Slipping Under

Chapter Seven

A/N: It's finally here, but I will say it's a short chapter, definitely a filler!! But, hey!! I'm back, and ready to write for you guys!! Huge thank you to anyone who's commented, I know this update has been requested a ton recently, and I finally was able to write something I didn't actually hate... So, again! Thank you! And I hope you all enjoy it!

Garrett

"I'm sorry for dropping in like this, I should've called, or texted, emailed..." He's rambling, and I can see that he's sobering up, he'd been drinking.

"Is everything okay? We haven't spoken in..." I can't even remember how long it had been.

Too long.

"I know, I'm shit, I'm literal shit." I shake my head quickly, not knowing what to say,

"You're not."

That was convincing, inwardly, I roll my eyes.

"These are good," he points to the half-eaten bowl of noodles in his lap, I smile.

"Thank you, I've been teaching myself how to cook, but I haven't had anyone try my cooking, I mean usually I just hang out with you."

"I'm sorry,"

"I'm not mad." He looks at me for the first time tonight, he hasn't been sleeping, that I could tell right away, his eyes were red, glassy, almost glazed over, but the sadness was prominent, overbearing, I felt like crying just looking at him. "I was upset at first, yes, but I'm not mad, and I don't hold anything against you. You did what you needed to do, or what you thought you needed to do, and I can't be mad at that, it wouldn't be fair to you." He's breaking, his lower lip begins to quiver, I don't want him to cry, but I know he will, he was strong, that was for sure, but I could tell that he'd been "strong" for a little too long, "I want you to know that I'm okay, I was okay, the whole time you were gone, or the whole time we didn't talk, I was okay, it sucked, I missed having our pointless debates, our conversations, they mean the world to me, but I knew it was what you needed." I watch as the first tear falls, and he sets his bowl down, placing both of his hands on either side of his forehead, he stares at the carpet, and I know he's trying to hide his tears.

"Garrett," finally after five minutes of stuffy silence, "I love you."

I knew he did.

I'd known for a while.

I smile.

"I love you, too, Andrew."

He blinks.

"You do?"

"Yes," I take a sip of my wine, but not because I needed it. I would need no liquid courage tonight.

"Uh, like, a friend I love you? Or... 'Cause mine is... Mine is not the just friend kind of love."

I'm blushing, but I stand my ground, I take another sip, but only because I wanted to.

"Is that so?" I'm teasing him now,

"Garrett," it's his turn to blush now.

"I won't," I take another sip, trying to hide my smile behind the glass even though it was clear.

"What... what do you think about that," he's staring hard at the ground, looking up at me every few seconds.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes." He blurts, "God, it's all I've wanted to know since I left."

He's felt this way since he'd left? I try not to let it bother me, knowing that it was only fair for him to let me know when he was ready.

I decide to tell him how I felt.

"Andrew Siwicki, I have had a crush on you since the day I met you." I don't look at him, I know I'll stop myself if I do, "I could go on and on about how much you amaze me every day, but I think that if I do that your face will turn so red it'll explode—just know, that you're an amazing person. It's funny because if you were to ask me a few months ago to tell you how I felt about you I could tell you that I've been dreaming of this moment." This is where I start to lose him. His smile fades a bit.

"Wait,"

"Hold on."

"Okay..."

"We've both been through a lot, me with my drinking, and you with your presumed spiritual attempt to find your inner gay—" I bite my tongue, that was probably too much, but he nods a bit and begins smiling so I take it as a "go ahead" and continue, "I'm glad you came over here tonight, I've missed you."

"Me too," he picks at his noodles, "can we... can we go back to how it used to be?"

Did he mean how we used to be before this all happened? Platonic? Romantic?

"And how did it used to be?"

"We hung out, like all the time... I miss you."

So, platonically then.

I should ask... Shouldn't I? I should ask.

But I don't.

"I miss you too,"

"But?"

"What?"

"It feels like you're gonna say but..." he pauses, "so what is it?"

"No, no, I just, I don't want to assume anything,"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. It's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. If it means we go back to ordering takeout every day and doing stupid shit, and just being around each other, yet I would love for things to go back to normal."

"What if..." He pauses, his face turning a shade of berry, "what if we went out some nights?"

"Oh sure, yeah, that would be cool too, I just... I haven't been out you know... since the whole, drinking thing..."

His face falls.

"Shit, Gare, I'm sorry, I completely forgot about that, I didn't even think about—" I shake my head quickly.

"No, no, it's no problem... I need to, I need to reenter the real world, I mean, who knows, I may see a beer and completely lose my mind, you know... But, hey, if I'm with you I'm less likely to, ya know."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't," I raise my hand,

"It's honestly fine, 'drew... I would love to go out sometime." He smiles softly,

"Okay,"

"Okay,"

"It's a date then."

"It's a date."

Wait... what??