Jake and Ryder are walking home from school together, fingertips brushing occasionally as their hands swing back and forth.

'Did you hear there's gonna be a Sadie Hawkins dance?' Jake asks.

'Yea, a couple of guys were talking about it in the locker room.' They're quiet for a moment, and all Ryder can think about is how much he wants to hold Jake's hand. But he can't. They're on a suburban street in Lima, and there's no telling how people would react.

He turns as Jake runs a finger lightly down his forearm. 'I wish I could take you to the dance, Ryder.'

'Yea,' Ryder huffs out in agreement. 'Sucks that only the girls can do the asking.'

Jake stops in his tracks, and moments later Ryder turns back to him. 'Let's make an agreement that if no one asks us, we'll secretly go together.'

'Oh, babe, you do realise that Marley's guaranteed to ask you, right?' Jake pouts, but he starts walking again.

'It's the thought that counts though, right?'

At that moment, they arrive at Ryder's house and are quick to get in the front door. Jake has to get home soon, but they want the chance to actually be able to say goodbye to each other. Besides, Ryder's barely been able to even hug Jake today. So once the door is closed behind them, they instantly have their arms wrapped around each other, for the moment just taking the opportunity to be close.

He buries his face in Jake's shoulder, takes a moment to inhale his strong, masculine scent. He feels Jake nuzzle against his ear; nose slightly cold from the walk home. As he begins to talk, it tickles the shell of Ryder's ear.

'What if we just rejected any girls who ask us? Then we could still go together.'

Ryder thinks for a moment, before pulling back to look up at Jake. 'I don't know I could turn someone down.'

'True,' Jake agrees after a moment. 'I guess I'll just have to hope that no girls realise how awesomely amazing my boyfriend is.' He pulls Ryder closer as he says it, possessive. It causes a warm feeling in his chest, and he leans forward to kiss along Jake's jawline. Jake tilts his head up, giving better access. They both get lost in it, even more so when Jake turns to capture Ryder's lips in a kiss.

Minutes later, Jake pulls away, out of breath and dishevelled. 'I – I need to be going.' Reluctantly, Ryder agrees, giving him one final kiss before he leaves. He watches as Jake walks down the path, wondering when they'll next get a moment together.

Xxx

Ryder looks up as Jake sinks down into the seat next to him. He's in the library, trying to get some study done for an upcoming test.

'I guess you realise I've already got a date for the dance?' Jake asks, his smile warm.

'It would've been hard to miss,' Ryder agrees as he closes his book. 'You'll be glad to know I've got one too. Celeste.'

'Neck brace girl?' Ryder nods in reply. 'Well, I've had two girls ask me. Does that mean I'm winning?'

'Is it a competition now?' Ryder asks, nudging him lightly.

Jake laughs in response but quickly turns serious. 'Do you think we'll find a way to hang out while we're there? Pretend we are going together?'

Ryder lets his knee rest against Jake's, trying to reassure him. 'I'm sure we'll work something out, babe.'

Xxx

Ryder and Jake sit opposite each other at a table at Breadstix, their dates next to them. Ryder still isn't sure how they managed it, but the two of them somehow convinced Marley and Celeste that they should all get dinner together before the dance.

Ryder can't get over how hot Jake looks in his suit. He finds himself tuning out from whatever Celeste is talking about as he finds himself getting distracted. Sure, Celeste seems like a nice girl, and she might even have something interesting to say, but Ryder much prefers his boyfriend.

'So, what you're saying,' Jake's voice snaps him out of his trance, 'is that everyone should have a pet duck?' So, Ryder may have only come in on the end of the conversation, but he's pretty sure this is proof that Celeste really doesn't have anything interesting to say. She's just another real-life version of the stereotypical cheerleader. While he's amused that Jake is actually making an effort to talk to her, Ryder just lets himself zone out again.

He toes off a shoe, thankful that he's sitting at the far end of the booth, hidden from view. He lets his foot rest against Jake's ankle, laughing internally at the way his breath hitches in surprise. As he begins an innocent game of footsie, he turns to Marley, intent on not spending the whole evening being completely distracted.

Xxx

Somehow, Ryder has been given the task of singing the final song for the dance, in all its soppy, romantic slowness. Not that he really minds. Because otherwise he would have been dancing with Celeste, who has already tried to kiss him twice this evening.

As he sings, Ryder looks around the room, watches all the couples dancing. He can't help but feel a little sad that he's not dancing as well. Because he really wants to be able to slow dance with Jake.

