"Connor! It's so good to see you!" The slim blonde-haired boy took his welcome into the house
"You too! God, how long has it been?" Connor pulled his friend into a hug
"Two years! How have you been?"
"I've been good! ...Haven't been to church in a long time, but.. I think you expected that much.. God, I missed you, Thomas!"
"You.. Really don't have to keep calling me that, Man"
"Right.. right... Chris. Sorry, I'm not accustomed to it, still.."
"It's fine.. I always had a hard time calling you 'Elder"
"Yeah, well that's because you're two years older than me."
"That, and you were never really the 'Elder' type.. you couldn't stop cursing, we all had to pray for your forgiveness three times an hour"
"I know.. I don't know why my father thought I was a good candidate for a mission."
"No idea.. so what's been up with you? You're still in school?"
"Yes! And I will be for.. a very long tune. But things are going well there.. I have the second-highest grades in my class, which is a.. big one.. Uhm, I had a boyfriend!! For a while.. but he started beating me up, so that ended"
"Wait what-"
"And now I don't have a boyfriend anymore, that about brings you up to speed"
"What do you mean he-"
"Have I told you about my new neighbor?"
"No. He beat you up?"
"No! He's an absolute angel!"
"No, not the neighbor, your boyfriend"
"Oh! Yeah, he did... my neighbor's really cool, though!"
"You're just.. going to gloss over that?"
"Yeah."
"...Okay then. Man, you really haven't changed."
"Not a bit"
"Tell me about your neighbor."
"Well, he's tall.. very tall. And he's incredibly sweet.. he's a little uptight, but I like that.. he wears his shirts buttoned up to his chin and wipes down everything anyone touches.. other than me, he lets me touch him.. he doesn't really go outside, but he's working on it.. he lost his parents four years ago, he hasn't left the house since... well, actually, once, i had to get him out.. there was a gas leak in his house, he wouldn't leave, I had to drag him out of the house.. but he's improving a lot"
"That's great!"
"Yeah... oh, you'd love him, he's the best. He has these.. big brown eyes, and this insanely perfect hair, I don't know how he does it- he looks amazing! He's.. he's got this real nervous energy, but it's honestly cute, he's.. he's the best.. he punched my boyfriend when he yelled at me.. I mean, I had to stay with him while he washed his hands for the next twenty minutes, but... he's fantastic. Really, you'd like him.. oh my god, you should see his smile, it's like.. the brightest smile you've ever seen, once you get it out of him.. you should meet him! You'd love him- everyone loves him, you can't not love him"
"...Dude, are you in love with him?"
"What? No, of course not! Don't be ridiculous, he's my friend!"
"Yeah, well Elder Davis was your friend too"
"Okay, that- that's different we were two closeted nineteen-year-olds, six thousand miles from home, of course, we ended up hooking up!"
"..man, of all places for two guys to get together.. Uganda's not exactly the prime spot."
"Nope.. lucky I just got sent home three months in, instead of put in jail" he chuckled,
"Seriously.. you used to talk about Davis like that"
"I don't... you don't know what you're talking about."
"I was within sight and sound of you at all times for three months straight, I like to think I know you pretty well."
"..Weren't in sight and sound when Davis and I-"
"No, but we figured it out pretty quickly! When I woke up and our room was empty, and I could hear you and Davis in the bathroom, it became incredibly evident."
"..If you do it at night, God's asleep, he doesn't see" Connor cracked a smile, rolling his eyes at his teenage self's reasoning
"Yes, well, the mission president definitely saw."
"Cause you ratted me out to Elder Church!"
"I'm sorry, at twenty-one years old, I didn't know how to deal with two male missionaries groping each other in the bathroom... You talked about Davis like this. You talked my ear off. God, I'd speed to the next house just so I could get a minute without 'That Elder Davis is so sweet, Elder Davis is such a handsome young man, Elder Davis ironed my shirt for me"
"...I was six-thousand miles from home, I wasn't in love, I was gay and for the first time, I had a guy looking at me the way I looked at him."
"Yeah, well, now you're a hundred miles from home, and you're talking about this guy like he's the best thing since sliced bread"
"..He loves bread, he has a weird thing with bread- he only eats one kind, he eats two pieces every morning, he goes through a bag in a week.. I had to bring him bread one time, it was actually only the second time we'd talked, he-"
"Are you hearing yourself?"
"..You don't know what you're talking about."
"I do.. I know my mission companion."
"Of three months!"
"You were the best companion I ever had! I know my mission companion... He likes his eggs runny, he has a mouth like a sailor, and he's got it bad for his little friend"
"I don't have a sailor's mouth, it's not that bad!"
"No, you're right.. Davis says you have a cherub's lips."
"Oh, shut up!"
"He said it, not me! And don't think you've redirected this conversation, you practically started drooling when you talked about that guy... What's his name?"
"Kevin... Kevin Price.. and I did not start drooling over him, I don't... Look, he's handsome, yes, he's adorable, but I don't love him! He's my best friend. And I'm allowed to say my friend is good looking if it's a fact!"
"You've never thought about it?"
"..Well, of course, I have, I.. he's adorable, all stuffy and bottled up like a pressure cooker, but.."
"You like him" Chris stated matter-of-factly
"..It crossed my mind once, okay? I had just broken up with my boyfriend, he was there and he was kind.. he had just gotten out of the shower, he was only wearing a towel. That's.. Anyone would think like that."
