Just Do It (TannerBraungardtxDylanMitchell)

25: Pool Sticks & Raindrops

"Dude, I thought all the drama was over between you two."

They stood in the basement, holding pool sticks but not really playing the game. Tanner was distracted by his phone and the lack of texts from the one person he wanted to hear from.

"It is. It was. I told him about California and he said he was fine with it, but I knew he wasn't."

"Okay, then what?" Quentin urged.

Tanner bit his lip. "So I asked him to come with me and he kind freaked."

Quentin snorted, laughing at his best friend. "Wait, are you serious? You asked him to move halfway across the country with you?"

Tanner shot daggers at him. There was no humor in this for him. "I panicked. I don't wanna lose him."

"He hadn't talked to you since? That's retarded."

"He said he had some thinking to do whenever I talked to him last. That was a whole week ago."

The blonde set down his pool stick. He took a deep breath, counting to ten to  ward off a panic attack. Anxiety about the whole situation ran through him. The fear of losing Dylan was overwhelming. He was terrified of losing him as his boyfriend, as his best friend, as his soulmate.

"Dude, you know Dylan better than anyone. Do you really think he's gonna let you getting help for your mental health come between you? He loves you more than that."

He took once final deep breath and looked up at Quentin who smiled a sympathetic smile. He knew deep down that he was, for once, completely right.

"So what do I do? I leave in two months and if he isn't going with me, I want to spend as much time as possible with him."

The brunette shrugged his broad shoulders, at a loss for any more advice.

Just then, his phone pinged with a text.

Hey, can I come over? I need to talk to you.

Yeah, of course

Tanner sat around nervously awaiting Dylan's arrival and whatever he had to say. Quentin had to head hone so he was left alone with his dark thoughts, on the edge of an anxiety attack.

Then he heard a gentle knock, knock on his door and he couldn't resist literally throwing himself into Dylan's arms and it was all he could do to not cry. Dylan held him tight so their wasn't an inch of space between them.

"Shh, baby. I'm here now, it's okay." He cooed, sensing Tanner's emotional state.

And they didn't talk. For hours. Once Tanner could breathe, they silently agreed that it was enough to just be next to each other.

Dylan let his thoughts slip away as he held Tanner and decided he would bring those troubles up later when the moment felt right. This moment, it felt too peaceful and cozy. So he enjoyed it and the scent of Tanner's shampoo in his shaggy blonde locks. Dylan made a note to remind Tanner he needed a haircut.

Rain came and drizzled against the window of the bedroom, a nice rhythm that Tanner absentmindedly counted out in his head and he felt his eyes grow heavy.

"Dylan."

"Yeah?"

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Later. Just rest."

"I want to know."

Dylan took in a heavy breath and held it. He was hoping Tanner would fall asleep for the night and they would deal with everything in the morning. He let out his breath and looked through the raindrops splashing against the glass to the bright white moon.

"Dylan?"

He kept looking, almost as if memorizing the image before uttering what would probably be the most important sentence of his life.

Slowly, he looked away to the boy in his arms. A smile stretched across his face and he knew. Everything would be okay.

"I've been thinking. We've been together since sixth grade. I don't know what life feels like without you by my side. I don't think I want to."

Tanner's heart pounded but he steadied his breath. "What are you saying?"

"I don't have anything for me here without you. You're my life. And if you're going to California...I, I want to be with. Ever step of the way."

He couldn't believe he was saying it and Tanner couldn't believe what he was hearing. He closed his blue eyes, shaking his head as if he was waking himself up from a dream. But when he opened his eyes, he saw Dylan staring at him with the single most worried expression he had ever seen and he couldn't help but laugh.

Tanner let out a side-splitting shriek of laughter coupled with sudden tears. He cried and laughed hard, feeling Dylan's body shake with his own laughter. They both never felt happier or more scared than in that moment. They were going to live together. In California. Halfway across the country. And they were so in love. Nothing could have been more perfect.

"Are you okay, baby?"

Tanner's laugh softened and he shook his head in disbelief at his perfect boyfriend. "No."

"What's wrong?"

"How are our stupid asses going to live in our own without Kim saving our asses everyday?"

Dylan smiled and kissed Tanner's tear stained cheekbone. "That is a great question. But we'll learn. We have each other. Always."