17. River

"Hey, angel, you feel up to going out with Jenna and Nick?" Skye asked as soon as River got home from work. Then he was taking River's face in his hands and pressing a heated kiss to his lips before he could answer. It took River a moment to come back to reality once Skye pulled away. He blinked and smiled lazily, and Skye grinned.

"Sure," he said. "Guess I won't take my coat off, then."

"Your tailbone will be okay?"

"Yeah, it's getting better. It still hurts but I can manage." River knew he needed to get out of the house. Even if his bum was sore as a result. He hadn't done much of anything since Jodi had passed away and he needed to see his friends. Nick and Jenna always had a way of helping him feel better.

"You look good," he said, smiling and raking his gaze over his boyfriend. He really did look incredible. Skye had changed out of his dress clothes into dark wash jeans and a gray sweater, and was looking cozy, and very handsome.Those jeans fit him perfectly, hugging his rear and showing off his long, slender legs, and the sweater made his green eyes pop.

Skye looked down at what he was wearing, then back up at River with a gorgeous smile on his handsome face. "Thanks." He leaned in and kissed River again. "Dinner," he said, pulling away. "They'll be waiting on us." He stepped past River and grabbed his coat, sliding it on.

"Hey, if your tailbone is getting better, maybe you can start going back to church," he said, and River's heart melted at how sincere and hopeful he sounded. In all the years they had known each other Skye had never once been to church with him. River had never asked him again after that first time in college. But that hadn't kept Skye from supporting River in his faith, encouraging him in it, even. He'd actually gotten River a really nice study Bible one year as a birthday present, and River loved it. And while Skye didn't believe in God, he knew River loved him, and that River believed God did, too.

"Hey, there's the cutest couple in the world," Jenna said with a beaming smile as Skye and River took their seats in the booth across from her and Nick. "Told you it would happen sooner rather than later." She nudged Nick with her elbow.

"Yeah, all right, you win," he grumbled, pulling his wallet out of his pocket and sifting through it.

"What's going on?" Skye asked.

"He's giving me the money he owes me." Jenna beamed and held out her hand, palm up. "Hurry up, slow poke." She poked Nick in the ribs. "I got things I want to do with that money." Her eyes twinkled and she winked at the couple as Nick slapped a wad of cash into her hand. She did a little happy dance in her seat as she tucked the cash into her purse. Skye and River laughed as Nick rolled his eyes.

"Wait a second, you guys were betting on us?" Skye asked.

"Not on whether you would end up together," Jenna said, "just on how long it would take. Before or after Valentine's Day."

"You couldn't have waited one more month?" Nick pouted. He looked at the two men like they had genuinely betrayed him by falling in love without consulting him on the timing. River just rolled his eyes as Skye leaned over and kissed his temple, making him blush and smile like an idiot.

"Awww." Jenna grinned from ear to ear. Then she slid her arm through Nick's and pressed a kiss to his cheek, and it was River's turn to look at him in betrayal as his cheeks turned crimson.

"What the hell was that?" Skye said, echoing River's thoughts.

"Nothing," Nick said.

"Bullshit," Skye replied. Both men eyed him. Jenna was grinning and Nick was so red you could mistake him for a tomato. "Are you two together?"

They nodded and River's mouth gaped. "Since when?"

"A few weeks," Jenna said. She glanced at Nick who was clearly flustered, but so happy he could burst. "It happened right before Christmas, and we were going to tell you but then River's Aunt Jodi passed away and we didn't want to sound like assholes by announcing we were together right after hearing that news. We also just wanted some time to figure things out."

"I understand wanting time," River said, "but you definitely could have said something. I could have used the good news."

"I'm sorry," Jenna apologized, and River shook his head.

"Don't be sorry, just give us details," he told her. She laughed and Nick flushed all over again.

"There's not much to tell," Jenna said. "We were out one night together, got drunk and ended up in bed. When we woke up the next morning we weren't freaking out, and Nick told me he had feelings for me, and I said the same. After talking for a bit, we decided we didn't want it to be a one time thing. We wanted to see where things could go." She pressed another kiss to Nick's flushed face. He turned and buried his face in her hair. It was utterly adorable.

"Well, we're happy for you," Skye said, and River nodded.

"Thank you." Jenna smiled widely. Then she turned to Nick and whispered loud enough that Skye and River could hear. "I'll make sure that money goes towards a good cause." She nibbled on his ear and he turned bright red again.

They all laughed.

"You guys suck," Nick grumbled.

They laughed harder and Jenna gave him a third kiss on the cheek. River's chest warmed at the affection they obviously felt for each other, and he felt Skye's hand sliding into his and squeezing it.

"Bathroom break," River said, part-way through the meal. His tailbone was starting to throb and he needed a break from sitting. The seat was acutely uncomfortable even with his seat cushion, so he figured a trip to the bathroom was as good of an excuse as any. Plus, he actually did have to pee.

But as soon as he stood, his head started to swim. His vision grew dark, and his heart raced.

The last thing he remembered as his knees gave out from under him, was Skye's voice saying his name.