Archive of Our Own ^beta

Pegs comes out to Dylan during an argument about which Mountain Dew flavor is better, Baja Blast or LiveWire.

“I like both,” he says, then looks down at his hands. “Kind of how I like both girls and guys.”

For a moment, Pegs looks really nervous like Dylan is going to laugh or be mean, but Dylan knows better. Sure, his chief interests are fantasy football and arguing about video games online, but he's also like, pretty advanced at other stuff. He’s like, down with all of it.

“Baja is a classic at this point,” he says. “You gotta pick one.”

“You don't always gotta pick one.” Pegs shifts on his feet. He is a bigger guy, used to play football before The Injury, which they don't talk about because it's a real bummer. Nowadays he just lifts and it shows, especially on his shoulders and his chest.

“I hear ya,” Dylan says mildly. “So – you’re into dudes?”

Pegs looks at him, fiddling with the drawstring of his hoodie. “I'm like. Thinking. Yeah? Is that–?”

They’re hanging out at Dylan’s place. It’s near his mom’s diner and they just had Chinese takeaway and a beer each. The vibe is chill, and Dylan wants to keep it that way.

He nods. “It’s cool.” It really is cool. Not cool like, Pegs needs to gay marry a dude tomorrow, but like, whatever. More options for him to find whoever he’s into and who’s into him. “So are you going to like, get the ball rolling, or–?”

Pegs looks down, his hand fluffing up the top of his blond hair. “I don’t know, like. It’s pretty new to me.”

“Yeah, dude, take your time.”

It’s not like either of them are exactly busy, with part time jobs at the hardware store and full-time jobs just hanging out. Pegs is thinking about going to college, but college sometimes makes him think about The Injury and he kind of freaks out about it. Dylan could probably go work at his mom’s diner, learn the ropes and eventually work in restaurants full time. He’s considering it.

The summer of their twenty-fourth year stretches out ahead of them, long and lazy. There are all kinds of possibilities.

Dylan thinks maybe he should get his bro a boyfriend.

*

Pegs is not Pegs’ real name. He doesn’t have cruel parents who name their kid weird things. That would suck.

When Dylan met him at the start of the hardware store gig, they were playing XBox a lot and Pegs’ username was pegasus322.

“What’s a pegasus?” Dylan asked him.

“It’s a horse that can fly, how dope is that.” Pegs – or Colby, as Dylan knew him back then – looked proud of himself. “It’s from mythology.”

“Cool,” Dylan replied. “Mythology,” he repeated and thought about how Colby kind of looked like one of those old marble statues that time the two of them went swimming at the quarry. Cool. Whatever.

So the name stuck.

Pegs has nicknames for him, too, but they’re all basic or dumb as shit. Dyl, Double-D, Danish, Theodore – after he thought Roosevelt was on the 100 dollar bill, which he could have been and Dylan maintains that.

Slowly over the three years they’ve known one another, Pegs has become the bro he hangs out with the most. They’ve both got other friends and Pegs has his brothers on top of his old high school friends, but at least to Dylan, Pegs is the one he’s the closest to.

Pegs isn’t great at talking, unless it’s about nothing, so they usually talk aimlessly about nothing in particular. Pegs will just ask Dylan something like, “Hey, what would you do on Mars?” and Dylan starts talking, until Pegs replies to agree or disagree. Pegs is a funny guy once you get to know him, but he gets in his head quite a lot. He has things to say, but he isn't sure if they're worth saying so he keeps quiet. Over the years he has opened up a lot, especially to Dylan.

This is probably why even though they go to parties and bars and shit, Pegs has a hard time talking with girls. Even with Dylan by his side, he gets kind of awkward and quiet, and girls don't really vibe with that sort of thing. They like Pegs at first because he looks hot, like, objectively hot. That’s not just Dylan’s bro bias talking. But after getting the girl’s attention Pegs struggles to say anything interesting to move things forward. He's kind of sarcastic sometimes, which doesn't always go over well with girls if they don't undertand that he's also a really nice guy. He’s not totally hopeless, but he just doesn’t have a ton of game. That's not a crime, Dylan thinks.

