New - (boyxboy)

Chapter 15 - Mini Golf

"Hey Will, what's wrong?" Ryan asked once he'd returned from the bathroom. He'd sat down to see Will, crossed arms with a frown.

"Nothing," Will replied like a sulky child. Obviously something had. Will was now in a foul mood and Oliver was no longer at the table. Ryan, however, reckoned it was probably best to just move on from it, lest it ruin the date. Well, ruin it further than it had already been since it had been far from perfect.

"And Oliver..." Ryan continued warily in a questioning tone. It was like he was lightly tapping the ground around him with his foot, stupidly, trying to determine where the mines were.

"Left," Will answered, still staring at his empty plate.

Ryan sighed, partly in relief since he was sure that was going to be a mine. The brunette sat down across from his date. He wasn't sure how to proceed now with the other being so cranky. "I have something else planned for tonight, are you ready to go?"

Will sighed, finally looking up at the boy across from him. "I just wanna go home," he admitted. He felt bad that he was going to cut the date short but honestly, he just wanted to go to sleep and forget that tonight had ever happened.

"Nope," Ryan refused as he got back up out of his seat and standing next to Will's. "C'mon let's go," he insisted, taking Will's hand and pulling him out of his seat. Having already paid the bill on the way back from the bathroom, Ryan quickly dragged Will through the restaurant and out to the car. Will trudged behind him, not all that chipper about the night continuing on.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Mini golf..." Will said, leaving out the "are you serious?" Ryan had been driving for about half an hour before pulling into the mini golf carpark just outside of town.

Ryan glanced over to see the redhead frowning. "What's wrong with mini golf?" he asked as he pulled into a spot.

"Uh, 'cause we're not 8," Will retorted, still in a bitter mood from the Oliver fiasco.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "C'mon party pooper, let's get inside. I bet you'll have loads of fun once we start," he said, flashing his date a smile before hopping out of the car.

Will sighed. He didn't really have that much of a choice. Even if he could snake the car keys away from Ryan, it's not like he could drive. Will had been a bit lazy on getting his learner's permit. He took in a deep breath to calm himself before hopping out of the car and heading inside after Ryan. 

Might as well get this over and done with...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It turns out mini golf could actually be a lot of fun. It took 8 holes before Will finally relaxed and began to enjoy himself. He was currently waiting at the start of Hole 12, giggling at Ryan's ridiculous happy dance after scoring a hole in one. "Hurry it up, I still have my shot," he yelled out as Ryan did the Running Man. The brunette looked over to him before grinning dopily and moving off to the side. Will shook his head with a small smile, wondering why he was on a date with this cute idiot, as he lined up his shot. They were at the bit with the windmill and he had to time in perfectly so that the ball would go through the mill without being hit by one of the blades. He hit the ball when he thought it was right but the ball ended up blocked by a blade and rolled back down to him.

He sighed as he lined up his shot for another try. Only to miss it. Again. And again. And again. Six failed shots at the windmill. Will began to get frustrated, stomping his feet like a petulant child. Ryan raced over and got behind him, helping him with the shot like if they were in a movie. Now, Will had always found it so cheesy when others did it, but it was his moment and he damn well enjoyed it. Even if Ryan was a couple inches shorter than him. Even if the ball hit the blade once again. Even if the ball hit it so hard that it flew back and hit the guy waiting behind them.

What Will didn't enjoy was what happened next.

As the man's head flew back at the impact of the ball connecting to his forehead, the two boys spun around and began profusely apologising.

Apparently, this wasn't enough for this middle-aged man who was standing next to, Will assumed, his two sons. "Watch what you're doing next time, you dumb faggots," he yelled as he rubbed his forehead.

Will, who had heard that word a few too many times, deflated in on himself, just wanting to head home and not start a fight. Ryan, on the other hand, did. "What did you just say?" he asked sternly as he puffed up his chest to look bigger.

"You fucking hit me in the forehead with a goddamn golf ball; you should be more fucking careful!" the older man retorted angrily. His two boys cowered away from him as Ryan stepped closer. At any other time, the half a foot height difference between the man and the much shorter Ryan would've been funny, but now Will was worried that his date would end up seriously hurt.

"Yeah, and we've apologised for that. But that gives you no right to call us that. Don't call us that again," Ryan cautioned the man, getting real close to him. They glared intensely at one another. Will stood in bated breath, worried about what was going to happen next.

"I can say whatever I damn well please, little boy. Don't tell me what I can't say, fag," the man growled back. Ryan made an almost demonic snarling noise as he pushed hard against the older man's chest. The man stumbled back before regaining his footing. Will watched as the man lifted his club, obviously intending to hit the teen. Will raced forward and pushed his date out of the way. What he'd forgotten was the impending club that was racing towards his face.

Smack went the club as it hit Will hard across his right cheek and nose. Will crumpled to the floor as searing pain flooded through his face. His eyes began to tear and he could already feel blood pouring from his nose. Luckily, Will was able to hold himself off from crying. He felt Ryan wrapping himself around him and giving him a hug, asking him if he was alright. Will nodded, not wanting to set Ryan off again. One of them being hurt was enough for tonight.

Will could hear the two boys yelling at their father. "What the hell, Dad, you can't just hit people like that!" he heard one yell as the other said, "This is why we never want to see you. I can't believe we agreed to come with you tonight!" Will began to feel a bit sorry for the man...which quickly disappeared when another wave of pain sprung from his nose.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the commotion they'd caused, someone had come over to kindly ask them all to leave, to which they all agreed. Will now stood outside, still clutching his nose. The bleeding had died down but it still hurt a bit. The two boys sent him an apologetic look as they passed him with their father. The man glared at him with a scoff. Ryan glared back at him as a warning but the man just rolled his eyes and got in his car.

Once he was long gone, Ryan turned to carefully look at the damage. Will's face had begun to swell and redden. They'd managed to wipe away most of the blood with the box of tissues the mini golf place had kindly given them but Will still looked a little worse for wear.

"I'm so sorry, Will. This was all my fault," Ryan whispered with a deep frown.

"How is this your fault?" the redhead asked as he lightly dabbed at his nose with a tissue to check if the bleeding had finally stopped. Luckily, it had. The brunette just shrugged, not really knowing how this was his fault but felt like blaming himself anyway. Will scooted himself closer to his date and rested his head on the other's shoulder, looking out at the carpark. "It's not your fault. You tried to make it an amazing night for us. It was that asshole who messed it up, so it's all his fault really."

"Still, I doubt you'd want to go on a second date with me..." Ryan sighed under his breath, though Will wasn't sure if he was meant to hear it.

"Of course I do," he replied anyway, taking a hold of Ryan's hand. Ryan didn't reply but Will could feel him give a slight nod above him. The two sat in the carpark for a little while in silence, just listening to each other breathe as well as the radio playing from inside the mini golf place.

Sure, the night could've gone better. It would've been nicer if Will hadn't been hit in the face with a golf club or if Oliver hadn't crashed their dinner. But, in that moment, sitting on the curb with one another felt, well:

Just perfect.