Through Thick and Thin

by J. P. Oliver

  Tom laughed. “Nah, I’m good. But you are single, right?”

  “Last I checked,” Lance said, hoping he had managed to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

  “See, I think that’s just a shame,” Tom said. “I admit I tried flirting with you just a little before, but I think you were too distracted by the whole…”

  “Friend’s house on fire business? Yeah.” Lance was totally lying, but it wasn’t like Tom had to know that any semblance of flirting sent Lance running for the hills.

  Tom nodded, still smiling. “Yeah, I’m glad that he was okay and all. So I was wondering, since you are apparently the most eligible bachelor and all, if you’d be free tomorrow night to grab some dinner?”

  It wasn’t like the question was unexpected, but it still threw Lance for a loop.

  Should he?

  On the one hand, this living together thing was a huge opportunity with Travis. Maybe now Travis could finally see how good they were together—initial missteps with living together notwithstanding. As he’d thought in the café this morning, maybe this could be the beginning of a new step for them.

  On the other hand, he’d been pining after Travis for years...literally, for about a decade. Yeah, he’d had a couple of other boyfriends, but he’d never been as into the relationships as he could have been, because he was continually distracted by his lingering feelings for Travis.

  And so far, Travis had yet to act in a way that was out of the ordinary. Hell, Matthew had put up a goddamn sign that Lance was the town’s most eligible bachelor. If that didn’t wake Travis up to the idea that he might want to lay claim to Lance, then nothing would.

  No way Lance was forgiving Matthew for that stunt though. Oh no. Matthew was going to pay for this. Somehow.

  What if Travis still didn’t realize anything? Or what if he had realized, a long time ago, that he and Lance could potentially be a couple and had decided against it? Why on earth would living together for a few weeks and a silly stunt pulled by a friend change Travis’s mind?

  And even if it did… would it hurt to go on one date with a cute guy? Sure, the idea made Lance nervous, but he might as well give it a shot at this point.

  Besides, maybe… maybe Matthew had a point, about trying out a date with someone that he hadn’t spent a lot of time with. Maybe he just needed a kick in the damn pants to get himself someone who would actually notice all that he did for them, rather than hoping for the slow burn romance that Hollywood had tricked him into.

  On a more practical note, this would also be an excuse to get out of his apartment for tomorrow night’s poker game. He was happy to plan it for Travis and have everyone over, but he’d never been fond of cards, so he could just skip out while the others got down to business.

  Lance smiled, hoping that his face didn’t reveal the nerves twisting and twining around like snakes inside of him. “Okay. Would you like my number?”

  They exchanged numbers, and Lance had to just grab some potato chips and get out of there immediately after that, so he could have a proper session of hyperventilating in the car.

  Holy shit. He’d given a guy his number and agreed to go on a date with him. He hadn’t done that since college, and even then, the guy had been in the same class with Lance for nine weeks before they’d gone on their first date.

  Hey, at least Matthew would be proud.

  Lance saved the number under Tom, Fire Chief, because he was awful with names, and then deliberately put the phone at the bottom of one of the grocery bags so that he wouldn’t be tempted to check it for an incoming text.

  Anticipation and fear warred in his gut as he started the car and headed back to the apartment. How did you go on a date with someone that you didn’t know? There were a hundred and one ways that he could screw this up.

  And what was Travis going to think?

  10

  Joe’s was pretty much empty when Travis first got there. There were always some people, mostly the retired folk like Bill and Nancy, who hung out all day and treated the bar like a gigantic neighborhood living room, and there were a few people who would stop by for lunch now that Joe’s served food. Between the lunch rush and dinner however, there was almost nobody there.

  Bill and Nancy were set up in one of the corner booths, looking at something on their phones and shooting the breeze, a couple of beers in front of them. Seth was in another booth with another boy and a girl, all of them quietly exchanging notes and talking with textbooks and laptops open in front of them. Luke was behind the bar, looking over some papers. Travis strode on up.

  “Hey there. Anything I can do to help?”

