hurricane;

alec hawthorne. 30 years old. northport native. bloomingville. teacher for sports and english at northport high.

[alechawthorne]

& WINTER‌:

“Yep! He’s still doing pretty well. I keep trying to convince him to open more, but I think his current one is his baby.” She was clueless over the fact that Alec didn’t seem too keen on discussing things like this, but she did notice that the joke fell a little flat. “I don’t know. Teachers are pretty important, I’d say,” she tried to reassure. “Did you not want to be a teacher originally?” Most people she knew had never ended up in their ideal career path, so she was curious if Alec had had something else firmly in mind before all of this. “Oof, no kidding, right? High school kids really can say the dumbest stuff sometimes,” she laughed. Cheeks flushing, Winter ducked her head, chuckling to herself. “Oh - no, I wasn’t saying that. I was just saying maybe being creative in that sense - with comparisons - means that you might not be as bad as you think.”

         “He wants to open more? That sounds as if it’s going really well for him. Lucky him.” Alec smiled, nodding slightly to underline his words. At least someone managed to make something good of his life, and while he didn’t hate being a teacher, he just didn’t like it as much as the idea of being a professional athlete either. “Not really, no. I had other dreams, but that didn’t work out, so... it doesn’t really matter. I’m trying not to dwell on it.” Even if that didn’t work out all that well for him. “High school kids are really dumb sometimes, I’m not kidding. The things I’ve heard -- sometimes it really makes me cringe. It’s always surprising to see them become proper adults.”

[alechawthorne]

& BRADY‌:

“Totally. I mean, I have my roommate, but I’m pretty sure a chinchilla would be a way better cuddler,” she joked, laughing at her own attempted comedy. Though, really, it wasn’t entirely false that she wanted the company the animal would provide. “Absolutely. Coolest uncle ever, if we’re being honest here. Little Chinchilla is going to have a great family around them. I really need to start looking up names and stuff, make sure I have good options.” Her head was already spinning through lists of potential names, a few of them standing out more than others. 

           “I think so too. There’s no better cuddler out there than a chinchilla, at least not when I look at the photos of those cute little fluff balls.” Alec grinned, lifting his shoulders up a little. “Well, how about you hit me up with some of the names you’re thinking of right now? Maybe I can help in narrowing it down a little.”

[alechawthorne]

& MARLEY‌:

“I meant got work in the mornin’.” She teased, though he too had a point. Her eyebrows rose briefly, not knowing if she’d have pinned him for a teacher off the bat, but now that he’d said it, it made sense. “S’pose not.” Thinking about it for a moment, Marley laughed. “Someone told me once that the reason teacher’s show movies in class is because they’re too hungover to teach. That true?”

          Alec couldn’t hold back a laugh as she spoke, giving her a nod as an answer. “I hate to admit that, but it is. I’ve only ever shown movies when I was hungover -- other than that, I try to do proper classes, even if the kids prefer the movies. But they’re not learning anything then, right?”

[alechawthorne]

& SAWYER‌:

“I’ll argue with you all day, babe. I’m pretty good at it, too.” Sawyer’s hand dropped to Alec’s jaw, mainly so he could brush his thumb against it, “Less of an asshole? Of course not, baby. That’s not me. You love my asshole ways.” He picked Alec up, hands wrapping around the other’s thighs before he shoved open the bedroom door. He didn’t break the kiss, falling onto the bed with Alec finally, “Now take off your clothes.”

        “I know you’re good at arguing. That’s nothing new.” But Alec was tired of arguing, and far too distracted by Sawyer lifting him up and carrying him into the bedroom. “Well, you could be a little bit less of an asshole sometimes,” he mumbled against his lips, before reaching down to pull his shirt up over his head, dropping it on the floor beside his bed. “You’re only saying that to shut me up, huh?”, he grinned.

[alechawthorne]

& BRADY‌:

“Yeah, I kinda want something that makes noise. At least that way it kind of feels like they’re talking back and I’m not totally crazy,” Brady joked, flashing another grin towards Alec. As pretty as fish could be, she felt that she needed something a little more loving to fill the void that having a pet was intended to fill. “Oh, for sure. The internet will fix me up with any info I need and then you can just be the cool uncle that has fun with him.” Surely, if the chinchilla was friendly, it would love having more people around to play with and such. “Definitely. Gotta crowdsource it so I don’t screw it up. The name is the most important part of this.”

        “Plus, makes you feel less lonely, right? I’m not sure a fish could really have that effect on me, but I trust they would,” he grinned. Maybe one day he’d still end up with an aquarium, simply because it was pretty and he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to take care of something bigger than that. But he still saw the perks of other animals. “The cool uncle? Oh, I’m sure I’m going to be perfect with that role. No matter the name you pick, I can definitely make up for it with my cool uncle skills.”

