05
by Mickey M
© January 2004

for nyx0774

Chris slams his locker shut, trying to ignore the whispers - and some not-whispers - from the group gathered at the end of the hallway. He brushes his hair back out of his face and leans down stiffly to gather his book bag and jacket, feeling vulnerable and exposed here in the hall. There's been plenty of talk so far, but nothing but talk - and hopefully it'll stay that way. The first bruises have hardly faded; he doesn't need another set.

"Hey, Kirkpatrick-we hear you're taking it up the ass now." Loud laughter accompanies the sneered comment as Chris passes the group - kids he'd called friends, thought were his friends, for years. He keeps his eyes forward, shuffling as fast as his still-healing body will allow. Just a few more steps and he'll be outside and away from them.

Outside, to where Joey's waiting for him.

"They still giving you shit?" He looks up at the sound of a familiar - loved - voice in time to stop before he plows into Joey. Looks into warm brown eyes and a big, happy smile.

"Eh." Chris shrugs awkwardly. "Less each day, I guess. I dunno." He smiles, and Joey's grin broadens. "I got a crapload of history and English; wanna help me study?"

Joey rolls his eyes and snorts. "Yeah, 'cos a junior is so gonna be helpful to a senior."

"I didn't say we what we had to study, did I?" It's kinda nice to see the surprise on Joey's face; Chris doesn't get to make double entendres to him very often. He's still too uncertain about his sexuality, about being out - however reluctantly - about everything. It doesn't help that there are still big gaps in his memory from the night he was beaten so badly. Joey's helped him piece a lot of it together, but there are blank spots that just won't fill in, no matter what.

"What'd you have in mind?" Joey's recovered from his surprise, takes Chris' bookbag; he knows without asking that Chris is worn out and sore by the end of the day.

"Hmm. Was thinking we could work on our biology." He gives Joey a sly grin and laughs at the pleasure that rises as a flush on sun-dark skin. They settle into the car and Chris catches the frown from Joey when he leans back against the seat with a weary sigh. "How...does it get better? I mean-will it stop?" He asks the question softly, because he knows the answer. Not completely, so long as he's here. Joey takes his hand, twining their fingers together.

"You don't really need me to answer that, do you?"

"Nah. It was rhetorical." He smiles when Joey leers playfully at him; they've had lots of conversations about Chris' vocabulary, and how Joey thinks it's so cool to have a 'really smart boyfriend'. "Where we goin'?"

"Dunno. I'm just the driver. Park? My house? Your house? Mars?"

"Marvin the Martian is wicked cool. Let's go there."

"Sure thing, baby." Joey grins at him and turns out of the parking lot. Several turns later, Chris knows they're heading toward Joey's house. He's good with that; they can have some privacy at Joey's, something they won't get at his place. He thinks of all the things he has now that he didn't before-a real, true friend. A boyfriend. Someone who actually understands him. Someone who wants to spend time with him and show him all the wonders that can happen between two guys. And it's all Joey.

At the first stoplight they have to wait for, Chris leans over and kisses the corner of Joey's mouth. Joey glances at him, a smile teasing his lips up. "What's that for?"

"Just for being you."

Joey catches his chin in one hand and kisses him back, a quick, hard press of his mouth, leaving Chris tingling and flushed when he lets go. "And that's for being you."

Yeah, some things are messed up now, but he wouldn't change anything any more. Not when he has that.