WILLIAM (bxb)

11

               Leeroy has escaped to Finnigan's house across the road, and their mother winks at Jamie on the way to some dinner for her work, and now it's just William and him at the house. He'd made a caeser salad (pre-packaged, but he figures that it doesn't matter that much), and some mini chicken pot pies (also pre-packaged, but he'd stuffed these wrappers deep down into the garbage) and he figures that it's a huge step up from the cereal he usually has for dinner. William seems to be impressed, anyway, and that's all that matters.

The whole time that he's putting together the final touches, William is alternating between watching him and looking out the window, and the air is so tense it's making Jamie nervous. This is probably a bad idea. This whole thing is a bad idea; he should have just left it alone. It hasn't been this awkward between the two of them since their first kiss.

"So," Jamie starts, but William isn't paying attention.

"Is that Leeroy's boyfriend?" he asks, his chin on his hands, looking out the window.

Jamie chews on the inside of his lip, knowing a diversion when he hears one. He checks anyways, and sees the two boys heading out for an evening walk, not hand in hand but close enough that their shoulders touch. Finnigan is taller, but not by much and Jamie figures not for much longer. Leeroy's growing like a weed. "Yeah," he says, finally, after watching the pair until they turn into a trail through the park.

"Have they worked everything out, then?" William's still avoiding talking about their own problems.

Jamie frowns, and turns back to him. "I think so."

William presses his thumbs into the corners of his eyes, and doesn't look at Jamie. "I'm sorry," he whispers, and Jamie realizes with a start that he's scared. This can't be easy for him to talk about, this whole thing must be terrifying to him.

He blinks at the two plates he's holding, and then he looks back at William, who hasn't moved. He's making this an interrogation. He's making this something that William feels like he's being forced into, and he doesn't like it. He doesn't like how uncomfortable this all seems – even the formal dinner. "Do you want to eat on the couch?" he blurts out before he can think about the words.

Taken aback, William's hands drop. "Sure?" he says, and Jamie grins. He hands him a plate, and kisses his forehead, which makes the other boy smile.

"Want to watch a movie, too?" Jamie's already moved into the living room, and is flipping through their DVD collection.

"Sure." William sits on the middle cushion of the couch, bringing his socked feet up and balancing his plate on his knees. He still seems nervous, but Jamie knows this is better. This is what they'd normally do.

Jamie picks the next movie his fingers touch, and slides into the player, before sitting down with a respectable distance between the two of them, even though he'd like to be closer. He stabs his fork into his food a little too aggressively, and William hasn't even touched his.

It's a train wreck.

Jamie wants to abort.

"Will you tell me what happened?" he blurts out suddenly, his mouth half full of chicken pot pie. William stops moving completely, and then he swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing. Jamie follows the motion with his eyes, and he's glad that the lights are dim in the living room because seeing how scared William is in full light might break his heart.