Chapter Text
“You have to honk at him.”
“I am!”
“No, not like that.”
“Alex, there’s only one way to honk in this game, you literally just press a button.”
“Yeah, but you have to do it at the right time.”
“You do it then, if you know so much.”
“Fine, I will.”
Alex swipes the Switch from Willie’s hands, and Willie lays his head on his shoulder to watch Alex maneuver the little goose around the screen. Video games at Willie’s has become something of a Sunday afternoon tradition, as Alex usually needs some space from the band after full weekends of rehearsing for Saturday gigs. Lately, they’ve been trying to pick less competitive games (There was a Mario Kart-related incident. Pride was wounded. So was Alex’s thumb.) but clearly even Untitled Goose Game is too high stakes.
“You’re not doing any better,” Willie remarks.
“I’m trying to undo all the damage you did.”
“Alex, this whole game is about causing damage.”
“The right kind of damage,” Alex insists. “There’s a to-do list for a reason.”
“I think you’re missing the point of the game.”
“No,” Alex says, as he finally gets the stupid little goose to trap the stupid little boy in the phone booth, “I think I’m winning.”
Willie rolls his eyes. “This game isn’t win-lose.” They pause and kiss Alex’s cheek. “But good job.”
Alex’s attention is pulled away from the game by the sound of keys in the front door. A moment later, Willie’s father enters, dressed in an absurdly fancy suit for 3pm on a Sunday.
Willie doesn’t even look up from the game. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hi, Mr. Covington,” Alex says, and he does look up, because he was taught to respect adults and also because Caleb Covington fucking terrifies him.
“Alex,” Caleb nods. He walks over behind the couch they’re on and presses a kiss to Willie’s head. “I trust you’ve done your homework for tomorrow?” he asks, nodding at the Switch.
Willie fixes him with the most serious face Alex has ever seen on him. “This is homework.”
Caleb arches an eyebrow, unimpressed. “You’re cute,” he says flatly. “Alex, are you staying for dinner?”
“If that’s okay, sir,” Alex says, doing his best to keep his fidgety hands still.
Caleb nods and strides out of the room. Alex’s shoulders slowly lower as he goes, but they shoot back up when he notices Willie looking at him with an amused grin.
“What?” Alex asks.
“You’re so scared of him,” Willie giggles. “It’s cute.”
“I’m not—okay,” Alex sighs. He shoves the Switch into Willie’s hands. “Here. Think you can handle the shopping list?”
“Indubitably,” Willie smirks. He raises his voice so Caleb can hear him from the kitchen. “Learned that word from my English homework.”
Alex doesn’t even have to see Caleb to feel his eye roll, but Willie seems satisfied. Alex snuggles closer to them and watches Willie’s goose steal items from the shopkeeper.
They sit like that peacefully for about a minute before Alex says, “Bro, that one’s not on the list.”
“Alex, I swear to god.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dinner with Caleb gets a little easier each time, but it’s still hard. Alex has to watch everything he says, trying to be the perfect boyfriend for Caleb’s kid, but it’s damn near impossible when Willie seems to be actively pushing him towards saying something stupid.
“Dad, you won’t believe what happened after the gig last night,” Willie says. “Wait, no, Alex, you tell him. It’s your story.”
Alex shoots him a glare and receives a shit-eating grin in return. Willie knows exactly what they’re doing.
“It’s really not that interesting,” Alex says.
“Oh, no, please, do tell,” Caleb says, placing his chin in his hand and assuming an overly interested look.
Life father, like child, Alex thinks. “I don’t know, it’s kind of blurry, I don’t even remember most of it. Not because I was drunk!” he adds hurriedly, face turning bright red. “Just, you know, post-show adrenaline.”
“Mhm,” Caleb hums. “Willie, maybe you can help jog his memory?”
“Right, so, after the band’s set we were out in the crowd, mingling,” Willie wiggles their fingers to emphasis their point, and Alex would find it cute if they weren’t being so infuriating right now. “And this big guy comes up to Luke, clearly pissed, yelling about some bullshit or other, and so Alex... well, Alex what did you do?”
