Two Percent

Have you ever felt like everything was perfect?

And then Reed felt it. The burning sensation emanating from lithe fingers engulfing his unmistakable warmth, slipping between his fingers. A wet palm pressing against his own. Brown eyes looked up, to be met with pink-tinged cheeks, embarrassed green-gray eyes and the most heart-wrenching smile.

Reed squeezed their hands together, just because he could.

Just a bit too perfect?

Whenever he asked him to do this Reed didn't know whether to be angry or to be happy, because he knew Shane only asked him to dance because it was an excuse to hold his hand. To have him close. When they danced, it was just them and the music. Just their feet and their hearts.

So sometimes Reed didn't mind. When Shane asked him to dance, they always ended up as either a heap of laughing mess on the floor or as one heart swaying contently to the rhythm.

Like your life suddenly feels so fragile that you're afraid to live it anymore in fear of putting cracks?

Shane had never expected Reed to like him back. To like him the way he did. He hoped- but never expected. So the moment he'd poured out his deepest emotions upon the small boy and the way Reed's face contorted into one of mixed shock and fright, Shane wanted to both die in a dark, grimy ditch and just pull Reed into a comforting hug and tell him that he was okay, that he understood, that he had seen everything coming and wasn't in the least bit surprised.

Even though it hurt. It was excruciating.

Reed cried into Shane's shirt. It's not that he didn't like the boy. It was just- does Shane think so little of himself that he doesn't think that even someone like Reed could ever fall for him?

Like your heart beats, not for wanting to live, but for simple human preservation, for survival?

Shane shivered as the brush cut across his back with purpose, and then continued with swirls and arcs into his scapula. He tried keeping track of the brush's movements in the beginning, fishing for hints on the painting, but Reed seemed to be deliberately throwing him off, judging from the random brushes and shapes drawn all throughout his back. Shane didn't have a good enough imagination to picture whatever Reed was drawing anyway.

But later, when he saw the 'I really, really like you, and would honestly love to be your boyfriend. If you want, that is' message sprawled across his skin, he almost decided on never taking a bath.

Like you're walking on the thinnest layer of ice on a frozen Pacific without a clue as to how to get out?

One second. That was all it took for Shane's heart and brain and time to stop. One second of lips against lips, pink against pink, breath against breath.

Shane hadn't seen it coming. He was talking, ranting like he always did around the little Warbler, when suddenly a soft, light weight pressed against his mouth. It took him ten seconds to register that yes, it was the profusely blushing Reed beside him who had just instigated their first kiss. Their first kiss.

They now have had a freaking first kiss. And it couldn't have been more perfect.

Like you're in a perfect relationship with the perfect guy and you're scared out of your wits for the day this is all going to end?

The heavens were particularly pissed that night.

Rain mercilessly banged on the windows, hurling themselves against the glass. Wind howled without constraint, tilting everything in sight to the side. Anyone caught in this weather would be predictably soaked by now.

Fortunately, Shane and Reed had enough sense to stay indoors.

The couple lay curled up against each other in front of the burning firewood, a blanket separating them from the unforgiving cold. Reed, who was beginning to feel a bit sleepy, had his head resting on Shane's broad chest. Brown eyes slowly disappeared behind heavy eyelids, his body going limp in Shane's arms.

Shane, having felt the smaller boy settle into his frame, pulled him closer, burying his nose into the familiar scent of his golden hair. In the barest of voices, he whispered "Can time just stop right now?"

Considering the silence in the background, the volume of his voice was enough to stir his vanishing consciousness, Reed smiled and responded.

"That would be nice." He snuggled in deeper, beneath the comfort of the blanket. "Then maybe we can stay like this forever."

Shane felt the flutter in his chest and the hitch in his breath. How this boy managed to make him want to cry and laugh at the same time with a mere sentence was ridiculous to him. He squeezed Reed tighter, pressed him closer. "See, it's when you say stuff like that that my IQ drastically plummets." He heard the boy snort. "So, basically, you're the reason for my lack of common sense and logic."

"Are you sure I'm the only reason?"

Shane chuckled, slightly shaking Reed. "Not only are you admitting to being one of the reasons for my daily stupidity, but you're insulting me too?" A sly grin slipped onto his face. "You wound me, Reed," Shane sighed in an exaggerated tone.

