Rating and warnings: Teen, mentions of past and present alcohol addiction
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At first Alex thought the thunderstorm had awoken him, or maybe the TV. He’d fallen asleep in bed while watching a movie marathon.
He’d spilled his veggie chips. He was grumbling and brushing the crumbs off his mattress when he heard a loud knocking. It wasn’t the storm or the movie playing on the TV that had woken him up. Someone was at the front door, in the middle of the night.
Alex grabbed his bat from the closet and went out into the hall. The door to his grandparents’ room was still shut, but that didn’t surprise him. Both of them were hard of hearing, his grandad more than his nan. Nothing short of an explosion could wake them.
He flicked on the porch light and glanced out the peephole. Colton was standing there, drenched in the pouring rain. His skin had a greyish cast beneath the glare of the porch light and his eyes were wide and faraway. Something was very wrong. Alex tossed the bat onto the nearby couch and quickly opened the door.
“Sorry—” Colton said immediately, though his voice sounded faint. “You were the closest—”
“Colt! What happened, dude? Are you okay?”
He just stood there vaguely, looking dazed, so Alex gently put one hand on his shoulder and drew him into the house. Colton’s sneakers squelched as he toed them off, leaving them on the mat by the door.
It felt so wrong, seeing Colton, who was usually so cheerful and full of life, somber and glassy-eyed. Alex kept a hand lightly on the farmer’s shoulder, leading him down the hall to his room.
Colton’s clothes were soaked through and the shoulder beneath Alex’s hand was cold as ice. Colton shivered constantly and his teeth chattered, but he didn’t seem to notice either.
“Here,” Alex grabbed a clean pair of sweats and an old Jumino Kart hoodie. “You can dry off and change in there…” He motioned to his small en suite bathroom.
The farmer nodded, but it took a full minute before his feet carried him through the door into the washroom. Sick with worry, Alex waited, teeth biting into his lower lip.
“Alex,” still that vague, faint voice. So unlike Colton. “I’m stuck…”
He cracked the bathroom door and peered in. Colton was indeed tangled in his soaked T-shirt. A towel had also somehow gotten twisted up in everything as well.
Alex grabbed a dry towel and slung it over his shoulder, helping Colton out of his tangled shirt and the extra towel, hanging them both over the shower door. Even after being freed, Colton just stood there looking lost, like he wasn’t really sure where he was. What happened?
“Here…” Alex gently patted Colton’s skin dry.
He nearly jumped from his skin when Colton’s arms abruptly wrapped around him, pulling him into an icy cold embrace. Alex’s face burned bright red, suddenly all too aware that he was only wearing his boxer briefs and a tatty crop top. And that Colton was shirtless. And hugging him.
“Sorry…!” Colton lurched like someone had pinched him and moved away. “Just needed… to feel someone. Sorry, Alex.”
“It’s alright, dude.” Alex replied, even more worried than before. “I’ll… just… wait for you in my room.”
He fled the bathroom, darting around his bedroom until he found a clean pair of joggers and pulled them on. Something was clearly going on with Colton. Really not the time to be thinking about how undressed they were.
Clad in his dry, warm borrowed clothes, Colton was shivering much less than before when he emerged from the washroom and his cheeks even had a little color to them, but his expression was still hollow.
“Colton…” Alex led him to the bed and sat down with him. “What’s going on?”
“I was— Finn and I were out for a hike…”
Alex jolted; Finn, the farmer’s dog, wasn’t with him. “Did something happen to Finn?”
Colton blinked slowly then looked at Alex like he just noticed he was there, “No. I left Finn with… when I—after—” The farmer seemed to lose his train of thought and Alex felt guilty for interrupting.
“Sorry,” he said, hesitating before setting one hand on Colton’s knee. “You and Finn were on a hike…”
Colton nodded, his hand covered Alex’s and squeezed. His fingers were brutally cold. “Finn and I were on an after-supper hike, wanted to get a little exercise in before the storm got worse… and Finn… Finn found Shane…”
Oh, fuck. Shane’s alcohol addiction wasn’t exactly a secret, especially with it spilling out into the public more and more lately. Alex himself had helped Shane, too drunk to walk, home just last week.
A million questions arose, but he didn’t interrupt again. He waited, rubbing the warmth back into Colton’s hand.
“There were so many beer cans… I couldn’t believe he was still alive… his lips were blue…”
Alex released Colton’s hand so he could wrap an arm around his shoulders instead. The other man leaned into him, still shivering slightly. Alex knew how terrifying it must’ve been for Colton to find Shane like that. He’d had a taste of it when he was a kid, before his dad took off for good. He’d also dealt with his own issues with alcohol in high school. It had never developed into a full-blown Problem, but he’d skated close enough to scare the shit out of himself and Haley. He’d never drank another drop since.
“I was afraid to leave him and of course there’s no cell reception out there… I had to carry him back to Marnie’s.” Colton’s voice was slowly gaining its strength back, his thoughts and gaze becoming clearer the more the words flowed. “Leah came to look after Jas and Finn. I drove Marnie and Shane to Harvey’s clinic…”
Alex waited on pins and needles. Was Shane…? Thunder crackled ominously overhead.
Colton blew out a breath, “Doc says Shane will be fine… physically, but it was a near thing. He’s going to talk to him about the emotional and mental matters when he wakes up. Marnie’s with him, told me to go home and sleep, but I… I couldn’t. I couldn’t go home. You were… you were the closest…” He suddenly sat up straight, pulling away from Alex. “Shit, it’s so late. I didn’t realize! I’m sorry—”
Alex shook his head, gently drawing Colton back toward him. “It’s fine, Colt. I just wish you’d called me; I would’ve walked over with my umbrella.”
“Sorry,” Colton said again. “…Thanks.” The color suddenly drained from his face once more, “I feel dizzy…”
“Lie down. I’ll get you some water.”
