Two Boys Learning

30. You Wanna Know Why?

"So, lemme get this straight," Tori said with an melodramatic sigh, "you two are back together?"

Ash blinked and glanced to Will, who smirked.

"Oh, there's nothing straight about it," he said with a teasing grin shot in Ash's direction. Ash flushed and looked away, grinning as well.

Tori tilted her head. "But...what about Tristan?"

Ash stiffened a little, but Will threw an arm over Ash's shoulder and pulled him close. "I actually don't know where Tristan has been these past few days," Will admitted. "I tried to find him to tell him that...ah...yeah. But I haven't seen him."

Ash relaxed slightly and leaned into Will. They were in the cafeteria again, and Tori had plopped down in front of them without introduction. 

"Well, Tori said with a grin, tossing her short blonde hair over her shoulder, "I'm happy for you guys. Again. Though that is some major finicking on your part, Will," she added, picking up her fork and jabbing it at him.

Ash coughed. "Er, actually, I kinda broke up with him the first time. And it was a mixed effort to get back together."

Tori sighed. "I thought the idea was that girls were the unpredictable ones?" she grinned, waggling her eyebrows. "So...what's the deal? Why'd you break up in the first place?"

Ash coughed, but Will swooped in with a ready lie. "He wasn't sure about his sexuality yet," he smoothly said with a winning smirk. "But it's okay now, right, baby?" He looked to Ash for confirmation, and the smaller boy shot him a grateful smile.

"Aw, you guys are too cute," Tori giggled. "I'm glad you guys are back together."

Will chuckled and kissed the side of Ash's head. "Me too."

~ ~ ~

"I," Ash announced, hanging from his knees on the rafters of A&W's, "am a monkey."

Will looked up, a slow grin crossing his face. "Indeed you are."

Ash grinned, his hair swaying a little as he let his arms drop and made monkey noises. "Fear me! I'm the most ferocious monkey you'll ever meet."

Will laughed softly and closed the book he was reading, putting it on the floor next to him and standing, crossing over to the upside-down Ash and pressing his palm to the side of Ash's face. "Hey."

Ash flushed a little, his eyes bright. "Hey," he squeaked.

Will smiled, leaning closer and kissing the tip of Ash's nose. "Hey, your face is finally level with mine.

Ash giggled, and then Will leaned forward again and kissed him, even though Ash was still upside down. He tilted his head to get better access, and Ash squeaked in surprise, then returned the kiss with equal fervor.

It wasn't like some of their other kisses, which were quick and full of passion, this one was slowed down, more gentle, more exploratory. Their lips moved together, and when Will's tongue eased open the seam of Ash's lips, Ash parted them eagerly, his own tongue flicking against Will's teeth, eliciting a growling response from the other boy.

Ash pulled back with a gasp, his eyes wide, his hair ruffled, his cheeks flushed and his lips swollen. "What was that for?" he asked breathlessly.

Will shook his head, grinning. "I don't need a reason to kiss my boyfriend." He reached up and smoothing down Ash's shirt, which only fell back down again. 

Ash flushed even more, grinning stupidly. "I love it when you say that."

"Say what?" Will purred. "Boyfriend? That you're my boyfriend, and I'm your boyfriend, and I lo--" Will stopped short, blinking a little, and coughed.

Ash went still and stared at him, his eyes wide. Will didn't move either, his breath catching in his throat.

"I love you too," Ash whispered, his lips barely moving. "And you wanna know why?"

"I love you because of your smile, the smile that you don't smile for anyone else except for me. And I love your eyes, because they have so much feeling even when you don't want people to think you have any. And I love you for your voice, because it can change so quickly it's a smooth purr one moment and a rumbling storm the next. And I love your hair, because of the blue in it, and the black, and it looks like the sky when the light hits it just right, and I love your skin, because when I touch it it's like velvet-wrapped steel and I love how I get to touch your skin, because you somehow let me in when you didn't let anyone else in." Ash grinned slowly, his voice growing louder and more sure with each word. "And I love how even though you know what's going on at my house, you did everything you could to take me away from that, to save me from what I thought was going to be my life. I love you, William Kade, and I desperately hope you love me just as much."

Will didn't know what to say, so he just laughed and kissed Ash again, tears stinging the backs of his eyes. "I do," he murmured. "I definitely do."

- - - - - - - - -

<*sneaky Texas face*> Sooooo...

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