When The Nights Get Long

Complex

"Oh, shit," Blue murmured. Their knees buckled under their weight, forcing them to lean against the wall of the apartment as they cried in glee.

A ninety-five. They passed. After months of ruthless studying, they brought their grades back up. Graduating as an academic scholar was a closer than they thought. In a matter of months, they would walk across a stage in a cap and gown with a medallion draped around their neck as they accepted their diploma. It was actually going to happen.

Jumping to their feet, Blue began to run to the front door, excited to tell Andrew the news. They just knew he would be proud of them, ruffle their hair with a smile and praise them for their good work. Their heart fluttered just imagining it.

With one foot already out the door, they quickly stepped back into their apartment and slammed the door shut. Bolting it behind them, Blue leaned against the wall and winced. The first person they should have been wanting to tell was Luke, then Aiden, and then Andrew. And telling him was not supposed to be an event to look forward to and grow excited about.

That kiss must have messed them up more than they realized.

Ever since Luke's engagement was revealed, Blue hadn't spoken to Andrew, but they wanted to. How was it that a kiss could suddenly send them spiraling out of control? All they craved was the ability to run into his arms and stay there as he praised them, but it was not something they were supposed to be wanting to experience. A kiss was not supposed to be the driving point to a stupid crush on the man, which they refused to acknowledge as such. It was nothing but pure confusion.

Andrew loved Luke. That had not stopped. They could see it in his eyes, the look of adoration he presented only Luke with. It was a look that was meant to only be shared with the person he cherished the most in the world, and though they had not seen him since Luke's birthday, they were sure he still looked at him in that adoring way.

And Blue was still searching for someone to love themself. Whoever it was, they had no idea. But they were determined to move on from their ex (a goal they had been achieving over the past few months) and fall for someone who would truly fall for them back. Someone who would not run away the moment they made a vow to them.

But the kiss was magical. It was a kiss Blue would never forget. Thinking back on it caused their lips to tingle as the ghost of Andrew's lips danced across their own.

He placed his lips on theirs, halting their crying at once. And when he pulled away, his eyes held nothing but melancholy. He tilted his lips with a tsk. "Seems you've stopped crying."

"You...you...what?" Blue whispered in a panic.

Wrapping them up in his arms, Andrew buried his face in Blue's neck. "I'll have you know that I never cry, not even when I'm at my weakest moment," he admitted, something they could relate to. "I never expected a mangy teenager would find a way to make me cry...but just for this moment, can I?"

He asked them for permission to cry, permission to show him their feelings. Saying no would have been cruel, and as painful as it was to admit, they wanted him to cry. They wanted him to let down his walls so he could experience relief for just a short moment. And feeling his tears fall onto their shoulder, Blue couldn't help but cry with him over a pain that had nothing to do with themself to begin with.

When the two made it back to the apartment, wine in both their hands, they celebrated that night. And thanks to Blue, Andrew was actually thrilled for the wedding. There was no remorse to hold against Sara. His best friend was going to get married, and he wished them both the best of luck on the tricky road that laid ahead of them.