Two Boys Learning

9. Vanocolate

"Hey."

Ash spun, a grin splitting his face when he saw Will. He was wearing his usual dark jacket, no emotion whatsoever on his face.

"Hey," he said, walking over. "You okay? You never answered any of my calls."

"I didn't feel like it," Will said. "Besides. I texted, so at least you knew I wasn't dead."

Ash laughed. "That's good."

"So..." Will glanced at his phone. "Milkshakes?"

"Right," Ash said. "Um. I assume you brought a car?"

Will blinked. "I literally live almost a mile out of town. You think I walked?"

Ash grinned. "Of course not," he said. How was I supposed to know where you lived? he almost said, but instead walked past him to the near-empty parking lot.

They climbed into Will's car, a beat-up maroon pickup. Will stuffed the keys into the ignition and they tried to back out of the parking lot, but someone spotted them and tapped on the window.

Ash tensed when he realized who it was, but Will only sighed and rolled down his window.

"Hey, Shack Boy," Tristan sneered. His voice sounded nasal, and his nose was crooked.

God, what did Will do?

"Hi, Tristan," Will said. "How's your nose? I bet I could help fix it. I've heard breaking it again helps reset it."

Tristan flushed. "Don't think I don't know exactly why you beat me up, fag," he sneered, and Ash watched Will go rigid. His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel.

"Takes one to know one," he said calmly, and started backing up again. His voice was at odds with his posture.

"See you at school on Monday!" Tristan called. "It'll be fun, fag!"

A muscle feathered in Will's jaw and he reached for his seat belt, but Ash laid a hand on his arm. "Don't," he said softly. "It takes one to know one, remember? He's not worth it."

Will stared at him, an unfathomable expression in his eyes, then turned away and backed out of the parking lot. The silence that followed was tense.

"Thanks," Will said quietly.

"What?" Ash asked, distracted. He'd been looking out the window. "For what?"

"I probably would've gotten a restraining order put on me if I went after him again."

"Honestly, I didn't know if I'd be able to stop you. You seemed determined to do more damage to his face." Ash grinned. "Not that it wouldn't be an improvement or anything, but y'know..."

Will's lips twitched into the ghost of a smile, gone before it could take form. "Whatever."

~ ~ ~

"What are you doing?"

Will looked up and blinked. "Huh?"

Ash looked horrified. "You--you can't!" he gasped, pointing at Will's milkshake. "It's illegal or something?"

"Getting vanilla and chocolate?" Will took a long sip, just to spite him.

Ash gasped. "You're terrible."

"How did you not notice me ordering it?" Will asked, sounding amused. "I mean, come on. I was literally right in front of you."

"I was too busy getting a normal flavor," Ash said, lifting his own chocolate milkshake and shaking it at him. "Unlike some people."