Immediately, Reed groaned, shifting around under the blanket and whined. "No dramatics Shane. Not right now."

"My heart, cut open without the slightest hesitance! With words so sharp, rivaling the deadliest of blades, stabbing my chest without regret! It pains me so! Oh, woe is me!" Shane ended with an exclamatory thump to his chest, the back of his other hand pressed to his forehead.

"Okay, stop! Please." By then, Reed was cackling with a laughter only few have heard. He was sitting up, having abandoned his previous position, and seemed to be free of drowsiness.

It was one of Shane's proudest moments when he got Reed to laugh. The dancer grinned charmingly. "You love it."

Pursing his lips, Reed suppressed a smile. "M…maybe a little."

Shane grinned hugely. "Oh, you love it."

"It's really not my fault that Dramatic Shane is hilarious."

Shane broke out into a brief laugh, having found the way Reed caved in deliciously adorable. "Oh man." He sighed. "I love you."

Well, that just slipped out on its own.

As quickly as it was out there, suspended dangerously in the air, Shane noted the anxiety, the shock, thefear written on Reed's pretty face. He didn't know what to make of it. The fact alone that the boy was looking terrified was unsettling. But it was finally, finally out there, after months of having to hold it in, and Shane didn't want to take it back.

"What?" Reed instantly followed, voice small and weak, large eyes boring into his.

Shane swallowed, bracing for the worse. "Look, I know you're not quite at that point yet, and that's fine, I really don't mind, but I just want you to know that...that I am. I have been for the longest time now, actually." He managed a small smile and forced chuckle. "So, it's okay if I have to wait for you forever- and this isn't one of those empty promises you hear on cheesy romance flicks. I honest-to-god swear that I will wait forever if necessary." He smiled a sympathetic smile, the smile he wore when they'd talk about his dad and when he would tell Reed he was okay. And then he shrugged, as if everything was so simple. "I love you, Reed Van Kamp."

Reed saw the tears blur his vision, but all he knew right then and there was the constrictions in his chest and the painful lump in his throat. Thoughts whirled in his head, each desperately wanting to be said.

I love you, Reed Van Kamp.

He's never heard that said quite like that before. Not with so much sincerity and conviction and anxiety. Not with such a frightening amount of love.

Reed swallowed the lump in his throat and let out ragged breaths. "Why do you always assume that I don't love you like you love me?"

Shane averted his gaze, feeling that familiar burn in the back of his eyes. Fingers unconsciously fiddled with the hem of the blanket. "I…I don't want to hope when it might not be there."

Reed felt his heart break, and suddenly, without thought, he found himself lurching forward and pressing the boy flush against him, their warm cheeks touching. Already puffy eyes formed new tears that fell on Shane's shoulder. Reed took a quickly pause then said it. "I love you."

At the sound of those words, everything that could be perfect was. Shane let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and grinned, his own vision becoming obscured with tears, and wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around the boy. He sighed. "I think you just successfully blew up my heart. Thanks a lot, Reed."

Reed chuckled slightly against the fabric of Shane's shirt, heart warmer than the sun. "I love you." He repeated breathlessly.

Shane smiled in utter bliss, placing a chaste kiss on Reed's neck. "I love you, too."

By the time morning rolled in, all evidence of last night's weather was gone. Ominous sunlight flowed everywhere, taking favor on Dalton's greenery.

One particular stream of light felt compelled to bother Shane's slumber, hitting closed eyes dead on. The blinding brightness was enough to stir Shane awake. At first, he groaned, making to stretch his unusually stiff arms when he felt a weight pressing on it. He stopped. Last night's events hit him like a boulder.

Warm, green eyes settled upon the bundle of blonde curls lightly brushing his chin as lithe arms snaked tighter around the fragile form. Shane could definitely stay like this forever.

When Reed suddenly hummed in agreement, nuzzling Shane's shirt-clad chest, he chuckled in delight and wondered if Reed maybe wanted to stay like this forever too.

"Good morning," Shane whispered, his hot breath reaching Reed's mess of strawberry blonde curls.

"Morning," Reed mumbled, sounding tired but content.

Consumed by the absolute warmth of the atmosphere, Shane reveled in the sheer pleasure that ran up his entire person at the presence of Reed. He let his eyes slowly fall close, alternating in and out of consciousness. The mere feel of Reed against him made his heart pound abnormally.

