Hello once more again, audience!

How've you all been? I know I've been MIA for a while. Just the same old excuses - life, you know. Anyway, I've been working on this for like six months now and I finally got around to finishing it, so I'm super excited to share it with you! I actually took out the original 3 and completely rewrote it, which took a while. I'm also betaing for a couple of people (besides Sarah) so that's taking up my time as well. I know I've been writing a lot of Neff as of late, but I promise to get back to some Klaine soon. I have something Klaine in the works for The Warbler Drabbles, so keep your eyes peeled.

Enjoy!

1.

"Nick, wake up."

Nick grumbled incoherently as something insistently started shaking him. He reached up to swat at the imbecile who was attempting to disturb his sleep. It had been a long week, he'd been extremely stressed, and this was not a welcome event. Hands ceased their incessant shaking for a moment before starting up again, as irritating and unrelenting as ever.

"Would you cut it out?" Nick snapped, blearily opening his eyes. "It's Saturday, I am trying to sleep, and – "

He cut himself off as his hazy vision sharpened into clarity, outlining a smirking Jeff in the dark.

"Someone's a bit touchy." Jeff teased, his blonde hair turned silver in the moonlight.

Nick flushed. He desperately hoped that it was too dark for Jeff to notice. If only Jeff knew what he'd been dreaming about…

He glanced at the clock. "It's one in the morning. Shouldn't you be asleep? You know, like a normal person?"

Jeff laughed. "Nah, sleep's for wimps. Besides, there's a meteor shower tonight. I couldn't miss that."

"Well, you enjoy that." Nick mumbled, pulling the comforter back over his head. "Have fun. Goodnight."

"Oh, no you don't!"

Before Nick could react, Jeff had snatched the blanket away and was holding it hostage above his head. Nick whined and grabbed for it, feeling unnaturally chilly without something to snuggle under.

"You're coming with me!" Jeff said happily, tossing the blanket over his shoulder and onto the desk. "So put some pants on, and let's go."

Nick rolled his eyes, stretching out before slowly standing, looking around for a pair of jeans to pull over his boxers. "You're annoying." He informed his best friend, ruefully running a hand through his crazy bedhead.

"Aww, you like it." Jeff teased, sticking out his bottom lip in a slight pout.

You have no idea how much, Nick thought a little wistfully, shaking his head.

"Come on!" Jeff urged. He grabbed Nick's wrist, pulling him out of the dorm and into the deserted hall.

"Where exactly are we going?" Nick whispered, secretly relishing the fact that Jeff was almost holding his hand. He couldn't help but feel disappointed when the blonde boy let go.

"You'll see." Jeff whispered back, pressing a finger to his lips.

Amusedly, Nick followed him around a corner and up a flight of stairs…and another…and another…and another…

It wasn't long until Nick was short of breath and began to wonder why he'd let himself be coaxed out of a warm bed for this. Oh yeah, he thought wryly, because the guy you're in love with was the one doing the coaxing. Right.

"How much further?" Nick puffed as they rounded yet another corner to reveal another freaking flight of stairs.

"Last one!" Jeff said cheerfully, bouncing up the steps with the energy of a five year-old.

It was probably lucky that he was so cute, or else Nick might've just turned around and headed back. But, he made it to the top of the stairs just a few seconds after Jeff, huffing and trying not to breathe too hard. Jeff quietly eased open the door they'd approached, feverishly glancing around to make sure they hadn't been seen. Nick craned his neck to see over Jeff's shoulder and instantly knew that the climb had been worth it.

Jeff had led him straight to the Dalton Academy rooftop, and the open sky was breathtaking. Stars glittered brightly against a clear, velvety black backdrop, pinpricks of light surrounding a shining moon. There was no breeze, and everything was bathed in a silvery glow, almost as bright as daytime.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Jeff said off to Nick's right, watching him with amusement.

Nick realized that his jaw was hanging open, and hastily shut it. "Jeff, this is awesome!" he said. "How did you discover it?"

Jeff shrugged. "Eh, I'm a bit of an insomniac. I know lots of hidden things at this school." The wink he sent Nick's way was hard not to swoon over.

"You wander the school at night?" Nick raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Sounds dangerous."

Jeff did a smug little hair flip. "What can I say? I'm a dangerous boy."

"Of course you are." Nick said benevolently, rolling his eyes.

They stood in silence for a few moments, both staring up at the endless sky. Then, without warning, a meteor shot through the midst of the stairs, flaring brightly for a second before fizzling out, leaving behind a faint trail of stardust.

"It's starting!" Jeff said excitedly, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

He rushed over to a little niche behind the air conditioning units and pulled out a couple of quilts. Nick quickly followed and helped spread the quilts on a clear spot in the center of the roof. Another couple of meteors shot above their heads, gleaming faintly of blue, yellow, and red. The two boys settled down and sat in silence for several consecutive minutes. The array of shooting stars didn't disappoint, and was certainly one of the most fascinating things Nick had ever seen. But he couldn't help but get distracted, hyperaware of Jeff's shoulder pressing against his, and the way that their fingertips were literally millimeters apart. He tried to focus on the brilliant shower, but it just couldn't hold his attention for very long.

"What are you thinking about?" Jeff asked out of the blue, his gaze still firmly fixed on the sky.

