11. Alec

CHAPTER 11

Alec

The second half of the game passes in blur. It's as if Alec can do no wrong. Every pass is perfect and their opponents are unable to stop him. It doesn't hurt that his team matches the energy. For all Alec's been questioning his future lately, one thing remains true—Alec loves soccer. Today he remembers that with every interception, pass, and goal. He remembers what it means to be part of a team and love it, and most of all, he remembers to play his heart out. Of course, this is made all the easier when his heart is sitting in the stands cheering him on.

Fuck, he can't believe Theo is here.

It's possible that Theo mentioned his late night ramblings to Jason and they came out of pity, but it's also possible that maybe, just maybe, Theo came because he wanted to. That maybe fuels Alec on to play like it's a championship game and not some nothing exhibition. Much as Alec would love to say he dominates the game solely because of hard work, he knows the truth is that he's showing off. He might have come to dread the life that comes with playing D1 soccer, but not even that can dull his love of the sport. The games are what he lives for, the sacrifice and anxiety and loneliness falling away. For ninety minutes, Alec is just a boy who loves to play again.

It's been years since Theo came to see him play, and having him out there, knowing he's watching Alec, makes him invincible.

When the game ends, Alec's jersey clings to his stomach while sweat drips down the most inconvenient places. He's exhausted in the best way possible and his legs ache with fatigue, but he won, they won, and it feels good. After a big loss Alec often retreats, replaying the game in his mind while damn near chewing his own nails off as he replays every mistake he made. Today isn't going to be one of those days. Today is a day for victory, for pride.

"We did good," Alec says, slapping McMillan and Chaucer on the backs before moving closer to Antonio. He leans into him, relieved when he slings an arm around Alec's shoulder and pulls him closer.

Some of the other guys had been standoffish when Alec joined the team, and while most of them have come around, Alec still holds himself back with a lot of them. Not Antonio, though. He never cared that Alec was gay. They'd bonded immediately during their freshman year and never looked back. Not once, in all that time, has Antonio ever made Alec feel uncomfortable about his sexuality or how tactile he is. Antonio gave the middle finger, figuratively and literally, to the guys who'd made Alec hold himself back that first year.

"You were on fire, King." Antonio's breathless and happy, as high on their win as Alec is.

"Don't act so surprised. I told you I'm amazing."

"And so modest," Antonio snorts, ruffling Alec's hair.

"Don't mess up my curls," he grumbles, not at all put out. Alec's a fucking goner for having his hair touched.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your curls are a sweaty mess."

"You're sweaty."

"Doesn't stop you from laying on me."

"You're the one suffocating me with your abnormally long arms."

Antonio laughs. "They're not abnormally long, you're just?—"

"If you say short, I will end you."

"Aw, is my short king touchy?"

"I'm only two inches shorter than you." Alec pouts. "I need to make shorter friends. Why is everyone I like so tall? What the fuck did you all eat growing up?"

"Tortillas," Antonio answers with a laugh, ruffling Alec's hair again before tugging on him to guide him towards the locker room with the rest of the team. "Speaking of Theo?—"

"How in the hell did you get from tortillas to Theo?"

"They're both white and both things you'd like to stuff your mouth wi?—"

"I hate you and I'm never telling you anything again," Alec snaps, slapping his hand over Antonio's mouth. It silences him long enough for the coach to start his post-game speech, where he congratulates them on their win then reminds them it means nothing unless they keep it up.

"That's not true and you know it." Antonio smirks.

"Quiet down," the coach yells, saving Alec from responding.

The euphoria of winning quickly dwindles as the coach reminds them what is at stake. His eyes find Antonio and Alec, reminding them that the players hoping to make it to the MLS need a game like today every game. No pressure, they just need to be perfect for every game, every three days, for the next four months straight. It's not that Alec needs to study or relax or anything. He can totally afford to spend every waking moment following the meal plan and training.

The worst part is the way Antonio beams. If anyone was made for the big leagues, it's him. He thrives under pressure, he lives and breathes soccer in a different way. He lives for it all, wants nothing more than to make it to the MLS and make his family proud. Where Alec loves the game, everything that comes along with their level chips away at his passion. Sometimes he wonders what will happen when there's nothing left.

Times like this remind Alec why he's never told anyone about the anxiety that claws its way into his chest when he stops moving. He's worked his entire life for this, it's the game he loves and he's playing with one of his best friends. He should be happy. So why is it the second he steps off that field he feels like he's suffocating?

