Literally The First Collegiate Adventure Spanning History, Gender, Music, and Love

A/N: The final theme for Jyder week was 'Angst/Fluff.' However, because I neither wanted to rush the ending of the story nor have the final chapter be twice as long as all the rest, I'm actually breaking that theme in half. This first part will be 'angst' then we'll get to all the fluff (with plenty of romance and smut included) in the final chapter.

I hope this qualifies for 'angst,' but it's written more to be humorous and borderline farcical than to make anyone cry or be super upset.

Chapter 7 – And

"You lookin' at porn?" Puck asked as he glanced over at Jake, who was sitting in the passenger seat staring intently at his phone, occasionally adjusting himself, and carefully keeping the screen tilted away from Puck.

"What? No, of course not," Jake said immediately, pressing the device against his chest.

It was mid-afternoon and Jake was on his way back to Columbus. Puck was driving him and then the following weekend Jake would catch a ride with Ryder when he went back to Lima to visit his dad and Jake could pick up his car then. Ostensibly Puck's offer had been so that he could attend a party that some of his old football buddies who now lived in Columbus were throwing. However, Jake suspected that the true reason Puck was doing this was because he had accurately picked up on how nervous Jake was about confessing his feelings to Ryder, and had wanted to keep him company. Jake appreciated the gesture, especially since his palms pretty much hadn't quit sweating since he'd resolved to declare his love to Ryder, and since his stomach had also been in a perpetual state of pre-vomit agitation. At this point Jake wasn't even sure he could have driven himself back.

"Dude, I don't care. I know you're just trying to take your mind off stuff," Puck said, snickering at him. "Just keep it in your pants."

Jake sighed and decided it was easier to just let Puck assume his porn theory was correct. It wasn't all that far from the truth anyway. Jake had been looking at sexually descriptive content, and there were a few pictures here and there, but it wasn't porn exactly. Jake was looking up tips and advice on how to bottom for the first time. It definitely wasn't helping his anxiety, but Jake felt like he was making the right decision.

After his chat with Puck that morning, Jake had been determined to figure out the best way to let Ryder know about his feelings. Ultimately of course it would come down to saying those three little words, but Jake wanted to make it as special as possible. He wanted Ryder to know how much he truly meant it. Then Jake had realized that trying to come up with a speech was the complete wrong approach. That would always feel cheesy and forced. Instead of just saying the words, Jake had decided he wanted to do something to show Ryder how much he meant.

Shortly after they had officially started dating Jake and Ryder had decided to experiment with anal sex. It was something they were both initially nervous to be on the receiving end of, but Ryder had soon agreed to try it. They had both been surprised by how well that first time had gone, and though it was still sort of understood that at some point they would try switching things up, they had fallen into a very enjoyable routine of Jake topping and Ryder bottoming. Jake decided that finally taking the plunge – or perhaps more accurately, letting Ryder take the plunge – would be a good way to show Ryder how much he loved him and how completely he trusted him. It would be the perfect way to back up his words with actions.

"Uh, you're not gonna be in the apartment tonight right?" Jake asked awkwardly.

"God no!" Puck exclaimed, smirking at him. "I'll probably stay with my buds. If not them, then maybe Kitty will let me crash at her place...Although that may not be far enough away from ground zero to spare my ears."

Jake rolled his eyes and went back to discreetly conducting his 'research' on his phone.

Soon enough they were pulling into Jake and Ryder's apartment complex. Jake had been texting with Ryder on the way back and knew that he was over at Marley and Kitty's so Jake and Puck headed directly there.

"Hey," Ryder said with a big goofy grin, pulling open the girls' front door just as Jake raised his hand to knock.

"Hey," Jake answered back, taking a moment to look Ryder up and down and appreciate the view. He got only a moment, however, before his boyfriend was pulling him into the apartment and kissing him deeply. Jake responded with equal enthusiasm, wrapping his arms around Ryder's waist and sighing softly into the kiss as their hips ground against each other.

"Ahem," Puck said, clearing his throat loudly and tapping his brother on the shoulder, irritated that he not only had to watch, but that he was still blocked from even entering the apartment.

"Oh hey, Puck." Ryder said as he smiled at him over Jake's shoulder once they had pulled apart.

"Just a fist bump for me is fine, dude," Puck remarked with a smirk as he held his knuckles out in greeting. Ryder laughed and bumped his hand before stepping out of the way so that he could enter.

After the Puckerman boys had chatted with Kitty and Marley for a few minutes, Jake turned to Ryder and patted his thigh. "I wanna take you out to dinner tonight."

