Walking out of Pre-Calc class, Danny heard a familiar voice.
"Daniel Freeman, is that you?"
Danny snapped out of his thoughts to see Ben Stewart walking toward him in the hallway of the Mathematics building. Ben had been two years ahead of him in high school, and they'd never really hung out, but Ben was grinning, like he was happy to see him.
"Ben, hey," Danny said. He swept a hand over his short brown hair, then rubbed at the nape of his neck, still half-distracted by thoughts of the upcoming tailgate party (and those blue, blue eyes). "Wow, you're going here?"
Ben said, "Yeah, I transferred this semester. What's up, man?"
They fell into step side by side. Ben had been a basketball player in high school, and a good one despite only being 5'10". He hadn't changed a bit, except maybe his skinny frame had filled out a little, and his tight, black curly hair had been trimmed shorter. His dark eyes had that same keen wit in them, though. Ben was a quick thinker. It had helped him on the court.
"You playing ball here?" Danny asked.
Ben shook his head. "Nah, I mean yeah, for fun, but I'm focusing on my studies. I'm majoring in Physics."
Danny's jaw practically dropped. He had barely made it out of high school Physics alive. "What are you studying that for?"
Ben grinned. "Gonna be the next Neil Degrasse Tyson, baby."
Danny couldn't help but grin, too. "That's awesome, man."
Ben asked, "So what are you studying? Besides girls?"
Danny laughed weakly. Right, girls. "Just Freshman stuff, plus English Lit., and Spanish."
Ben nodded, then clapped Danny on the shoulder. "That's not bad. You should try a little science."
Danny held up a hand and said, "We're not all geniuses like you, man."
Ben favored Danny with another one of those easy grins. "Look, I gotta go, but we've got to hang out soon, okay?"
Danny nodded and said, "Sure."
As Ben headed down another hallway, Danny's heart sank. Someone with ties to his home town, who probably talked to his parents, who went to the same church as Danny's. Danny would have to watch his every move around Ben.
After dinner alone in the cafeteria, Danny went up to his room. Steve was already there, hard at work in his studies. His features were intense with his focus, and Danny paused to admire that cherubic face in profile. From the calculator on the desk, Danny guessed Steve was working on math of some stripe.
"Hey," Danny said as he dumped his books on his desk.
Steve looked up, and his smile made Danny's heart melt. "Hey, Dan," he said. "How's it going?"
Danny shrugged, and he mustered up a smile. "It's going." Thanks to Ben, Danny could only look but never touch. His gaze followed the lines of Steve's broad shoulders. It was heartbreaking. Danny told himself it wasn't as though Steve was single anyway. How could someone that good-looking and outgoing in a school this liberal not have a harem?
Steve's brows lifted as he caught Danny staring at him. "Enjoying the view?"
Danny's cheeks flushed, and he shook his head. "Sorry. It's just that... man, you must work out."
Steve said, "Yeah, not religiously, but I like to keep fit. You're not so bad yourself."
Danny sat on the edge of his bed and his voice fluttered with nervous laughter. "Thanks, I think. I like to run." Running cleared his head, and when his sneakers hit the pavement, he could pretend he was leaving all his cares behind him.
Steve perked up. "We should go running some morning, together."
Danny gulped. And here was one problem that wanted to come with him. "Sure," he said. It's not like Ben would be on their route to watch Danny falling in love and never acting on it.
Steve studied his homework for a moment, then closed the book and turned toward Danny. "So tell me about yourself. I feel like we've been roomies weeks and we know nothing about each other. Have you always this quiet?"
Danny nodded. "I just kind of do my own thing, I guess."
Steve nodded in turn. "Sure, sure," he said. "You looked at any clubs? Joined any unions?"
Danny said, "Nah, not yet." He picked at the hem of his t-shirt and added, "I can't think of anything that suits me."
Steve replied without missing a beat, "I'm part of the LGBTQA Union, and there's a Methodist group that plays softball in Spring. We usually get whomped by the Episcopalians, but I think this might be our year."
Steve's grin made Danny's heart ache. "You go to church?" he asked, trying not to sound surprised.
"Sure," Steve said. "My church accepts everyone. You're welcome to come any time you like, but don't worry, I won't give you the hard sell."
Danny said, "No, it's fine. I... I might take you up on that sometime. Thanks."
His thoughts reeled. Steve was a Christian? And openly gay? Back in Podunk, the two seemed like polar opposites. The thought there were churches that would let him in the door threw Danny for a loop. "You didn't have to give up your faith when you came out."
