Chapter 5 #2
“If you're trying to get me to give you more alcohol, you're going about it the wrong way.”
Will chewed on the end of his straw. “But they would, right? That doesn't just go away.”
“For some people it does. They move on, they get with new people.”
“Like us?”
“Eat a quiche, Will.”
Will only did because he wanted to. “Imagine having both of them in bed. Damn, I think I just came in my pants.”
“I hope not, because we don't have a spare pair here.”
“I always have a spare in my car.”
“I hope not for that reason.”
“Don't ruin my fun, Peyton.”
“Oh, I don't think I could right now. That alcohol is treating you real nice.”
Will emptied his second glass. “It sure is... Can I have another one?”
Peyton sighed as he pulled the glass away from him.
“I'm ready to go home now. What's the time?”
“It's been about twenty minutes since you called Quinn.”
“When did he say he was getting here?”
“ You told him two hours.”
“Past me is a dick. Where's my phone?” He chewed on his bottom lip. “Do you think we can get some McDonald’s on the way home?”
“You're like an overgrown puppy, Will.”
“It's a serious question,” Will protested. Food was no joke!
“I know it is. Hence my statement. I'm sure he'll be happy to go through a drive-through for you. Finish your food, and I'll give him a call.”
“And another drink?”
Peyton looked like he was going to say no, but he made Will half a glass. Will decided not to argue in case that was taken away from him.
Will had just polished off the rest of his food, and the glass he had tricked Aubrey into making for him, when Quinn showed up.
He was in jeans and a T-shirt again. This time, he had an open black shirt over the top with the sleeves rolled up.
Fuck, that look was pure fantasy. Will's knees wobbled a little as he got off his stool, and he wasn't sure it was all alcohol.
He frowned, his bottom lip trembling, as he thought about the fact that the handsome detective didn't want him; he only wanted Peyton.
Will was only part of this because Peyton refused to allow it to be any other way.
Which was sweet and kind of romantic, if he thought about it, but didn't change the facts.
“Are you okay?” Quinn asked, putting a hand on Will's elbow. “Do you need to be sick? Because it's a half hour drive, and if you're going to be sick, let's do it here, okay?”
“Not gonna be sick,” Will mumbled. “But maybe like... a hug?” He half stumbled into Quinn's arms, and Quinn wrapped him up like a bug in a rug. He was so warm and snuggly; Will wanted to stay there forever.
“Is he going to be sick?” Quinn asked.
“Nah, he should be fine.”
“He 'should' be? That's not reassuring.” Quinn put a hand in Will's hair, and Will melted, nuzzling his nose into the curve of Quinn's neck.
“Drunks are unpredictable.”
“Not a drunk,” Will mumbled.
Quinn petted his hair softly. “Of course not. How much did he have to drink?”
“He tricked Aubs, so three and a half?”
“That's it.”
“Long Island iced tea,” Peyton said as though that explained it.
Apparently, it did. Because Quinn responded with, “Ah.”
“He wants to get chips on the way home.”
“Chips?”
“Fries, from McDonald’s. Probably a milkshake. Don't let him have the milk.”
“Right. Fries. Got it.”
“I like pies,” Will said. He opened his mouth and licked across Quinn's neck, tasting salt. “Have you been working out?”
“No. Stop that.”
Will had a little nibble.
“I'm getting you fries, Will. You don't have to eat me,” Quinn said. He said it jokingly, but Will had felt that shiver. Had that been him?
He nibbled again, just to see.
“Okay,” Quinn said, a little shakily. “We're leaving now. What time were you finishing? One? Do you need a lift as well?”
“No, I'll take Will's car back. His keys are under the bar.”
“Okay. Message when you're on your way, please.”
“You're being paranoid.”
“Dead body, Peyton,” Quinn said tightly.
Will reached up and patted him on the head, hoping it would make him feel better because he sounded a bit grouchy, and the head pats he was giving Will made him feel better.
“Fine,” Peyton said. “I'll message. Look after him, please?”
“Of course.”
Will only vaguely registered getting into a warm car that smelled like Quinn. Then he closed his eyes, and suddenly they were stopping in front of Quinn's perfect country home.
He could imagine Peyton and Quinn living here in romantic bliss.
Getting married and having kids and doing all the things.
But where did that leave Will? And Sebastian?
Because obviously Quinn wanted the things with him too.
He must have, to have even brought it up with Peyton?
He forgot how Peyton had said that it had started.
But Quinn didn't want the things with him. He was happy to share Peyton with him for now, but eventually that would stop. It had to.
His door opened, and then Quinn was leaning in, smiling. “Ready to get out, or are you planning on sleeping in here?”