"Yo – um, n-nothing." Nick flushed, quickly trying to cover the fact that he'd almost said you.

"Oh, really?" Jeff turned towards him, a half-smile lifting up one corner of his mouth. There was a glint in his eye that made Nick feel like he'd been caught red-handed.

"Uh…" He blinked rapidly, wishing that a witty one-liner would pop into his mind. Traitorously, his eyes slid down from Jeff's eyes to his slightly parted lips. There was a tugging curiosity in Nick's gut to find out what they felt and tasted like. He knew it was wrong of him to think that way, but sometimes it was so hard to hold back.

Jeff let out a soft chuckle, and Nick could've sworn that the other boy leaned closer. He dared to look up, and they locked eyes again. A second passed. Two seconds. Nick could hardly breathe. The proximity of their faces was killing him. And Jeff's lips were so close.

And then Jeff looked away, and the moment was shattered, broken into a million tiny fragments. Nick bit his lip and looked back up at the ongoing meteor shower. You were imagining things, he told himself sternly. Why would Jeff want to kiss you?

He sighed faintly and tried to cherish the moment. After all, he was sitting on the Dalton rooftop in the middle of the night, alone with his crush. He couldn't really ask for more than that.

2.

"Take a left here." Nick instructed from the passenger seat, coolly adjusting his hot pink sunglasses.

Jeff sighed but did as he was told, smoothly pulling into a left hand turn. "You're still not going to tell me where we're going, are you?"

"Jeff." The eye-roll was nearly audible. "I told you to wear swim trunks. It's like a hundred and ten degrees outside. Where do you think we're going?"

Jeff huffed indignantly, smiling all the same. "Okay, fine. So why are we not going to the lake?"

"Because everyone goes to the lake." Nick answered breezily. "And where's the fun in that? Now, stop complaining. Think of this as payback for the meteor shower thing."

"Hey, you said you enjoyed that!" Jeff objected. "Besides, you found out soon enough. It's not like it was a big secret."

"Well, you'll find out soon enough too. Take another left."

Jeff turned off the paved road and onto gravel, and they bumped along for a few minutes.

"Alright, stop here." Nick ordered.

Jeff stopped his Jeep and killed the engine, stepping out of the car with a bit of trepidation. There wasn't much to see. A lot of dust and rocks and no water in sight. "So…where are we?"

Nick smirked, shouldering the backpack he'd brought along. "The lake."

"What?" Jeff frowned. "No we're not. This is like the desert. And what happened to 'where's the fun in that'?"

"Just follow me." Nick said, laughing. "It'll be worth it, I promise."

Jeff sighed and they started walking side-by-side over the uneven landscape. It didn't take long for the inordinately hot sun to unleash its full wrath, and Jeff's shirt started sticking to his back.

"It's just here." Nick said casually as they came to the top of a small ridge.

"What are you – ? Whoa…"

Sure enough, the lake glittered in front of them, looking nice and cool and refreshing after their trek under the sun. The spot Nick had led them to was tucked away in an alcove-like space, with a small, deserted shore. Rocky formations curved around the tiny beach in a semicircle, crumbling but sturdy. It was quite the little find.

"How'd you find out about this spot?" Jeff asked in slight awe, trudging down the slope to the edge of the water.

"My brother showed it to me." Nick admitted, setting down his bag. "He's the more adventurous sibling. Cool, right?"

"It's awesome!" Jeff smiled over at him before wiping at his brow. "I hope you brought some sunscreen, 'cause otherwise we're gonna get seriously burned."

Laughing, Nick knelt beside his bag and pulled out a bottle. "SPF 30. All yours – catch!"

Jeff caught it easily, flipping the lid open. After he'd smeared some on his face and neck (probably not getting it all rubbed in and looking like an idiot for it), he turned back around to ask if Nick wanted to use some. The words died in his throat. He'd looked up just in time to catch sight of Nick lifting his shirt over his head. He swallowed, a lump growing in his throat. Nick was…seriously hot.

Jeff blinked a couple of times. Had he just thought that? But…his eyes were drawn to the way Nick's muscles rippled, almost in slow motion – lean and tight under taut, sinewy skin. He had a nice, even tan and lightly defined abs, and his swim shorts rested just low enough for his hipbones to be visible. The whole sight made Jeff's mouth run dry, and he swallowed roughly again, tearing his eyes away. He prayed that he hadn't been caught staring. That would be the awkward moment of the century…even if Nick was extraordinarily sexy. Stop it! Jeff berated himself.

"Jeff?"

Jeff turned his head and saw Nick standing next to him, head tipped to one side.

"Do you think you can get my back?" Nick asked nonchalantly, gesturing to the bottle of sunblock in Jeff's hands.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Jeff nearly choked on his own saliva. Nick wanted him to – ? Oh dear god.

Uncapping the bottle again, Jeff squirted a dab into his hands, rubbed his palms together, and hesitantly reached out for Nick's back. He gently splayed his hands across the shorter boy's shoulder blades, resisting the urge to lightly massage them. Nick let out a tiny sigh, and his shoulders visibly relaxed, as if the contact felt good. Jeff bit his lip hard, unable to keep a blush form darkening his cheeks.

