Connected To Him (ManxMan) ✔️

Part 1: Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Better Sorry or Safe?

Chris' dark almond eyes stared at the bright screen. In his contemplative state, everything he saw could have a hidden meaning. Affection, distaste, or even a vague neutrality could be figured out in moments, he believed. But this, the way that Ethan was responding, gave him nothing.

Ethan
Lol, yeah
I actually have to go
Ttyl

A perfectly normal response to end a perfectly normal conversation. Even more than just being normal, it was also regular. Ethan was texting Chris the exact same way he ever had. What the hell did that mean?!

Chris tossed his phone to the other corner of the bed and pressed his palms into his eyes. Ethan wasn't supposed to be normal. He was supposed to be angry or happy or something other than totally unaffected. Because that almost kiss did happen. Chris knew it did. But, Chris could no longer be sure if Ethan knew.

Three weeks had passed since that wonderful, horrible moment when Chris almost lost control and Ethan almost let him. For the first couple of days, Chris worried that their friendship would be over. Ethan didn't text him for a bit and Chris worried that he finally realized that Chris was obsessed with him. Ethan had made the smart decision and was going to cut him out of his life for good. Chris was quickly regretting everything he'd ever done, every second he allowed himself to admire Ethan's beauty instead of looking away.

Then, Ethan had messaged him. He didn't apologize or acknowledge what happened at all. He just had a post to share and from it conversation flowed like it always did. For a while, Chris was okay with that. Ethan wasn't ditching him so anything other than that was a win.

However, after a week passed, Chris realized that they still hadn't addressed it. He hated leaving things unsaid. Of course he was scared that the truth would hurt him more than anything but he wanted to know what Ethan was thinking. He wanted to know why Ethan had given him that look that day. Why he'd held his arm.

Chris had hoped that he might get some of those answers without embarrassing himself but Ethan was acting completely normal, not only when they texted but in person too. The two of them would be hanging out and Ethan would be ranting about Facebook advertisements and Chris just wanted to scream "What the hell are you thinking?!"

Chris stood up with a sigh. He had been thinking about this for way too long. Even though he may care a ton about Ethan, he was still supposed to have a life. But, once he was up, he didn't know what to do next.

His first instinct was to agonize over the Ethan situation again since it was the easiest choice. Once he put that idea aside, he realized with a sniff, that he hadn't yet showered that morning. It was easy for Chris to realize that was where he should start.

Less than ten minutes after Chris had finished his shower, he got a text. He looked utterly foolish running for the thing and almost tripping over his bed in the process. It all turned out to be for nothing when he found Aaron on the screen.

Chris groaned aloud but went to read it anyway.

Aaron
Hey man you want to come over today?
I need your help with this level of [Generic Zombie Game]

You
[Generic Zombie Game] kicked your ass?

Aaron
Im not saying shit
Just come over

Me
I'll see you in a few hours

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