“It's pretty comfy in here. And warm.”
“It's warm inside too,” Quinn promised. He unclipped Will's seat belt and slid an arm around his back, helping him get out.
“We didn’t get fries.”
“Unconscious people don’t get food. If you’re hungry I can make you something,” Quinn said. He propped Will up against the side of the car as he closed all the doors and locked the car.
“Why don't you want me?” Will asked, leaning heavily against the car.
Quinn frowned as he helped Will stand with an arm around his shoulder. “What makes you think I don't?”
“You don't want the things with me.”
“I don't know what you mean by 'the things,' and my earlier question still stands.”
Earlier question? Oh. “Because I have eyes. And ears. And a mouth.”
“You think I don't want you because you have body parts?”
“If you do, then kiss me. Prove it.”
“Time to go inside,” Quinn said, carefully walking Will towards the front steps. Will put one foot on the first step and then turned to Quinn.
“I'm serious.”
Quinn let out a breath. “Ask me when you're sober, okay?”
“And then you'll kiss me?”
Quinn was silent, and Will wondered if he needed to poke him to wake him up. Sometimes Will could fall asleep standing too. It was a hazard.
“Yes,” Quinn said eventually. “And then I will.”
What had they been talking about? Will had forgotten. His stomach churned uncomfortably. “I think I'm—” He bent over the railing and emptied his stomach into the garden bed.
Quinn rubbed Will's back in a soothing motion as he said, “That's it, get it all out. You'll feel better.”
Will didn't believe that. His stomach was trying to come out his throat. And lava. There was some kind of lava mixed in there.
Finally, it felt like it wasn't trying to convulse anymore, and he collapsed against the railing.
“Let's get you ready for bed,” Quinn said, taking him inside.
“Your bed?” Will asked hopefully as he gazed down at Quinn.
“If you want. There's plenty of room.”
“I have long legs,” Will said, indicating all his leg.
“Yeah, I noticed that.”
Will tried to go straight for the bed when they walked into Quinn's room, already imagining how nice the mingled smell of Quinn and Peyton would be. Quinn must have had other ideas because he turned Will and led him to the bathroom instead.
“Are we sleeping in the bath?” He looked around, but he couldn't see a bath. There had been one in the other bathroom.
“Shower, first.”
“Are you going to undress me? Because I'm okay with that.”
“Thank you for the permission, but whatever plans you have right now are going to have to wait. I doubt you could even get it up for me.”
“I am up,” Will said, confused. “Am I lying down?”
Quinn unbuttoned Will's shirt and shrugged it off his shoulders. Then he gently pushed him to sit on the closed toilet seat.
“Are you showering too?” Will asked as Quinn leaned into the shower and turned the taps on, using his hand to test the water.
“I had one earlier,” Quinn said. “Can you handle your pants yourself?”
“No,” Will said innocently.
Quinn looked like he didn't believe a word that Will said, but he did help him get his jeans and underwear off. Will tugged at Quinn's shirt, trying to help him undress as well.
“You should get in too.”
“You're drunk.”
“I wasn't drunk yesterday.”
“Yesterday was different.”
Will stepped back, pursing his lips. “Why? Because Peyton was there?”
Quinn closed his eyes briefly. “I'm going to Hell for this,” he said, tugging his shirt off and his T-shirt up and over his head.
“It's warmer down there.”
“An interesting silver lining.” Quinn shrugged out of his pants, and then he was naked in front of Will.
Will had seen him yesterday, but it didn't dull how much everything in Will went hell yes.
Peyton was beautiful, and so was Quinn. Seeing them together had been indescribable.
He wondered if adding Sebastian to the mix would just make him explode.
Maybe. That sounded messy. But he couldn't help but wonder about it now that he knew Quinn and Seb had been a thing.
A romantic thing, even. With feelings. Will was a fan of feelings.
“Will?”
“What?”
“I don't have unlimited water. Time to get in.”
“Okay.”
The warm water was nice against Will’s skin. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back.
“Here, brush your teeth,” Quinn said, handing him a toothbrush that already had a line of toothpaste on it. He almost dropped it, but Quinn helped guide it to his mouth.
“Is this yours?” Will asked around it.
“It's already in your mouth,” Quinn said, smiling.
“Still, though,” Will said, randomly rotating the bristles against his teeth. The mint was stinging his eyes a little. Extra strength to kill all the bugs. Except his mouth didn't have any bugs in it. Because that would be gross.
“It's a spare.”
Will spat on the ground and watched the water swirl it into the drain. “Do you invite lots of people out here?”
“The spares are for family.”
“What about, like, boyfriends and stuff?”