Alec takes the fastest shower of his life, not even bothering with his normal hair care routine. His curls are going to look stupid and tangled, but he can't be bothered spending twenty extra minutes doing his normal post-shower ritual when Theo is out there waiting for him. At least he hopes he's out there. When he'd checked his phone after returning to the locker room, he found a text from Jason congratulating him on the win and telling him to meet him outside. Since Jason and Theo are basically a matched set, if Jason is waiting for him, then so is Theo. Probably.

On second thought, maybe he does have time for his hair, which is giving drowned rat at the moment. He towel dries it as much as he can, spending a few minutes adding in his leave-in conditioner and curl shaper before giving it a few scrunches. Ultimately he decides this will have to be good enough. If he spends too long they might get bored and leave, and while Alec wouldn't blame them he would definitely, privately, get his feelings hurt.

Affording himself one final look in the mirror, he decides he can handle this damp, haphazard thing his hair has going on. He might be a little, or a lot, vain about his hair, but he also is confident enough to rock whatever the fuck he's got going on right now with confidence. Deciding to go for broke, he chooses his tightest, thinnest pair of sweats and then throws his team hoodie on last.

Despite his intentions to be quick, by the time he's leaving the locker room Antonio has taken off to FaceTime his fiance and the majority of the team is long gone. Even the stadium is mostly empty, except for a few jersey chasers. He fights back a frown, trying not to think too hard about the way some of them sneak photos of him in the dining hall or during training. He pulls his hood up and slinks along the fence, hoping they won't see him.

With his head down and his gaze on the ground, he doesn't see the wall he walks into, one with a stupidly familiar face.

"Why does it feel like you keep growing?" Alec grumbles, unsure why all his brothers are so big while he stopped in ninth grade.

"What can I say? I'm perfect." Jason grins, throwing his arms around Alec in a bone-crushing hug.

"Fuck you." Alec returns the hug with equal force. Jason might be a pain in the ass, but Alec loves him and he's currently far more emotional than he wants to be about having someone finally come see him play again. It's his own fault for telling everyone he didn't need them to watch, but he'd always hoped someone might realize he was giving them a way out, that he was lying to make things easier on them.

"You guys were on fire! Cal Poly never stood a chance." Jason claps him on the back. The praise makes Alec stand taller. Growing up, his older brothers were his heroes and even now, hearing them be proud of him scratches an itch he tries really hard to ignore.

"Of course we were, I was there." Alec smirks, taking a step back.

Part of him doesn't want to look around to see if Theo is here, but he can't stop himself from letting his eyes wander, heart lodging itself in his throat when he finds Theo hovering a step behind Jason with a soft smile on his face.

"You played really well, Alec."

That praise scratches an entirely different itch. "Thanks," he mumbles.

"Oh, no cockiness for him, huh? I see how it is." Jason laughs.

He doesn't, he really doesn't, but that's probably a good thing.

Alec plays with a loose curl at his temple. "Thanks for coming, Theodore."

"I am literally standing right here," Jason says. "Aren't you glad I came?"

"I have to look at your ugly mug all the time." Alec shrugs, unsure why the prospect of simply admitting how much he misses any of his brothers is worse than pulling teeth.

"What about this ugly mug?" Jason asks, wrapping an arm around Theo's shoulders and squeezing his jaw. Theo slaps at him, laughing at Jason's antics. Sometimes the two of them act more like teenagers than two men about to turn thirty. Idiots, both of them. The one upside to them being fools is that it gives Alec a moment to fully take Theo in, from the fit of his pale, worn jeans to his obscenely thin white t-shirt that hugs every inch of his masculine body, showing off light chest hair and the faintest swell of his tummy and pecs. It's been years since Alec saw Theo's body without a sweater covering it up, and the reminder of all of Theo's strong, thick features makes Alec wish he'd chosen looser sweatpants.

"Theo's definitely not ugly," Alec mumbles.

"Fine, fine. I see how it is. Theo is the favorite. Why am I surprised after all these years?"

Alec's entire body flushes but before he can deflect the conversation Theo is speaking.

"What does that mean?"

"Come on, don't you remember how he used to follow you around like a puppy when he was a kid. ‘Can I sit next to Theo? Can I come if Theo is coming?'" Jason pitches his voice high and while Alec knows he's teasing, the reality hits too close to home. "Remember that time?—"

"Shut the fuck up," Alec snaps, afraid his heart might damn well explode in his chest. Jason smirks, but Theo's gaze does the most unexpected thing and softens, as if he feels sorry for Alec. That is one thousand percent worse than the embarrassment. Alec would rather die a thousand deaths than have Theo pity him for being a pathetic lovesick fool. Which, incidentally, is exactly why he can't ever let on that he definitely never got over his crush.

