Chapter 3 3

When the semester slows down and they have some time to breathe, he and Dylan find themselves in their dorm together often they find out quickly that they both love anime so every Thursday night they gather on Dylan’s tiny bed with food and new episodes to watch.

A respectable distance, of course Andre with his legs thrown over the edge of the bed, leaned back on his arms. while Dylan is all the way against the headboard. knees curled to his chest.

A plethora of food and water bottles splayed between them. It's safe and comfortable.

Chill. chill until they decide to watch another anime after they’re all caught up on their weeklies. 

Several episodes in Andre is laying back entirely. One leg off the mattress and the other bent.

Dylan has gotten more comfortable too. 

long legs extended out. Nowhere near touching,but Andre can feel the dent in the mattress. They’re between episodes when Andre has a pillow being shoved beneath his head, Dylan’s soft voice murmuring, “you can’t be comfortable laying like that” and then Dylan returns his gaze to the screen but there’s no hiding the way his cheeks are bright red.

Glowing and so miserably pretty.

So devastatingly beautiful.

Andre groans internally.

Fuuuuuuck!

Andre has a decision to make and it comes rather easy. He needs to make a very clear distinction between the friendship he is now forging with Dylan and the unhinged desire he feels for him. 

He and Daniel have played hockey together since they were kids. Glued to the hip and raised damn near like siblings. 

So much so that when they both were offered scholarships to the same university, they took it, no questions asked. So to be feeling all of these things… all of this reckless want …he can’t. he won’t . but damn, it’s fucking hard.

Hard because he and Dylan spend so much damn time together now. they found out they have Monday and Wednesday classes in the same building…because of course the universe loves and hates him simultaneously. It became a part of their routine rather naturally, to walk together. although on Wednesdays their walk is cut short because Daniel meets Dylan halfway with coffee and a pastry and Andre is such a dick because if he were a good friend he would tell Daniel on the low how Dylan doesn’t like those fruity pastries but is just too shy to say it. 

He’d tell him that he always finds them wrapped up and hidden in their trash can. 

Then Andre would recommend his bro start buying the double chocolate ones that Dylan salivated over.

Andre brought one home for himself a few weeks ago and you would’ve thought he had a million dollars in his hand the way Dylan gaped and asked what it was.

It's so simple to be a good friend. a good bro. a good wingman. so easy to do what’s right in this situation for Daniel.

And yet…he can’t bring himself to.

Because the look on Dylan’s face Friday evening when Andre gets back to the dorm with two of the double chocolate pastries? it’s worth all of the gut twisting he endures when

Daniel is around.

Dylan does not enjoy hockey. If he had to rank all of the sports on a chart, hockey is so close to the very rock bottom. But….for the first time… basically ever …he wants to go the game this weekend.

SO bad.

Andre was unbelievably sweet and brought them the most delicious dessert ever last night. He wants to return the favor, maybe he can take a whole bunch of post-game energy fuel to the team…squad?? whatever they’re called. 

But there’s a way bigger problem at hand, after Dylan has bought four dozen pastries. Even taking the time at their dorm to individually wrap them all– the problem is that he’s fucking dating Daniel . So why does he want to go to a stupid game for a stupid sport for someone else? It is at this exact moment that Dylan realizes he is going to gain so much weight in the next week because he will have to eat all of these by himself.

Daniel would absolutely know something is up if he showed up to the game. and how would he explain the pastries face down in his pillow he wants to cry. it’s not even anything bad…he doesn’t like

Andre is not like that anyway. But Dylan doesn’t really have any friends and so talking to Andre everyday and hanging out together is so much fun.

He just wants to be a good friend.

And it is waaaay too early for Andre to be back home. Dylan has a ridiculous amount of these wrappers sprawled around himself when the dorm door kicks open.

Andre looks exactly as he did when he left this morning so Dylan is confused…he knows they had a game today. Andre slumps onto the bed, “the other team came down with a massive case of food poisoning and the game was postponed.”

“damn, that sucks.” Dylan doesn’t realize he’s fixing his hair until Andre’s eyes find his own and he snorts. “Do you like them that much?”

Dylan is confused at what the hell Andre is talking about. until he suddenly feels the chocolate on his lip and his chin. and hears the crinkle of wrappers beneath his knee. He looks like a pig .

This is so embarrassing. and Dylan doesn’t really feel embarrassment. ever .

“I—I– these– I“

Andre stands up, head shaking as he moves to grab his basket of shower supplies off the dresser between their beds with a giggle. 

Andre reaches down and his thumb swipes the chocolate off of Dylan’s chin. Mindless, like he’s done it a million times before as he brings the chocolate to his lips, “don't stop on my account.” then the bathroom door clicks shut and Dylan falls backwards from the heavy pounding of his heart.

what.

the.

fuck.