The Shy Mystic (O/O)(closed)

Tristan felt Chase's hand, and he clutched it tight. "It was just my mom yelling at me," He said, holding back several tears. "If I'm early, she yells at me for not getting enough practice in, and if I'm late, she yells at me for wasting her time." But she also threatened using Graham as an ultimatum again…. "But all in all, I need to go home." Why, Mom? Why did you have to ruin my moment with him??

“I… um, yeah, that’s a good idea,” Chase said, worry still etching his face. He wished he could do something, wished he could say something to make it better, but all he had was, “See you tomorrow?”

Tristan packed his stuff away and saddled up, his face still pale from his mother's threat. "Yeah… I'll see you tomorrow– and sorry but I gotta rush…" He gave Chase a small but noteworthy hug before leaving out to the car.
He put his stuff in the back seat and got in, greeted with a literal stinging slap to the face. "Don't you ever hang up on your mother like that!!!" She squawked as Tristan rubbed the side of his face. "This is a warning– next time I won't be so leniant!"
They went home without another word being said.

Chase stood there a moment after Tristan left. “What have I done?” He groaned to himself, frowning. I messed up, I messed up a lot. I don’t even know what happened, how Tristan felt about it. What if in his eyes it was completely platonic? Chase scowled at himself, grabbing his school bag and going home.

(We can timeskip after this, okay? To lunch or something)

Tristan headed home and bolted upstairs. He was drained when he noticed he wasn't there. "Mom!? Where's Graham!!?"
"I took him away until you can learn to be on time!!!"
He frowned, resisting the urge to cry. No… I… I was having a good time with Chase… It's…. It's all Mom's fault… If she wouldn't have called…. I would've told him that…. It was over. He had no idea what to do.
Tristan went to bed, completely restless– Graham was gone, and so was the person that cared about him more than anyone else. What have I done??…. He began to cry.

(Yeah)
Chase got through the lunch line anxiously. Chase hoped that they could just forget that moment, just forget how Chase had probably wrecked everything. He nervously walked up to their table, staring at the ground as he said, “Hey Tristan!” As long as I don’t make eyes contact, it won’t be awkward…

Tristan woke with a start. "Oh– hey Chase…" He wiped his eyes, making sure not to knock over his water.
With Graham gone and the situation yesterday on his mind all last night, he barely got any sleep. "So… Anything exciting… Happened today?" He tried his best not to be rude, but he broke into a long yawn. Did my mom ruin that much of our friendship?

“I…” Chase noted how tired Tristan was, and instead of answering the question he asked, “Are you okay?” He immediately scooted his chair right next to Tristan’s, worry coating his face.

"Well…." Tristan took in some water. "I… I was just super angry at my mom for interrupting us yesterday…." He supressed an oncoming tear seeping its way out of his eye. "And…. Becuase I was late to go home, she took Graham away for the rest of the night, and I couldn't sleep."
He rested his arms on the table and his chin in his hands, ready to take a nap whenever he felt like it.

“Who’s Graham?” Chase asked gently, a flicker of hope in his gut. He was angry at his mom for… interrupting us… But he forced himself to extinguish that feeling. I’m just acting like a freak…

"…Graham's the bear I keep on doodling. And in truth…." Tristan lowered his voice to a whisper "…He's the stuffed animal I still sleep with and nearly do everything with. I really love him…. I've had him since I was a baby…." Damn I'm super obnoxious…

Chase scowled, “You’re mom is terrible.” He reached out and took Tristan’s hand without thinking, then froze because he didn’t know what he was doing. “I- uh- sorry,” He mumbled, turning red.

Chase scowled, “You’re mom is terrible.” He reached out and took Tristan’s hand without thinking, then froze because he didn’t know what he was doing. “I- uh- sorry,” He mumbled, turning red.

(Lol)

"I know she is," He clutched Chase's hand tight. "But she just says she likes to discipline as much as a kid likes candy." Tristan felt like he could fall asleep again, but he struggled to keep his eyes open. "She says it's good for me, but sometimes, she just goes way too far."

