He’d taken a break from cleaning due to a text message he received from someone who had been in his art classes, when he’d been attending DCU. There was, again, some after school club which had made some food and was selling it to raise club funds. The girl, and another friend he’d had several classes with, had texted him thinking he might be interested in swinging by. Even though the food was likely unhealthy as hell, wasn’t it always, he took a pause in his cleaning and went to pick some up thinking of Aiden after sending his boyfriend a text inviting him over for dinner.
Alexandre didn’t eat much that he deemed unhealthy, and not because of the war, but because fast foods and other things that weren’t fresh or freshly made weren’t his thing. The food he picked up however smelled delightful and he was willing to forgo his usual eating habits. In a small box, in the passenger side of his suv, were several bags of nacho cheese doritos. Inside the bag wasn’t just doritos though but also shredded lettuce, diced up tomato, salsa and seasoned meat. All of it was well mixed, with the chips broken up into bits, and spoons sticking out of each of the six bags he’d bought, figuring half for himself and half for Aiden.
When he arrived home, he pulling up to the curb as he had no garage or driveway, and stepped outside and went around to the passenger side so he could grab the box and nudged the door closed with his hip he headed for his front door to unlock it and let himself inside, wondering if Aiden had used the spare key under the welcome mat to let himself in.
Toeing the edge of the mat revealed the key was indeed missing.
Inside, Aiden had been playing with Cadha and Riley, rubbing their bellies when the dogs became alert and within seconds tore off towards the front door barking. He repositioned himself on the living room floor, leaning his back against the couch, while he waited for Alexandre to come inside.
“Hey!” he called out when the footfalls on the hardwood floor fell near.
Laughing as he heard Aiden’s puppy and Cadha come racing his way, barking, he shook his head. The box in his hand held to his chest as he moved around the small terrier and retriever. “I brought dinner. Someone I went to classes with texted me about a food sale one of the clubs was having.” They had been raising money for some sort of end of semester trip and he’d decided to help out, plus he had a feeling Aiden would enjoy the odd meal.
“I thought you’d enjoy the food.” More than he likely would, but he’d try it - it did after all smell delicious. Limping his way across the hardwood floor, the front door not yet locked, he had dropped his keys onto the table by the front door on the way into the living room. “You should get a drink and get comfortable.” He said gently. He hadn’t yet let the other know he had been, and was still sort of, injured. He’d kept it to himself and had kept ‘busy’ with lighter tasks around the house. Hudson filling in with the things he couldn’t do.
The stitches had been removed, thankfully, he hadn’t enjoyed hiding them from the other as it wasn’t easy hiding that his shoulder and the back of his leg had neatly made stitches keeping things closed up so his skin could knit itself back together. It meant long pajama pants and turtleneck and other things that didn’t risk showing his shoulder at all.
After nearly tripping over Cadha, the little terrier so happy have him home, he made his way into the kitchen intent on setting the box down on the island countertop.
Aiden grunted when he leaned forward to get up. “I’m good,” he replied as he grabbed his water bottle off the coffee table and approached his boyfriend from behind.
“Why don’t you let me help with that?” He suggested while reaching around the ashen blonde to take the box from Alexandre’s hands.
“Are you okay?” There was an amount of concern in Aiden's’ voice when their eyes met. Granted it had been a few days since they saw each other with work giving him evening or swing shifts, but the expression on his boyfriend's face was worrisome to say the least; relieved yet somehow distant at the same time.
Looking up at the other as Aiden took the box from his hands, filled with six semi open durito bags, he smiled. “Thanks...and I’m fine. I had a run in with some of the terrorists in the city.” Alexandre explained, not wanting to get into it, it was bad enough he hadn’t even told the other he’d been hurt and that he’d been hiding it. Lying was not an easy thing but he wasn’t lying, just...altering the truth a bit and omitting things - lots of things. He still didn’t like doing it, it still left a bad taste in his mouth and had him feeling guilty. Pushing past that he knew he couldn’t tell the truth - there was no way he was dragging the other into his other life - into his world. He’d keep Aiden safe, guard him with his own life.
“I hope you enjoy it.”
“I’m sure I will,” Aiden pressed a kiss to Alexandre’s temple and smiled. “Why don’t you go sit down in the living room and pick something to watch? I’ll go get some plates and something to drink.” He left little room for argument by the way he was pushing his partner towards the couch with a careful press to the small of his back.
“Alright, I’ll take whatever you’re having” Alex requested before taking a seat.
Aiden disappeared shortly thereafter for a few minutes in the kitchen then returned with two glasses of ice water and two bowls instead of plates. “Here you go,” he offered one of the dishware to the ashen blonde before sitting down beside him.
“So tell me, what did this terrorist look like?” Curious as he was, given Alexandre’s limp, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was an agent he had run into before.