Every once in a while, a girl will dig Pegs’ vibe even if he sucks at smalltalk and agrees to hang out with him, but it usually fizzles out after a month or so. Dylan is always annoyed by that, like what was her problem? Pegs is tall and good-looking in a puppy dog way – isn’t that what girls want? Golden retriever boyfriend shit.

“What was up with her?” Dylan asked after the last one, and Pegs shrugged.

“She said she wants someone with more ambition,” he said.

“That’s messed up,” Dylan replied. “You’ve got ambition, bro. You’re just not bragging about it.”

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Pegs said noncommittally and seemed like he really wanted to move on from the subject.

These girls don’t know what they’re missing. Dylan hasn’t known a guy more interesting or kind than Pegs. Sure, he gets in his head a little sometimes, but other than that, Pegs is basically perfect.

Dylan thinks about this whole Pegs-as-bi thing for about a week before he decides this is actually awesome. Guys will get Pegs way better than most girls ever did. Pegs can talk to other guys so much easier, about sports or Call of Duty co-op. He even has enough strength to throw around most normal-size dudes. Dylan always thought Pegs should maybe look into wrestling or something, but sex with dudes could be the best of all worlds. Manhandling and orgasms.

Guys will definitely dig Pegs’ vibe.

*

Unfortunately, Colby “Pegs” Richardson is a lot more reluctant to get laid with hot dudes than Dylan expected him to be.

Dylan drives him out to the next town which has a gay bar, with rainbow flags on the window and a couple of guys exiting as they walk up to it. Dylan looked it up online and it’s got great reviews. He feels pretty proud of himself for finding the place, but then Pegs frowns at him, taking a step back.

“What is this?” He looks through the window, like the pink and purple neon sign above the place saying Flashy Fish isn't gay as hell already.

“It's only the best gay bar in Maryville, dude.” Dylan looks over Pegs, who's wearing a black t-shirt with jeans. The shirt shows off his really nice, muscular arms. It takes some effort for Dylan to stop looking, actually, which is a promising sign for the night. If even he can't tear his eyes away, gay guys won't be able to resist Pegs. “This is the best place for you to meet dudes who are into other dudes.”

Instead of being happy Dylan arranged this, Pegs gets all weird.

“Why are you doing this?” he asks. “Dude, I’m like– I can’t go in there.”

“Why not?” Dylan counters. “There’s a sea of dudes out there. You gotta sample them.”

“That’s like, kind of objectifying.” Pegs’ voice lowers into a whisper, his brows coming together. “I thought you wanted to go see a band here or something, bro. I wouldn’t have come if I’d known you’d planned this.”

“Yeah, a band of dudes or whatever the fuck.” Dylan shrugs. “You don’t like dudes in real life? You only want to watch porn and stuff?”

“No, I want– I just don’t know if I’m ready.” Pegs looks slightly distraught, running a hand through his hair. “You know how hard it is for me with girls, so imagine how it is with dudes, who I’ve never talked to before in this kind of setting. I'll clam up, bro.”

“Okay,” Dylan says, nodding, listening. He’s not going to let Pegs freak out about this. “Okay. We’ll do something else.”

“We?” Pegs asks, looking worried. “Dyl. You don’t have to get involved in this.”

“I’m just wingmanning,” Dylan says, a little offended. “You should try it.”

Pegs shoves him, playfully. “You can score on your own.” His eyes move over Dylan’s face, then drop like he's embarrassed to admit it.

He's not wrong. Dylan’s never had a problem talking to girls, making them laugh or asking them out. As soon as he’s interested, he typically lets them know. He is pretty natural with that kind of thing, largely because he doesn’t tend to care too much what comes out of his mouth.

