From Homecoming to Coming Home (Kyan)

[Tobias Vaughn]

((ooc- Liz, if you want to change any of this, let me know. I'm pretty much making it up as I go since I don't feel like working on my homework. Hehehe))

Tobias had suggested to the Walkers that, while he greatly appreciated their allowing him to stay here (he'd been sneaking money into Mrs. Walker's purse without her knowing it to help pay for the food he was eating and the utilities and such) that perhaps since Kyan was in the hospital he should try and find another place to stay. After all, he barely knew these people, and felt odd living here without Kyan, especially after everything that had happened. They had insisted that he stayed, though, pointing out that he had no where else to go. They were right.

Of course, Toby had visited Kyan in the hospital a few times during his stay, but it was usually a short visit after school and before work. He had also taken to doing a few chores around Kyan's house, to help alleviate the stress that he was sure Kyan's parents were feeling since their son was in the hospital and all.

Today was the day that Kyan was coming home, however. Toby was glad that he would be out of the hospital, but a little scared about where this left the two of them. Kyan had admitted to having feelings for him, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. He sat on the sofa, waiting for the door to open...

[Kyan Walker]

Kyan hated this state of near helplessness he was in. His parents had to drive him home, despite his having a license and a car because he might damage his stitches driving himself. Fuck this. . .he could drive, couldn't work at the bar, could go to school for a week --which while enjoyable at first would get old--, and couldn't have fun during sex. This sucked.

His mother held the door open for him as he walked inside. He could have done it himself, but apparently he was being treated like a bomb that would explode at any minute. His father carried his things upstairs to his room, and his mother kissed him on the cheek before heading into the kitchen to start making some lunch.

He sighed and slumped down on the sofa besides Toby lightly scratching at his stomach subconsciously. He looked over at the boy beside him, whom he had said all those things to that night. He knew they had been true, but probably wouldn't have admitted to them with out the pain killers in him.

"Miss me?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

[Tobias Vaughn]

"Miss me?"

"You'd like to think so, wouldn't you?" Toby said, returning Kyan's confident smirk. He tried to act nonchalantly back at the television program that was on - he didn't even know what that was since he'd been to preoccupied by his anticipation of Kyan's arrival - but he couldn't hide the slight smile that stayed on his face.

"Glad to be out of that hospital bed? And those damn bright white rooms?" Toby hated those rooms... everything was all sterile and clean, it was creepy. Unnatural.

[Kyan Walker]

"Fuck yeah I am," Kyan said with complete sincerity.

He hated hospitals, avoided them completely if he could help it. The only good thing about the place had been the dorky intern.

"I can't wait to get these damn stitches out though," he muttered. "And have everybody stop holding doors for me and shit, like I'm made of glass or something."

[Tobias Vaughn]

"Well, I promise not to treat you like a fragile porcelain doll," Toby said in a slightly patronizing yet comforting way. "You should be glad that you have people who care about you enough to treat you special. I'm pretty sure if I ever get stabbed my dad's going to be the one who did it, not the one to worry over me and treat me with care afterwards," he pointed out.

[Kyan Walker]

Kyan rolled his eyes, and stretched: careful not to do any more damage to himself than had already been done.

"Well if it'll make you feel any better," he began. "The next time you get stabbed, I'll be sure to hold the door open for you."

He knew that all this small talk, this little back and forth was mostly just a distraction from the real matter at hand, but for now he was content to prolong the inevitable.

[Tobias Vaughn]

Tobias knew that they were both thinking the same thing, it was just a matter of which one of them was going to break down first and mention it. Since he knew that Kyan would outlast him no matter how long he held out, Toby decided that there was no point in stalling any longer.

"Listen, about back in the hospital," he started. Despite being vague he knew that Kyan would know exactly what he was talking about. "I don't expect you to change or anything. You like to have fun. Who wouldn't? I just, you know, didn't want you to think anything was different... 'cause it's not," he added very pointedly.

As much as Toby would have liked to hold a normal relationship with Kyan he knew that it would be stupid to hope for such a thing. He knew that it would be a losing battle, and wasn't up for all of that.

[Kyan Walker]

Kyan shifted uncomfortably on the spot as Toby brought up what he had been trying to avoid. He was confused for the first time in a long while. He was used to being so headstrong and cocksure . . . or was it the other way around? He certainly like Toby, but he wasn't ready to stop enjoying life.

"Listen, Toby," Kyan said at length. "What I said. . .I mean, yeah I meant it. I just . . .I what if we just keep things open. Y'know see other people, but see one another? Do you see what I'm saying?"

The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. He'd be able to fuck guys, but still come home and find someone he cared about. It was the perfect solution in his mind.

[Tobias Vaughn]

Tobias turned on the sofa so that he was facing Kyan. He didn't want it to look like he had anything to hide, or that he was lying. While Kyan was still in the hospital Toby had plenty of time to think about the things that had been said between the two of them. As much as he might want to have Kyan all to himself, he knew that it was against his nature and would only make him miserable.

"What I said. . .I mean, yeah I meant it. I just . . .I what if we just keep things open. Y'know see other people, but see one another? Do you see what I'm saying?"

Tobias nodded slowly, but it was clear that he wasn't sure if he agreed completely with Kyan's philosophy. "I know," he assured Kyan. Of course he had meant it, but meaning something and actually doing something were completely different. "Yeah... I mean, we'll just see where things go," Toby said, as if this decided everything.

