Unwanteds Stories

the one where they're not really mad at each other

"And Mr. Appleblossom gave him the main role! Him! Instead of me! I was way better, and my audition was super good, and now I have to play his best friend! Instead of HIM!"

"Mm," Alex hummed. He smiled softly. There was a sense of calm despite Sam's ranting, and Sam was running a hand through Alex's hair as he spoke, so really, was it Alex's fault he wasn't quite paying a hundred percent attention?

One good thing about being Head Mage and having an apartment in the mostly-secret-hallway was that barely anyone could criticize him for letting Samheed abandon his own room and sleep at Alex's nearly every night.

Actually, no one bothered to, usually. Although Simber did occasionally grumble when Alex came downstairs with Sam, both looking slightly dishevelled. Florence just laughingly told Simber to avert his eyes and pretend he didn't see them.

"Sure, Mr. Appleblossom said it was just because I can't be the lead in everything-," Samheed continued furiously. Alex frowned as Sam pulled a strand of hair with unnecessary vigour. "-and I have to give other people a chance, but it's still not okay! I was better- he even said I was better!"

"Uh-huh." Another vague noise of affirmation.

Samheed rolled backwards to face Alex, extricating his face from where it had been buried in the crook of Alex's neck. "And you are not listening to me at all."

Ouch. That was uncalled for. Alex was listening- well, half-listening, rather. He could hear everything, he just wasn't . . . comprehending, registering it.

He defended himself anyway. "Yeah, I am!"

Samheed looked skeptical.

"You said- um, Mr. Appleblossom! And, erm, you're better!"

Samheed made a noise of disgust and, as a form of revenge, scooted away, rolling over so his back was to Alex, about a foot away.

Alex cursed inwardly. And then waited. Expectantly. Patiently.

The moon-and-star-light gleamed on Sam's bare shoulders.

After a moment passed, Sam grudgingly shuffled backwards to be hugged.

There was something nice, Alex reflected, about hugging someone from behind. You could bury your face in their shoulder, and they were so warm and solid and there. It was nice to be hugged from behind too, though sometimes slightly startling if you weren't expecting it.

Alex hugged Sam, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's broad back. It was pretty adorable, he decided, that Sam would, no matter how annoyed, always enjoy a hug.

Good grief, Stowe, he then thought. You're cracking up.

Adorable was not a word one would often, if ever, use to describe Samheed. Surly, yes. Gruff, perhaps. Handsome and strong-willed and hot-headed? Definitely. Adorable?

Samheed made a little noise and laced his fingers through Alex's.

Okay. Maybe.

Truly, though, the reason Samheed liked to be hugged or held or just touched in some way- holding hands in the lounge, or a quick embrace before a rehearsal- was probably his time on Warbler. He simply needed that assurance that someone was there. In which case, Alex was taking advantage of Samheed's definitive dependency on human contact.

But really, who better to be that reassuring touch than Alex? Samheed's boyfriend?

Besides, it was a mutual advantage-taking. Alex could easily admit that he was the sort of person who thrived off cuddles and loved hugs and kisses. So this benefited both of them.