He idly wonders if he could do it with guys, too, soften them up for Pegs. Maybe dudes in gayland would like him, too. A girl once told him that in gay slang, Dylan would be a wolf or an otter. It sounded like a compliment.

If Pegs is not into this gay bar thing, Dylan can’t force it on him. That’s not what bros do.

“Let’s go get loaded fries and drive back,” Dylan says instead of trying to convince Pegs further. Then he gets an idea. “What about online dating?”

“I don’t know,” Pegs says, his eyes staying on Dylan for a moment before dropping down to his shoes, big shoulders lifting and dropping in a shrug. “Maybe.”

He digs his hands into his pockets when he starts walking and it's a shame, because he really does look good. The guys at the Flashy Fish would have been all over him, Dylan is sure of it.

Oh well, onwards and upwards.

Maybe online dating, Dylan thinks. Now there’s an idea.

*

He’s never used the apps and has to get a sense for the lay of the land. He makes a quick fake profile, using an old mirror selfie of the time he got a fake tattoo of a phoenix across his left pec. It looks good, but disguises his identity enough. He crops out his face, types in “Teddy” in the name field, puts in his real age and finishes the prompts hastily without any real thought.

His hidden talent? Identifying cereal by taste with his eyes closed. Easy.

Perfect first date? Pool – lots of bending over, and you quickly find out how competitive someone is.

Favorite quality in a person? He thinks about Pegs, and writes: Kind. Also, because it's his own best quality: Good at fantasy football.

He sets his profile as a man looking for other men and starts swiping. He doesn’t look at profiles in detail at all first, just swipes right on a dude he could imagine Pegs liking. It’s kind of weird, trying to put himself in Pegs’ shoes. But he doesn’t know what kind of guys Pegs likes, because they’ve never talked about it.

He decides it might be better to rely on his own gut instinct. Swipe right on guys he himself might like, if he was into dick. Which he isn’t, but it’s also not something he’s going to spend a lot of time thinking about.

He gets a couple of matches immediately and starts a couple of conversations.

It’s fine, but it’s like, aggressively fine. Bland, nothing happening. These guys are all fucking boring. Maybe this isn’t the way for Colby to find something more permanent, a real boyfriend – a boyfriend who would call him Colby, and appreciate his golden retriever qualities. Dylan pauses on the thought of Pegs cuddling his new boyfriend, and gets hit with a feeling he can’t quite put his finger on. He’s pretty sure Pegs would be a great cuddler, but he also doesn’t know if most dudes like to cuddle. Dylan likes to cuddle.

Whatever.

He closes the app when a guy leaves him on read after he lays out a totally fascinating fantasy football scenario he’s been dealt with at the hardware store’s fantasy league and a different dude just sends him a dick pic and it's not even a good dick pic. He clearly didnt spend a single second considering the lighting. Dylan hits unmatch before he can study it further.

Guys are the worst.

*

The next morning he tries again, and swipes right on a guy called Oliver. He lists in his profile all the things Dylan knows Pegs is into or would be into: themed pinball machines, light beer, playing co-op and loaded fries. It’s a good sign. This time he really looks at the photos. Oliver has wide shoulders, a muscular back and really nice arms, but his pics are all coy. None of them have his face. Maybe he’s ugly, but maybe he’s just shy, kind of like Pegs is.

Maybe they can be shy and cute together. Dylan has a good feeling about this and starts up a convo.

Teddy: sup man, what was the last pinball machine you had a chance to play on?
Oliver: blade runner themed one in oregon.
Oliver: you’re into fantasy?
Oliver: sorry, fantasy football, that is.
Oliver: sorry.

Well, this dude is awkward. But Dylan doesn’t mind. He types up a quick message saying no problem, and then gets into his past fantasy triumphs. Oliver responds, encouraging and kind of sweet.

Dylan flicks through Oliver’s photos again. The best one is definitely something from a vacation, Oliver’s back to the camera overlooking a tropical view, like a jungle or something. He’s only wearing shorts and a snapback. It’s a little hard to see his hair color, but the hairs at the nape of his neck seem to be light brown.

