Boy/Boy Problems

Avoidance Tactics

"That's a horrible thing to say to your boyfriend," said Teddy trying and failing to save the situation. The moment he said boyfriend, the flicker of pain on Luke's face told him it was the worst possible thing he could have said.

Teddy turned away for a moment trying to figured out how to negotiate the knew level of awkwardness in their relationship. There had to be something he could do. Something that would cut the tension through the middle and reveal the friendly comfort that was hidden inside like the gooey caramel centre of a warm brownie.

It took longer than Teddy was proud of for him land on the obvious answer. He blamed the champagne, it always muddled his brain for days after. It made him feel like someone had gone into his mind and reshuffled all his thoughts without telling him so it took him longer to find things that would have generally been at the top of the list. Once the thought finally did appear though, it gave Teddy a new lease at life suddenly the thumping of his headache was more of a low rumble. He downed as much of the cold coffee as he could and turned back to Luke, a new hunger in his eyes.

"Sorry about last night," said Teddy, glowing a little at the way his apology visibly ruffled Luke. He hadn't been expecting that.

"What are you sorry for?" asked Luke, as though he maybe missed something. "You didn't do anything."

"Well," said Teddy putting his cup on the bedside table and crawling his way down the bed to where Luke was still perched awkwardly on the end.

"I do remember offering you a chance to prove yourself worthy of that one song," continued Teddy running his hands down Luke's chest.

"Teddy," said Luke, an attempted protest weakened by the groan that accompanied it.

"Then I just had to go and pass out before you got your chance," said Teddy kissing Luke's neck, making sure to keep his mouth away so Luke didn't get a whiff of his obviously awful morning breath.

"Stop," said Luke and even though he sounded like he was struggling to get the word out Teddy did as he said on instinct. He stopped.

"Do I look that rough?" asked Teddy pulling away, his humour hiding fear.

"No, it's just. I umm. There's a breakfast thing and umm Rah called did I say that? and I thought maybe we should umm," rambled Luke, which was a shocking experience because Luke never rambled. Teddy rambled, Luke did not. Luke sometimes said stupid things but he always said them with a confidence and clarity most people could never muster. He always sounded like he knew what was he was talking about even if he had no idea. Teddy didn't know what was happening, or why Luke was acting the way he was, but he knew without a doubt that Luke was not going to have sex with him and that was something that had never happened before.

"Right, right, Rah called you said?" asked Teddy latching onto the only thing that made sense in Luke's blenders mix of words.

"Yeah, she wanted to know if you were set to meet with that producer today? I don't remember his name? The one you were keen on?" said Luke clarity and confidence slowing returning to his tone.

"Cool cool, I better call her then," said Teddy jumping out of bed suddenly feeling more naked in a pair of Luke's pyjama bottoms than he'd ever felt being actually naked in front of Luke before.

"Teddy," said Luke as though Teddy was the unreasonable one.

"I'm just gonna shower first, you were right I look rough and I smell even worse," said Teddy fleeing the spare room into what he was relieved to discover was and ensuite. He hadn't been sure when he opened the door but he'd committed at that point so if he had ended up in a cupboard he would have had to live there forever.