𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗮 ☀︎︎ 𝗮.𝗲 𝘅 𝗷.𝗺

☀︎︎14☀︎︎

james gripped the wheel tight, stress levels rising as each second passed. he really couldnt be arsed going to this party tonight, but he had promised will that he would be there. fuck. he wasnt usually such a people pleaser.

the minecraft block was already outside waiting for him as he pulled into the flats car park.

"oi oi. wheres kenj?"
"is that the only reason you wanted me here?"
"no. we need your spotify too. "
"great."

james slammed his car door and started up the stairs, phone and speaker in his hand.

"come on mate, you know im only havin' a laugh."
"not in the mood, will. just wanna get this over and done with."
"alrigh' alrigh', ill shut up."

the living room of the flat was pretty small, but as long as there werent too many people there, it could host a party pretty easily. three men sat on the leather couch across from the pair who had just walked in.

"lads, this is james, another mate of mine. 'e's a posh twat but 'e's good fun."
"thanks for the lovely introduction will."
"no problem mate. thats stephen, 'e 'as to stay 20 feet away from all schools at all times."

stephen gave him a wide smile and a nod. he was pretty cheerful for a pedophile.

"thats george, 'e cant reach the top shelf at tescos."

george seemed a lot less happy than stephen. will probably forced him into having the party in his flat, he'd done it to james plenty of times. still, he gave him a friendly smile and a wave.

"and thats alex. 'e'll probably be sulkin' in 'is room all night."

then there was alex. everything about him seemed to pull james in. his tired, sad eyes, his small, skinny frame, his pale, almost translucent skin, his fingers, twitching slightly in his lap. there was just something...different about him.

he hardly moved, but managed to give him a slow, uneasy smile.

"right james, just over 'ere please mate."

the man couldnt help but stare at the broken figure on the couch for a few extra seconds before he was dragged to his station for the night.

☀︎︎

music pounded through the flat, shaking james' entire body. he was stood in the corner of the kitchen with a diet coke in his hand, ignoring wills desperate attempts to drag him onto the 'dance floor'. it was bad enough that he was stuck at this party, but now he couldnt even drink. fraser needed someone to take him home.

he pushed through crowds of people and threw himself into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. his head was spinning and all he could think about was the boy from earlier. sitting down on the cold tiled floor, he squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them when they didnt feel like they were going to pop out of their sockets. after james had set up the speaker, alex had disappeared back into his room. it was like he was trying his best to avoid everyone else.

suddenly, the door swung open and slammed as someone ran in. without looking up, james muttered a quick, "occupied."

the person made no effort to move, so he grumbled in anger. "fucking hell, i said occu-"

he looked up, his eyes blazing. alex. tears were streaming down his face and he looked even more weak than before. james' face softened. "o-oh my god, im so s-sorry, are you alright?" the taller man got up and tried to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, but was met with a jump and a terrified face.

"'m fine." alexs eyes fell to the floor and didnt budge. he was in a hoodie obviously too big for him and a pair of grey sweatpants, as well as an old beanie covering his floppy hair.

before james could ask any other questions, he rushed out and back into his bedroom. he wasnt really sure what to do next. alex needed to get his emotions out, but he knew virtually nothing about the man he accidentally ran into in the bathroom. still, it wouldnt hurt to be kind.

he pushed his way back into the kitchen, scouring the cupboards for any teabags.

"james, what the 'ell are you doin'?"

shit.

"nothing, will, i just want a cuppa."

the mans face was scrunched up in disbelief, but he was honestly too drunk to think straight. he nodded and returned to where stephen was default dancing.

james internally sighed in relief, putting a splash of milk and a teaspoon of sugar in the mug with the already brewed hot water.

actually getting to the bedroom was a mission on its own. drunk girls screaming and giggling shoved into him, singing at the top of their lungs. guys chased after them in hopes of getting to take them home. it was the same at every party, and yet james had never found anyone of worth to bring back. it sounded harsh, but it was the truth.

finally getting through the wall of limbs and bodies, he knocked gently before walking in.

alex sat on his bed, all the lights off, curled up with his chin on his knees. silent tears rolled down his face.

"hey. i know we havent really talked much, but i just wanted to see if you were alright."
"'m fine." he repeated quietly.

moving to sit on the end of the bed, he held out the tea for the him to take.

"'m not thirsty."

james noticed a gentle lisp in the smaller boys voice and smiled a little.

"ill just leave it there then."

as he placed the mug on alexs bedside table, leaning over him slightly, skinny arms wrapped themselves around his torso. his face had been shoved into james' chest, his body racked with sobs.

"its alright. let it out. d'you want to talk?"
"n-no. not n-now."
"fine with me."

it was a wonder the police hadnt shown up yet, considering will kept increasing the volume of the music and pretty soon it had burst the eardrums of everyone in the flat. but, in that dingy little room, where the pair sat enveloped in each others arms, everything was quiet. the world seemed to fade away, their problems going with it. like they were the only people that mattered to one another in that moment. james hummed a gentle tune and felt alex snuggle deeper into him.

"can you stay the n-night?"

you could hear the pain in his voice. everything in the larger man willed him to stay, to protect him, to care for him.

"fraser has to get home somehow. im sorry."
"thats okay. just...hold me for a little longer?"
"of course."

☀︎︎