  Luke snorted. “Nothing. Shockingly enough, I’ve actually got things under control nowadays.”

  “I’m not sure I like how Adam’s sarcasm is rubbing off on you,” Travis lied, sitting on a barstool. “So. Any good gossip then? Lance and I stayed in to watch a movie last night. Did we miss anything?”

  “Besides Davis going on and on about his date this afternoon, nah.” Luke rolled his eyes. “I’m kind of curious to know how it went, though.”

  “He’ll be in soon enough to tell us about it,” Travis said. He jerked his head towards Seth at the booth. “So, how’s he doing?”

  Talking about Seth was always something that Luke was happy to do. Given their age difference and the way that Luke now looked after Seth, it wasn’t that Seth was like a kid to Luke, exactly, but it was more than a typical sibling relationship as well.

  As they chatted, the bar slowly filled up, busiest on a Saturday night. Travis had just enough beers to start to feel that buzz in the back of his skull and he began to people-watch, seeing who came in, who might make a fun partner for the night.

  Davis flung himself in at around six, babbling about his date and how well it had gone and this guy was a perfect gentleman and he just had to be the one. Luke just gave Travis that look that said don’t hold your breath and patiently listened to Davis prattle on. Knowing Davis’s track record, the guy would be dumping him or something within a week or two.

  Jake and Matthew showed up at some point as well, so Davis started telling his story about his date all over again. Taking that as his cue, Travis turned around so that his back was to the bar and he could scan the crowd that had swelled while Davis had been talking.

  There were plenty of people here tonight. Lots of handsome guys. Travis finished his drink and moved over to the farther end of the bar, away from his friends, so that none of them could accidentally interrupt and cockblock him.

  He kept his back to the bar, surveying the room, and caught sight of a guy standing at one of the high-top tables. He was tall and lean, with dark hair and bright blue eyes...gorgeous, really. Travis had seen him around a few times, and was pretty sure that they might actually have gone to school together, but been a couple of grades apart. He couldn’t remember the guy’s name though.

  Travis caught the guy’s eye a few times, and after the fifth time or so, Travis let a slow, easy smile curl his lips upward.

  The guy came over.

  “I’ve seen you around a few times,” Travis said, letting that smile stay on his face. He eyed the guy up and down. “Not sure I recall your name, though.”

  “I’m Eric,” the guy replied, holding out his hand for Travis to shake. “I grew up here, but I live in the city now. I come by about once a month or so, say hi to old friends, that kind of thing.”

  “You into making new friends as well?” Travis asked, drawing the words out.

  “I definitely am,” Eric said, grinning at him. It was a little too sharp of a grin if you asked Travis. There was no softness to it.

  It lacked, Travis realized, that fond familiarity that came from smiling at someone you knew.

  “So, you are…?” Eric prompted.

  “Travis,” Travis answered.

  “I’ve seen you around too,” Eric said. “Always thought you had a boyfriend, though, that tiny blond one. You and he have a split?” Eric’s smile widene
d. “I’m happy to be your rebound.”

  It should be the perfect opportunity. Travis could go with the heartbroken boyfriend routine, or brush that off, but either way, Eric was obviously looking for a one night stand, just the kind of thing that Travis thrived on.

  Yet… he wasn’t interested. He just couldn’t muster up any enthusiasm.

  Now that they were up close, Travis could see that Eric’s eyes were… too bright. They were blue, strikingly so, but it was disconcerting. He preferred paler blue eyes, softer, like faded denim.

  Like Lance’s, actually.

  Travis felt the twisting, tight feeling in his chest, but he wasn’t circling the drain anymore—he was plunging in.

  Eric was handsome, all right, and charming as well if the shine in his eyes and the flirtatious smile making the corners of his mouth twitch upward were any indication. His hair was dark though, and his eyes too bright; he was tall and everything that Travis didn’t want.

