Summer Camp (Ryllon)

Twelve: Believe

It's been planted in Ryan's mind that Dallon doesn't love him, and that's the same with Dallon. Dallon doesn't love Ryan, that's the clear message they're both trying to believe. The message they're ignoring, however, is far more extravagant.

"I'm telling you, Dallon really likes you," Mikey tells Ryan, but he sighs and shakes his head.

"No, he doesn't, okay? I'm just... I'm just like his annoying friend that he's forced to take care of. Yellow," he says, putting down a yellow card.

"He blushes whenever someone mentions your name, smiles at you, gets snappy when he's away from you, he's a mess without you! Blue." Mikey puts down a card, and Ryan looks through his deck.

"How am I supposed to believe that? Draw two," Ryan says, and Mikey does. Ryan plays again.

"Who's forcing him?"

"What?" Ryan asks, frowning. They both put down cards, Ryan having to draw three just to get a matching color or number.

"You said you're like an annoying friend he's being forced to take care of. He doesn't give a shit about anyone, so who's forcing him?" Mikey raises an eyebrow. Ryan opens his mouth, but can't give his roommate an answer. Mikey puts down a card. "Uno."

Ryan sighs and puts down a card, Mikey immediately putting his last card down. They both begin to shuffle separate decks. 

"You really think he likes me?" Ryan asks quietly.

"Yeah, I really do," Mikey says.

"I don't know... there's another guy who is crushing on him."

"Ryan, almost everyone at camp is crushing on Dallon. There's only one person out of everyone here that Dallon is crushing on back, and that, my friend, is you," Mikey says. There's a knock on the door, so Ryan stands and opens it. He relaxes a bit when he sees Dallon, but Dallon looks slightly anxious. He smiles. The sun is starting to set.

"Hey, I uh... I was wondering if you'd like to go on a little walk with me before dinner," Dallon asks. Mikey smirks a bit at Dallon's nervousness, but doesn't say a thing.

"Sure, yeah," Ryan says. He walks over to grab his camera. He promised his friends that he'd take some photos and show them when he gets back home. He enjoys it anyway. Mikey raises an eyebrow at Dallon, in which Dallon just flips him off quickly.

Ryan goes to grab his jacket, then notices Dallon's hoodie.

"Hey, I still have your hoodie," Ryan says.

"You can wear it. I already have a jacket on," Dallon says. Mikey presses his lips together, but Dallon kicks his foot when Ryan puts the hoodie on.

"I'll see you later, Mikey," Ryan says, and Mikey stands.

"See you," he says with a smile. Ryan and Dallon leave.

"So, where are we going?" Ryan asks.

"A place I like to go to when things begin to get too stressful or hectic, but you can't tell anyone about it, alright? I don't want them thinking that I get stressed," he says, causing Ryan to laugh lightly.

Ryan soon stops once he realizes that they're by the lake and anxiously follows Dallon onto the dock, sitting in the center of the large square part next to him. Dallon looks over and notices his fear.

"You okay?"

"Just... I can't really swim, and the thought of being in the middle of the lake just scares me," Ryan says, then looks at him. "I'll be fine, don't worry," Ryan adds, smiling. Dallon nods, then looks down. Ryan turns on his camera and takes a picture of the golden sunset reflecting off of the lake, then turns and takes a picture of Dallon.

Dallon goes to object, but Ryan smiles sweetly and Dallon just can't say no to that cute little smile.

Ryan looks at the camera, then retakes some pictures of the lake. Dallon watches it all, the way he presses his lips together when he's focusing, the way he frowns a bit at the photo, it's so cute.

"I can't get a good photo, they just don't look... good..." Ryan says sadly, but Dallon moves closer until their bodies are touching. One hand goes on the dock slightly next to and behind Ryan, Dallon leaning on it. Ryan's shoulder is overlapping Dallon's, and Dallon's other hand goes to the camera.

"What are you talking about? You're-" Dallon looks at him, and suddenly it feels like his world is going in slow motion. Ryan's pretty eyes blink, eyelashes a bit long but not too much. His face looks really smooth, the golden glow shining onto Ryan's face so beautifully, his soft pink lips that Dallon suddenly dares to look at before finishing, "You're perfect."

Ryan turns his head, suddenly blushing when he realizes how close they are. Their eyes meet, staring longingly as if they've never locked eyes with anyone in their lives.

"Dallon?" Ryan asks softly.

"Yeah?" Dallon asks, equally as quiet. His eyes move down to Dallon's lips, then back up to his eyes, then back down. They both start to lean close, anticipation killing them both slowly. The anticipation washes away the second their lips meet, replacing it with warmth and love and passion. Dallon's hand is very gently placed on the side of Ryan's neck.

Ryan feels a wave of nostalgia hit him, something he thought he forgot. Feeling golden during the golden hour, as Z would say. He never realized that he used to be like that. He felt it before any heartbreaks, any pain, before his innocence was lost, what it used to be like with Spencer next door. Guitars and drums and singing, laughing and playing on the beach, arms in the air and kisses on your cheek, back when everything was fine. Everything was falling apart around him, but he would laugh and flip off the world. He reckons he's run from the cops about three times, once back in Vegas with Spencer, once with Z and Nick when Nick accidentally pissed off an officer.

The sun is warm on their faces and the air feels like 2004, purely happy and nostalgic.

They pull away from the couple-of-seconds kiss slowly. Ryan's heart is pounding and Dallon can say the same. Dallon smiles to match Ryan's, just staring at Ryan with so much love and want. It's warm and golden and yellow and Ryan never wants to leave this spot, let the moment just last forever.

Though, they both have the exact same thought:

'I'm starting to believe I love him.'