Sincerely, Yours

22. What could possibly go wrong

Thoma stumbled into the apartment, his arms full of files and his briefcase, but he stopped when he saw Luan staring at him, Thoma's phone clutched in his hand.

"Umm..Hey Lu. What's going on?" He asked with a grin as he took off his shoes as if having someone waiting for him at home was the most normal thing.

"I'm sorry I didn't answer my phone yesterday!" Luan blurted out and Thoma stared at him and tilted his head in question.

He laughed, "You came all the way here to tell me that?"

"Umm, well no," Luan said and awkwardly shifted his feet, "I actually came because you weren't answering your phone and something happened at the theater." Luan extended his hand and offered Thoma his phone.

"Oh yeah, I put my phone on do not disturb today at work. Once I got home they called me back but I guess I left it here. Sorry to worry you," Thoma said and then went to the fridge. "You thirsty?"

Luan hurried to his side and grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry but we have no time. We need to get back to the theater. Mikey destroyed a bunch of shit and I.."

Thoma grabbed Luan's face and met his eyes. "Hey, hey its okay. Calm down. Tell me on the way, but let me change out of my work clothes."

Luan could only nod and he touched his face lightly when Thoma walked into his room. His hands had been cold against Luan's face but they somehow made him feel warm inside.

Luan began to feel his face flush but put his own cold hands against his cheeks to cool them down.

"Ready to go?" Thoma asked and Luan gave him a smile and nodded.

As they walked down the parking garage Thoma turned to him. "So you didn't answer my call on purpose yesterday?" He joked and Luan turned his face away.

He debated if he should tell him the whole truth about seeing him with that woman. But in doing so, admitting to jealousy, he would be admitting to Thoma that he had feelings for him. Thoma was straight and Luan didn't know if sharing this information would freak him out.

Thoma seemed to understand that Luan felt uncomfortable and put his hand on his shoulder. "I don't actually mind, Lu. I'm glad you're fine now, okay?"

Luan smiled and waited for Thoma to unlock his car door. Just as he was stooping down to open it, he heard the sound of a car accelerating rather quickly through the parking garage, which had a speed limit of 10. He looked over the car to Thoma and saw the lights of a sedan coming towards his side of the car.

"Thoma!" Luan screamed as the car heading straight towards Thoma who tried to jump out of the way. The car crashed into Thomas' which in turn hit Luan, who fell over.

Luan, with only a few scrapes and bruises began to crawl over to Thoma as the car sped away. He looked into the car and though the windows were tinted, he was sure it was Mikey behind the wheel. Knowing that there were cameras in this garage would help track him.

"Thoma!" Luan shouted and saw Thoma laying on the ground.

Thoma grunted and reached his hand to Luan. "Hey, hey its okay. He just got my left leg and arm I think. The cars a different story though." He tried to laugh but winced instead.

A few people ran up to them and started to do their best to help. They explained that they'd seen what had happened and one called the cops.

Thoma remained calm throughout everything but Luan could only lean against the car in silence. He was in such a state of shock from everything. He had Thoma's head in his lap since he couldn't move very much but Luan couldn't even be happy about their closeness. He felt like shit for allowing Thoma to get hurt like this.

"Hey," he heard Thoma say and he looked down at Thoma.

"It's not your fault." Thoma said and Luan felt tears spring in his eyes.

Luan knew that he couldn't let anything more happen to people he cared about. The set of the play was ruined because of him, Charlie could be targeted next, and Thoma lay injured because of him. He needed to drop out of the play and get as far away from these people as he could. Just because Luan could get a restraining order against Mikey didn't mean that he wouldn't hurt people around him.

Luan placed his hand on Thoma's head and nodded, knowing that if he were to talk he'd start to cry. Thoma grabbed his hand and shocked him by kissing the inside of his palm. Luan's heart stopped and all he could do was stare at Thoma's soft lips.

"Thats not something you do to someone you just see as a student or friend."

Before Luan could respond the paramedics got there and craziness ensued as they tried to get the whole story out and get both Thoma and Luan into the ambulance.

Thoma held Luan's hand every chance he could and would stroke it in reassurance every few seconds. Luan realized that he wasn't going to pretend that what he was feeling towards Thoma wasn't romantic. Each new moment he spent with Thoma showed him just how badly he wanted to be closer to him. Kiss him often, cuddle him and be held by him. Now all he had to do was tell Thoma, get rejected, and then move on with his life.

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The next couple hours Luan spent sitting in the waiting room for them to be done helping Thoma. He'd already texted Charlie explaining the situation who had explained that he would come as soon as everything at the theater calmed down.

As soon as all the nurses came out of Thoma's room he quickly walked in and saw Thoma sitting sideways in bed, his leg and wrist in a cast.

"Hey, Lu. Don't I look sexy like this?" He said and the absurdity of his statement made all of Luan's uncertainty turn into a pleasant feeling. He burst out laughing and couldn't stop.

Thoma smiled at him and Luan moved a chair up to his bed. Thoma extended his hand and Luan paused for only a second before taking it.

The sound of the tv in the background seemed like a whisper compared to the pounding of Luan's heart that sounded in his ears.

He knew exactly what he needed to say. It would be the last conversation Thoma and him would ever have and then Luan could work on transferring schools and starting his life over somewhere else. But every part of him didn't want that to happen.

Luan took a deep sigh, "Thoma, I need to tell you.."

"I like you." Thoma interrupted him.

Luan's eyes shot up to meet Thoma's and he didn't dare breathe. "I don't understand.."

"I like you, Lu. Not as an actor in my play and not at all as a friend. I like you a lot," Thoma explained and Luan just stared at him.

"You like me." Luan meant to pose as a question but he said it as more of a statement.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Luan was supposed to admit his feelings, Thoma was supposed to respectfully (or not respectfully) turn him down and then Luan could begin his cleansing process. But Thoma had gone and thrown a wrench into his plans, and now Luan felt dumbfounded.

His hand that held Thoma's started to sweat and he moved to pull it from his grasp but Thoma gripped him harder.

"Can I kiss you?" Thoma asked almost as a whisper.