Welcome to Wonderland (Harry Potter/Figure Skating)

7. Next Steps

It took what felt like an inordinately long time for Johnny to get himself back under control. When he finally drew back, Evan handed him a couple of Kleenex.

"Sorry," he apologised, feeling more than a little stupid.

"Don't worry about it," Evan replied and looked perfectly sincere. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Johnny took a deep breath and dabbed his eyes and nose. He was uncomfortably aware of the big wet patch that was now on the front of Evan's shirt.

"Tanith sent me a link to your latest news spot," he said, feeling a little bereft now that he was no longer in Evan's arms.

"Oh," Evan said, catching on fast, "oh, you don't have to worry about that. They already ruled. The ISU got involved and the results stand."

The urge to cry was suddenly back, but Johnny also realised that it wasn't really that which had set him off.

"Thank you," he said, feeling the gratitude welling up in him, "thank you for standing up for me."

Evan sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at him with a very serious expression.

"What they were trying to do was completely wrong," Evan said with a resolution Johnny had only ever seen in him on the ice. "You won fair and square; you were brilliant; they had no right to even suggest it."

"I embarrass them," he said quietly, knowing it was true.

"It's about time they grew up then," Evan said and totally seemed to mean it.

Johnny sniffed again as he felt overwhelmed for a second time and a tear rolled free no matter how he tried to stop it. Usually he had defences, long held beliefs and reasons he could hide behind, but he had been stripped bare. He was vulnerable and open, and he just couldn't stop his reactions bubbling to the surface.

"Sorry," he apologised again, feeling incredibly awkward for melting down on the man who had already moved from rival to friend in his head.

He shut his eyes and tried to get a hold of himself. What shocked him into not completely folding again was the sudden feeling of soft lips on his own. He gasped and opened his eyes and stared as Evan pulled back, cheeks slowly heating up.

"Sorry," it was Evan's turn to apologise, "it seemed ... I ... I didn't want you to cry again."

Evan looked like he was about to bolt.

"Why?" Johnny's thoughts were spinning.

Evan stood.

"I'm sorry."

"Evan, tell me why you kissed me," Johnny insisted, throwing out his hand to grab Evan's arm.

Evan just stood there looking like he wanted to break away and run.

"Evan," Johnny said in a warning tone; he was in no mood for games.

"I ... kind of ... wanted to." It was dragged out of Evan word by word.

Johnny couldn't remotely pretend he wasn't stunned by that response. Evan wasn't a spontaneous person, not usually, and Johnny wouldn't have known how to deal with sudden kissing at the best of times.

"How long," was what he asked eventually; "how long have you wanted to?"

It felt as if they were at a very delicate moment and Johnny didn't quite know what to do.

"When did I start being nasty to you?" Evan replied awkwardly.

Johnny's mouth fell open in shock.