He helped Colton lie in his bed and tugged the blanket over his legs. He trod down the hall passed his grandparents’ bedroom (the door was still firmly shut) and got a glass of water from the kitchen.
“…Will you lie down with me?” Colton asked when he returned.
“Y-yeah, of course.” Alex replied, setting the water within Colton’s reach on his bedside table.
Colton folded the blanket back.
It was a tight squeeze. Both he and Colton were tall and his bed wasn’t really meant for two, but with their legs tangled together and Colton’s head tucked under his chin they just fit.
The farmer’s hands, finally warm, slid up his back. “…Thank-you, Alex.”
At another time, in another moment, that simple motion would’ve had him shivering. Alex hugged Colton close, just wanting the other man to know he’d always be there when he needed him.
For the past couple of years Alex had skipped out on Spirit’s Eve. It had gotten pretty stale. Fake plastic hedge maze, shitty plastic scares, and even shittier food that might as well have been plastic. Just bad all around.
This year, though… on top of keeping his farm afloat Colton had volunteered to grow a huge corn maze on his land for the town’s Spirit’s Eve celebrations. And the rumors had been buzzing around Pelican Town since: Colton had recruited the weird wizard dude who lived in the woods to provide spooks for the haunted corn maze, Gus had been inspired by Colton’s enthusiasm and dug up new recipes for Spirit’s Eve treats, Marnie wanted to set up a hayride for those who wanted a calmer vibe. Everyone was excited to see this year’s festival, Alex included. Even if he hadn’t cared about the event, he had a personal reason to be excited this year. Colton had straight up asked him on a date.
“I may not look it, but I’m a giant scaredy cat. I need a big, strong date to guide me through the maze. You up for it, dude?”
Haley had been staring at him so intensely that Alex could practically hear her brain screaming at him to “Just say yes, you big dope!” For once, he didn’t need her intervening, he’d said yes almost immediately. Colton’s smile and faint blush was worth the awkwardness of Haley standing there looking like she wanted to scream with delight.
Now the big night was here and he was nervous as hell. This was his first real date in a while and his first date with another dude, period.
Alex looked himself over in the full-length mirror in the hall outside his room. He’d chosen to wear a grey hoodie under his old letterman jacket and his cleanest jeans. Hair perfectly coiffed then perfectly re-coiffed, his usual hour-long hair care routine had lengthened into two. He anxiously looked over the cologne Haley had forced into his hand that morning.
“Spiced Orange. Seasonal and sexy!”
He sniffed it warily. It did smell nice… ah, what the hell. He sprayed himself then tossed the bottle through the doorway onto his bed.
Alex wished he had someone other than his grandparents to give their opinion of the end result.
His grandmother was terribly biased, “You always look handsome, dear!”
And his grandfather was not biased enough, “Hair is hair. You look like always do.”
Out of desperation, he’d asked Dusty’s opinion too. “What do you think, boy?” He gently scratched his old dog behind the ears. “How do I look? Underdressed?”
Dusty huffed a quiet doggy noise of reassurance and licked Alex’s fingers.
Alex set his jaw, chiding himself. (It’s a haunted corn maze, not the fucking opera. Just chill.)
It was definitely going to be a cold and spooky night. Alex’s breath misted in the air as he headed out of town toward Gullwing Farm, hands shoved in his jacket pockets for warmth. Fog swirled around his ankles.
Alex’s jaw dropped as Colton’s farm came into view. He’d really gone all out. Orange and purple fairy lights were strung everywhere. Ghost and witch decorations hung from the trees. Menacing scarecrows leered in the fields. Dozens of jack-o-lanterns lined the lane that led into the farm.
Right at the main gate to Gullwing there were two signs, both decorated with childish drawings of different townsfolk being scared by different monsters. Alex recognized Vincent and Jas’s handiwork straight away. One sign said that entry was free, but there was a suggested donation of five dollars. The second sign was slightly ominous, simply stating that the “Ghost Show” was at midnight… whatever that meant. Alex put fifty bucks in the slotted box nailed under the first sign and went through the gate.
Gus had a canopy set up under which he and Emily were busy doling out food and drinks. Trays of toffee apples, buckets of popcorn in three different flavors, ‘devil hot’ potato chips, pumpkin cookies, ‘mini brain’ cake pops, ‘graveyard’ cupcakes, apple punch, and hot cider. It must’ve taken them all day to get things ready.
Haley was hanging out with her sister, looking vaguely bored and eating a cake pop. When she spotted Alex, she gave him a quick once over and a round of brief silent applause. Feeling slightly better having his friend’s approval, Alex waved at her as he went by. The food looked delicious, but Alex was still mostly nerves. He didn’t think he could eat anything right now.
Pierre had set up his stand too, of course, selling Spirit’s Eve t-shirts and decorations. Alex bought a little plastic bobble ghost for his gran. She liked these weird, cheap little things for some reason. She had so many that she’d had to buy an enormous bookcase to display them.
The corn maze loomed in the distance, looking intimidating and surprisingly eerie in the fog and dim, colored light. It really was huge, it would probably take a couple of hours to get through, maybe even more. Alex was impressed by the enthusiasm and effort that not just Colton, but everyone had put into this. The whole town had really pulled together to make things better than before. Colton seemed to have that effect on people, Alex included.
Jodi was standing outside the maze with a tearful Vincent, telling him that it was too scary for him and trying to convince him to check out the more laidback hayride Marnie had going not far away. Sam, Abigail, and Sebastian stood nearby, pushing each other around and laughing.
