Pas de Trois

Chapter 25: "I have a girlfriend."

Slade barely slept that night. He caught himself staring at Danny's back, watching the steady motion of him breathing and the way his shoulder moved. The whole night had been more of the same. Every time he drifted off, Slade would wake again and find himself with nothing else to do but look at Danny.

Not that he hadn't tried rolling over. But it hurt to lay on that side too long, reminding Slade that he probably needed to visit the physical therapist now that the Workshop was over and he had time. So he ended up on his other side where all he could do was fall in and out of sleep.

When light first filled the room, Slade got up to use the bathroom. He hoped Danny would pretend not to notice it that morning but the memory of how Danny had demanded access to his morning wood during their weekend away decided to replay itself for him. It was best if he just avoided the situation all together. Just in case.

Slade checked his phone when he got back from the bathroom. 6am. The idea alone of being awake at that time was enough to drive him right back to his bed, nevermind that he hadn't been able to sleep the last time he was there.

He also hadn't counted on the sudden movement rousing Danny. Slade froze as his best friend rolled over, eyes still closed, and put his head on Slade's chest. Danny draped his arm over Slade as if he was too exhausted to really hold him. All Slade could do was look down at Danny, sleeping so peacefully on him as though that space belonged to him.

Danny sighed and rubbed his cheek against Slade's chest but he didn't wake up. Slade stayed frozen for another second before he gave in and put his arm around Danny but only because he knew his arm would fall asleep if he didn't.

Fortunately, or maybe not, Slade drifted off to sleep again. This time he woke to his alarm and though he hadn't felt tired all night, now he was exhausted. Danny was the one to turn off the alarm. He dropped right back to where he'd been lying with his head on Slade's chest.

"I hate everything, you can't make me go," Danny mumbled, burying his face. Even from an angle Slade could see his barely-there pout.

"Let's pretend I didn't set the alarm," Slade suggested before a huge yawn escaped. Danny yawned and nodded, not even speaking.

But Danny didn't go back to sleep, he kept moving, keeping Slade awake as he tried to figure out what Danny was doing. When Danny started drawing patterns with his finger over Slade's chest and stomach, Slade heaved a sigh and opened his eyes for good.

"I really don't want to go," Danny said.

"You know I'll be there," Slade put his hand on Danny's back.

"Yeah, but Matt is always there too," Danny groaned and stretched. "Maybe I can fake sick."

"If you're too sick for school you're too sick for ballet," Slade reminded him.

"Stupid fucking rules," Danny sighed. He yawned and then lifted the blanket and peeked under, right at Slade's crotch. "Boo, my friend didn't even get up to see me."

"Hey," Slade pushed the covers down. If he were the type to blush he knew he'd be turning bright red. "It's not yours, you know."

"I know," Danny sat up and turned so he was facing Slade. "Um, Slade?"

"Don't look at me like that, I got up to pee," Slade sat up. "I didn't kick your puppy."

"It's just that something's been bothering me for a while," Danny pushed in the corner of his mouth. "Do you actually, uh, I mean, are you even attracted to me?"

"What?" Slade blinked a few times, mostly to make sure he was really awake and hearing right.

"Cause that weekend, it was kind of like, I thought you were into it but then I realized it was all sort of on me," Danny had his eyes fixed on the blanket between them. "As in you could have been just thinking of um, someone else while we were-"