Thad woke up with a start his arm tensing slightly around the sleeping body next to him. He brought his free hand up to his chest to feel his heartbeat racing, practically bursting in his chest. It was just a dream. Only a dream. But he thought that Flint had made them go away, this was the first time he had that dream since he'd been with Flint, and it scared him.
Freshman Year. Thad had started at Dalton his freshman year, like most of the other boys who went there over the years. He didn't start there because he was getting bullied or because he got a scholarship. He went to Dalton because that's what every other guy in has family had done. They went to Dalton then went to Stanford. It was the rule, and no one broke it.
Thad was friendly; he made friends quickly, joining not only the Warblers, a highly esteemed singing group, but also the school's field hockey and ice hockey teams. Good student, great kid, made his parents proud. But there's was something wrong with him, and it took a long time to accept it.
Dane Remington, senior, quarterback, and out. That's right, the schools quarterback and all-start athlete was gay. He also had a thing for freshman, especially that hot Hispanic one on the hockey team. He first noticed him when he was out with the guys, they usually made fun of the hockey team, because of course, football was better, but when they were out hanging he caught site of that new freshman, good enough to make the varsity and hot enough to make Dane's stomach lurch.
A week passed and Dane saw the freshman walking out to the field house by himself. This was good. Dane could make anyone gay, even if it was just for a few hours. "Hey." He called out catching up quickly to the younger boy. "Thad right?" he asked flashing his golden boy smile. "I'm Dane." He held out a hand.
Thad took Dane's hand tentatively, he had heard about Dane, and not all of it was good. But there was something about him, some kind of air of… confidence that intrigued Thad, and he could take care of himself anyway. "Yeah. It's Thad." He said lightly shaking the older boy's hand. "What's up? Do you need something?" he asked curiously as they continued to walk to the field house.
Dane's eyes sparkled and he shrugged. "Not really, I'm honestly just curious… about you that is. I saw you play at practice last week, you were on fire." He said, his eyes skimming the boy next to him. 'In more than one way' he thought.
The pair reached the field house and Dane held the door open for Thad who walked in. It was late and most of the team had gone back to the dorms or home if they lived off campus, but Thad had left his cellphone in his bag and needed to get it. He was distracted that he didn't hear the door click shut behind them. Thad bent over grabbing his bag off the floor when he felt arms encircle his waist and a body press up against him. "What are you doing?" he said loudly struggling to pull out of the older boy's grip.
"Come on Thad; don't act like you don't want me." Dane said, his voice was low as he pulled Thad up and turned him around. The older boy's arms held Thad tightly against his chest and he looked into the younger boy's brown eyes. "I've seen how you look at some of the guys on your team, just like how I was as a freshman, scared and embarrassed of the feelings?" he said. Dane brushed his lips softly against Thad's cheek and whispered in his ear. "You don't have to feel embarrassed." He said quietly trailing kisses against Thad's jaw.
Thad was frozen in place as he felt Dane's lips press against his jaw as they neared his lips he snapped out of it and started struggling, trying to pull out of Dane's grasp. "Stop, I'm not gay, stop Dane, stop." He cried. He pushed away and out of Dane's arms stumbling and falling on the floor a couple feet away.
Dane smirked and sat down on one of the wooden benches near Thad. "You're right, you're not. But you do think I'm hot. You are attracted me aren't you?" he asked looking at Thad sprawled on the floor. "I was just like you, scared and confused. But it gets easier, you just have to admit it, you like me." He said smiling at Thad. "Now get up off the floor and come here." He said.
Thad did what he was told. He sat on the bench leaving enough of a gap for another person to sit between them. This just caused Dane to roll his eyes and slide over, sitting directly next to the hockey player. "Dane I've only dated girls." He said quietly looking at his hands.
"So had I, but the problem was, I liked guys. Now you're a legacy." Dane said feeling Thad's eyes on him. "I do my research." He shrugged and continued. "So you're thinking that you're going to get in trouble with your family etcetera. Right?" he asked looking at the younger boy. "But I know for a fact that you won't. You're still attracted to girls right?" Thad nodded and Dane smiled. "Then you're bi, which is good, because you can still get married to a beautiful lawyers daughter like your dad wants you to, and still fuck me." He commented easily.
Thad gaped at Dane. "I… what!" he said starting to move away from Dane again who just easily grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Dane let go." He said in the most authoritative voice he could muster.
A smirk formed on the football player's mouth and he let go of Thad. "It's kind of hot when you take control." He murmured licking his lips and looking at Thad as the boy got up off the bench. "I'd let you take control of me anytime." He said grinning before getting up himself. He pulled Thad into his arms and the younger boy looked up into those captivating blue eyes. "Kiss me." Dane whispered.