[alechawthorne]

& SAWYER:

“Yeah, you are.” Sawyer felt like he had to say this before he got distracted, his fingers already pushing up Alec’s shirt, “You don’t get it, but I do. I always wanted to be like you – but I couldn’t. But I’m gonna try, now.” He shook his head, figuring he’d talk about the more serious things later. He pulled Alec into another kiss, “You ain’t gonna be able to get rid of me.”

        “I’m not,” Alec said once more, a small laugh escaping his lips as he shook his head. “My life’s really not that great.” Of course, he knew what Sawyer was talking about, but he wasn’t in the mood to make him feel guilty for how long it took him to be honest about who he was. That was in the past now. “Well, as long as that means you’re going to try to be less of an asshole, I’m okay with that,” he added with a small grin, arms wrapping tightly around Sawyer as they sunk into another kiss.

[alechawthorne]

& MARLEY‌:

“Don’t we all?” Marley laughed, thinking about the early morning she was in for with the breakfast shift at Kimi’s, but it not deterring her determination to have a good night out to make it worth it. “What do you do, handsome?”

        “I’m not sure, there’s probably some people out there who love to dance no matter the alcohol in their system,” he pointed out with a slight shrug of his shoulders. “Teacher. Can’t be a bad idol for the kids, right?”

[alechawthorne]

& WINTER‌:

“Yeah? My brother really liked football too. He was convinced that he was going to play pro. That didn’t exactly pan out,” she laughed. “He actually owns a sports bar up in California now.” Nodding her head, Winter gave him a crooked grin. “Different strokes for different folks and all that,” she laughed. “Do you enjoy coaching the team though?” With a wide grin, Winter nodded her head. “I’m pretty sure that qualifies you as the cool teacher, to be totally honest.” Wrinkling her nose, Winter made a face. “I’m sure there are plenty of people who would do just that but just…in my opinion, that’s so dumb. Let people drink what they want, honestly.” She’d never understood the need to belittle things that people enjoyed. “Like spring,” she mused, taking another drink and nodding her head. “I like that. That comparison I mean. Wouldn’t have made it myself, but I can see where you’re coming from.” She paused, a slow grin stretching her lips. “And you said you weren’t any good at creative writing,” she teased, “That was plenty creative.”

          Her words hit the wrong spot, as Alec himself had hoped to play as a professional until a knew injury ruined that wish. “A sports bar? He got it better than me, I just ended up as a teacher,” he tried to joke, though his career path was not something that made him feel particularly like joking. “I do, yeah. Teaching the team is the best part about it. It makes up for all the stupid things students say and write every day.” Of course not all of the students -- though he was not supposed to, Alec always had his favorites. Those who were nice, those who tried to do the best thing. “What? Comparing this to spring does not mean I’m good at writing. Not at all.”

[alechawthorne]

& BRADY‌:

“Okay, true. There’s only so much entertainment you can get out of watching the same few fish swim in circles,” Brady agreed. Even if they were probably a little less demanding of her time, she had to agree that Alec was right on this one. The chinchilla was definitely looking more like the way to go as far as pets went. “Me and the Internet are going to coparent the hell out of this pet, absolutely. Maybe I’ll do a poll to pick the name or something. I’m sure I’ll have a few good ideas when I finally get them.”

         “Yeah. They don’t even make noises. And I think they sleep a lot, where they just swim in the same spot. There’s more interesting animals out there,” Alec agreed, a grin pulling the corners of his lips up. “You and the internet? Sounds like a good partnership -- better than doing it with another human who has no idea,” he grinned with a wink. “A poll? That’s kind of cool. That way you’ll definitely pick the coolest one.”

[alechawthorne]

& SAWYER‌:

Sawyer pressed into the kiss as much as he could, but Alec’s words rang true. “I know. But some of us ain’t as brave as you are,” he murmured, bumping their noses together before his other hand reached up to tangle into Alec’s curly hair, “I ain’t gonna mess it up. But I still got a lot of shit I’m trying to handle – might need some of your help.”

        “I’m not brave,” Alec disagreed, as that was definitely one of the last words he’d ever describe himself with. Just because he never hid his sexuality didn’t mean he was brave, not in his opinion. “You better not,” he mumbled, wrapping his arms around Sawyer to pull him a little bit closer. “Shit? What kind of shit?”

[alechawthorne]

& MARCUS‌:

Marcus nodded, he could hardly do anything but nod and agree. The words leaving the man’s mouth putting words to what Marcus himself had been going through and felt about the whole thing. “You said it” He agreed. It was quite plain and simple, nothing could really live up to it, but whatever it was that was so great it had also ended, and maybe that was the most tragic part of it all. That if something that you thought was so good could end, then the was no guarantee anymore than anything else would ever last. “Sounds like you’ve been through some shit too"

        An almost bitter laugh escaped Alec’s lips at the other man’s words. It had been years, and yet losing his last proper boyfriend -- if he could call it that, considering they kept their relationship a secret -- still stung incredibly. “You could say it like that. Some people say love most be easier if you’re into the same gender, but it’s really not. If anything, it’s just complicated in different ways.”

