Tone Deaf

Chapter Twelve

Author's Note:

Hello. It's me. I've returned with another chapter. I know it took me forever. I recently moved into a new apartment and then right after I moved, I traveled back to the U.S. for my cousin's wedding, so it's just been hectic af, but I know you don't want to hear my excuses, you're here for Devon and Kyle so here you go! Enjoy!

Q.

Devon:

When Kyle claims his seventh consecutive victory, Devon finally tosses his controller to the side.

"Fuck this, man, I'm too drunk to play anyway," he groans and falls back into the couch. Kyle looks at him, an amused expression on his face.

"And I'm not?"

"Shut up," Devon says, and Kyle laughs. He has a point, Kyle's definitely had more to drink than Devon. 

But Devon's sort of a lightweight—though he'll never admit it—and he feels that telltale pleasant but overwhelming heat in his face and stomach that tells him he's rather drunk. His brain is still functioning, but it's getting blurrier and everything feels somewhat more...free and raw and hazy. Like a dream.

"I miss her sometimes, you know?" Kyle suddenly says, his eyes only half open, and only seeming half-aware he's speaking.

"Who?" Devon can't help but ask.

"Lilly." Kyle responds, softly, and Devon looks at him. He's leaning into the couch, nursing a beer under his chin, his fingers mindlessly drumming on his abdomen.

"I'm sorry," says Devon, at a loss for what else he can say to comfort him.

"It's okay," Kyle says with a slight shrug. "It's not like I even know her anymore. I haven't seen her since I was six, right? Who knows who she is now? She could be dead for all I know."

Devon feels a rush of something like anger and fear all mixed into one at the sharp tone Kyle uses.

"Whatever," Kyle finishes, and Devon feels like maybe pursuing the subject while they're this drunk wouldn't exactly end well.

"You gonna tell me what happened with Tay?" he asks, instead, looking over at Kyle with raised eyebrows.

Kyle snorts at this, his eyes opening a little more.

"God, that was something."

Devon waits for him to elaborate, but he doesn't.

Annoyed, he bites out, "Oh, well, if it was something, that's all cleared up then."

He's pleased to hear Kyle's bark-like laugh come out of him.

"Oh, get fucked, Devon Pine," he says, but Devon can hear the smile still in his voice, which fades slightly when he continues, "She thought that you and I were only faking being friends for the press. That Razor basically made me be friends with you to gain publicity."
"Seriously?" Devon asks, but he's not all that surprised. It actually made a lot of sense, considering how Tay has acted towards him since they met.

"Yeah!" Kyle says, indignantly. "Can you believe that?"

Devon just shrugs. "I mean, yeah. Honestly, I wouldn't put it past J-Pow."

Kyle groans. "Okay, Powell, sure, but you gotta understand, Tay's been my best friend for years, she should know me better than that."

"I get it," Devon says, though he's not sure if he really does. He's been close with Hazel for a while, but nowhere near as long as Kyle and Tay. He doesn't have any sort of relationship that compares to the one between Kyle and Tay. He feels a little twinge of jealousy at the thought, but pushes it back down.