Where the Lines Overlap Ch. 09

She turned and sent a glare his way, "I'm not worried about him. I know he can handle himself. What I can't handle is my heart breaking," she said as she hit him in the arm.

"Hey, I'm still here you know?" Ken piped in, somewhat insulted that our mother had seemingly forgotten about her other son.

I smiled but turned to Alena, who was glancing at Taron's sulking form from the corner of her eye. I didn't point that out to her, not wanting to talk about him right now. "Thanks again Alena. For setting this up," I said.

"Hey, it's no problem. You're one of my best friends and this move is a monumental stepping stone for a natal. It's only right that I pitch in where I can."

"Did you really need to send the calvary though?" I said, motioning my head over to the husbands who were joking with one another in a corner. At that moment, I saw Thane punch Will lightly on the arm, to which Will was laughing. It was nice seeing them acting like that, like a happy couple. Comfortable, as Will had put it.

"I didn't. He invited himself and dragged Thane along," Alena complained, rolling her eyes at her brother in-law. I smiled, but gave Taron a quick side glance. He was leaning against his hovercar, kicking at the ground. It was definitely awkward between us. We hadn't said a word to each other since two days ago and his presence here just added an extra layer of tension. "Him, I did invite though," Alena smirked, catching my glance.

I quickly looked away, trying my best to hide my blush. "I don't care," I said, turning and walking back to my parents. I said my last goodbyes before telling everyone that we should get going. I got into Alena's hovercar, along with Alena and Ken. Will and Thane shared a hovercar with Taron. I was at least relieved that Alena hadn't forced Taron and I to share a car, because I knew that If I had to stay in a confined space with him for two hours, I would most probably die from the tension.

The two hour drive was fun, seeing that Ken, Alena and I shared a car. It was like old times, when we were younger and didn't have to worry about the problems that accompanied adulthood. We were the terrible trio once again. We joked and laughed, reminisced and smiled. It was all very nice.

But all good things must come to an end, and as light transitioned to night, I knew we were arriving at sector 76. "Life's going to change now, isn't it?" I said.

"Change isn't necessarily a bad thing though," Ken said.

"I guess," I sighed.

Soon, we were stopping outside my new house. "Well, here's to change then," I said, getting out of the car. I went to the trunk and grabbed the first box, before proceeding to the front door. "Can you guys start by bringing in the stuff. Just leave them in the living room," I said, just as Taron's hovercar glided to a smooth stop behind Alena's.

Ignoring it, I awkwardly waved my BIC across my door, the box in my arms making it slightly difficult, but the door opened nonetheless. I stepped into the familiar but empty house, taking a deep breath. This was going to be my new life.

I put the box down on the floor as the other guys started coming in with boxes of their own. I chuckled slightly when Ken came in with only one box, while Will and Taron followed balancing two each in their arms. I raised my eyebrow at my brother, to which he gave a shrug and smirk. Sneaky lazy bitch.

"Welcome back neighbor," a voice called from the door.

I turned to the door and smiled, seeing a cocky Hank leaning against the frame. Behind him, I saw Max walking up the porch, looking back at the shiny hovercars in the driveway.

"Nice cars. I'm guessing the elite friends are here too. Either that, or they are yours and I will definitely be kissing up to you a lot," Max said, still eyeing the sleek vehicles. He whistled before turning back to me.

"They're not mine. They're theirs," I said, pointing to the four elites now standing in my living room, who replied with simple hellos. I watched as both Hank and Max scanned the occupants of my home.

"Damn, I've never seen so many hot guys in one place before," Hank muttered and Max nodded in agreement. I laughed, introducing each person. Each of them giving a warm wave. Well, everyone except Taron, who grunted in response. He didn't look none to happy.

"Who's gay?" Hank asked out of the blue and I literally face palmed myself.

"Um...I'm sorry?" It was Will who spoke this, clearly baffled by the totally random question.

"I'm guessing only you two?" Hank said, pointing to the married couple.

"Hank, stop embarrassing me," I groaned. "Max, do something?"

"Hey, stay married to the guy and you will know not to come between him and his theory," Max said, not even attempting to stop his husband.

"So, am I right?" Hank asked Taron, who looked at a lost for words.

