"I think the stingrays are my favorite." Jett was grinning at him, so wide and bright that Boyd could feel his heart swelling at the sight. They were spending the day at the aquarium, Boyd's favorite place. He'd finally gathered up the nerve to ask Jett out. He himself thought it pathetic, but truly it had been endearing. Boyd was a stuttering mess around Jett, even more so than he had been with Malakai. He'd attempted to ask Jett out weeks ago, but the words always got stuck in his throat before they reached the air. Boyd had spent those weeks talking to Oleander and Eustass, asking them for advice on how to approach the subject. Eventually Boyd had decided he'd do it with flowers, expensive yellow and orange daffodils. He'd spent an entire week planning how it would go, what he would say and how he would react to acceptance or rejection. It was supposed to be perfect-
Except when Boyd was actually standing in front of Jett, with his ivory skin and sky blue eyes, Boyd forgot everything he'd prepared. He thrusted the flowers at Jett's chest, rambling in broken and stupid sentences about how they were for him. He hadn't managed to actually ask the boy out. Jett had smiled at him and that was it, he had to get out of there before he made a complete idiot out of himself. Just that simple smile had nearly brought tears to Boyd's eyes. Jett had smiled at him, for him, because of him.
His knees were weak because of the pure unbridled joy he felt. He would be ashamed of himself later, for running away. And he'd regret it, because maybe if he had stayed Jett may have smiled at him more.
He didn't have to worry about that for long though.
Jett came to him. The boy brought a single daisy and carefully placed it in his hand.
"You can pick me up tomorrow at seven. "
It was then that Boyd knew he was a goner. Jett would have his heart and there wouldn't be a damn thing he could do about it but hope the boy treated it kindly.
He did.
He always did.
And Boyd loved him all the more for it.
"They're uh, They're my favorite's, too. " Boyd did love the stingrays, but his mind was occupied by a much more important love. He was swept away by Jett's excitement, watching the boy as he admired the fluttering grey creatures. The stingrays were beautiful, but the true scenery was Jett. Boyd was drinking the boy in, savoring every moment.
"You uh, you can uh...You can touch them, you know?"
"I figured." Jett nodded towards a small group of giggling children, smiling softly as he watched them splashing in the water, squealing with delight whenever they managed to pet one of the swimming rays.
"I guess i'm just a little nervous. I've never touched one before. This is the first time i've ever even seen any up close."
Boyd let out a soft sigh of content, heart seeming to press against his ribcage. "I uhm, I'm really honored to be here the first time you've seen them, then." The boy grinned, reaching out a nervously trembling hand to take Jett's.
"Here, pet one. They're really soft." He carefully guided Jett's hand into the water, simply holding it there for a moment and watching a small school of rays pass by. Jett as about to ask what he was waiting for when the boy let out a noise of excitement, eyes trailed something in the water. Jett followed his gaze only to find an extremely large stingray floating their way. It had to be at least five feet wide from side to side, and it was beautifully speckled.
"There he is. That's my favorite stingray. I uhm, I just really wanted him to be the first one you ever touched. He's really gentle and I kinda love him."
The animal swam slowly past them, wings flapping lazily as though to give them enough time to pet him. Boyd pressed Jett's palm against the ray's back, and was rewarded with a squeal of delight as Jett fet the spongy skin beneath his fingertips.
"S-See? He's great right?" Boyd wasn't even looking at the stingray anymore. All his focus on the gorgeous boy at his side.
"He's beautiful." Jett turned to him with a smile that easily made up for every bad night Boyd had ever lived through. That smile could cure anything, his deepest aches and pains.
"Yeah, you really are." Boyd responded without thinking, blurting out what been going through his mind. He was admiring Jett, and god, the boy was gorgeous.
"What? I was talking about the stingray." Jett seemed amused by his slip up, and somehow that made it less embarrassing. As long as he had Jett laughing and smiling all was well in the world.
"Oh I uh, yeah thats right, me too. " Boyd didn't bother trying to make the words believable. They both knew what he had been talking about.
The boy paused as he felt his phone vibrating, and even before he checked he knew what it was, who it was. Malakai had been telling him about some date he had for weeks now, with some guy that was supposed to be insanely hot. For the first time in his life, Boyd hadn't been paying attention. He had been consumed by his own date, Jett the only thing on his mind.
"The guy turned out to be a jerk. Will you come get me please? I need you."
Boyd read the text over, feeling nothing as he absorbed the words. Later he would realize it was the first time in his life that he'd ever seen Mal's name pop up on his phone without feeling hopeful or excited. It was just there, meaningless and taking up some of his precious time with Jett.
"Your brother needs a ride. Go get him please." Boyd sent this text to Oleander, followed by a forward of the message Malakai had originally sent him.
Boyd never turned his phone off. He always wanted Malakai to be able to reach him if something was wrong-
But today was for Jett. Malakai wouldn't take any of his time.
So Boyd turned his phone off, and was startled when he found it was easy to do. He didn't feel the least bit guilty. He'd earned this day, to be selfish and enjoying his date with Jett.
"Who's that?" Jett sounded suddenly hostile, and it hurt Boyd's insides. Jett would worry about Malakai, it was natural being Boyd had loved him for so long. But Boyd didn't worry about Malakai. He didn't think about Malakai at all when he was with Jett.
Malakai wasn't ging to ruin this for him. He wouldn't allow it.
"Nobody important." Boyd spoke the words with fierce honesty, offering Jett his phone to see that it was off.
"Today is about us. Now uh, Do you want to go through the underwater walkway? You can see all kinds of things there. Sharks and exotic fish. Its wonderful. I'd uhm, i'd like to show you."
Boyd held out his hand, and was well rewarded when Jett took it.
"Yeah, I think i'd like that."
