Quarter Mile

Happiness

CW// mention of death and alcohol consumption

The darkness of Dakota's room swallowed him as he settled down into his bed. He had sobered up by the time they got home at five o'clock, having to put on a straight face to talk to his mother before telling her he wasn't hungry and rushing up to his bedroom.

It was nine thirty when Dakota decided to get into bed instead of lying on his back on the floor like he had been for the past two hours. The sheets looked inviting. He felt himself drifting off into sleep, no energy left in his body from the busy afternoon he'd had.

A noise woke him from his slumber. He opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the darkness before sitting up in his bed and straining his ears. The noise sounded again, coming from the window. Slowly, he arose from his bed and shuffled over to the window, being careful not to accidentally kick his shoes he knew he left laying around. He pulled the curtain aside slightly, expecting to see a loose branch tapping against his window but was instead faced with a blonde haired, blue eyed boy standing outside in the cool night air.

"What the fuck, Beck?" Dakota whispered as he pushed his window up, receiving a grin from the boy who was shivering.

"I missed you," Beck whispered back.

"You're ridiculous, Beck. It's only been four and a half hours."

Beck leaned on the windowsill with the palms of his hands. "Too long. I'm freezing, can I come in?"

Dakota nodded his head and stepped back, allowing room for Beck to climb through the window and wrap his strong arms around his waist. Beck breathed in deeply, simultaneously picking Dakota up and walking him over to the bed and setting him back down again. Dakota giggled as Beck fell on top of him and kissed his neck. They shuffled under the covers and fell into place; Beck lying on his back with Dakota half way on top of him, his leg bent at the knee, draping over Beck's legs. Two firm arms kept Dakota in place as his head rested atop Beck's chest, listening to his heart beat and almost drifting off to sleep at the motion of Beck's breathing.

"Hey," Beck whispered into Dakota's hair. "Don't fall asleep on me."

"Mm, I'm not," Dakota mumbled in response.

"Can I tell you something Dakota?"

Dakota nodded his head against his chest.

"I'm so immensely and utterly fascinated by you, Dakota. I really really really really like you."

A smile spread across the brown haired boy's hidden face. His heart was warm and bright.

"I really really really really like you too, Beck."

"Good."

They both relished in each other's company, lapping up every second of being together, so vulnerable in the late hours of the night.

"Beck?" Dakota said so quietly, Beck wasn't even sure if he'd said anything at all.

"Mm?"

"What's in the notebook?" Dakota had wanted to ask Beck since the first day they had met but he had never felt comfortable enough to do so. Beck's fingers were brushing though Dakota's hair.

"I guess you could say it's a project I'm working on," Beck explained as he twirled a finger through a strand of hair.

"But what's in it?" Dakota reiterated the question.

"I'll show you when it's finished, okay Dakota? Promise."

"Okay." There was a small pause in the conversation until Dakota spoke again. "Were you nervous when you kissed me at that party?"