Steve's features softened, and he looked Danny in the eye. "No," he said, "I didn't. I've been lucky. My family figured it out by the time I was eight, and they've always had my back. I try to give back to the community, so anyone who needs help coming to terms with who they are..."
Danny shook his head reflexively, but then said, "That's really nice of you, Steve. Back where I come from, it's just not something you admit to, if there even is anyone like that back home."
It wasn't a great save, and Steve gave Danny a knowing look. "If you think of someone who needs to talk..."
Danny bowed his head. "Yeah, I'll let you know."
Steve said, "Nice work, though. You know stuff about me now, and I still know nothing about you. Come on, spill."
Danny grinned despite himself and said, "There's nothing to tell. I come from a small town. I have a little sister named Mandy. She's crazy about horses and has, like, three. She used to make me go riding with her all the time."
"Are you going to tell me about your sister or yourself?" Steve said with a sly smile.
Danny's cheeks flushed again. "Okay, okay. Um. I'm bad at math."
Steve said, "Let me tutor you."
Danny ducked his head further, trying to hide a grin. "I did track. I was the best long-distance runner on the team."
"You've got stamina," Steve said, and there was a glint of wickedness in his eyes.
Danny looked up, but when he saw the intensity of Steve's gaze, he looked down again quickly. "Yeah, I guess so. Um, let's see. I like cats and dogs, but I get along better with dogs."
Steve said, "I love dogs. Hopefully, you'll get to meet my brother's dog Baxter this Saturday. He's a bulldog, total slobberhound, but he's great."
Danny relaxed more. He and Steve had dogs in common. "Did you play any sports?"
"Soccer," Steve said. "I'm trying out for the team this year."
"That's cool," Danny said. "I don't know if I have the coordination for soccer."
"Only one way to find out," Steve said with a wink.
That wink went right to Danny's gut. Oh man, he wanted to go sit next to Steve, to touch him, and whenever Steve spoke, Danny couldn't help wondering what those lips would feel like pressed to his own.
That couldn't happen, though. Ben was a great guy, and Danny was so happy to see him, but at the same time, damn it!
"We'll see," Danny said. "Maybe just you and me kicking the ball around. If I try out for anything, it's going to be track."
Steve said, "Fair enough." He studied Danny for a moment, then asked, "Got a girlfriend?"
Danny shook his head, his mouth suddenly dry.
Steve just watched him, taking him in. "A guy as hot as you are? I can't believe it."
Danny said, "Girls don't even notice me, man." He could feel the heat flooding his cheeks as he tried to play it cool.
"You hide yourself," Steve said. "You should shine. Strut your stuff, man. Everyone will notice."
Danny ducked his head. Oh, God, the thought of wall those eyes on him was terrifying. "Yeah, I don't know. I've found that if you just keep your head down, you don't get in trouble."
Steve clapped Danny on the shoulder. "What's life without a little trouble?"
Danny wanted more than just that touch. He wanted Steve's hands all over him. His breath caught in his throat. "I should study," he rasped.
Steve must have caught the hint, because he withdrew and said, "Sure, man. Let me know if you need any help with your math." Then he retreated back to his homework.
Danny got to cracking the books, too. He read English Lit. until it felt like his eyes were bleeding. By the time he looked up from Moby Dick, it was almost ten. He had an early class, so he closed the book, got up, and ducked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and change into his PJs.
There was no way he could bring himself to change in front of Steve. It wasn't like he thought Steve would do anything. He trusted Steve to be cool. It was that the idea of what Danny wanted to do with Steve after undressing made it impossible. What would he do if Steve caught him with a boner? He'd die, that's what.
Danny had one when he came out of the bathroom, but the long shirt of his PJs hid it for the short trek to his bed. Then he got under the covers and turned off the light on his side of the room, leaving Steve haloed in his desk lamp like a golden angel. Danny watched him for awhile, and Steve kept doing his homework.
What if Danny had offended Steve by that abrupt turn to studying? He hadn't meant to shut him down. Or had he? Just because he couldn't be with Steve didn't mean he didn't want to be his friend!
"Enjoying the view?" Steve asked.
Danny looked away. "Sorry," he said. "I was just going to say good night."
Steve glanced over, and his dimpled smile hit Danny hard. "Night, Danny."
Danny grinned. "Night." Eight different kinds of relief washed over him. That smile was open and welcoming. There were no bridges burnt.