mala fide (lams)

apertura

Opening

"OPENING WEEK'S TOMORROW. We have the dress rehearsals and then opening night. I bought your tickets already. Did you want the envelope now?"

Mulligan eyed Alexander, who stood a head shorter than the friend he'd brought home, up and down. "Tickets for both me and Beth?"

"Yessir. Again, you want 'em now?"

"Where've you two been off to today?"

Alexander huffed. "Not related to what I asked. Would you like this envelope now or should I hold onto it?"

"This boy treating you right?"

"Herc!" Alexander grabbed John's hand. "I'm keeping the envelope! We're going to my room to do homework," he said, flipping him off with his other hand. John's face was bright red.

Mulligan teased, "He's always this troublesome, eh, John?"

"Hercules, shut up," warned Alexander, tugging John with him.

"I want the tickets now."

Alexander stopped, sighed, and threw the envelope his way like it was a shuriken. "Happy?"

"Should I ask you to keep your door open?"

"No! We are not doing anything! You are more embarrassing than I think my mother ever would have been." He continued pulling John, and as they neared his bedroom, he muttered, "Fucking ridiculous." He closed the door behind them. "Wow, I'm sorry about that. He's fuckin' daft sometimes."

John was still pink as he warily sat on Alexander's bed. "Oh, it's... fine... You, uh, tell him...?"

"No! Not in so many words." He huffed. "I may have mentioned liking you. But I don't dish all the dirty gossip!" Yes, he did. "It's fine. He's an idiot." He sat beside John. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he reassured him. When Alexander puffed a defeated breath as he fell back onto his bed, John decided to slowly join him.

Alexander held his hand.

This part was easier. John didn't see anything wrong with friendly intimacy, so they were allowed to do it often. So far, kisses would be off the table, and anything beyond was not even discussed. Alexander was mostly okay with it. He missed the frenzy of making out with Clark and touching him in a bathroom stall, and he mourned all the fantasies he had of doing that with John, but this was fine. He'd rather have this kind of intimacy for now.

John turned on his side to put an arm over Alexander.

"I wish we'd done this weeks ago at the party," John whispered. "When you put me to bed, I just remember... wishing you'd stay with me."

Alexander hummed a near silent chuckle. "I wanted to."

"You should've."

Alexander eyed him warily.  "Yeah, I think you might've..."  He laughed.  "Don't know.  Think it would've been a bad idea.  You might've yelled at me."

"Might've," he muttered. 

"C'mere."

"You're not actually doing homework, are you?"