Jason looks delighted, always happy for a chance to embarrass Alec. Theo looks, well, Alec's not sure. Confused, maybe, or surprised. It's not like it's a secret Alec had a crush on him. If Jason actually knew Alec never got over it, knew how much it hurt, he probably wouldn't tease. But he doesn't know and Alec would rather keep it that way. Jason might be his brother, but he's Theo's best friend, and Alec never wanted to test where his loyalty lies if given a choice.

The last thing he needs is Jason or Theo realizing that Theo was responsible for Alec's sexual awakening. He would never live it down, and it's not like his brothers need any more ammunition to tease him. Besides, he's pretty sure that would make Theo run for the hills. Again.

"So what are you two doing after this?" Alec says a bit too loudly, trying to keep the conversation in safer territory.

"Not sure. You wanna hit the club again?" Jason asks Theo. "Last weekend was pretty fun."

"You say that because you got three numbers."

"To be fair, one of the guys wanted help with his plumbing. Though why he thought I could help him is—oh wait."

Alec can't help but laugh, hard enough that his stomach hurts. The harder he laughs, the more impossible it seems to stop, and then Theo joins in and Jason grumbles while trying not to smile.

"Not all of us are all stocked up on queer pickup lines, you assholes. I can't believe you guys are ganging up on me like this. My best friend and my brother, laughing at my innocence."

"You're not innocent. You're just oblivious as fuck," Alec says.

Jason turns to Theo. "Am I oblivious?"

"We love you," is all Theo says, patting Jason's back.

"Yeah, yeah, nice way of showing it." Jason crosses his arms but doesn't look remotely put out, his even-tempered personality almost impossible to ruffle. "So, club tonight?"

Alec's right hand sneaks into his pocket, withdrawing a piece of gum. Maybe he's supposed to quit, but there's nothing else to bite right now and he can feel that unease crawling up his skin as he waits for the answer.

"Yeah, sure."

Sad . It makes Alec sad.

"You should come with us," Jason says. "Celebrate your big win."

"You're inviting me clubbing with you two?" Alec asks.

"Well, you're finally legal. Unless you've got other plans."

Theo rocks on his feet. "I'm sure Alec has other plans. He's a popular guy. He's got to have better things to do than hang around with us boring old guys."

"Speak for yourself." Jason frowns. "I'm not boring or old."

Alec chews his gum with such force his jaw aches, his gaze resting on Theo. He can't tell if Theo was offering him a way out or trying to get him not to come. The smart thing to do would be head back to his apartment and catch up on sleep before classes start Monday or maybe play some video games with his friends. He's getting better at blowing things up. Hell, there are half a dozen things he could do that would be a better choice than going to a club with his big brother and his crush while suffering through watching people flirt with Theo.

Unfortunately, Alec's brain is amped up on endorphins and jealousy and he makes the stupid fucking choice.

"I could come."

"See." Jason grins at Theo. "Alec wants to hang with us. We're still cool."

"Fair warning, no one will pull anyone while I'm around. I'm too handsome. You two won't stand a chance."

"Aw, baby Alec is all grown up," Jason says, throwing an arm around Alec's shoulders. "Make sure you bring your ID. They're gonna take one look at that baby face and wonder if it's fake."

"Not all of us are hairy as a lumberjack," Alec shoots back.

"Alec's just jealous because he can't grow a beard," Jason tells Theo, pushing Alec's hood off before messing up his curls. "This beautiful head of hair is all he's got. Do you remember how he was almost bald until he was two?"

Alec ducks out of Jason's hold, shaking his hair out. "Fuck off, you overgrown jackass. Touch my hair again and I'll end you."

"Aw, such a feisty baby."

Alec scoffs. "Not a baby, a man." He waits for the ribbing, but Theo and Jason just stare at him like he's grown a second head. He fidgets with the sleeves of his hoodie, pulling them over his hands while chewing his gum so hard his jaw throbs.

"I guess you did grow up, didn't you?" Jason replies, the sincerity somehow more difficult to handle than the teasing. At least from Jason. Their entire relationship is built on pissing contests and competitiveness.

"Took you long enough to notice," Alec says, avoiding Theo's gaze. He can't look at him right now, not when a single sentence has him feeling exposed.

