Chester ran. He ran for his life. He was so embarrassed, so disgusted, and even more because he had actually enjoyed the kiss. How the hell did he get the guts to kiss Mike? Mike responded to the kiss but he asked what the hell had that been, he must hate me now, he thought.
Mike's lips tasted like cheesecake and something specific. It was sweet just like he had imagined - even if it was just because of the cake.
The blonde man found himself running to Ryan's place, and in no time, he was knocking desperately on his door. He just wanted someone to talk to now and Ryan seemed to be the right one. He trusted Ryan.
He was sobbing uncontrollably when the brunette opened the door, utterly confused and gasped at the sight of Chester looking so fragile.
The blonde practically threw himself into Ryan's arms and the latter hugged him tightly, his face still confused and worried.
"Hey, Ches, it's okay, I'm here, come inside."
The brunette took the young man's hand in his to help him inside, before he closed the door and led him toward the couch where they both sat. Chester was still a mess as he kept sobbing, out of breath, and Ryan ran a hand onto Chester's back, which immediately reminded the blonde man of Mike since the latter had done the same thing at the coffee shop. As he started crying more, covering his face with his hands, Ryan sighed, as anger started to consume him.
"It's Mike, isn't it? I swear if that fucker touched you, he's dead."
Chester shook his head at that moment, his eyes wide as he looked back at his friend. "N-no, he didn't d-do anything. I'm t-the one who r-ruined everything."
"What are you talking about?" The brunette asked as he put a hand on Chester's arm. "You're the sweetest guy I've ever known, Chester, you could never do anything wrong, never, okay?"
"But M-mike-"
"Forget about Mike, just try to relax for now, okay? You can stay here if you want tonight."
Chester gulped before he nodded, looking at his hands. Forgetting about the half Asian for the moment seemed like a good idea.
"And tomorrow you can explain what happened to me, hm?" Ryan said in a soft spoken voice as he helped the blonde up and led him to his bedroom. "Well, you can sleep here and I'll stay on the couch." Chester nodded hesitantly but didn't really have the strength to discuss it, so he only flopped on the bed, looking at the ceiling. Ryan smiled softly before going to his closet, getting some large pajamas and handing them to Chester.
"If you wanna take a shower go ahead. If you don't, at least change your clothes. Sleeping in jeans is not comfortable." Ryan smiled softly, no longer angry. It was incredible the ability Chester had to soften people's hearts.
"Okay, thanks." He mumbled in a small voice. "I'll be fine. You can go now." He said. He didn't want to hurt Ryan by sending him away but he had to just sleep his feelings away now. Ryan only frowned and nodded, going to the couch where he was supposed to sleep.
Chester quickly changed into the brunette's giant clothes and shook his head seeing how he looked in the mirror. He looked overly skinny and his eyes were reddened. His hair which once was spiked up was now a blonde mess. He flopped on the bed and allowed himself to think.
Had he overreacted just now? After all, he had clearly heard Mike saying that what they had just done was weird...
Maybe Chester just wasn't meant to be in a relationship after all. No one could understand what he had been through at the clinic or what had happened to his sister.
The blonde man knew that he was nowhere near normal and that he wasn't good at communication. Mike was probably better off without him after all.
The young man sighed as he turned on the bed, closing his eyes to try and fall asleep. This had been an exhausting evening and resting was the only answer to his problems now.
As long as he didn't dream about Mike...
*
He and Mike were walking down an empty park with their hands intertwined. Mike smiled at him every now and then while Chester tried to hide the deep blush that had spread across his face.
It seemed like the perfect place. No one was near them, the sun was shining brightly and some birds tweeted around. It seemed like they were inside of a cartoon.
"Ches... we should head to your house now, it's gonna be dark soon." Mike said and just as Chester looked up he saw that the sun indeed was going down at an abnormally fast pace.
"Okay." The blonde simply said and Mike turned to him unexpectedly. They were too close and Chester was nervous. If he moved his head, their lips would touch and he wanted that so badly. What was the worst that could happen? There was even the possibility that Mike also liked him so he wouldn't mind a kiss, would he?
With that, he leaned in and grabbed the deliverer's neck, pulling him as close as they could get. But Mike pushed him back harshly. He looked... disgusted, hurt. Chester gulped and didn't know what to do. He had gone too far and now Mike wouldn't want to be near him. Mike hated him.
"What the heck, Chester?! Do you think that just because I'm nice to you it meant that I want to be your boyfriend? What the heck?!" The half Asian shouted, his voice angry. Chester had never heard that tone coming out of him and it scared the blonde. Mike was always calm and comprehensive, understanding, but now he was being explosive and it even reminded Chester of Mark.