"Actually I wanted to take you out to dinner tonight," Ryder answered, turning on the couch and brushing his knee against Jake's.

"Well I asked first," Jake countered, sticking his tongue out at him.

Ryder laughed and leaned forward in an attempt to capture Jake's tongue with his mouth. Jake withdrew it and clamped his lips shut, shaking his head and denying Ryder access. After a few seconds of unsuccessfully licking along Jake's mouth to gain entry, Ryder pulled back and huffed. "Fine. You can take me."

"Now was that so hard?" Jake said, grinning at him and then sealing his mouth over Ryder's for a proper kiss.

"Are they always this disgusting?" Puck asked, his tone fond and amused.

"Sometimes I have to take Dramamine before we get together," Kitty answered before turning to the kissing boys. "Jake, if you can pry yourself away from Ryder's face, I have those psychology notes you need."

Jake let go of the back of Ryder's head just long enough to wave her off before pressing his hand back in place and deepening the kiss.

Eventually Ryder pulled away instead. "We should stop," he said as he took a deep breath and reminded himself that they weren't alone, that he couldn't start rubbing Jake's crotch or peeling his shirt off.

"I disagree." Jake shook his head and leaned forward to recapture Ryder's mouth, frowning when the other guy sniggered and dodged his attempt. Jake turned and glared at Kitty. "See what you did?!"

"I want a sandwich," Puck interjected, contemplating the fact that he must truly love his little brother if that display hadn't put him off food entirely.

Ryder nodded and stood up, eager to get away from Jake before his resolve crumbled and they ended up driving the other three out of the apartment and doing it right there on Marley and Kitty's sofa.

"You can make one at our place." Ryder turned back to Jake. "You should stay and get those notes from Kitty."

Jake pouted, but nodded.

"I'll come with you guys," Marley said, standing and following Ryder and Puck to the door. She wanted to get a chance to talk to Ryder one more time and make sure he didn't back out of the important declaration he had planned for that evening.

A few minutes later as Jake was copying the notes he needed for his and Kitty's intro psych class, she asked, "Where are you going to take him for dinner?"

"I was thinking DeepWood," Jake answered, not looking up.

"Freudian much?" Kitty snickered.

"He likes it." Jake rolled his eyes at her.

"Oh I bet," Kitty said. "Did you make reservations? They're going to be busy on a Saturday night."

"Crap, I forgot." Jake fished his phone out of his pocket and looked up the number. When the bubbly-sounding hostess answered, Jake requested a reservation for that evening at eight. "Crud," Jake whispered to Kitty as he covered the phone and scowled. "They don't have anything until nine fricken thirty."

"Give me the phone," Kitty instructed, holding out her hand.

"It won't do any good. They're full."

"Just give me the phone," Kitty repeated, pulling it away from him. She got up and walked into the hallway.

"Hi, who's this?" Kitty asked.

"This is Jamie," came the confused girl's response. She was still waiting to find out if Jake wanted the nine-thirty reservation.

"Listen Jamie, my name is Kitty. I'm Jake's faghag."

"Okay," she said in a neutral tone.

"I know you guys are busy," Kitty said sweetly, "But tonight is such an important night for him. He's proposing to his boyfriend tonight!" Kitty squealed with fake excitement.

"OH MY GOD REALLY!" Jamie squealed back, quickly getting swept up in the revelry. "That is so great."

"Yeah, but he's just a big ball of nerves. See, the plan is for him to recreate their first evening together and to go to all the places they went that special night. Their first date was at your restaurant, so of course he really wants to propose there, but if he waits so late it'll throw everything else off schedule and–"

"Say no more. I completely understand," Jamie answered, cutting her off as she inspected that night's reservation log. "Hmm, you know Mr. and Mrs. Falwell are terrible tippers and the servers all hate them. I think I might have just misplaced their reservation."

"Thanks girl, you're a peach! I'll tell Jake he's all set for eight o'clock."

Kitty hung up and walked back into the living room, a satisfied grin on her face. "You and Ryder are booked for eight."

"How did you do that?" Jake asked, gaping at her.

Kitty giggled and handed back his cell. "I just explained to her how important it was."

"Kitty, did you do something you shouldn't have?" Jake asked, suspicious of the innocent look on her face.

"Of course not, Jake. Although, I am fully counting on you and Ryder to act like a couple of happy homos tonight, so don't disappoint."

"We're bi," Jake pointed out.

Kitty laughed dismissively and shrugged. "Whatever, just don't hit on the hostess when you walk in and you'll be fine."

Meanwhile, at Jake and Ryder's apartment, Puck had already polished off his first sandwich and was back poking around in the kitchen, trying to figure out what he wanted to put on his second one. Down the hall in Ryder's room Marley was just trying to keep her friend from freaking out.