"Alec."

"Don't," Alec mumbles, staring at the grass.

"I'm sorry."

"Nope, no pity," Alec says, shaking his head at his brother. He yanks his hood back on, hunching his shoulders. His body might be exhausted, but his mind is anything but. "I'm gonna head back to my place. I'll meet you guys at the club."

"I can pick you up on the way," Theo offers.

Alec's head snaps up. Theo's face is unreadable but his gaze is unwavering, and Alec isn't sure he's ever seen Theo look at him like this.

"Good man, Theo. I've gotta swing by Andrew's place and help him move a piece of furniture, but I can meet you guys there at nine."

"Sounds good," Theo replies, his eyes never leaving Alec. It's unfamiliar and heady and Alec has no idea what it means. The offer was the kind of thing friends do and Alec wants to be friends. But friends don't usually stare at each other like they're trying to figure something out. Then again, it's Theo and he's not exactly like other people. He's quieter, more intense, better in every way.

Letting himself read into every word and look from Theo is a recipe for a broken heart, but Alec's has been broken so many times that at this point it's held together with duct tape and stubbornness. It can handle a little more pain.

"Why do you look like you're sneaking out?" Hunter asks. He pushes his cordless headphones back so they hang around his neck, his video game continuing to blow up in the background.

With Logan spending the night at his girlfriend's place, Antonio on one of his marathon FaceTime calls with Elsa, and Riley helping his frat brothers move in, Alec had thought he'd escape judgment. Then he'd realized Hunter was home and he maybe, possibly, spent an extra ten minutes waiting until Hunter was absorbed in his game before trying to casually sneak out the front door. Apparently he did a shitty-ass job.

"You're losing," Alec says, pointing at the tv.

"You deflect a lot, you know that?" Hunter pauses the game, smiling. "There, better. Now, why do you look like you're sneaking out?"

Alec curses under his breath. Hunter is direct in a way Alec's not used to from his other friends and while Alec has come to appreciate his no-nonsense ways, it still catches him off guard sometimes.

"Just heading out."

Hunter hums.

"What?" Alec snaps.

"Just wondering where. You sneak out a lot, but usually you take your AirPods and wear running clothes. You don't look like you're going running."

"How do you know where I go in the morning? Aren't you asleep?"

Hunter shakes his head. "I'm an only child. We don't sleep through anything like you weirdos with siblings have to learn to do."

"Shit, sorry. If I'd known I was waking you up, I wouldn't have?—"

"You don't need to apologize," Hunter says. "There a party on campus already?"

"Not exactly."

"You got a date?" Alec's face must answer that question before his mouth can and Hunter laughs. "That's a no, then."

"It's just—ugh." Alec stalks over to the couch, throwing himself down. "You know Theo."

"The guy you're in love with," Hunter finishes.

"I never said I was in love with him."

"No, but the way you answered me right now does. Continue."

"You only children are bossy," Alec grumbles. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and dropping his head into his hands. "He and my brother are taking me out to a gay club to celebrate."

"That sounds complicated."

"Right," Alec groans, pulling his own hair so hard it hurts. "I couldn't say no because, well, I didn't wanna say no, but I shouldn't have said yes because Theo is gonna be there looking gorgeous, and he's always gorgeous so that's not new, but he's gonna pick someone up. I mean, he usually does. And it's one thing to know he only likes casual sex but it's another to have to see it. But maybe I should go, because then it'll be like ripping a bandaid off. Maybe if I see him dance, or kiss someone, or take them home, maybe I can finally get over him." Alec's breathing faster by the time he finishes. He drops his hands, rubbing them on his jeans. "I know what you're going to say," Alec sighs.

"Do you?"

"You're going to tell me he's too old for me, or that it's pathetic to be in love with the same guy for over six years when he doesn't like you back. You're going to tell me that I'm just being an idiot by refusing to stay away and that tonight is just going to break my heart and I should stay home."

"Damn, I was gonna say all that?" Hunter laughs.

"Weren't you?"

At his silence Alec turns, expecting to see the kind of pity he's used to from Antonio or Riley. He knows they mean well and that they support him, but he also knows as his best friends they're mad at Theo, even if Theo has never actually done anything wrong. It's not Theo's fault Alec loves him. Which is maybe, probably, why he didn't want them to know where he was going tonight. Because all those things he just told Hunter he was going to say, those are all the things he knows Antonio or Riley would tell him.

