The Less I Know The Better [complete]

40 ;; advice

All the while, as John talked and talked until his voice grew hoarse and he felt lighter than he had in weeks, Ringo sat there across from him on the chair. His expression was thoughtful, yet sympathetic, and he hummed every now and then, one leg crossed over the other as he idly puffed away on his cigarette - but otherwise he was silent the entire time John got all his emotions off his chest. In fact, the younger boy was grateful that he didn't say anything, and he was just able to get everything out as best he could, nothing more or less. When he was finally done, a heavy silence hung over them in the air, and John grew nervous as each second went by, assuming the worst as he often did. But, all Ringo did was hum again before leaning back in his seat, brows furrowed.

"John.." He bit his lip before meeting his gaze. "I know where you're comin' from with all this. It's.. hard. I wouldn't really know what to do either if I was in your place. And I know you lash out when you're afraid or hurtin'. But- I actually think Paul feels the same way about you."

John's eyes widened. "I.. really? Did he say anythin' to you?" He leant forward eagerly, hoping that he actually could have an answer.

Ringo shook his head. "Not directly, no, but.. I'd have to be blind to not see the way he looks at you. He obviously cares about you. And he actually likes you. And Geo and I talked about it a bit, too.. Geo knows him the longest. He said that Paul definitely has strong feelings for you. More than a passing fancy or a casual relationship. John, I just- you always assume the worst, and I know why you do, but I honestly think you're wrong. He probably does feel the same way about you."

"But.." John felt incredibly small in that moment. "We can't know for sure."

The azure-eyed boy sighed, resting his elbows on his knees. "Yeah, that's true. But you need to take a chance with these kinds of things. You have to express your true feelings, not hide them away. Would you rather not tell him at all and then come to regret it later on?" He frowned at him.

"I don't know, Rich, okay?!" He burst out, throwing his hands up in a sign of frustration. Annoyance boiled in his chest, and he glared at the ground. "I don't know. I'm just a bastard who's too afraid to be rejected and lose yet another person. I don't want to destroy what we have by scaring him off, or it becoming awkward, or.." He trailed off, clenching his jaw - he felt only more frustrated that he couldn't seem to explain the raging emotions inside him well enough.

"It's okay to be afraid, John." Ringo said, ever so gently. "It's a scary thing. But you shouldn't lie to Paul. It's.. it's not good. You need to be honest, and tell him how you really feel.. you're hurting him with this game you're playin'. You shouldn't push him away like that. Paul really does care for you. It'll be okay, in the end."

"Are you sure?" John asked, a little desperately. "I just- I know I should tell him. But I don't know how I'd put myself back together if I found out he doesn't love me back, or if I scare him away with it."

"John." Ringo repeated insistently, raising his eyebrows with a fond smile playing on his face; John's heart leapt with a gratitude for his best friend. "You and Paul.. that's somethin' else entirely, y'know? Your relationship runs deeper than yours and mine, or his and George's.. you guys will make it through this. I know you will. You guys have gotten through all this other shit, too, who says that you can't make it through this as well? I mean, at first you guys hated each other, then you struggled with confessing your feelings, then there was the Kevin thing.. I think this isn't going to end badly like you think, John. You're used to shit things happenin' to you, so you think that this will just be another thing on the list. But, I'm serious - I don't think it will. You guys.. there's somethin' about you two together that says to me that you guys were somehow destined to end up together, or somethin'. Even if like, fate and all that isn't real, I feel like if it was.. you two would be fate."