Sebastian caught his eye and waved. Alex waved back. This is what he’d meant by Colton having an effect on him too. Old Alex dismissed Sebastian as “that weird guy” without a second thought. But when the weather had gotten colder and their morning beach runs had evolved into morning hikes in the mountains, Colton had invited Sebastian to join them sometimes and Alex had been surprised to learn that not only could Seb keep up with them even though he was 95% skinny legs, but he also knew a lot about wildlife (frogs mostly). He’d also discovered that they actually had things in common. They were both really into an old adventure-fantasy comic series that had been all the rage before either of them was born. Sebastian had even lent Alex two of the comics he was missing from his own collection. New Alex had learned not be so fucking judgy. He was liking New Alex way more than Old Alex.
Abigail linked arms with Sam and marched him into the maze. Seb pointed to a little picnic area where people were milling about eating treats, waiting for their turn on the hayride, or just enjoying the atmosphere. Alex could see Colton waiting there, munching enthusiastically on a toffee apple. Willing himself not to blush, Alex nodded his thanks to Sebastian and made his way over.
Colton towered over literally everyone around him and Alex was relieved to see that they had similar outfits on. He was wearing a fleece lined black-and-teal plaid jacket over a dark sweater and faded jeans. Now that it was too cold to surf every day, his tan skin had lost its golden luster and his hair had faded from bleached back to sandy blonde, but Colton was still super hot, to use Haley’s words.
Colton spotted him and quickly swallowed a bite of his apple, “Hi, Alex!” Like Haley, the farmer gave him a once over and Alex felt his chest tighten with anxiety. “Looking very spruce tonight, dude.”
Oh, thank fuck. “Thanks. You’re looking good yourself.” Alex was impressed with how chill he sounded, despite feeling very unchill. “Did you do all this yourself? It looks awesome, I barely recognize the farm.”
“Thanks! But nah, I had a lot of help. Demetrius helped me design the maze, but I did all the planting and watering and maintaining. Vincent and Jas helped with decorating and Marnie’s handling the hayride. Gus and Emily are in charge of the food and drink, of course. Rasmodius also said he’d provide scares for the maze and something called a ‘ghost show’. Not sure what that means, I’m kinda nervous about it to be honest—"
A scream came from the maze, startling Alex and sending a ripple of murmurs through the picnic area.
“I think that’s Maru, poor woman’s been in there for a long time. Even Harvey made it through the maze before she did. We should rescue her if we find her.” Colton finished off his apple and tossed the stick into the trash. “You ready to guide my wussy ass through this maze or would you like some food first?”
“Let’s get our maze on.” Ugh. New Alex still sometimes said mortifying shit.
Colton seemed charmed by it, thankfully, and they entered the maze. Alex didn’t scare easily, but he had to admit it was pretty creepy in here. The corn was so thick you couldn’t see through it, and it rose high over even Colton’s head. The only light in the maze came from the full moon and the fairy lights that occasionally criss-crossed overhead and it was like outside noises were muffled somehow. The ankle-deep fog outside the maze became knee-map inside. Somewhere ahead they could hear Sam whimpering and Abigail calling him a baby.
The first scare that Rasmodius conjured up, maybe literally, came running at them from out of the corn. A skeleton that glowed a sickly green sprinted right for them with arms outstretched. Alex jumped as Colton screamed. The skeleton blew right by them, bony fingers scratching at the farmer’s arm before disappearing into the corn again. Alex’s stomach flipping had nothing to do with the scare and everything to do with Colton grabbing hold of his hand.
“Sorry for making you jump, Alex. Did warn you I was a big ol’ scaredy cat.” Colton sounded self-conscious.
Alex hated to hear it. Didn’t feel right, that someone as awesome as Colton was feeling bad about himself. He gave the farmer’s hand a reassuring squeeze and smiled. “Nothing to be sorry about, dude. Happy to be bodyguard and date tonight.” Or any night.
And Alex played his part well. The wizard’s scares definitely weren’t of the plastic variety. Giant spiders, weird noises in the corn, invisible hands that brushed at their ankles and arms, figures in the fog, drooling red-eyed hounds, big swooping bats, footsteps that ran up behind them with nothing there when they turned. Colton didn’t scream every time, but there was always someone else screaming just out of sight.
By the time they reached the middle of the maze, Alex had one arm wrapped tight around Colton’s waist. The farmer looked around nervously. There was nothing here in the center of the maze except a creepy statue of what looked like a guy with an octopus for a head. Poor Maru screeched again, but it sounded distant. It seemed she might actually get out sometime before dawn.
Colton looked at the faintly glowing display on his watch, “The ‘ghost show’ starts soon. Wanna see what that is before we try making our way out?”
Alex nodded, even he needed a break. “Sounds good.”
The wizard’s ‘ghost show’ started at exactly midnight. Vaguely human-shaped figures, glowing pale blue, drifted up through the corn and started swirling over the maze. Fast, slow, they zipped and twirled overhead. There were a few surprised squawks from the maze dwellers, then a murmur of amazement. Considering what they’d been through already tonight, this was actually kind of… soothing.
No! Don’t be stupi—Alex swallowed thickly. Apparently, Colton agreed with Alex’s brain. He’d turned to face Alex, leaning in slightly. The anxiety in his deep brown eyes had melted into something very close to desire.
(Okay. The hottest man in the valley wants to kiss you, don’t fuck it up. Shit. I can do this. Okay. Fuck. C’mon, Alex, you’re not afraid of ghouls and shit, but you’re afraid of a kiss? Just--)
He blinked. Colton was suddenly angling away, looking a little embarrassed. Belatedly, Alex realized that the other man had been politely waiting for him to lean in too and had taken his getting momentarily lost in his own panicked brain as disinterest. Great. Fucked it up instantly.
“Then unfuck it, doofus!” He heard Haley’s voice so clearly in his mind it was like she was swirling overhead with the wizard’s ghosts. Hoping this didn’t make things even more awkward, Alex slid his arms around Colton’s neck and leaned in. The embarrassment faded instantly. Colton leaned down… and holy shit, they were kissing, the farmer’s body very warm and very firm as it pressed against Alex’s. Colton tasted like toffee apple and he smelled like rain in the woods with a hint of the sea underneath. Then his fingers hooked into Alex’s belt loops to draw him closer and who knew that such a small thing could be so fucking sexy?