Thad licked his lips softly and reached up his arms sliding around Dane's neck before he gently pressed his lips against the older boy's. Dane brought his hands up and placed them on either side of the boy's face holding him and kissing him gently for several moments.
Dane pulled away noting that Thad looked a little stunned, and a little upset about the fact. "Meet me here, same time tomorrow." He said winking and stepping away from him. "I promise you won't regret it."
Thad stared at Dane as the football player turned and left the field house. He raised a hand to his lips and brushed them softly with his fingers. 'What the fuck is going on?' he thought before sitting back down on the bench and putting his face in his hands.
"Bro you look like crap." Wes commented at lunch the next day, Thad was quietly eating a slice of pizza his eyes downcast. The pair looked at each other and back at their friend. "You haven't been sleeping… have you?"
Thad shrugged taking a bite of his food. He chewed slowly propping his head up on one elbow. "I guess not." He said quietly barely noticing as Wes and David looked at each other again.
"Thad, what's going on, you said you sleep better when Flint's there. I know for a fact he was there last night." David said quietly leaning forward slightly. "Why are you having your nightmares again." He said his question more of a statement.
Thad shook his head. "I'm not. I swear." He lied rubbing at his temple, trying to make the ache there vanish. "It's nothing. I promise, we were just up late last night." He said trying to be convincing. He knew his friends didn't buy it, but they at least dropped it. For now.
Flint had practically moved into Thad's room, the pair slept together almost every night, and Flint loved it, he had honestly never felt more safe and loved. They sat on the floor of Thad's room doing some work for the Warblers. "Why is it that you always get stuck with the tasks of putting packets together while Wes and David get to do fun things?" he asked after getting halfway through a stack of packets.
Thad laughed and stapled the packet he had in his hand. "The 'fun' things that they get to do are dealing with clients and trying to update our music library. Trust me that is a lot more boring than it sounds." He said picking up the different sheets of paper to make another packet. "Also they know I like to spend time with you, and you really can't come if I'm at Steve Weiss music begging for a discount. I do not want you see me groveling."
A pair of blue eyes lit up in laughter as Thad's brown ones darkened as he frowned. "I'm sorry, but you're so … in control all the time. I would love to see you grovel and beg for once." Flint said laughing; he pressed his hand to his mouth trying to stifle his giggles. He heard Thad groan and he tried to stop but that only made him laugh more. "I'm serious, I think it'd be cute." He said after a few moments.
"Remind me why I'm with you again?" Thad asked darkly, before smiling. "I'm kidding, it's because your smart, funny, gorgeous, and can take a joke." He said reaching forward and poking Flint gently in the ribs.
Flint faked a glare at him before leaning forward and kissing Thad gently on the lips. "Makes sense." He said laughing and pulling away. "But really. We're going out tomorrow." He said after several minutes of contented silence.
Thad raised an eyebrow at Flint and looked up at him. "And where might we be going?" he asked punctuating his sentence with the click of a stapler.
"I got us tickets to that art show I've been ranting about for the past two weeks." Flint said grinning. "Please you'll have fun. And it's an excuse for me to dress up. Please, please, please." He whined giving Thad wide puppy dog eyes. Thad nodded and Flint cheered leaning forward to kiss him again. "Awesome, it's at this like mansion I guess. But because the artist is like family friends with them. I don't know either way I have directions." He reached for his back pack and pulled out an invitation, he handed the card to Thad whose face whitened.
Thad stared down at the card in his hands trying to slow his breathing, trying to do anything.
'We proudly present Athol Miller's newest works. Please join us at the Remington Estate for a viewing and cocktail hour.'
Remington, Dane Remington, these were his parents. What if by some sick twist of fate he was there. He couldn't see him, he was only starting to get over him, after two years, he had found someone who he could seriously fall in love with, not someone who was just looking for a good fuck.
"Thad? Thad!" Flint repeated for what felt like the 100th time. Flint reached over and shook his boyfriend. "Thad what the hell." He said scared that something had happened.
Thad snapped out of it staring up into those beautiful blue eyes, not the ones that plagued his nightmares, but the ones that loved him. "Sorry. Just. Sorry, what?" he asked confused.
Flint rolled his eyes. "You scared me, anyway I was saying they're doing a cocktail hour, so with snacks and drinks, but we could go get dinner beforehand. Is that okay?" he asked. Thad nodded quietly and the pair finished their work in half silence the sound of Thad's iPod the only thing filling the silence.
Flint curled into Thad's chest later that night, the older boy's arms wrapping around him. He listened to Thad's heartbeat and his slow breathing letting a hush fall over them. Thad was off in his own world today, and he wasn't sure why, he wasn't even into making out or doing anything more, instead saying he was tired and wanted to go to sleep early. It was odd, and it worried him, he needed to know what was going on, and the best way was to interrogate his best friends, David and Wes, they would know what was going on, even if Flint didn't.