I decided to save him, "Every guy in this room is gay, except Ken there," I said, rubbing my temples.

"Hah! Score one for the theory train," Hank shouted and Max just rolled his eyes. I turned to the other people in my house, each one showing confusion on their faces.

"He has a theory that all gay guys are hot," I said.

"And so far it's been true. Now there are six gay people I know, and all of them are hot," Hank said. At this, I heard something like a growl come from Taron, but it was drowned out when Hank continued. "Oh and one pretty cute straight boy,"

I turned to Ken who blushed red and I chuckled at that. Trust Hank to be able to get Ken to blush.

After that, things became comfortable again. Will started talking to Hank and Max, obviously curious about the married couple. The rest of us brought the rest of the boxes into the house. At one point, I accidentally brushed against Taron, his touch sending my hairs standing. I apologized quickly and rushed away.

With only a few boxes left in the cars, which Taron and Alena had gone to retrieve, I decided to at least put some boxes in their respective rooms. I picked one up and looked down at the box in my hands, noticing it was some of my personal items I kept in my old room. With that in mind, I walked over to the master bedroom and dropped the box in there.

"Hey," Ken popped in out of nowhere, startling me.

"Shit, you scared me," I said, turning to glare at Ken. He smiled and walked over to my bed, sitting on the edge, to which I joined him.

"Feels unreal doesn't it," Ken said.

"Yeah, I can't believe this is happening."

"You know who else is probably having a hard time with this too?" Ken asked and I immediately groaned.

"If this is what you want to talk about then this conversation is over," I said.

"C'mon Kev, you and I both know it's not only him I'm talking about."

"I don't want to talk about Taron okay? Can you just drop it?" I asked, getting slightly frustrated. I didn't need this, not today at least.

"No, you wanna know why?" he asked and I sighed in exasperation. I knew that whatever I say was going to fall onto deaf ears so I decided to just deal with it and let him say what he has to. "It's because you love him."

My eyes went wide as I turned to stare at him. I hadn't told him that I loved Taron. I haven't told anyone. "How—"

"Did you honestly think you could keep it from me? Pfft. I'm you're twin," he said, rolling his eyes. "Besides, its written on your face all the time you look at him. I can see that you hate having broken up with him."

"No I never—" I started but was cut off.

"Stop lying Kev, at least to yourself. Let's face it, even if you keep telling yourself that it's the right thing to do, you're miserable. You love him so much that you're willing to let him go. If that's not love, I don't know what is," he said. I sighed as I closed my eyes. I didn't want to admit it but he was right. "So just tell him you love him. If he loves you too, then you can work through this together. If the time comes that nothing can be done to salvage the relationship then so be it. At least you'd have known you tried."

I scoffed, "Kinda hypocritical coming from you isn't it? You've never even told Alena you like her, let alone that you're in love with her." That shut him right up, because he didn't say anything and looked to his hands. Yeah, he could read me, but I could also read him. Furthermore, he'd been in love with her longer than I have with Taron. We stayed in silence for a while, not sure what to say after that.

"I'll make you a deal," he said after a minute of silence.

"Ken, I don't—"

"Just hear me out," he said, giving me pleading eyes. I sighed and nodded. "Okay, I'll tell Alena that I love her, right now. I'll walk into that living room and confess my love for her," he started. I didn't want to pressure him into doing something he wasn't ready for. This was my problem after all, not his, but I waited for him to finish. "But, you need to tell Taron you love him too."

"Ken, I don't want to," I whined. "Besides, we both know you're not going to tell Alena that." At that, Ken stood up and started for the door. My eyes doubled in size as I tried to grab him, but he was too far. "Ken, stop," I whisper shouted as I chased after my brother. He was walking too fast however, and before I could even grab him, he was already in the living room.

"Alena," Ken started, and I froze. Shit, he was really going to do it.

"Yeah?" Alena asked, turning from her spot on the couch to look at Ken.

"I love you," he said. The whole room became quiet as everyone suddenly turned to Ken. Will and Hank, who were chatting also stopped abruptly. The tension in the room multiplied ten fold from the numerous eyes now staring at Ken, but he didn't seem perturbed at all. "I've been in love with you for a long time now and I just thought that you should know that," he finished.

