anger and his fists ball desperate to punch whoever dared to lay a hand on Reed. After the talk with Kurt all of the Warblers became protective of the small artist (not that they weren't before). That's how Shane knew that Cam would gladly help him protect Reed. Plus Cam hated Jared with all his heart so that worked too.
Shane walked a short distance to the library after receiving a reply from Cam that he was in there finishing his book report. He pushed open the door and silently padded through the quiet room in search of his friend. He found him lounging on one of the sofas with his laptop on his knees.
"Hi, Cam!"- Shane greeted his friend sitting next to him.
"Hey. Is everything okay? You sounded a bit out of it…well your text sounded all jumbled up and confusing…more so than usual."- Cam replied placing his laptop on a nearby desk and turning his tall body to face the dancer.
"It's all ok…well for now anyway. I had a question to ask you."
"Okay, enough with the mystery. Shoot!"
"Remember when Kurt transferred and everyone found out that he and Blaine were together?"
"Vividly. They were attached by the lips for a month."-the tall boy shook his head but his eyes were sparkling with amusement.
"That's not what I was thinking about. Um…do you remember how Jared tried to get Kurt to leave Blaine?"
"Of course I remember that little brat. But I put him in his place and…wait…why are you asking me this? Is he pestering Kurt again? Because if he is, I will end him."
"No, no…he's not messing with Kurt."-Shane said twisting his hands nervously, not really knowing what he was nervous about.
"Then what is…oh…oh he better not be messing with mini Picasso. Did he mess with Reed?"
"That's why I'm here. He caught Reed the other day and told him to get away from me and to let me be with someone who was worthy of me or some other crap like that. Needles to say Reed thought he had a point and did his best trying to explain to me why I SHOULD be with someone else and why he wasn't good enough for me and I just can't lose him Cam…I can't."- Shane dropped his head into his hands and sighed deeply.
Cam rested his huge palm on his shoulder to soothe him.
"Hey calm down. You won't lose him. Not if I have something to say about it. That little prick won't dare to breathe the same air as my baby Van Gogh when I pay him a visit."
Shane looked up at him with gratitude in his eyes.
"Thanks Cam. I knew I could count on you."
"Any time. I mean….I know I spend a great deal of time teasing the shit out of you an Reed…"
Shane casted him a pointed look.
"…okay and Kurt and Blaine…"
Another look.
"…and Nick and Jeff…"
Shane finally nodded and laughed quietly before Cam continued.
"…but you guys are my friends and you know I got your back whenever you need me okay?"
Shane just gave him a quick bro-hug and smiled before standing up and leaving the library.
Feeling a lot better he skipped through the hallways and decided to go find Reed. After it was almost two hours since the last time he saw him and that, in Shane's opinion was WAY too long. He figured Reed was out with Kurt so he headed that way.
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Just a short walking distance away from the library another serious conversation was playing out.
Reed was sitting on a small bench where he and Kurt would end their nightly walk through the garden.
Reed knew that things with Shane were serious for a while now. He just didn't know how to show that to him. Shane told him he loved him at the studio and Reed never said it back feeling scared and vulnerable and not quite ready to let the dancer know he owned him completely.
He knew Shane would wait for him, he said so himself but Reed was afraid that a person can only have so much patience before losing it and moving on to someone who wasn't a walking disaster.
Out of fear and the urge to make Shane happy he decided to talk to Kurt about his fear to tell Shane he loved him.
Actually he had another thing he wanted to ask Kurt but he wasn't sure he would pluck up the courage he needed to go through with it.
"Reed. You said you had to talk to me. We've been sitting here for a while now. You think you're gonna start speaking soon or should I just go ahead and guess?"-Kurt gently shook Reed and smiled at him letting him know that he was only teasing and he could take as much time as he needed.
"Ummm…I…I had a question to ask."
"Ask away!"- Kurt urged him cheerily.
"H-how did it feel when Blaine t-told you he…um…he loved you?"- Reed blushed furiously looking at his boots.
