~11~

It took a while for Bryan to remember that he actually hadn't eaten dinner, much too distracted by Kieran.

"Not yet." He replied.

"Let's go get something to eat then." Keiran tossed to him, going to put on his shoes.

Bryan froze up, the entire night had been whiplash after whiplash of Kieran doing the most unpredictable things.

There was no use questioning it though, he might as well go along with it.

"Um, sure."

He wasn't going to ask if Kieran would eat as well, he already knew that he wouldn't. 

They started out for the Kitchens, it was on the third floor so they didn't have to walk very far.

Dinner was long over so most of the Pack members were already in their apartments. 

The Kitchens were airy and quiet, it seemed weird because the space always seemed to be bustling.

There were lots of leftovers that Bryan could heat up and that seemed to be the best option because he was too exhausted to cook a meal from scratch.

"Do you want anything?" He found himself asking Kieran who had settled on a stool beside the counter.

Kieran looked up. "Anything you're getting is fine."

Bryan's eyes went wide at this but he whipped his head around to concentrate on heating up leftovers for the both of them.

That was the last response he had been expecting from the other but then again, he had to eat eventually, right?

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Kieran asked with a raised brow, pausing in his motion of spearing food on his fork.

Bryan's cheeks heated up at this and he lowered his head in mortification, he hadn't realized that he had been staring at Kieran the entire time.

But he couldn't deny that he was fascinated, he wanted to see Kieran eat. That wasn't weird, right?

"Nothing." He mumbled, taking a forkful of food.

Kieran's lips turned up slightly at this, he had no fucking idea what he was doing.

He had been on edge for most of the day after catching a glimpse of the email that informed him that Mrs. Winters, Bryan's mom, was applying for one of the single bedroom apartments on the third floor.

He had attended to it immediately and got as much information as he could without attracting attention on the matter.

So he knew that his mom was leaving the Pack House while choosing to remain a Pack member, it had made him worried about Bryan.

That had to be the reason why he had texted that he wouldn't be able to make it today.

He glanced over at Bryan who still steadfastly kept his head down, he had been expecting him to be much worse off but other than being tired from the hectic day he had, he seemed just fine.

"You can look if you want, you know?" Kieran said shortly, eating up.

Bryan slowly lifted his head to look to the side at Kieran, his eyes widening when he found him staring straight at him.

He cleared his throat instead, deciding to make small talk instead of hiding away again.

"How did you know I moved to a new apartment?" He asked quietly, pushing food around on his plate.

Kieran eating wasn't strange, Bryan wanted to see him eat more, maybe he could try his hand at cooking. 

"Did you forget I'm the Head Beta?" Kieran teased, leaning slightly in his direction. 

Bryan bit the inside of his cheek, how could he have forgotten that?

"You don't plan to drive back home tonight, do you?" He asked with earnest concern, sea blue eyes wide.

Kieran had to lean back, the drowning sensation Bryan's eyes caused him was far too much, it drew him in.

"Do you want me to stay the night?" He asked calmly, studying Bryan's reaction. 

"Yes, of course, it's far safer…" Bryan started to say before he realized what Kieran meant, he immediately trailed off, his cheeks feeling hot.

"Then I'll stay because you want me to." He said decisively, getting up with the dishes to do them, much to Bryan's dismay.

"D-Don't worry, I'll take care of it…" He hurried to say.

"It's fine." Kieran was quick to cut him off. "You prepared dinner anyway." He reminded him.

On their way back to his apartment, Bryan half expected Kieran to say goodbye and leave. 

For some reason, they hadn't spoken much, the air awkward around them like there was a lot left unsaid.

But Kieran followed him all the way back, a quiet, looming presence beside him.

"Are you really staying over?" Bryan asked with wide eyes when Kieran clicked the front door shut behind him.

"Didn't you want me to?" Kieran prompted.

"Yes, I mean no… I mean…" Bryan forced himself to take a deep breath before speaking again. "I don't want you driving this late." He finally managed to articulate his thoughts.

"Then I better be getting comfortable then." Kieran shrugged, settling on a couch.

"W-What?" Bryan spluttered. "Why would you…" He started to say only to realize. 

There was only one bed.

He trailed off, a furrow on his brows, his mental struggle visible on his face.

"I can't let you sleep on the couch." Bryan forced himself to blurt out because that was where he drew the line.

Kieran paused his motions of figuring out which couch would accommodate his height and from the looks of things, none would.

"I don't mind." Kieran said easily. "Just a couple pillows and a blanket and I'll be fine."

"If you don't mind, then you won't mind crashing with me just for the night, I promise, I don't kick." Bryan invited with a polite smile.

Kieran sat on the couch with his legs spread, looking up at Bryan,  his offer hanging between the both of them.

What the hell was he doing? Why was he even here?

He didn't have to come back to Bryan's apartment with him, he literally had a very spacy apartment on the fourth floor that was waiting for him

He could just go up there instead but he wouldn't, what he would do however was take Bryan up on his offer.

He was such a coward.