"There's nothing to be nervous about," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed and watching as he rifled through the closet for the perfect shirt.

"I'm not nervous," Ryder insisted. She huffed in disbelief. "Okay fine, I'm a little nervous. What about this one?" He held up a blue striped polo.

"I thought that was Jake's shirt?"

Ryder eyed the garment speculatively for a little while before shrugging. "I think it's mine and he wears it sometimes, but whatever, that means he likes it right?"

Marley shook her head. "Not dressy enough. Besides, you look really good in button downs."

"Do you know where he's taking me?" Ryder asked, now worrying that he might accidentally under- or overdress. He pulled the sleeve of a charcoal oxford out enough for her to see. She nodded her approval of the selection so he set it aside and then took a seat next to her on the bed. "I just hope he's ready to hear this. This could change everything."

"He's ready," Marley assured him, patting his arm. "And it will change everything, but it'll change it for the better. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll even get married."

Panic gripped Ryder's face. "Oh god! I'm not ready for that."

Marley laughed. "I didn't mean right away. I just meant things might start moving, slowly," she emphasized, "In that direction."

Ryder nodded, but looked unsure. "I guess...If me saying I love him doesn't completely screw everything up."

"Of course it won't," Marley insisted.

"I want to believe that and...and I just love him so much." He sighed. "But part of me feels like by doing this I'm basically telling Jake, 'I want to break up.'"

"That is just ridiculous, Ryder!" Marley protested vehemently.

"I know I need to go through with this. I know it's the right decision. I'm just worried about how he'll react."

Back in the kitchen Puck had finished making his next sandwich and was looking for something to drink. They were out of juice and milk and Puck didn't feel like having a soda, but he found a small, individual bottle of lemonade that looked appealing. Unsure if it was Jake's or Ryder's, he decided to be polite and go make sure with Ryder that it was okay to drink it.

As he got to Ryder's partially open bedroom door, he overheard Ryder saying something that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I'm basically telling Jake, 'I want to break up.'"

Puck's stomach dropped in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. They seemed so happy.

"That is just ridiculous, Ryder!" he heard Marley say.

Puck nodded to himself. Damn right it was ridiculous. Barely five hours earlier Jake had spilled his guts and told Puck how much he loved Ryder.

"I know I need to go through with this. I know it's the right decision. I'm just worried about how he'll react."

Goddamnit! He'll be fucking devastated. Puck clenched his fist around the glass bottle of lemonade in anger.

"Well, I'm going to go. Good luck," Marley said. A few moments later she was opening the door and practically walking into Puck. "Oh hi. Excuse me."

Puck numbly stepped out of the way for her to pass. He took a couple more deep breaths, anger rising more and more, and then burst into the room.

"Crap! You startled me, dude," Ryder exclaimed. He had been about to check his email on his phone, but he tossed the device back on the bed and gave Puck his attention. "What's up?"

"I overheard you and Marley," Puck stated, eyes narrowed as he glared at Ryder.

"Oh." Ryder wasn't sure exactly what to say. It felt weird discussing this with Puck and he hadn't really wanted to talk about it with anyone else before just doing it anyway. However, he reminded himself that Puck was important to Jake. It wouldn't be right to just ignore him or try to hide anything. "Yeah, that's how I feel. Don't tell him though; I want him to hear it from me."

"I don't fucking believe you right now," Puck growled. "I thought you were an okay dude."

"You-You have a problem with this?" Ryder asked nervously.

"Damn right I have a problem with it," Puck snapped.

"Look...I know this might be hard for you to understand," Ryder said, though internally he was surprised that Puck was having such a tough time with the fact that he loved Jake. Puck had been friends with other gay couples before, and in the past Puck had always seemed okay with his and Jake's relationship. He hadn't realized there was so much underlying homophobia. "But, it's just like how you might feel about a girl."

"Fine. I get that sometimes this just...happens," Puck conceded. He had certainly had his share of failed relationships. "But there's always some kinda reason. I mean, Why?! Why do you even want to do this?"

"Oh well that's easy," Ryder answered, relieved that Puck seemed to be calming down slightly and letting him explain. "It's the way he looks at me. The things he says and does. The way he makes me feel. It's because of who he is as a person."

"You sonofabitch!" Puck lunged at Ryder. His blood was boiling. There was nothing wrong with who his brother was as a person.

Ryder's jaw dropped in surprise and suddenly Puck had grabbed the front of his shirt with one hand. His other hand was raised menacingly in Ryder's face, a bottle of lemonade, of all things, clutched in his fist.