"I love you." Shane repeated in a whisper.

Reed stiffened a bit, but the smile on his face stayed as he shifted. "You're particularly cheesy this morning."

"Aren't I every morning?" The contentment in Shane's voice was apparent, albeit a bit lazy-sounding.

"Good point."

After a small pause, Shane exhaled a large breath. "How'd you sleep?"

Reed let out a sated sighed. "Wonderfully."

"Good to hear." Shane smile giddily. "I slept like a baby. That may, or may not be associated with the fact that you were beside me."

Reed snickered, pushing the sleep away in favor of this conversation. "I like that you're a morning person."

"That's not really a very hard feat when I have you to wake up to."

Reed could have rolled his eyes if they were open. Before he could even dignify with a response, his phone began vibrating violently on the coffee table. Reed blindly reached for the intrusive gadget, feeling the hold around him tighten securely, and snatched it off the table. He still lay in the same position, with Shane's arms still wrapped around his form when he took a quick glance at the caller ID and a flash of worry crossed his face as he pressed answer.

"Hello?...Calm down, I'm in the common room." Reed answered with a hint of hesitation that fortunately Shane wasn't blind to. "Yes." A relatively long silence. "Kurt! Will you-" An abrupt pause. "Oh dear, I completely forgot about that." A pregnant pause."Oh my- goodbye, Kurt."

Shane raised a brow at what seemed to be an unusual conversation as Reed placed his phone back on the table. "Completely forgot about what?"

"Nothing. Just some sale Kurt has been waiting a week to go to. I'm supposed to go with him."

Shane nodded slowly, letting the disappointment and longing seep in. "Right now?"

Reed looked up into green-gray eyes, looking too apologetic. "I'm sorry."

"It's no big deal." Shane forced a smile and placed a lingering kiss on the familiar scent of strawberry blonde hair. "Love you."

Reed looked up, placing a chaste kiss on Shane's chin and issuing him a lovely smile of his own. "I love you, too."

The sun had already rolled out of the sky2 when Reed and Kurt came back from their supposed afternoon shopping trip. Looking worn, Reed let out a strangled sigh as the pair stepped into the house.

"Hey." Immediately, Shane rushed to his boyfriend's side to take the number of shopping bags hanging from his small arms. "How'd the shopping go?"

"Exhausting." Reed sighed, refusing to surrender all the shopping bags since there were so many of them. "I'm going to collapse in bed, if it's alright with you." He smiled through tired eyes.

Shane tried to mask his disappointment. Weekends were all they had, and now Reed wanted to spend their last night together sleeping? Shane was thinking more along the lines of watching something together, cuddling, maybe holding hands or something. "Oh, but I'm leaving tomorrow morning though."

Reed shot him a sympathetic smile. "Lay in bed with me?

Shane beamed at the thought, all traces of disappointment instantly vanishing. "Don't need to tell me twice."

"I'll call you later." Shane promised, and lastly placing a longing kiss on Reed's forehead. They had only ever kissed once, and Reed had initiated it. Simply said, it turned Shane's world upside down. At that moment, he took his boyfriend's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I love you."

Reed froze slightly, his gaze settling from green, meaningful eyes to parted lips. In a split-second, Reed decided something. He stood on the tip of his toes, and suddenly, their lips were against each other, touching in that way Shane dreamed of every night. It was a simple peck, but one that spoke volumes. "H-have a safe trip," Reed mumbled, too red to look up into Shane's happily surprised eyes.

With an unbearable grin, Shane nodded. "Okay."

7:09 AM

That kiss was amazing. Even if it was only one second -S

Don't text while driving, Shane. It's dangerous. -R

Sorry. Just couldn't wait to talk to you. :) -S

8:37 AM

I'm home! :) I miss you so much though. :( -S

You are the only person I know who has used both a smiley and a sad face in the same text. -R

But you love me anyway. :) -S

9:28 AM

Hey. :) How goes it? -S

11:05 AM

Hello hello! Anybody there?-S

12:55 PM

Reed? -S

2:12 PM

Reed? Is there something wrong? -S

No, nothing's wrong. -R

Then why aren't you replying? -S

It's nothing. :) How's Colorado? -R

Oh, you know. Same old, same old. I miss you a LOT though. Like, A LOT- A LOT. -S