He’s got a good body, clearly works out. He seems nice and has good interests. Pegs would probably be into this dude. Dylan will keep up the convo with him and then eventually transition into wingmanning for his best bro.

It’s a solid plan.

*

He messages Oliver at work, though he has to do it really surreptitiously so Pegs doesn’t notice. He doesn’t want to be weird about this. If he can just get to know Oliver first, then present him to Pegs as an option, as just a dude he knows, that would be ideal. Arrange like a threeway date between them or something? He’ll figure out the rest later.

He writes a couple of messages when Pegs is on a break and going down to the nearby gas station to get them both hot dogs and drinks.

Teddy: bro your arms
Oliver: thanks, i do work out a little. not as much as i used to but you know, busy with other things.
Oliver: you look really good, too.

Dylan pauses. Oh. That’s right. A dude on a dating app would compliment his photo because it’s not like he can put Pegs’ photos up on the app and pretend to be him. That wouldn’t be cool.

He lets the message sit for a little bit. It’s not like he’s never been called good-looking before. He's not wide like Pegs is, but he keeps himself in shape and girls say his brown eyes and smile are pretty cute. Dylan can take a compliment about his looks. So what if it’s a dude doing it?

Teddy: thanks man appreciate it
Teddy: im hot i guess
Oliver: you are! i think.
Oliver: sorry. hope that’s not too forward.
Teddy: nah im like humbled. honored? something like that
Oliver: haha, ok, good.

Aw, chucks. This guy is adorable.

Pegs comes back with their food and looks all pleased with himself. Dylan doesn’t pester him about it. He’s read some shit online about how once you make peace with yourself, you can become truly happy. Maybe bi Pegs is like that now, truly happy.

“Good walk?” Dylan asks him.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” Pegs’ mouth tugs up from one corner, like he can’t resist a smile. It’s a good look on him, Dylan thinks.

*

Oliver: so why did you get on this app?
Teddy: i don’t know, it just seemed easier than doing things irl.
Oliver: i get it.
Teddy: u?
Oliver: it's kind of embarrassing. i have a crush on a friend i want to get over
Teddy: bro totally get it, its cool

He chats to Oliver for about a week until he notices that the messaging is getting a little out of control. He basically tells him good morning and good night, the first message he sends every morning and the last one of the day. It's basically what he does with Pegs, only with a complete stranger.

He’s even sent Oliver some selfies, although with his face still hidden. He remembers reading that guys do that sort of thing on those very specific gay hookup apps he’s not going to go on, but if it would please Oliver to see his abs, Dylan isn’t going to deny him.

Then one evening the conversation gets more in-depth.

Oliver: you know, i used to play.
Oliver: football, i mean. i used to play football. that’s why i’m so bulky, i think – it kind of helped with that.
Teddy: cool, what made you quit

Dylan has to wait a while for the reply, and he watches the little dots appear and disappear as Oliver types out his answer.

Oliver: twisted my leg, took my knee out. had to get surgery and everything. this was in high school so you know, lost my college scholarship and everything.
Oliver: fucking rough, man.
Oliver: i don’t like to think about it much.

Dylan feels bad for the guy, but because of Pegs he understands it perfectly. It’s like his whole life got ripped from under him and he suddenly has to find a new direction. It’s not easy. That’s why both him and Pegs are still stuck at that hardware store. Just waiting until something shows them what direction to go towards.

Teddy: i get it man. sorry to hear about all that, hope you're doing better now.
Oliver: i am, was really down for a year or two afterwards. now i got a job and some plans for the future, it’s all looking better.
Oliver: and i came out as bi to my friends and family : )

Dylan thinks about Pegs and how coming out has made him more relaxed, if still a little antsy about hooking up. He types out a reply quickly.

Teddy: man thats awesome to hear.
Oliver: when did you come out?