He catches sight of Jake amongst the crowd, holding Marley close and turning slowly. As he continues to sing, he keeps his eyes fixed on Jake, watches him. Sings to him. As Jake completes a turn, he looks up, eyes locking with Ryder's. Subtly, he stops his turning, instead just swaying on the spot.

Throughout the song, Ryder continues to watch Jake. He probably shouldn't, it's probably too obvious, but he doesn't really care. Everyone knows that he was interested in Marley, they can just assume that he's staring at her. Every now and again, Jake looks up at him, smiles softly. They stare intently at each other for a few minutes, and then Jake looks away again.

It's not much, but it's better than nothing.

Xxx

After the dance, Ryder gives Celeste, Jake and Marley a ride home. He stops at Celeste's house first, getting out to walk her to the door, since it's the gentlemanly thing to do.

When they reach her front porch, Celeste stands there bouncing on her toes, giggling. 'So I was thinking, since I'm a hot cheerleader, and you're a hot jock, we should totally become an item.'

Ryder stands there for a moment, looking at her, trying to make sense. Hadn't he rebuffed her enough times this evening? 'I – I don't think that's a good idea, Celeste.'

'Why not?' she asks. 'Is it my neck brace?'

And suddenly things get a bit awkward. 'No, no, definitely not. It's just – I'm just interested in someone else.'

'Well, why didn't you go to the dance with her then?' Celeste looks genuinely confused.

'She went with someone else.' It's not entirely true, but nevertheless it still hurts a little to say it.

Celeste seems to think about this for a moment, before speaking. 'Y'know what? I could do so much better than you anyway.' At that, she wrenches open her front door, enters without even saying goodbye.

As he re-enters the car, Jake leans forward, concerned. 'Are you ok, buddy?' A reassuring hand on his shoulder.

'I think I just got dumped,' Ryder replies as he pulls away from the curb.

'Oh, no,' Marley leans forward now too. 'Ryder, I'm so sorry.'

'No, I'm fine. It' fine,' he promises. Jake claps him on the shoulder one final time before sitting back again.

Moments later, they arrive at Marley's house, and Ryder waits in the car while Jake walks her to the door. He tries not to watch, tries to ignore the fact that Jake can't avoid giving her a peck goodnight.

When Jake hops back in the car, his hand immediately finds Ryder's on the gear shift. 'I'm sorry about that,' he tells him.

'No, it's fine,' Ryder tells him, slightly less truthful this time. 'Really, it's fine.'

Jake's hand tightens over his. 'I don't really believe you. But that's ok, I'll make it up to you.' Ryder knows what the implications of that comment are.

'You don't have to get home right away?'

'Not for a while,' Jake replies, before falling quiet for a moment. 'Y'know, I really wish I could have danced with you tonight.'

Ryder looks across at him, surprised. 'Me too.'

They sit in silence for a while, before Jake suddenly speaks up. 'I've had an idea. Can you drive us to that park round the corner from my place?' Ryder agrees, curious as to why they're going there.

When they arrive, Jake pulls Ryder's iPod out of the glove box, getting out of the car and ushering Ryder out as well. He leads Ryder over to a line of trees, in amongst the shadows.

'What're we doing?' Ryder asks, nerves building.

Jake ignores him, just hands him one ear bud. 'Here.' Ryder puts it in, catches the faint strains of an orchestra. Jake is grinning broadly at him. 'May I have this dance?'

Ryder smiles in response, takes Jake's outstretched hand, places his right hand on Jake's shoulder. They get lost in the music, in each other. Foreheads touching, they sway together. Their breaths intermingle, and Ryder swears he can feel Jake's heart beating against his chest. They transition through a few different songs, and Ryder is just starting to think he could dance like this forever. Suddenly, the song changes again though, and this time it's dubstep. The two of them break away from each other, laughing.

'I don't think we can slow dance to this,' Jake observes.

Ryder laughs along with him. 'No. Thank you though. That was amazing.' As he says it, he shivers a little. Jake notices.

'Come on, we should get back to the car.' He grabs Ryder by the hand, drags him along as he hurries back.

Remembering something, Ryder gives a little tug on Jake's hand. 'Hey, don't forget you owe me a kiss.'

'Just the one?'

As they reach the car, Ryder can't help but hope that his curfew isn't for a while yet.

To clarify, the final conversation between Jake and Marley (during I Only Have Eyes for You) didn't take place in this fic. So Marley asked Jake to consider, but he hasn't got back to her.