"It's huge though, the disconnect from his family is a big reason why Gary is the way he is." To make amends for his sudden movements though he shifted back into a semi reclining position and pulled Koda into his lap again, snuggling his nose into Koda's hair. "Maybe Elyssa will be a good influence on him and he'll be a bit less of an asshole now." Though Declan wasn't sure he believed Gary was capable of that.

"Well, that would be good," Koda said with a small nod as he got comfortable again. "But then I won't have any reason to gripe at him and we can't have that." He still remembered their less than favorable first meeting.

"He's Gary, there's always something to gripe at him about, don't worry." Declan said, suppressing a chuckled. He was pretty sure Koda was pouting.

Koda had mastered the pout though and he turned it to Declan. "If not, I'll have have to focus my griping energies at you. I should be able to find something, right?"

"Nyah, no reason to be like that. I'm not nag worthy anyway." Declan was pouting now too.

Koda crossed his arms. "Then why have I found reason to since the first day we met? Because really...you're such a nerd."

"Because you could gripe at then air if you so desired." Declan sighed voice annoyed and rolling his eyes slightly, but leaning forward to place a soft kiss on Koda's cheek, softening the tone of his words.

Koda found that more than a little untrue and irritating, but the kiss killed his ability to respond with a complaint. He flushed and looked at Declan with a sulky stare. "You did that on purpose," he muttered. Declan definitely tried to distract him and it worked. Koda turned his attention back to the movie and grabbed hold of the other's hand, turning a little more pink. He meant for the gesture to be stealthy, but it came out jerky. Really though, he was getting a lot more comfortable with this dating thing.

"I have no clue what you mean...." Declan said, resting his head on top of Koda's neck, twining his fingers with Koda's as their hands met, glad that Koda was starting to get a little more bold, even if Declan still had to do most of the work.

As they sat there with their fingers twined, he didn't say anything for a while. A typical cliche scene passed across the screen where the lovers reunited after a long battle. He said something about fighting beside her, for her. Always. Koda just stared at the movie for a while. He was young with so much of his life still ahead of him and at the point in his life where he could see it. At school, his peers talked about the girlfriends and what they would do with college and beyond. He hadn't let on, but he'd been thinking about it himself too. "Do you think we'll last?" he asked suddenly.

Declan blinked in surprise and stared at Koda, formulating an answer. He was silent for several beats. "I would like to believe we could, but who knows in reality? Couples last and don't last for silly reasons. Things that should be forever are only temporary because of stupid mistakes that one can't get past. And we can't know what life has in store for us, no matter how we try. It's not really worth worrying about if it's forever when you can enjoy today instead."

"Yeah but..." Koda started. He turned to look at Declan, very slightly shaking his head. "I'm a kid. I'm supposed to think about the future and where my shit is going and if it's going. I like you, but they say that kind of stuff never lasts for a kid." Don't marry your high school sweetheart. It only works in movies. Real life isn't a movie. Go out and live your life first. He'd heard it all as of late.

"Eh, sometimes, it does, sometimes it doesn't. There's no one set formula for how things have to work. Just because the majority of high school relationships don't last, doesn't mean they all don't." Declan looked down at Koda, trying not to convey his nerves as to why Koda was asking. Did he want to quit this before they even got a chance? He wouldn't stop Koda if he wanted to leave, but it sure as heck would hurt. He couldn't help the corners of his mouth turning down slightly. "All I know is today is a good day and I hope for there to be many good days in the future for us."

Koda bit his lip, feeling his eyes burn a little at Declan's words and the thoughts spinning in his mind. "Me too," he whispered before turning away from Declan again. "I want this to last and I'm scared to think that it might not. I've never been as happy as I right now and it kinda freaks me out because I shouldn't be this happy!"

Declan breathed a little sigh of relief at that, glad that Koda seemed as content and bubbling over with happiness as he did. Then the rest of Koda's words filtered into his brain and he frowned slightly. "Why don't you think you should be this happy? Everyone has the right to be as happy as then can be, every should strive to achieve the as much as possible. Why should you be an exception to that rule?"

"You're misinterpreting what I said, idiot," he snapped, smacking Declan lightly on the arm. "I never said I don't have a right to be happy. But being really happy now means I could be really sad later. It'll hurt if something goes wrong!"

Declan chuckled at that, but couldn't resist the urge to bend down and place a soft kiss to his lips at that. He kept it chases, just a quick press of lips but unstoppable in that moment. He just needed to express how much he was happy In this moment. Pulling back, he whispered forehead against Koda's, "Don't worry about tomorrow when today is so good."

Koda crossed his arms with a huff, but he still felt calmed by the little kiss. He felt loved. "You already said that and it's not going to stop me from worrying. I'd be an idiot not to." He certainly didn't want to grow up into an idiotic, cheesy adult like Declan. Seriously, love turned him into a worse goofball. It was embarrassing, but still so him and that made it okay.

Declan chuckled, "Fine you can worry for the both of us, but I'm not going to worry when I can do this." He leaned in to press a kiss to both corners of Koda's mouth before finally sealing their lips together again. The kiss was a little less chase, with Declan nipping a bit at Koda's lips, but still cautious never sure what was gonna be too much for the teen.

Koda let Declan kiss him, but he still hadn't figured out how to react back besides a few hesitant motions. It was better though and he didn't freak out...that much. Pulling away when he couldn't stand it anymore, he rolled his eyes. "You're way too good at that. You kill my ability to think!" he snapped like that was a bad thing. "I still suck at kissing."

"How is that a bad thing?" Declan asked, smirking from the compliment. "You're just new, kissing takes practice believe it or not, just like a million other things. I do know how we could work on improving that," he snarked, raising an eyebrow at Koda.

Koda raised an eyebrow back. "Yeah? How might we do that?" he asked to play along. "Because I would really like to improve." Eyes dancing, he tangled his fingers in Declan's hair to pull him close again before pecking the man on his lips.

"Hm, it seems you've already got the idea," Declan murmured with another peck to Koda's lips. "After all, practice makes perfect and we've got all this precious time with which to practice." He leaned forward, stopping just before Koda's lips this time, smiling slightly as he opened his eyed to study his features. Koda really was beautiful, with a sigh of happiness he moved forward until his lips brushed just scantily against Koda's, letting the other do the rest.

"I love to practice with you..." Koda whispered, then he closed his eyes and let his boyfriend kiss him. Indeed, they did have all this time. Things were wonderful then and it soon proved that only more wonderful things would come after. A future opened up in front of them and maybe they didn't know how everything would turn out, but they were happy and that set the tone for the rest of their relationship. Happiness. And lots and lots of precious time.

Just as the future opened up for Declan and Koda, so too it opened for Gary and William. It wasn't always easy; Gary would still freak out occasionally, wondering if he was trapping himself, giving up too much. But for every panic attack, William was there to remind him that for everything he was giving up he was gaining that and more back from the love the two shared. As they drove down the road home, it seemed as though the future was unlimited and full of endless possibilities for hope, happiness, and love. It was as if everything was spread out before them.

On that particular road trip home, there are a lot of laughs and good times. Gary remembered feeling the whole time as if the world had suddenly brightened. His life suddenly complete again with the presence of his sister and William. Everything that had once made him feel miserably and alone suddenly held a promise of new life, new hope.

After they'd been back a few days, Gary could remember Janette deciding what do about her pregnancy. And how something about that moment had made the entire future clear to William and Gary. In that moment, Gary felt the promise of forever....