Sunshine & Saltwater [BxB] COMPLETED

nostalgie

The day was warm and bright, the perfect start to a summer back at home. Of course, Ronan's parents weren't home to greet him when he arrived from Oregon, but that was expected. Apparently they took a vacation to some island off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula.

It didn't matter. Ronan was too excited for summer, the thought of seeing Will and his other friends again after a long year wiping away any disappointment.

Will texted him.

Come to Clover park to play some soccer w the guys!

Ronan grinned. It really was beginning to feel like high school summers all over again.

Then he grabbed his soccer bag, slung it over his shoulder, then headed to his car.

~

Will texted Theo in the morning.

For a second, Theo's mind blanked on who Will was, but then he remembered. Skinny, Indian kid that was captain of the soccer team junior year.

He asked Theo to come by Clover park to play some soccer. Theo didn't have anything else to do, and he wasn't close to anyone here besides Joe, so he agreed.

Now he was parking his car in the parking lot, right next to a vaguely familiar black Mercedes.

"Hey, Theo's here!" Will yelled. Theo smiled, waved.

There were some familiar faces, some he didn't recognize behind a five o'clock shadow and broader shoulders.

And then Theo saw him, walking towards Will with his shirt thrown over his shoulder, defined abs glistening with a thin sheen of sweat.

Ronan took forever to turn, it seemed like to Theo, but then their eyes locked.

And it was three years ago all over again, on the beach, unsure and frozen, time standing still.

"Hey," Ronan said. He wasn't smiling. He looked confused, forehead slightly creased, muscles taught. For a moment, Theo struggled to speak, caught remembering the pain, the sorrow, the loneliness.

"Hey," Theo said back. Finally.

There was a long pause before Will finally spoke, causing Theo and Ronan to break eye contact.

"Okay, everyone! Skins vs shirts. I'll be captain of shirts, Ronan will be captain of skins. Spread out so we can see everyone."

Theo inched back and tried to blend in between two other guys he didn't know. Ronan's eyes roamed the group, studiously avoiding Theo.

Will and Ronan went back and forth, neither of them choosing Theo. Soon Theo and another guy with blonde hair and red cheeks were left, and it was Will's turn to choose.

Theo looked at Ronan, but Ronan didn't look at him.

"George," Will said. The guy next to Theo jogged over to Will.

Ronan looked at Theo now.

"Theo," Ronan said quietly.

~

Ever since high school graduation, Ronan learned to compartmentalize his thoughts and memories. He built walls up in his mind, rooms with windows and doors and ceilings. Soccer was the living room, the automatic setting of his mind. School was an adjacent bathroom, only visited as a necessity. He gave these rooms furniture, windows, nice wooden doors. It was comfortable, and pleasant. Welcoming, even.

But Theo's room was nothing like that. Everything related to Theo was shoved and crammed into a small, dark basement, no doors, no windows, no light. Inside, spiderwebs and dust coated the forgotten memories. As he looked at Theo, he had to stop and try to remember how to open the room, how to get inside and revisit what he vowed he never would again.