Two Boys Learning

24. Will and Riley

Two years earlier

"Thank you, sir, your table is right this way."

Will hummed a little as he followed the waiter, excited to try the new Mexican food his friend Evan had told him about. Thoughts of the boy from earlier, Riley, swarmed his mind. He'd only met him a few days ago, and already he felt like he was getting in over his head. There was a chance that Riley didn't even like men, for god's sake.

He shoved those thoughts away and focused on the menu in front of him. The waiter told him that drinks would be out shortly.

Will nodded and thanked him, and then returned his gaze to the menu.

Whispers flowed around him, and her looked up, wondering if they were aimed at him, but no one was even looking in his direction. He followed their gazes to a table in the corner, where none other than Riley sat, flushed, an empty seat across from him.

He was clearly waiting for someone, and he had clearly been waiting for a long time.

A flash of anger shot through Will, aimed toward that unknown person who had clearly stood Riley up.

The waiter returned with a glass of water, and before he could disappear into the kitchen, Will gasped like he'd had a sudden realization. "Oh my god!" he said, and the waiter paused. Will looked to Riley, who looked increasingly embarrassed, trying to keep his head low, and looked back to the waiter. "I didn't realize my date was already here. My table's over there."

The waiter smiled and nodded, and Will stood and crossed to Riley's table, sliding into the seat across from him.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, loud enough that the people around them could here. "Traffic was unbelievable."

Riley looked up, clearly shocked to see Will there, and Will lowered his voice. "Just go with it," he said. "Whoever stood you up is a fucking jackass."

Riley flushed, but grinned. "Thanks, man," he said, relief evident in his voice at being saved from such a humiliating disaster. "Yeah...I should have known that Cason would'a left me hanging."

A boy. He was going on a date with a boy. A thrill shot through Will, but he tried not to show it on his face as he smiled at the other boy. "It's no problem," he said, hoping his face wasn't as red as he thought it was. He held up the menu. "So, what are you gonna get?"

Riley shrugged. "I dunno. I was thinking about getting the hamburger..."

Will leveled a stare at him. "Riley. This is a Mexican restaurant."

Just then, the waiter came over. "Hello, my name is Juan and I'll be serving you tonight. What can I get you?"

Riley opened his mouth, probably to ask for a hamburger, but Will spoke up before he could. "Could we get the pork enchiladas for him and the bean and cheese burrito for me, please?"

Juan smiled and jotted that down. "Certainly. Any drinks?"

"Shirley temples," Will answered immediately. "With extra cherry, por favor."

Juan smiled and nodded, and then he left.

Riley laughed a little, watching Will with a strange look on his face. Will flushed a little. "What?"

"Nothing," Riley said, grinning. "Nothing."

~ ~ ~

A year and a half ago

The rain turned everything a gloomier shade, but that was oddly the only thought in Will's mind as he swore and ran after Riley, leaving his bag in the library.

I'm such an idiot. Such a goddamn idiot...

"Riley!" he shouted, squinting against the harsh torrent of rain that lashed at his face and clothes. "Riley, please, come back! Let me explain!"

He almost didn't see the small form huddled against the wall of the library until he thundered past, and then he backtracked, stopping in front of Riley, letting the freezing rain soak his clothes rather than squeeze into the small pocket of dry land that Riley had managed to secure beneath the overhang of the library roof.

Will shivered a little, searching Riley's cool, impassive face.

"I'm sorry, Ri," he said softly. "I didn't even think. I shouldn't have said that. I know things with you and Cason are--strained."

Riley didn't answer.

"He is a dick, though," Will said. "Just because I said I'm sorry about saying that doesn't make it any less true."

Riley shuddered a little, opening his mouth and closing it again repeatedly.

Will took a step forward, his teeth chattering a little from the frigid rain. "Riley," he said softly. "Riley, I'm sorry." I'm sorry because even though you're the boyfriend of a lying, cheating man, you can't see that I'm so much better for you.

Riley hissed in a breath. "Will, I just--I can't anymore." His voice verged on a sob, and Will immediately took another step forward, sliding his arms around Riley, who was just as wet as he was, and holding his close.

"You can't what?" Will whispered.

Riley let out a real sob this time and buried his face in Will's soaked shirt. "I can't--I can't be with Cason an-nymore, because I w-want to be with y-you."

Will went very, very still. He wasn't sure if he was breathing, but Riley continued as if he hadn't just said the words that Will had been daydreaming about for six months.

"I'm s-sorry," Riley sobbed. "I'm s-so sorry."

"Why?" Will whispered, pulling back and cupping Riley's face in his hands. "Why are you sorry, baby? Don't be sorry..."

Riley hiccuped. "B-but I th-thought you were m-mad at me for d-dating Cason even after h-he slept with Sam."

Will huffed a laugh, hardly able to contain both his shock and his slowly blossoming giddiness. "No, no, baby, I could never stay mad at you. You need to know that. I've had a crush on you since that first day!"

Riley's impossibly blue eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

Will laughed and pressed his forehead against Riley's. "Oh, you stupid, beautiful boy?"

"I'm beautiful?" he squeaked.

Instead of answering, Will pulled back and looked him in the eye. "Can I kiss you?" he murmured, his thumb tracing the contours of Riley's lower lip.

Riley's breath caught. "Why are you asking?" he whispered.

"Because Cason never did, and You deserve the choice of whether or not you want another man to kiss you."

Riley grinned slowly, then lifted up on his tiptoes and covered Will's mouth with his own. Will reacted immediately, his arms sliding around Riley's waist and hoisting him up, acutely aware of how hard he was against Riley. He pushed Riley against the wall, ravaging his mouth with his own, letting loose months and months of frustration and longing.

"You beautiful boy," Will growled against Riley's mouth, and Riley giggled, his hands sliding beneath Will's soaked shirt and curling against his heated skin.

"You beautiful man," Riley replied, lifting his head and kissing Will once more.

- - - - - - - - -

So. First Riley/Will chapter. How did y'all like it? Should I do more?

Vote, comment, and follow, and I'll try to get as many new chapters out as I can and as soon as I can!

Question for my dear readers: What are the biggest things about you?

Answer from me: My personality and my boobs. Though I'm fairly certain the latter are larger.