#daustin

Dustin Rhodes, out of gear but in a surprisingly well fitting tank top and shorts, is staring down at him. “Sorry to interrupt,” he says, “but are you actually using this bench?”

“Does sleeping count as cardio?”

“I think it by definition doesn’t.” Dustin reaches out a hand and pulls Austin to his feet with surprising strength. It shouldn’t be that surprising, Austin muses. But, somehow, it is. When they’re standing, they’re far from eye to eye, Austin realizes. Dustin studies him. “Are you doing alright, kid?”

“I’m not a kid,” Austin says automatically. “I’m in my twenties.”

Dustin snorts. “That’s young enough to be a kid, kid. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“I am older,” Austin says.

And that’s when realization dawns in Dustin’s eyes. A conversation from a few years ago, from a few nonalcoholic beers ago, from a graduation party where Austin showed off his shiny new degree. “Oh,” Dustin says. “Oh, you weren’t drunk enough to forget that, were you.”

“No,” Austin says. “I didn’t actually have anything to drink that night.”

“I’m sure you did,” Dustin says. But he hasn’t let go of Austin’s hand. And that feels like something. “Didn’t you?”

Austin shakes his head. “Not a drop. That was a virgin pina colada.”

Dustin snorts.

“What?!”

“Just – nothing.”

“You can’t possibly think I’m a virgin,” Austin says, trying his best smile. “I mean, come on.”

“No, Austin,” Dustin says. “Your father’s told me about the times you had to call him to bail you out during college. I’m sure you’re not.”

“Oh, so you and Dad talked about me,” Austin says. “What, you ask him permission or something?”

Dustin’s laugh is almost nervous. “Austin, you can’t be serious.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Austin asks. “I mean, I just hit on Lance. Again.” He sighs. “Got shot down again.”

“Yeah, he’s married to a woman,” Dustin says. “How are you, like, the third person to make that mistake?”

“Third?” Austin asks. “Who else? Wait, don’t answer that. You’re trying to change the subject.” He pokes at Dustin’s chest. “I’m older. You said I had to wait until I was older.”

“I thought you’d change your mind!”

Austin blinks. “Why the hell would I change my mind?”

“Because I’m a old has been,” Dustin says, and he does look a little sad right now, a little old.

The sad isn’t great. The old, Austin has to admit, is absolutely doing it for him. “You have matches all the time that still fuck.”

Dustin blinks. “They…fuck?”

“They fuck,” Austin explains. “It means they’re good. Jeez, are you not on the internet?”

“I’m fifty something years old, Austin, of course I’m not on your internet.”

Austin beams. “Yeah, I know. Can I kiss you now?”

“Aus – you don’t want to kiss me.”

Austin rolls his eyes. “You don’t get to tell me what I do and don’t want. I want to kiss you. Do you want to kiss me?”

“Sure,” Dustin says, almost like he didn’t mean to. “I mean –”

“You said sure,” Austin says. “So, like, you do want to kiss me.”

Dustin sighs. “I shouldn’t want to kiss you.”

“Well, if you don’t want to kiss me, that’s one thing. But if you do want to want to kiss me, that’s just stupid.” Austin gets a little closer. “So, like, maybe you should kiss me. To get it out of your system or something.”

“Believe me, kid,” Dustin says, and he slides his hand to rest under Austin’s jaw. “One kiss is not gonna get it out of my system.”

Austin knows, from the quickest press of lips, that he is gone forever after this moment. Dustin is soft at first, like he’s testing it, like he’s expecting Austin to pull away. But Austin doesn’t and moves his lips. It seems to electrify something inside of Dustin, and an arm goes around Austin’s waist, pulling him in tightly. His mouth opens and Austin whimpers into it, ready to taste and feel and drown in it. Dustin’s surprisingly gentle, but it still feels like Austin is powerless to the touches.

“Okay,” Austin says, breathing heavily. “Did you get it out of your system?”