Close Association (Sebastian Moy v Regie Macalino)

The emotions

Afraid to ask more questions, I said hurried goodnights to the group and went to hide in my room. Unfortunately for me even that failed to offer an escape, as Regie, Darren and Ty had gotten there at some point. Ty was shooting a live video for his socials, of Reggie and Darren doing little dances. The chatter and music faded in the background as I focused on how cute  Regie looked even though Darren was being sus as usual which I thought was funny...that was until Darren put his hand on Regie's waist. Without even knowing how I was already moving. I stood behind them staring at Darren's hand, feeling this intense frustration in my chest to remove it. He really could cross the line at times. How did he think holding Regie like that was ok. I focused on calming my mind, there was no need to act like a caveman. I'm the rational brother. I took a deep breath and realized I felt better, Regie's cologne filled my senses and I always associated it with warmth and wholeness. I took a deep breath again, then almost jumped back when I noticed what I was doing. I was pulling Regie. his back flush on my chest, with one of my arms snaking around his abdomen and I'd buried my face in his neck. I could feel his erratic heartbeat but also I could have sworn that his body sagged towards me. I knew I needed to pull away, but I was painfully hard and everyone was so quiet, the entire situation was so awkward. 

Damn Seb, you just had to go and ruin years of hard work. I thought, cursing under my breath.

Third Party POV

Justin and Ryan were in Justin's room, watching Ty's live video and cracking jokes about the terrible dances that Darren was making. While Ryan was generally closed off, Justin had over the years managed to get him to be comfortable around him. If  asked Justin or JP as he liked to be called, would have said that they were soulmates. The understood each other at a deeper level and their souls just synced. For him, Ryan was his person, that person who he could always rely. These thoughts made him lift his eyes to observe the other, and found the other already looking at him. Their gazes held, Ryan lifted one of his fine eyebrows in the way that JP knew meant: what? 

Smiling again, he shook his head no, making his bangs spring to his eyes. Ryan leaned slightly forward, to swipe them out of his eyes.

"I think we would have made a great couple." Justin said placing his phone on the space between them so he could adjust the pillow he was leaning on. 

"Nah bro. You talk too much" Ryan chimed his gaze softening as it went back to the live.

Justin just laughed knowing that his extroverted personality was the least of their concerns. For to be a couple, there should be more than platonic love.

In the video, Darren leaned over to Regie and snaked his arm around Regie's waist. Regie just laughed and shook his head.

Justin felt before he saw Ryan's anger. He didn't speak or say anything. Its just the way he suddenly tensed, holding himself steady as if that would have stopped the tears that quietly slipped out of his eyes. 

Justin took a second to curse at that stupid blockhead Darren but decided he would save it for latter. For now, Ryan needed him. 

He huddled closer and pulled the other man into his arms. Ryan sniffed, his croaky voice coming out release incoherent words of, "I told you he obviously liked Regie... did you see the way he looked at him...he will never like me Jus."

Justin could only tighten his arms around his best friend. He had nothing to say to ease his doubts and fears even though he knew he'd never been wrong in such matters. He had been successfully matching his friends up because of this talent and while it never worked for him, he'd truly believed that Darren felt the same for Ryan.