#levixshane

And what exactly is it that you & I need to discuss? Tobias huffed impatiently. I’m a very busy man so make it quick.

I have something I think that you may want, Shane started, pulling his leg up into his lap. He was trying to act as calm & collected as possible though his sadness had faded into a deep rage. 

Cut the shit & tell me what you want, the older man scoffed dramatically, not interested in playing games.

I don’t want anything, Shane shrugged as if none of this mattered to him. I just thought you might want to see the proof.

Proof? Tobias’ eyes narrowed as he studied the younger man who sat smugly in his home. Something about this was starting to sound intriguing. 

That you were right...

About?

Levi & Archer, the redhead spit, pulling his phone from his pocket & tossing it onto the glass table. It’s all right here. Oh, Shane continued. I noticed you’re still wearing your wedding band. Didn’t Archer have one that matched? I can’t seem to remember because he wasn’t wearing it the last time I saw him. 

Levi combed his fingers through the back of Archer’s silky blond hair. And where do your thoughts & affections lie, huh? he murmured softly, meeting the man’s adoring gaze.

At this exact moment? Archer chortled. Right in front of me. 

The singer studied the blond’s face intensely, fighting the urge to kiss him. It was increasingly difficult to resist his ex when he was near. He bit his bottom lip, nodding. Good. Then I guess his gift is right where it belongs. You don’t really want them anyway, do you?

Out of the corner of his eye, Archer noticed someone step into the room. Immediately he tensed as he recognized the bright red hair. Levi... he hissed quietly.

The man laughed at his odd reaction. Do you want your stupid flowers? 

Levi, are you hungry? Archer whispered, hoping he would notice their visitor before he made this situation look any worse. The blond tried to shy away but Levi urged him to stay. It’s lunchtime. I’m sure you’re hungry.

That’s really sweet of your boyfriend to bring you lunch.

Levi’s eyes grew wide as he slowly looked towards the doorway. Shane stood staring at them, a brown bag in his hand & a confused look on his face. Quickly the brunette hopped off of the table to greet him. Hey, thanks babe. That’s so awesome. What did you bring? You’re eating with me, right?

Archer jumped out of his chair, more than ready to escape the awkward tension that hung heavily in the room. I’m going to go get ready for my next class, he mumbled as he tried to breeze past the couple. Not wanting to make eye contact, he made sure he kept his eyes down. 

Your class? Are you.. You’re working here now? Shane asked, now more concerned than ever before about his boyfriend’s late arrival home after work. 

The blond laughed nervously. I’m just covering for my dad actually so it’s not like.. a regular thing. 

Shane nodded slowly. Just for today or... ?

Levi’s mouth went dry & his heart started to race faster than before. He knew Shane was watching him, waiting for the crushing confession, but all he wanted was for the ground to open up & swallow him whole. A sick feeling settled into the pit of his stomach & he tried to think of the words. 

He couldn’t lie; he knew he couldn’t. Not only would Shane know it wasn’t the truth, but he would be finding out soon enough regardless. Levi’s future was not with Shane, as much as he had tried over the past year to force it. He knew he had a good man who cared for him, but his heart had already belonged to someone else before they’d even met. 

Do you still love Archer? Shane repeated, his voice meek & quiet. I need to know.

His shoulders slumped in defeat as he sighed deeply. Do we really have to do this right now, Shane?

I need to know, the man said again, slower this time in an effort to show how serious the matter was. 

Yes. That was all he could say as he hung his head, guilt weighing heavily on him.

Do you love me? a much shakier & more sheepish voice asked.

Of course I do, Levi quickly assured him. You are so amazing, Shane. I wasn’t lying when I told you that I loved you. And he hadn’t been. He had loved Shane as much as he could, more than he thought it was possible to love anyone after losing Archer so painfully two years earlier. 

But you’ll never love me the way that you do him. It was a statement & not a question. He knew, he could see, that his ex still had a strong hold over the singer. 

Turning up the volume on the laptop he was currently watching pointless how-to videos on hadn’t distracted him in the least. Every so often he’d catch himself looking at the time, his eyes then glancing over at his phone that sat on the keyboard.

Levi had texted him earlier to let him know he needed to wrap something up before heading home. Still, Shane had expected him home by now. It wasn’t like him to be so late, especially on a Saturday.

Shane himself had been scheduled to work until he traded some shifts with a coworker. It had allowed him some extra time to get the last of his things out of his apartment & into storage. After weeks of talking about it, he was ecstatic to be living with his boyfriend. It was the first time he’d taken this step with anyone. Of course, no one had ever mattered as much to him as Levi did.

Levi could feel his boyfriend’s pale eyes boring into him as he unpacked the food he’d brought. He opened the can & took a drink, setting it down before reaching for his plate. Still Shane sat watching him, not moving. Are you not going to eat?

I’m not really hungry, Shane muttered. I do want to talk though.

Levi sat back as well, his hunger now vanishing as well as his heart dropped into his stomach. Taking a deep breath, he nodded. Alright. What’s up?

Why didn’t you tell me that he was working here? Shane started.

His boyfriend paused to think before answering, which in itself raised more red flags. Looking away, Levi shrugged. I guess I just didn’t think it was a big deal.

You guess it wasn’t a big deal? Your ex is working with you, sans wedding ring I noticed, & you didn’t think I’d want to know that? the redhead scoffed incredulously. Is he the reason you’ve been late?

No...

Funny how you’ve only been this late since he’s been here, Shane spit, cutting Levi off before he could say much more. Unfucking believable. 

I told you, I have been trying to get the annual showcase together for my students, Levi snapped, his voice louder than he’d intended. He knew that Shane didn’t deserve it but this was neither the time nor the place to discuss everything that really needed to be said. So if you are done interrogating me, do you mind if I eat? I have my next lesson like 15 minutes. 

Though Shane’s excitement had grown as their move-in date got closer, Levi had only seemed to act more distant. While he wanted to believe that maybe his boyfriend was just nervous to be taking the next step in their relationship, the odd timing worried him. Even with all of the reassurance that his re-established friendship with his ex was merely that, Shane couldn’t help but wonder if there was still something there. Especially now, with Archer’s marriage crumbling, he’d seen a shift. So much of Levi’s time was dedicated to his phone, constantly texting or on tumblr, talking to or checking on the blond.

Shane tried to convince himself of how silly the whole thing was. It had been years since they’d split up. Archer had broken Levi’s heart. They’d both moved on. After growing up together & how close he is to the Hawkes, it seemed only natural that they would want to try to maintain a friendship.