Double Trouble (discontinued)

Revelation

"Beau, stop sucking Danny's face and listen to me for a second!" Benji pounds on the door, face white, hands a little shaky. His hair is still wet from the rain outside.

Beau opens his door slowly, wrapped in his usual robe, eyes on a book. "It's Sunday. Sundays are my off days. You know this. What do you want?"

"I kissed Tate."

Beau's eyebrows raise, but he doesn't look up. "And?"

"And I kissed Jude. And now I... I feel things." This last bit is said in a conspiratorial whisper, Benji wrapping his arms around himself.

This causes Beau to look up, an amused smirk surprising them both. "You have feelings?"

"Shut up. This isn't funny; I really need help. I think I might, like, like them."

Beau snorts, a giggle escaping him despite his best efforts. "You're asking me for romantic advice. You really must be desperate, huh?" Another laugh that makes him double over. "Ah, geez. Let me call Danny, okay? He might know what to do."

"No, don't call him! He'll laugh at me," Benji pouts.

Beau shrugs, saying, "I have the romantic know how of a potato chip. I've dated one guy, whom I am still dating. I don't know how to get in relationships. Danny, though, is an expert."

"Danny?" Benji takes himself back to the shy, blushing boy he'd known a year ago. "Are you sure?"

Beau just smirks. "Did you really think he was that shy?" Jaw dropped, Benji watches him wink and pull out his phone. "Hey, babe? We have an emergency..."

***

"Wait, so, you just... kissed them both?" Danny sits at the chair across from me, head resting on his fist in a thoughtful pose. "Is that a big deal for you?"

"I-I dunno." Benji squirms, suddenly uncomfortable. He's never seen Danny maintain so much eye contact. "It was different than usual."

Danny glances at his boyfriend, and they share a knowledge Benji wishes he had. "Different, you say? Different how?" This time, Beau is doing the investigating.

"I felt, I don't know, sort of... Wild. Like, I felt like it meant something big even though it was just a kiss."

Danny hums, and Beau says, "We need more details before proceeding. Tell us more."

So, Benji recounts the soft sweetness of the afternoon spent in Jude's arms watching television, and how their lips had touched, and it had been all too short and not enough, and how they hadn't talked about it. And he went over how he had taken Tate for coffee, and how they'd held hands in the rain, and kissed, and how Tate had vanished.

Nodding, Danny mumbles, "That sounds like Tate. He usually runs when he's embarrassed, overwhelmed..." His head snaps up to Benji. "Did you text him?"

Benji looks at the cell in his hand. "Uh... No?"

"Oh, my God." Danny sighs, dumping his head in his hands, and Beau rubs his back sympathetically. "Freaking call him, he's probably freaking out."

Benji nods. "I will. But, I need to know how I feel first; I need to know what to say."

"Why are you so..." Beau sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. "Listen. Do you like Tate?"

"Well, I mean, yeah."

"Do you like Jude?"

"Yeah, sure I do."

"Then why are we standing here picking apart your feelings? You like both. You need to figure the rest out on your own. I don't know how you feel in a precise way; no one does but you. Now, go call the boy. We don't have time for this." Beau walks into the kitchen, mumbling something about making tea, and Danny smiles sympathetically.

"Sorry. He's grumpy. But, he's right. You have to figure out what you'll do." The boy leans forward, thoughtful eyes surveying Benji's face. "Maybe date around and be noncommittal. Nothing wrong with that. Or, pick one now before anyone gets hurt. Or, something else. I don't really know."

Benji nods. He likes the sound of dating around. Playing the field has always been his specialty. "Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Dan."

"Anytime." Getting up to follow his boyfriend to the kitchen, he adds, "Call Tate! And Jude, while you're at it. Closure is good."

Alone in the living room, Benji nods to himself. He's caught feelings, sure. That doesn't mean he's tied down to anything.

He texts Tate that they should meet up the next day.

A/N:

Long time, no see! Sorry about that; I've been busy. But, I'm gonna try and stockpile some chapters while I'm on break, so the future wait times should be shorter ^^

End of Act 1! Plot lines thickening, angst building... I'll have a fluff piece to help you guys through it, no worries.

Thanks for reading! Love you!
AJ