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Aaron collapsed back onto the bed with a soft thud. He sunk down into the blankets and let the warmth drown his misery. His mind clouded with the weight of the stress and fatigue.
All day at practice all Aaron could do was try his hardest not to stare.
Kevin was just, an enigma.
A fucking asshole, but one Aaron has learned to admire. Maybe too much.
Aaron stretched his arms above his head as he thought about the way Kevin ran down the court, they way his jersey stuck to his skin, and the fierce, unforgiving smile Kevin flashed when he scored a goal against Andrew.
Fuck, Andrew.
If Andrew found out about the awful thoughts Aaron was harboring, he doesn’t know what he would do. What Aaron does know however, is that nothing good can come out of the feelings he’s developing.
He and Katelyn had broken up after a particularly rough patch, too much stress tearing at the two of them. Katelyn’s family hated Aaron, hated him for doing what he could to protect his brother. And Katelyn just couldn’t choose Aaron over her family.
So that was over.
But it only took a little over a month for thoughts of Kevin to consume every waking hour. The power, the bravery Kevin held within him, was something Aaron couldn’t help but admire. And god, was Kevin hot, his face burning with the thought.
Aaron hated thinking it, shame filled every part of his body, the red hot of it spreading from his chest to every finger, but he couldn’t deny it. Kevin’s striking green eyes, the way they seemed to pierce through his skin, the damned chess piece tattoo, a move of arrogance, but one that had Aaron shaking from the thought of his power.
The large, rough hands and the thought of them grabbing onto him, pulling him into an embrace so unforgiving as to never let go, and how Kevin seemed to tower over him. The way that Kevin could easily encase Aaron into his arms, and Aaron would be safe, secure, loved.
But Aaron had to stop himself.
He wasn’t gay, he thought, jerking his hands up through his hair roughly. He liked girls. He liked the long waves of Kate’s hair, the way it stopped just above the small of her back. He liked her kisses, how they were always soft, gentle in a way he’d never experienced from anyone before.
But that was over.
And now there was only Kevin.
And now he’s curled into a tight ball, shrinking into himself, in a fit.
Getting over being a little gay should be the easy part for crying out loud. It’s not like he ever had a chance. And Kevin was straight. So was he, his mind shot back.
He ignored it.
The only thing left to do was to pine after Kevin like some heartbroken puppy and drown himself in his own self-pity.
God, he needed a drink.
As suddenly as he had thought it, Kevin had walked in.
“Hey Aaron, there you are!” Kevin looked relieved; the tension Aaron had first spotted in his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. “Are you up for a game? Anything, I just need something else to do for a while.”
Aaron slid off his bunk with a nod, getting up to search for the controllers and a game. He could act casual, play a game, it wouldn’t kill him. (Yes, it would.)
Soon enough, he and Kevin were sat in front of a TV screen, controllers in hand, facing off in street fighter of all things. However, as the game progressed, Aaron was drawn more and more to Kevin’s face instead. He wasn’t any more than 2 feet away from Kevin, and the temptation was too strong.
The sharp jut of his jaw could cut him, honestly, and the way it clenched when he was focused and determined just to kill Aaron’s character. Even his nose was something to stare at, the slope of it leading back to his lips.
Every damn time, those lips.
Kevin’s eyes flicked over to Aaron’s and caught him staring, Aaron quickly looked away, his mind filling with regret.
Aaron couldn’t help but think of all the reasons Kevin could think he was staring, he probably thought Aaron was a creep. But when Aaron faced Kevin again, he was still staring right back at him. And he wasn’t looking away.
Kevin opened his mouth, and then let it fall back closed. He reached his arm out slowly before bringing it back to his side and settled for scooting a little closer to Aaron.
The game continued.
If Aaron ever had a chance to focus before, it was certainly gone now.
Kevin was so close he could almost feel the warmth he gave off, any closer and their shoulders would brush against each other. Aaron could even reach his hand out and grab hold of Kevin’s.
God, he could do it.
He wouldn’t.
But he could.
One more round ended with Kevin body slamming Aaron’s character into the ground with a final, killing blow, and then there was a pause.
Aaron looked over and found Kevin staring right back again.
The silence stretched, their breath escaping in quick, puffs. Aaron could lean in ever so slightly, and their lips would touch. A kiss and with it the promise of damnation.
They were both so, so still, when Kevin finally reached his hand forward towards Aarons. There was a moment of hesitation, his fingers hovering, and Aaron flipped his palm up, and Kevin made contact. Slipping his fingers through Aarons with a squeeze.
Aaron’s breath caught, a stutter, before releasing it with a soft sigh. Kevin’s hand was exactly as Aaron had imagined it, secure, determined in its hold, and warm. Always so warm.
Aaron opened his mouth, and Kevin rushed forward and caught his lips in his.
Aaron’s entire world was rocked off center, and his mind was empty save for how good this felt, how much he wanted this. Aaron took his other free hand and slowly lifted it up towards Kevin face, before deciding on sliding his fingers through his hair, grabbing onto it at the back.
His hair was so soft, his lips so soft, his hand so warm and perfectly rough in his, and Aaron never wanted it to end.
Kevin snaked his arm around Aaron’s waist and pulled him in even closer, and he was so warm.
Aaron eventually moved his head back for a gasp of air, and their eyes locked. Aaron’s head was swimming with questions, but the only word he could force through his lips was, “Why?”
Kevin took a deep breath before opening his mouth to speak, “You,” he stopped, chewing on his lip for a second before continuing. “When I’m with you, all my stress seems to melt. We’re a pair, always have been, but recently you’ve come to mean something more to me. Your safety in a way no one has been before. You’re something so, so normal to come back to at the end of the day. In an amazing way, I’m always able to keep my head straight around you.”
Aaron couldn’t believe the words coming out of Kevin’s mouth, his hands shaking and his chest tight as he tried to process what he was saying. His existence had always been a bother, he was sullen, a killjoy. Kevin kept going though.
“You’re honestly amazing, and so smart, after these 5 years are up, you’re going to go on a become a doctor and it will be amazing to watch. They way you can put your mind to something and stick to it. And I can just, talk to you. No one has ever listened to me the way you do before. No one else ever sits down to play a game with me whenever I ask.
And honestly, you’re beautiful. And so different from Andrew in every way. Your face can be soft, and when you genuinely laugh, rare as it is, it makes my entire day. I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, Aaron.”
Kevin had quieted towards the end of his speech, and Aaron’s name was barely a whisper. His eyebrows were pinched with worry, and Aaron had never seen him this vulnerable. Kevin’s eyes were so soft, and the green seemed to shine.
Aaron lifted a hand up to his face and cradled it in his palms, “Me too. You could be the best thing that’s ever happened to me, if you give me the chance.”
Kevin’s eyes widened and a smile broke across his face, a grin Aaron had never seen from him before. “Are you asking to be my boyfriend?” His mouth tilted to the side, a smirk growing.
Aaron’s face burned, and he barely managed to say, “Yes, dumbass” but the excitement saying those words was unparalleled.
Kevin captured Aaron’s lips in another kiss before replying, “Absolutely. Yes. Always.” And Aaron was happy, tears threatening to roll down his cheek, and he couldn’t wait to see where this lead them.