'Hey, Ryder?' Jake has his arms wrapped around Ryder, chin resting on his shoulder as they sit on the couch.

'Yea, babe?'

'How come, um, I was just wondering, how come you haven't updated your relationship status on Facebook?'

Ryder cracks his eyes open, letting his head fall against Jake's. 'Huh?'

'Facebook still says your single.'

'Oh.' Ryder sits up further, pulling Jake with him. 'Yea, I haven't been on in a while. Not since I was talking to Katie.'

Jake nods his understanding, hand coming up to run over Ryder's chest. 'So, um, I was thinking, do you wanna, would you maybe – '

'I'll change it now if you want?' Jake nods his agreement as Ryder tries to unwrap himself.

He returns a couple of moments later with his laptop, and Jake immediately cuddles back up to him, chin returning to his shoulder. 'You're warm.'

'Mhmm,' Ryder agrees, but he's focussing on logging in now. 'So, why was it so hard to ask me anyway?'

'Dunno. Guess it's kinda the last step in coming out.'

Ryder turns towards him. 'You really think so? You don't think it's gonna be an on-going daily thing?'

'Suppose,' Jake murmurs, leaning forward to kiss him lightly. He nods at the screen. 'You have quite a few notifications.'

Ryder turns towards the screen, Jake's lips trailing along his jaw to his ear. There are 11 new notifications. When he clicks the button he sees they're mostly posts on his wall, so he clicks onto his profile. The page loads.

'Shit, Jake,' he whines, gripping at his leg. He can't believe the comments that are written there. They're ten times worse than anything that has been said aloud to them. It's too much, and he can't handle it.

Jake has been reading over his shoulder, and now he pulls Ryder towards him, rearranging their bodies so that he's holding Ryder protectively. Ryder leans his head into Jake's chest. He can feel tears on his face. 'Oh, baby. You'll be alright.'

'But, but – ' He can't even form a coherent sentence.

'I know, I know. It sucks. I guess we should have known the bullying would evolve.' Ryder just nods miserably. The bullying had been getting better with the teachers cracking down. But not anymore.

After a while, he tilts his head up to look at Jake. 'Has this been happening to you?'

'Not really. I culled most of the idiots from my friends list.'

'Not really?' That sounds suspicious.

'Only once or twice. It's not a big deal.' Ryder can't help but think it is. But he can't really bothered arguing about it. So he just snuggles closer against Jake, feeling the light press of kisses on his forehead.

The next time he tilts his head up, his lips catch against Jake's adams apple. He takes the opportunity to suck distractedly at it, focussing in more as Jake reacts. His hands find their way up under Jake's shirt, running over the knobs of his spine. Jake presses towards him, silently begging for more. Suddenly though, he's pulling away.

'Um, so, um, when are your parents coming home?'

Ryder continues his exploration, thumbs pressing into Jake's sides. 'Not for ages. They have some dinner thing.'

Apparently that's all the answer that Jake needs. Because he's pressing Ryder back now, forcing him backwards until he's lying on the couch. Jake rests his weight on top of Ryder, lips finding his and hands tangling in his hair. Ryder can't think of anything beyond Jake.

Sometime later, Ryder has lost his shirt, and Jake is placing lazy open-mouthed kisses across his chest. The next thing he's aware of is a booming voice.

'Get off of my son.' Jake is moving away in an instant, and Ryder immediately feels cold. His dad continues talking in the same harsh tone. 'Ryder put a shirt on.'

He sits up, glancing between his parents. 'What are you doing home so early?'

'Dinner got shifted,' his mother explains. 'Seems it was just as well too. I would hate to think what you two would be getting up to otherwise.'

'I-I thought you two were ok with us?'

His mom seems to consider them for a moment. 'Yea, sure, we may be. Doesn't mean that behaviour's acceptable though.'

'We-we weren't actually doing anything.' Jake doesn't even try to make eye contact as he speaks.

'Really?' His mom's voice is pitching higher now. 'I would hate to think what depraved things you two get up to then.'

Ryder can feel his anger rising, and suddenly he can't hold it in. 'Bloody hell, Mom. Can't you pretend to be accepting?'

Now his father's joining in again too. 'Ryder, that's no way to speak to your mother.'

'What, but she can say what she likes? So what would you like to say next, Mom? That I'm diseased, and going to hell?'

'Ryder – ' His mother's tone is placating now, but he ignores her, turning to Jake.

'Come on, I'll walk you home.' Jake seems relieved. Ryder pointedly ignores both of his parents as he tugs Jake out the front door.

Xxx

Ryder goes through the next day on autopilot. He barely speaks. He barely notices anything going on around him. He's vaguely aware of the fact that Jake is worrying about him though.

Eventually, it's time for glee, and when practise starts, he regretfully drags himself to the front of the room. 'So, I've got some bad news,' he tells them, 'my parents are transferring me to Dalton.' They'd told him the night before, when he'd eventually gone back home. He'd argued with them of course, but they wouldn't listen to reason.