2:34 PM

Reed? -S

3:45 PM

If I did something wrong, I'm sorry. -S

You didn't do anything. -R

Then what happened? You have to tell me if something upsets you. -S

4:13 PM

I'm sorry. You don't need to tell me if you don't want to. -S

5:20 PM

Reed? -S

6:01 PM

Reed, come on -S

6:34 PM

Reed, please… -S

6:35 PM

I don't know what I did wrong! -S

I told you, you didn't do anything. -R

Then why aren't you replying to any of my texts? -S

7:00 PM

I love you. -S

"Reed?"

The mere fact that Kurt still felt the need to peer into their room was not a good sign. The room was dark, except for that one glow emanating from a corner where Reed decided to paint morbidly.

Reed didn't stir. His hand sailed through the canvas with the elegance of a dancer, leaving trails of colors in its wake.

"I know you heard me." Kurt proclaimed through the unsettling silence, frowning. "You've had your nose buried in that painting for hours. Have you eaten at all today?"

Reed was still. "Lunch."

Automatically raising a brow, Kurt folded his arms over his chest and placed all his weight on his right knee. "Uh-huh. And what did you eat?"

"...An apple."

Kurt let out a long-suffering sigh, slowly lowering himself unto Reed's mess of a bed. "Shane is going to freak out when he finds out you've been starving yourself."

That did it. Reed's hand stopped mid-stroke. It just froze, not moving, not dropping to his side.

Sensing the uncertainty, Kurt softened. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Reed's hand finally fell to his lap. A sniff was heard. "I haven't been replying to his texts."

"Did you have a fight?"

Reed shook his head meekly, casting his eyes down. "He told me he loved me."

Kurt was surprised to hear this enter the conversation. Wasn't that supposed to be a good thing? Well, unless…

"And...you don't love him back?" Kurt was hesitant to ask, because he was so sure Reed had fallen for the dancer.

Reed shook his head again, more vigorously this time, and surrendered his head. Clenched fists clawed at designer jeans that were slowly tainted with fallen tears. "I don't know!" He hissed through grit teeth, inhaling sharply. "What is wrong with me?" He whimpered, finally looking up to stare helplessly at Kurt.

Kurt's heart broke at the sight, rushing to kneel at Reed's side and envelope the broken artist into a warm hug. He rubbed circles on his back, letting Reed dampen his new shirt. "Nothing. Nothing is wrong with you. You're just…a-a little confused."

"He doesn't deserve someone who's a little confused." Reed sniffed, pushing his hollow sobs out. A kind silence passed momentarily. "I don't think I'm cut out for this relationship stuff."

Kurt frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say..." Reed took a huge breath, before continuing, "that he deserves someone better."

Kurt slowly stroke Reed's golden curls, approaching the situation with as much calmness and sensibility as possible. "I'm fairly positive Shane doesn't want anyone else though."

Reed gently tore away from Kurt's embrace in favor of looking up into understating blue eyes with hazel eyes full of chaos and fright. "I can't give him what he wants!"

"You're what he wants," Kurt said softly, making Reed understand. "You don't need anything else." He shook his head, letting a small smile grace his lips and tilting his head. "You've got to let yourself be happy, Reed. Contrary to popular belief, love and true happiness can last forever."

"What if it doesn't for us?"

The smile on Kurt's face quickly vanished. "Reed-"

"It didn't for my mom. It doesn't for a lot of people. How are we different?" Reed looked up, face contorted in hopelessness and defeat.

"Reed-"

"Please, let me finish." Reed sighed heavily. "I've lived my whole life coping with the fact that any amount of happiness just ends in the long run. If I give him my heart, my entire being, and this fails, this ends-"

"You don't end, Reed." Kurt spoke with such certainty, such an air of confidence that for a moment, a flicker of hope flashed inside Reed. "You and Shane- you don't just end. Happiness of this caliber doesn't just disappear-it grows. It spreads. You choose when the ending comes, no one else." Kurt retorted, shaking his head to punctuate his point. And then that familiar smile made its way to Kurt's face-that smile he wore when Mr. Schue had asked him if Blaine was someone special. "Don't you ever just dream of growing old with him? Of having curly haired dancing babies who paint?"