If something were to evolve more between the two of them, if it felt right, then fine. But if it didn't, then Toby wasn't sure what he'd do. He didn't just want to be a side fuck, and especially not his first time (with a guy, of course)... did he? The making out, and even a little more, he figured he would enjoy. It was just a matter of how far things would go.

As for dating other guys... who else would want anything to do with Toby? His name was pretty much taboo at school any more. He supposed that was his own damn fault, though. He'd worry about that later.

[Kyan Walker]

Kyan could hear the hesitation in Toby's voice, but since he seemed to agree with him, he ignored it for the time being. There would be plenty of time for him to sort all of this out later. Maybe he'd go find that GAbriel kid again and have another discussion with him about feelings.

"Sounds like a plan," Kyan said, leaning over slightly on the couch and kissing Toby on the lips.

[Tobias Vaughn]

((ooc- I wasn't sure if you meant for that to be a short or a long kiss... so you can change this if you want.))

Toby knew that he hadn't sounded one hundred percent positive, but figured that Kyan wouldn't care for the time being. He was right. There was something about their arrangement that was both a little enticing as well as a little bit of a put-off. He wasn't sure how he really felt about it, but figured that those feelings would develop over time. He had plenty of time, he was sure.

They kissed, a moderately long one that was broken off by Toby pulling away, smiling slightly. He had almost forgotten the tingling feeling of their lips when they met, it seemed like forever since they'd last kissed.

"I quit the wrestling team," Toby stated, figuring that it'd be best for Kyan to hear it from him rather than the rumors that might start flying around school.

((ooc- I know with Andy I had him quitting the wrestling team after the whole kyan/toby open relationship was decided... meh. We'll fudge the dates a little, chronological order doesn't *really* matter. lol))

[Kyan Walker]

((So the space time continuum is just a game to you then, is it?))

Kyan could feel the smirk on his lips. Things were returning to normal at last. That is until Toby mentioned his quitting the team. He couldn't imagine him doing that: Toby lived for his wrestling.

"Why the hell did you quit?" he asked.

[Tobias Vaughn]

Toby had just known that this would be the sort of reaction he'd get from Kyan. Nothing comforting, no words of wisdom or helpful advice, but the accusatory stare and the demanding tone. Yes, things certainly were getting back to normal around here.

"It was in the best interest of the team," he said. "Half the guys wouldn't change in the locker room any more, and at least a quarter wouldn't practice with me any more. That kind of stress would hang over the team all year, and with tensions that high nothing would've gotten done. Eventually there'd be fights, or something stupid, and the whole year would fall to shit. It's just easier that I back out and let things get back to normal with the guys so that they can get on with their year."

Tobias tried to sound as convincing as possible, even though he only partially believed his own words.

[Kyan Walker]

Kyan frowned as he let his right hand grasp Toby's shoulder. He knew that this sucked for him. It would be like someone forbidding him from Babylon.

"That's ridiculous," he said, meaning how the others were treating him. "You shouldn't have to give up wrestling because of a bunch of insecure pricks. Well, you're at least going to take it up in college, right?"

[Tobias Vaughn]

The comforting hand on his shoulder was the last thing Toby had expected, and he couldn't hide the slightest look of shock from the action. Maybe Kyan really did care about him, despite his desire for an open relationship.

"I don't have to. The coach wanted me to stay, and half the guys were completely okay with everything. Just... I don't know. I didn't want it to be my fault that there were bad feelings and strained emotions. If I had come out before, been up front with people sooner, this probably wouldn't have happened," he pointed out.

Kyan asked if he was going to do wrestling in college, at least, and Toby shrugged.

"It all depends on where I go. Any decent school will be scouting this year, so my actually getting onto a decent team or getting any kind of scholarship is pretty much null and void."

Toby knew that he was giving up a lot, but it would also mean less stress and more time to focus on his school work, which may be best for him in the long run.

[Kyan Walker]

Kyan sighed at Toby's decision. He knew not everyone could be the same way he was about things. If he was in Toby's shoes he'd have told the other team mates to go fuck themselves and get over it. Of course, he was a helluva lot more carefree than most of the seniors he knew.

"That sucks," he said in response to the scouts. He was glad he didn't have sports to worry about in his future. "Well fuck the wrestling team, and all their homophobic bullshit. Don't let those pricks bother you."

[Tobias Vaughn]

"Trust me, I won't let it get to me. I'm over it already."

Tobias could read a lot into the sigh that Kyan gave. He knew that his decision wasn't what Kyan thought he should do, and Toby knew that to a certain extent he was giving up. But he was also willing to accept the fact that his staying on the team would have brought more ill will than anything, and he wasn't going to be responsible for that. He knew he'd have to deal with intolerance, but not from people who were supposed to be like family to him.

"Yeah, well, I can always rely on my good looks to get me through college," he joked, hoping to change the subject or at least lighten the mood.

[Kyan Walker]

"Trust me, I won't let it get to me. I'm over it already."

"Good," Kyan replied with a shrug as if to imply he wouldn't continue with the subject then.

"Yeah, well, I can always rely on my good looks to get me through college."

"I think you've been hanging around me too long," Kyan said with a smirk at Toby's comment. "Good looks and a no bullshit attitude, that'll be the best way to get through college."