He shook his head and shielded himself with his thin arms and he only hoped that Mike would stop coming at him as he stepped back.
The sky got dark and suddenly thunders could be heard, heavy rain started to pour over them and-
With a scream, Chester shot up. His heart racing. Mike had been about to hit him when he woke up, sweat covering his whole body.
The door swiftly opened as Ryan opened the lights and kneeled next to Chester's bed, holding his hand in his. "Ches, I'm here, it's okay, you had a nightmare."
"I-" Chester soon discovered that he was out of breath from the scared he had gotten out of his dream, and he was crying again. The young man wiped his tears off his cheeks, he was tired of crying, tired of shedding tears for Mike. "It's just M-Mike-"
"Is it about what happened tonight?" Ryan asked as he got on his feet and sat on the bed next to Chester, holding his small frame against him. "You can tell me, you know, maybe it will help you."
"It's just... we... everything was going w-well, but t-then I k-kissed him. I was s-so stupid, R-Ryan, he, he d-doesn't f-feel the same way, he h-hates me now and-"
Ryan ran a hand into the blonde man's hair as he nodded. "I'm sorry, honey, he doesn't know that he's got someone special close to him. You deserve better than Mike, Ches."
"B-but, I..." He gasped as a realization hit him and he buried his head in his friend's neck. "But I'm in love with him, Ryan. I-"
And at that, Ryan held Chester closer to him as he cradled his body into his arms, whispering to him that everything would be okay since he was there for him.
"No one is ever going to hurt you again, Chester. I promise."
Ryan couldn't stop the tinge of jealousy that tugged at his heart. When he met Mike, he thought he was a nice guy and when he found out that he and Chester were friends, he just started to feel a kind of antipathy. He still thought he was nice, but he felt like he was losing Chester and he felt so bad for ever hurting the younger man and losing him. He still liked Chester, in fact, he loved him.
He never thought that the blonde would admit something so deep so quickly. Chester never said that he loved anyone, only his sister. He never uttered his feelings to anyone but now he had just done that and Ryan knew he was being serious. He was crying for him, he had kissed him and he loved him. Mike had his heart and he... had broken it? The brunette felt anger boiling inside of him as he wanted to beat some sense into the deliverer. How could he make Chester so miserable? How did he have the courage? Ryan thought that he liked the blonde man back but it didn't seem like it.
"I won't let anyone hurt you again." Ryan whispered. It was more like a promise to himself.
He loved Chester, yes, and that was why he just wanted to see him happy. Even if that meant he would have his own heart broken. Even if he would be miserable. Whatever it took. If he wasn't the one who could make him happy then he would get Mike to make him happy. He hugged the man even tighter if possible and kissed his crown lightly.
*
As a familiar knock came at the front door, Chester slowly awoke as he looked around him, trying to remember where he was. He blinked his eyes a couple of times before he remembered that he was at Ryan's apartment. He let out a sigh as the memories of what happened yesterday flooded his head again, when he heard it... Mike's voice.
"I know he's in here-"
"Listen, Mike, he doesn't want to see you. Give us both our pills and leave, please-"
"But I need to make sure he's swallowed it."
"I'll make sure of it-"
"I'm sure there was a misunderstanding."
"Mike. The pills, please."
Chester bit hard on his bottom lip to try and not to run to the front door and scream at Mike. A part of him was so heartbroken by what had happened yesterday that he only wanted Mike to suffer too.
He heard some other angry whisperings before the door closed, and Chester finally got out of the bedroom before he walked toward the front door.
"Hey, you're awake just in time for you meds." Ryan said, but the blonde man ignored him as Mike's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Ches, please, listen to me! I know I made a mistake yesterday, even if I don't know what it was. I just want us to talk, I'm sure we misunderstood each other, please-"
"Go away, Mike." He spat out, loud enough for the half Asian to hear.
Mike, on the other side of the door, suddenly froze as he heard Chester's voice answer him. He shook his head, he wasn't about to give up so easily.
"No! I'm not going anywhere. I just need you to understand that I had a great time yesterday-"
"Liar! You made me believe you had feelings for me."
The half Asian froze as he was wondering if he had heard wrong. He had feelings for Chester, why would the other man think otherwise? He would have thought by the fact that they had hold hands and kissed, that he knew that Mike liked him more than just a friend.
"But Chester I-"
"Shut up! I know you must hate me now and... and..." he wanted to say that he hated Mike, too, but he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to say those words when he felt the exact opposite.