[alechawthorne]

& MARLEY‌:

He had a nice smile…but one that clearly showcased the fact that he truly did not feel like dancing. Her hand dropped from the space between them, though her smile remained, changing from one of hopefulness to one of genuine concern. “Don’t feel like dancin’? In a place like this?” She teased, looking around, as if to make sure they were both in the right place. “Is it the music? Are you more of a fan of the kind with actual words?” 

        “Exactly,” Alec confirmed, nodding as he looked down at his beer bottle rather than the place around them. A weak laugh escaped his lips, and he shook his head as he glanced up at her. “No, it’s not the music. I just don’t feel like it. Plus, I prefer to dance when I’m much more intoxicated, and that wasn’t really my goal for tonight. I got work in the morning.”

[alechawthorne]

& MARLEY‌:

There was something about dancing that simply made Marley feel alive. It wasn’t good dancing–the impressive, practiced kind. Not by any means. In fact, it was really nothing more than the sexy, arms over your head, hips swaying to the beat kind of dancing, that required absolutely no skill whatsoever to pull off. It was perfect for Marley, who had suddenly become aware of the fact that she was dancing alone. This wasn’t something that particularly bothered her, finding absolutely nothing wrong with doing anything by herself, but if she didn’t have to? Well, she wasn’t going to. Eyes surveying the room for a potential partner, they eventually landed on one, no hesitation in the way she made her way over to them with a bright grin. “Dance with me?” She leaned in to be heard over the music, only pulling back in order to reach a hand in the space between them, making a grabbing motion without really making a move to touch them. “You know you want to…” Perhaps she was projecting, but she knew she could be quite persuasive when she wanted to be.

       Alec had been focused on his phone when the woman moved over, more explicitly on sending texts to his friends who were supposed to meet him, but still hadn’t shown up. He was annoyed, and ready to go home. His first beer still stood unfinished before him, and when a hand was suddenly extended towards him, he looked up, arching his brow. A crooked smile appeared on his lips, then he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t really feel like dancing. I’m sure you can find a better dance partner around here.”

[alechawthorne]

& SAWYER‌:

He pulled Alec into his arms, mainly because he could, holding the other tight against his chest, “Fuck, Alec. You shouldn’t. I don’t deserve shit like this. You know that.” Alec had always been the only one for him, but years of denial had brought them to this point. “Let’s try again, yeah? I’ve always – you’re it for me.”

         Alec knew he was right. Why did he give him so many chances? The answer to that was easy: because he loved him. He always had. “I know, because you’re a fucking idiot,” he mumbled, but his voice was gentle, soft, before he pulled back just enough to press a kiss to Sawyer’s lips. “Let’s try again.”

[alechawthorne]

& SAWYER‌:

“For real?” he echoed, like he’d heard that before. Most likely because he had. “I’m not – you know I’m not the same guy I was back then. My brother knows all about you, hell, it took me a while, but it’s not like I want you to be some secret, Alec. If you wanna let me try again, then I’m here for you.”

        “For real.” His hands moved up to rest against Sawyer’s chest, fingers curling slightly around the fabric of his shirt as he pulled him just a tiny bit closer. “Then let’s stop with the secrets. I’m fucking tired of that.” His forehead leaned against the blonde’s, and he inhaled a deep breath. “I’d let you try a million times, you know that.”

[alechawthorne]

& SAWYER‌:

“This is fucking ridiculous.” Sawyer couldn’t help his bitter laugh, mainly because he knew this was entirely his fault. It always had been. What else was he to do? He could hear the tremble in Alec’s voice, and he wanted to take that away. He put his hands on Alec’s face, cupping his jaw before he leaned forward, “I understand, yeah. I do. Tell me what you want from me.”

          “It’s not ridiculous.” By now Alec felt as if he sounded like a stubborn kid who didn’t get his favorite candy in the grocery store. His head leaned into Sawyer’s hands, eyes locked with the other’s as he stared at him. He felt fucking vulnerable in that moment, as if every next word he wanted to say could ruin absolutely everything. “I want you. I want to be with you. For real, not just for sex.”

[alechawthorne]

& SAWYER‌:

“I’m here, aren’t I? I chose you.” Sawyer knew, in the back of his mind, that Alec hadn’t meant only that. If he was brave enough, he’d clarify, but instead, he moved closer to his ex, the one who kept him coming back for more – giving him more chances than he ever thought he would deserve. “Is that what you mean?”

       “That’s not what I mean,” Alec said quietly. He could feel his body tense up slightly when Sawyer moved in closer, trying his hardest not to let the closeness between them affect him to a point where he’d lose his stand once more. “This is not enough for me, Sawyer,” he added, voice trembling slightly as he looked at the other. “Don’t you understand that?”