"So what, you're just gonna hit me?" Ryder demanded, his own temper barely under control. This entire incident had come out of left field, but he was unwilling to back down. He would fight for Jake if he had to.

"God, I want to," Puck said between clenched teeth. "But you still matter to Jake right now. But you better watch your ass once this is all over."

Puck reluctantly released Ryder, shoving him back slightly on the bed as he did. Puck had already resolved to hunt him down again as soon as he and Jake broke up.

Ryder sighed, still frowning at Puck but relieved that he wouldn't be coming to blows with Jake's brother.

"This yours?" Puck demanded, holding up the bottled beverage.

"Uh. Yeah," Ryder answered, realizing for the first time that indeed it was.

Puck glowered at him and then dramatically twisted it open. He proceeded to guzzle the entire thing and then slammed the empty container down onto Ryder's nightstand. Then he growled again and stormed out of the room.

Back at the girls' apartment, Marley had just walked inside to discover that Kitty and Jake were nowhere in sight. Kitty had gone into her room to study and Jake was in the restroom. Marley was about to go to her own room when she was stopped by the sound of Jake's cell phone ringing on the coffee table.

"Jake?" she called out, undecided about whether or not she should answer it.

She glanced at the screen and saw that it wasn't one of the Jake's contacts, just a phone number she didn't recognize. She reasoned that this probably meant it wasn't something especially personal, so she might as well answer it. She had done that occasionally for him, at his request, back when they were dating anyway.

"Hello," Marley said as she accepted the call.

"Hi, may I speak with Jake Puckerman please?" a bubbly, female voice requested.

"He's unavailable right now. May I take a message?"

"Ohh, I bet he just has so much on his mind today!" the girl declared cheerfully.

"Probably," Marley agreed. He had been studying when she had left after all.

"This is Jamie over at DeepWood. Uhm, the restaurant," Jamie clarified, having learned the hard way the potential for awkward misunderstandings regarding what services her business rendered. "He has a reservation with us tonight."

"Oh no, is something wrong?" Marley asked, growing worried.

"No, not at all!" Jamie responded brightly. "We're very excited to be a part of their special night."

"Special night?" Marley asked. Did Jamie somehow know that Ryder was going to tell Jake he loved him? But how could she know that if Jake had made the reservation?

"Yes, I don't think we've ever had a gay couple get engaged here before!"

"Engaged?!"

"Oh dear, I probably shouldn't have let that slip," Jamie said, covering her face with embarrassment on her end of the phone. She hadn't wanted to breach Jake's privacy, but her enthusiasm had gotten the better of her.

"Jake's going to ask Ryder to marry him?" Marley asked one more time for confirmation. She was already starting to panic. Not ten minutes earlier Ryder had straight up told her he wasn't ready for marriage.

"Well yes," Jamie answered, knowing it was too late now to stuff the cat back into the bag. "Please don't tell Jake I said anything, and of course don't tell his beau!"

"Uhh..." Marley was still trying to wrap her head around everything.

"Anyway, I was just calling to see if he needed any special accommodations. Maybe a special cake he wanted us to serve, or a song he wanted to have played, or of course the old classic of hiding the ring in one of the dishes. You know, that kind of thing."

"Th-that's very kind of you, Jamie. I'll let him know you called."

After she hung up, Marley sank down on the sofa, trying to figure out what she should do. It didn't seem right to let Jake go ahead with his plan when she knew that Ryder wasn't ready. Jake would be crushed if Ryder said no; they would both feel awful, and it might destroy their relationship.

"Oh hey, Marl," Jake said casually as he walked into the room. "I'm gonna get going." He walked toward her to retrieve his phone and stopped when he noticed that she was holding it and obviously seemed upset about something. "You okay?"

Marley took a calming breath and handed Jake his phone back. "I-I think I need to talk to you about something."

"Of course, what's up?" Jake said, sitting down on the edge of the table and giving her his full attention.

"Well...it's kinda none of my business, but I don't want to see you get hurt. And...I found out about what you're going to do tonight. You know, about the...proposal you're planning."

Jake's eyes widened as the pieces came together. She had been holding his phone when he walked in. She was obviously shaken up. Now she was talking to him about getting hurt and his 'proposal.' There as only one thing Jake could conclude: She must have opened his browser and seen the research he had been conducting about first-time anal.

"Just so I know we're on the same page," Jake said for confirmation, definitely not wanting to jump to the wrong conclusion. "You mean how I was going to... uh, give myself to Ryder tonight, right?"

"Yes," Marley answered. Then she added with a soft smile, "And that is such a sweet way to phrase it by the way."

