Summer Nights (Solangelo AU)

will ix • spinning bottles

"So...any update with Nico?" 

   Percy's thumb slips fast the joystick on the controller, causing his car to spin out of the road on GTA. I took him off guard, I guess.

   It had been a week since Nico and I started sneaking off whenever we had free time. We published another article, this one about music, and this weekend, we're meeting up to try being the opposite of who we are. I guess I'm doing marching band, and he'll try football.

   Sometimes I would bring Percy up to Nico, but he always changed the conversation. I couldn't admit how that made me feel.

   "Um...I don't know, man," Percy scratches the back of his neck nervously. "We haven't talked much in a few days. He's busy with work."

My stomach tightens. The past week, Nico and I had been calling for the past few nights. I didn't bring that up, of course.

   "Oh. Sorry, dude," I say.

To tell the truth, I thought the crushing would have gone away already, but it hasn't. When I went to Travis's, I wasn't even in the mood. Which he was fine with, because he wasn't either, so we just talked.

"I thought kissing was against your philosophy?" Travis says, sipping coffee. He hands me a cup as he sits beside me on the couch.

"All Nico wants to do is kiss. Which I'm fine with. I actually prefer things this way. Switches things up," I shrug.

Travis squints at me. "And this is just...not a big deal?"

"It's just lips on lips," I lean back, sinking into the cushions. "I don't see why it's a big deal."

"Right, so you think about him when you do anything sexual, you cuddle at night, you call him to talk after spending the work day together, he's the only guy to ever give you butterflies, and you make out whenever you get the chance?" Travis asks, tilting his head.

I press my lips together. "I wouldn't call it 'butterflies.'"

"Will, you're dating him," Travis snorts.

My face goes red. "Am not."

"I don't know what to tell you, but I don't think there's such a thing as a 'kiss buddy,'" Travis laughs. "I don't even think you two realize what you're doing."

"We're not doing anything. We're friends who make out. Besides," I say, lowering my head. "I couldn't date even if I wanted to."

Travis studies my face before setting down his cup and scooting closer. "Dear, I know you've heard this a million times," he says. "But don't you realize that your future is entirely up to you?"

"That's the thing. It isn't."

"You should just come out to your father," Travis says.

"Been there. Done that. Doesn't work."

"Because you give up way too easily," Travis hits me in the arm. "You always submit to him. If you show him you're not backing down, I bet it'd get better. When I came out, my mom didn't speak to me for months. Now she sends me pictures of every rainbow-themed anything she sees asking 'do you like this?'"

I sigh. "He won't listen to me. Too much to lose."

   "It could be like intervention, you know. The addiction in question: homophobia. You know, cut him off until he accepts. You could come live here. Roommates!"

   I roll my eyes. "If I get kicked out, I'll keep that in mind."

   Travis offers a smile. "I really hope everything turns out okay for you, Will," he smiles. "But you know, if you were the type of person who dated guys, who would you date?"