YeeT I FINISHED IT FINALLY after 24 years of procrastination i wrote this.

Also shoutout to the one n only Bryce McQuaid for making fucking twitch emotes of his cats?? Like What even???

And I'm gonna apologize in advance because idk how to write people arguing. This book is a lot of testing ground for me tbh.

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"Did- did he lock us in?" Ryan stares in disbelief at the door to the restrooms. He watches as Luke angrily kicks at it, not caring whether he breaks it down or not.

Luke gives out some strange, frustrated noise, slamming a fist into it. "Fucking hell! Bryce McQuaid, you sack of shit, get back here!"

(Wow, angry much? Where did this anger even come from?)

There's nothing but giggles from the other side. "You guys make up! Sort out your feelings and be happy! Trust me, you guys have a lot to say to each other!"

They both stare at each other. It's dead silent. Do they go with Bryce's plan? Or do they break the door down? Ryan's sure Luke is capable of breaking it down. Does he know this door is a public door, though? Like... they're in a coffee shop. He can't just destroy the door like this-!

"Luke! Stop!" Ryan moves to grab Luke's fist and hold it tightly, pulling it away from the innocent door and the not-so-innocent man behind it. "We're in a fucking coffee shop! You can't just break the door down like this!"

Luke doesn't hesitate to respond with a bitter, "Oh, but Bryce can lock us in? That's socially acceptable?"

"W- well, not really, but..."

Ryan is now realizing that Luke has a point, as much as he hates to admit it. How did Bryce get them into a place like this, and manage to lock them in a fucking restroom with no consequences?

He wants to call out to Bryce, but he's almost positive he won't be getting an answer anytime soon. So he squeezes Luke's fist tightly in an attempt to be reassuring, and smiles. "Come on. It... we don't have to actually talk. He'll let us out eventually."

"We don't have to talk? What, the same way you didn't talk to me?"

Ouch. Okay, so maybe Ryan did a stupid.

"It- it wasn't my fault," he sputters out. "I- I just-"

Luke rolls his eyes. "Oh, it's not my fault that I chose deliberately to not speak to you, now ain't it?"

"I panicked! I panicked, okay?! Excuse me for being surprised by a question! I didn't think we would have that conversation!" Ryan crosses his arms out of habit and gives Luke a stern look. "What does it matter what we are?! We're friends, aren't we?"

Luke steps away from Ryan, clenching his fists. "Friends don't just get all kissy-kissy with each other, you dumb fuck," he shouts, making Ryan flinch.

"Okay, okay! Maybe you're right," he whines. "I just didn't think we needed a label! You like me, and I guess I like you too and-"

"You guess?! You fucking guess?! Gee," Luke yells, "I guess I might as well go shove my dick into a fucking blender!"

Ryan isn't sure what it is about Luke's tone that pisses him off. Yes, he panicked a bit, but dear lord is this an overreaction. He wants to say that Luke should go take his nice beard, his muscles and charming personality and go fuck himself. He wants to tell Luke to pull his head out of his ass and stop wearing it as a hat, or to stop taking out his own insecurities or whatever on him. Ryan wants to do it so, so badly. The words are on the tip of his tongue, he can feel his chest puffing up with air so he can scream and yell and give this bastard a piece of his mind and...

And yet he doesn't.

Ryan simply takes a deep breath, looks straight up at Luke, and speaks.

"I don't know what's wrong with you. I- I don't know how this got so out of hand, or why you're so angry, or acting like I murdered your family. You like me. A lot. I get it. I like you too, Luke," Ryan says, voice strained and sounding a little shaky. "I just... I worry that I don't like you the same way you like me, because you clearly love me a lot to be so distraught over this."

There's a moment of silence. Luke is staring at the floor, then up at the ceiling. He suddenly laughs, tears falling down his face (which is a completely new thing for Ryan to see) and shakes his head. "God... you're so oblivious. No wonder, no wonder, no wonder!"

Is he missing something? Was his epic heartfelt mini-speech not enough? Ryan doesn't know what to do other than sit and watch Luke, feeling lost and confused.

He goes through the events of the past few days. Luke kisses him then asks what they are. Throws in some confession of sorts, and Ryan panics and says nothing. Suddenly Luke is off the radar for three days (Two? Four? He wasn't counting) and now Bryce locks them in a public restroom to be friends.

Luke is distraught, angry and apparently lost in some emotion Ryan can't seem to process or identify. Ryan is confused and hurt, and the strange stirring within him isn't helping at all. He's not sure what it is, but it's something and it's a something that only happens when he's around Luke. A part of him wants to say it's love, but the rational side of his argues against it wildly. Does he love Luke, or the feeling of someone kissing him and doting on him the way Luke does? Maybe he just likes the affection?

Does he love Luke for himself or just the attention? It's a bad thing to say, but a very real feeling.

Ryan looks at Luke. He's damaged, Ryan realizes. Very damaged. Ryan's sure Luke wasn't born like this-with his "fuck the world" attitude and the wild, almost uncontrollable emotions. Something happened to make him this way, something long before the whole "bad boy" act Luke (apparently, because Ryan's never seen much of it aside from their first encounter) has began, before Bryce and Jonathan.

(Or maybe he's overthinking this entire thing. Maybe a part of him hopes that this isn't just pure, unbridled anger coming from Luke and that for some dumb, dumb reason Ryan isn't the one in the wrong, or that this isn't just some dumb miscommunication gone wild.)