This is completely platonic. Yep. Nonphysical. Nonsexual. You're helping out a friend so he won't get burned. It's platonic.

"Okay, you're good." Jeff said, clearing his throat and lowering his hands, hastily stepping away. He averted his eyes and hoped that his pink cheeks could be passed off as a reaction to the heat. The weather heat, that is.

"Thanks man." Nick's smile was bright enough to light up a small city. "Do you want me to do you?"

Jeff nearly choked all over again. The double meaning of those words would've normally resulted in a that's what she said interjection, but today the unintentional connotation completely floored him.

"Oh, uh…yeah, sure." How could Nick act so calm about the whole thing?

Suddenly feeling awfully self-conscious, Jeff turned away from his best friend and lifted his shirt above his head. He wasn't exactly buff, and he wasn't all that concerned with lifting weights or getting ripped abs anyway. Not that he was fat in any sense, but he found himself suddenly wishing that he'd hit the gym a little more often.

After a moment, soft hands were on his shoulders. Jeff's breath hitched a little, but he tried to hide it behind a little cough. Nick was making that particularly difficult, his fingertips digging lightly into the skin, skimming over his back. Suddenly, the pressure was removed, and Jeff heard the sound of a cap being snapped shut. He let out a breath he'd been unconsciously holding in, feeling half-relieved and half-disappointed.

"Ready to go into the water?" Nick asked, flashing him a bright smile.

Jeff did his best to smile back and act completely normal, as if nothing at all had happened. "Totally!" His enthusiasm reeked of fake.

Incredibly, Nick seemed oblivious, challenging teasingly, "I bet I can get to the water before you!"

"Pfft, as if!" Jeff bantered back, rolling his eyes.

"Wanna find out?"

They held gazes for a second before taking off, racing towards the pebbly shore. They hit the glassy surface at the exact same time, the water splashing up around them, refreshingly chilly for such a hot day.

"I win!" Jeff declared, skidding to a halt and fist-pumping the air. It was a couple of seconds before he realized that he was suddenly very much alone.

"Nick?"

Then, without warning, something large and heavy careened into his back, sending him tumbling face-first through the water. Gasping and accidentally inhaling a lot of really gross lake water, Jeff pushed up against the smothering object, fighting to resurface. To his surprise, the weight lifted and he broke through, pushing his sopping hair out of his eyes. Standing in front of him, waist-deep in water and looking exceptionally smug, was the Boy Wonder himself.

"Oops." Nick said, smirking cheekily.

"Oh, you're gonna pay for that one!" Jeff threatened, lunging forward.

Two hours and one massive water fight later, the two boys pulled themselves onto the shore and flopped down on their respective towels, breathing hard.

"I totally won." Jeff bragged, stretching out luxuriously and letting the sun warm him.

"You did not!" Nick objected, sitting up, his mouth falling open in mock indignation. "I owned you. Just admit it."

"Ha!" Jeff smirked. "In your dreams!"

He let his eyes flutter shut. Despite his playful attitude, the sun was making him feel pleasantly content and sleepy. Idly, his thoughts drifted to earlier and the suntan lotion…incident. He was still trying to convince himself that it had meant nothing. A little nagging voice told him that was a lie, but he pushed it away. All he wanted to do right now was hang out with his best friend for a day. Worrying about and dealing with his complicated feelings could be dealt with at a later time. For now, just chilling in a comfortable silence was enough.

For now.

3.

"We still on for the movies this weekend?" Jeff asked, his voice cracking and breaking in a slightly robotic way.

Nick cursed the terrible cell phone signal inside of Dalton and wandered into the courtyard, hoping to clear up some of the static. "Yeah, of course. Is it your turn to bring the Red Vines or mine?"

"Mine, I think." Jeff said with a laugh. "Although I know you have some hidden in your dorm somewhere. You can't hide them from me forever!"

"Watch me!" Nick gleefully jested back

Jeff laughed before turning the subject. "What movie are we seeing again?"

Nick paused.

"Are there even any good movies out right now?" Jeff asked.

"No, I don't think so." Nick smiled. "It's your turn, right?"

"It is." Jeff agreed. "You'll bring the popcorn?"

"Of course."

"Then it's settled. Eight?"

"Eight."

Nick hung up the phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He glanced around feverishly to make sure he was alone before sighing dreamily, completely releasing any and all tension he'd been carrying. He allowed himself a few golden minutes to hopelessly daydream about Jeff's smile…and laugh…and eyes…and…lips…

"Nick?"

"Yeah?" Nick responded, his voice breathy and dreamy, still happily drifting off into space. It took him a couple moments to realize that Wes was standing in front of him with his arms crossed, eyebrows raised expectantly.

Nick blushed, immediately diverting his gaze to the ground, hanging his head in embarrassment. "I mean…yes, Wes?"

"Dreaming, are you?" Wes had a very knowing tone to his voice.

"D-dreaming?" Nick mentally slapped himself for stuttering like an idiot. "Uh, no. I was just, uh, thinking. Really deeply. Really really deeply."

"It's okay to like somebody." Wes said casually, completely skimming over Nick's denial.

"Right. Okay." Either the temperature had suddenly shot up twenty degrees or someone had set Nick's face on fire. "I'll just be going now."

