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This fic is loosely based off this prompt, from the fabulous otpprompts blog on tumblr.
Imagine your OTP meeting as kids and Person B decides to woo Person A by giving them pretty rocks that they find.
~
Everybody wanted to be friends with James Wilson.
He was the popular kid, the class clown that made school fun for the other children. The teachers adored him, the other kids looked up to him – including Aleks Marchant, who wished that James was his best friend.
But he’d never talked to him, even though they were in the same class. James was always surrounded by his special friendship group, always busy at recess and lunchtime, and Aleks was too shy to go up to him. James’s group was called “the cool club”, and only seven-year-olds were allowed to join.
Aleks was one of the youngest in the class, still only six years old, and he hated it; hated that he couldn’t be James’s friend because of his stupid age.
So he played alone, but that was okay. He was too busy being an explorer to be friends with the other children. He spent his play-times collecting special stones and rocks, pretending that they were famous jewels. One day, he was going to give them to James as a present.
That day came sooner than expected.
During recess, a couple of months before Aleks’s seventh birthday, he was tapped on the shoulder by one of the other kids when he was kneeling in the corner of the school field.
He looked up with a scowl, annoyed that his mission had been interrupted, but froze when he saw James Wilson towering over him. His friends weren’t with him which was odd, but the smile on his face was even stranger.
“Hi Aleks.” James said cheerfully, crouching down beside him. “Can I play with you?”
Aleks could hardly believe that this was happening. “Um…sure.” He replied, wiping his muddy hands on his school trousers.
“Can I look at your stones?”
The question was innocent enough, but Aleks felt his face redden. “How do you know about them?” He hissed. His rock collection was one of his best-kept secrets – if the teachers found out that he had one, they would take it away. That’s what had happened in his old school.
“I watch you sometimes.” James said, shrugging his shoulders. “I want to play explorers too.”
This was the best day of Aleks’s life. Not only did the cool kid know his name, he also knew about his favourite game – and wanted to play it with him. “Okay, you can see my rocks. But you can’t tell Mrs Browne, okay?”
James held up his hand, little finger outstretched. “Pinky promise.”
Aleks mirrored him and entwined their fingers together, a solemn vow of friendship and trust. He reached into his pocket, eyes scanning the field in case a teacher was watching, but no adults were looking in their direction. Quickly, he pulled out his leather pouch and emptied the contents onto the grass so that James could look at the rocks he’d found.
“These are so cool!” James said happily, face shining with excitement as he picked up each stone, examining them closely.
Aleks beamed with pride, delighted that he’d impressed James with his rock collection.
Before he could ask his new friend if he wanted to keep one, James scooped up Aleks’s favourite stone. “I like this rock.” He declared, holding it up so that it glimmered in the sunlight. “It’s pretty, like your eyes.”
Aleks’s mom had said the same thing, and that’s why Aleks liked it so much.
But he liked James more. “You can keep it, if you want.” He said shyly, blushing when James suddenly yanked him into a hug.
“You’re the best Aleks!” He exclaimed, leaning back to ruffle his hair.
Aleks was too timid to form a reply, but he smiled bashfully, enjoying James’s attention.
Before the two boys could start playing together, the recess bell rang and the class began to line up. James immediately ran off to join his other friends in the line, much to Aleks’s disappointment. He quickly gathered up his rocks, stuffing them back into his pocket as he joined the back of the class, alone once again.
He was afraid that James was going to forget about him, forget about his gift, but he didn’t.
That lunchtime, James approached him again, after they’d eaten in the dining hall. Aleks felt someone take his hand, and he was about to shove them away until he realised that it was James. “Come on Aleks!” He said excitedly, pulling him along the corridor. “Our adventure is only just beginning! We need to find more treasure!”
Aleks went willingly, lacing their fingers together as they charged out onto the playground, both boys giggling as they bounded over to Aleks’s favourite digging spot.
~
The tradition continued throughout elementary school. James and Aleks built a firm friendship through their adventures which travelled outside of school too. They’d explore the local beach most weekends, discovering rock pools and skimming stones across the sea.
