The Thing About Glenn Pearson (boyxboy)

Glenn- Twenty-nine

When Glenn got home from school he was exhausted. The day had worn him out, and his chest ached when he thought about how him and Nathan were supposed to have a date in two hours, but he had successfully ruined everything between them.

Jason and Greg were sitting in the living room when he opened the front door. It was a sight that a day ago would have brought him joy, since his brothers relationship had been tense ever since the move, but Glenn barley bat an eye as he slipped away to his bedroom.

As a person, Glenn really didn't cry often. His life, for the most part, was happy, with his two best friends, two siblings, and a caring mother. Yes, he had to work to take care of the house, but it was tedious, not difficult, and always manageable. Nothing to cry over. Even the memory of Nico didn't bother him anymore, and tears hadn't been shed over that matter in years.

But this thing with Nathan made him feel like his chest was exploding and something had stolen his breath. He kept reminding himself that he had gotten so close to what he had wanted for years, and if he had only done one little thing different he could still be going on that date tonight.

Closing his bedroom door, Glenn immediately kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed, curling into the smallest ball that he could manage and allowing a few- or more- tears to fall from his eyes.

He felt so ridiculous, curled up like a child crying to himself over some boy. It was almost like the last three years hadn't even happened, like he was still the young freshman, heartbroken that his first boyfriend had cheated on him.

In his head, he blamed all his pain on Nico. If he hadn't ever dated Nico, then this wouldn't be a problem with Nathan now, but Glenn knew that wasn't how it worked.

It was his fault for falling in love with both of them in the first place, and it was his fault for not telling Nathan about Nico when he had first asked about his ex. He had wanted to avoid creating conflict when their relationship was just beginning, but it clearly had come up anyway. At this point, it would have just been easier for him to confess and work throwing the issues from the start.

But there was no use thinking of what could have been.

There were things Glenn could be doing: homework, helping his brothers mend their relationship, but instead he allowed himself to fall asleep and at least for a little while, forget about his terrible day.

***

"What on earth are you doing here?" Glenn hissed, stepping out in the front porch and pulling the door shut behind him before either of his brothers could see what was going on. Nico had called him hundreds of times since their breakup, but never before had he ventured to Glenn's house and knocked on the front door. "You know how lucky you are that they asked me to get the door? My brothers would have killed you".

Nico just stood there, hands pushed in his pockets seeming completely unconcerned with his probable death. His dark eyes were staring at Glenn's face and he showed no sign of blinking. It used to intimidate Glenn, but now he just wanted to punch him in the face. "Have you been crying?" The tall boy asked, a small frown forming on his face. "Your eyes are read".

"What do you want, Nico?" Glenn demanded. He had been awoken by his brothers calling him to answer the door only a minute before, and sleep was still tugging at his eyelids.

"I talked with Nathan yesterday," Nico stayed and Glenn nodded. After lunch he had confronted both of his best friends about talking to Nathan about Nico before he had the chance to, but both of them had insisted they had done no such thing. Since then, Glenn had just begun to assume that it was Nico who had leaked the truth.