They parted, both slightly breathless, as the ghosts above faded out so that near darkness settled over the maze once again.
“That was nice.” Colton murmured.
Alex agreed wholeheartedly. “Yeah, it was.”
He shivered as Colton’s lips brushed against his ear and his fingers tightened in his belt loops. “You smell amazing, by the way…”
Score one for Haley, she’d be pleased to hear it. Alex was trying to form some kind of reply that wouldn’t want to make him shrivel up and die when somewhere to their left they heard the sound of Abigail screaming and Sam laughing long and loud and very donkey-like. Their little romantic moment was over, but not ruined.
Colton’s lips were at his ear once more. “Get me out of this maze alive and I’ll kiss you again.”
If it wouldn’t have ruined the experience for everyone else, Alex would’ve bulled a straight line through the corn and made his own exit.
Oddly, kissing Alex seemed to have bolstered the farmer. He was much less jumpy as they navigated their way out and only screamed twice. Alex felt his ego puff up. Just a bit.
Someplace ahead of them they heard Maru shriek again, but this one was different. It was a scream of triumph, “Heck yeah, I survived! Emily, two cupcakes, please!”
Colton laughed, “Guess she found her way out.”
A few more twists and turns and they found their way out as well, Colton breathing a sigh of relief in the cold night air.
“Thanks, Alex. My hero.”
True to his word, Colton was moving in close again. Alex moved as well, perhaps a bit too eagerly as their noses bumped lightly. Colton only chuckled, tilting his head just a touch more so their mouths slotted together perfectly. Goddamn he tasted and smelled and felt so good. Alex could get used to this…
Afterward they bought some snacks and cider and went to join Maru and a few others in the picnic area. Haley had disappeared, probably went home a while ago. Spirit’s Eve wasn’t really her thing. She’d likely just come to give her sister and Alex some support. With the kids in bed and the last few stragglers exiting the maze, Marnie was dismantling the hayride and loading her ponies into the trailer behind her truck. Alex took a bite of the toffee apple he’d bought, a sheepish grin on his face. He knew it was kinda goofy, but he wanted to relive the taste of Colton’s lips a few more times.
They were halfway through their snack feast when Sam, Abby, and Sebastian emerged from the maze, taunting each other about who was the biggest baby.
“Didn’t hear Seb once so he’s obviously the champ among you three.” Colton called out with a teasing smirk.
Abigail laughed as the trio came to a stop beside their table. “You and Maru had a chorus going.” She teased back.
“Oh dude, yeah, I definitely would’ve dropped dead five feet into the maze without Alex to protect me.”
Alex’s cheeks flushed as he felt Colton’s hand slide over his wrist. Abby and Sam’s eyebrows raised in surprised, Sebastian just looked smug that he’d known something his friends hadn’t. Old Alex would’ve cared, probably too much. New Alex didn’t give a fuck.
He just smiled and gave Colton a nudge with his elbow. “Don’t sell yourself short, you didn’t shit yourself on the way out.”
The five of them laughed together. It felt nice.
“Walk me home?” Colton asked as they threw their trash in the bin, gesturing to the farmhouse in the distance.
“Yeah, of course.”
Alex felt more sets of curious eyes on them as they walked off hand-in-hand. He still didn’t give a fuck.
As soon as they entered the farmyard Finn, Colton’s dog, came barrelling out of his doggy door and jumped all over Alex, barking excitedly trying to lick his face.
“Oh, I see who his favorite is.” The farmer smirked.
Alex laughed and scratched Finn around the neck, trying and failing to keep all four of the dog’s paws on the ground. “Hey, buddy!”
“Thank-you, Alex.” Colton said as they ascended the stairs onto the porch, Finn racing in circles around both of them. “I had a lot of fun with you tonight.”
A pleasant little knot of warmth formed in Alex’s stomach. “Me too.”
“No hike tomorrow. Gotta take all this stuff down.”
“Not by yourself, I hope?” Finn impatiently butted his head against Alex’s leg and he reached down to pat him.
“Nah. Wizard dude is taking care of the spooky stuff tonight. Marnie, Gus, and Pierre are taking care of their areas tonight too. Tomorrow morning Marnie, Shane, Seb, Sam, and Abby are coming to help with the rest.”
“I’ll help too. What time?”
“Yeah? I thought it’d be kinda tacky to ask my date to help me clean up.” Finn was harassing Colton for pets now, and he ruffled the dog about the ears.
“Nah, I want to help. Just tell me when to show up.”
A fond little smile curved Colton’s lips, “Why don’t you come by a bit earlier than the others? I’ll make pancakes.”
Alex felt his cheeks go red, “…I’d like that.”
“Seven, then?”
“I’ll be here.”
His affection quota satisfied, Finn slipped back through his doggy door into the house. Colton’s affection quota not quite satisfied, he placed a soft kiss on Alex’s jaw. “Goodnight, Alex.”
Rating: Teen, bc Alex's brain goes dirty for half a second
He was coming. Haley was chattering on about a bunch of new, cute clothes she’d ordered online, but her voice had retreated to the far reaches of Alex’s mind, because he was walking over. The farmer who’d inherited old man Sawyer’s farm at the start of the spring. Colton.
Alex adjusted his cap, hating that they made him wear it. It was so dumb. Why did he need to advertise the ice-cream stand while he was literally working at it? Who would even see it outside Pelican Town? Lame.
His hands were sweating. He picked up the ice-cream scoop just to have something to occupy himself. Vaguely he was aware that Haley had stopped talking. She’d spotted Colton too.
