Sequel to Straight Up Chicago Style. : Six fucking a.m. in Chicago in October, and Gabe can’t believe he’d forgotten how much he missed this.

Just as he had known, from the minute he saw him across the playground, that he wanted Ryan for his friend, as soon as the thought that he might actually want to kiss someone occurred to him, Spencer knew that he wanted that person to be Ryan. He knew it made him greedy, but the fact was that he didn't want to leave parts of Ryan out in the open to be taken by other people. Small Town AU

In a near canon world where orientation refers to dominance or submission, not sexuality, almost everyone has a soulmate that is supposed to complement their personality, biology, orientation and heart. Most people look forward to the day when the psionic bond sparks into existence, connecting them to their other halves. However, a trauma left Bob wanting anything but the bond he sees as a dangerous trap, and he takes matters in his own hands to chemically prevent his bond from effecting him. Patrick doesn't know what he did wrong but he knows that for some reason, his soulmate has rejected him and he has to learn to live with that. Between their pasts, their bands, and their hopes, neither of them expects end up where they do - so close with so much distance still between them.