Another couple minutes go by. They're both quiet, Ryan thinking his stuff over and Luke doing his own thing. Ryan has gotten an idea. It's a dumb idea- makes him feel like he's playing the pity card here, and Ryan hates doing that- but it's an idea and it might work. He looks over at Luke, before speaking up quietly.

"Hey... Luke?"

There's no verbal response, just a raised eyebrow and Luke's eyes on him.

"Maybe, once we get out of here... Maybe you'd wanna go out? Like- like a date?" Ryan sees Luke's wary look, the snarky comment forming on his lips, and quickly continues with his request. "I mean, you said you wanted there to be something, and what better way to do it than to go out?"

"You don't gotta pity me," Luke responds.

Ryan holds back a cringe. "I know. I'm not, I swear. I just.. I think it would be good. For both of us. We can just forget this," he says, practically begging by now, "We can forget this stupid misunderstanding and move on to bigger and better things! I don't understand why we're arguing like this, Luke, and I want it to stop."

Luke is quiet for a second. He stares at Ryan, right into his soul, and the feeling of Luke's eyes going over his body makes him blush like crazy. He doesn't know why, though, because Luke is angry and probably going to punch him. Ryan braces himself for impact.

But then Luke suddenly grabs his hand, and squeezes it tightly, and Ryan is confused now more than ever.

"I'm sorry," he says quietly, so quiet Ryan isn't sure if this is even Luke anymore. "I... I think I'm just overreacting. Shit's happening, you know?"

Ryan isn't sure if this is the truth, or some sort of justification for Luke flipping out. Or maybe his wariness is his way of putting the blame on Luke..?

This is all too confusing. Ryan nods, acting like he understands the context of Luke's words (aka what 'shit's happening' is supposed to mean) and smiles. "It's okay."

To be fair, that is a reasonable.. reason, if Ryan is to be honest. Life gets you down, your friend fucks up your spontaneous confession(?) and then you're locked in a restroom together.

"Can't we just... you know, forgive and forget? Or at the very least, forget?" Ryan smiles at Luke's words, holding a hand out to him.

"Yeah. We can just-"

"Hey! You guys are taking way too long!" Bryce's voice calls out from the outside world, accompanied by the soft click of the door unlocking. Bryce walks in with a pout on his face and arms crossed. "Come on. You guys can finish your little love speeches out on the sidewalk. Mike and I are going out to the animal shelter, so you guys need to get the heck out."

"Who the fuck is Mike?" Luke and Ryan both ask Bryce the same thing, and it's kinda creepy.

Bryce smiles, grabbing the lone worker that had served Bryce his drink, and shows him off proudly. "This is Mike! He's my friend, and his brother owns this place! You guys didn't think I'd lock you in a coffee shop while it's actually open, would you?"

Ryan and Luke exchange looks. It's all they need to tell each other, "this boy's lost it, hasn't he?"

And yes, yes he has.

They all walk out to the front of the store, Mike and Bryce quickly locking everything up. Bryce and Mike, whoever this guy is, say their goodbyes and leave in a car together. Ryan looks over at Luke for answers, but only receives a shrug.

"Well... since we're out, do you wanna go get lunch? I'm fucking hungry," Luke says, as if they weren't having some emotional conversation two minutes ago.

Ryan is thankful for this, and nods. "Yeah. Pizza sounds great."

"What toppings do you want?" Luke asks him as he walks over to his car, Ryan right behind him.

He shrugs. "I don't know. Pepperoni and bacon and... Olives? Olives are nice. Maybe anchovies-"

"Oh, fuck no! Get your nasty olive shit away! And I'm not even gonna comment on the bacon." Luke gives a laugh as he pushes Ryan playfully.

Ryan can't believe his ears. "What, I can understand the bacon, but olives? You've never had olives on your pizza?"

"No, because I'm a normal person who puts normal, not disgusting toppings on, like extra cheese or mushrooms and jalapeños!"

They both look at each other for a second, standing on opposite sides of Luke's car. It's quiet, but a nice quiet without any tension or awkwardness. They get in, Ryan gently closing the door and waiting for Luke to start driving.

He thinks. He has something he wants to say, but isn't sure if this is the right time for it. Of course, Ryan's stupid brain tells him to do it, so he does it anyways.

"Hey... Luke?"

Luke glances at him. "Yeah?"

"I wanna tell you something."

"Okay, what is it?"

Ryan takes a deep breath. He forces himself to look up at Luke, even though all he wants to do is melt into the ground right now, and speaks. "I... I wanted to say that I know you like me. And... and that I kinda feel the same way. And I do want to have something, but I'm bad at expressing my feelings through words and shit like that. So maybe... maybe we can call this a date? Like, our first date, kinda?"

He watches Luke with hopeful eyes, Luke seeming stunned and maybe delighted, maybe frustrated. He can't tell. Luke looks at Ryan, then back at the road as he turns the car around some corner.

"No," Luke finally says.

Ryan feels a flash of dread come over him. "W- what?"

"I said no, because if we're going on a first date then I ain't taking you to some shitty pizza place like this. So... no. For now, the answer is no."

This isn't how Ryan hoped this would go, but it's not exactly a bad thing. He finds himself thinking his options over, along with his plans for the next few days, then smiles playfully at Luke.

"I'm free on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, in case you're curious."