Dylan’s stomach dips a little. He’s not – he’s not gay or bi, strictly speaking. He doesn’t want to lie to Oliver. But Oliver has been talking to him all week and just told him something really deep and personal. The least he should get in return is some honesty.

Teddy: you know i don’t know yet, still figuring my shit out.

It sounds good, plausible. But it’s also like.

Dylan has thought about it. He looked over Oliver’s pictures, and thought about it. He started out thinking about Oliver with Pegs, how they might fit together. Their bodies are roughly the same size, and they might be the same height so they could kiss really well, feel each other up a little. It was a nice thought, and then it was a really nice thought, making something burn through Dylan’s stomach until his dick twitched and started chubbing up to full length.

He put away the thought and hasn’t thought about it since. Except once, while jerking off, but that was a mere flash of an image and probably doesn’t count.

So yeah, maybe he’s not immune to guys in a sexual romantic type of sense, but he’s not all the way there yet so it’s not dishonest to say he’s figuring it out.

Oliver: i get it, dude, believe me. took me a while, too. take your time.

Dylan knows Oliver is a good dude. He’d be the perfect boyfriend for Pegs.

*

They go to a house party at Ryan’s next Friday and Dylan almost shoots Oliver the address and invites him over. They’ve gotten really friendly, and opened up considerably. Oliver even told him more about his crush on one of his friends, and that’s partly how he figured out he might be bi and not just shy around girls. Apparently it’s been going on for a while. Dylan kind of gets it. He loves his bros. Not like that, though, but maybe? The more he talks to Oliver the more the possibility of it blooms inside of him. Maybe he’s like, 10% into dudes. That can happen, it’s not a big deal.

Pegs is watching him sip his beer and process through all this.

“You’re quiet tonight, what’s up?” he asks Dylan. “Is it awkward because Lena is at the party?”

“Who?” Dylan asks. He vaguely remembers Lena until he looks over at her and it jogs his memory a little. They hooked up and she kind of ghosted him. They were going to get tacos and she never texted back. “Whatever, I was just thinking–” He trails off, because he can’t say that he was thinking about kissing bros. “Are you going to hook up with dudes now?”

Pegs’ eyes widen. “I don’t know. Like, eventually? Maybe.” His mouth opens like he might say something, and he looks from Dylan’s eyes, down to his chin, collarbone, and swallows. “I’m like, talking to someone.”

“You are?” Dylan tries not to feel weird that Pegs didn’t mention it before. “That’s awesome, bro. Is he cool?”

“He’s cool,” Pegs says, nodding. “But I’m not sure if it’s anything yet.”

“Hot?”

“Yeah, but I don’t care about that.”

Dylan’s nose wrinkles. “Bro, you deserve a hot guy.”

Pegs smiles. Dylan thinks about Oliver, and how now Pegs has options for who to date. This guy he’s talking to, and also Oliver. He should let Oliver know Pegs exists, and then let them take it from there. Only now that he knows Pegs is talking to someone else, he gets a weird feeling in his stomach. He’s not annoyed or anything, he just wishes Pegs told him earlier. He doesn’t want to introduce him to Oliver if he’s obsessed with someone else.

There’s a weird competitive streak in him where he wants Pegs to be with someone he approves of. Is that weird? It’s never happened with any other bro or with any girl. But Dylan figures it’s because Pegs is so special to him.

There are bros and then there are bros and Pegs is the latter.

“Dude, let’s go hang out on the roof,” he tells Pegs, who agrees immediately.

It’s not cool to disappear at parties, but sometimes they need their own time, and Ryan’s house has a pretty good roof. It’s not too steep so you can sit on it. Ryan told Dylan once he takes girls up there all the time, that it’s super romantic to watch the stars and shit. Dylan looks up, but can’t see the stars tonight, it’s too cloudy.

Pegs isn’t looking at the stars, but him instead. The air is cool but still, and silence falls between them. It’s a comfortable silence, the type Dylan could stay in for a while. He usually talks a lot but with Pegs it’s fine to occasionally just not say anything. They’ve got that vibe with each other.

