A/N: We kinda proofread this...kinda...sorry...OKAY HERE IT ISSSSSS!

Chapter Eighteen

Chase with "the present" on the bed

Corbin Sills’ POV:

I’ve never been a big fan of Christmas. My families never been religious, so it holds no meaning for me there. Even though it’s a good excuse to get free shit from people, I still need to buy gifts for other people…not to mention that my brother and I are spoiled brats who could get what we want any other day of the year without Jesus or Old Saint Nick’s help.

This year’s Christmas doesn’t seem like it’s going to be any better than previous years. I know I want to get something for Chas, but what to get him is beyond me and it’s driving me crazy.

“Get him a fucking puppy,” Tim says as I complain about it again. “People like getting animals. Warm and fuzzy animals make for warm and fuzzy insides.”

“I just overlapped you, bitch,” I announce, biting my lip as I maneuver my car around a sharp curve on the TV screen. “And I can’t get him a puppy. He’s told me before that his dad doesn’t like animals.” We’ve been talking a lot over the past few days. I haven’t seen him since the day he let me kiss him on the bed that’s behind me right now, but he’s called me in the middle of the night, talking lowly as we find the most random but wonderfully time-consuming things to talk about. Complaints about parents were what we discussed last time, though he seemed kind of distracted.

“Then get him…roses or…or pie or something. Damn it! That guy cut me off! Did you see that?”

“Uh… huh… Your shitty ideas for gifts explain why you don’t have much luck with girls, Tim…”

“Cheesecake then. Everyone likes cheesecake. Who doesn’t like cheesecake?”

“It needs to be something good. I don’t even know what he likes. How sad is that? I don’t know what he likes.” I pause the videogame and get up to pace in front of the TV.

“And this is why you don’t have any long term luck with…anyone.” Tim concludes. “Sorry but you can be kind of self-absorbed, buddy.”

I roll my eyes and sit back down. “Yeah, I know, but not this time. This time’s different, okay? I told you that. It’s just that Chase is really shy with me sometimes… A lot of the time, actually…. But I’m willing to listen and talk to him. I Just…can’t get any closer to him.”

Tim gently pats my shoulder. “I still say you’re self-absorbed.”

I smack his hand away. “Shut up. I don’t like you. But…but he likes you…” I look up and grin at my best friend and he immediately raises his eyebrows. He’s suspicious…and he should be. “He likes you so take him out to lunch for me and figure out what he wants.” I clamber for my phone and throw it at him. It falls at his side. “Call him. His number’s in the recent calls list…” I rattle off the number anyway even though he just sits there and stares at me. “Come on, Tim. Call him.”

He frowns. “No. You’re using me.”

“No. You’re e my best friend. Come on. Help me out. Or I won’t give you your Christmas gift. Starts with a P ends with an SP…” I grin some more and pick the phone back up and wave it in his face. “Please, please, please…”

He sighs. “Only if that spells ‘PSP.’” I nod. It’s used, but he doesn’t need to know that…especially if it makes him change his mind. “Fine…” He snatches the phone away and I listen as they make the date. Hey! Wait a minute… I haven’t even been on a real date with Chase and now Tim’s going out to lunch with him. But just as I realize this, Tim hangs up. “All set.”

“Touch him while you’re there and I’ll kill you,” I threaten.

He gets up and grabs his jacket from the end of my bed and shrugs it on. “Playing the part of the possessive stalker, I see,” he comments and I narrow my eyes at him. “Well, I’m on my way to go woo the boy. Kind of sick…but I’m such a wonderful friend that I won’t let it bother me.”

I glare at him as he begins to leave the room. “Wait, Tim!” I yell and he freezes in the doorway. “Make sure to bring me back some mistletoe.” I lick my lips and his face twists up in disgust.

“Don’t push it, Corbin…”

-

Eating dinner with my dad is always an awkward thing. He’s either very demanding in conversation or completely shuns me. It all depends on his mood and I constantly have to guess what the hell he’s feeling.

Tonight I can’t get him to shut up.

“When are you going to go back to school fulltime?” he asks and when I only shrug he continues. “You can’t just keep spending your time doing nothing around here. You need to get out there and do something. I didn’t get to where I am today by slacking off all the time.”

“I know, dad.” I should’ve brought my dinner upstairs to my room…

“At least your brother has some motivation. He gets good grades and tries.”

“He’s partying right now, dad,” I point out, but he ignores me.

“He’s a hard worker. I remember the times when he was little and he insisted on helping me with work

things. You never did that.”