“God, he’s so hot…” She leaned close to Alex, keeping her voice low so the approaching man wouldn’t hear her.
Alex had thought about dudes that way before, but definitely not as much as he thought about women. But… yeah, Colton was different. Taller than Alex by an inch or two, muscular, but not as broad as him. When he wasn’t farming, he was surfing so Colton’s skin was a golden tan and his short, wavy sandy blonde hair was slowly being bleached by the sun’s rays. His eyes were a deep, warm brown that never failed to make Alex feel tingly all over when they fell upon him. So. Yeah. Colton was hot.
Aloud, Alex grunted noncommittally to Haley and she rolled her eyes.
“Hiiiiiii, Colton!” She waved enthusiastically, sounding somewhat breathless.
Haley had an instant crush on the farmer the second he moved onto Gullwing Farm. The jealousy had been confusing at first, Alex unable to decide if he was jealous of Haley liking Colton because he liked Haley too… or because he liked Colton. Turned out, it was the latter. Colton was friendly from the start despite Alex’s chilly, jealousy-fuelled reception. And as the spring went on Alex found out that they had a lot in common. They were both absolute sports nuts and loved the outdoors as much as they loved their dogs. Since summer had begun Alex had gone for a beach run with Colton and his dog Finn (Alex’s own dog was too old to join them, but Dusty still got plenty of pets from both him and the farmer) almost every morning. It was something that Alex was starting to look forward to.
“Hello, Haley!” Colton called out in his deep, friendly voice, stepping up to the little ice-cream cart. “S’up, Alex?”
“…Hi.” Alex replied quietly. Today Colton wore board shorts patterned with palm leaves and a loose orange tank top that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Alex could feel his face heating up. He didn’t know where to look. He felt Haley’s shrewd gaze on the back of his head. “What can I get for you?”
“It’s cheat day, so an extra-large waffle cone with vanilla ice-cream, caramel drizzle, and a pinch of sea salt please!”
Colton grinned. Alex couldn’t decide if that was for him or his cheat day treat so he ducked his head, cheeks burning, and scooped ice-cream into a cone. Out the corner of his eye he could see that Haley had stepped up beside the stand with a funny little smile on her lips. Please, don’t let her blurt out something embarrassing.
She didn’t. “How are things on the farm, Colton?”
“Melons are really finicky, I’m learning.” Colton replied as Alex squeezed caramel onto the ice-cream and sprinkled sea salt on the top. “Had half a batch die on me. Not giving up, though.”
“That’ll be $3.50,” Alex mumbled, holding the ice-cream out, trying not to blush even more than he already was as Colton’s fingers brushed against his as he took the cone from him.
“Keep the change,” Colton said cheerily, handing over enough cash for nearly three ice-creams.
So much for not blushing even more. Alex’s face felt like it was on fire. “Oh, no. I couldn’t—” He stammered. Haley was definitely smirking at him.
“Farming has taught me that standing in the hot sun all day sucks. Keep the change, Alex. Maybe buy yourself your own cheat day treat.”
Those warm brown eyes were on him, making Alex’s knees feel like water and his belly like a knot of hot chilis. “…Thanks.”
Okay. Colton had his ice-cream; Alex had his cash. He could leave now, and Alex could calm down before his face erupted like a volcano. Right?
Colton did not leave. Instead taking a long, languid lick of his ice-cream that had both Alex and Haley staring. “So, how’s the rest of your summer look, Alex. Any plans?”
Alex’s brain was short circuiting, eyes riveted to the drops of ice-cream, starkly white against Colton’s tan skin, that rolled down the man’s wrist before he licked them off.
Thankfully, Haley decided to take pity on him, “He’s going to one of those sportsball training things in a few weeks.”
“Gridball training camp? Really? That’s amazing, dude!” Colton exclaimed.
Yeah. One he had to pay for, not one he’d earned a spot in. Haley didn’t know that, of course. No one did. He didn’t have the guts to tell them. Alex inwardly squirmed in embarrassment and outwardly put on his cocky façade.
“Yup. Gonna be the best gridball player around. Gonna go pro some day!” God, he hated the way he sounded. Like very douche that had shoved Sebastian into the lockers in high school.
The farmer was looking at him like he’d invented fire. It made Alex feel both guilty and pleased.
“Remember me when you’re famous, hey?” Colton chuckled, licking more errant drops of ice-cream off his wrist before slurping up half the cone in one go. Yoba, trying to keep thoughts of Colton sucking on other things like that out of his mind was an ordeal.
“You can be my number one fan.” Alex said with instant regret. Ugh. Why’d he have to say that? So fucking lame.
“Already am, dude.”
Alex blinked. He couldn’t tell if Colton was being serious or not. Haley’s gaze was bouncing between them like she was watching a particularly interesting match of tennis, hands clasped in glee.
Alex was saved from answering when the farmer’s watch began to beep. “Ah, shit! I gotta water my crops!” He jogged off, splattering ice-cream everywhere and raising his free hand in a wave. “Bye, Haley! See you for tomorrow’s run, Alex!”
“Byeeeee, Colton!” Haley called, waving.
“Bye.” Alex wanted to drop dead on the spot.
Haley turned to him, a truly wicked smirk on her face. “Oh, you two have it so bad for each other.”
Rating: Mature, cuz little bit goofy and a little bit saucy
Summary: What better use of your god-like powers than to keep your boyfriend's hands warm?
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They had expected it to be cold, but not this cold. In just a matter of hours rain had become sleet and then snow. At this rate they’d be lucky if they weren’t buried by morning.
Usually, the cursebreakers would take care of transporting the Hideaway’s shipments by themselves, but with so many mother crystals destroyed Valisthea’s bandits had become bolder… or more desperate. Thus, Clive had come along to protect this caravan, as it contained particularly important iron ingots for Blackthorne’s forge and medical components for Tarja. Nothing deterred bandits faster than the presence of the “Outlaw Dominant”.