Without even waiting for a reply, he turned and walked past me whispering, "I did it. Now you keep your end of the bargain," he said. I looked up at Alena, who was staring open mouth behind me, I assumed to Ken. I darted my eyes to Taron, who too look shock, only he was staring at Alena, gauging her reaction. The moment my eyes moved to him though, as if sensing my gaze, he turned to me. I locked eyes with him for a few seconds and I immediately felt my heart ache.

His eyes showed shock, not surprising after the announcement that Ken had just given, but behind them there was something else. His green eyes didn't hold the same sparkle as they once did, a veil of sadness covering his once bright spheres. Was it because of me? Was I the one who put that sadness there?

I broke eye contact, turning to look at Ken, who was leaning against the wall, arms across his chest. He gave me a look that said, 'go on' and I turned away from him. I had to honor the deal, right? Technically, I never agreed to it, but Ken had just confessed to Alena, something that I knew he was uncomfortable with, so I owed him that much, right?

I sighed, walking over to Taron and grabbing his arm, pulling him towards the kitchen for some privacy. What? The deal was I tell Taron I loved him. Nothing said I had to do it in a room full of people. Taron followed without a word, probably unsure what I was doing. I stopped in the kitchen and released his arm, feeling the tingling in my fingers at the lingering sensation of his skin.

I didn't look at him, but I could feel his presence behind me. Neither of us said anything for a while, just standing in the stillness of the kitchen. I was trying to find the words to say how I felt. How I was sorry for the pain I put him through. How I did it for his sake. But I didn't know how to put it in words.

After a few moments, I heard footsteps and I could feel Taron getting closer to me, stoping just a couple steps away from me. He didn't say anything, but I could feel his warm presence behind me. I could imagine his hand coming up, hesitating, wondering if he wanted to touch me. I could feel his hands approaching, almost as if an aura was surrounding him.

Just moments before I felt his fingers on my arm, I said it. "I love you." His hand stopped, hovering just an inch from my skin. "I...I'm sorry...f-for everything," Slowly, I felt his hand retreat, the warmth of his aura slowly backing away. "I'm sorry about what happened to us. I-I'm sorry for not realizing the pain I put you through, and I'm sorry for ever coming into your life." He took a step back and I felt like he was leaving. For good this time, but I needed him to know. It was probably best that he avoid me anyway.

"But I can't help it if I fall in love. How could I not?" I asked. "You...you were the perfect boyfriend. I felt safe with you and I felt like I mattered. But then I realized something. You were the perfect boyfriend to me, but was I the perfect boyfriend for you? I had so many issues, and every time it was you who was helping me. I was nothing more than a burden to you. I know I made you happy, you made me happy too, but how long would your happiness last? Would you one day come to look at me with distaste?

"I guess it was selfishness on my part. Sure, I could say that I broke up with you because I couldn't let you ruin your life, but I know a part of it was just me thinking about myself. I knew, deep down that I couldn't bear to have you hate me. So, I broke up with you, because I could handle you hating me for breaking your heart, but I can't handle you hating me and breaking mine." I said as I choked on my last words.

The tears that have been welling in my eyes were now starting to flow, leaving trails on my face. I waited for Taron to say something. Anything.

He didn't.

I took a deep breath, and cleared my throat. I said what I needed to say, and the least I could do was save my dignity a little. "I'm sorry," I said, turning and making my way for the kitchen exit.

I was almost out the kitchen when I felt strong arms wrap around my torso. The familiar warmth of his filled my chest as he squeezed me tight from behind. "Don't leave me," he whispered. "Please, don't leave me. Not again," he cried, voice breaking as he struggled to control his emotions. "I love you. I love you so much. Please, don't leave me."

I brought my hand up, resting in over his as it presided over my heart. I felt Taron bring his lips to my neck, as he continued whispering in my ear. "Stop apologizing, because I love you. You are the perfect boyfriend, because I love you. You're not a burden, because I love you and I know I'll never hate you, because I love you. I was being stupid when I said those hurtful words to you. I knew it bothered you and I still said it. I was the stupid one, not you, but please Kev, don't leave me again," he cried.

I stayed quiet as I processed what he said. Taron loved me too? I had a strange feeling in my chest, like when you woke up on your birthday as a kid, but more intense. Taron loved me.

