Times Change, Friends Leave and Life Doesn't Wait for Anybody

After hearing Vic mention his name at least three times in one day, Kellin decided that he really did not like Beau Bokan. He didn’t quite know what his problem was with the other boy, but he did know that he was tired of hearing Vic talk about him, either about how nice he was or how clever he was. Maybe he was just too annoyingly perfect, or maybe it was that Vic would not stop talking about him.
He didn’t tell Vic the way he felt though, knowing that the other boy would tell him that he was being stupid, or annoying, or that he would get offended. Instead, he tried as hard as he could to just smile whenever Vic said something and try to turn the conversation away from Beau.
“I was so sure that the answer was seventeen, but then Beau said that I’d forgotten to multiply the answer by four thirds and- Kellin?” Vic stopped and looked at Kellin, who was internally seething.
“Yes?” Kellin looked up and sighed. Vic was staring at him with a concerned look on his features, which made him feel nothing but bad for acting the way he was. He was being unnecessarily hostile, and it seemed that Vic was starting to pick up on it.
“Are you alright? You look kind of… Angry.” Vic answered timidly. “Am I pissing you off? We can talk about your day if you’d like.” He offered sweetly.
“I’m fine, Vic. Don’t worry, I’m just kind of tired. You haven’t done anything wrong.” Kellin assured the other boy, wrapping one arm tightly around Vic’s waist and squeezing reassuringly.
“You sure?”
“Of course I am.”
____
“Where are you going?” Kellin mumbled tiredly, rubbing his eyes and sitting up the next morning. Vic was slipping his phone into his pocket, his bag slung over his shoulder as he prepared to leave.
“I was gonna leave for class.” Vic shrugged.
“At… Seven thirty?” Kellin asked with a frown. “I swear your lecture starts at like, nine.”
“Yeah but I was gonna meet up with Beau for coffee first.” Kellin frowned even more at the mention of the boy.
“Why?” He demanded.
“Just because. What’s the problem, Kells?”
“When were you even planning on telling me this?” Kellin continued, anger rising.
“I didn’t think I needed to tell you at all! What’s your problem with Beau anyway? You seem to hate him for no reason.” Vic snapped.
“I don’t hate him. I’d just like to know where my boyfriend is.” Kellin yelled back.
“And I’ve told you. You’re being stupid.” Vic turned around and started to make his way out of the bedroom. “I’ll see you later, Kellin.”
Kellin gaped at Vic’s back as the other boy walked away, slamming the front door as he left. Kellin sighed and flopped back onto the bed, heart pounding as it always did whenever he and Vic argued. He didn’t quite understand it himself, but it seemed as though he was jealous of Beau or something. Which made no sense because he was the one who was with Vic. He had nothing to worry about, even if Beau was interested in his boyfriend. Because Vic would never… Cheat on him. Would he?
____
“What’s the matter with you, Kellin?” Laila asked after an hour of work.
“Nothing.” Kellin muttered, putting the notes that the customer in front of him had offered, counting out her change and handing the coins to her with a fake smile.
“Sure about that?” Laila shook her head at him. “You look kind of pissed off.” She pointed out.
“Well, I’m fine.”
“I don’t think you are, Bostwick.” Laila teased. “You’ve snapped at, like, three customers. I think they’re scared of you.”
Kellin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He was still angry and kind of worried about Vic, and he knew that it had to have some sort of effect on the way he was acting.
“Kellin?” Laila asked in a more concerned voice.
“I’m alright, Laila.” Kellin said. “Just, um, home stuff.”
Laila nodded and patted him on the shoulder, then turning away to serve another customer. Kellin smiled gratefully at her back when she didn’t press the subject and turned back to start his own work again.
____
Kellin returned home with an entire apology speech prepared in his head. As soon as Vic got back, however, it completely vanished.
“Hey.” Vic greeted quietly.
“Hi, Vic. Look, I’m really sorry-“
“Don’t be, Kellin. You can’t help it if you’re ridiculously over protective and a little over bearing at times. It’s in your nature. I love you, and I’m sorry and I’ll tell you where I’m going next time. Okay?” Vic interrupted Kellin, who completely skipped over the fact that Vic had just described him in the same way he would describe his mother when he apologised.
“…Yeah, okay.” Kellin nodded and took Vic’s hand in his own. “I love you too.”
“I know.” Vic said simply. “By the way, we should probably book our tickets back to San Diego now for Christmas. They’ll go up nearer the time, and we might not be able to even get there for Christmas if we leave it too late. I can do it now, if you’d like.”
“Oh yeah, could you?” Kellin grinned when Vic nodded and pecked Kellin on the cheek, then pulling out his laptop to book the tickets.
“23rd?” Vic asked.
“To leave? Yeah, I think that should work.” Kellin nodded. Vic continued to mess about on his laptop for a few more minutes, standing up to get his card and giving Kellin a swift peck on the forehead as he did so, then printing off their boarding passes and slipping them safely into the box that he put everything that held some sort of importance in.
“Done.” He announced proudly, shutting his laptop and crawling across the sofa to press against Kellin’s side.