Work Text:
It’s been two weeks since detention. Two weeks after Andrew didn’t go home that night and ended up under a bridge with Brian. Two weeks since Brian got grounded and beat with a belt for disobeying.
Two weeks since Andrew told him that if he approached him at school he’d tear him a new one.
Andrew didn’t expect him to not approach him at all, though. Did he not want to be friends like he said that noon? Did he really think Andrew would hurt him?
The thing was… Andrew probably would hurt him as long as his friends were around. But he’s been distancing himself from them to try to get alone with Brian.
Maybe he should just forget how he kissed him that night.
Brian doesn’t talk to him until almost two months later. “Shit. Do you have a pencil on you?”
Andrew resists pointing to himself… Is Brian really talking to him again? “Uh- Im let me check.” Andrew searches through his backpack, movements a little too quick.
Brian sits awkwardly, quietly clearing his throat while his gaze jumps around the room.
Shit, Andrew’s coming up empty.
”It’s fine I can just-“ Brian gets cut off by Andrew holding out the pencil he was just using. “Oh. Thanks.” Brian smiles shortly before turning back to his work.
”Yeah anytime.” Andrew mumbles, staring at his blank worksheet. His mind begins trailing.
Sitting under the bridge where the dirty water is rushing under their feet, sharing their secrets to each other never to be told to anyone else.
Andrews hands underneath Brian’s shirt, his lips on his-
Nope. He was probably still high at that point. Andrew needs a distraction.
He stares down at his empty worksheet. Work. Work will do.
He gave his only pencil to the kid sitting behind him. Shittt. Ok, new plan.
He looks around the room, finding a blonde girl, kind of skinny, wearing a skirt way too short to be in dress code. Perfect distraction. He slides his chair over to her.
“Have I seen you before?” He asks her, reaching towards the corner of her desk.
She looks up from her worksheet. “Uh… I’ve been here since the beginning of our freshman year. We’ve had a class together since middle school.”
”Oh. Right.” Andrew pulls away. “Wanna get to know each other better?”
“Yeah, but would your boyfriend appreciate it if I told him you were hitting on me?” She bites back, turning to her paper.
”My- huh? No, it’s not like that.” Andrew denies. “Why… did you hear something?” His dad’s gonna kill him.
She shrugs. “No. Im just observant of how people look at other people.”
He gives her a short nod. “Right. Well nothing going on there.” He adds an awkward laugh at the end, sinking back into his chair.
”Brian Johnson to the principals office. Brian Johnson to the principals office.”
Mrs. Foyer the secretary repeats. A chorus of “Oos” follow Brian out of his chair.
Shit, did he get in trouble? Maybe they found out about the bridge but they wouldn’t call him in for it. Or what if his parents found out and they’re pulling him out of school… he’d never see him again-
His train of thought was cut off as he watched Brian’s assets as he walked away. Fine batch, if he says so himself.
It’s been three hours, still no sight of Brian. Andrew’s getting really worried now, that is until he sees Brian holding a reward talking outside with a girl who he recognizes to be on Brian’s team. She was dating Larry at the time Andrew- yeah.
Brian smiles brightly at her before walking towards Andrew’s direction, who completely hid his body behind the corner. What are you doing WALK AWAY! He’s gonna see you and think- oh what would he think-
Brian turns the corner, bumping into him. “Sorry- Andrew? Hi.”
”Uh hey…” Andrew rubs his head.
Brian furrows his eyebrows, glancing behind him. “Were you… following me?”
“What? Psst NO that would be so crazy.”
”I saw you staring at me outside of the office.” Brian blinks at him.
”Oh… you forgot to give me my pencil back.” Andrew quickly makes up the excuse.
“Right.” Brian reluctantly believes the statement. “Ok. I’ll get my bag it’s still in Mr. Evan’s class.”
“Ok. You do that.” Andrew stuffs his sweaty hands into his pockets as he watches Brian walk off.
Brian turns around. “Are you coming with me?”
”Yeah! On my way, totally.” He swallows fast walking to him.
After an awkward walk they reach the classroom as Brian grabs the pencil off his desk. “Here.”
”Thanks.”
They stand there in awkward silence before Brian begins to move. “Wait.” Andrew grabs his arm, keeping him there. “Can we talk?”
“Now?”
Andrews about to agree when he hears his friend Tony outside talking loudly about a girl he added on his roster. “Uhm… after school? The bridge?”
Brian freezes. “Yeah. That’s alright.” He says before walking out.
Andrew waits a good two minutes before walking out after him, meeting up with his friend Steve.
”Where were you, I thought you died.” Steve pats Andrew on the back.
”Or screwing another chick.” Adam winks at him.
”Cut it out, weirdos.” Andrew rolls his eyes. “Let’s go out for lunch.”
”Why so you can order the whole menu?” Steve asks before pulling out his keys anyways.
Adam rushes to the door. “You said I’d get to drive today!”
”You snooze you lose!” Steve runs towards his car.
After turning down their invites to hang out at the track after school, he calls his mom and tells her he’ll be spending the rest of the day with them anyway.
He comes to the bridge, catching up with Brian that was almost about to leave. “Brian! Wait!” He runs up to him.
“Andrew, I thought you were ditching.”
”sorry, got dragged into something. Sit.” He swallows, sitting down in the shaded area beneath the bridge.
Brian instantly follows, moving closer to him. “What are you-“ he says as Andrew moves close, getting cut off by Andrew’s lips touching his. “Oh…”
”Was that ok?”
”Yeah,” Brian touches his lips. “Just wasn’t what I was expecting today.”
Andrew cranes his neck to look down at the dirty water. “You haven’t talked to me.”
”There was never a right time. You have a lot of friends.” Brian sadly smiles.
Andrew sighs, thinking to himself. “What if I didn’t care anymore?”
”About?”
”About my image. My dad doesnt care about my life unless I’m jacked and mean so… I’d like to be with you. Maybe not publicly yet but-“
”Andrew”
”-I’d like to be with you. This is the first time I really felt happy-“
”-Andrew,”
”and I think I love you.”
the words come out too fast. They immediately get regretted. “We can’t.”
Andrews dreamy expression drops. “What?”
“We can’t… not at school. We can hang out sometimes but my parents won’t let me do this every day.” Brian sucks in his bottom lip, looking up at Andrew with large brown eyes.
”Oh. Well.” Andrew clears his throat. “I mean, well… we can always figure something out, right?”
”Yeah, right.” Brian smiles sadly.
“Can I kiss you?”
”Please.”
Andrew grabs the front of Brian’s shirt, crashing their lips together. When they break apart 30 seconds later, Andrew whispers. “Dont leave me.”
”Never.”
”Please.”
“I’ll never leave you.”