  All that he’d been trying to stuff down all day came rushing up inside of him. The way he’d gotten so angry at that board that Matthew had put up, the conviction that Lance deserved better—the way that Dad had talked about Lance, and how easy it was just to be around him, to be close to him, how it felt wrong not to be…

  Fuck. He was attracted to Lance. He wanted Lance.

  If there was an award presented to the stupidest person of the year, Travis probably would have won it.

  Why the hell would he pick up a guy at the bar when he had Lance, who was gorgeous and who he loved fitting in against his side, and who supported him and went out to breakfast with him all the time? Lance—when he had that, his best friend, why would he even try to find anyone else?

  That had been what Dad had been trying to tell him earlier. Probably something Luke had tried to tell him at some point too, knowing Luke. Why chase one night stands when he already had a perfect relationship waiting for him, one that he just needed to add sex to?

  And, honestly, who wouldn’t want to sleep with Lance if they got the chance. It was why Travis was always having to run interference.

  God, he’d been an idiot.

  “I’m so sorry,” he blurted out. “I’ve got to go.”

  Eric frowned, his forehead crinkling in surprise, but Travis just yanked out a few dollar bills and waved at Luke. “Hey. Luke!” He put the money on the counter, indicating it, and then took off.

  Luke yelled something at him, probably that he’d left too much change or something, but Travis didn’t care. He hopped in his car and drove straight to Lance’s apartment.

  Okay, given the buzzing sensation he was still kind of floating in, maybe he shouldn’t have driven. He parked extra carefully.

  When he got inside, Lance was carefully putting bags of potato chips, chocolate, dip and tons of other party food in the cupboards and fridge. He looked up, jumping a little as Travis entered.

  “Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me,” he admitted. “Uh…” Lance looked around at the food. “So, this was supposed to be a surprise, so would you mind just pretending to be surprised tomorrow when you come in and everyone’s here for poker night?”

  Travis stared at him. Lance had bought food and was going to surprise him with a poker night since he couldn’t hold his weekly game at his own house. Lance hated poker, but he was holding a game at his apartment...for Travis.

  Lance had let Travis into his home. He’d barely complained when Travis basically trashed the place his first night and morning there. He’d laughed at all of Travis’s annoying jokes, he’d walked Travis over to talk to his dad…he’d been there, for Travis, for all of it. Hell, he was handling the insurance for the fire damage to the house.

  How the hell had he been so blind?

  “Trav?” Lance said, using his nickname—the nickname only Lance used. Fuck’s sake, Travis had been a goddamn idiot. “You okay?”

  Travis nodded. “Sorry, I’m just—having a moment.”

  “A moment?” Lance frowned. “What does that mean? What kind of—”

  Travis strode forward, pulled Lance to him, and kissed him.

  For a moment, it was the most awkward kiss he’d ever had. Lance’s mouth was half open from talking and he was stiff with surprise, and for a second, Travis thought that he’d just messed up everything and he was going to be kicked out and never get to speak to Lance again.

  But then, Lance all but melted against him, going wonderfully pliant, his mouth softening against Travis’s as he let Travis work their lips together, wrapping his arms more firmly around Lance. Lance was smaller than he was. Travis had always known that, but he’d never felt it quite so much as he did now, feeling how he could wrap his arms around Lance so completely like this.

  Lance’s hands were hanging limply by his sides at first but quickly came up to grip Travis’s shirt, digging his nails in a little like he needed this to hurt, like he needed as much confirmation as possible that this was real.

  Usually, when Travis kissed someone, it was a bit about showing off. He was a good kisser and he knew it, liked to employ little tricks to make the other person moan. This time however, he just sank into it, sliding his tongue in slowly, exploring, wanting to figure out exactly what Lance wanted. He just wanted to make Lance feel good, not make himself look good.

  He pulled back, breathing hard, staring down into Lance’s shocked face. Lance was still pliant against him, relying on Travis’s arms to hold him up, and something in Travis’s chest roared in triumph at the thought. Lance should always be leaning on him, always be relying on him, not on any other guy.

