Pas de Trois

Chapter 16: "Maybe you're not supposed to be with him."

"You're going to break up with me, aren't you?"

They were the first words out of Matt's mouth when he met Danny outside the ballet school that Monday. Danny had hoped he could get through Christmas without seeing Matt but he should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

School was already out for the Christmas break, so at least he wasn't trapped. But even with the snow and icy wind Matt didn't seem like he was just going to go away.

"I don't know," Danny sighed.

"I know you're upset, I just don't know why," Matt kept moving his hands into fists and letting go again. "I thought things were going so well but then you ran out on me."

"Yeah, I just," Danny looked around. The only other people outside were walking fast to get out of the cold. They definitely weren't paying any attention. "I guess I need some time, I thought things were good too."

"What did I do wrong?" Matt looked like he was about to cry. "Was I so bad at sex you can't be with me anymore?"

"Well," Danny wanted to tell him the truth but he felt guilty admitting it when Matt looked so upset.

"We could try again, I could-" Matt started to say but Danny reacted too fast.

"No!" he gasped. Matt looked shocked. "I mean...I don't want to hurt you but-"

"Oh my god," Matt backed up. "You're seriously breaking up with me because I'm not good enough in bed."

"Hey, no," Danny stopped feeling bad almost immediately. "I'm breaking up with you because you think I'm the kind of guy who would do that. You should know me better."

"I thought I did," Matt said. "I never thought you were the kind of guy who would wait all this time to have sex with me and then run away as soon as he got it."

"Okay, whatever, Matt," Danny wanted nothing more than to hit him. "You want the truth? You hurt me, and you were so busy trying to get off you didn't even notice. Not even after, when I left your house almost crying. It still hurts too. So go ahead and blame me, I'm so fucking done."

"Danny, wait," Matt protested but Danny ran inside. He was about to start crying and had to get somewhere no one would see.

But he wasn't that lucky. Almost as soon as he ran into the stairwell Danny came face to face with Chloe. She'd obviously seen him so he couldn't turn around.

"Are you okay?" Chloe asked. Why did people bother asking that? Of course he wasn't okay.

"No," Danny could barely even get the word out. He started crying and Chloe grabbed him, pulling him in tight. "I didn't want to lose him, I really didn't."

"You mean Matt?" Chloe asked.

"He was here, we broke up," Danny choked the words out. Just that morning he'd never wanted to see Matt again, so why did it feel worse now that they were broken up? "It hurts so bad."

"I know," Chloe rubbed his back. "I'm so sorry."

Danny kept crying for a few minutes. Chloe stood there the whole time with him, telling him it would be okay. He wasn't sure that was true. She didn't know the whole story either. Maybe if she knew he'd kissed Slade she wouldn't be as nice to him.

"What happened?" Slade's voice was so familiar Danny didn't have to look up to see he was there.

"He saw Matt," Chloe whispered.

Slade didn't say a word he just put his arms around Danny too. Danny had his head on Chloe's shoulder so Slade's arms actually stretched around both of them. It felt so safe that way, like maybe he would be okay after all.