Werewolves Don't Cry (BoyxBoy) [On Hold]

19| Flat As A Board

Days went by, not enough to make the boys comfortable after the events of the werewolf assault—Gray never stopped thinking about the next possible attack, and Jesse almost ate away his nails—but it was enough to spark a few buried feelings.

Gray hated the fact that he was grateful for what led to this moment, ashamed that he allowed himself to be 'happy' that the universe awarded him, after all this time apart, to be together at last. He liked the end result but despised the path that made his darling Jesse be under his wing, to seek his protection, to need him.

That need was a wolf's ultimate opportunity to show his love to his partner.

The boys relaxed by the pool, enjoying some beers under a moonlit sky. The evening was peaceful, so refreshing and healing it made them forget about their worries for a change. Kentucky on summer nights had that beautiful worry-free weather.

"You know," Gray said. "I really missed this."

"Missed what exactly?" Jesse chuckled. "Two college losers still living with their families."

"No. Us hanging out in this house."

"Oh."

Jesse tensed. He sipped his beer and attempted to avoid Gray's piercing stare.

Dang it, Jesse cursed in his thoughts. Here it comes.

"Why did you stop coming to this house?" Gray leaned over, trying to get Jesse to look at him. "Especially after we moved here. It's like you're avoiding me for some reason."

"What?" Jesse snapped back to Gray's face. "No, never! Why would you even think that?"

That little confession under Jesse's tone gave Gray a surge of dopamine. That high-pitched voice that came out of his best friend was sincere. That brief reaction meant the world to Gray, he couldn't help but smile.

Jesse cares about me.

Gray was once again content in his thoughts. He needed that reminder from time to time. He would be like a lost puppy without having to pull those words out of Jesse every once and a while. It was hard to do; Jesse wasn't exactly keen on expressing his love to anyone but his mother. Despite jumping from one relationship to another, Jesse never confessed his love to any of his girlfriends, or boyfriends, as Gray deduced over the years.

Gray learned to accept that much out of Jesse. However, he still wondered about what was keeping Jesse away from this house.

If it wasn't because of me, then...

He opened his mouth to ask when the doorbell rang, they heard it through the open living room windows.

Jesse sighed, saved by the bell. He didn't want this conversation to surface ever again. He didn't want to relive all his buried memories about this place, never ever.