stuck (together)

part 28

When Ethan got back to St. Eves, he decided he was going to go straight to his dorm, and take a nap. That was his way of getting back into the groove of things.

He walked through the foggy early-January campus, dew on the grass left water droplets on his shoes, and he was excited to be back.

When Ethan got to his hall, and neared closer to his dorm, he heard soft jazz coming from inside. Oliver was already back. He wasn't sure if he was releaved or disappointed that he wouldn't be entering an empty room. Either way, he quickly opened the door to greet his best friend.

"You're back!" Oliver said, looking up from his book. He sat reading on the desk, but quickly got up to walk towards Ethan.

Ethan smiled at him and gave him a hug. "When did you get here?" Ethan asked releasing him.

"Late yesterday night," he said taking a seat on his bed. Ethan noted how it was weirdly unmade, and the blankets were pushed all the way to the end of the bed. To must that's not something to take note of, but that just wasn't like Oliver.

"You're usually one of the lasts ones back," Ethan was putting his clothes back into his drawer.

Oliver shrugged, "Missed here, I guess." he started playing with his sleeves, having them cover his hands.

Ethan nodded, he wasn't sure why he seemed so strange and tense, but Ethan decided it'd be best if he didn't mention anything, "Is anyone else back?" He asked slightly changing the subject.

"Chris is," he looked away. Weird. "Most of the boys will back by this evening. Did you not see the group chat?"

"Bro," Ethan chuckled, "I've had that thing silence since the dawn of time, you guys a annoying,"

"True, but still rude," Oliver said with fake hurt and a hand over his chest.

When the light-heartedness from the joke died out, Oliver tried to speak again  "Uhm," he paused as if debating something, "Me and Chris are going down to the lake, in case you wanted to come with us."

Ethan stopped unpacking and let out a loud, full-body laugh.

"What?" Oliver asked self conscious, but Ethan only laughed more, "What?" he tried again, this time more agitated than the last.

Finally Ethan's laughter subsided, besides a few giggles. "Next time at least try to hide how badly you don't want me to go," he took in a deep breath composing himself a little more, but his efforts went to waste when he saw the look of annoyance on his friends face.

"What?" Oliver was starting to sound a lot like a broken record.

"Careful, you might hurt someone's feelings,"

Oliver looked like he wanted to say 'what' again but he remained silent.

"I'm just saying... like seriously, I could practically smell the fear of me saying 'yes' aroma-ing off of you," he let out another sigh as his laughter slowed, but chuckled again when he heard Oliver mumble about how 'aroma-ing' was a fake word. "It's fine, I was going to say no anyways, I want to take a nap."

"Ethan, it's eleven AM, why on earth do you need to nap at this hour?" Oliver almost seemed more disappointed when he heard that, than he would've been if Ethan had accepted his invitation.

"Because," Ethan drew out the vowels, "Napping is a beautiful art form, one that I have spent years mastering, it would be a shame to see it go to waste," Ethan hummed as he unlaced his shoes. "Now leave, I want to nap, and you probably want to get into Chris's pants."

"Don't say that!" Oliver said throwing a pillow at him.

"Whatever, just go away, and turn off the jazz,"