Reed wasn't aware of the giddy smile slowly gracing his lips. He nodded weakly.

"Do you think you can't live without him?"

Reed pursed his lips. "So much that it scares me sometimes."

"And therein lays the problem," Kurt leaned in closer. "You can't let fear rule over your life forever. Do you know why so many people don't believe in true happiness anymore?" Kurt let a moment pass, before a coy smile settled on his lips. "Because a lot of them don't have the courage to fight for it."

"Maybe he just…" Blaine leaned back on his chair, swiveling away from the piles of homework with his iPhone pressed urgently to his ear, "needs a little space."

Shane groaned, resting the back of his arm over his eyes. "I shouldn't have told him I loved him. I mean, that has to be it. He's been acting weird ever since I did."

"So maybe he just wasn't ready to say I love you back?"

Shane shot forward, eyes like saucers and mouth ajar. "But…he already did." Shane inhaled sharply, a realization dawning on him like a slap to the face. "Oh fuck, I think I forced him to say it back. Oh shit. Way to go, Shane. You have reached a whole new level of douchebag-ery. Congrats."

Blaine managed an amused smile despite himself. "Cut yourself some slack. Maybe he was just scared?"

Shane scoffed, sounding so defeated. "Of what?"

Blaine frowned. "Of relationships? I don't know…I mean, he has been witness to some pretty dysfunctional relationships-his parents, for example-maybe he was just scared you guys would end up the same way?"

"But we won't!"

"I know you won't. But does he know?"

Shane sighed. He's never felt so helpless, being miles away from the one person who could either fix all this or completely burn it to the ground. A pregnant silence filled the air. "Maybe he just wants to break up with me, but he doesn't know how."

The fact that that thought even crossed his brother's mind tore at Blaine. "That's not it. Trust me."

Shane felt the familiar pang of ache clawing at his chest, the corners of his lips upturn into a quivering frown. "Stop getting my hopes up. I don't want to end up crying in front of him if this doesn't end well."

Blaine tried to let the hope carry through his voice, even if it wasn't apparent on his face. "It will though."

"How do you know?" Shane just sounded so broken, so cracked and beyond fixing.

Blaine smiled. "Intuition…and maybe I sent Kurt in to talk to Reed."

Shane finally managed a small smile, the hope in him still unlit. "You say that like he can fix everything."

"He has the gift of a silver-tongue." Blaine said profoundly.

"Ugh. Can we not talk about Kurt's tongue? I'm in the middle of a crisis here, in case you haven't noticed."

"Reed?" Blaine's head peeked into the room with caution, hazel eyes scanning the room for that familiar form. Kurt had left minutes ago, deeming their conversation sufficient and refusing to share any details with Blaine. His eyes finally settled on Reed sitting on a grim corner, staring at a painting. "Um…"

Reed sent him an over-the-shoulder gaze, barely a movement.

Blaine held up something in his hand. "Phone…for you."

Reed didn't need a second to realize who was on the other end. With a tired sigh, he lifted himself up and trudged towards Blaine to take the offending object from his hand. Blaine sent him a sympathetic smile as Reed spoke. "Hello?"

"I'm coming over." Shane sounded hoarse, shoving back the sigh of utter relief from hearing Reed's voice.

"W-what?"

"We need to talk."

"Shane, you don't-"

"Reed, please."

Reed didn't speak. He noted the faint sound of a car door slamming in the background.

"Something is wrong. And I don't want to be talking about it over the phone."

Reed swallowed, a foreboding feeling engulfing his entire being. With a shaky voice, he spoke. "Drive safe."

"Thanks…I will."

The drive had taken thirty minutes to an hour less than the standard trip. Apparently, Shane hadn't been driving as safely as he'd said. By the time he had arrived, Reed's porcelain cheeks were streaked with tears, each drop fueled by the utter guilt and blame he put on himself. Reed promised himself he would stop crying when Shane arrived, but obviously that wasn't happening.

So when Shane hopped out of his car, slamming and locking the door behind him, he was struck momentarily by the look of horrible anguish on Reed's lovely face.

"Shane,-"

"Look," Shane's voice cracked, a sign that he was about to lose it himself, "I get it, okay? I-I understand if you don't want to be with me anymore."

