The Forgotten Gilmore

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Friend's Care

AN: Atp im just doing random gifs for Riley

Riley opened the door to his dorm and gestured for Beau to head inside first. Beau, still nursing his bandaged wrist, walked in slowly, a sigh escaping his lips. The place was as tidy as ever, with a sense of quiet comfort that only Riley's space seemed to offer. His bed was neatly made, and his desk was cluttered with books and hockey magazines, though everything had its place.

Riley tossed his keys onto the table and glanced over at Beau. "Figured you should crash here tonight," he said casually, already heading to his closet to grab a few blankets. "You don't need your loud-ass roommate giving you more headaches when you're trying to heal."

Beau gave a half-smirk, leaning against the armrest of the couch. "You sure, man? I don't want to be in the way."

"You're not in the way," Riley replied firmly, as if the thought of Beau being an inconvenience was absurd. "You're staying here, and that's that. I already set up your bed."

Beau blinked, surprised, as Riley gestured toward his own bed—clearly expecting Beau to sleep there.

"And you're sleeping where exactly?" Beau asked, raising an eyebrow.

Riley pointed to the floor where he was already setting up a blanket fort. "Right here."

Beau chuckled, shaking his head. "Dude, that's ridiculous. We're both guys. Just share the bed, it's not a big deal."

Riley hesitated, then shrugged. "Fair point. As long as you don't hog the blankets."

"I'm the injured one, remember?" Beau retorted with a playful smirk as he gingerly sat on the edge of the bed.

They settled into the common area, turning on the TV, but left the movie menu paused as they bickered over what to watch.

"I can't believe you don't like action movies," Beau said, eyeing Riley with mock disbelief. "Explosions, car chases, it's classic."

"Classic, sure, but repetitive," Riley countered, grabbing a slice of pizza. "It's always the same storyline: some guy with an attitude problem blows up a city to save the girl."

Beau laughed, taking a bite. "Sometimes he saves the world. There's nuance."

Riley rolled his eyes. "Nuance. Right."

They went back and forth for a few minutes, debating genres, until Beau finally sighed, holding up his ring pop. "Alright, fine. Let's just pick something neutral. Comedy?"

Riley nodded, unwrapping his own ring pop. "Deal. You pick, I'll set up the snacks."

Beau glanced at the candy in his hand, then over at Riley's. "Hey, can we trade? Yours looks better."

Riley gave him an incredulous look. "They're literally the same."

"Yeah, but yours is red."

Riley laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, fine." He handed over his ring pop, taking Beau's in return. "You're so weird, man."

Beau grinned. "Weird, but charming."

The two of them settled into the couch, bickering over pizza toppings and what movie to watch. After some back and forth, they landed on a classic comedy, though neither seemed all that interested in the plot. The comfortable banter filled the room as they ate pizza, making sarcastic comments about the movie, and relaxing in the shared space.

The pizza was gone, and as the credits rolled, Riley stretched, glancing at Beau who was slouched back on the couch. "Alright, let's call it," Riley said, pushing himself off the couch with a yawn. "I don't know how you managed to convince me to watch that train wreck of a movie."

Beau chuckled, still holding his half-finished ring pop. "Come on, it wasn't that bad."

"Right. You only fell asleep twice," Riley pointed out, shaking his head with a smile.

Beau grinned. "That's a sign of a great movie."

Riley stood, flicking the TV off. "Well, my bed's all yours, man. Get some rest. We can finish this debate tomorrow."

Beau frowned for a second, watching as Riley began to set up a pile of blankets on the floor again. "Seriously, Riley. Just share the bed. You're gonna wreck your back down there."

Riley hesitated for a moment, glancing over at Beau, who seemed genuinely concerned. With a shrug, he relented. "Fine. But if you snore, I'm kicking you out."

Beau smirked, slowly standing up and stretching his legs. "No promises."

They moved into Riley's room, Beau settling onto the bed with a careful sigh as Riley slid in on the other side. The room felt warmer now, the quiet hum of the city outside giving the space a sense of calm. Riley's shoulder brushed against Beau's as they both lay back, staring up at the ceiling.

There was a tension hanging in the air—one neither of them could ignore now that the distractions of the TV and pizza were gone. Beau shifted slightly, adjusting the pillows, his elbow just grazing Riley's arm. It was a small touch, but enough to send a ripple through the quiet space.

"Thanks for letting me stay, man," Beau said after a moment, his voice quieter, more sincere. "It's... a lot better than being in my own dorm right now."

Riley nodded, though Beau couldn't see it. "You don't have to thank me. You're my...friend. That's what we do."

Beau's eyes lingered on Riley, the unspoken weight of those words hanging between them. "Still... it means a lot."

Riley turned his head, their eyes locking for just a second longer than usual. "Anytime," he replied, voice soft, though something in his tone held more than simple friendship.

The space between them suddenly felt closer, the air thicker. Riley turned his gaze back to the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts he hadn't allowed himself to fully process until now. Beau shifted again, their arms brushing once more, the warmth of the accidental touch making it impossible to ignore the strange electricity sparking between them.

The room was quiet, but it was a charged silence, neither of them willing to be the first to break it. After what felt like forever, Riley finally spoke again, his voice a little rougher, as if fighting through his own thoughts.

"Comfortable?" he asked, the question simple, but the tension undeniable.

Beau hesitated for just a second, his lips curving into a soft smile. "Yeah. Surprisingly... comfortable."

Riley smiled to himself, the two of them sinking into the quiet once more, both too aware of the other's presence to fully relax but not minding the closeness either. The room stayed still, their breathing the only sound cutting through the night, and with every passing second, the line between friendship and something more seemed to blur just a little more.