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Woodsley was scared. He knew he would have to this conversation eventually but the mere concept of it terrified him. Unfortunately for him, sneaking away the previous night had done nothing but bring the issue to light and now he was trapped. He had cried for hours as his thoughts had spiraled and he played out the oncoming conversation so many times. Some ended well. Most didn't. He was scared.
Brett walked him back to the clearing and he hated how hopeful Brett sounded. Then again, Brett was married to a hot ass dilf yale professor so maybe he had a reason to be hopeful. But Woodsley didn't want to get them up just to have the boys knock them down.
He had come to terms with his sexuality during the Final, when he was freezing and the only thing keeping him going was the thought of the warmth he knew a hug from Eric would provide. That wasn't a straight thought. He'd accepted it and tried his best to act on the new impulses he had, but the internal homophobia he had grown up with living in a small town had too big of a grip on him. Every time him and Eric held hands, in the brief period they'd dated, Woodsley was scared they would get hate-crimed. He was terrified that people would ostracize him. He knew it was stupid. People had accepted Eric and they'd accepted Brett. But it still haunted him.
And then Eric had left. They drifted apart and officially broke up over text one day after a long period of silence. Woodsley didn't know it then but it was because Eric had met Mark and then realized he was still technically in a relationship. The week after, he saw the post making them Insta-official and he realized he had been replaced. He cried. He stared at Mark's disgustingly handsome face. He stalked all their socials and hated how good they looked together. How happy they were. He hated how seeing them together made him feel. On one hand, he was happy for them. They were a great pair and looked liked they truely loved one another. On the other, he was extremely jealous, angry and sad.
Then came the letters. The reunion. Meeting Mark in person. Woodsley knew everything about the man but seeing him in person was a whole other ball game. He got to witness the cute glances between Eric and Mark. How Mark looked when he was sneaking a glance at Eric. How he moved and the cute things he did with his mouth while he talked. How he smelled. Like pine trees and a nice autumn day. Within five minutes of meeting Mark, his understanding of why Eric liked him grew so much. And that gave him feelings that were confusing. How can you have a crush on your ex-boyfriend's current boyfriend while also still being madly in love with your ex-boyfriend?
Woodsley didn't know how to make sense of it and it just boiled over until he had to leave. Mark had tried to come with him and Woodsley didn't want to think of what he would say or do if he was alone with Mark so he had stormed off. Which led to him crying all night. Which led to Brett coming to find him. Which led to now, standing at the edge of the clearing he had almost died in all those years ago, looking at his friends who were worried sick for him. Looking at his former mentor, a fucking werewolf who was currently bleeding out from a gunshot wound. And looking at the two boys who had his heart.
The group came bounding over, questions flying but Woodsley barely heard them. He was too busy watching the faces of Eric and Mark. Watching the relief dawn on their face. They looked like they had been fighting. Woodsley didn't know how he knew but he did. He knew Eric too much. He hoped it wasn't about him. Woodsley asked to speak to them privately and they nodded. The rest of the group immediately got the hint and parted fast. Great. He hadn't meant to become the center of attention like that. He felt exposed.
The boys walked to the edge of the clearing, out of earshot of everyone else.
"Are- Are you ok, Woods?" Eric asked.
"No, Eric. I'm not." Woodsley said sighing. He didn't know how to broach the topic. How to start. This was so hard. Why was this so fucking hard?
"Why did you leave? Where did you go? What's going on?" Eric pleaded.
"I- I- I don't know how to say this. I don't know how to start. I just- fuck. Ok. Look. I had to get away from you two for a bit. Okay? You guys were- I spent the entire hike here behind you, watching you two goof off and talk and be cute and fucking adorable together and I just- I needed a break. I needed to take a sec and just get away because seeing you two together was fucking making me feel weird and gross and fucking lonely. And I just couldn't. I just couldn't."
"I- I'm sorry Woods. I didn't know you still-"
"Still what? Had feelings for you? Of course I do, Eric. I fell in love with you during on of the hardest and most traumatic moments of my life. You were my beacon. And even though I couldn't get past my own fucking shortcomings and internal issues, I still loved you and then you left and we grew apart and I thought you just needed space and that you would come back and we'd be okay again but then you broke up with me over text and a week later you're posting about your new boyfriend and I couldn't even be mad because he's fucking gorgeous and perfect for you and you two were so cute together it made me all confused and weird and then you came back and you brought him and he was even more fucking incredible in person and then I had to watch you two be cute and adorable and it made me feel like fucking shit."
"Woods I-" Eric started.
"You think I'm adorable?" Mark interjected, a slight smile on his face.
"Of course I do, have you seen yourself?" Woodsley said bitterly.
"Well, uh, thanks I guess." Mark said.