  “Where the hell did that come from?” Lance asked. He sounded wrecked. His mouth was now red and slick from the kiss, and Travis just had to dive back in and plant another slow, sucking kiss on him.

  How could he not have realized? He was an idiot, that’s why. Everyone else had seen it, obviously, seen that Lance was good for him, that he wanted Lance, and painfully so, if only he’d let himself.

  “Trav, I’m serious,” Lance said, pulling back. He planted his hands on Travis’s chest. Travis was definitely the stronger of the two, and Lance couldn’t possibly stop him if Travis wanted to move forward, but it was the gesture of it that mattered.

  He thought for a moment. “I was trying to pick someone up,” he confessed, “at Joe’s...but, uh, I looked at him and thought that he was all wrong.”

  “In what way?” Lance asked. He sounded genuinely puzzled.

  Travis rolled his eyes. “He wasn’t…” Maybe he was a little more buzzed than he thought. He hadn’t eaten since the café, after all. “He was too tall, and too dark, and too everything, and I wanted—you’re just right.”

  “Like Goldilocks?” Lance said dryly.

  “I wanted you. And he wasn’t...you. Now can I kiss you again?” Travis asked. “Please?” he added.

  Lance smiled—that small fond smile, the one that Travis had been subconsciously looking for when the other guy, Eric, had smiled at him. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”

  Travis took that as permission and kissed him again.

  Lance kissed back more eagerly this time, but was still pliant, easy in Travis’s arms, relaxed. It took a lot for Lance to feel, well, safe, so to speak. To open up and relax. Even around their friends, there were far too many times where Travis would see Lance seize up and go stiff. But now, there was none of that. It was all relaxation and eager, soft kisses, hands sliding up to dig into Travis’s neck and keep him still, as if Travis might change his mind and vanish.

  Travis definitely wasn’t going to do that, not when he had so many more things he wanted to do.

  He slid his hands down Lance’s body and got them firmly at the back of Lance’s thighs, then hoisted him up. Lance might have been short and small by Travis’s standards, but he wasn’t exactly tiny—he was still taller than a lot of women Travis knew. Luckily, thanks to football on the weekends, Travis had tackled and/or lifted Lance up several tim
es in the course of a game (he’d done the same to Jake a few times as well) so he was confident in his ability to carry him.

  Lance, it seemed, didn’t have the same confidence. He yelped, his arms and legs wrapping around Travis and clamping down hard in fear. “What the hell, Trav? If you fucking drop me—”

  “I’m not going to drop you,” Travis said. This new position meant he could suck at the delicate skin of Lance’s neck. Lance’s next protest died into a moan as he let his head fall back, giving Travis better access.

  “Jesus, you…” Whatever else Lance was going to say was cut off as Travis started walking them out of the kitchen and towards the bedroom, and Lance yelped again. “Oh my God, don’t drop me, do not drop me!”

  “It’s like you have no faith in me or something,” Travis said.

  “I have faith in you, so much faith. I just also have vivid memories of you picking me up at senior prom when we were doing those goofy dance moves and slipping on spilled punch and—don’t bang my head on the door!” Lance yelped again, ducking.

  “The doorway isn’t anywhere near your head, you big baby,” Travis said, laughing and dumping Lance onto the bed.

  This was actually a lot more fun than his one night stands. Not that those had been bad or anything, but usually, both Travis and his partner were putting a lot of effort into being sexy, and making the other person feel sexy, in the heat of it all. There wasn’t a level of comfort established yet to enable good-natured ribbing and laughter.

  With Lance being his friend though, he already had that. There was no pressure to perform. He didn’t have to be single-mindedly focused on impressing someone or being perfect. He could mess up a little and it would be okay.

  Travis paused, then. Was this okay?

  Lance, as always, sensed Travis’s mood. He looked up, mouth open, looking a little rumpled after being picked up and carried. “Are you just going to stand there or what?” He asked.

  Travis’s fears flew out the window and he grinned. “Damn, should’ve known you’d be bossy about this.”