National Icon (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 16 ✔️

1 month later...

"Christopher!" Luke announced as he struts into the permanently deserted library one afternoon, "I'm taking you out."

"Excuse me?" Chris says, annoyed, and stares up at Luke with an expression of pure defiance.

"It's your birthday soon, isn't it?" Luke jokes, "or am I horribly mistaken? Is there another Chris in this school with a birthday coming up?  Another child genius, turning eighteen?"

"Yeah, in two months, idiot." Chris grimaces, turning his attention back to his work, "And don't call me Christopher."

"Okay, okay!" Luke laughs, hands raised in defense, "Chrissy."

Chris grunts, standing up abruptly and stalking off to lurk in the book shelves. He picks up various books, putting them back then picking them up again. He carries on like that, until Luke, sure enough, follows him and he walks off again, to the windows.

"Come on Chris! Your birthday's in the summer, and you know I go back to London during breaks! Consider it an early birthday gift." Luke pleads.

The younger man rolls his eyes, "I would've been equally as happy with a box of chocolates."

"I'll get you chocolate! And roses! The whole shebang." Luke affirms, then drops his voice slightly lower , "We can call it a date if you want."

Chris glances at him wearily, noticing the earnestly hopeful expression on his face, "And Harvey?"

The englishman's eyebrows knit together, "What about Harvey?" He asks, then his face drops, "Oh my God, you really do think we're fooling around,"

"Well, it's pretty obvious," Chris grumbles, and looks down, embarrassed.

"That's disgusting," Luke turns his face up in distaste, "That would never happen, even if he wanted it to."

"Really?" Chris asks, trying to mask the enthusiastic tone that sneaks into his voice, "And Harvey doesn't want you?"

"Absolutely not." Luke assures him, looking apologetic but feeling thoroughly amused by concept, "Look, let me take you out for your birthday, we can have fun, prematurely celebrate, and then you can apologise for even putting that image in my head. I'm sorry for making you doubt me... And Harvey. He loves you too much to do that to you, I promise."

Chris looks conflicted for a short moment, still not satisfied with the apology, but he might as well get a free meal out of this. 

He moves to grab his coat from the cluttered desk, then asks, "Where are you taking me?"

"Wherever you want, Princess."

Chris scowls and storms out of the library, not even bothering to check if Luke was following. He knew he would.

~~~~

"I kinda feel bad." Chris mentions, dragging his feet as he and Luke stop in front of the should-be-white door of his and Harvey's shared apartment. "I didn't realise Harvey was still cut up about Jefferson... I wish he had just told me that that was why he was going out with you."

Luke feels like an asshole. Which is expected considering how Chris has obviously been feeling these past few weeks. Harvey didn't say why he kept hanging out with Chris because Luke himself forbade him. Sure, it was all above board when it was just for the sake of Harvey's mental health. But once the party idea was formed, he couldn't trust Harvey not to accidentally spill the beans. They really should have come up with a good cover story.