Taking my silence the wrong way, Taron turned me around and stared into my eyes. "I promise, I'll do anything. I'll be the best boyfriend in the world. Just don't leave me." I looked at him and saw the trails of tears that cascaded down his cheeks. I brought my hand up, gently wiping them away with my thumb before leaning forward, bringing my lips to his as I kissed him. I snaked my arms around his neck, locking him there and preventing his escape. I felt the arms around my waist tighten and he held me closer, as if afraid that I would float away.

I broke the kiss, leaning my forehead against his, nuzzling his nose with my own. "You're already the best boyfriend in the world," I said.

"So does that mean you're not leaving me?" he asked.

"As long as you'll have me."

"Forever then," he smirked, before kissing me again. I smiled as I hugged Taron tighter, burying my face in his neck. It's only been two days but I've missed him. I breathed in his scent, sighing in content at the familiar yet attractive smell that was all Taron. I don't know why I missed him so much, seeing that I've gone for more than two days without seeing him before, and I had never felt such a need to be around him.

"God, I've missed you," I mumbled against his shoulder, making Taron chuckle in response.

"I know right? Feels like it's been forever," he said.

"Maybe because we thought that we weren't gonna be like this again," I suggested.

"Hmm maybe. At least now we don't have to worry about that," he said, but I frowned at that. Not because I didn't like that he had just implied that we would be staying together forever. No, I loved that. It was that he suddenly reminded me that, regardless of whether we were together or not, I was still living halfway across the moon from him. "What's wrong?" Taron asked, picking up on my change of mood.

"It's just that...I'm still here. Living here I mean. That's a lot of distance between us," I mumbled.

"Hey," he said, putting a hand under my chin and raising my head so were were looking at each other. "We're gonna make it work. I don't know, maybe I'll move here too. I'm sure there's something I can do here. Or I can try to get you reposted to the City Centre—"

"Oh my god! That's it!" Taron was interrupted by a shout coming from the other room, the voice sounding a little too close to the kitchen. It didn't take a genius to figure out that everyone in the house had been eavesdropping just outside the kitchen door. I turned to the door, seeing Will standing there with a gleeful look on his face. Everyone else was glaring at him, not believing that he had just ruined Taron and I's moment. He glanced around him, seeing the incredulous stares directed at him, before trying to defend himself, "Don't give me that look. I swear, you'll like what I have to say."

"What are you talking about, Will?" Thane asked, raising an eyebrow at his husband.

"What Taron said. Getting Kev reposted," he said, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's easier said than done. Reposting almost never occurs, and even when they do, it's never something a trivial as a relationship," Alena chimed in.

"For a normal relationship, yes. Not an interclass one," Will said. A quick glance around the room, and I knew that no one else was following, not even Ken who knew almost everything. "The integration initiative?" Will said, hoping that someone would grasp what he was getting at.

"Just tell us," Taron said, obviously losing patience.

"The integration initiative aims to create relationships between natals and elites. This can be platonic, i.e. Alena and Kevin, or romantic, i.e. Taron and Kevin. Well, I know for a fact that in such relationships, it is deemed admissible for a reposting to be carried out, should the nature of the relationship be threatened by said posting. An interview would have to be carried out in order to ascertain that the benefits of a reposting would outweigh the cons of the current posting," Will said, as if he was reading from a protocol manual.

"And are you sure that this is a legitimate protocol?" Thane asked.

"Sure? Of course I'm sure, I wrote it," Will said, a smug look on his face.

"You wrote it?" Taron asked. "This isn't some 'I just added a new rule to my initiative' thing right?"

It was a legit question and everyone turned to Will for clarification. "It's not. Don't believe me, look it up. Section 5, subsection 3 - Application of reposting."

"Wait wait, if this is a real thing, then why didn't you tell me this last Saturday?" I asked. I mean, I did kinda talk a lot about my relationship and the fact that my posting was a key thing in it's breakdown, albeit very minimally.

"To be honest, I kinda forgot about this," Will said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "What? It's not very often that interclass relationships happen, okay? Besides, I needed to be sure that you're both sure that this is something you wanna do. I can't possibly go around having repostings as I wish. The reputation of my initiative is at stake here."