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A/N: ^ A series of oneshots wouldn’t be complete without an angsty High School AU, am I right? :D
Aleks finds that lunch period is the hardest time to be around James.
It hurts, having to sit near him, having to include him in conversation with their mutual friends. Having to witness Seamus and Sly’s very public displays of affection, when it used to be him and James tormenting everyone with their heavy make-out sessions.
It’s Aleks’s own fault – he’d agreed to remain friends with James, unknowing of the pain it would cause. James had been his first everything, and he still isn’t over him. It’s been three weeks, but Aleks still can’t meet his gaze. Just looking at him crushes him, makes his eyes fill with hot, anguished tears.
No such pain seems to torture James. He is as loud and brash as he normally is, and Aleks hasn’t seen one hint of remorse or grief from him.
Aleks doesn’t think he could feel any worse…until the 22nd day of their break-up. He walks into the cafeteria and joins his friends as usual, avoiding the empty seat beside James to sit next to Jordan instead.
He wishes he hadn’t when he hears the conversation.
“That new student hasn’t taken his eyes off you.” Aleks hears Sly drawl, and he glances up to see him looking at James. “You’re in there, I think.”
Aleks’s hands clench into fists, but he forces himself to relax, flexing his fingers underneath the table. If James is unfazed by their break-up, then he must appear to be too. He refuses to look like the desperate, jilted ex-boyfriend, when he’d been the one to end the relationship in the first place.
“You mean Kevin?” James takes a quick peek in his direction, grinning when Kevin lifts a hand in greeting. “He’s alright, I guess.” He turns back to his friends, drumming his fingers on the table, and Aleks fumes silently.
“Just alright? That guy is hot!” Sly exclaims, earning himself a scowl from Seamus. “I prefer blondes though.” He adds quickly, to appease his boyfriend. “You should make a move James.”
Aleks can’t hear this. Watching James move on so quickly would kill him, and he slides his chair back slightly, preparing to leave.
He doesn’t get the chance to.
“Hey Aleks, you used to find me hot once.” James comments, leaning back in his chair, the epitome of composure. “What can I do to get Kevin to notice me?”
For the first time in three weeks, Aleks stares James in the eyes, fury brimming underneath his anguish. “First of all, don’t ask your ex-boyfriend for advice.” He says bitterly, and the table falls silent, their friends exchanging wary looks.
James frowns, but Aleks doesn’t give him the chance to respond. He’s had enough. “And don’t be friends with him either.” He adds coldly, never wanting to speak to him again.
His limit reached, he rises to his feet, knocking his chair over as he storms out of the cafeteria. He can hear his friends calling after him, but he ignores them as he bursts through the doors into the fresh air. He only has one destination in mind, wanting to get the hell out of school, and he marches towards the parking lot, reaching into his pocket to dig out his car keys.
“Aleks, wait!”
Of course James would be the one to run after him. No doubt he wants to make him feel worse.
Aleks ignores him, quickening his pace when he spots his car in the distance.
“Where are you going?” James sounds closer now, but it doesn’t slow Aleks down.
He finally reaches his car, and he wrenches open the passenger door to toss his backpack onto the front seat.
“Where the fuck are you going Aleksandr?”
Aleks refuses to look at James, even though he’s now standing right beside him. “I don’t know.” He says honestly, and he steps forward to walk past him – only for James to reach out and grab him.
“What’s wrong?” He asks worriedly, gripping his forearms tightly.
Aleks tries to wriggle out of his grasp, but James holds on, determined not to let him go. “You know what’s wrong.” Aleks says resentfully, and he glares over James’s shoulder, avoiding eye contact. “You know exactly why I’m upset.”
“You’re the one who broke up with me, remember?” James reminds him, understanding what Aleks is referring to. His words are harsh, restrained anger in his tone.
“Yes, because you kissed someone else, not because I stopped loving you!” Aleks hisses before he can stop himself, and he meets James’s gaze defiantly.
For the first time since their break-up, Aleks sees James’s hidden agony, and his dark eyes glitter with unshed tears. “I didn’t cheat on you.” He whispers. “It was part of a game. You know it didn’t mean anything.”
“It still counts.” Aleks closes his eyes, unable to look at James anymore. They’ve had this argument before, and he’s too upset to fight about it again. The damage is done.
He feels James loosen his hold on him, and he trails his hands up to Aleks’s shoulders. “You still love me?” He questions quietly, and Aleks freezes, realising that he’d unwillingly divulged his feelings.
Warily, he opens his eyes. “No.” He lies.
“I know when you’re lying to me.” James chides gently, massaging Aleks’s shoulders lightly with his fingertips. “I know your tells.”
Aleks hates himself when he realises that he’s been leaning into his touch, and he quickly wraps his arms around himself, staring down at the ground. “No you don’t.” He says stubbornly. James isn’t allowed to talk to him like this. He doesn’t have that privilege anymore.
“Yes I do.”
Aleks shakes his head, refusing to fall back into their old routine, refusing to talk to him any longer.