"We already know." Wes countered calmly. "It's pretty obvious. And we approve, so don't feel like you need to hide it."

"Because, as you well know, I simply live for your approval." Nick said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

"You two would make a really cute couple." Wes plowed on. "Really, you should just get together already."

"I don't like Jeff, okay?" Nick burst out, knowing it was a blatant lie but hoping it would get Wes off his back.

"I never mentioned Jeff's name." Wes replied smoothly.

Nick swore under his breath, knowing he'd been cornered. "I'm leaving now!" he announced loudly, determinedly setting off in the opposite direction.

"We'll put in a good word for you!" Wes called, his smirk highly audible even from a distance.

Wes and his irritatingly nosy tactics aside, Nick showed up on Jeff's porch right on time (and maybe a little early). It didn't take long for them to sprawl out across their favorite couch with a glittering plethora of junk surrounding them. Nick was actually starting to get in to the movie, a feat he considered quite the accomplishment, especially considering there was an extremely attractive boy pressing against his shoulder.

Nick's phone lit up with a text. Usually when he was hanging out with Jeff, everyone and everything else took a backseat, but he saw that the text was from Wes, and his curiosity won over.

Getting all comfy with your one and only? Have you told him yet? You making out? Let me know! –W

Nick gaped soundlessly for a few seconds before wrenching his jaw off the floor and violently sliding his keyboard out, trying not to murder the keys with his response.

Oh yes. In fact, it has now progressed to wild, passionate sex. Now would be a great time for a certain someone to GO AWAY. –N

"What exactly has 'progressed to wild, passionate sex,' Nick?"

Nick jumped and fumbled his phone, which dropped to the floor with a clatter and halfway disappeared under the couch.

"Nothing. Uh, nothing." He desperately tried to cover, kicking his phone the rest of the way under and hoping that Jeff didn't pry.

"Nick." Jeff had a mischievous, teasing look on his face. "You really shouldn't sext during our movie night. It's not polite."

"I – I'm not sexting!" Nick squeaked in protest, mentally swearing to track down Wes and throttle him.

There was a loud, clattering, vibrating sound, and it took half a second for both boys to be on the floor, wrestling for control of Nick's phone. Initially, Nick thought he would win, his hand closing in around the electronic and pulling it away. He rolled over onto his stomach and clutched his prize to his chest. Jeff let out a huff of indignation. There was scuffling, and then a heavy weight pressed down on Nick's back, effectively squishing him.

"Are you…sitting on me?" he asked, a little breathier than usual, twisting his head around.

"Yep, sure am." Jeff said cheerfully, shifting a little. "I shall sit on you until you surrender!"

Nick ceased his struggles and went limp, knowing full well that Jeff would crack before long. Sure enough, his weight disappeared mere seconds later. Nick experienced a few seconds of relief before a pair of hands attacked, turning him over before mercilessly splaying out and tickling his sides. He jerked as Jeff picked on his moth sensitive spots, squirming and trying to wriggle away.

"That – that's cruel!" Nick choked out, laughing and breathless. "Stop! S-stop!"

"Never!" Jeff proclaimed, smiling and firmly holding Nick down.

Through the haze of torture being inflicted on his sides mixed with Jeff basically being on top of him, Nick didn't immediately realize that his phone was missing. It wasn't until the tickling ceased and Jeff sat up that he realized it was gone.

"Hey!" Nick protested, half-indignant and half disappointed that Jeff actually stopped. He made a swipe at his phone, but Jeff lifted it out of reach, smirking.

"At least let me up." Nick said, shoving at Jeff's stomach. He couldn't help but notice how firm and sinewy his stomach felt through the fabric of his shirt. Not that he cared about that in the slightest. Nope.

Obeying for once, Jeff got to his feet and flopped back onto the couch, casually scrolling through Nick's texts.

"Really, Nick," he tsked, raising an eyebrow teasingly, "I thought you had better taste in guys than Wes."

"What does it say?" Nick squeaked, his voice cracking from the high pitch.

"Oh…nothing." Jeff snickered. "Especially nothing about forgetting protection."

Nick groaned and covered his flaming face, falling back onto the cushions with a whump. Laughing, Jeff tossed his phone back, turning to face the TV once more.

"Try and control your sexual urges during our movie night, okay?" Jeff teased.

Nick could only continue to hide his face in response.

Foolishly, Nick had deluded himself into thinking that they could spend the night as just friends and he wouldn't have to worry about his feelings. This turned out to be the exact opposite of what happened. He wasn't sure the precise moment Jeff fell asleep, but somewhere around three in the morning he became very aware of a sudden pressure on his left shoulder. At first, Nick did his best to ignore it. But Jeff's slumbering head grew heavier and heavier, his breaths deeper and more noticeable. Gently, Nick tried to push the other boy away, but Jeff started grumbling in his sleep, shifting and mumbling incoherently. Nick went stock-still before pushing again, a little harder this time. Jeff let out a small cry, blindly reaching out and grabbing Nick around the waist, his head settling softly on Nick's lap.

Nick froze, repeatedly reminding himself that Jeff had no idea what he had just done and that no, his tiny snores were not cute in any sense. He glanced down at the sleeping boy and instantly relaxed, softening. Slowly, tentatively, he reached out and brushed the bangs away from Jeff's closed eyes. Not quite knowing what possessed him, he bent down and placed a soft, tender kiss on the blonde boy's forehead.

