Meant to be Broken [boyxboy] [Watty Awards 2012]

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ives was surprised to find that he was actually fairly excited to be going to see Tomi's school musical with him. At first, when Leigh said they should come, he hadn't really cared either way. Now, though, he was actually wondering what the heck he was expected to wear. Caring about how he looked was a rare thing for him.

So he asked Tomi when Tomi came over for dinner on Wednesday. "What do I wear to this musical?" he questioned, standing with his closet doors hanging open before him.

Tomi stood next to him and shrugged. "What you normally wear?" he suggested. "I have no idea. I didn't realize you were supposed to dress up to see a school musical."

"I feel like Leigh will kill us if we don't dress a little better," Ives replied, eying his messy closet like it was a monster about to attack him. "I thought I had a black polo shirt."

"This?" Tomi asked, reaching into the mess. Whatever he reached for must have fallen off the hanger, because he bent over with an "oops" and moved further into the miniature landfill.

Ives' heart sank where his boyfriend's hand was going. He mentally crossed his fingers and hoped Tomi would back off, but it was useless. Tomi hesitated, then pushed some junk aside, completely uncovering the bottles of alcohol Ives had stashed there months ago.

His green eyes, when he looked back at Ives, were both accusing and hurt.

Ives looked away. "They've been there a long time. Since before I met you. I don't remember the last time I had any, but it wasn't recently." When he glanced over, Tomi didn't look like he believed him. At all. "I swear, Tomi."

Tomi stood up straight and refused to meet his gaze. "Then why keep it all?"

Ives shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "Because what would I do with it? I can't put it in my mom's stash, she would want to know where it came from. She keeps track of it better now than she did when Kylle took it for me." He sighed and tried to catch Tomi's eye. "Do you want me to dump it down the drain? I will, just tell me."

For a moment Tomi was silent, which worried Ives even more than the fact that his boyfriend wouldn't look at him. Finally, Tomi just shook his head and sighed. "Don't," he said quietly. "It's your choice."

Ives grabbed Tomi by the shoulders and forced him to look at him. "Tomi, I haven't had any of it in a long time! I don't need it, I can get rid of it right now if you want me to, just tell me!"

Tomi shook his head. "I won't do that to you," he said quietly, still diverting his eyes.

Ives gave up. He let go of Tomi and flopped down on his bed with a groan of exasperation. "I don't know what you want me to do, Tomi," he stated, rubbing a hand over his face. "Tell me how to make you stop being mad at me."

Tomi was quiet for what felt like eternity, until he slid onto the bed with Ives. "I'm sorry. It was stupid of me to get mad about that."

Surprised, Ives let Tomi wrap his arm around him, and smiled as he pulled Tomi closer. Ives kissed him gently.

"I'm sorry," Tomi whispered again.

Ives kissed him again, pulling him as close as they could get. "It's okay," he said quietly. "I love you."

Tomi kissed him back, quite passionately. "I love you, too."

"Oh yeah?" Ives asked, smiling. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'd say so," Tomi declared, before taking Ives' head in both his hands and kissing him again.

Ives slid his hands up Tomi's shirt and kissed him back, completely unrestrained. Tomi's hands started going everywhere, and Ives felt a burning need for more. He moved his hands to Tomi's belt, hardly even pausing in his mad kissing to concentrate. Tomi was hardly a moment behind him, pausing to get Ives' belt undone. When Tomi's hand gripped him, Ives felt his breath catch. They really didn't get enough time for this.