The unexpected snow and impending dusk had forced them off the road in the middle of a vast forest. It was a risk, taking the covered wagons off the path in this weather, but staying too close to the road at night was just asking for trouble.
Clive looked around their makeshift camp. Their three wagons were half-circled around them for protection from both potential enemies and the wind. The chocobos had been unhitched from the carts, rubbed down, and draped with blankets to keep the snow off. Cole, Corrine, and Torgal were all sitting by the roaring fire at the center of the camp, staying warm and eating a meager supper before their turn on watch in a few hours. He should’ve been eating too, but he couldn’t stop worrying about Gav.
They got so little time to spend together these days he’d asked Gav to come along as extra protection for the caravan. It’d seemed a fine idea at the time. Now his lover was out there on watch in the woods, likely freezing his fingers off because Gav had insisted that August take the one pair of heavy gloves they had, because of course he did. He did wish Gav would be just a little bit selfish sometimes.
Unable to stand around and fret any longer, Clive strode off into the trees in the direction Gav had gone, telling Torgal to stay when the wolf tried to follow along.
Knowing Gav, he was concealed in a hide somewhere among the trees and rocks so Clive made as much noise as humanly possible to draw him out.
The camp was far enough away that it was lost behind a curtain of trees and falling snow when Clive heard a soft sound behind him. He turned and found Gav weaving his way toward him through the pines. Clive had walked right by him somewhere, and he’d even been looking for places Gav could’ve been hiding.
“Something wrong, Clive?” Gav asked as he approached. He gestured to the cloak he had on. “Need this back?”
Clive had insisted that Gav borrow his cloak for his turn on watch. It wasn’t heavy enough to provide any real warmth, but it was at least an extra layer of protection and the hood would keep the snow off.
“No, you keep that on.” Clive said sternly.
Gav snapped his heels together, giving him a grin and a teasing salute. “Aye, sir.”
Clive bit the inside of his cheek lightly, wishing Gav hadn’t hit him with the “sir”. He already was feeling a bit feral from Gav wearing his cloak. It was almost comical. He and Gav had been over almost every naked inch of each other, but seeing Gav just wearing his clothes is what got him going? Baffling.
“I came to make sure you weren’t an icicle out here. Let me see your hands.” Gav obediently pulled his thin leather gloves off and held one hand up for Clive’s inspection. Clive frowned; he didn’t like how red the other man’s fingers were. “Put your hands on my chest.”
Gav blinked, looking torn between amusement and fearing for his lover’s sanity. “Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I don’t think feelin’ you up in the middle of the woods is going t’ help, love.”
Clive’s sigh was both fond and exasperated, “Trust me, Gav.” He gently took hold of Gav’s wrists and brought his hands up, setting them on his chest, shivering slightly as the blonde’s cold fingers slipped beneath the fabric of his shirt.
“Oh,” Gav blinked again, this time in amazement, as the bare skin beneath his hands started to heat up, like a kettle over a fire. “Knew you ran hot, but not that it could be on demand.” He gave Clive’s pecs a firm, appreciative squeeze, drawing another shiver out of him. “Is it just the tits or…?”
Clive chuckled, “The whole torso, but it’s hard to get at it when I’m wearing this.” He briefly patted his corset with one hand.
Gav snorted softly, “You’re telling me. If you didn’t look so damn good in it, I’d have cut the fucking thing off you long ago.”
Oh. Now there was something else that scratched at the little feral corner of his brain. Definitely not this corset, but maybe he’d let Gav cut him out of a different one…
“You gonna do this for the whole camp by the way?” Gav was smirking at him, a glitter of mirth in his eye. “Usually not the jealous sort, but that might make even me a little green-eyed.”
He laughed, “No. They’re on their own, this is just for you.”
“So good to me, Clive.” Gav purred.
Clive’s breath hitched as Gav’s thumbs pressed hard against his nipples before leisurely circling them, the calloused pads of his fingers deliciously rough against the sensitive buds. A familiar tightening in his groin sent a shudder up Clive’s spine.
His voice came out raw and slightly strangled sounding, “Gav—"
“Sorry! Sorry,” An embarrassed laugh escaped Gav’s crooked grin. “Forgot m’self for a moment, the lads being so mesmerizing and all.” He pressed an apologetic kiss to Clive’s chin, hands sliding onto higher, safer territory. “I’ll behave.”
Clive blew out a shaky breath, unsure if he wanted the other man to behave. He wondered if the others would notice if he just tossed Gav into the nearest covered wagon and fucked him senseless… or had Gav fuck him senseless. Neither of them was particular about what went where. Very likely they would notice. Pity.
“How are you doing, Gav?” He asked after a few moments.
“Well, ah,” Gav cleared his throat, “Blood’s definitely running hotter than it was. Fifty brigands probably passed us by unnoticed because I’m too busy thinkin ‘bout your magic tits—"
Clive laughed softly, pressing a kiss to each of Gav’s palms before tugging his gloves back on. “Well, whenever you need a warm-up, they’ll be here.”
A low chuckle sounded in Gav’s throat, “Thanks, Clive.” His hands gave Clive’s chest another quick, cheeky pawing. “You too, lads.”
Of course these two would be the ones to get me writing again after a bazillion years lol
Pairing: Clive/Gav
Rating: 14+
---
Gav tossed one way then turned the other. Rolling onto his back he looked over at Clive, sleeping soundly beside him. He sighed.
(So much for being older and wiser.)
When Clive had asked if he'd like a drink Gav thought he'd meant in the little mess/pub the Hideaway had, but the man had instead led him to his chambers and handed him a goblet of wine so expensive a vintage it would've made nobility spit to know the likes of him was enjoying it.
