Mac glances down at Nick's hand. They’re walking shoulder to shoulder. Their arms brushing occasionally. Mac touches Nick's hand lightly, brushing his fingers over the outside of his hand. Nick doesn’t notice. He can hear his heart pounding, and loosely latches onto Nick's hand.
         

Nick pulls his hand away instantly, and roughly pulls Mac into the bathroom. He shuts the door after checking that one one is there, and leans against it to stop any entry. “What was that?!” he asks.

 Mac has his hands at his chest, feet frozen to the ground and eyes wide. “I-I... “ his throat feels tight, “I just thought,” he shrugs.
         

Nick ‘s jaw is clenched, “You can’t just grab my hand in the middle of the hallway though! I’m not… people don’t know about me yet, Mac!” his hands are in his hair out of frustration.

Mac just looks to the ground. He sighs. “It’s hard for me too, you know,” he mutters, “to do this with someone who’s still hidden. Your parents are fine with me, your best friend and practically their second child. They’re going to be fine with you too, Nicky,” he looks up. Nick is slumped against the door, a defeated look on his face.

 “I know,” he whispers, “but I’m on the football team, and then baseball in the spring. They… they’re not.... good with this. Most of them are judgemental and stupid. Everyone expects me to ask out the cheerleader like in movies,” his voice cracks awkwardly, “but it’s,” he wipes his eyes, “it’s not, not that- or her, or whatever,” he struggles on his words, and reaches out, hooking his hand on Mac’s hoodie pocket. Mac steps forward, and with shaking hands he slides his them into Nick’s, their fingers laced together.
       

 “It’s you,” Nick mumbles, “you’re the one I wanna have,” he says.
       

 Mac cocks his head. His next words barely come out, but Nick catches them. “You have me,” he whispers to him. He has tears in his eyes that Nick wipes away. He keeps his thumb on his cheek though, his breath caught in his throat.
       

 “Come ‘ere,” he lets out a breath, pulling Mac to him and hugging him so tight that he could have cut off his air supply.
         

Mac tucks his head into Nick’s neck, breathing in that stupid cologne that he always wears, and breathes out heavily. He resists at first when Nick nudges his head, but on the second try looks up.
       

Their faces are inches apart, Nick’s head lowered due to Mac’s shortness. His nose brushes Mac’s cheek. Both of their eyes are squeezed tight, and when Mac grips Nick's hand, Nick barely grazes Mac’s lips.
       

He’s scared. Mac can tell. Which is why he puts his hands on Nick’s shoulders and presses their lips together. Nick hums against his mouth, out of surprise and content. His hands fist the back of Mac’s hoodie, and he kisses him back. Their noses are bumping, and their lips may be pressing harder than needed, but neither of them can get enough of each other. It’s both of their first kiss, explaining why it’s messy. However it's not a surprise considering there aren't any other gay people that they know of, and all they really want is each other anyway.
         

Nick tilts his head, savoring the taste of Macs lips and the way they feel against his own.
         

They pull away eventually. Desperately in need of air. Mac is panting. Nicks chest is rising and falling quickly. He looks fearful even now, after he's kissed his best friend who he's had a slight "thing" with for a while now. Who he's known since middle school.
         

Meanwhile Mac is grinning at him, making him feel better. He goes to say more, but the warning bell cuts him off. They both frown at that.
         

"I'll do it. Soon. I can do it, I promise," Nick says.
         

Mac cocks his head, "You don't have to. I shouldn't of pushed you to. Come out when you're ready, please. If it means we can do something like this when we're alone then I can wait," he tells him, "but we should go. I have to go upstairs for class."
         

Nick nods, "Okay," he breathes, and kisses Macs cheek sheepishly before opening the door, leaving the bathroom, but taking the memory of it with him. And when he looks back at Mac going the opposite way, he blushes, and scurries on his way.