Did Jeff know, Nick wondered, somewhere in his sleeping subconscience? Was he aware that Nick's lips were tingling and yearning for a whole lot more?

It was hard to swallow down the burning desire to wake Jeff and confess all of his feelings right there on the spot. He wasn't quite sure why it all hit him in a rush at once, but it was twice as hard as usual to suppress himself. Sighing and leaning his head back onto the cushions, Nick closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would find him and clear his head.

When Nick awoke the next morning, he and Jeff were both on the floor, bodies angled towards each other and virtually nose-to-nose. He smiled softly and a little sadly, closing his eyes once again. Having Jeff that close (even if it was unintentionally so) and not being able to do anything was weirdly painful and comforting at the same time. As he slipped back into a light slumber, the scent of Jeff filled his senses, and contentment warmed him from the core.

4.

Jeff shifted in his seat in the common room, unable to entirely ward off his feelings on intense boredom. Sure, he always stayed at Dalton for the weekend, but it just seemed so empty this time around. Okay, so maybe it wasn't actually any less crowded than usual, but he hadn't seen Nick all day and it was really starting to bug him. Wes and David were off somewhere probably torturing Thad and Kurt and Blaine had long since disappeared (probably off to some cozy janitor's closet). The halls were still bustling with the students who boarded. Something just felt off without Nick there.

Standing, Jeff decided that, one way or another, he couldn't just sit around, mope continually, and wait for something interesting to fall into his lap. He dusted off his jeans before wandering a little aimlessly into the nearest hallway. It took maybe 2.5 seconds for him to run straight into Nick – literally.

"Jeff!" Nick smiled, taking a step back and brushing off his shirt. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Jeff arched an eyebrow in skepticism. "Really!"

"Yeah!" Nick nodded earnestly. "I have something really important to tell you!"

That was intriguing. Jeff leaned closer. "I'm listening."

Nick took a deep, dramatic breath.

"I'm hungry."

Jeff snorted, shaking his head. "Wow, Nick. Wow. Glad to know how much you truly cherish our friendship. No really. I feel so special. Can't you hear the honesty in my voice?" He repressed a grin. "Why is it so important that you tell me this?"

"Well, you cook, don't you?"

Jeff shrugged. "So do you."

"Touché." For a moment, Nick looked a little crestfallen. Then he perked back up. "What do you think they have in the kitchens?"

"One way to find out. Let's do some snooping!"

"Now this is just depressing." Nick said disgustedly, eyeing the contents (or lack thereof) of the fridge. "There's like nothing in here. What's the deal with that?"

"Beats me." Jeff hopped onto the counter. "Maybe it would be more helpful if we knew what you were hungry for."

"Pizza sounds good." Nick said decisively, shutting the fridge door. "Do we have any frozen ones left?"

"No." Jeff rolled his eyes. "Those got polished off when David and Thad decided it was a good idea to see who could eat more pizza in ten minutes."

Sighing and shaking his head, Nick turned and slipped into the pantry, reappearing a few seconds later with a bag of flour.

"What are your thoughts on making one instead?" he asked.

"You know how to make pizza? From scratch?" Jeff raised his eyebrows skeptically.

"What can I say? My mom's obsessed with Italian cuisine. I picked up a few things." He set the flour down and started rummaging through the cupboards. "You in or what?"

"Alright then." Jeff cracked his knuckles. "Instruct me in your ways, O Great One."

Kneading pizza dough was a weird sensation, Jeff decided as he rolled it under his hands. The mound was sticky and smooth, a bit like playdough but more pliable. And probably more delicious.

"Stop!" Nick ordered, placing a hand on his arm. "You don't want to knead too much and make the dough tough."

Obediently, Jeff stepped back, grabbing a spare towel to clean off his flour-covered hands. He watched in amusement as Nick took a rolling pin to the mound and started to roll it thin.

"Can you throw it in the air and make it spin?" Jeff asked curiously.

"What?" Nick sounded distracted.

"You know…like on TV and stuff. Don't chefs always toss pizza in the air and it spins or something?"

Nick looked back over his shoulder and grinned impishly. "You mean like this?" With quick hands, he tossed the dough into the air, just high enough to clear the top of the fridge. It spun in a perfect circle before gravity brought it back down. Nick caught it heavily and set it back on the counter, acting rather like nothing had happened.

Jeff's jaw dropped. "Dude! 'A few things'? How do you do that?"

"A lot of practice and a lot of dropped pizza dough." Nick said, setting aside the rolling pin. "Also a few incidents of scraping it off the ceiling."

"That's awesome." Jeff said admiringly. "I didn't know you could do that. Or make pizza at all, for that matter."

Nick smirked. "I'm a man of many talents." He winked teasingly. "Now, pass me the tomato sauce."

"Okay, pizza's in the oven…" Nick said, shutting the door. "I don't think it'll take too long. We should probably start cleaning up."

"Yeah, okay." Jeff resisted the urge to tease Nick for the flour specks in his hair. "I'll start the dishes, you start putting everything away."