"Gav..." Clive seemed nervous, toying with his wine rather than drinking it. "I've... wanted to thank you for your help in Rosaria. You saved Jill..."
He moved closer. Clive wasn't that much taller than him, an inch or maybe two, but he was so much broader, always made Gav feel like he was being towered over. Clive set his wine aside and his hands gripped Gav's shoulders.
"You got me out of that dungeon. You saved me."
"Oh, I- " Gav swallowed hard, his throat clicking. Clive was very close. He quickly set his drink aside before he spilled it. His usually quick and clever fingers felt numb and stupid.
Gav wasn't sure which of them moved first, maybe they'd moved together. All he knew was their lips met in the sweetest kiss he'd had in a long while. Then his hands were running through Clive's thick dark hair and then Clive's hands were on his ass and it was all he could do to tumble into bed, yanking and pulling at the lacings on the other man's top.
And now here he was hours later, feeling like a fool. He'd been in this position once before many years ago: an extra piece in a set of two. It had ended ugly, with many tears and a literal backstab, he had the scar on his shoulder blade to prove it. And although he very much doubted Jill was the back stabbing type, he didn't want anymore broken hearts on his conscience.
He tossed some more, rolling away from Clive. What was he going to do now? Should he just sneak out?
"Mmmn... Gav..." The man nearly jumped from his skin when Clive's voice, fuzzy with sleep, broke into his thoughts. Before he could answer he found himself gently rolled onto his stomach, Clive's lips planting kisses down his back, stubble scratching at the skin.
"Clive-" The word came out a single strangled note as Clive's tongue oh-so-gently touched the base of his spine.
Clive must've heard the distress beneath the desire because he stopped immediately. The mattress jounced slightly as the man sat up, hair rumpled, blanket puddling in his lap.
"Gav? Are you all right?"
Gav pushed himself up so he was kneeling opposite. The moonlight highlighted the plains of Clive's body in a muted blue light. He was beautiful. The blond man's resolve wavered and he cursed himself.
(Do it, you fucking coward. Just rip the bandage off.)
"I've just... I've been wondering where I fit in here, what with you and--" He couldn't finish, but he saw that Clive understood immediately.
Clive sighed, running one hand through his tangled black hair, "I'm sorry, Gav."
Gav's heart sank with his stomach, he waited for the words that would make him a bloody fool all over again. Instead, Clive's next words veered off in a completely unexpected direction.
"I first saw my mother's true colors when she realized that her eldest son saying he felt different from most other boys wasn't because the Phoenix had chosen him." The man's mouth twisted in a grimace of a smile. "She grabbed my chin, her fingers left marks, and told me I was being ridiculous and to never speak of such things again."
Clive stood from the bed, the blanket sliding off his naked form. "My father was much more sympathetic, but he was also honest with me: he'd been fighting against these laws and traditions long before I was born and had made so little headway. He told me the nobility, by which he meant my mother, could have me disavowed and disowned. I would not be Joshua's Shield... or even his brother if I was... myself."
Gav knew he must've looked like a gormless fish, sitting there with his mouth agape, but he'd been completely caught off guard. A rare occurrence that seemed to have become more common in the last few hours.
"It was also my father who told me to find someone who would understand, so grudges wouldn't fester. He would betroth us... to protect me." Clive's face softened as he smiled. "I spoke with Jill, she was very understanding of course. We vowed to put on whatever mummer's show the 'nobility' required. I was preparing to live my life in the shadows when it ended instead."
Clive laughed. It was bitter and brittle and it broke Gav's heart.
He turned away from the bed, staring out at the small balcony off his chambers. "So long as it didn't interfere with your duties and the person you were with also had a brand, the Imperials didn't much care who you laid with. But I, like many, didn't dare to get too close. We were cannon fodder. Too many of us died each day. We took our comfort or lust from each other, but no more."
Clive's voice softened, barely above a whisper. "And then I met you... Gav."
He returned to the bed, sitting beside Gav, one hand reaching out to squeeze his thigh. "And it was like a piece I had been missing my entire life fell into place."
Gav gently clasped Clive's wrist, heart pounding, hardly believing what he was hearing.
"I wanted-- I should have told you all this before." Clive continued, his cheeks suddenly flushing with color. "But when we kissed, my thoughts all but fled."
Gav laughed and fell back onto the bed, pulling Clive on top of him, hooking his legs about the man's hips.
"Now that, you don't have to be sorry for. I was very much in the same boat." He ran his thumb along Clive's jawline, expression softening. "And I feel the same. You've been a right ray of sunshine in my gloomy little life, Clive Rosfield."
He tugged and Clive came willingly, pressing their mouths together, kissing him breathless.
"Dunno about you... but my thoughts are fleeing again." Gav panted into the small space between their lips.
Drifting. Helpless. She watched the Normandy disintegrate in flares of orange and white, unable to make a sound as the air was sucked from her lungs. Ice crystals, sharp as razors, formed in her throat, in her lungs, slicing through tissue. She struggled. She was dy-
There had been bravery in his voice, conviction and acceptance, but that hadn’t made it any easier. Neither had the knowledge that his death had been instantaneous. Kaidan was go-
It had only been thirty minutes, the longest thirty minutes of her life, but they were already down to half strength. The maws trilled to each other, excited by this feast of rich flesh. She was wounded; the side of her face, sticky with blood, throbbed in time with her heartbeat. Her CO had been the last to go. He’d screamed at her to save him before he was set upon by a maw and swallowed who-
The sun shone, cheery and bright, in a perfectly clear, perfectly forget-me-not blue sky. The grass was green and lush, the air warm and sultry. The day had started out so beautifully… She clutched her sister’s hand, not stopping despite the ache in her lungs and the burning in her legs, not turning despite the gunfire and screaming behind her. Then her sister was suddenly an anchor, dragging her down as she fell, the abrupt halt of motion nearly pulled her arm from its socket. She hadn’t been ready for her sister to fall. Her face struck the ground and she tasted blood. Dazed, she struggled onto her knees. They couldn’t stop. They had to get up. She turned, reaching for her sister’s hand, and the little girl’s name died before it even left her throat. One glassy hazel eye peered up at her. The other was gone, obliterated by the bullet that had bored through her sister’s sku-
Betty Shepard sputtered; the flailing of her limbs jerked her out of her slumber and she bolted upright in bed. Her shirt clung to her, soaked in sweat, and there was a sour taste on her tongue, like bile. The glowing clock beside her bed told her it was just after three in the morning. She kicked the covers off and was heading for the door when she stopped dead in her tracks. Right. She was under house arrest, locked in her room after 2200 hours.
