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Jose just snickered and pushed him back, saying, "You're so very pathetic right now, Al. Who was the one who made you like this? Who was the one who ruined your career? You're going to get nothing from anyone if you can't keep it together for long enough to make yourself good enough to go out with someone." He spat angrily.
Alejandro felt a pang of sympathy and regret for his brother, but he was still upset with him. After all, it was Jose's shitty behavior that led Alejandro to become a villain in the first place. And it wasn't like he could change that now. But there were still things about his childhood that Alejandro didn't want to admit or think about.
"You think it's funny, huh?" He glared at his brother as tears sprang into his eyes. "You never did anything except ruin my life!" Alejandro yelled before running away as fast as possible as he heard Jose call out to him again.
"Run away like you always do, Maricón!"
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ───
Alejandro walked down the street as Jose's words echoed in his ears as he went further down. He sighed as he wiped tears from his face, looking up at two or three-story houses. It seemed he'd found himself in an area of the neighborhood more often.
The thought of having to live with his older brother was just too much. So much that Alejandro would rather move back home and start over, but his parents needed money, which he didn't. His brother had already ruined everything else in his life by coming into it, so he decided that maybe this time he'd fix things.
He rang the doorbell and looked around the house's front yard. Admiring its beauty when he heard the front door open.
"Ale!" He heard the other sound excited, then hugged him.
"Hola amigo.." he whispered, barely returning the hug.
Tyler let go of him and looked at him, saying, "Again, Ale, really? You can't keep letting him do this." He softly ran his thumb over Alejandro's open wound on his eyebrow.
Alejandro flinched away, and Tyler dropped his hand as if burned.
Ale turned his gaze down to the ground, feeling shame creep up on him. He couldn't tell anyone about the bruise because then he'd get called weak. Only Tyler knew. Tyler knew everything. Every little detail about his past and now.
So instead, he took a deep breath and looked up, giving his friend a small smile. "I'm sorry, amigo, I just..." he broke off as a sob caught in his throat. He looked away, trying to hide his pain.
"Tyler, who was in the front door?" The jock's dad yelled from the kitchen.
"A friend!"
Tyler pulled him inside. "Come on." Tyler led Alejandro to the kitchen, where his dad was cooking. "Can he stay the night?" Tyler asked quietly.
"Yes, yes, of course. But you better come out for dinner when I call."
"Thanks, Dad!" He turned and gave Alejandro a soft look. Then grabbed his hand, taking him upstairs to his bedroom.
Once they were alone, Alejandro couldn't help but break, sobbing into his arms as Tyler wrapped them around him. He cried into the younger boy's shoulder until there were no more tears left. When he finally regained control of himself, he pulled away, sniffing. Tyler handed him a tissue.
"Here," Tyler said gently.
"Thank you." Alejandro dried his eyes. "Sorry about that, I just... well, I guess I need you."
"It's fine, Ale."
And Alejandro believed him. Tyler always knew how to comfort him. That's why Alejandro couldn't imagine being without him.
Tyler smiled and opened his drawer, which contained many first-aid kits. "Are we going to talk about what happened earlier?" Tyler asked softly, looking up at Alejandro.
The Latino boy was silent for a moment, as if thinking, then shook his head.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ───
"Yeah, but, like, I'm a guy. I shouldn't cry over something dumb or just cry in general," he said, flinching when Tyler finally covered and stitched the wound.
Tyler looked at him and said, "What? Don't say that. Everyone cries; it's natural to feel bad sometimes." Tyler's voice became a whisper. As if he was scared or something.
Alejandro sighed and rolled his eyes. "No, seriously, I know I cry, but that doesn't mean I can't handle it. It's just that it's a sign of weakness."
"You shouldn't feel bad about crying." He said this quietly as he put away the first aid supplies he had used.
Alejandro bit his lip and looked down, nodding slowly. Tyler frowned and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. Alejandro glanced up and met his eyes. "Why were you crying, Ale?" He asked, genuinely concerned.
"I don't at this point. Ima head home." He looked away, wiping the tears, and slowly got up.
"Hm, nope. My dad probably made many meals for us, so you can't leave now." Tyler grinned, hugging Alejandro from behind. "Plus, you could stay the night again or something," Tyler mumbled as he placed his forehead on Alejandro's back.
Alejandro blushed. "That's a little creepy, don't you think?"
Tyler just shrugged, smiling against Alejandro's back, saying, "Well yeah, but you were crying, which is weird. So it makes sense for me to hold you."
Alejandro smiled a little as he leaned back into Tyler's embrace and said, "Gracias, Amigo."
As Alejandro and Tyler made their way downstairs, the aroma of a delicious meal filled the air, tempting their taste buds. They entered the cozy dining room, where Tyler's father was already setting the table. He looked up and smiled warmly at the two of them.
As they sat down, Tyler's dad began to serve the food, explaining each dish and its origins. Alejandro listened attentively, feeling a sense of comfort and belonging. The aroma of the food wafted through the room, making their mouths water in anticipation.
Conversation flowed effortlessly around the table as they shared stories and laughter. Alejandro felt a sense of belonging as if he had found a second family in Tyler and Tyler's dad. The love and support they showed him warmed his heart, erasing any lingering doubts or worries.
As the evening came to a close, Tyler's dad thanked them both for joining him and expressed his gratitude for Alejandro's presence. Alejandro smiled warmly, feeling a sense of acceptance and belonging that he had never experienced before.
Both teens stood up from the table and headed upstairs. Tyler offered his room to Alejandro, but Alejandro declined, telling Tyler he should take his bed while he slept on the couch.
"Come on! Just sleep on my bed-"
"No, I'm fine on the couch."
"Why the sudden change? I mean, we usually share the bed and sleep on our own sides?" Tyler looked at him, confused.
"Listen, Ty, I'm just not feeling o-"
Tyler shut him up by pressing his lips against Alejandro's.
As Tyler kissed, the room seemed to fade away, and their connection intensified. It was a moment filled with both desire and tenderness, as their feelings for each other finally broke free from their hidden depths.
Alejandro slowly started letting go and looked down at Tyler. "I'm.. Ty.. I'm not.." He couldn't catch his words.
"I know, but I didn't know what to do to make you agree." He paused for a while. "It's not a big deal sleeping next to me; it's not like we are going to match pajamas or anything." Tyler rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, whatever. I'm taking the couch."
Tyler's dad entered his bedroom and saw both Alejandro and Tyler cuddling each other while they wore the same pair of pajamas. He chuckled softly, shaking his head, and said, "Crazy kids, then smiled, exiting the bedroom.