Hide- Dyle

Chapter Six

For the next few weeks, Kyle works away everyday after school for the upcoming game, working under his coaches demand until he can train for no longer. During the period of intense practising, he still manages to make time for Dan, coming to meet him by his car everyday after school, which surprised him at times as he'd be out as late as five o'clock. Sometimes they'd stay for a few hours at each other's houses at the weekend- although this weekend was slightly different.

Days off from practise felt like a grand relief for the lanky basket baller, and the days that he was able to spend with Dan were even better.

Dan's bed is comfy under Kyle's tired body, the previous days workouts and shoots taking its toll on him still. Mrs Smith, who has been a Doctor for a period of her life, is out at work, his siblings are at their friends, and his dad is downstairs watching a documentary on 'kids nowadays', or so he said, 'to get down with the kids.'

"You know, Danny, your eyes are so bright they could wake the deepest of sleepers." Kyle says to Dan, staring into the boys crystal blue eyes. Slowly, he rests his hand on Dan's cheek, making the other boy blush.

Dan smiles, the feeling of Kyle's hand on his cheek warm and comforting, almost as though it's been there before. "I can't help but feel as though you're flirting with me," he whispers back, reaching down to grab Kyle's other hand. He wants to lie like this for the rest of eternity. 

Kyle chuckles quietly, "Damn, Danny, how'd you know?" He jokes, watching Dan as he smiles like a dope to himself. "I like to-" 

Dan perks up suddenly, looking to his bedroom door. "Oh," he whispers, "I think my mum is home. God, I'm sorry," he stammers, "Sorry, I think it's best if we just, like, leave the house. She's a bit... Uh... It doesn't matter, can we just go?" 

The two of them rushed out of the house through the back door, telling Mr Smith that they were never there in the first place. Dan lead the way up a path, through a field, and into a wooded area that was hidden from anywhere else. 

The wooded area had a small stream running through it, and a slight drop which made a small waterfall. Flowers decorated the area, and squirrels sat in the trees watching from above.

"This is pretty, Danny, I like it here," Kyle says, following Dan, who leans against one of the trees. "When did you find this?" 

"When I was kid. I found it once, then a squirrel kinda attacked me, so it took me about five years to come back, then I just paid the odd visit whenever things got a little much. Whenever I felt down. It's just, I dunno really...Relaxing." Dan explains, blind to the way Kyle watches him with such admiration and concentration in his eyes. He watches the way his body moves, the way he speaks, the way he looks away at some parts of his sentence. Finally, Dan looks straight into Kyle's eyes, and he realises. He realises the stolen glances, the prolonged stares, the cheeky comments. He realises Kyle is more than just a friend. 

"Danny..." Kyle says carefully, unsure of if he's ready to tell Dan this. He wants to tell him, he wants nothing more than to tell him, but the thoughts bite away at his confidence.

"Kyle..." Dan replies in the same tone, both of them still staring at each other, unblinking. Slowly, Kyle takes Dan's hands in his own. 

"I...I think I'm in love with you, Danny." He whispers, the beating of his heart drowning out all other noises, apart from Dan's breathing. He notices the way it hitches, the flicker in Dan's eyes, as he steps forward, standing on his tiptoes, and connecting their lips. 

Everything falls into place. All of Kyle's thoughts, all of his feelings, emotions, fears, passions, friends and foes, they all fall into place. Everything connects itself like a big dot to dot, and everything is so much clearer.

Happiness curses through the veins of them both, empowering them with a sense of pride that together, they were indestructible. They could challenge the social norms, and undermine their homophobic parents.

"Danny..." Kyle whispers, breaking the kiss unwillingly. He takes a deep breathe, the freshness where Dan's lips once were still prominent on his lips. His fingers trace the stubble growing on Dan's face, and around the backs of the boy's ears. "Danny, I love you. I love you, Danny, and I mean it. I love you, I love you, I love you." 

Dan lets out a flustered laugh, his heart pounding with a sense of joy he was convinced he would never feel in his life. "Kyle, I love you, too." He pants, "But...But my mum. She's going to kill me. That's why we had to leave." 

"Why will she kill you?" Kyle asks, his eyes flicking to Dan's in concern. For a second, Dan loses himself in the overwhelming perfection of that of Kyle, the way his eyes are like pools of melted chocolate, the happiness in them all the time- but now, the love, the peace, the pride. 

"She basically had a go at my dad a while ago. They're always at it, you know, he doesn't care if I like you, or if I like, fucking, Stacey's Mom or some bullshit. He's a good parent, he only cares about if I'm happy. But my mum...Nah. She's the opposite." He explains, rolling his eyes and letting out a sigh of disappointment. "But the worse thing is, is that I bet your parents are completely the opposite." 

"My parents live on the basis that if you lie with a man like you would a woman, you shall be condemned to Hell for all of eternity. We have to go to Church everyday Sunday, but for the best part, I've stopped going." He doesn't tell Dan about the home he won't have if his parents find out.

"But I don't want to hide this, Kyle. I don't want to hide us. We're better than that. We shouldn't have to bow down to the views of society- it's twenty sixteen. People really need to start seeing the world for what it is, and the people who live here for who they are. We are all responsible for one another, and we should all allow each other to be happy." Dan's eyes begin to well up with tears, the calm blue turning into a storm. "I want to be happy. In public." 

"Oh, Danny," Kyle whispers, pulling the shorter boy closer to him, and letting him bury his head in his chest. He runs his hand through his hair, "You will be happy, Danny. We will be happy. Together."