The woman turned on her heel and walked over to the windows. Snowflakes were drifting lazily passed the dark glass, promising cold, fresh air. But the windows didn’t open, she discovered. The Alliance didn’t want their detainees jumping to their deaths. Shepard paced the room, stomach churning, beads of sweat rolled down the back of her neck. Panic, the need to get out, welled up inside her. She glanced at her comm, debated calling her watchdog, and dismissed the idea. He was the last person she wanted to see right now. Shepard ran her fingers through her tangled hair, still staring at the comm. She had to get out of here. Now. The woman hesitated a moment more, then called the only person she could think of.
The comm’s screen blinked on, revealing Anderson wearing blue and white striped pyjamas, and looking groggy. He passed one hand over his face, “Shepard?”
The woman could feel the cords in her neck standing out. She spoke in a tight, hoarse voice that she hardly recognized as her own. “Sir, I need to get out of here. Now.”
The sleepiness cleared from Anderson’s eyes, giving away to alertness and concern, “I’ll be right down.”
The comm blinked off and Shepard crossed the room, quickly putting on her boots and tying the laces into sloppy bows with trembling fingers. Donning a grey zip-up over her tank top, she paced back and forth in front of the door like a caged animal.
Anderson showed up ten minutes later, still wearing his pyjamas along with a dark blue dressing gown and scuffed slippers. He moved swiftly aside as Shepard blew passed him.
“I need to be outside.”
The man nodded, “We’ll go up to the roof.”
Alliance HQ was no different from the many buildings that encircled it, having a rooftop garden that provided greenery in a city that had very little of it. At the height of summer, it was a popular place to have lunch. Now, in the dead of winter, in the middle of the night, it was utterly deserted and covered in an ever-deepening layer of snow. Some of the bare, scraggly trees had Christmas lights twisted in their branches, but they hadn’t been hooked up and the trees were dark. Light in the garden was provided by the cheery glow in the windows of surrounding buildings.
Shepard stood in the middle of the garden, gulping in breaths of freezing air. She shivered, more from adrenaline than the cold. The panic was slowly but surely leaving her body, being expelled with every breath of air. Anderson stood some distance away with his arms folded over his chest, looking down at the sea of city lights below.
“You don’t have to stand out here with me,” Shepard said, pulling up her hood as she came to stand beside him.
“I know,” Anderson replied. He didn’t move, and a little smile quirked the corner of Shepard’s mouth. “Here,” he removed a battered pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the pocket of his dressing gown, “figured you’d need one of these.”
“Thanks. Haven’t had one of these in… six years, probably.” Shepard took a cigarette from the pack and stuck it between her lips, lighting it up.
“Only been a few weeks for me,” Anderson said, removing one as well then leaning toward Shepard so she could light it for him.
“Guess that’s my fault,” she said, smirking a little.
“Pretty much,” Anderson teased.
Their brief laughter tapered off into silence. Shepard flicked the ash from her cigarette, watching the snowflakes drift passed her vision, but not really seeing them. The drone of passing skycars just barely registered in her mind.
“I was- I di-,” she said, exhaling smoke out through her nose. Anderson was silent, but Shepard knew he was listening. “And you know the thing that shocked me the most wasn’t the fact that I’d been gone for two years… or that my tattoos had been obliterated.” Unconsciously, her fingers brushed against her inner right forearm, the place where her most cherished tattoo had once existed. “It was seeing myself in the mirror for the first time since I d— I made it off Akuze alive, but I was still pretty ripped up. I had a hole the size of a fucking golf ball in my cheek. Three of the guys on the rescue transport lost their chow at the sight of me. And even after all those surgeries I had a goddamn crater in my face.” She flicked her cigarette butt away and it landed in a drift of snow, snuffing out with a brief hissing sound. “When I looked in the mirror, when I saw my face whole and smooth again, it was like… having a stranger looking back at me. I wondered if I was really me. I saw that same look on your face when I came to the Presidium. You were wondering if I was really who I said I was.”
Anderson mulled this over, taking a long pull on his cigarette. Somewhere in the distance, a car horn blared. Snow settled on Shepard’s nose and in her eyelashes, and she irritably brushed it away.
“I admit that seeing… the new you was a shock at first, but as your enemies have learned, you’re not so easy to wipe out. It didn’t take me long to see that it was still you, Shepard – no matter how you looked on the outside.” He extinguished his cigarette stub on the lid of a nearby garbage bin.
“So, not a clone and not an AI who thinks it’s Shepard?” she asked, only somewhat jokingly.
Anderson shook his head sharply, “Never. You can’t clone everything, and no AI could ever mimic your life, your experiences, your spirit – you’re you. Trust me… Betty.”
Her throat contracted and Shepard nodded, her mouth twisting a little, “Thank-you, sir -- Anderson.”
“Ready to head back inside?”
“I-“ She almost told him, almost confessed that she’d been dreaming about her sister’s death again, after not dreaming about it for so long. But instead she buried it down deep, along with the other unpleasant thoughts she never wanted to think about again. “-Yeah, let’s go.”