“Politely. Asked him. To leave,” Alex says pointedly, eyes fixed on Willie’s, which twinkle with mischief.
“Alex,” Caleb says, “don’t you know it’s rude to lie?” And he has that same damn twinkle, which isn’t fair; it shouldn’t even be possible since Willie is adopted.
“Yeah, Hotdog,” Willie says. “Tell him what really happened.”
Alex turns to Caleb, desperation seeping into his voice. “Sir, you have to understand that I wasn’t really thinking straight, I was just trying to help my friend—“
“He challenged this dude to an arm wrestling competition!” Willie interjects with a delighted laugh, no longer able to contain the truth.
“He was huge!” Alex defends himself. “I couldn’t beat him in a fight and he wasn’t just going to go away. Drumming’s made me pretty strong; I thought I at least had a chance.”
The corner of Caleb’s mouth quirks up. “Did you win, at least?”
Alex tenses, and Willie suddenly seems to remember how this story ends. They grab Alex’s hand and give him an apologetic smile.
“Alex’s dad showed up, and made him leave,” Willie says quietly. “So nothing actually happened.”
Caleb’s smile falls as he glances between the two of them. “I see,” he says. He studies Alex for a moment, but decides not to press it. Alex has never been more grateful.
“So,” Caleb says, “any other post-show altercations I should know about?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After dinner, Willie drags Alex back into the living room to watch Betty, a comedy about skateboarders Willie’s been begging him to watch. Willie’s already seen it at least six times, but they want to share it with Alex, so he’ll happily comply.
“Not too late,” Caleb says as they run out of the dining room. “It’s a school night.”
They snuggle up together on the couch, with Willie’s head on Alex’s chest and Alex’s hand in Willie’s hair.
It’s a good thing the show is as good as Willie says, because Willie falls asleep two episodes in and Alex would be a little annoyed if he wasn’t so absorbed in the plot.
(He wouldn’t be annoyed. He loves holding his sleeping boyfriend. He could stay here forever.)
Around nine, Caleb flicks on the living room lights. Willie stirs but doesn’t wake up, burying his face deeper in Alex’s chest. Alex pauses the show and looks up at Caleb, who is watching his kid with the faintest trace of fondness on his face.
“Must have been a long weekend,” Caleb says.
Alex nods. “Yeah, they conked right out.”
“Do you need a ride home?” Caleb asks.
A cold dread settles in Alex’s chest at the thought of going home. “No, thank you. I’ll walk.” Maybe then he can delay the inevitable confrontation with his parents just a little bit longer.
Caleb seems to notice his hesitance. “Or, you could stay here for the night, if you wish.”
Alex snaps his head up to look at Caleb, eyes wide. He’s never let Alex sleep over before. “Oh, um, I don’t want to intrude.”
Caleb sighs and perches on the arm of the cushioned chair next to the couch. “Alex, Willie hasn’t told me much about your parents, but I gather they aren’t the most supportive?”
Alex fixes his eyes on the little golden statue in the middle of the coffee table. “They aren’t.”
Caleb nods. “You’re always welcome here. If you need to get away, or someone to talk to. I know you have the Molinas as well, but they’re not the only ones in your corner.”
“Thank you, sir,” Alex whispers, trying to hold back his flood of emotions, mostly gratitude.
“Of course, Alex.” He stands and nods at Willie. “Think you can help me get them upstairs? What with your drummer’s strength and all?”
Alex flushes bright red, but he nods and shifts his arms so he can pick Willie up bridal style.
“Lex?” Willie mumbles as Alex stands up with Willie in his arms. “You leaving?”
“I’m gonna sleep over tonight,” Alex says, pressing a kiss to Willie’s forehead. “That alright with you?”
Willie squints up at him, confused. “Dad’s letting you stay?”
“I am,” Caleb says, and Willie drops his head back onto Alex’s shoulder with a grin.
“Best dad ever.”