I grit my teeth. I have no idea how many times I’ve heard versions of this story but I do know that I’m absolutely sick of hearing it. I open my mouth, ready to finally tell him off after holding it in for years, but the words scatter as Tim bursts into the room, face red from the cold, and grinning.

“Told you!” he proclaims, pointing a finger at me. “Oh, hey Mr. Sills. But told you, Corbin. Who’s a genius? Oh. That’s right. I am.”

I glare at him, not sure if I Should be glad that he stopped me from telling off my dad, or thankful. I do have to rely on the old man for food, money, and a place to stay after all.

“What are you talking about?” I snap, sticking my fork straight up in the pile of mashed potatoes on my plate.

“Everyone likes animals. I said that. He wants an animal. A hamster or a chinchilla or something.” He shrugs and grins some more, looking obnoxiously pleased with himself.

He knows more about Chase than I do. It’s depressing.

“What are you boys talking about?” my dad asks. “Did you make a new friend, Corbin?”

“You could say that…” Tim mumbles and I flip him off.

“Is he a good, hard-worker?”

“He’s in school…” I feebly answer…leaving out the fact that he’s in high school…

“Good. That’s good…” dad nods and I nod back before quickly getting up, grabbing Tim by the shoulders, and yanking him upstairs to my room.

“Thanks for talking,” I growl. “Why didn’t you just tell him that I like a teenage boy? Maybe he would’ve disowned me or something! Throw me out on the streets maybe… Took my name out of his will… Left me to become a crack-addicted hustler. Great.”

“Shut up,” Tim snaps and jumps onto my bed. “Don’t you want to know what your little boy toy wants?” I don’t answer. I just continue glaring at his back until he continues talking. “He said he’s always wanted a pet…but not a dog…and that his dad never let him get one.”

“So if I get him one, his dad will make him get rid of it. Good thinking.”

“So keep it here.” He turns onto his back and shrugs at me. “Problem solved, right?”

“I hate animals. Cats are useless. They shed and shit in a box, and hamsters smell funny and stay up all night being obnoxious. Screw getting him an animal. I’ll just…get him some cheesecake.”

“You can’t just use my idea without properly asking for permission,” he grumbles. “And for someone who’s supposedly an evil genius, you’re sure being stupid.” He throws one of my pillows at me but I sidestep it and narrow my eyes at him. “Think about it, Corbin. You get him this pet that he wants and keep it here…and he’ll want to come here…and often too. Get it?”

I grin. I definitely get it.

-

Chase sighs into my ear. “I can’t, Corbin. It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow.”

I sigh back, making sure to sigh a little louder. “I know it is…which is why I have a present waiting for you here… Come on, Chase. Just come over for a few hours at least.”

“But,” he lets out an exasperated sigh, “I…frick. Lemme ask my mom really quick - hang on.” The line goes muffled for a moment and I wait patiently, wondering for a moment how I got interested in a guy who has to ask his mom before he can leave the house… Before I can expand on that thought to much, Chase comes back on the phone, sounding mildly breathless. “She said I can, but only for a little while.”

“I’ll pick you up in ten minutes. Be ready.” I hang up quickly before he can argue and smirk to myself until a fuzzy ball on four legs runs by me. I glare at the kitten, pick it up, and stare into its wide eyes. “Be on your best behavior. You’re determining whether or not he’ll want to be here, understand?” It mewls in my face and I set it down, grabbing my coat and heading out the door.

Great…what the hell is it with this weather lately? The clouds have decided to dump another overload of snow onto the city. But if I’ll be bringing Chase back to the warmth of the house and if that damned kitten does what it’s supposed to do, we won’t have to leave the house.

I grumble about the snow the whole way to Chase’s, squinting my eyes as my windshield wipers go on overdrive.

Despite the snow, Chase is waiting out on the curb for me, hopping into the car before I come to a full stop. He tosses me a shaky smile as he buckles up.

“Hey… Is something the matter?” I ask, arching my eyebrows.

“No… No, it’s nothing.” But he turns his head and stares out the window, frowning.

Whatever. I won’t ask. It’s none of my business anyway… And so we sit in silence until we get back to my house and Chase finally looks over at me curiously while we climb out of the car.

“So what is it…?” he inquires.

“What’s what?”

“The present. What is it? It’s not anything…weird…is it?” He makes a face as he follows me up to the front door.

“Weird?”

“Like… I don’t know…” He shrugs and blushes. “Weird.”