"Well, I think it's enough if I tell you I'll never forget that moment. I felt like I just won every single lottery on the face of the earth. And the smile on his face when I said it back…I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life. That smile was and always will be the only proof I'll ever need that he is in fact mine and that we're in this together…forever if I have something to say about it."-Kurt answered watching as Reed twisted his hands and brought his knees to his chest curling in on himself. Kurt found out it was something he did to protect himself from everything he found threatening.
"Reed, why do you want to know?"
"Shanetoldmehelovedme!"-he rushed out so quietly that Kurt almost missed it. Almost.
"WHAT! Oh. My. God. Reed that's amazing. I mean I knew he loved you but…what?"-Kurt caught Reed's bewildered look and stopped talking.
"What do you mean you knew?"
"Oh, sweetie! We all knew since the moment he laid eyes on you. Now that you two are together I guess it's okay to tell you. Shane never believed in love at first sight. Until your pretty little head walked into his life. He talked about you for weeks. He begged for me and Blaine to let him come meet you and talk to you. Long story short…he loved you since day one."-Kurt smiled proudly at the small boy whose blush turned from pink to dark red in a matter of seconds.
"So…what seems to be the problem?"
"I…it's just that…"
"Oh God you don't love him back do you? Oh this is gonna break his heart."-Kurt interrupted his friend feeling his own heart breaking imagining how it would feel to love Blaine and have him not love him back.
"NO! That's not it…I…Kurt…of course I love him back. More than he'll ever know."
"What do you mean by that?"-Kurt asked slightly confused.
"It's just…when he said it for a moment it felt just like you described it. To me just the thought of someone as perfect as Shane loving someone like me is ridiculous. But…there he is…catching me when I trip and holding me when I cry and protecting me when I have a bad dream and…and loving me when I'm the biggest mess alive…I…how could I not love him back."
"But…"-Kurt urged him to continue.
"I can't tell him that…"
"Why not?"
"Because…if he thinks I don't feel the same way it's gonna be easier for him to walk away when he realizes that I'm not what he wants…he won't feel obligated to stay so he wouldn't hurt me or something and…Kurt what?"- Reed stopped talking when he saw his friend looking behind him, eyes wide and mouth opened.
He turned around to see Shane standing there, tears staining his beautiful face, hand pressed firmly against his chest where his heart was threatening to shatter from the power of the words that just left Reed's lips.
"Reed…God you can't be serious…please tell me that you were kidding just now…"
"I think I'm gonna let you two talk this out alone ok?"-Kurt said already retreating to his room. His heart went to his friends. He knew Shane was surprised and probably hurt but he did understand where Reed was coming from. He rushed in looking at the two of them now sitting next to each other on the bench.
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"Reed…"-Shane started but was cut off by a pair of thin arms wrapping around his neck and a mop of strawberry scented curls tucking themselves under his chin.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"-the boy was trembling in his arms chanting apologies through his tears.
"Bambi no…you don't have to be sorry or apologize but Reed…if you don't want to say that you love me that's okay, you don't have to…ever…but holding yourself back and waiting for me to see something wrong in you and to stop loving you is crazy…and impossible. I'll love you as long as I breathe…even if you never feel the same…"-Shane said holding his tears back but not managing that at all. His fingers were carded through Reed's hair as he placed millions of tiny kisses onto his face.
"B-But I do feel the same…I was just scared to say it back…I still am…I don't want to do anything that will somehow force you to stay if you want to go…"
Shane cupped his face with his hands and said:
"I don't want to go anywhere where you won't be with me."-with that he closed the space between their lips kissing Reed so fiercely he took his breath away and Reed felt dizzy as he melted into the kiss.
There was a tiny part of his brain screaming at him that the kiss was too strong and too passionate and too much but the moment he thought of listening to it Shane pulled him onto his lap holding him tightly and Reed realized that he never felt safer. He wanted Shane just as much as the older boy wanted him and there was still something scary about it but it was a good kind of scared. The kind that makes you wonder if you'll be able to make him feel as special as he makes you feel, if you'll be able to give him everything you have and if your everything will be enough for him.