James sometimes hung out with his other friends at recess, but that was okay, because he made it very clear to them that Aleks was his best friend, and that no one else could join their adventures.
The two were inseparable, and Aleks hoped that their friendship would last forever.
~O~
It almost did.
They remained close friends during Middle School, but when High School began, James began to lose interest in their childhood hobbies.
Aleks understood. They were in their sophomore year now, too old to pretend, too old to go rockpooling, but he never lost his love for minerals. What was a childhood hobby was now a promise of a career; Aleks wanted to be a geologist and he continued to collect rocks. He spent his free time examining the properties of different stones and writing reports about them whilst James hung out with a new crowd of friends.
For his sixteenth birthday, Aleks’s father took him to Italy so that they could climb Mount Vesuvius together, and a tour guide told them about the foundations of the tephrite rock that formed the volcano. His family were supportive of Aleks’s aspirations but Aleks couldn’t wait to get home so that he could share his findings with James, and show him the 300,000 year old rocks he’d collected on his travels.
On his first day back at school, Aleks immediately tracked down James, and found him sitting on a bench outside, surrounded by his new friends.
Aleks usually felt intimidated by them, usually did his best to avoid talking to them, but he was too excited to see James. He bounded right up to them, ignoring some of the smirks that were thrown his way, and grinned down at his best friend.
James looked pleased to see him, but he didn’t get up to greet him properly. “Hey man.” He said casually, as if Aleks hadn’t been gone for over a week. “How was your trip?”
Aleks’s confidence wavered slightly, but he didn’t let it phase him. He guessed that James didn’t want to make their reunion into a big deal in front of his friends. “It was amazing James!” He exclaimed, reaching into his shoulder bag to pull out the carefully-packed tephrite he’d brought back from Italy. “You’ve got to see this. Some of this tephrite has been—”
He was cut off abruptly by James’s sharp laugh, a sound of scorn, and Aleks froze. He glanced up cautiously, startled when he saw James’s cold smirk.
“We’re not kids anymore Aleks.” He remarked callously, sneering down at the rocks in Aleks’s hand. “You need to grow up and stop being such a nerd.”
James’s harsh words amused his friends, and they snickered, enjoying Aleks’s public humiliation.
But James’s heartless remark hurt Aleks deeply, and it cut through him like a sharp blade. He blinked, willing himself not to cry at the unexpected cruelty from someone that he loved.
So he forced a laugh, not wanting to appear like a loser, even though he knew that they all thought of him as one. “Yeah, you’re right.” He muttered, hastily shoving the rocks back into his bag. “I’ll see you later.”
He turned before James and his friends could notice the tears that were beginning to fill his eyes, and he walked swiftly away.
He missed James’s eyes boring into his back, too embedded in his grief as he rounded the corner, coming to a standstill in the school’s emptying parking lot.
He yanked the packet of tephrite out of his bag, but could no longer view it in the same way. It used to be special, but now Aleks didn’t know why. It had lost its value.
He couldn’t help but draw a parallel between the rocks and him; he used to be special to James, but he wasn’t anymore. Today had made that very clear.
Ignoring the tears that streamed down his cheeks, Aleks ripped the packet of tephrite open. The rocks plummeted to the ground and he stamped furiously on them, reducing them to crumbling ash.
Now the tephrite was shattered, broken rubble.
Just like Aleks.
Just like his friendship with James.
~O~
Somehow, after that devastating day, Aleks and James managed to remain friends.
At least, Aleks pretended they were. It hurt too much to think about their earlier memories, to dwell on their joined past, so Aleks distanced himself when they began their junior year. He often thought of excuses to avoid hanging out with him, not allowing himself to spend any time with him. It hurt too much.
Fortunately, James never confronted him about his aloof behaviour. High School often forced strain on the closest of relationships, and Aleks was grateful to use that as an excuse to stay away from him.
It had been six months since James had humiliated him, but Aleks was still haunted by the memory, unable to forgive his former best friend for the way he’d spoken to him, for the way he’d trampled all over their friendship and crushed Aleks’s heart.
