‹ Prequel: Miles Away
Status: Active.
Afterglow
One.
“What do you mean you’re dropping out ?!”
John glances at the floor. There’s only two weeks until Alex is supposed to go home for the rest of summer break, and this definitely wasn’t how John imagined it going. His boyfriend didn’t sound mad or disappointed, but he yelled those words, so the younger couldn’t quite put his fingers on the emotion. Maybe it was that Alex didn’t want to be alone at ASU, considering he was across the country from home, but it could be a variety of things.
When he looks back up, he comes to the conclusion that mad wasn’t one of the things Alex was feeling. There was a pout on his face, and he was slumped over. He turns to press his face into the couch the two of them are sitting on, something close to a whine leaving his lips. When John doesn’t speak, he continues.
“I’m just… worried, John. Why are you dropping out?”
Suddenly, he feels… shy? He can’t pinpoint the emotion, but he knows he’s blushing, reaching up to scratch his neck.
“I, uh. I started a band. The guys and I,” He responds softly, but quickly adds, “And I don’t think school is for me. I failed almost all my classes, even with you helping and that stupid tutor I saw twice a week.”
Alex sighs, but he guesses he understands. Kind of. Except that he really doesn’t, seeing as he got almost all A’s and was overall, well… a nerd. John would agree with the latter. Many nights he’d get back to the dorm and be greeted with Alex asleep on their shared kitchen’s floor with his face buried in a textbook and a notebook next to him. Either way, the answer doesn’t really settle his fears, but he tries to understand that maybe John (and others) aren’t as comfortable with college - no, school in general. He knows his best friend, Jack, isn’t.
The silence is unsettling, and John isn’t ready for what he’s about to offer, but he does it anyway. His face is still a soft pink as he mumbles, “I can show you a song I worked on by myself.”
He doesn’t know why he offered. Maybe he just wants Alex to know that he’s serious about this, that he doesn’t just want to be a college dropout living with his mom forever. Which isn’t going to happen anyway, because he nabbed a part-time job at the family video store down the road and he and Alex are buying an apartment at the end of this summer -- but still.
Unsurprisingly, Alex nods. He scoots over so he could rest his chin on John’s shoulder, not even moving as John reaches into his pocket to pull his phone out. He has to hold back a sigh as he opens up the app where he’s stored a little MP3 he ended up naming “Sour Grapes”. He hesitates, thumb hovering over the play button, before he finally gives in and clicks it.
His heart is racing, and he knows his hands must be sweaty, but he had to do this. He feels like he has to, anyway. He feels like he needs to show Alex that this was serious, that this might just be something. It won’t be him dropping out of college and working two part-time jobs while living off his boyfriend for the rest of his life.
John glances over at his lover, trying to tune out the sound of his own voice. Alex looks focused, but that’s the only emotion that John can make out. Is he too nervous about something so minuscule? Probably . He can’t shake the nerves or shyness or fear, though he tries to as he keeps his eyes nowhere except on Alex and his somewhat blank facial expression.
As the song comes to an end with one last piano note, Alex looks up at John. His eyes narrow, before he asks, “Did you write this yourself?”
That was a good reaction so far. Sort of.
John nods, a shy smile gracing his features. He reaches up, pushing the hair getting in his eyes back. “Yeah, uh… I wrote it a couple months ago. I wrote more, but they’re not songs yet, just some broken up little poems.”
“I thought you had two brain cells.”
They both laugh at that comment, John’s somewhat nervous, but he’s silenced as Alex reaches up to cup his face. He turns his head, and in no time, the older of the two is leaning up to kiss John. It’s not too long, maybe three or four seconds, but when Alex pulls away he’s grinning. And he looks… proud? It’s the same look Alex gave John when they finished his six page English essay together two minutes before it was due (which actually almost made Alex have an aneurysm).
“So, when’s your first band practice? I’m going to be front row to all of them, and every single one of your shows.”
John glances at the floor. There’s only two weeks until Alex is supposed to go home for the rest of summer break, and this definitely wasn’t how John imagined it going. His boyfriend didn’t sound mad or disappointed, but he yelled those words, so the younger couldn’t quite put his fingers on the emotion. Maybe it was that Alex didn’t want to be alone at ASU, considering he was across the country from home, but it could be a variety of things.
When he looks back up, he comes to the conclusion that mad wasn’t one of the things Alex was feeling. There was a pout on his face, and he was slumped over. He turns to press his face into the couch the two of them are sitting on, something close to a whine leaving his lips. When John doesn’t speak, he continues.
“I’m just… worried, John. Why are you dropping out?”
Suddenly, he feels… shy? He can’t pinpoint the emotion, but he knows he’s blushing, reaching up to scratch his neck.
“I, uh. I started a band. The guys and I,” He responds softly, but quickly adds, “And I don’t think school is for me. I failed almost all my classes, even with you helping and that stupid tutor I saw twice a week.”
Alex sighs, but he guesses he understands. Kind of. Except that he really doesn’t, seeing as he got almost all A’s and was overall, well… a nerd. John would agree with the latter. Many nights he’d get back to the dorm and be greeted with Alex asleep on their shared kitchen’s floor with his face buried in a textbook and a notebook next to him. Either way, the answer doesn’t really settle his fears, but he tries to understand that maybe John (and others) aren’t as comfortable with college - no, school in general. He knows his best friend, Jack, isn’t.
The silence is unsettling, and John isn’t ready for what he’s about to offer, but he does it anyway. His face is still a soft pink as he mumbles, “I can show you a song I worked on by myself.”
He doesn’t know why he offered. Maybe he just wants Alex to know that he’s serious about this, that he doesn’t just want to be a college dropout living with his mom forever. Which isn’t going to happen anyway, because he nabbed a part-time job at the family video store down the road and he and Alex are buying an apartment at the end of this summer -- but still.
Unsurprisingly, Alex nods. He scoots over so he could rest his chin on John’s shoulder, not even moving as John reaches into his pocket to pull his phone out. He has to hold back a sigh as he opens up the app where he’s stored a little MP3 he ended up naming “Sour Grapes”. He hesitates, thumb hovering over the play button, before he finally gives in and clicks it.
His heart is racing, and he knows his hands must be sweaty, but he had to do this. He feels like he has to, anyway. He feels like he needs to show Alex that this was serious, that this might just be something. It won’t be him dropping out of college and working two part-time jobs while living off his boyfriend for the rest of his life.
John glances over at his lover, trying to tune out the sound of his own voice. Alex looks focused, but that’s the only emotion that John can make out. Is he too nervous about something so minuscule? Probably . He can’t shake the nerves or shyness or fear, though he tries to as he keeps his eyes nowhere except on Alex and his somewhat blank facial expression.
As the song comes to an end with one last piano note, Alex looks up at John. His eyes narrow, before he asks, “Did you write this yourself?”
That was a good reaction so far. Sort of.
John nods, a shy smile gracing his features. He reaches up, pushing the hair getting in his eyes back. “Yeah, uh… I wrote it a couple months ago. I wrote more, but they’re not songs yet, just some broken up little poems.”
“I thought you had two brain cells.”
They both laugh at that comment, John’s somewhat nervous, but he’s silenced as Alex reaches up to cup his face. He turns his head, and in no time, the older of the two is leaning up to kiss John. It’s not too long, maybe three or four seconds, but when Alex pulls away he’s grinning. And he looks… proud? It’s the same look Alex gave John when they finished his six page English essay together two minutes before it was due (which actually almost made Alex have an aneurysm).
“So, when’s your first band practice? I’m going to be front row to all of them, and every single one of your shows.”
♠ ♠ ♠
This is the.... start... of something new...