Without waiting for an answer, he turned away, picked up the mixing, set it in the sink, and started scrubbing. He's just barely gotten started when –

"Oh shit – !"

Confused, Jeff swung his head around to ask what Nick was fussing about. He was just in time to receive a heaping faceful of flour. He managed to shut his eyes in time, but the stuff left a seriously nasty taste in his mouth.

"Oh my god, Jeff. I'm so sorry!"

A pair of hands started brushing gently at Jeff's face, and he blinked open his eyes to see Nick swatting at the lumps of white powder. Jeff shook his head and glanced down at his clothes. He was finely dusted from his feet up. It rather looked like he'd been caught in snow that refused to melt.

"I'm sorry." Nick repeated, biting his lip. "The bag just sort of slipped, and the bottom was weak, and – "

He was cut off as Jeff scooped up some stray flour and flicked it into his face. Puffing, Nick spat out a mouthful and wiped at his eyes.

"You did not just do that." He said, vigorously shaking himself, sending white puffs into the air.

"I did." Jeff said smugly, crossing his arms. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

Nick narrowed his eyes, an evil smile beginning to play across his lips. "This!"

Jeff ducked in time to avoid the brunt of Nick's attack, but being as tall as he was, the shredded cheese still landed full-force in his hair and down the back of his shirt.

"You are so gonna get it!"

It didn't take long for the food to start flying. Cheese, tomato sauce, flour, and various other food items went flying back and forth like cannons. Nick was the first to break out the sauce, and he managed to splatter it all across the left side of Jeff's face. Jeff ducked behind the counter, quickly wiped his face clean, and made his way over to the fridge. Before his mind caught up with his actions, he had Nick pinned to the floor and was cracking an egg over his head in retaliation, which resulted in Nick chasing him in circles with the rolling pin as a weapon.

Eventually they ran out of things to use against each other, and collapsed together on the floor, laughing hysterically. Jeff was completely breathless, but he couldn't stop his hysteria. His clothes were damaged far beyond repair, and when he ran a hand through his hair, he could feel shreds of cheese still stuck in it. But it had been so much fun that he just couldn't bring himself to care.

The oven dinged behind them

"Pizza's done." Nick said unnecessarily.

Jeff laughed once more and stood, offering Nick a hand. He pulled the shorter boy to his feet, and together they retrieved the pizza from the oven and slid it onto a large platter.

Jeff dusted off his hands, feeling exceptionally pleased with himself. Turning, he said, "Hey Nick, do we have a – a…?"

Somehow, Nick's face had ended up mere inches from his. Surprise glittered in Nick's cerulean eyes, mixed with something a little more obscure. Neither boy made a move to back away.

Jeff swallowed thickly. "A, um…"

Nick reached up and wiped a spare smudge of tomato sauce from Jeff's cheek, a simple gesture that he – either intentionally or not – managed to make intimate. But instead of pulling back again, his hand stayed, fingertips lightly brushing Jeff's cheekbone.

"A what?" Nick whispered, a touch of longing then darkening his gaze.

Jeff swallowed again, his throat utterly dry. His breath caught, and his heart started thumping far too fast. Nick's palm gently flattened against his cheek. They leaned closer, almost imperceptibly. Their foreheads touched. And then Nick was moving in even closer, and –

"Um, am I interrupting something?"

Nick and Jeff jumped apart as if they'd just been electrocuted. Somehow, they ended up six feet apart and determinedly avoiding each other's gazes in the span of about three seconds. Jeff felt his entire face light up, and knew that he had turned a violent shade of red. His cheek burned in all the places that Nick had touched it, tingling and warm.

In the doorway stood David, his arms crossed and his eyebrows raised. The look he was sporting suggested that he had seen everything and knew more.

"What do you want, David?" Nick snapped, sounding genuinely pissed off.

David raised his hands defensively. "Wes and I heard yelling. We thought Cameron had set something on fire again." His dark eyes roamed over the mess covering the kitchen. "Looks like you two have been…busy."

Both Nick and Jeff flushed.

"We'll clean it up." Jeff mumbled, trying not to look guilty.

David nodded and turned around to leave. Jeff disliked the thoughtful, plotting expression on his face. Nothing good ever came of David's plots.

Nick sighed irritatedly.

There was a short silence.

"So…are we going to eat now?" Jeff asked, cautiously testing the waters. He wasn't really sure what to say to break the awkwardness.

Nick laughed, "We ought to. It was enough trouble to make."

Jeff smiled a little sadly. They leaned on the counter together and meticulously cut their pie into pieces, looking up every few seconds to glance at each other. But as they dug in, as delicious as it was, Jeff couldn't suppress a sinking feeling of dejection.

Because, just for a moment, he had been certain that they would kiss.

5.

"Aren't the others supposed to be here already?" Jeff asked, looking around confusedly.

Nick sighed. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but he'd been suspecting something of this nature was going to occur. All the Warblers, Wes and David in particular, had been acting awfully strange lately, even for them. And then, literally out of nowhere, they had wanted to have the first annual 'Warblers Skate Night' at the local roller-skating rink. Aside from the fact that, as far as Nick knew, none of them had ever skated much before in their lives, it was just something weird to want to do. How often did a giant group of chiefly straight teenage guys go skating together…for fun? Randomly?