Reed was floored. He wanted to scream. To just stop standing there and do something.

Shane's glossy eyes refused to tear themselves away from the Reed's expression of sheer horror. What-was he scared that Shane had figured out the truth behind all the silence? "But I want you to know that I am going to wait. I swear to god, I'll wait forever if I have to, Reed- I don't care."

By then, Reed had found enough coherency in his brain to move his legs and lunge himself at Shane, burying his damp cheeks on Shane's heavenly-scented shirt. "I'm sorry-I'm so, so sorry."

Shane gritted his teeth in disbelief, shaking his head and holding Reed for what felt like the last time. He cried because this was it. This was it. "It's okay. It's fine. I get it, you know. It hurts like hell, but I get it."

"No!" Reed cried, pounding at Shane's chest and meeting Shane's pained eyes. "No, that's not what I meant. I love you!"

It took a moment to process, but suddenly, it felt like the whole world stopped.

"What?"

Reed sniffed. "I'm sorry. I know I don't deserve you, I know you're too good for me-"

"You're not!" Shane protested quickly, grabbing Reed by his arms and forcing him to look into his green-gray eyes and understand. "You're not too good for me! You're perfect! We're perfect!"

"I know we're perfect. We feel so perfect, and that scares me," Reed voice sounded more strangled. "It scared me so much that I drove you away, and I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Suddenly, it was all clear. A bright light shone down on him, revealing the flaws and melting away unnecessary burdens. A weight was lifted from his shoulders. Shane let himself cry, grabbing Reed and pressing him flush against himself. He smiled, feeling comfortable enough to place a kiss on Reed's soft curls. "It's okay. It's okay."

Reed continued to sob, clawing at Shane's shirt desperately. "It's not, though. I've hurt you so much and I'm so stupid. I don't deserve you-I don't."

"Yes, you do." Shane insisted, pulling Reed away to let his glossy eyes meet tear-filled ones, and managed a smile, despite seeing Reed so broken. "We deserve each other. Look, I know you're scared-you don't think I am? Ever since we got together I wake up every morning thinking this is all a dream. I can't possibly be this lucky-you know?-falling in love this fast, this hard, this much, at this age? I mean, things like that don't just happen!" Shane cried, suddenly assuming a more serene expression. "Do you know how many people marry their high school sweethearts?"

Reed shook his head lightly, biting back an oncoming sob.

"A measly 2-percent get married, and stay married."

Losing his composure, Reed looked down, another tear escaping his already puffy eyes. "Those aren't very good chances."

Shane nodded in agreement. "I know right? I thought that too. It's not likely that we'll be part of that 2-percent." He reached for Reed's hand-still so soft- and gave it a gently squeeze. His heart fluttered. "But I want to give it a shot." He put on a charming smile. "Just 'cause something's unlikely doesn't mean it's impossible. I can promise you one thing though-the moment you trust me enough to give me your whole heart, the moment you muster up enough courage to believe that I would never hurt you, I swear I'm going to hold on to you forever. And I know that's a tough promise to keep, but whoever said relationships were easy?"

Reed swallowed. "I certainly didn't expect it to be this hard."

Shane grinned. "But it's worth it…right?"

Reed smiled finally, nodding. "Definitely."

"Liz! Dinner!"

"Coming!"

"You know she's up there talking to her boyfriend, right?" Shane questioned his husband, who was pouring a concoction of delightful-smelling food into a bowl.

"She's a teenager. Let her be." Reed replied halfheartedly.

"This is Derek Seigerson's son we're talking about. Shouldn't you be a little wary of where this relationship will be going?"

"I trust her, unlike you-"

"I trust her!"

Reed sent him a wry smile. "Of course you do."

"I'm just saying-high school relationships don't last."

Reed stopped, looking his husband in the eyes, then shrugged with a coy smile. "We did."

Shane pursed his lips, looking down.

"We're different."

Reed tilted his head, watching his husband affectionately. "Two percent?"

Shane snorted and grinned, nodding. "Two percent."

"I still don't approve of her relationship with this guy." Shane said after a thoughtful pause.

"Shane." Reed warned.

END.

A/N: So.. Rane has officially taken over my life. BETA'D BY: paulaztnew at tumblr! Follow her! She's an amazing Beta! :D