chapter 12: reno realizes something

~reno~

       "What about this?" Weisz asks, holding up a black leather jacket.

       I stare at the piece of clothing for a bit. "For me or for you? Because I'd rather not wear something a lot of people probably will wear."

       Weisz furrows his eyebrows as he looks at the leather jacket. "What makes you think a lot of people are going to wear one?"

       I look through the racks of clothes to try to find something to wear to the dance on Friday. I normally don't go back on clothes, but seeing as there is a theme for the dance, I'm going to have to find something that fits the theme so I don't stand out more than I already do. "Simple. When you think of 50's, what kind of people do you think of?"

       "Greasers," Weisz says.

       "Right. And what do greasers wear?"

       Weisz looks at the leather jacket before looking back at me. "Please wear the leather jacket. You already look so cool. You'd look even cooler with the leather jacket."

       "I'd rather not."

       "What if I tell you that you'd look hot?"

       I look up at Weisz, seeing that he was completely serious. "Huh?"

       "I said what I said. Please?"

       I stare at Weisz for a bit, honestly a bit tempted to go through with it simply because he said I would look hot. I don't even know why that's the reason I'm tempted to wear it. I don't care how people think I look.

       But apparently, I care how Weisz thinks I look for some reason.

       In the end, I shake my head as I turn my attention back to the racks. "I'd rather not."

       Weisz sighs as he puts the leather jacket back on the rack. "You hurt me, Reno."

       "I am so terribly sorry that I hurt you simply because I don't want to wear a leather jacket to the school dance. Whatever can I do to make it up to you?"

       "Wear the jacket."

       "Do you have some sort of weird fantasy with leather jackets?"

       "If I say yes, will you wear it?"

       I look at Weisz once again, very tempted to say something that will hopefully fluster him. I absolutely love teasing him, and I take every opportunity I find to tease him. "Ah, so you fantasize about me?"

       That one sentence is enough to fluster Weisz, causing his cheeks to blush a deep red. "W-What? No."

       I smile at him, picking up a shirt from the rack to examine it. "Your blush says otherwise. Unfortunately, I won't allow you to live out your fantasy because I won't be wearing the leather jacket. Why don't you wear it?"

       "Because it would look cooler on you than on me. You have piercings and a tattoo."

       "The leather jacket would cover my tattoo."

       "My point still stands." Weisz looks at the red button-up shirt I hold in my hand. "I change my mind. Wear that instead. It matches your hair."

       "Wow, you're very fickle," I say. "What happened to your leather jacket fantasy?"

       Weisz glares at me. "I don't have one."

       "You said you did."

       "No, I asked if you'll wear it if I say yes. And you're not wearing it, so I don't."

       "But you would if I was wearing it."

       "That's not what I meant and you know it." Weisz picks up the leather jacket again. "I do like this jacket, though, so I don't see why I shouldn't wear it to the dance. Apart from the fact that I'd probably get all sweaty wearing it in the stuffy gym."

       "But you'd be okay with me getting all sweaty wearing it?" I ask. "Never mind, me getting sweaty is probably part of your fantasy as well."

       "Oh, my God."

       "I don't hear you denying it."

       Weisz glares at me again before he continues to look at all the clothes on the rack, though he does keep the leather jacket with him. I decide to go with the shirt I found for me, totally not because Weisz told me to wear it. I'm definitely wearing it on my own accord.

       The two of us look around the thrift store a bit more before we end up bumping into Padma. "Hey," she says with a smile when she sees the two of us. "What are you two doing here?"

       Before Weisz can tell his friend that we're simply here to get an outfit for the school dance, I say, "We're trying to find clothes that fit the fantasy Weisz has of me."

       "I will strangle you," Weisz says.

       "Is that also part of your fantasy?" I ask. "Geez, how long is the list?"

        "Please, ignore him." Weisz looks at Padma as he gently pushes me away. "He's just... Actually, I don't even know what he's doing. We're here to get clothes for the school dance since neither of us have anything to wear. We figured the thrift store is the best place to look."