And now Nick and Jeff were standing alone together inside of the badly-lit arena, looking around for the others that were supposedly going to be there. After a couple more minutes of waiting in awkward silence, Jeff pulled out his phone to check his messages.

"Still nothing." He reported, running an irritated hand through his hair.

"Maybe they're just…busy?" Nick offered. "Or they forgot?"

"I doubt it." Jeff voiced aloud what Nick was afraid to. "They probably just ditched because they think it's funny or something. I don't get it. Wes and David I would understand, but Blaine and Kurt? I thought for sure they'd be here. But, since we got ditched and are already here, you wanna just skate anyway?"

"You brought the blades?" Nick asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course." Jeff laughed.

It wasn't long after that the two were quite literally blading circles around each other, chit-chatting merrily. It wasn't until the song changed from an upbeat Dubstep tune to something a little mellower that Nick actually started to commit to the conversation.

It all started when Jeff turned around, somehow weaving in and out of the people backwards, and said, "So why did the others really ditch us?"

Nick's throat closed up. Oh, he thought, no reason. Just because David saw me and you almost kiss and probably told every person under the sun and now they're trying to set us up because whenever a Warbler has a potential crush, people intervene like nosy little twats.

"I don't know what they're up to, to be honest." Nick said with a sigh, looking away. "They're…well, they're the Warblers. And the Warblers are all freaks of nature, so…"

Jeff laughed and turned back around, his curiosity momentarily satiated. Nick couldn't resist letting out a sigh of relief. He had honestly been planning on letting Jeff know about his crush, but now didn't seem like the time. Not in public. Especially not surrounded by potentially homophobic teenage couples. And in Ohio, you never quite knew what freaks were hanging around.

"Oh, I love this song!" Jeff exclaimed, breaking through Nick's pondering.

Rhythm of Love had come on through the speakers, and usually Nick liked the song well enough. But something dawned on him with a sinking realization, a realization that was confirmed a split second later.

"Everybody grab their special someone and participate in our Couple Skate!" A man's voice proclaimed over the loudspeaker.

"Ah, too bad." Jeff said, shaking his head. He turned and started to blade towards the seating area, but Nick caught his arm.

"Let's stay."

Nick could hardly believe his own daring. And despite all of his misgivings about being in Ohio and homophobia and all that, he hated to see anything make Jeff disappointed. Even trivial things like this.

…And okay, so maybe he just really wanted to hold hands with Jeff for three minutes. But still.

Jeff arched one eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Nick let out a small smile. "Yeah. Let's go."

Summoning up the last dregs of his confidence, Nick took Jeff's hand and pulled him along, lacing their fingers together. They cast shy looks in each other's direction, but Nick just couldn't bring himself to be even remotely embarrassed. Maybe a little bashful, but there was just something right about the way Jeff's hand fit in his.

Slowly, they slid back into their friendly chatter, keeping their hands tightly linked.

And they made it through three minutes and twenty seconds without an awkward moment in sight. Personally, Nick considered that an accomplishment.

1.

"Hurry up, slowpoke!" Jeff teased, prancing loftily up the hill, laughing.

Nick rolled his eyes, leaning forward and pouring on the speed, catching up so that they arrived over the crest of the hill at the same time. "Slowpoke?" he asked amusedly, raising an eyebrow.

Jeff shrugged. "Eh, I couldn't think of anything better."

"You're hopeless." Nick laughed.

"One of my many fine qualities." Jeff smiled.

It was nice to hang out again, the air cleared of awkwardness and potential setbacks. Jeff rather thought that school being out had helped their friendship quite a lot. Things between them had been a little weird since the pizza and couple skate episodes, and neither of them had the guts to really talk about it. They'd drifted apart for a bit near the end of school, but now summer was in full force, and things had gotten easier. Jeff had certainly loosened up a bit away from the craziness and stress of school (and Wes's manic Warbler rehearsals/schemes).

It wasn't that Jeff didn't want to talk about it. He definitely wanted to. But he didn't want to be the one to bring it up. He didn't want to instigate the conversation, and be the one pushing for answers. In full honesty, he wasn't completely sure of himself yet. He was convinced that he and Nick had almost kissed at least twice. The first time, under the stars…he didn't know exactly what he'd been thinking when he turned away. It just hadn't felt like the right moment. Except, well, that moment would've been pretty darn romantic, if not a little cheesy. It should've been their first kiss.

The second time, in the kitchens, he'd wanted to. So badly. That moment had felt so right. He had been so sure that everything was going to click right there and then, and the world would be rainbows and flowers and love and sunshine. But then their lovely friend David had interrupted and ruined the whole thing. Jeff had had the urge to violently murder David for several hours afterwards. It had almost literally been painful to have the kiss snatched away from right under his nose.

It hadn't occurred to him until a couple of days later that Nick seemed to reciprocate his feelings, at least in some fashion. Enough to almost instigate a kiss. Unfortunately, Nick hadn't brought up the almost-kiss, so Jeff hadn't tried to push the subject. They'd both just dropped it and tried to act normally.

But then they went to that skating rink.

