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“Bisexual,” he clarified, laughter tickling the back of his throat. “And it is a very nice dick. No magic tricks though, not as far as I’ve seen. No turning me anything either—just the first time I have a chance to act on… It’s the first time I get to safely explore things with a guy.”
“Could have told me, you know.” Rather than make it a reproach, Jeff’s voice remained light. “I would have volunteered my brother. The virgin sacrifice is a time-honoured tradition.”
Alex snorted. “Marco is hardly a virgin.”
“I meant you.”
“I lost my virginity when I was sixteen.”
“Not your gay virginity, apparently.”
“I’d ask you to define that but…” Alex shook his head. “The answer would probably be offensive.”
“Probably,” Jeff agreed, sounding rather happy about it.
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
Jeff shot him a bright grin before he sobered. “Is that why you didn’t tell me—because I might say something offensive?”
“No. I mean, Iknewyou’d say something offensive—I’d expect nothing less from you.” Alex brought one knee up to his chest, a gentle breeze chasing the lingering heat of the day out of the city. “No, I think what it comes down to is that I wasn’t one hundred per cent comfortable with the idea of being … a little outside the norm.”
“Until Lee and his magic dick came along,” Jeff supplied, and Alex laughed softly.
“I have no idea how you didn’t become a poet.”
“My soul couldn’t stand the thought of commercialising my art.” Jeff perched cross-legged on the bench so he could face Alex more comfortably. “Now, straight answers, please—”
“Is that a pun?” Alex asked, and Jeff gave him a gentle kick.
“Of course not. My puns are far better than that.”
“Disputable,” Alex said, “but do continue.”
“You and Lee—boyfriends? Fuck buddies? Friends with benefits?”
Neither of these options sounded quite right. Alex paused at the sound of voices not too far away and waited for whoever it was to move on. Only then did he reply with a quiet, “I guess we have yet to put a label on it.”
“Fair enough.” Jeff pursed his lips, nodding. “So how did it happen?”
“He came out to me after our match against the Netherlands. Remember that whole pretty boy thing I told you about—how I thought he was making fun of me, back in the Under 21s? Well, turns out he was trying to flirt and thought I’d gone all homophobe on him. So… Dot, dot, dot, cue years of mutual dislike.”
“And the award for biggest idiots goes to…”
“I mean, yeah. Maybe.” Alex lifted one shoulder, briefly listening to the sound of running water before he continued. “Not sure how I would have reacted even if I had realised it was flirting, though. I sure wasn’t ready to try anything with a guy back then. Even now, after he came out, it took me a few more days to work up the balls to tell him about me.” He huffed out a chuckle. “Except I couldn’t actually get out the words, so I just kissed him.”
Jeff’s laugh was loud, ringing clear over the fountain and the distant city soundscape. When he spoke, though, it was quiet. “Listen, mate, if that’s your preferred method?” He leaned in, eyes glinting with amusement, and puckered his lips. “By all means.”
“Nah, I’m good.” Alex reached out to pinch his chin. “Thank you, though. For not making this weird.”
Jeff flashed him a grin. “Why would it be weird? You’re my best mate, and you’re still the same person. Just a little more honest with yourself and me.”
“So we’re okay?” Alex knew they were, but he somehow still needed to hear it out loud.
“Of course we’re okay.” To illustrate the point, Jeff launched a lightning-fast attempt to twist Alex’s nipple, Alex slapping his hand away. “However,” Jeff said once foiled, voice dipping into much more serious territory. “One day, you and I will have a talk about your exaggerated need to fit in. Life is so much better when it’s your own.”
“Sounds like a calendar motto.”
“Maybe. Doesn’t make it untrue, though.”
