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Alex collapsed onto the couch with a huff, joy-con in hand. All this time he’s spent but somehow, for the death of him, he cannot get a superstar on this song. He barely managed five stars this round, it popping in at the last second. He shook his head and let the controller drop from his hand. Nobody was home but him. Julie and Carlos were at school, Ray was at a photoshoot on the other side of town, Luke was visiting his parents and Reggie was probably at the beach. And so Alex had decided to brush up his dance moves with Julie’s switch. He was actually pretty good considering Luke was the only one of the three with formal dancing experience. But Ariana Grande was really getting on his nerves with this song. Rubbing his face, he groaned.
“Hey, Lex, can I talk to you for a sec?”
Alex jumped so hard, he poofed to the other side of the living room with a strangled screech. And then he saw Reggie. He dug the heels of his palm into eyes. “What do you want, Reg?”
When Reggie didn’t answer immediately, Alex looked up. His best friend ringing his fingers. It was a nervous habit they both shared. He walked back to the couch. “Hey, Reg. Is everything alright?” he asked.
Reggie looked at his hands and bounced on his feet twice before bounding towards Alex. “You remember back in ’93 when I asked you how you knew you were gay, and you said that you always sorta knew? He sat on the couch next to his friend.
“Yeah, I was there,” Alex said, “why?” Reggie looked at his hands again. He was picking at a hangnail. It looked pretty shredded. He brought the finger to his mouth and started biting. His leg bounced. “Reggie,” Alex breathed, pushing Reggie’s hand from his mouth. Reggie sighed and turned away from Alex. His leg bounced vigorously. Alex was getting concerned now. “Reggie, are you alrig-”
“I’m bi. Bisexual. Me. I just, I just wanted to tell you. And I know that it doesn’t change anything between us, ‘cause I don’t like you like that, and you definitely don’t ‘cause Willie so, there’s no, like, ‘possible love interest’ thing or whatever, I just wanted you to know ‘cause you’re, like, my childhood best friend and stuff, and why? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Alex blinked one. Twice. Three times. He didn’t think Reggie did that on purpose. He knew Reggie didn’t do it on purpose, but it sounded so much like his coming out to Reggie. He was suddenly wearing his Uncle Mark’s old sweater as the two sat cross-legged, knees touching, hands clasped, on Alex’ stripey blue comforter at two in the morning when they were twelve.
“Lex? Alex? What’s happening? Why aren’t you saying anything? Alex?” Reggie’s voice wavered. There were tears in his eyes. “Lexy?”
Alex smiled and shook his head. He pulled Reggie into his arms and kissed his forehead. “I’m proud of you. Thank you for telling me.” Reggie sobbed. He wound his arms around his friend’s waist. Alex hugged him tighter.
They stayed there like that for a while, Reggie sobbing quietly in Alex’ arms, Alex rubbing circles into Reggie’s back. Stifled whimpers and Just Dance wait music filled the Molina’s living room.
Eventually, Reggie pulled away. His eyes were red and tear tracks stained his cheeks. He sniffled and rubbed at Alex’s shoulder. “Sorry for getting your shirt wet.”
Alex smiled, “It’s okay.” Reggie sighed. “You know, you haven’t called me that in a while.”
Reggie looked at him with impossibly big eyes. “Is that okay? I mean, yeah it’s been a while, but,” Reggie tapered off.
“Yeah, it’s okay,” Alex said. “You know, I like that nickname. It’s cool.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool.”
“So,” Alex paused, “how’d you know?”
Reggie huffed a laugh, “I sorta figured it out back in ’94. Spin the bottle at Stacy Holgen’s house.” Alex nodded. “Then I was trying to build up the courage to tell you guys, and then we died and I sorta forgot about it. But then the other day.” Reggie took a deep breath. “The other day, when Luke was doing the whole ‘chemistry thing’, I remembered. Not that I like boys, more that I hadn’t told you guys yet.” Alex nodded, fiddling with the controller still strapped to his wrist. The music changed from song to song. “Hey, Lexy, do you think,” Reggie stopped, brow furrowed, “Do you think Luke would have done what he did if he knew I was bi?”
Alex looked at Reggie curiously, then turned the question over in his head. “You know, maybe not. But, then he might have? I mean, he is Luke.”
“Yeah.” Reggie nodded. “Oh well,” he said, swinging his head to face Alex, a grin plastered on his face. “So, whatcha doing? Or, what were you doing before I popped in?”
Alex laughed and pointed to the T.V.
“Woah! Video games 2.0! Can I have a go?”
Alex laughed again. He hopped up and grabbed the other joy-con off the console, a bright green monstrosity, and handed it to Reggie. “Make sure that's strapped to your wrist. If we break it Julie might kill us again.” Reggie giggled. Alex queued up another song, he was keeping 7 Rings to himself.
“You ready?”
Reggie looked at his friend as the intro to Soy Yo played. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”