Jeff had already been moving off the floor when Nick had grabbed his hand for the couple skate. He hadn't offered up a reason for wanting to do the couple skate, and Jeff hadn't had the power to resist his charms. So, they'd skated around, their hands twined together, for an entire rendition of Rhythm of Love, ignoring the looks they were getting. Jeff was still questioning whether that had been a real date or not. He supposed not, as they weren't together now and the only reason they had been alone was because the others had ditched them. Not exactly a date.

In any case, they were hanging out now, and it was once again a comfortable experience, and that was all Jeff felt justified in asking for. If he was being completely honest with himself, Jeff was hoping that inviting Nick over for Fourth of July celebrations would jumpstart them into a discussion. No such luck so far, though, and it was starting to get awfully late.

"When's the show starting?" Nick asked, breaking into Jeff's thoughts.

"Umm, in about ten minutes I think." Jeff said, plopping down on the grass. He looked up at Nick and smiled coyly. "We have the best seat in the house, don't worry. I don't think we can exactly miss the show. They're going to be right above us."

Nick rolled his eyes, taking a seat all the same, his eyes fixed on the dark sky. It was an absolutely perfect night for a fireworks display – slightly cool, no breeze, and a cloudless, starry sky. Jeff bit his lip, suddenly remembering how eerily close this was to the meteor shower he'd shown Nick. He tried to focus on the sky and think about fireworks. The literal kind. He allowed himself a glance in Nick's direction every minute or so. Was it weird to think that a guy was beautiful? It was something in the way the moonlight bounced off his skin.

A high-pitched fizzling sound caught Jeff's attention, and he whipped his head around in time to see the first firework explode, bursting into a cloud of golden sparks with an ear-splitting BOOM!

Nick laughed and rubbed his ears jokingly. More fireworks were shot into the air, shimmering gold before delicately curling into the shape of a weeping willow – Jeff's personal favorite. The show continued along that vein for a while – some pink, some white, some green, some red, some blue; a bit of everything, really. At one point, a giant cloud of purple fireworks detonated, filling the sky with different shades of violet.

Nick pointed up at a particularly spectacular starburst cluster, taking Jeff's hand at the same time. Jeff smiled, a tingly sensation shooting through his left arm, as if it had suddenly come alive. He turned to look down at their intertwined hands, unable to repress his silly grin. Nick took his gaze from the show to meet Jeff's eyes. Jeff was transfixed. Nick's eyes were dark and flickered with the colors of the ongoing fireworks, but Jeff was still ensnared in their depths. Almost unconsciously, he shifted closer, still staring directly into Nick's eyes. Nick leaned in and touched his forehead to Jeff's. For a moment, they were quite literally nose-to-nose. And then Jeff saw a familiar flicker of doubt cross Nick's face, and panic raced through his system. It was the hesitation that Jeff had had himself during their first almost-kiss. And then Nick lowered his gaze to the ground, turning his head to the side, making a move like he was going to pull away.

Not again! He thought desperately. Do something, Jeff! Do anything!

And then, before Nick could pull away and leave the moment hanging yet again, Jeff had gently placed a hand on his cheek and pulled him in, pressing their lips together. A charge that was almost electric sparked when their skin touched. Obviously having felt it too, Nick gasped, his lips parting, before he eagerly began to kiss back.

It was better than anything Jeff could've ever fantasized up. Metaphorically and literally in this case, there were fireworks. Nick's lips were incredibly soft and supple, hesitant and yet needy at the same time, and it was all just so Nick. The sensations were indescribable. Jeff felt like all his senses were on fire, but in a way that was so, so pleasant. He was hyperaware of everything – the hand that had softly traced a line up his neck, the knee that was pressing against his, and, of course, the pair of lips moving against his mouth. The light scent of Nick's cologne was wreathed around him, a heavenly musky smell that Jeff had always loved. It was an aroma that almost never left his mind, and now he could almost taste it.

Jeff tugged Nick forwards, and he fell flat onto his back, one arm looping around the shorter boy's waist, pulling him closer. The kiss deepened, and in the background Jeff vaguely registered the finale of the fireworks show, the hundreds of ear-popping explosions, and the deafening silence that followed. Not that the sudden stillness really diverted them.

Nick broke away first, gently pulling away and once again pressing their foreheads together. His lips looked slightly bruised and puffy, but his smile seemed to light up everything within a five-foot radius.

"That was – uh – yeah." He sounded breathlessly elated.

Jeff smiled, leaning up and capturing his lips once more. Suddenly, talking about it didn't seem like a big deal. It didn't seem important. Was it even necessary anymore? They'd gotten their moment. No interruptions, no internal fears holding them back, and no more dancing around each other. It was as flawless as if Jeff had planned it himself (but hey – in a way, he had planned it himself). Making it official and everything would come later, he was sure. And of course telling everybody. But no one knew what was going on right now, and they had lots of time to make the most of.

Needless to say, with the quiet darkness of the night shielding them in, they didn't come down to reality for quite a long time.

I hope you enjoyed that :)

I have a Tumblr now. I'll give you three guesses what the URL is. (Hint: it may have "squirrelz" and "attack" next to each other)

Bless your face. If you sneezed while reading this story, bless YOU. Peace off. BOOP! Da da da doo doo doo doo doo doo, subscribe! (Props to you if you recognize that!)

~SquirrelzAttack