Chapter 15

It took about a month for the paperwork on the apartment to go through, and then it was theirs. Mick and Alyx’s, that is, despite Alyx half wishing the second name on the lease was Sam’s. It was quick work moving Mick and Alyx out of the dorm. They didn’t have much besides clothes, and the furniture that Sam and Alyx had picked out was able to be delivered straight to the apartment. Paxton and Mick had done their own shopping for Mick’s room, and they spent the weekend after everything was delivered putting the place together.

Paxton and Mick had paired off, leaving Alyx and Sam to team up. It had been a bit awkward and nervous on both sides, their voices hesitant and movements jerky as laughter came from the other bedroom. But then they settled into a rhythm.

Alyx would move the boxes into place, Sam would cut them open. As he pulled out the particle board, wood, little bags of screws and fixtures, and tools, Sam would gather up the plastic, paper, and instructions. Then she would read the instructions to him while he put things together, sometimes helping to hold something in place as he lined up the fastenings. She did not notice his muscles in that sung t-shirt, and if anyone said she did, they were lying liars who lied. She also did not enjoy how he took her direction without any arguing or male ego, just nodding and trusting her instructions.

Sometimes they had to go digging through the plastic and packing material to find something that was missing, so Sam waited to throw everything away until each piece was completely put together. Then, as she took the garbage down to the dumpster, Alyx would put another box in place. He definitely didn’t want to brush back the little baby hairs around her face that escaped from her buns.

He also did not get a little pang in his chest from watching her fuss over the placement of a small plant on the shelf by the window once all the furniture was done and the decorating started. Sam was not the cutest thing he had ever seen. Turning it this way and that, shifting it to the side and staring at it thoughtfully before being satisfied. He turned away before she noticed, and started unpacking the sheets and drapes, which Sam took from him with a scolding look when he started to put them in place. “You have to wash them first.”

He nodded and obediently took them to the laundry closet that came with the apartment, and started the load. When he came back, she was going through the box of books that his parents had sent over from his storage, lining them up on the bookshelf with a smile, and pointing at his closet. “I’m not even touching that black hole of goth clothing.”

But she smiled as she said it, so Alyx only furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her with a hint of confusion instead of offended anger. “It’s not that much… and it’s not goth.”

She laughed, the sound tinkling through his brain, and shook her head. “If you have more than seven items of clothing that aren’t black, or a shade of black, I’ll…. I’ll let you pick a movie for next movie night.”

“You think there will be another movie night?” Alyx was not opposed to having another movie night with the group, but he wasn’t following her train of thought.

Sam grinned, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she looked back at him.

“You’ll see.” She flicked her hand towards the closet. “Do your closet, Dracula.”

Alyx felt a soft huff of laughter slip out, surprised she was willing to call him cute nicknames, and headed to his closet, ready to prove her wrong.

* * *

Alyx sat on the new couch in the new apartment, sipping a water bottle as Sam opened a bag of chips. “I can’t believe it.”

She crunched on a salt and vinegar kettle cooked chip with a smile. “I told you.”

“How?”

“You are a secret goth. Duh.”

Alyx rolled his eyes. “How do I only have four shirts with color?” He had finished putting all his clothes in the closet and Sam had been right. Almost all of it had been black or gray.

“Here, console yourself with delicious chips.” She reached out, holding the bag open to him, and he shook his head.

Paxton flopped down with a sigh, reaching into Sam’s bag of chips, while Mick brought water over for Sam and his new boyfriend. “So… I know we just moved in, but…. Do you think Paxton and I could have the first night in the apartment? You know… Christen the place?”

Alyx grimaced, his mind immediately filled with the hellish image of Mick’s ass when he walked in on them the night he and Paxton got together. Sam laughed, reaching over with her foot to lightly kick Mick’s knee. “GROSS!” Then she was laughing, “You can’t just kick Alyx out…”

Mick grinned, winking at Alyx when Sam glanced away. “Aww, come on Sam, you’ll take care of him for me, won’t you?”

“Hey!” Alyx snarled at Mick, “I’m not a puppy, I don’t need her to take care of me.”

Mick held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, I was going to offer to buy you guys take out as payment, but you two can stay here and me and Paxton will go back to the dorm and celebrate there.”

Sam suddenly jolted up from her slouched position. ‘NO, no way,” she slapped Alyx on the arm, “Free food? We are taking that deal.”

He looked at the spot where she had slapped his arm, the skin tingling, and frowned down at her with less intensity than he had been frowning at Mick. “What, why?”

Sam lurched up onto her knees leaning forward, “Free…. Food…. I need it. I haven’t had Chinese in months.” She smiled at him sweetly and Alyx felt his heart thump against the wall of his chest. It was on the tip of his tongue to offer to buy her all the Chinese food she wanted when she kept talking. “And I told you, you get to pick the movies. We can have a movie night, just us!”

Mick smirked like this had been his plan all along. Paxton looked suspicious, and Sam appeared to be already on her phone looking up what she wanted to eat.

Little did Alyx know, Mick just successfully completed his own mission.