But there was no paralyzing feeling of being dominated and owned and forced. Only wanted and strangely turned on by the way Shane was holding him by his hips and gently licking his lips, his teeth and…Reed shuddered when Shane suddenly left his mouth and trailed his kisses down to his neck breathing scalding puffs of air against his cold skin.
Shane gently bit down on the soft flesh and Reed moaned quietly. He felt Shane shiver at the sound and broke out of his trance realizing they were still outside and someone could walk by and see them.
"Too much?"- Shane asked timidly knowing that they just made a huge step forward and that maybe Reed wasn't ready for it.
"N-no…not at all actually…I just…we're outside and…"- he answered shyly, fingers still clutching the lapels of Shane's blazer.
"Oh…I forgot about it…I tend to just forget about everything when you're near."-he winked at the boy still sitting on his lap and blushing madly. Ha decided to stop making him feel bashful.
He stood up with Reed in his arms and the boy giggled and held tightly around his neck.
"Shane, where are we going?"
"Movies and cuddles?"-Shane threw puppy eyes at Reed who just smiled and nodded once again shyly looking down.
"You ok, Bambi?"-Shane asked him as they entered Reed's room.
"I…I love you, Shane"-Reed said quietly and sounding so scared Shane's heart clenched once more.
"I love you Reed…I always will…I know it's hard but...have a little faith in me ok? I'll never let go."- he whispered the last part hugging the boy close to himself and just reveling in his presence.
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Jared watched as Shane carried Reed inside their House and he felt anger bubble inside his stomach fighting to just burst out and destroy.
He stepped forward to greet Shane with the idea that if Shane saw him next to Reed he'll know that he was a hundred times better for him than that skinny little princess he called his boyfriend.
Just as he was about to call after the dancer a gigantic hand closed over his mouth as an equally gigantic arm turned him around.
"Well hi there. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to book an appointment seeing as you are the king of assholes I assumed you were quite busy. I guess I lucked out running into you here."-Cam said with an evil grin on his face.
"W-What do you want?"- Jared stuttered completely frightened.
"Remember what I said to you about Kurt and Blaine?"
"Yes."
"Be so kind and repeat it for me!"
"Kurt and Blaine are my best friends and they are perfect for each other. If your sorry little ass ever comes near either one of them I'll make sure that you never top in your future relationships."-Jared repeated the threat he received last year shaking with fear as Cam's grip on his hand tightened.
"Now…repeat the same thing only with the names Reed and Shane."-Cam growled.
"Reed and Shane are my friends and they are perfect for each other. If your sorry little ass ever comes near either one of them I'll make sure that you never top in your future relationships."-Jared said once again with the same frightened voice.
"You've done well. I haven't had my coffee today so threatening assholes would be a bit too much trouble but you did very well. Now remember that and if I see you near them I'm moving from words to actions got that?"
Jared nodded furiously.
"Good. Now beat it!"
Cam released his hand and Jared bolted away from him so fast he left indentations in the ground making the tall Warbler laugh out loud. Well that went well, he thought.
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"I can't date someone who doesn't own LOTR movies. I'm sorry Reed I just can't."-Shane exclaimed dramatically before throwing himself onto the bed faking death.
"Or instead of breaking up with me you could bring yours so we could watch them together."-Reed laughed at his dorky boyfriend watching him dart out of the room screaming that it was an amazing idea and that he'd be back in a minute.
Reed shook his head and headed over to his nightstand where his cell phone was ringing. He picked it up and smiled when he saw his mothers photo come up.
"Hi mom!"- he answered the phone cheerily.
"Reed honey, I'm sorry to call you suddenly like this but…the trial is moved forward a bit. You need to get t back to New York by the end of the week."
Reed felt his heart hammer against his rib-cage, he felt a blinding light rush before his eyes before his cell phone hit the ground and everything blacked out.