~Solby~

Chapter 5: At Home

"Sam? What's going on? Sam?! Is this a prank? I need you to tell me if it is right now because this is too serious! Sam? SAM!" Colby yelled as he witnessed his best friend fall to the ground, blacking out, "COREY!"
"Oh, fuck, Sam! Hey, hey, can you hear me?!" Corey shouted, running over and kneeling next to Sam. He shook his shoulders and snapped his fingers in his ears. He put his finger under his nose and located his pulse, "Ok, he's definitely breathing and his heart is still beating normally, just passed out. Has he been drinking water?"
Colby thought of when he was watching him run on the treadmill. Not once did he reach for his water bottle and he didn't have a drink they left "No", he said, "Tell the gym staff to get a gurney and we'll take him to the car, maybe the hospital if he doesn't wake up in an hour," Colby took the lead and tried to remain calm, "Come on, Sammy, come on, please just be dehydration, please don't be anything worse...," Colby was muttering into Sam's ears, shaking him.
The doctors rushed up and loaded laid Sam down in the backseat of the car. Corey drove and Colby was about to get into shotgun, but it felt wrong to leave him alone.
"What are you doing?" Corey asked as Colby went into the backseat and laid Sam's head on his lap.
"I don't want to leave him alone, in case he wakes up."
Corey smiled softly despite the serious situation they were in. That same morning, they wouldn't even look each other in the eye and shuffled awkwardly around each other. Someone told him once that tragedy brings people together. He still wondered, though, what had brought them apart?
"Do we have juice at home?" Colby said, interrupting Corey's train of thought.
"I think so. Why?"
"When he gets up we need to give him juice to raise his blood sugar. We also need to prop up his feet up about a foot high so the blood flows to his brain. If that doesn't work within the hour we should take him to the hospital."
"How do you know all that?" Corey asked, incredulously.
"In Boy Scouts I got first aid certified."
Corey had never seen him take the lead and handle a situation like this. He wasn't surprised, he knew how smart he was, but his concern for Sam was touching.
Colby carried Sam bridal style to his room as Corey parked the car. He laid Sam down extremely gently on his bed so he wouldn't hurt him. Colby stoked the blonde hair out of his face and sat down at the edge of the bed. He quite enjoyed feeling his hair, he'd forgotten how soft it was. Just then, he heard Corey coming upstairs and jumped up from the bed.
"I think Aaron's sleeping, Jake is out getting lunch with someone, and I saw Devyn swimming. What can I do to help?" Corey asked, concerned.
"Well, could you go get juice, he really likes orange juice, water, milk, a banana and Oreos? If he's dehydrated, the liquids will help with that, the banana will give him energy, milk's full of calcium, and the oreos and fruit will raise his blood sugar. I'll prop up his feet."
"Damn, we're getting him a buffet." Corey said, nervously laughing a little as he left the room.
Colby took two pillows and put his feet on top of them. He tucked him into his duvet carefully and tried to make him comfortable. Sam looked like he was into a deep sleep, he even had a small smile etched on his face. Colby sat next to him, transfixed by the beautiful boy that he'd grown up with in Kansas.
Corey walked in with a tray of all the things Colby had asked for and he didn't have time to jump away from the bed. Corey thought it was a little weird, but didn't say anything. He was about to set up the food and drinks but Colby stopped him.
"Don't worry about it. I'll do it. Oh, and don't wake up Aaron, he was up late last night with a video and we should let him sleep," He said eagerly.
It felt like Colby was trying to get rid of Corey and he almost got mad. He realized, though, that they're incredibly close friends and Colby could handle the situation on his own. He left the room and Colby went back to the edge of the black and white checkered sheets.
"Hey Sam..." Corey whispered as he stroked Sam's hair, "...I'll be here whenever you need me. I won't leave you. But please wake up soon..."
Colby sat there for ten minutes and didn't move from his spot once. Sam occasionally murmured incoherent sentences, a sign that he was waking up. All of a sudden, Sam took a deep breath and opened his bright blue eyes.
"C-C-Colby? What happened?" He asked drowsily, trying to get up.
"No, no, no" Colby respond, pushing him back down, "Take it nice and slow. You passed out at the gym. What do you remember?"
"You finished your reps, I was counting to fifteen, and then everything was black."
"Ok, that's good. You don't have any memory loss. How's your head? Do you have a headache, dizzy, lightheaded?
"No...not really."
"I think you're dehydrated. I got you some orange juice to raise your blood sugar." Colby said, acting like a doctor diagnosing his patient.
Sam looked over to his bedside table at the little tray of food and beverage laid out for him. He smiled and looked back at Colby, staring deep into his eyes.
"You did all this?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly.
"Of course, Sam. Now, please, I don't want you to pass out again. Drink up." Colby replied as he held the glass to his lips. Sam sipped it lightly until it was halfway done.
Oh my god, Sam thought, I can't believe I passed out right when I realised I have feelings for him...but I do have to admit, I lovveee having him take care of me. It's so sweet that he laid out all this stuff for me. I guess he knows how to take care of me from his first aid training. He's really hot when he takes the lead...
