Life was funny sometimes. Unexpected things happened, but somehow they seemed to work out. Alex wasn’t sure that he believed in Fate. He, for sure, believed that current decisions influenced future paths, even if the smallest ones. The butterfly effect in as many words. He was nearly convinced that all paths led to an individual’s true destination, regardless of how circuitous those paths were. It was just difficult to know that destination in the midst of it all. “Do you ever regret it,” he asked, though he wasn’t sure what kind of answer he expected in response. “Enlisting so young, I mean. Just kind of seems like a big decision for a kid to make.” Like finding yourself in love and committing to a relationship at the age of eighteen.
Heat crept up Alex’s neck at the thought of it. “Hmm… it’s definitely a calling,” he replied vaguely as he settled the bowl of chips on his outstretched legs. “Honestly, I’m not really into teaching. Especially not the intro classes. Most people take those to fulfill elective credits and couldn’t care less about the subject content. I can’t complain about the graduate students, but if I had it my way, I’d be out there in the field, unearthing secrets of long lost civilizations.” He scooped a few of the nachos up and shoved them in his mouth, a half smile on his face when he realized that he probably looked a bit uncultured. “You forget all about eating like an adult when you’re raising a kid,” he explained. “So, how about you? In a perfect world, what your life look like?”
Dean knew damn well he’d put himself in this predicament. This was a date and as with any date, there would be questions. That wasn’t new territory to him, but this was different. A date with a man he had history with meant questions that were a bit more difficult to answer; questions he had to think on. And he did, after all, give Alex free reign to ask whatever he had wanted to. Chewing on the chip he had in his mouth, he licked the cheese at the corner of his lip, an index finger of his free hand wiping away the salt.
“No, I don’t think I regret it,” he started. He didn’t. The military wasn’t a plan that he had, growing up, but it did give him a sense of meaning; the same way that college probably would have, and did eventually. “I don’t regret enlisting, but I think I regret not taking my time to make sure that it was the right decision. To look at backup options.” Dean was always the kid to jump headfirst when he wanted something. Dating Alex was no exception; once he knew he wanted to pursue the kid, he did it without any shame. It only made sense to him to use that logic with whatever the hell he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
Ankles crossed, he lifted up the toes of his shoe, stretching his calf. Pursing his lips, Dean shook his head at Alex’s defense in stuffing a small pile of nachos in his mouth. “Chow down all you want,” he let out a laugh. “That’s fair. Have to make a living somehow.” Scratching at his stubble, an eyebrow perked up at Alex’s question. It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about life in that sense—his perfect world, but he also didn’t have much to complain about, either. At the end of the day, he liked his job; he had family, family that also breathed down his neck, but nevertheless… “Um, probably some kids,” he admitted. “Working with something that isn’t explosive-related,” he snorted. “But somebody’s gotta do it. Marriage. So basically, just additions to what I already have,” he concluded with a clearing of his throat. While it was something that most of the population aimed for, it still felt cheesy when he said it. “I dunno. Haven’t thought about that too much, to be honest.”
