Chapter Text
Shawn Hunter had just completed a long day at work. He was thankful that business was booming, but he couldn't help but feel resentful everytime he had to photograph a wedding. They always seemed to take him back to his best friend Cory's wedding ten years ago and the way he had walked away from their friendship following the wedding. Cory had tried calling him for several months after the wedding, but Shawn never returned his calls. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for Cory and Topanga, but they were a constant reminder of the things he will never have. He could still clearly remember how happy his two friends looked as they were declared husband and wife. As they left the reception to go to their honeymoon, Shawn knew his life would never be the same.
The beep of Shawn's answering machine brings him back to reality. He looked at his caller ID and was met with a familiar number that he hadn't seen in nearly a decade. Cory. Shawn instantly became nervous and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He was instantly tempted to delete the message and pretend he never saw it. He knew in his heart that no matter how much he longed to hear Cory's voice, in the end hearing from him would only bring him heartache. Finally, temptation got the better of him and he played the message.
"Shawn, it's Cory. Listen, I think we should talk. " Shawn continued to listen as Cory gave a phone number he didn't recognize, and told him he was staying at a hotel. Shawn couldn't figure out what Cory was doing calling him from a hotel or what he wanted from him after ten years of not speaking. What should he do? He wanted to talk to Cory more than anything but there was still so much that Cory didn't know. So much that Shawn would never be brave enough to tell him. He knows he should just delete the message and forget it ever happened. That was what was best for everyone. He decided to throw on an old pair of sweats and watch Netflix. About an hour later, Shawn is asleep on the couch.
Shawn loved the way Cory's eyes lit up when he made him laugh. It was the same thing everytime they got together. After five minutes of talking they would both crack up laughing and neither of them would really know why. Perhaps that's what Shawn loved the most about their friendship. The effortlessness of it. He pulls Cory into his arms and kisses him gently on the lips. Cory pulls him closer and deepens the kiss. Shawn loves the way he tastes. His kiss is familiar yet exciting. Shawn's pulse quickens as they move to the couch. Shawn breaks the kiss long enough to pull off Cory's shirt. He kisses a trail from Cory's neck to his navel. He finds his nipple and begins to suck with increasing intensity. Cory then removes Shawn's shirt and looks him up and down admiring his chest. He then continues to explore his mouth, tasting and sucking as he goes. Shawn can't help but notice Cory's erection pressing against the fly of his jeans.
"Looks like someone wants to come out and play" Shawn says with a laugh.
Cory blushes. Shawn then unbuttons Cory's jeans and unzips his fly. He pulls them down to Cory's knees and sees his erection growing larger with each passing second. Shawn smiles, pleased to see how aroused Cory is. He removes Cory's jeans and throws them on the floor. Shawn stops for a moment to admire Cory in nothing but his underwear. After all these years he still took his breath away. Cory's back arches and he lets out a small moan.
"Tell me what you want." Shawn demands.
"You...." Cory croaks.
Shawn kneels down and gently removes Cory's underwear, quickly discarding them on the floor. He finds Cory's penis, hard and throbbing with arousel. He can't help but smile knowing how much Cory wants him. Cory can feel Shawn's warm breath on his penis and begins to breath hard and fast. Shawn takes Cory into his mouth and begins to suck. Cory lets out and audible grunt. As Shawn picks up the pace, Cory begins to pant and moan. Cory's face flushes and he squeezes his eyes shut. He can feel his climax coming. Shawn knows that Cory is close. He sucks long and hard and Cory lets out a loud moan. Shawn loves the taste of Cory in his mouth. When Shawn finally looks up, he sees Cory collapsed on the couch, breathing hard, with a smile on his face. Shawn lets out a soft chuckle.
"Laugh while you can. When I finally catch my breath I'll have you begging for mercy." Cory warns. Shawn likes the sound of that.
A few minutes later, Cory pushes Shawn backwards onto the couch.
"These pants....they've got to go." Cory moans. He rips off Shawn's pants and throws them on the floor. He can see Shawn's erection pushing against his boxers. Shawn's eyes grow larger as Cory begins removing his boxers. Shawn gasps when he feels Cory's hands on his ass. Soon Shawn's underwear is on the floor and there are no barriers left between them. Cory turns Shawn around so that his back is to him. Shawn's breathing continues to quicken. He whimpers a little when he hears Cory get off the couch.
"Don't worry babe, I just have to get the lube." Cory reassures him.
Cory comes back and begins to prep Shawn. He squirts a small amount of lube on his fingers then inserts one finger, then two. Shawn sighs.
"Cory...I...I can't wait any longer...." Shawn begs.