And in those six months, Aleks had never been left alone with James. He still talked to him, but only if they were surrounded by their other friends. He kept their conversations light and his smiles forced, unwilling to fall back into their old routine.
But his heart always splintered when James tried to prolong their time together, the light in his eyes dimming every time that Aleks rejected him.
~
One evening, after a particularly stressful day at school, Aleks decided to go to the beach, wanting to watch the sunset. It used to be their beach, but he hadn’t thought of it like that in a long time – he refused to reminisce about the times he’d shared with James there.
He strolled amongst the pebbles, pausing occasionally to pick up new stones for his ever-growing collection, enjoying the reddening sun and the calm tide of the waves.
Unfortunately, James plagued his thoughts, especially when Aleks found an onyx-coloured pebble. He picked it up, running his thumb over the smooth, cracked surface. He couldn’t help but be reminded of him…of his vibrant smile, of his dark, vivid eyes, of the tender way he used to look at him…
…Aleks shook his head in an attempt to clear that train of thought. If it hurt to think about their friendship, it pained him even more to think about his feelings, feelings that he’d buried underneath his agony. He couldn’t even bring himself to think of James as a friend…let alone his first love.
He stared down at the rock, torn between keeping it and tossing it into the ocean.
“You still do this?”
Aleks didn’t think he could feel any worse…until he heard James’s voice.
The hollow ache in his ribs grew, his anguish threatening to consume him. “Sometimes.” He replied evenly, masking his emotion. Reluctantly, he turned to face the reason for his heartache.
James looked good; Aleks couldn’t deny that. His eyes were soft, his smile warm with affection as he gazed at him, his curly hair billowing from the gentle sea breeze.
His tender stare did nothing but devastate Aleks. “Old habits die hard.” He said sullenly, unable to keep the bitterness out of his tone. His decision about the stone in his hand was now easy to make, and he threw it onto the ground, tossing it aside just like James had done to him.
James’s smile faded, his expression clouding with regret. “Aleks, I never meant what I said that day.” He whispered sorrowfully, and Aleks shook his head.
He couldn’t hear this now. It was too late. “No, you were right. It’s stupid. I’m stupid.” Aleks’s eyes pricked with tears but he impatiently wiped them away, blaming the sharp saltiness of the wind. He wasn’t going to let himself cry over James again. “I have to go.”
“Where?”
“Home.” Aleks responded bluntly, backing away from James’s pitiful gaze. He didn’t need his sympathy, he didn’t need him. “I have a lot of studying to do.”
“Aleks, wait.”
“Goodbye James.”
Aleks turned so that his back was to him and he stormed away, ignoring James’s calls of his name.
Every footstep that took him further away from him, every piercing crunch of stone underneath his feet, struck an agonising pang in Aleks’s heavy heart.
~O~
The next day, Aleks didn’t want to see James at all. Last night had ruined the carefully constructed composure that he’d maintained for the past few months, affecting him badly, and he didn’t have the energy to pretend around James anymore. He deserved to know how Aleks truly felt.
He skirted around James’s usual hangout spots once he got to school, heading straight to his locker.
He was about to shove his books in, but stilled when he spotted a piece of purple amethyst sitting on top of his gym bag. He couldn’t remember leaving it there, couldn’t remember owning a piece of amethyst that looked like that, but figured it must be his. He usually discovered various stones littered amongst his belongings, and today was no exception.
He pocketed the amethyst, unloaded his books, and made his way towards the Maths building. He kept his head down, avoiding the crowds of students as he walked past, in case he saw James amongst them.
He made it to Maths without incident, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he ducked into the classroom. Fortunately James didn’t share any classes with him, so Aleks knew that his lessons would keep him distracted, and keep his thoughts well away from the cause of his misery.
Or so he thought.
On top of his maths desk was a piece of onyx rock – the same stone that Aleks had dropped at the beach the night before.
He froze, startled by the discovery, realising that the amethyst in his locker wasn’t a coincidence either.