“Is there anything I can do?” Chase asked softly, bringing a hand up to brush against Tristan’s cheek before immediately pulling away. Stupid, I’m such a stupid freak-

"There's really nothing that anyone can do…." He grabbed Chase's other hand and brought it to where he brushed his cheek. "….But what you're doing right now is just fine."

“I like you,” Chase blurted, cupping Tristan’s cheek, “I-I really, like, like you.” He said softly, chewing his lip. This was the moment of truth. He’s find out, Tristan would hate him and be disgusted-

Tristan's cheek tingled where Chase put his hand. Heat rose up into his face, and at that point, he was fully awake. He was ready to listen to what Chase had to say. "…You mean… Like… like me?" Tristan felt his heart swell– was this going to be his very first, full-fledged relationship?

Chase misinterpreted his reaction, “I-I-I-I’m s-sorry, I’ll t-try to s-stop it,” He pulled away, curling his arms around himself. Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupid, I should have never even opened my mouth.

"No no no…" Tristan wasn't sure what he did or said, but he tried to correct it with a hug. "Don't stop…. What you're doing…. I like it– I love it." What did I say this time?? Maybe it wasn't gonna be it– Maybe not this time.

“D-Don’t you h-hate me for it? Aren’t you d-d-disgusted?” Chase asked, his face contorting as he tried to hold in his emotions, “I-I’m sorry I-I f-feel this way, I-I p-promise I’ll s-stop, j-just please s-stay friends with m-me,” He pleaded, digging his face into Tristan’s shoulder. He waited for him to shove away, the start shouting and calling him names. He waited for being alone again.

"I'll never leave your side…" Tristan pulled him even closer into a hug. "I would never leave you…" He wanted to cry– for Chase to ever think that he didn't like him was a bit saddening. "…I love you too much."
Tristan suddenly flushed at the way the words came out so smoothly.

“You… you love me?” Chase whispered with a shaky voice, not quite believing it just yet. It couldn’t be true, no one would love him, he was a freak. He didn’t deserve love.

(;-;)

Tristan smiled, a bit surprised as to how this all came to be. "…Of course I do…. No one loves me more than you…. Right?" Yes…. Yes…. Yes…. But he never said….. He glanced over at Chase, unsure about what his reaction would turn out to be.

Chase wrapped his arms around Tristan tighter, letting himself feel that flicker in his heart, letting himself say, “I love you too.” He’d give himself one day, Chase decided. He’d let himself have one day to not suppress his feelings, to enjoy hugging Tristan, maybe even let himself kiss- No, that would be stupid. He’d probably wreck everything.

That phrase….
I love you too…..
He was wanting to hear it for such a long time now, and he finally earned enough trust from him to make it feel mutual. Time and time again, Tristan could feel oncoming tears– not of sadness, but of pure joy and happiness.
But he just lived the moment. He didn't want to ruin it by saying anything, even if it meant the mentioning that they were in a public place….

Chase pressed his face into Tristan’s shoulder, breathing him in and trying his best not to cry from relief. But of course, all good things must come to an end. But this good moment… it came to a screeching halt when a voice called, “Hey Gayman, watcha doing? Gonna make out with your boyfriend?” Chase jumped away from Tristan, a hint of fear showing in his eyes but he stared at the floor. Kemp and Jacob sauntered over, cruel smiles on their faces.

Tristan flinched at the sound of their voice, knowing dang well it was going to happen. He tried tp swallow the redness down his throat, but he was sure it was still there. "W-What do you want?" He grumbled as they approached. Every time…. Why can't we just have a moment without some asshole interrupting us!!?
Now his face was red from anger.

Kemp sneered, “PDA from freaks isn’t allowed, shorty.” Jacob laughed to back it up, “And we’re really just looking out for Gayman, aren’t we, Jacob?” Chase shrunk, his face contorting as he held in his emotions. Just wait until they leave, just wait, just wait… Kemp leaned down, and whispered into Chase’s ear so only he would hear, “Because even if you do manage to find a freak like yourself, no one would want you.”

As cliche as that name sounded, he still hated it more than anything. Shorty… And by the looks of it, "looking out" for him really just meant something else. But…. …gayman…?
Tristan's jaw tightened, but he didn't really say anything– he knew he'd be shot down for it.