"I was going to ask where there's a gay club in Santa Leon?" Hunter's smile widens and Alec almost wishes he could develop a crush on someone like him. He's so easy to like, and funny in his own deadpan way, but he's not Alec's type. All he feels is a growing appreciation for their friendship.

"It's down near the pier off Seaward. The only one in town."

"Interesting," Hunter remarks. For someone as high strung and dramatic as Alec, it's a welcome change to be around someone so chill. "I've never been to one."

"A club or a queer club?"

"Either. Both," Hunter answers. "All we had was a Dollar General and a few shitty fast food places. I grew up in a pretty small town. Nothing but agriculture and cows. I think sometimes there were parties at the river bottom, but that's not really my scene."

"Would you have gone if there was one?" Alec asks, careful to leave it open to interpretation about what kind of club he means.

The nice thing about being openly gay is that people usually feel pretty open coming out to him. It's part of why he's so out and proud. It feels good to be himself, but also to imagine that maybe sometimes that makes it easier for someone else to be themselves around him. That being said, he doesn't judge anyone who doesn't come out, to him or anyone else. The world can be shitty and labels are confusing and nobody owes anyone anything. For as much as he and Hunter have become close since moving in a couple weeks ago, they don't know each other well yet and Alec has no idea how to tread this conversation.

"Probably," Hunter nods. "I'm not sure what label I'd be, but it's there somewhere under that giant rainbow umbrella. Probably."

"It's okay to not be sure."

"How did you know?" Hunter asks. He drops back on the couch, sitting side by side with Alec, both of them staring at the paused video game.

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"Theo."

Hunter whistles long and low. "That's a whole other level. Does he know?"

"Are you kidding me? He literally ran away when he found out I was in love with him as a teenager. I'm never telling him that. I've actually never told anyone."

"Not even Antonio and Riley? I thought you guys were inseparable."

"We are, but there are some things they can't understand." Things like what it means to never be able to let go of the guy who helped you realize you were gay. To grow up and realize your hero was also your crush. To become a man and find out that crush wasn't as perfect as you once thought and love him even more for all his flawed, imperfect edges.

"And I can?"

"I dunno, maybe." Alec tugs on his necklace, pulling the chain between his teeth. The metallic taste distracts him from his burgeoning anxiety.

"Is this like queer solidarity?"

"Maybe," Alec mumbles around the chain in his mouth.

"Dude, you know they make special jewelry to chew on, right?"

"I like the taste," Alec admits, letting the chain fall from his mouth. "Don't judge me."

"Older men and sucking on necklaces. Anything else I should know about you?"

"Yeah, I can't hold my liquor for shit."

"Why do I need to know that?" Hunter asks.

"Because you're coming with me," Alec says, snatching the remote from Hunter's lap, and switching off the game before grabbing his hand.

If Hunter minds being manhandled he says nothing, allowing Alec to drag him towards the door. Alec's already reaching for the handle when he turns, fixing his gaze on Hunter. "I didn't even ask if you wanna change."

"Am I supposed to change?" Hunter looks down at his jeans and wrinkled shirt, plucking at his Santa Leon University t-shirt. In the two weeks since moving in, Alec's only ever seen him in different variations of that outfit. "I don't think I can pull off what you're wearing."

"First, all bodies are crop top bodies."

"Your body is definitely a crop top body," Hunter interjects and though the words seem flirty, the tone is the same one he uses to explain to Alec why he's losing at video games or complain about who drank all the orange juice. Hunter's a tough egg to crack and Alec decides not to read too much into it.

"Second," he continues, not addressing Hunter's comment, "you wear whatever you're comfortable in. I for one am, uh—" Alec pauses, looking down at himself. He basically lives in athletic wear. His closet is full of team hoodies and shirts. He rarely wears anything besides sweats or running shorts. The loose jeans and crop top he's wearing tonight are casual, but a far cry from his normal attire. Truth be told, it's the first time he's ever worn the damn top. Antonio and Elsa had taken him on a day trip to Mexico city to play tourist and he'd inevitably been dragged shopping. He'd found the top in the women's section while following Elsa around and trying to get to know the person his best friend loved. He could see why Antonio loved her. She was beautiful, funny and incredibly perceptive, grabbing the shirt off the hanger and passing it to Alec, who had bought it without a word.

Tonight seemed like as good a night as any to break it out. He feels different in the shirt, hyper aware of his own body, but not in a bad way. It shows off his well-earned stomach muscles and maybe Theo won't ever see him the way Alec wishes he would, but it doesn't mean Alec can't look sexy in front of him.