“I think I’m gonna go to college in the fall,” Pegs tells him on the roof, tipping back his solo cup as he drinks.

Dylan watches the line of his neck, watches his throat work. He’s been doing that a lot lately, just watching Pegs. Trying to see him through the eyes of his future boyfriend. “That’s great, Peggy.”

“Don’t call me Peggy.” Pegs makes a displeased face.

“You’re the hottest, Peggy,” Dylan tells him, watching Pegs snort as a blotchy red flush rises to his cheeks.

“We should get back to the party.” Pegs puts a hand on his own, and it stays there for a moment.

Dylan doesn’t want to let go. Pegs really is his best bro.

That’s why it doesn’t matter that he doesn’t get with a girl that night at all. Instead he plays more beer bong with Pegs and some other dudes. At the end of the evening, he drunkenly slumps against Pegs’ wide body while they wait for a cab to pick them up.

It's a good night.

*

The next morning, he wakes up to a couple of really weird texts from Oliver.

Oliver : sorry i don’t know if i can do this.
Oliver: you know the friend i said i had a crush on? i think i still like him a lot.

Dylan panics a little, then takes a deep breath. This is actually better. He can help Oliver get over the crush.

Teddy: bro it’s fine. i’ll level with you - i don’t know if i’m ready to date either. but i have a friend who i think you would get along with. he’s into the same shit as you and he’s hot as fuck. he’s bi.

The response takes a while, but arrives eventually.

Oliver: thanks but i don’t know.

Dylan takes a deep breath. He wants to help Pegs, and he wants to help Oliver. For all he knows, Oliver is not Pegs’ type at all and it’s back to square one, but he has to try, at the very least.

Teddy: please consider. i promise you he’s a good dude. you joined this thing to give it a chance, didn’t you?

Oliver doesn’t type a reply, so Dylan decides to just go for it.

Teddy: why don't you meet my friend and then decide? sunday noon at the dane diner, off lincoln ave?

Oliver: i don’t know.

The bubbles of him typing appear, then disappear, and then appear again. Dylan watches with bated breath.

Oliver: fine ok. i’ll be there.

Great, so that’s settled. Dylan has just completed the best online wingmanning to date. He should feel proud of himself, but instead he feels a bit strange, almost a little hysterical. He tries not to think about it, but.

It’s a little difficult to think about Pegs with another dude, not because he hates the thought of it, but because it’s— it’s Pegs. He’s a little weird about Pegs, and has been for a while. Possessive, maybe? He just doesn’t want him to get hurt even if he knows Oliver is a good dude.

Whatever. It’s happening, and he can’t stop it now.

*

He asks Pegs about it at work that afternoon, and Pegs acts all reluctant, like he's being asked to clean his room.

“Bro, I don’t know.”

Dylan frowns. “What do you mean you don’t know? I just told you, I’ve set you up with a great guy.”

“I’ve got other plans,” Pegs says and turns around to arrange a bunch of boxes that really don’t need to be arranged.

“What do you mean, other plans?”

“The guy I told you I’m talking to? I’m meeting him tomorrow.”

Dylan’s stomach drops, and now he’s really pissed. Who cares about that other guy?

“So cancel it. This is more important.”

Pegs frowns. “What? No, I’m not canceling anything. It’s at noon, at your family’s diner.”

Dylan falls quiet. It’s like his brain spontaneously reboots itself. Why would Pegs make a date with that guy at Dylan’s diner? Right when he's supposed to meet with Oliver.

None of it makes any sense, unless. Well, unless the guy Pegs is talking to was–

No fucking way.

“Oliver,” he breathes out, and Pegs looks back at him, horrified.

“Dude,” he says, the realization sweeping over his features. “Teddy.” He looks blank and vaguely horrified. “Dyl, what did you do?”