He knew when to argue and when there was no chance to win. Right now - he had no chance of winning. Embracing Aiden he went to find a good movie for them to watch. “Thanks,” water was...boring but he did drink a lot of it, mostly flavored, he was used to drinking juices and such when home. Though whatever he had in his fridge, aside from the water, would pair poorly with the odd dinner he’d gotten for them both.
With what they were having for dinner the bowls were perfect. Taking the glass he set it down on the coffee table before taking the bowl, a spoon in it, and grabbed for one of the dorito bags and dumped into his bowl. “Like the surprise?” He asked tilting his head, flashing the other a light smile. To which his ebony haired partner nodded his head in response.
“It was dark out, I didn’t see much. I wasn’t expecting the attack.” He certainly had not been expecting to try and help corrupt a knight, who he deemed rather useless, and to run into Shalott and trade blows with her. He was, thankfully, healed up mostly at this point.
“I know how that is…” His voice carried a reminiscent tone of remembrance. It was this time nearly two years ago to the month that Aiden had been attacked by a feral youma with snapping jaws and a wicked wide grin that still startled him awake.
“I didn’t want to worry you.” He knew how Aiden would get after seeing him injured, he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to worry the other more than necessary. The war...he wanted to keep Aiden as far from it as possible, to hide as much of it’s long lasting effects as he could. The idea of even trying such was...nearly impossible. He wondered sometimes if things would last - could they last? The secrets being kept by him, the half truths, twisted truths….it all seemed like too much at times. And then having to keep away from the other for over a month due to injuries. He hoped the war ended soon, in the Negaverse’s favor, so he could settle down and not worry about whether the relationship they had would survive all of this.
“I know... Anywho, what sounds good on TV?” Aiden asked while reaching out to take one of the containers to dump its contents into his bowl.
“Not sure...we could finish watching Game of Thrones before season 7 comes out.” Since they had watched it together, they hadn’t seen any of this past season together yet; something which would be changing now.
“Yeah, we can do that. Though…” he added a cavet that he wish he didn’t need to. “I should warn you I already know what happens… One of my co-workers was gossiping about it to one of our customers and I heard everything.” Aiden sighed slightly frustrated since it answered some questions that he had been wondering for a while now.
“Ah, that’s ok. I’ve not seen it though I’ve also heard it - people talk and whisper.” He said rolling his eyes. He did go to university and people whispered and talked, it was a popular show so he had heard some things. “I likely didn’t hear as much as you did though.” He said shifting so he could lean into the others side for a moment.
“We’ll watch it together, and it’ll still be a surprise to see things I’m sure.” He said leaning up to press a kiss to the others cheek. “Now eat and I’ll pull up the episode.” He said with a smile.
Aiden made a bit of a ‘huph’ sound and smirked at Alex then took a mouthful bite of the food he’d brought home. “Hmm,” he started to compliment but quickly regretted it as a piece of lettuce nearly fell from his mouth.
He swallowed the food a bit too soon and regrettably felt the sharp edge of a Doritos chip drag its way down his esophagus. “Ugh ow…” Aiden cleared his throat then made a grab for his water. That was going to be sore in the morning, there was no getting around that unfortunately. “It tastes pretty good,” he finally commented after nearly polishing off half the glass.
Laughing at the other Alexandre reached for the tv’s remote control, that was on the coffee table, and pulled up the shows he had recorded and finding last Sunday's episode he hit play. He’d recorded it as he hadn’t had the time to watch it, as he’d wanted to.
Watching the other for a moment he tilted his head, wondering if the other was ok, before taking a bite of his own food. As unhealthy as it was...it really wasn’t bad - damn it. Swallowing the bite he’d taken he nodded to the others words, glad to hear it. “I’m glad, I wasn’t sure if you’d like it. I had hoped though, it was something more down your alley than mine.” And he’d taken a bit of a guess in the dark, good guess or not it had been a bit of a guess.
“More water?” He questioned, nodding to the others half empty glass, even as the show was starting.
“Please,” Aiden pushed his glass towards Alex as he finished off the last bite of food. Seemed to reason he was far more hungry than he’d thought he was. Must be the late nights patrolling or extra visits to the pool doing him in.
The rest of the evening was spent in idle side chat while binge watching three episodes of Game of Thrones before Aiden felt himself nodding off on the couch beside Alex. With a big stretch he roused himself awake enough to clean up the dishes and carry them to the kitchen. “I’ll take care of the dishes in the morning.” He commented sleepily all the while stifling a yawn.
Eleven P.M. and he was already this exhausted; either Aiden was getting old or he was coming down with something. Either way, sleep was needed. Thankfully tomorrow was Saturday and they could sleep in. “Let's go to bed.” He suggested, motioning with his hand for Alex to follow him upstairs. Better dreams always followed when Alexandre was there beside him.
Shanyume
