Nice

“Are you sure they won’t suspect?”

Alan stared worried at his reflection, or, more especifically, at the black and white stripped t-shirt he was wearing. He turned around to face his band mate.

Mark rolled his eyes and smiled kindly. He was still tangled in the messy sheets of the unmade bed in the hotel room. Unlike Alan’s, his clothes were still spread all over the floor.

“Will you relax? That frown spoils your cuteness.” He laid back against the white pillows and shifted a bit towards the side of the bed Alan had slept in. It still smelt of him.

“Relax?! Do you realize what would happen if everyone knew about us? The band would split, Steve would have to go back to being a miserable poet working at McDonald’s, you’d…you’d work at a carwash or something and I’d have to go back to roaming crack infested alleyways in Glasgow in search of a spark of inspiration! Mark, I don’t want to go back to my boring life, I don’t want to be killed by a serial murderer in some lonely alley or get AIDS, or..” The bass player’s panic attack was almost laughable. Mark did have to hold himself back.

“A carwash? Why a carwash?” He laughed as he lazily stretched, nearly occupying the whole bed.

Alan groaned, annoyed. “Does it matter?”

But even him was having a hard time not laughing, as he pictured Mark working at a carwash. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe a human ladder or something would be better.”

“AND you’re too pretty to be a corpse. Come here.” Mark moved to create a space big enough for his lover to fit in.

Alan sighed as he crawled in, burying his face in Marks chest and a bunch of blankets. He got as close as he could, huddled up against his lover’s naked body. Mark put his arms around him, stroking his messy hair and feeling timidly the skin under his shirt.

“Hey, don’t worry, Al. It’s gonna be ok. Steve’s too worried about harmonies and notes and everything being perfect to notice you’re wearing one of my shirts. And if he does, we can make up anything. It’s not so weird. Stop being so paranoic.” Mark muttered into his hair.

“Shut up.” Said Alan not too seriously. He was too comfy to think of a better comeback for Mark’s accusation of paranoia. Mark laughed softly.

“Besides, it’s less suspicious wearing one of my t-shirts than wearing one of yours that’s stained of…”

Alan sat up sharply.

“Mark, there’s no need to mention our…accident” He was blushing fiercely as he sat there with his arms crossed, refusing to look at Mark.

“Al, it’s ok! You worry too much! If someone asks, you just spilled coffee all over yourself, which isn’t unusual in you, and I lent you a clean shirt. There’s no need to mention…what really stained it.” He got another glare from Alan, milder than the previous ones. Mark rolled his eyes.

“What am I going to do with you?” He sighed as he put an arm around him, pulling him closer and kissing the top of his head.

“Clearly not masturbate me, because we saw the consequences of that happening.” He mumbled into his neck.

Mark laughed loudly.

“Alan, you’re nuts. Your momentary transitions between utter awkward shyness to complete shameless honesty worry me”

Alan rolled his eyes,a slight smile on his lips, and got up. He stared at his lover, happily sprawled over the huge bed, grinning like a fool. It made his heart glow that he was the reason behind that grin. It seemed like a crime to leave him like that, merely covered by a few thin sheets, the most unexpected body parts poking suggestively out of them. Actually, he just wanted to repeat last night again. Retrace every tattoo, every inch of his perfect body. But there was no time, and their lead singer awaited downstairs.

“Fuck.” Alan positioned his hands on his waist and stared at the ceiling.

“What’s wrong?” Mark adorably tilted his head slightly to the left.

“Ugh, I just don’t want to leave you. Every inch of me is screaming to rip off my clothes and crawl in there with you, but instead, I must go down there and have breakfast while making awkward conversation with Steve.” He looked annoyed, the way little kids do.

“Al, listen to me, it doesn’t have to be awkward, Steve is great, nothing has to change between any of us. Regarding breakfast, you must eat something. I’d dare say you already are too thin and I don’t want you to starve. And about ripping your clothes off, there’ll be plenty of other nights to do that” Mark grinned, kissing his hand.

Alan grinned back at him, leaned in, and kissed him softly, a playful bite following.

“If you don’t hurry, I’ll rip your clothes off myself” Warned Mark.

Alan laughed as he gathered all his inner strength to leave the room.

He made his way through the spotless hotel corridors, his head still in the bed he had left behind. He came across the lift, and pressed the button impatiently, as he sensed a rather short presence behind him, followed by a yawn.

“How was your night, Al?”

Lots of words crossed his mind. Words like, crazy, sexy, restless, amazing, spent-with-your-drummer or you-wouldn’t-want-to-know. He said something different, though.

“Nice.”

The lift’s doors opened and they both got in. Steven’s eyes wandered lazily around the place, until they rested on something.

“Hey, Al, isn’t that Mark’s t-shirt?”

“I…”

Shit.