Cory lets out a soft chuckle. "I told you I'd have you begging."
With one hard thrust, Cory enters Shawn. He continues to move in and out hard and fast. The first time Cory hits the spot Shawn gasps.
"More! Oh god....oh!" Shawn begs.
Cory obliges Shawn by continuing the pace. He continues to hit the right spot and Shawn feels a warm, tingling sensation start in his belly and works it way all the way up to his chest. "OH!!!!" Shawn cries. Cory grunts as his own orgasm takes over his body. His body stiffens as both men reach their climax. Cory pulls out and Shawn rolls over on his back. Both lovers look into each other's eyes for a moment, overcome with emotion. Cory sits down next to Shawn and takes him in his arms.
"I love you, Shawnie." he whispers softly.
"I love you too, Cor. I always have."
Shawn awakens with a start. His heart is pounding and his shirt is drenched in sweat. "Not this again..." he curses under his breath. Just when he thought he had put those feelings behind him, the dreams were starting again. "That's it...." he proclaims to an empty room, "I'm deleting that message!" He quickly deletes the message and vows to forget it ever happened. He can't help but feel relieved that he has the day off. After such a restless night, he definitely didn't feel like working today. He decides to take a quick shower and try to push the dream out of his thoughts.
He emerges refreshed about 20 minutes later and begins to wonder what he should do with his day. He decides to figure out breakfast. As he begins to fiddle around the kitchen trying to find something appetizing, the doorbell rings. "Who could that be?" he wondered. He had lived in the apartment for a decade and could count on one hand the number of visitors he got. He opens the door and his breath catches in his throat. Staring back at him is the face that he had tried to get out of his head for the last ten years.
"Cor? What are you doing here?" Shawn asks.
"Can I come in?" Cory asks.
"Yea, sure..."
"Wow, look at this place. I would have come sooner but ya know, I was never invited." Shawn can't help but notice the hurt in Cory's voice.
"How's Topanga?" Shawn asks, although not caring what the answer is.
"Topanga and I haven't been together in five years." Cory answers.
"What? What happened? You guys were so perfect for each other. I thought nothing could keep you guys apart."
"I thought the same thing about you and me. But we haven't spoken in ten years. Why did you stop talking to me? Don't you think if there's a problem we could work it out? We've always gotten through everything together. What's the deal? Why don't you talk to me anymore?" Cory asks, unable to mask the hurt in his voice.
"Why are you here, Cor?" Shawn asks, ignoring his friend's questions.
"I'm here because I need to know what happened between us. Did I do something wrong? Are you angry with me? Tell me. Make me understand!"
"I'm not angry at you Cor. It's nothing like that. In fact it's just the opposite." Shawn sighs, covering his face with his hands.
Cory sits next to him on the couch and puts his hand on his shoulder. "Then tell me, Shawnie. I really want to understand...."
"I'm gay...." Shawn blurts out before Cory can finish his sentence.
"What?" Cory asks, certain he didn't hear Shawn correctly.
"I said I'm gay. I've known for years."
"Oh I see. You thought I couldn't handle that, right? That I just couldn't be best friends with someone who is gay. Come on Shawn, you know me better than that." Cory says, angrily.
"No, no. I knew you wouldn't have a problem being friends with someone who is gay."
"Then why didn't you tell me? Don't you think I would have understood? Don't you know that I wouldn't care about something like that?" Cory asks, visibly hurt.
"No. I just didn't think you'd be comfortable being best friends with someone who is in love with you." Shawn says so quietly that Cory can barely hear.
"What?"
"You heard me. I've been in love with you since we were kids. I tried to hide it. I tried to fight my feelings. I just couldn't do it anymore. It hurt too much seeing you and Topanga together all the time. When you got married, I figured I could disappear without you noticing."
For what seems like an eternity, Cory doesn't say anything. He just sits there staring wide-eyed back at Shawn. Then, to Shawn's surprise, he begins to laugh. Quietly at first and then louder and louder.
"Jeez Cor, I opened up my heart to you. You don't need to laugh at me." Shawn says, angrily.
"Oh Shawnie. All my life I'm always the last to know anything. The entire time I was married to Topanga something was missing. I tried to ignore it, pretend I was happy. But it didn't work. She knew better. When she threw me out she told me it was because I could never love her as much as I loved someone else. It took me a few years but I finally understood who she was talking about."
Shawn looks up at Cory confused. "Who was she talking about?"
Cory doesn't answer, just covers Shawn's mouth with his. When he finally breaks the kiss, Shawn can't believe what just happened.
"Don't you see, Shawn? It's always been you. I've never loved anyone the way I love you."
"I love you too Cor, I always have."