       "Oh, same here," Padma says. "I've been so focused on planning the dance that I completely forgot I don't have anything that matches the theme. Well, I will leave you two to find clothes for Weisz's fantasy."

       As she walks off, Weisz glares at me once again. "Look what you started."

       I smile innocently before we continue looking around the shop to find pieces that will complete our outfits. I'm not too keen on school dances, but I think I'll have a lot of fun since I'm going to be hanging out with Weisz. Everything we do together is always fun.

       We soon have picked out everything for our outfits, so we head over to the till to check out everything. Once we've both paid for everything, we leave the shop. Still wanting to spend time with Weisz, I say, "Hey, do you want to come over? We can work on our homework together?"

       "Oh, yes, please," Weisz says. "I suck at math and need all the help I can get."

       I text Weisz my address even though he's going to follow me in his car. It's just in case he falls behind because of a red light or something.

       Weisz is able to keep up the whole drive to my house, which isn't too long. His car pulls into my driveway the moment I get out of my own car. We head inside my house and I lead him all the way upstairs to my room. The moment I get in, I drop my backpack on the floor beside my bed before sitting down. 

       Weisz looks around the room before his eyes land on a few of my instruments in the corner of the room. He points to them. "Can you play those?"

       I nod. "My dad taught me how to play the guitar, and then I took lessons to learn how to play the bass and piano because why not."

       Weisz sits down beside me on the bed. "You know, if you play the electric guitar in front of everyone at school, all the girls will fawn over you."

       "Not just girls, I hope," I say, trying to hint my sexuality to Weisz. You know, just in case.

       Weisz lies down on my bed, resting his arms behind his head. "Understandable. People in general are hot."  Oh. If I'm reading this right, then he's the same as me. That's good. Wait, why is that good?

       Who am I kidding? I know exactly why it's good to know I have a chance with Weisz. I won't do anything about it right now because he's the first friend I've had in a long time and I don't want to jeopardize that, but at least I know that maybe in the future, there is a chance. Because it's very possible that I like him as more than a friend.

       He's sweet. Funny. Easy to talk to. Fun. Extremely handsome. I just like being around him.

       "Is that why you're so bad at math?" I joke, also hoping I would get a stronger confirmation.

       "Huh," Weisz says. "You know, I never really thought about that, but me being bisexual could possibly be the reason I'm bad at math. You think my teacher will let me get away with getting a bad grade if I tell her it's because I'm bi?"

       "Probably not," I say.

       "Damn. Hey, what about you? Aren't you good at math? Are you defying the stereotype?"

       I lie down beside Weisz. "Oh, I defy all sorts of stereotypes. But nah, I'm pansexual. Speaking of math, we should probably get started on the homework."

       "Or..." Weisz rolls onto his side so he's facing me. He uses his elbow to prop his head up. "I can listen to you play the guitar or bass so I can swoon over you."

       "And live out more fantasies of me you have?"

       "Geez, I can't say anything without you accusing me of having a fantasy. I really would like to listen to you play something, though."

       I get off of the bed and pick up my guitar and hooking it up to the amp. I make sure the volume isn't too loud so I don't annoy my neighbours before I sit back down on the bed. I don't play it quite yet. "Hold on, let me just think of something I know the lyrics too."

       "Wait, don't tell me you can sing too," Weisz says. 

       "I'd like to think I can."

       "Stop. My heart won't be able to take it."

       I smile at Weisz before thinking of a song I can both play and sing. I start to play it, though I have to try my best not to look at Weisz because I don't want to see his reaction. Not that I think he would react poorly to it. I just think I would start to blush profusely if I look at him while singing. It's not like the lyrics are specifically for him, but some of it does fit.

       When I finish the song, Weisz places his hand over his heart. "My heart has burst. You've killed me."

       I give him a playful nudge. "Stop."

       "But for real, that was amazing. You're extremely talented."

       "Thanks," I say, trying my hardest not to blush. I get off the bed and put my guitar back on its stand. "Now I really think we should get to work on our homework."

       "Fine, fine."

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weisz openly flirting with reno whether he knows it or not is my favourite thing ever.

goodness, i love these two so much <3