Phosphenes | TMF One-Shots

💔 Too Late 💔

Ship(s): One-sided Lander (Luke x Zander), Jander (Jake x Zander)

Genre: Angst

~

Just months ago he was planning on confessing to his best friend. He was planning on spewing out all of his feelings; the feelings he had kept bottled up inside over their entire friendship. Their over a decade long friendship. But how could he bring himself to do it? He wanted to. He truly did. But how do you tell someone such a complex thing? That every time they laugh your heart skips a beat. That every time they look at you, you get lost into their gleaming eyes. That you're in love with them...

He always made excuses: the timing wasn't right, it seemed too casual, it needed to be more romantic, and so on. But he made too many excuses.

And before he knew it, Luke Peterson was too late to get to Zander Wickham.

~

"How did this even happen?!" an aqua-haired girl exclaimed at her stepbrother holding hands with a peach-haired singer.

"I don't know," Zander mumbled, face blushing as he tucked a strand of his violet hair behind one of his ears, "It just did."

~

Zander was right. That was the best way to explain how his and Jake's relationship happened. "It just did."

Luke was never expecting anything like this to happen. Zander, over the years of their friendship, had hardly mentioned any type of interest in a relationship at all, nonetheless one with someone who just at the start of this school year, he had hated.

But he was coming to terms with it. At first it definitely hurt. A lot, actually... But that was just life wasn't it?

Afterall... what was the point of getting so upset over something he never had?

One thing that did make it kind of worse though, was that ever since Jake and Zander had started dating, it just felt like he and Zander never hung out anymore. Maybe he had just been unconsciously distancing himself from him after the secret heart break. That was better for him to believe anyway.

Because it hurt way less than the thought of Zander distancing himself from him...

Why was he spending so much time worrying about this? Zander had just gotten a new boyfriend -- his first boyfriend. Of course he was going to spend more time with him. He should especially not be worrying considering what was planned to happen this afternoon. He was actually going to be hanging with Zander today, even if the plans were unintentional. Luke just wanted to take the time afterschool to practice on his drum set, and Zander would be the only one accompanying him. So they hadn't really decided on hanging out with one another -- it was all coincidental -- but it should still be nice.

And that's where Luke currently was. Behind his drum set, in the club room, waiting for Zander to arrive. It was taking a while... Had he decided not to come? Should he just get started without him?

Just as worries were corrupting the auburn-haired boy's mind, the club door swung open, revealing his violet-haired friend.

"Hi, Luke," Zander softly greeted, walking into the room, striding over to the small table the room held, leaning against it.

Luke took in a small gulp looking at his childhood best friend. Even though he really wanted to see him, it also felt really bittersweet. He was pretty sure his feelings were at least starting to fade though.

Or maybe he was just choosing to ignore them...

"Uhm, hey, Zander!" Luke stuttered, trying to hold his speech straight, but struggling.