Aleks had no idea what was happening, didn’t understand what the purpose was, but he did know who had planted the stones.
James.
~
Aleks never saw him, but he continued to find stones and pebbles throughout the school day. Pieces of rose quartz were placed in the pockets of his hoody, crystal agate was left on his English desk, and he found a large slab of granite taking up most of the room in his locker at lunchtime.
A piece of marble had even been left for him in the junior bathroom, on top of one of the sinks.
He guessed that James’s friends had been helping him out with his plan, but the more stones he found, the angrier Aleks got.
He didn’t know what game James was playing, but it was hurtful. It felt like he was making fun of him all over again; every pebble that he gave him a stabbing insult to Aleks’s hobby.
James finally approached him at the end of the day, when Aleks was at his locker, shoving the stones into his bag. He might be angry but he wasn’t going to discard the rocks that he’d been given.
He saw James walking towards him out of the corner of his eye, and he quickly slammed his locker shut, whirling around to face him.
“Did you get my stones?” James asked him, wringing his hands, but Aleks wouldn’t let himself be fooled by his innocent act.
“Are you making fun of me?” He demanded, glaring at him furiously. His feet were rooted to the ground, a stone pillar of wrath. “Because I already feel like an idiot. I don’t need you to make me feel worse.”
James halted, face paling at Aleks’s retort. “Is that what you think I’m doing?” He whispered, visibly upset. “God no. Aleks, I would never hurt you like that. Not after last time.”
Aleks hesitated, feeling his fire leave him at James’s sincerity. His words resonated with him, but he refused to believe him, too fearful to trust him after the betrayal from before. “Why are you doing this?” He asked, folding his arms across his chest as he braced himself for James’s answer.
“Think about it.” James responded earnestly, his expression pleading. “Why did you give me shells and rocks when we were kids?”
Aleks didn’t expect to be questioned – he was supposed to be the one in control. “To impress you.” He replied, his confusion clouding his judgement. He didn’t understand why James was suddenly interested in their past.
James nodded, smiling in relief at Aleks’s answer. It was obviously the response he’d hoped for. “So why do you think I’m doing it now?”
“For forgiveness.” But it was a little too late for that. James should have apologised a long time ago. Aleks wasn’t about to welcome him back with open arms just because he decided to give him some stones.
James deflated at Aleks’s words, saddened by the answer. Aleks was about to question him, to ask what he’d wanted to hear, but James’s face quickly brightened. “Not quite.” He said, and he offered Aleks his hand. “Come with me.”
Aleks stared at him, astonished by the request, and then looked down at James’s hand. His fingers were trembling, clearly fearful of Aleks’s rejection.
Aleks wished that he could deny him. That he could walk away. But he was too curious for his own good; he wanted to know what James’s intention was.
Slowly, he reached forward to take his hand, timidly threading his fingers through his.
He allowed James to lead him out of school, and they headed towards the parking lot, towards James’s car.
James released his hand once they reached it, and Aleks missed the contact instantly. But he didn’t dwell on his feelings for long, because James opened up the trunk of the car…and what Aleks saw absolutely astounded him.
Inside were bags of stones…and not just any stones. Aleks recognised nearly all of them. Some he’d picked himself when they were children, others James had collected because he’d said they reminded him of Aleks. All of the pebbles and all of the shells that Aleks had gifted James over the years were bagged, including the topaz stone, the very first offering and the foundation of their friendship.
Even the tephrite rocks that Aleks had found on Mount Vesuvius were there, and he realised that James must have picked them up after Aleks had stormed off. Somehow he’d managed to salvage some of them; Aleks had thought he’d destroyed all of them that day, but evidently he hadn’t.
He could picture James now, crouching on the concrete, trying to rescue the fragments of stone, trying to repair their former relationship, and it brought tears to his eyes.
“Why do you have all of these?” Aleks whispered hoarsely, leaning down to comb his fingers through the stones.
“You know why.”
Aleks felt his breath catch in his throat, and he glanced up to meet James’s warm gaze. Their eyes locked, and then held as James continued, not finished with his speech.