Everyone looks shocked. Especially Jake. Ryder hadn't managed to find the courage to tell him before now.

Mr Schue is smiling at him though. 'Well, then, we'll just have to make sure we kill it at Regionals then. Make it a fitting farewell.'

Ryder studies the ground, not wanting to see everyone's shocked expressions. 'Actually, I won't be competing. I've been grounded.' Because apparently he isn't allowed to have an opinion. Apparently he just has to deal with whatever crap his parents throw at him.

He glances up to see everyone heading down the risers towards him. But he really can't handle them all trying to console him. So he turns away abruptly, heading out the door.

He isn't surprised when he hears Jake's footsteps following him. And actually, he's relieved. Because right now, he just needs his boyfriend to hold him while he cries.

Xxx

His parents have decided that part of his grounding means that he isn't allowed to attend glee practise at all. He was only allowed to go to the one session to say goodbye to everyone. So suddenly, he has all this extra free time after school. And he doesn't know what to do with it.

On one of these days, his mom's working from home. When he's walked through the entire house three times, trying to find something to do, he joins her in the kitchen, where she's having a coffee break. He sits down next to her at the breakfast bar.

'So, um, all this shit that's – '

'Language,' she scolds.

He tries again. 'Ok. So all this stuff that's happened the past couple of days. Can we talk about it? Without arguing. Because it's really hurting me, and I just, I need to understand.'

She studies him for a few moments before she begins to speak. 'The stuff I said about you and Jake, I didn't say it because it was Jake. I would have said the same thing if it had been a girl. You know the idea of purity is important to me.'

'It's my decision though, Mom.'

'I feel like I should have a say in it though. Because I worry you'll make the wrong decision.'

'Bit late for that,' Ryder mumbles in reply. He immediately regrets it when he realises that she heard.

'I guess I already knew that,' she admits.

'And yet you still overreacted?'

She seems to think for a moment, as if deliberating whether to say something. 'If I'm being honest, the fact that Jake's a guy makes me a little more uncomfortable. I'm ok with you being in the relationship, it's just the physical aspect of it. I think it would be a bit less terrible if it was a girl.'

Ryder doesn't think he likes brutal honesty. 'It doesn't work like that, Mom. It's all or nothing. Either you're accepting or you're not.' She doesn't say anything in reply. 'Is that why you're sending me to Dalton? Because you secretly want to keep me and Jake apart?'

'No, no, definitely not.' She takes a couple of moments before she starts to explain. 'When you left the other day, you left your computer open. And I saw all the stuff those kids wrote on your Facebook. I don't want to stand by while you get hurt. Because I know that fight wasn't the only bullying that's happened at school.'

'That doesn't mean you need to send me away though.' Ryder feels like he's almost begging.

'Dalton has a strict policy against bullying. You'll be safe there, Ryder. I need you to be safe.'

'I can't just leave Jake behind to deal with it on his own.'

'You're my priority here, Ryder. You're my son, not Jake.'

'No, I can't go, Mom. McKinley's where I belong. The New Directions is where I belong.'

'Dalton has a glee club. I'm sure you can join there.'

'They got busted for a drugs scandal.' It feels like a small victory.

'Oh.' She seems to think for a moment. 'Well, I'm sure there are plenty of other clubs you can join.'

Ryder decides to change tactics, hoping he'll have more luck. 'I can't just run away, Mom. I'm gonna be dealing with this my whole life; I have to get used to it.' He pauses to let that sink in. 'Besides, it's getting better now that the teachers are taking notice.'

'But Dalton's such a good school.' She's pleading now.

'The New Directions are my family.' But so is he.

'I'll think about it,' she concedes. 'But I'm not making any promises.'

Xxx

Two days later, it's Regionals. Ryder slips into the choir room as everyone's preparing. 'Did you guys still need me?' He asks Mr Schue.

Jake's by his side in an instant. 'Your parents are letting you compete?'

'Yea, they realised I was reacting out of hurt. So they decided I'd been grounded long enough.'

'That's great.' Everyone seems to agree with the sentiment. But Ryder can still see sadness in Jake's eyes.

'I haven't told you the best news yet.' Jake instantly looks hopeful. 'My parents have agreed I can stay at McKinley.'

Mr Schue is clapping him on the back. 'Well, with that great news, it's time to start our show circle.'

Xxx

Throughout the wedding ceremony, Ryder keeps his fingers laced with Jake's. As Mr Schue kisses his bride, Jake leans over to him.

'Do you think that'll be us one day?'

Ryder smiles in response. 'Definitely.'

Thanks to CG85 for listening to my troubles and giving me suggestions about this chapter and the last one.

There's only an epilogue left in this story now. But I can possibly do some one-shots, if you think there's anything you need to know more about (eg if you feel I didn't wrap this chapter up properly). I'm hoping to do at least one more chapter for You're the One That I Want (Ryder's dinner with Jake and Jake's mom). But I can do more if you ask.