"On the menú todáy," Colby said goofily, putting emphasis on all the wrong letters, "we have Oreos, a banana, orange juice, milk, water, or anything else that's in our kitchen that'll raise your blood sugar and get you hydrated."
"Wow, good selection. I'll think I'll have...some milk and oreos. I'm surprised there's even Oreos in the house, they go down so quickly." He said as Colby brought them to him, "Did you learn how to take care of someone that had passed out in your first aid training?"
Colby laughed, "Yep, you know I've been a Boy Scout since day one."
Sam popped an Oreo into his mouth and Colby couldn't help his eyes drifting to Sam's lips. Sam noticed where his eyes were looking and that same awkward energy that they had felt that morning was back. They'd just been joking around, almost normally, until his feelings got in the way. They both looked away and Colby reluctantly came off the bed to sit in his desk chair.
Before Colby knew what he was doing, before he realized the conversation he was opening up, he said very quickly, "I'm sorry for this morning, Sam. It was my fault and I don't really know how we ended up in that..uh...position. You have the right to be mad at me." He rubbed his neck with anxiety.
Sam didn't say anything for a couple seconds and concentrated on drinking his milk. He was staring hard at the ground, figuring out how to respond without revealing his feelings. "It was kinda my fault too. I was the one who asked if I could sleep with you..I don't mean that way...uh...just sleep in the same bed."
"We were just freaked out after exploring the military school." He then added quietly, "I don't regret it."
The air was still and neither on of them dared to breathe. Sam finished off his glass of milk.
"I don't regret it, either." Sam said.
Colby bodly got up from his chair and took the empty glass of milk from Sam. He placed it on the bedside table and then sat down next to Sam on the bed. He silently took the pillows from the bottom of the bed where his feet were elevated and propped them up behind Sam so he could sit up comfortably.
"Thanks." Sam muttered.
"No problem." Colby replied, fully meeting Sam's gaze.
They locked eyes for a couple seconds, bright blue meeting bright blue. Their eyes said more than words ever could. They realized that their faces were incredibly close, close enough that Sam felt Colby's breathing on his face. Colby's eyes once again drifted to Sam's pink lips and Sam unconsciously licked them. He realized what he was doing and saw the opportunity in front of him. Sam leaned in, very slowly and cautiously, and closed the gap between them. He suddenly was kissing Colby, snaking his hand around his waist. Colby passionately kissed back and cupped his face in his hand. The kiss deepened and Colby put his tongue at his lips to ask for entrance. Sam opened wider and a fire ignited between the two of them, lustful flames danced between their lips and each touch was a burn. Colby pressed his body against Sam's, making him lean back. Sam inadvertently bucked his hips against Colby's as he leaned against him, causing Colby to undulate his body. Sam let out a small groan and they both smiled widely into the kiss. Neither one of them knew how much the other had wanted this and now that it sinked in that it finally happened, they couldn't help but smile. They were both so wrapped up in the moment that they almost didn't hear Corey's footsteps coming up the stairs. They both reluctantly broke off the kiss, fear in their eyes.
"Shit! Shit...uh..pretend you just woke up." Colby said, practically leaping off the bed.
Corey came into the room just as Colby sat down in the desk chair.
"Hey," Colby said, his voice shaking slightly, "perfect timing. Sam just woke up."
"Oh, thank god." Corey sighed with relief and nervously stroked his man-bun, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay. I feel a little out of it and I'm pretty sure I was just dehydrated." Sam said, reaching over to the orange juice. Colby reached over to help him and their fingers accidentally touched, it was that same sensual burning sensation that they felt when they kissed only moments earlier. They exchanged a quick look but remembered that Corey was there.
Corey, though, wasn't oblivious to this non-verbal interaction. He knew there was something going on this morning but hadn't gotten to the bottom of it.
"Guys, what's going on?" Corey said, causing Sam and Colby's heart rate to quicken. "You guys were acting weird this morning and then at the gym you seemed fine...but now you're back to the same awkwardness around each other."
Sam felt his cheeks flush and looked over to Colby, who was compulsively fixing his hair. They locked eyes for a brief moment and then looked away.
"Nothing," Sam said, answering for both of them, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Corey wasn't buying it, "Stop lying. You're blushing, Sam, and Colby is messing with his bangs. There's definitely something that happened. Listen..." His voice got more serious, "I know you guys had a rough patch in your friendship when you first moved to L.A and I want to be a kind of mediator, if you need it. I really want to help, I'm not just being nosy."
Colby took a deep inhale and exhale and leaned forward. He looked towards Sam and they both nodded.
"Corey..." Colby began very slowly, "This is really complicated but I trust you. We trust you. Last night, after we did our exploration video and had run-ins with some paranormal stuff, we went to bed. Neither of us could sleep, though, after what had happened. Sam came in and asked if he could sleep in my room, but I told him he should sleep in my bed. We fell asleep holding hands but we woke up in a different....position. We were cuddling, um, intimately."
Corey's eyes were wide and had a look of confusion on his face. Sam looked over to Colby, who had become very embarrassed, and decided to take over.