“I don’t think rock collecting is dumb. I love it. I love that we built a friendship through it.” James’s words were earnest, his dark eyes shining with sincerity, and Aleks was scarcely able to breathe as he listened, unable to look away from him. “I kept all of these because being with you is the best memory that I have. I miss you Aleks, and I want you back in my life.”
Aleks wanted to reject him so that James could experience the same anguish that had troubled him for the past six months, but he chose not to. He wasn’t an unkind person, and even though James had hurt him, he’d never show him the same cruelty.
Listening to him now, hearing the sorrow in his heartfelt words, made Aleks begin to forgive him. “We’re still friends James.” He reminded him gently. Yes, they weren’t close anymore, but they could begin to rebuild their friendship. Aleks was willing to do that.
“No, we’re not. And I don’t want us to be either.”
Once again, James managed to crush his heart in a matter of seconds. Aleks felt his chest tighten as his grief began to devastate him, and he had to blink back tears again. He should have known that this was too good to be true.
Suddenly, there were warm, chapped lips covering his. Aleks stiffened, eyes widening in surprise as James kissed him. His hands fluttered at his sides, too startled to kiss him back.
Everything fell into place as James pulled away, eyes searching his. “Have I wooed you now?” He whispered, and Aleks couldn’t respond, completely lost for words.
He touched his lips with his fingertip, awed and astounded by the unexpected kiss and by James’s romantic gesture.
His gaze flickered between James’s soft pooled, shining eyes and the palette of stones, appraising the canvas of their friendship as he made his decision.
Smiling, he reached up to guide James’s lips back to his, kissing him to convey his answer.
~O~
Four years later…
Aleks grumbled unhappily as he made his way downstairs, seeking out his boyfriend. They both had a day off, and he’d hoped to wake up with James still asleep beside him so that he could persuade him to stay in bed the entire day.
Unfortunately he was in love with an early-riser, and he found James bustling around in the kitchen, making breakfast.
Aleks subdued his irritation when he smelled pancakes, and he headed over to his lover, wrapping his arms around his waist as he stood over the stove. “Morning handsome.” He whispered, pressing his lips to the nape of James’s neck.
“Hey you.” James turned in his arms, and Aleks quickly grasped the opportunity to collide their lips together, unable to function without a proper good morning kiss.
James happily gave it to him, but he pulled away when Aleks tried to deepen the kiss. “If you want pancakes this morning, you better take the trash out.” He said sweetly, and Aleks groaned.
“I’ll do it later.” He said flippantly, trying to chase James’s lips again.
But James darted out of his reach, brandishing his spatula like a weapon. “You’ll do it now if you want breakfast.” He responded, eyes dancing with mirth when Aleks flipped him off.
“Asshole.” He muttered, but he picked up the bag of trash anyway, heaving it over his shoulder as he opened up the back door. “Remind me why I love you.”
He closed the door on James’s hearty laugh, smiling despite himself as he carried the trash towards the end of the garden.
He was too exhausted to pay attention to his surroundings, but as he emptied the trash and prepared to walk back to the house, he spotted flashes of colour amongst the long grass of his lawn.
He rubbed his eyes, clearing his vision, but the colour remained. He took a step onto the lawn, quickly realising that there were coloured pebbles littered across the grass.
The pattern wasn’t random. The stones were spelling out letters, and Aleks mouthed them to himself as he began to piece together the message, grinning as he did so. His boyfriend was a hopeless romantic when he wanted to be.
Will
You
Mar—
Aleks gasped, hand flying up to cover his mouth as he stared down at the stones.
He heard a nervous chuckle behind him, and spun around to see James on one knee.
This wasn’t the first time that James Wilson had made Aleks cry, but it was the first time that he’d made him shed tears of pure joy.
Aleks’s reaction was instant, and he dove at his boyfriend.
They tumbled onto the grass, surrounded by reminders of their love, and James’s chest rumbled with laughter as Aleks attacked him, punctuating each kiss with a breathless yes.