Dare You To(19)

 

Things were changing between them. No, that was a lie. Things had already changed between them. Being with Dare felt different than being with anyone else. There was a comfort there he'd never had with someone else. Dare knew exactly who he was, and for whatever reason, he still loved spending time with Austin.

 

Yes, he'd doubted that in the beginning, but other than his family, who had been in his life longer than Dare?

 

Dare watched movies with Austin he might not want to watch. He'd sat through Harry Potter with him. He listened when Austin spoke about the center-asked questions and genuinely cared. He'd done that for six years. He'd never canceled on Austin-not for work, not for sex. Austin was important to him in a way that made Austin's chest swell … and Dare was even more important to him.

 

How could he not have known how he felt? How could he not have seen it before?

 

He didn't have answers to those questions. The only thing he did know was that he felt it now. Felt Dare deep in his chest. He'd been there all along, and Austin had never seen it.

 

"Yo, Mr. A! Why you spacing off like that?" Jason, one of the teens helping, asked him.

 

"It's nothing." Austin shook his head a little embarrassed. He was acting like a moony teenager who had fallen in love for the first time.

 

The love part was correct. Though he'd likely been in love with Dare for years. When had it happened? So slowly that he didn't even realize it.  

 

"I heard you have a date," Jason added.

 

"You guys gossip about me a whole lot." But he had to admit, he liked that the teens here felt they could talk to him.

 

"Is it serious?"

 

I hope so, he thought. Not in the same way he'd thought it with Brian. With Brian, he'd just needed to feel wanted. With Dare, he couldn't imagine his life without him. Couldn't imagine going back to just being friends. "I plead the fifth," Austin teased. "Now let's finish these decorations so we have time to change before our dates get here."

 

*

 

Austin waited outside for Dare to arrive. He wanted to give Dare another chance to back out if he wasn't feeling up to it.

 

Jesus, he never would have thought that Dare spent time on the streets. That he had been abandoned by his own parents. That the very thing that Austin was passionate about was a piece of Dare's past.

 

He'd been one of the kids who came into the center daily to get clothes from their community closet or to use their showers. The thought made his gut churn.

 

How could anyone walk away from Dare? Turn their back on their own child?

 

He asked himself that question on a daily basis.

 

Austin stood at the door as he waited for Dare. Music played loudly from inside as teens danced and cheered and had the kind of fun they deserved.

 

When he saw Dare's Jeep pull into the parking lot, Austin made his way in that direction.

 

"You made it," he called out. And then Dare stepped out of the Jeep, and Austin's breath nearly stopped.

 

Austin studied him as Dare walked his way. His light brown hair was styled as it always was. He was tall, sinewy. He wore a pair of black slacks, a white, button-up shirt, loose and not tucked in, with a teal tie that matched Austin's. He'd never seen Dare dressed like this-casual but dressy. He couldn't imagine Dare with a suit jacket on or with his shirt tucked in. It wasn't him, but this? This was perfect.

 

"You're incredible." He could hear the awe in his own voice as he spoke, hear the quiver in his words. Dare must have noticed too because he stumbled slightly, confusion flashing briefly in his eyes before he tried to hide it.

 

"I usually am."

 

But Austin couldn't play it off, couldn't roll his eyes at Dare or pretend he didn't mean what he said. He wanted Dare to know what he said was real.

 

He put his hands on Dare's waist and stepped close. His fingers shook. He was fucking shaking and nervous and-Jesus, he loved Dare. He'd probably always loved him. He would rather spend time with Dare over anyone else. Would rather roll his eyes and shake his head at Dare's outrageousness than discuss books or movies or life with someone like Brian.

 

"I'm serious. You're beautiful, Dare. Thank you for coming. I know this isn't easy for you. It means more to me than I could find the words to say."

 

His heart sped up as Dare let out a shaky breath. "I … I don't know how to do this, Austin."

 

There was no doubt in Austin's mind that Dare was referring to having a relationship with him. "I think in a lot of ways, we've been doing it all along, we just didn't know it. You can do anything you want. You just have to want it. And I'll be here for you. Always."

 

He wanted to make sure Dare knew that. He'd been there for six years and he didn't plan on going anywhere.