"..No. You've thought about it more than once."
"What do you know?"
"Everything. Spill it, Red."
"...Okay, fine! So what? Everybody thinks like that! Everyone! You think like that!"
"Yes, and I pray it out like a respectable missionary, but that's neither here nor there... You like him."
"I don't!"
"You're blushing!"
"I am not blushing, I'm just irritated, because some little know-it-all, asshat Super Mormon is telling me I'm in love with my friend!"
Chris stopped, letting out a chuckle
"Oh, we do have fun, don't we, McKinley?"
"..You're a dickhead" He scoffed
"Yes, well..."
"..You're thinking about him right now, aren't you?"
"Only because we're talking about him!"
"You like him"
"Only as a friend."
"You've thought about boning him on more than one occasion. You like him."
"It was only a few times!"
"...You're lying. I know when you're lying. You think about it a lot."
"Well- only because I'm lonely! I don't have a boyfriend, and he's sweet to me!"
"...You should go for it."
"It?"
"Him."
"I... I don't have a thing for him."
"Suit yourself"
Connor's phone buzzed in his back pocket, his chest warming upon seeing Kevin's name on the caller identification, as well as the terribly awkward picture he'd made him take for the contact photo.
The photo made it incredibly obvious that Kevin had not had his picture taken in a very long time. His smile was just straight out sideways, teeth clenched, staring straight into the camera, with a single thumbs-up. Good lord, if that boy wasn't adorable.
But there's an important distinction. He can be adorable without Connor having feelings for him. Connor can.. think about certain things, without it meaning he has feelings. He doesn't.
"..Is that him?" Chris raised an eyebrow, watching Connor smile at his phone
"..Maybe."
"..Pick up, what are you waiting for?"
Connor huffed and rolled his eyes, very true to his dramatic nature
"Just- keep your mouth shut, okay?"
"Deal."
Connor answered the phone, glaring at his friend the whole time
"Hello?"
"Connor? It's me! Kevin! ... Your neighbor, Kevin.. from next door... I-I'm the one who punched your boyfriend... Kevin... Price.."
"I know who you are, Kevin. What's up?"
"Oh, good, I thought you may have forgotten"
"..How could I have forgotten? I see you every day."
"I dunno, people forget me... Are you coming over tonight? I-I made curry... again.. I don't know how to make much else. And I rented a movie... The Princess Bride"
"The Princess Bride?!"
"Yeah.. I-I've never seen it, but I remember you said you liked it, I thought... perhaps we could watch it together.."
"Well, gee, Kevin, I'd love to, but one of my friends just got in, I haven't seen him in ages"
"He can come too... o-or not, if you don't want to come, that's fine, I get it, it's just... He can come. If he wants. Or... She wants... Anyway, it's not a big deal, you really don't have to come, I just thought-"
"We'll be there."
"...Really?"
"Yeah... Yeah, just give me a minute, okay?"
"Okay..! I'll get the glasses.. y-you can bring your wine if you guys want that, all I have is cider."
"That's actually perfect, Chris doesn't drink."
"Really? Great! Okay, I'm gonna.. I'm gonna get a third plate. I'll see you in a few minutes!"
"See you in a few"
Chris raised a suspicious brow as Connor hung up his phone.
"..We're going to his house."
"How did I guess?"
"...Shut up. I need to get dressed."
"You're already wearing clothes"
"Yes, but I need to change... He doesn't like this sweater, he says the color looks dirty.. and I have to agree, just make it white or gray, 'cream' just makes it look like it hasn't been washed.. I'm going to change, alright?"
"Alright, Romeo"
"I'm going to put this phone through your skull" Connor rolled his eyes once again, making his way up the stairs to his room for a change of clothes.
Chris kept that smart-ass grin on his face the entire time.
After five minutes, he returned downstairs to leave, dressed now in his red Hawaiian button-down, unbuttoned to his mid chest, tucked into a pair of black trousers and a dark brown belt.
"Someone's dressed up for his boyfriend.."
"He is not my boyfriend."
"You're certainly dressed up"
"I am not, I like this shirt!"
"Is he cute? He must be real cute for you to be doing all this..."
"..He is cute. But that's not- that doesn't matter, I don't have a thing for him, I can just.. I can tell when a man is attractive, without wanting to fuck him"
"But you do. You already said you've thought about it."
"I don't want to! It was a passing thought! I'm not gonna tell you this stuff if you're going to use it against me!"
"I'm just trying to help you out"
"How could you possibly be helping?"
"For starter's, your fly is open."
"Shit." Connor quickly looked down, scrambling to zip his pants
"I mean, I guess it could be what you're going for.. like an advertisement of what he can get.."
"You're vile- you shouldn't be saying things like this, you're still a member of the church!"
"I'm still allowed to imply things! ..Maybe you should get one of those 'Half price' stickers, slap it on your pants.. hire Billy Mays as a spokesman for it."
"Fuck off"
"Hi, Billy Mays here for Connor McKinley's junk! Elder Davis can attest, this product will get the job done!"
"I'm going to hit you"
"We're offering a special deal! Call in now, and the fire pubes are thrown in absolutely free!"
"Chris, I will smack you into next Tuesday"
"Fine.. no fun.. come on, let's go meet your boyfriend"
"Chris!"
"I know, I know. Not your boyfriend, just the boy you won't shut up about, think about boning, and spend all your time with"
"..one could kill you with very little effort."
"Fair enough. Are we going or what?"