Jake nodded. He had thought it sounded better than, 'offer to let him fuck me in the ass.'

"Jake, I-I was talking to Ryder earlier about this topic," she said carefully.

"Really?" Jake asked, surprised. "He brought it up?"

Jake was beginning to feel guilty. If Ryder had been confiding in Marley about his desire to top, then it must have been something he had wanted to do for a long time. Jake wished Ryder had talked to him about it.

"Well actually I brought it up?" Marley clarified.

"You brought it up?" Jake found that very odd. "Why?"

Marley paused, trying to figure out the best way to answer. She didn't want to give away the fact that Ryder was about to express his love for Jake and that this had been the impetus behind their conversation. Marley shrugged and waved her hand, trying to downplay it. "Oh just random curiosity. Idle chitchat really."

Jake gaped at her. How would that even go? Jake pictured them sitting in front of the television and Marley nonchalantly turning to Ryder. Good movie huh? So anyway, you been bangin' Jake lately or what? I was just curious, on a scale of 1-10 how tight is he? K, Ima go make some popcorn now.

"Jake, don't take this the wrong way, but when it came up...Well Ryder said it wasn't something he wanted just yet."

"Really? But...wow." Jake was floored by this information. "I thought he wanted to do it."

"No," Marley said, reaching out and taking Jake's hand. "He's happy with the way things are."

Jake nodded. He could definitely see that. Ryder obviously enjoyed bottoming a great deal. Maybe it was one of those, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' type of situations. Still...

"He wouldn't want to try it once just to see?" Jake asked. "We could always stop if we weren't enjoying it."

Marley blinked at him, surprised at how blasé he was about divorce.

"Jake, that's a really big deal."

"I get that," Jake answered, holding up his hands defensively. Although, he had thought it would be a bigger deal for himthan it would be for Ryder.

"I just didn't want you to ask him and then be upset when he says no."

"Okay, thanks," Jake said. He still thought it was really awkward discussing this with Marley, and he would have preferred just talking about it with Ryder instead.

"Did you already buy him a ring?"

"A ring?" Jake's face scrunched up in confusion. Then he remembered that one of the pictures he had seen online had featured a guy wearing a cockring as he slid inside his partner.

"Oh a ring," Jake said, nodding knowingly.

"Yeah," Marley answered, her voice thick with sympathy and concern.

Jake shook his head. It had never occurred to him that they would need a cockring. He had never used one, and Ryder was always rock hard when he was being fucked. He couldn't imagine him having a problem.

"Nope, I just figured I'd let nature take its course."

"Ohh." Marley was surprised, but pleased. "Well good! I'm glad you didn't make all kinds of expensive preparations."

Jake swallowed and felt the heat rising to his cheeks.

"I was going to wait until we were together to...uh make those preparations."

"That's good," Marley said with a nod, relieved. "I had a cousin who wanted to surprise his girlfriend so he put down a deposit on a photographer before he even asked her."

"A photographer!? For that? Holy crap! Did she go for that?"

"Yes, thank goodness she did. He was taking a big chance though. I mean, this is something girls fantasize about their entire lives. It has to be just right, perfect even."

"Girls fantasize about this?" About being fucked in the ass, really?

"Oh yeah! I think it's something every girl imagines at least once."

Jake's eyes bulged. "Damn, I had no idea! I thought it was more fun for guys. You know, for certain physiological reasons."

Marley furrowed her brow, but shrugged. "I think I did read somewhere that guys get more health benefits out of it than girls. I think it's even supposed to extend a guy's lifespan on average too."

"No shit! Really? Whew, now I really wanna try it."

Marley smiled sweetly and squeezed his hand.

"Don't worry, Jake. One day when the time is right for you and Ryder, you'll get to. And me and Kitty and Puck, and all your other friends and family will be right there too, watching and cheering you on."

-000-

End Note: That was probably the last time Marley, Kitty, and Puck will be in the story. Naturally the last chapter, with the romance, declarations of love, and sex, will feature only Ryder and Jake, with perhaps small appearances by the DeepWood staff.

Incidentally, DeepWood is the name of a real restaurant in Columbus near Ohio State's campus, at least according to the internet. I picked it because it sounded right in terms of atmosphere, location, etc, but I've never been there. As a little disclaimer, I am in no way implying that it's either pro or anti gay, or that it would bump anyone from its reservation book. I'm also neither encouraging nor discouraging anyone from eating there. Finally, Jamie, and any other staff member I create in the final chapter, is 100% fictitious and based on no one.

I'll try to get the final chapter out ASAP. Reviews and feedback are always appreciated :-)