"I get it," Hunter says.

Alec nods, grateful he won't have to try and say any of that out loud.

"So since neither of us have a car, how exactly are we getting across town? Did you call a ride already or?—"

"Theo's picking us up."

"Theo," Hunter echoes in that damn casual tone of his.

"Jason is busy helping one of my older brothers. He's gonna meet us there," Alec explains. "Theo's house isn't too far from campus and since he would pass this way anyway, he offered to pick me up. No big deal or anything. That's what friends do and we're friends."

"And he won't mind you bringing me along?"

"Why would he mind?"

"No reason." Hunter hums. "Alright, let's do this. Although fair warning, I've never had sex with a guy."

"Pretty sure you can go to a club without fucking," Alec points out.

"And if someone…wanted to?"

"Wanted to fuck?"

"Uh-huh."

"I wouldn't know," Alec shrugs, wondering why his own virginity keeps popping up lately. He went years keeping it off the radar. "Casual sex isn't really my thing."

"Fair," Hunter nods, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Do you?—"

Alec's phone rings, interrupting Hunter's question and making Alec jump. No one ever calls him besides his parents and that's not usually on Friday night. He pulls it out of his back pocket, a smile forming on his face when he reads the name.

"Aw, Theodore. You missed me already."

"I appreciate that you assume that's the only reason someone would call you."

"When texting is an option and someone chooses to call, the only logical assumption is their fondness for my voice. Admit it, you like listening to me talk."

There's the briefest pause where Alec worries he's gone too far before Theo laughs. "Maybe."

Maybe .

No word has ever sounded so beautiful. Honest to god butterflies erupt in his chest. Alec has lost track of how many times people have gotten tired of him talking. Told him he talks too loud or too fast, telling him to water himself down to be easier to handle. The idea that maybe Theo doesn't mind Alec at full strength is possibly the most affirming thing he's ever heard.

"You weren't outside when I got here, so I thought I'd call and see if you needed help with anything."

"What, are you gonna help me get dressed?" Alec teases, blaming his sudden confidence from Theo's words spurring on his flirty side. If he doesn't mind Alec being unabashedly himself, then maybe he can stop holding back. They're friends, and Alec flirts and teases his friends. Maybe when he does it to Theo it's secretly true, but Theo doesn't need to know that. "I'm just teasing. Calm down, Theodore. Old people have delicate hearts, so I've been told."

"You're such a shit." Theo laughs and the sound is warm through the phone. Alec can picture the shape of Theo's smile and the exact place where the lines form near his eyes when he's happy. "Get your sarcastic ass downstairs."

"Yes, sir." Alec grins, his smile faltering when he hangs up and finds Hunter staring at him with a curious expression. He shifts, tugging on the hem of his shirt self-consciously. "What?"

"Nothing," Hunter says, though it seems anything but. "You still wanna do this?"

"Hell yeah," Alec answers, a renewed sense of energy thrumming through his body.

He taps his fingers against his hip, unable to fight off his own growing smile. His team kicked ass today, Theo is his friend again, and Hunter came out to him tonight. While his body might ache from the game today and his entire future is overwhelming, none of that matters tonight. Tonight he's just a guy hanging out with his friends. He's gonna have a drink, dance, and relax. Tonight is going to be amazing. He can feel it.

Hunter curses behind him. "I forgot my phone."

"I can wait for you," Alec tells him, pausing in the open doorway.

"Nah, that's fine, I'll be out in a minute. Don't wanna keep Theo waiting." He winks at Alec, and the act has him blushing more than he has any right to. It occurs to him that as painful and ill-advised as his feelings for Theo have always been, no one has ever let him have them. Charlie has been overprotective and judgmental, as have Antonio and Riley, and while he knows that it always came from a place of love, those reactions made him feel more defensive than he ever realized.

He knows nothing will ever happen with Theo and that dressing up to go out to a gay club with him is silly, but Hunter isn't telling him that or reminding him not to be an idiot. He's teasing Alec, letting him have his crush, and it feels surprisingly nice. That feeling lasts all of thirty seconds until he steps outside to find Theo leaning against his car waiting for Alec.

Theo's usual sweater is nowhere to be found. Instead he's wearing a dark blue, long- sleeved button up that fits him like a second skin. The dark color highlights his tan skin, even in the dark glow of the apartment lights. His long legs are splayed wide, the dark wash denim hugging his thighs and waist in all the right places.

Theo looks like sex on legs, and Alec is so fucking screwed.