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It is twelve thirty-two in the morning on a Saturday and George finds himself standing in the dairy aisle of a supermarket, searching for unsalted butter of all things. But apparently it isn’t strange to find people grocery shopping at odd hours of the day or night around where Alex and George live, so they don’t get as many looks as George expects when Alex decides he wants to bake a cake at such an odd time.
George, having become quite protective over his boy, refused to let him go alone. And so here he is, standing in a supermarket when he should be sleeping. To be fair though, he hadn’t even been asleep previously. George and Alex had been engrossed in a Jurassic Park marathon when the boy had sat up in the middle of the the Lost World and turned to George, saying, “I want to bake something.”
George is exhausted and has no need for the excess sugar the cake will provide, but at this point it doesn’t matter. He would do anything for Alex. Which means that when Alex walks over to George, sulking, he knows whatever he is needed for, he will do.
“I’m too short to reach the good eggs,” Alex mumbles. He crosses his arms and huffs, too prideful to say what George knows he is thinking. He has an urge laugh at his boy’s stubbornness, but he doesn’t out of fear of Alex becoming upset with him. They have their disputes often, but in no way does George enjoy them.
“Yes,” George responds, dragging out the last syllable. “I’ll get them for you.”
He reaches for the nearest butter and drops it in the shopping cart. Pushing the shopping cart, he lets Alex lead him to the eggs.
“Right up there.” Alex lazily points to a carton on the top shelf. Reaching up and grabbing the carton, George hands it to him.
“My knight in shining armor,” Alex responds, sarcastically. His height is a sore topic for him, never being one for jokes about his small stature, and he is probably bitter about not being able to get to the eggs. The least George can do is try to cheer his boy up.
“Well, I do suppose I would look quite dashing dressed like that,” George says, looking at Alex with a small smile. “And with a trusty steed.”
Alex rolls his eyes but George has known him long enough to know the younger man is restraining laughter. “But, the real question is, would you fight for me? Protect me from the big bad dragon.”
“For you, Alexander Hamilton, I would do anything. Even if it means having to fight a mean, fire-breathing dragon.”
And, god, how much of an idiot is George? He knows he shouldn’t go around saying things like that to Alex. His boy is smart, and while sometimes not particularly attentive when it comes to feelings, there still is the risk of George’s feelings being discovered.
“Aw, thanks, George. But, I mean, I feel kind of bad now because I wouldn’t fight a dragon for you,” Alex teases. He gives George one of his annoyingly attractive, smug smirks and then chuckles.
“Would you at least fight a tiger for me?”
“Come on! No, big cats are scary! Maybe a regular cat though.”
George laughs. “Glad to know.”
Alex’s face turns serious and he looks up at George, all traces of his teasing gone.. “You know I’m kidding, right? I mean, you’re one of the closest people to me and I really care about you and everything. I wouldn’t let something hurt you like that. And, I know I’m kinda rambling here but point is, I would fight a dragon for you, George Washington. I really would.”
George opens his mouth to say something incredibly cheesy and stupid, like the lovestruck fool he is, but is interrupted before he can say anything.
“Oh, you two are just absolutely adorable!” Almost in unison, Alex and George turn around to see a woman smiling at them. “How long have you two been together?”
George freezes. Opening his mouth to say something, nothing comes out, so he just stands there dumbfounded. Luckily, Alex responds in quick enough time, so they don’t look like complete idiots.
“Oh, we’re not together,” Alex blurts out, motioning between he and George with his pointer finger. And it shouldn’t hurt as much it does, but a sharp pain hits George’s heart at how quickly Alex dispels any notion of them being in a relationship.
“We’re not.” George frantically shakes his head.
“Just roommates,” Alex says, looking at George, something indescribable written on his face, and then back to the woman. He swallows and nods. “Just friends.”
“I am so sorry for assuming!” The woman puts her hand to her chest. “I was watching you two for a minute or so and you are just so cute together. I made a presumption and I truly am sorry about that."
A man waves towards the woman from down the aisle and she smiles at him, and then at George and Alex. “Well, that’s my husband. You two have a nice night.”
As she walks away, George ponders on what she said. It’s no wonder she thought he and Alex were together. As much as George attempts to hide his true feelings behind a mask, many people have seen through it. Fortunately, one of those people not being Alexander.
Only in another universe would they be able to be together. A universe in which George is different. And, of course, a universe in which his boy returns George’s feelings. (Though, George supposes it isn’t right to to call Alex his boy, even if it is just in his head.)
But, he allows himself that secret moment to fantasize about if Alex were indeed, truly his boy. Allows himself to fantasize about spending late Saturday mornings together in bed, cuddling how George wishes they could, kissing for as long as they want, going on romantic dates—all the things he wishes he could have, but won’t, but can’t.
Because Alex won’t love George the way George loves him. Because Alex is right. Roommates, friends, is all they are. All they will ever be.