“What did I do? Bro, I was just wingmanning.” Dylan’s heart hammers in his chest. Everything from the pinball machines to The Injury now makes sense. Oliver’s stupid vacation photo must be from when Pegs’ family took that trip to Brazil two years ago. All the pieces move into place, except–

Except. Oliver’s crush on a friend.

“What do you mean, wingmanning?” Pegs asks, incredulous. “You sent me shirtless selfies, bro. You straight up flirted with me.”

“That’s like, not even a big deal. I look good without a shirt,” Dylan argues, because he really does. Besides, he’s got bigger issues than accidentally flirting with Pegs. “You told me you had a crush on a friend? Which friend is it, bro? Is it Ryan? Freddie?”

“No, it’s not–” Pegs flushes from the neck up, his beige work shirt barely hiding the pink around his collar. “Forget I ever said that, okay?”

“Dude, it’s not Thompson, is it?” Dylan would really hate it if it was Thompson, for reasons he can’t really identify right now. Thompson is kind of handsome, but also a major douchecanoe. It would suck if Pegs was into him. He might be a dick about it and break Pegs' heart.

“Fuck off,” Pegs says. “It’s like, fairly obvious.”

“Who?” Dylan demands.

“Who the fuck do I spend all my time with? Who did I fucking – tuck into bed after last night’s party?” Pegs raises his voice, then quiets down, his voice still annoyed. “You really can’t figure it out, Dylan?”

Dylan is more confused than ever. Who does Pegs hang out with–

Then it hits him, like a tidal wave.

Oh.

“Me? Bro, you can’t be–”

Pegs looks at him, anguished. “I’m going to take a break.” He walks off, before Dylan has any time to process it.

Pegs had a crush on him. Pegs said he really likes him.

What the fuck.

*

Instead of taking a break, Pegs clocks off and leaves Dylan to man the rest of the shift by himself. It’s really unfair and unprofessional, but also – fuck. Pegs is totally balls-deep in love with him.

And Dylan is – well, he’s not completely straight, but almost. He thinks about the time – okay, times – he’s jerked off thinking about Oliver and Pegs together, how he got off at the mere thought of them groping each other while making out. He didn’t mean to, it just happened, a series of images flashing before his eyes and slowly all centering around the same theme.

He thinks about how the fantasy sometimes slipped into the two of them inviting him over and instead of just watching he got to feel the warm expanse of Oliver’s chest against his back as Pegs kissed him, crushed between two ginormous male bodies, all of their dicks hard and aching. Pegs’ huge hand reaching for him, pumping him slow and teasing before taking him into his mouth. It was ridiculously hot, he's not going to lie.

Okay, so maybe he’s very much not almost straight, but like 45% into guys. But he’s not in love with Pegs, he doesn’t think. He’s pretty sure.

He looks up “signs of being in love with someone” online and while a few of them match, like he feels safe with Pegs, he knows Pegs better than anyone, he can’t stop thinking about Pegs, and he feels on top of the world with him –

Okay, fine, so a lot of them match, actually. He continues reading, and recognizes the feeling he had about Oliver, the unease of making him meet with Pegs finally, as jealousy. Which – weird, but fine.

He doesn't want to make out with Pegs or call him Colby or get him off with his mouth. Except, sometimes he does want to do all that, if Pegs looks really good in the setting sun or laughs while showing a glint of teeth. Or when he watches Pegs’ big hands and wonders what those hands might feel like, touching him.

Fuck.

Dylan can see it now.

He’s in love with Pegs.

Holy fucking shit.

He texts Pegs immediately, as himself.

Dylan Dane
dude meet me at the diner tomorrow
let’s talk this through
please please please

The reply takes a good while but eventually arrives.

Colby Richardson
ok

Right. Dylan can do this.

*

Pegs sits at their usual table and chats to Dylan’s cousin Amelie who's taking his order. Probably his usual, coffee black, apple pie with no ice cream or whipped cream. Pegs has this thing about watching what he eats but then he still opts for the pie, like what the fuck.

