Paint Me Blue [bxb; mpreg]

Chapter Ten

O. 15th

Payton is sent back to the gym where he grabs Reese's bag to take it back to the nurses office.  He sneaks inside and heads to the little clinical bed in the corner of the room where Reese is curled up, glaring daggers into thin air.  He's almost nervous to approach the younger teen, but he does so anyway.

He takes a seat beside Reese's legs and looks at the teen expectantly, "Are you okay?"

Reese finally looks at him, eyes red rimmed and glistening with sadness and frustration, "Yeah."

"Really?" Payton asks skeptically.

"Yes, just... achy."

"What did she say?"

Reese opens his mouth, but he stops himself from saying something stupid, something like the truth, "Says I'm fine."

Payton's look of disbelief only amplifies.

"I'll live," Reese adds just to appease the jock.

"But the blood-"

"Was nothing serious," the younger interrupts, voice growing cold.

Payton doesn't know what else to do, to say.  He looks almost helpless around the room and Reese finally takes pity on him, "I'm okay, Payton, really."

The jock nods uncertainly.

"Payton," Reese sighs, struggling to sit up.

Payton quickly helps him up, faces inches apart and breaths mingling together. 

Payton doesn't know what possesses him to do what he does.  He leans in just so and brushes his lips lightly against Reese's.  The kiss is brief, short and sweet.  And Payton quickly realizes he likes the feel of Reese's plush lips on his.

But Reese looks scared, terrified and he pulls away first.

Payton is confused.

He's confused by his own feelings and his own thoughts and the butterflies riling up in his stomach.

"I'm glad you're okay," he whispers a bit strained.

Reese nods, cheeks aflame and lips tingling, "Thank you, for worrying about me."

Payton wants to reach out and touch him, push away the loose hair falling in front of his eyes and brush his lips against Reese's once more time.

But he doesn't.

He knows he crossed the line.

He's not even gay so why would Reese... why would Reese make him feel like this?

"You're welcome," he says at last.

Reese nods before turning to look at the wall behind Payton, "Maybe you should go."

The jock is close to protesting but he agrees soon enough, he needs to clear his head, needs to get away, "maybe I should."

He gets up and makes his way toward the door, heart aching when he hears Reese shuffling about on the cot.

He doesn't look back, doesn't think he can walk out if he does.

He needs to breathe, to gather his thoughts before he can face Reese again.

For now he needs to forget the incident, make sure it doesn't happen again.

He needs to walk away.

●■●■●

Reese looks after Payton's retreating form.

Heart hammering inside his chest.

He closes his eyes and breathes.

His fingertips trace the curvature of his lips, the phantom feeling of Payton's lips still there.