"Look. I'm sorry Mark, you don't deserve my fucked up self projecting my own issues on your relationship. And I'm not trying to get in between you two. But like Eric is my ex-boyfriend and like the reason I realized I was gay and we survived a really traumatic ordeal and I just, haven't dealt with it as well as he has and I-"
"Woods-" Eric tried to interject but Woodsley just kept going.
"-know it's fucked up and that you guys don't deserve it and it was shitty of me to leave and worry you all especially since everything but it's just been a really weird couple of days and weeks and years and I-"
"Woodsley-" Eric tried again.
"-I hate that I'm making this all about me but like its me and I'm me and that's kind of narcissistic but like I don't know how else to put it just hurts and I feel weird and I don't know what to do but I figured I'd at least let you know, because either know I've been acting weird and I just-"
"SHANE!" Eric yelled.
Woodsley stopped his spiral, wiping the tears that had started to fall from his eyes.
"I know, you hate me and I've ruined our friendship." Woodsley sighed.
"No, you dumbass. I don't hate you."
"Even after-?"
"Yes. Even after all of that. Look. I get it. We went through something traumatic and you almost died and then you said you liked me and I jumped into a relationship Even though I knew you weren't actually ready and the longer we dated the longer I thought you were just with me because you thought you were gonna die and it was a weird fucked up trauma bond thing. So I left. I thought space between us would bring us together but then we barely talked and it got weird and I met Mark and yeah. It was shitty to do that but I never stopped loving you. I thought I was dragging you down. Pressuring you into something you didn't really want. Because I wanted it. Like Fuck I wanted it so bad. But I knew you weren't ready and then I met Mark and I thought it would be best to just end it and let you grow on your own pace. I thought you were over it and had moved on and I'm sorry. Im so fucking sorry, Shane. "
"If I could-" Mark interjected. Both boys turned to him, their faces adorned with tears.
"Listen, I didn't know anything about the Final, or what happened between you two until recently. Something my darling, wonderful boyfriend over here, left out of every single conversation we've ever had. Which I did just yell at him about. Profusely."
"That he did. Wow. Never heard him raise his voice like that. Kinda hot, babe. Sorry Woods."
"Not the time, dumbass. I'm speaking. Anyway, I had no idea. And I'm sorry. Look, little dude. I think you're great. You and Eric survived a crazy ordeal and I get it. You two are linked forever by it. I could never understand what you went through. And I realize that it fucked you both up. Neither of you handled it great and because of it, neither of you got closure. And I'm man enough to realize that I need to let you guys figure this shit out. You're not coming in between us. I came in between you. Granted, had I known, I probably wouldn't have but we are here now and I think we are all adults to figure this out, together. So stop crying both of you and come here. Bring it in." Mark opened his arms expectantly. The two boys looked at him incredulously.
"You're fucking incredible, babe. You know that?" Eric stated.
"What he said." Woodsley seconded.
"I know that. Now get your cute butts in this hug."
They all embraced. Woodsley smelling both Eric and Mark and getting overwhelmed.
"And Woodsley-" Mark started to whisper before correcting himself. "-Shane. I know you're scared of getting in between us. And I don't want to break up with Eric. But maybe, maybe I'm ok with you getting between us. Consensually, of course. Like right between us. Kinda like this, but less,, clothed."
Both Woodsley and Eric gasped. They tried to pull away from the hug but Mark held firm.
"That is, if you both are up for it." He whispered grinning.
"I-" Woodsley started.
"Are you sure babe?" Eric asked.
"Listen, Shane over here is a cute little dude and, I see the way you two still stare at each other. And I'd rather it be consensual, then God Forbid, I find you cheating. I've seen enough shitty love triangle movies. We each got two hands. And im not opposed to a throuple situation. I'm down if yall are. Fuck relationship norms."
"I- I mean. I guess that'd be kind cool. I mean, if you're up for it Woodsley." Eric stammered.
"I mean fuck, are you two sure? I really don't wanna be a burden. I'm messed up."
"We all are, little dude. But I don't care. You're pretty awesome yourself. And I love Eric. I'm not giving him up without a fight. But like, it doesn't have to be a fight if you don't want it to be. This hug is kinda like really fucking nice."
"It really is, Woods."
"I- Yeah. I guess we could try to figure it out."
"You sure, Woods?" Eric whispered.
"I'm sure." Woodsley stated. "I'm down to try, if you are."
"You know, Eric promised me an interesting trip. And he didn't lie. I got to find out some people have superpowers, werewolves exist, my boyfriends tragic backstory, and meet his cute as fuck ex who thinks I'm adorable and now maybe I might get two boyfriends out it. You may be a bit of a dumbass, but you're definitely not a liar."
The boys fell apart giggling.
"Now, let's get back to the group. They've been watching us and they should really deal with the bleeding werewolf situation."
The boys laughed again and headed back to their friends. Peregrine who Most Definitely Wasn't Listening the whole time ran up to Woodsley and hugged him.
"I'm so proud of you, Woodsley." She whispered.
And for the first time in a while, He was proud of himself too.