"Chester, please just listen, you misunderstood everything! I didn't lie to you. I... I like you Ches! More than friends! I really like you!" He shouted with his eyes closed and his fists against the door. It was so hard to admit that out loud but he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Inside the house, Chester and Ryan froze at that statement. Chester dropped the cup with his pill as he swallowed thickly and his face went blank. Mike wasn't kidding now, was he? It was frustrating that even after such a direct confession Chester still had trouble believing it. But nonetheless he rushed to the door and held the knob tightly, debating whether he should open it or not.
On the other hand, Ryan had smashed his paper cup with his hand and was fuming with rage.
What was that? Mike hurt Chester and now he just comes and says a couple of pretty words and that's it? Who the hell does he think he is?
He is the one Chester loves, Ryan reminded himself and softened.
He should stop treating Chester like a kid. He was an adult and he could decide for himself, even if the brunette would keep an eye on him, he could not interfere in his choices.
"Ches... I like you. I'm not lying. I thought you knew after yesterday but if I hadn't made it clear, I'm making it now. I loved the kiss and I loved spending time with you yesterday. I don't want this to be over before it even started!" Mike blurted out, tugging at his shirt with one hand while the other was still fisted against the door.
After those words, Chester opened the door. He could not stand not seeing Mike anymore.
Since Mike's body was leaning against the door, he had to grab the door frame not to fall on Chester as the latter gasped at him, his eyes wide opened in wonder as he tried to see if Mike was telling the truth or not. The half Asian quickly grabbed Chester's hand in his own as he noticed that he was trembling while emotions were pouring out of him. He wouldn't let the blonde man get away, not this time.
"Ches, I ... I have no idea why you thought I didn't like you, but you misunderstood. Yesterday was... well, it was a perfect first date in my opinion and I... I want to go on a second one with you. And a third. I like being with you, I know my boss told me not to get close to any of the clients I have, but I don't care. I just want to be with you." He finally whispered, as he pulled his free hand on Chester's cheek, caressing it.
Tears had began to pool once again in the blonde man's eyes, but this time, it was because his heart was filled with happiness. He couldn't believe that someone as amazing as Mike wanted to date him.
He finally smiled before he crashed his body against Mike's, hugging him tightly as he felt his heartbeat racing in his chest.
"I would love to be with you too."
Mike finally let out a laugh before he pushed Chester gently so he could have better access to his mouth, kissing him slowly at first, before he deepened the kiss, and suddenly, someone cleared their throat beside them.
"Oops, sorry Ryan..." said Chester as he let go of Mike while his face turned red in embarrassment.
Mike scratched the back of his neck and licked his lips, not being able to hide his huge grin. He still held Chester's hand as he remembered why he was there.
"Oh, the meds! I almost forgot." He looked around to see Chester's pill crashed on the floor and Ryan's also crashed, but in his hand. "Well, I have extra pills so it's fine." He let go of the blonde's hand only to get another pill and paper cup in his bag to the two men and handed each of them their respective medicine. After Ryan showed his tongue to him, Chester did the same and he found himself leaning in, but stopped when he noticed the brunette's eyes on them. However, Chester grabbed Mike's face and planted a tender kiss on his lips, leaving him static, smiling like a fool as his cheeks and ears turned red.
"When can we meet again?" Chester eagerly asked, still holding Mike's face as he giggled like a child.
"I'm free every weekend and tomorrow night too." Mike said, remembering that tomorrow he wouldn't have classes at night.
"Let's meet tomorrow then!" The blonde decided in a second and giggled again, making the deliverer's heart flutter.
Ryan was only watching the two from the inside of the house. He had to admit that they formed a very cute couple. He could clearly see how happy Chester was. He didn't recall seeing him that happy in a long time and he mentally thanked Mike for it. Seeing Chester happy was the most important thing to him.
"Okay! I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow. I should have to go to your house now, do you want a ride? I can drop you off there." Mike asked hopeful and the blonde nodded hastily, kissing the half Asian's cheek before saying that he only needed to change clothes and rushing into the house. He really looked like a kid.
Mike was lost in thought when Ryan interrupted him by touching his shoulder. "Mike, thank you for making him so happy. I appreciate everything you've done." He said in a very low voice. It was even intimidating. "You know I love him, don't you? Anyway, now you do. My only goal is to see him happy and if you make him happy, I'll support you two no matter what, but let me warn you, if you hurt him, you're dead. This boy has gone through so much already so don't you dare break his heart." His gaze was burning Mike's skin. "That's it. Thank you." He said lastly and smiled just as Chester appeared, his smile as bright as ever.
"Okay, I'm ready!" He turned toward Ryan. "I'm sorry for worrying you yesterday, thank you for being there for me..."
"Anytime, Ches, you know that."
The blonde man only nodded before he walked toward the exit, Mike at his side, as the half Asian took Chester's hand in his again.
If only he could hold onto the blonde man's hand forever.