Over the next few days, Ronnie tried to get Ace out of his house. It worked very well as Ronnie slowly pushed him, but not too hard. At the end of the day, Ronnie would reward him. They would go to his apartment and kiss on his couch. Ronnie slowly became bolder, and Ace let him.

He wanted to forget his past life, and move on, pretending that nothing had happened.

Ace visited his family on Christmas, and they were delighted to see him. The moment Ace left, Ronnie’s mother drilled him with questions.

“We’re just friends,” Ronnie groaned.

“I know you two were together in high school,” his mother teased. “Are you getting back together?”

Ronnie said nothing and his sister made a mocking face at him.

“I just visit sometimes. Don’t look too deep into it.”

Ronnie wasn’t embarrassed about being in a relationship with Ace, but Ace was. He still had a complex after many years. He pretended that he and Ronnie weren’t dating if anyone asked when they still were. It was quite obvious to everyone, even Tyreceus, and he simply let Ace believe that everyone didn’t know.

Ronnie didn’t want to get his hopes up and didn’t expect Ace to be in a good place to be with anyone, so he was fine with only kissing. He told himself that sex complicates things, and it was for the best.

The day after Christmas, Ronnie went to visit Ace and again. Before Ronnie left, his mother teased him while baking another pie, asking when the honeymoon was. Ronnie’s cheeks burned thinking about it, standing outside his door.

He realized he never pressed the doorbell, and turned more different shades, as the soft ding dong, echoed through the house.

Ace quickly answered the door once the doorbell rang, and was greeted by his current two favorite things: Ronnie and pumpkin pie. After eating a few slices, complaining about TV but still watching it, they again started to grope each other on the couch.

After their time together they remembered how each other liked to kiss, and flicked their tongues inside each other’s mouths, once again tasting more of the pie. Ace put his hand up Ronnie’s shirt, and Ronnie took this as permission to do more than kiss.

Ace felt his fingers crawl downwards and pulled away, guilt overwhelming him.

“I can’t do this. This is wrong,” Ace whispered.

“Ace. Don’t.”

“I feel like I’m cheating on her… I can’t do this.”

Ronnie swore under his breath and had to face the truth. He couldn’t help Ace with hugs and kisses, definitely not with sex or pie.

"I was afraid to say anything because I didn't want you getting angry," Ace said. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on."

Ronnie held his hand, but he couldn’t look Ace in the eyes. He wanted so badly to be able to keep him, but he couldn’t. Even in death the girl that took Ace from him still had her fingers around his throat.

“You didn’t lead me on, because I knew this would happen anyway,” Ronnie said. “You can’t even admit that you liked me, and it's so weird! ”

“I, I’m sorry Ronnie, I don’t know why I’m like this.”

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“You’re fine, you just overthink this too much.”

Ace was trying to apologize for the past when he pretended that they weren't together. Ronnie tried to be as honest as possible with Ace, because he didn’t want to hurt his feelings, and he didn’t want to hurt himself.

“Do you want me or sex,” Ronnie asked bluntly. Ace was completely caught off guard by the question and started to stammer.

“I, I d-don’t know,” he admitted.

Ronnie groaned and didn’t ask any more questions. He knew Ace long enough to know that he wasn’t lying, and even if he was the look on his face always gave him away.

“I’m sorry,” Ace exclaimed. “This is just weird. ”

“How is it weird,” Ronnie grumbled. “We were together for almost three years and you denied it. That’s what’s weird.”

Ace turned his head to look away from him but Ronnie pinched him on the shoulder.

“Ow,” Ace grunted.

“Look at me Acheus,” Ronnie commanded. “I’m not doing this again.”

He pinched Ace again and he got angry.

“You said you wouldn’t do it again,” Ace shouted.

“I meant dealing with your petty kid shit,” Ronnie shouted. “I want to know what you want!”

"I don't know."

“Well, figure it out. I’m not dating you again and having you pretend that we’re not together. It really hurt.”

Ronnie’s voice started to crack and then Ace sat up as well.

“I’m sorry...I just don’t want people to think I’m a girl. ” Ronnie gave him the most exasperated look he could muster.

“You do not look like a girl.”

“I worry that I do. People like me look different.”

“Gay people don’t look-”

“I didn’t mean gay people, I meant Ionadians, idiot,” Ace shrieked.

Ace was shorter than most of his peers, commonly mistaken as being younger, had trouble gaining muscle, and worked hard at it. He was self-conscious about looking like everyone else in every way, all the time.

“I’m not even gay,” Ace bellowed.

“We have fucked, and you're telling me this,” Ronnie chuckled. “You’re so-”

Ace smacked him with a couch pillow and Ronnie was now angry again.

“Ace, I’m serious! If you don’t want anything serious then just say it. ”

Ace didn't know how he felt about Ronnie, and since that was all he knew he concluded that he didn't like him.

“I want the sex,” Ace said.

“Really,” Ronnie whispered.

He tried to hide his disappointment, but it was very apparent.

“I think.”

He gripped the pillow, and he did not believe the words out of his mouth. So many things were going on he didn't know what he wanted. He still thought about his wife daily and a pang of strange guilt overcame him when he kissed Ronnie, feeling that he was cheating on her.

Ronnie was sure that he could change Ace’s mind. He could convince him to stay as well. He saw everything with rose-colored glasses, and went back again to his futile belief, that if he just loved him hard enough, Ace would feel better.