I smirk at him as we start walking up the stairs to my room. “Weird like…hardcore porn? Or something weird for you to use while looking at hardcore porn? Is that what you mean?”

“You think I’d get you something like that?” I grin at him, loving the way his cheeks turn bright red. “That hurts, Chase. That really hurts. Get inside.” I open the bedroom door for him, give him a shove inside, and walk in behind him just in time to hear him gasp as he walks to the bed.

“Is it for me?” he asks, scooping up the calico kitten from where it sleeps on my pillow.

“Yeah. I sure as hell don’t want it.”

“But I can’t take it…” He kisses its tiny head, staring at me from under his hair with his huge, beautiful eyes. “My dad hates animals...”

“I’ll keep it here for you… You can visit her whenever you want…” He’s silent, just gently petting the splotchy fur. “Well… You’re going to name it…?”

He walks to me, grinning, and then throwing one of his arms around my neck, the kitten between us as he gives me a hug. “Thank you…” he whispers, standing on his tiptoes so he can whisper in my ear. “This is one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten… Thanks…”

“You should prove that, but I think there’s something between us…” I murmur into his ear, reaching between us to pull the kitten from his hand, and set it down at our feet.

“I… I…” he stammers before gently hitting me in the chest and backing away. “Knock it off! You’re so…perverted. Jesus…”

I grab onto his hand that swings at me again and pull him toward me. “I’m not Jesus. I don’t think Jesus would do this to you.” I bend down and press my lips against his, gripping harder onto his hand when he tries to pull away.

My tongue lightly swipes across his bottom lip and his whole body jolts as he turns his head away.

“S-stop…” he whispers, staring down at our feet, my toes overlapping his, almost putting us off balance.

Honestly, does the boy think that the “S” word is going to help any? Because I sure the hell don’t think it will. Unless I’m border lining rape…or child molestation. Well, the second one is pretty much a given with him…but well…nobody needs to know that right now…or ever.

“So uh…” Chase fidgets with his feet which are touching my toes. My feet have always been one of the most erogenous parts of my body and feeling him moving against me is sending sparks straight into my groin. “Well, thanks again. I think I’ll go play with her…”

“Not so fast.” I grip onto his arm again as he tries to walk away. “I’ll make a deal with you. You can only play with her…once you’ve played with me.”

“That’s not fair.” He glares up at me but the glare melts into a weak…and adorable frown, his lips puckered and his eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean by that…?”

Instead of beating around the bush, I go for it. “I haven’t had sex in I don’t know how long.”

“I can’t do that!” Chase finally manages to jerk away from me, stepping backward until the backs of his knees hit my bed and he topples backward with a loud yelp.

I walk over to him, standing with my legs on either side of his knees, reaching down to gently touch his chest. “Fine. You can tell me when to stop at any time and I’ll listen…” Maybe. “But if you don’t have any protests, I’m going for it. All of it.”

“Why should I? You gave me the cat as a gift! I shouldn’t have to…to…do anything for it.” His whole face and neck bright red.

“Well… You don’t have to do anything for it. You’re a teenager… Hormonal, right? And you like me?”

“I… Well… That’s not the point! It’s a gift!”

“Where’s my gift?” I smirk at him and he frowns, turning his head away from me.

“I didn’t know you were expecting one…” His voice is tiny, muffled against my bed sheets.

I frown, momentarily wondering if this is worth it. I don’t want to force him into anything… The last thing I need is for him to squeal on me and get me in trouble…or even worse…for him to hate me. Sighing, I back away from him.

“Sorry. Go play with her.”

He sits up, his blush fading as he smoothes down his hair. “I mean… I’m just… I’ve never done anything like this. You’re really not that bad…most of the time. I just don’t really know…what to do.”

Hope sparks in my chest as I slowly walk over to sit next to him. “I don’t want to force you into it. You can trust me though. I know what I’m doing. Okay?”

Instead of answering me, he leans forward, pressing his face into my shoulder before looking up at me, biting his lip. His teeth scrape over his lip as he releases it and after taking a shuddering breath he leans forward and presses his lips into mine.

AN:

Lain: SORRY! SOOOORRRRYYYY! We’ve both been really busy with life and what not…and omg-wtf’s been without internetsss…and a computer. But here. And it’s longer than usual! zomfg!

omg-wtf: I’m SOOOOOORRRRYYYY TOOOO!! Lain basically said it all…so yeah. I should have my own computer well…a computer within the next month or two…sorry xD THANKS FOR READING .