"Things became awkward quickly," Sam said, "I started thinking things that friends don't think about each other...It didn't help that we were just in our underwear, either. We wanted to avoid each other but then you suggested we go to the gym. It didn't seem like the best idea. When we were at the gym, I passed out right when I realized I have feelings for Colby."
"Do you mean, like, feelings?" Corey asked delicately.
"Yeah."
"I sort of, uh, had the same realization at the gym," Colby admitted, shyly looking over to Sam. "While you were running on the treadmill it hit me. And when you passed out, I've never been more scared in my whole life. I made sure you had everything you needed when you woke up...I never left your side."
Sam had an endearing little grin the whole time he heard Colby recount his side of the story. Corey looked over and saw the way Sam was staring and realized that this wasn't the end of the story. Something happened that made Sam unashamed to look at Colby that way.
"So, then what?" Corey asked.
"Well.." Colby croaked, struggling to get the words out. "We kinda..."
"...kissed." Sam finished for him.
There was a pregnant pause where none of the boys looked at the other. Corey was digesting the information and picking the right words to say back.
"Ok," He finally said, "I can't say I didn't see it coming. You guys do some crazy shit together, like recreate gay fanfiction and almost kiss just for the views, we all kind of thought there has to be something there. No matter how many times you said you were straight as a line, I always thought you had at least experimented."
The air hung still for a second and Colby spoke, "So, you mean you're ok with it?"
"Yeah. I mean, it doesn't matter what I think, it matters how you two feel about each other. But I'll keep it on the DL for now until you're ready."
"That's such a relief, Corey," Sam said, letting out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding in.
"Real talk, though," Corey said, "I don't know how your fans will react. I know a lot of them ship 'Solby', but there are still homophobic people out there who'll give you hate."
"I don't think we'll go public for a while...," Colby said, looking over at Sam for approval.
"Yeah," Sam said.
They fell into another silence for a moment.
"I'm gonna go take a shower," Corey said, getting up.
"Ok. Thanks again, dude." Colby said.
The two were left alone again and tension leaked from the cracks and crevices of the room into the air they breathed.
"That was the best kiss I've ever had, by the way," Sam said sheepishly.
"Me too. But...I don't think I can remember it that well...," Colby said, smirking evilly.
"Then I guess I'll have to refresh your memory," Sam said as he pulled Colby closer to him.
They wrapped their arms around each other, more self-assured than before. Sam ran his hands through Colby's silky dark hair, something he'd always dreamed of doing. The fire ignited again, the blaze surging tenfold. Sparks were flying and threatening to burn the very house to the ground as their lips crashed into each other. Sam leaned closer to Colby and let out a small, involuntary, gasp. He felt something in Colby's pants, something hard and sticking up.
Oh my god, Sam thought, Does he have a boner? Frick, that's so hot...
Sam leaned on him and was sure that it was a boner. Sam took the opportunity to tease him by rubbing his hand up and down his thigh to the rhythm of their kissing. Every time Sam go close to the upper half of his thigh, he would instantly move back down. It was a game of cat and mouse that left the poor mouse groaning with the cat's touch.
"You little tease," Colby whispered huskily into Sam's ear, making his neck hair's prickle, "You know exactly what you're doing, don't you?"
Sam felt himself harden at Colby's sexy voice and he let out a small groan, barely audible.
"Oh, how the tables have turned..." Colby laughed when he noticed Sam's bulge standing in full salute.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a bedroom door opening and a pair of footsteps going downstairs. They stopped what they were doing instantly and listened closely for any signs of movement outside of their door.
"I hate that we keep being inturrupted...," Sam sighed as he flopped down of the bed.
"Yeah. We have no privacy in this house," Colby said, his voice quieter than usual.
Sam sat back up again and his eyes lit up, "I have an idea. But, um, only if your up for it. I mean, it's fine if not...,"
"What?"
"Well, I was thinking we could go out on a...um...date."
"I'd love to go out on a date with you Sam Golbach," Colby said, smiling widely with his trademark goofy grin, "God, that feels awesome to say."
"Let's go somewhere nice and do the whole cliche thing. I know we've gone out to eat so many times before, but now it's different. I guess we're different," Sam said thoughtfully.
"Suit and tie?"
"Oh yeah, definitely."
"But how are we gonna hide it from everyone? I mean, they'll see us all dressed up and they'll know something's up."
Sam thought for a second, "We'll just sneak out and only tell Corey. He'll cover for us and say we're out shooting an overnight exploration video. That way, we can out as long as we like."
"Dang, you're so smart, Sam. When?"
"Any night. How about tomorrow? I don't wanna sound too eager, but that's when I'm free."
"That's perfect. Now I need to go and get a shower because, to be honest, I don't know how you're dealing with my gym stink."
Colby gave Sam a quick peck on the lips and closed the door softly behind him. They were going on a date tomorrow, a cliche dinner date dressed in suits, together. Neither one of them could believe it, but it felt so right. It felt like they should've been doing that kind of stuff together a long time ago, but just needed something to ignite their flame. Now that they're flame was burning brilliantly, nothing could put it out.