The thought grabs at Dylan’s heart and holds it tight. He really is in love with Pegs, but more than that, he has just amassed a fuckton of facts about Pegs. He knows so much about him. No wonder he fell in love.

“Hi,” he says, sliding onto his usual seat, waving a hand at Amelie as she walks back to the kitchen.

“Hi,” Pegs says, looking all awkward like he’s in his head too much again. “So like–”

“I'm sorry,” Dylan cuts in. “I was trying to help you out but you're a grown ass man, you can like, figure it out yourself. I just wanted to help.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Pegs says, shrugging. “No big, let's just move on.”

“I can't, though.” Dylan swallows. “I really like you, Colby.”

Pegs looks confused. “Why are you–”

“No, I’m in love with you. I'm like, obsessed with you.” Dylans heart is hammering away at his chest as he gets the words out. “I hope you still have a crush on me because I really want to be with you, bro.”

Pegs stares at him, frowning. “I just. Why are you calling me Colby all of the sudden?”

“That's your name, dude.”

“Yeah, but you always call me Pegs. Is that going to change just because we make out?”

Dylan’s stomach flips. Pegs wants to make out with him.

Pegs wants to be with him.

Dylan grins his widest, biggest grin. “You tell me, Pegs. I want to do more than just make out.”

Pegs laughs. “You're so weird. What was your plan anyway? You were going to hit on dudes online on my behalf?”

Amelie comes by to bring them two coffees and two slices of apple pie.

“It was a good plan,” Dylan insists. “Can’t believe you didn’t recognize my abs.”

Pegs shrugs with a smile, cutting into his pie. “What abs? I look at your face, bro.”

“It’s a good face.”

“It is.”

Dylan runs the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip. He’s not going to ask how long Pegs has been in love with him. But like, he kind of needs to know.

Before he works up the nerve to ask, Pegs speaks again. “So, like. I don’t – I’m sorry I didn’t talk about the injury with you before this whole thing. It’s just. It’s really difficult to talk about for me. I don’t know why telling who I thought was a stranger was easier, but like. It was easier.”

“Thanks,” Dylan says, and now he’s the one who feels awkward. “For telling me. I don’t care how you told me. I get it, dude. It’s not easy.”

“Yeah, it’s not. But I’m glad you know now. Makes things easier.” Pegs shrugs. “Don’t call me Colby, though, you don’t need to.”

“I’ll call you Peggy,” Dylan says, just to make him grimace. “Why did you fall for me, dude?”

“Because you’re you. You’re so confident and move through the world like it’s nothing. Even when stuff sucks or doesn’t work out, you just roll with it. It’s admirable,” Pegs says.

“Damn.” Dylan can feel his heart expand. This being in love thing is so overwhelming. “Thought you were going to just say I’m cute and shit. When did it happen?”

Pegs leans back in his seat and grins. “When you lost like five games in a row against me when playing pool after work. Couldn’t resist such a loser.”

“Wow,” Dylan says, his mouth forming a smile. “And I was gonna ask you out to play pool for our first date. I see how it is now.”

“So you could lose again, dude?” Pegs nods. “Yeah, I can make that happen.”

“You’re on, Peggy,” Dylan says, and feels all kinds of high. Being in love is like a headrush.

“Eat your pie, Dyl,” Pegs tells him, and he does.

*

Their first kiss takes place outside the diner and tastes like apple and cinnamon, which is kind of odd but also super romantic. Like a Hallmark movie that airs in October. Pegs is big and warm wrapped around him, all arm and chest in a way that makes Dylan practically shiver. He's excited and he wants to get to the next part. Wants to do it all with Pegs.

It’s really good, and it’s just beginning. Dylan is so fucking excited about this.

“Why Oliver?” he asks.

“That's my middle name, dude.” Pegs tilts his head, looking cute as fuck. “Do you even know me?”

Dylan considers it. Maybe he doesn't know Pegs as well as he would like to know him. But that's alright.

They've got so much time to get to know each other.