James senses that he’s losing the battle, and he places his finger under Aleks’s chin, gently coaxing his head up so that he has no choice but to meet his gaze. “I love you.” He tells him softly.
It’s too much and not enough. Aleks begins to tremble, and James’s hand falls away as he takes a step back. “Of course you do.” Aleks sneers, cruelly reminded of their earlier conversation. “That’s why you’re going after the new guy.”
“I’m not interested in him. I only wanted to get a rise out of you.”
Typical James, always looking for a way to get underneath his skin.
His ex-boyfriend isn’t finished with his torture, and his expression softens as he stares at Aleks. “You see, I’m still crazy about a stubborn, Russian idiot who likes to wear brown trousers, and who secretly listens to Taylor Swift.”
Aleks’s stomach churns as he deliberates the internal war going on inside his head. He’s torn between staying strong, or risking his heart once again to fall back into James’s arms. “You can’t say that to me.” He whispers thickly, his voice hoarse with unshed tears. “You hurt me so badly.”
“I screwed up baby, and I’m so sorry.” James murmurs, so earnestly that Aleks feels his heart shatter all over again. “Let me fix this.”
Aleks stays silent, too fearful to say anything. He loves him, of course he does, but he can’t forget the agonising sight of him kissing another man. It’s emblazoned in his memory, and he sees it every time he closes his eyes.
But seeing James like this, so distraught and sorrowful – it overwhelms Aleks, and he wants nothing more than to burrow into his arms, seeking his affection and warmth after being starved of it for so long.
James breaks first.
The next thing Aleks knows, warm hands are cradling his face and soft lips are pressed to his in a sweet, chaste kiss.
It’s over before Aleks can respond. James steps back, holding his palms in the air. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” He says quickly, mistaking Aleks’s silence as resentment.
He couldn’t be more wrong. It was the softest brush of lips, the lightest pressure, but it was everything to Aleks. The assurance that James loves him is all that he’s needed; he’s just been too distressed to realise it.
This is it. There’s no going back now, and he steps forward, taking James by surprise as he closes the gap between them.
Fuck it.
The pain of the past three weeks melts away as Aleks kisses him, and James responds instantly, his strong arms wrapping tightly around him. Aleks throws his arms around his neck, anchoring their bodies together. There’s no distance between them, no heartache, no remorse – only tender love, and Aleks feels whole again, because they’re together.
He breaks the kiss when his lungs begin to burn, and he fists his hands in James’s shirt, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles turn white. “You will never hurt me like that again.” He says fiercely, one last reprimand before they resume their relationship. Next time, it will definitely be over.
James inclines his head, a solemn promise. “Never.” He vows.
A broken sob slips out from Aleks’s lips, but he smiles for the first time since they’d broken up. James’s face lights up too, and he untangles himself from Aleks’s embrace to reach down and pull out his backpack from the car. “You’re not going anywhere.” He says firmly, slinging Aleks’s bag over his shoulders in a chivalrous gesture.
Fortunately for him, there’s nowhere else that Aleks wants to be, and he allows James to take his hand after he’s locked his car. They make their way back towards the cafeteria, James muttering that he isn’t happy with Aleks’s recent weight loss, which prompts Aleks to call him an asshole.
And just like that, they’re back to normal.
~O~ (bonus) ~O~
Their friends immediately notice the change in their relationship as they re-join their table, when James sits down and pulls Aleks onto his lap. He goes willingly, rolling his eyes but secretly loving the attention – especially when he notices Kevin watching them.
“Are you two finally back together?” Jordan asks, raising his eyebrows – even though the public display of affection that follows quickly answers his question.
“He’s on probation.” Aleks replies lightly, biting his lip as James nuzzles into his neck. “He has to be on his best behaviour at all times.”
“Public indecency is a violation of good behaviour.” Seamus jokes playfully, and James flips him off as he trails a path of kisses down Aleks’s neck, yanking at his t-shirt to expose his collarbone.
Aleks slaps his hand away. “You can mark me later, once your probation is over.” He tells him, grinning at James’s mock-pout.
He soon regrets those words when he glances up to ask Sly something, and catches the eye of Kevin again.
Aleks suddenly feels a desperate urge of jealousy and mine, and he swivels in James’s lap to straddle him in his chair. Fuck the probation. He crashes their lips together and he deepens the kiss with fierce fervour, tangling his fingers in James’s curls possessively.
Mine. Fuck off Kevin.
“Subtle.” He hears Sly remark dryly, and Aleks breaks away, licking his lips. He chances a look at Kevin, but he’s turned away, engrossed in his lunch. Good. Stay away.
“Way to mark your territory Aleks.” Seamus comments, pushing his lunch tray aside. “Bonus points for grossing out half the cafeteria.”
Aleks shrugs his shoulders, proud of his actions. He’s denied himself James’s touch for three weeks – he needs to make up for lost time.
“Do you want to pee all over me too?” James asks playfully, and Aleks laughs.
His response forms easily; they’ve slipped effortlessly back into their old, impish routine, their relationship as stable as ever.
“Maybe later.”