Chapter Text
The very first time Rudy had seen Alejandro, he had fallen in love with him.
Struck ice-cold, paralyzed, hypnotized, not being able to speak, think or even breathe . Rudy had stared speechlessly at the other boy, who had grinned down at him, asking if he wanted to come over to his house.
Rudy had practically moved into his house.
Joined at the hip, they grew up together, became men together. Rudy’s feelings had never stopped, and from his playground crush, feelings had developed which were highly dangerous.
Thankfully, Alejandro was a bit oblivious to such things, and he still was now. It was part of his charm, but sometimes, it also was exhausting.
“The Colonel surely knows how to deal with women.”
Rudy took a sip from his beer, trying to not look at Alejandro at the bar, but his eyes found him on their own - the broad chest, the muscles under his too tight shirt, the way his pants curved around his backside… Rudy swallowed and forced himself to look away when that blonde woman Alejandro was talking to - always that damn blondes - started to run her fingers over his arms.
How long would it take this time until Alejandro would leave him alone back here? Until he slipped away with the girl, either returning after merely half an hour - if Rudy was lucky - or not returning to base until the next morning?
Hernandez, the only one of their nights out who was still keeping Rudy company at their table, clapped his shoulder. “Anyway, I have eyes on a bird myself. Defend our table, Sergeant.”
Rudy didn’t need to answer, and he didn’t need to look around the bar to see what everyone was doing. Flirting, kissing, slipping away… to be fair, the new recruit socialized with two other recruits at a dart game, but Rudy didn’t feel like joining them. He didn’t feel like anything else at the moment, really.
Throwing a few coins on the table, he got up and slipped into his jacket. He knew how this night would end, and this time, he would shorten it.
The very next day, Alejandro came to his desk, perking a brow at him. “You went home early yesterday.”
Rudy didn’t look up from his computer, continuing to type. “Yes.” There was a small silence, and Rudy swallowed, forcing up a smile and looked up Alejandro before it could become awkward. “It was a bit too crowded for me.”
Alejandro peered at him, but let it slip.
He didn’t let it slip when the next night out happened the same.
“You could at least tell me, Rudy. I was worried.”
Rudy frowned, and Alejandro grabbed his hand, keeping him from typing. Two dark brown eyes peered directly into his soul and the touch cast a shudder over Rudy’s skin. Hitting Alejandro’s hand away, his face flushed and he quickly averted Alejandro’s gaze.
“You didn’t look worried.”
He hadn’t wanted to sound so dismissive or snappy, but he couldn’t keep the mix of jealousy and embarrassment out of his voice. Alejandro said nothing, and Rudy forced himself to appear working - staring at his computer screen, typing words which didn’t even make sense.
The next night out, he didn’t want to join, but he also didn’t want to make a scene. If Alejandro found out the real reason why he didn’t want to join, then…
“Not going to pick up a girl tonight, Colonel?”
Alejandro stayed glued to his side today, and didn’t even get drunk. He was sipping from a beer, and was rather quiet, like the last days. Rudy couldn’t look at him though.
And he had to find a reason to explain. A good one, because Alejandro was daft, but not that daft.
“Not really, no.”
Cheers and laughter, recruits who teased their beloved colonel. Rudy didn’t join in, not able to keep his broody mood away.
A slight sling of satisfaction flashed up inside him though - perhaps he didn’t have to watch Alejandro touching another pretty woman today. Perhaps he could actually enjoy a night out with his friend again today.
When they were alone, they didn’t speak. After a while, Alejandro cleared his throat. “I’ll be right back. Don’t leave.”
Rudy thought about it, for a moment. He took another sip from his beer, groaning quietly as soon as Alejandro was out of reach. He was stupid, acting childish, and the act he had managed to keep up for years , was falling out of his hands. He had to finally get his grip together.
“Waiting for someone?”
Rudy blinked. He looked up, staring at Alejandro who stood next to their table, just that it wasn’t Alejandro somehow.
The expression in his eyes was different, the determination in his voice wagering slightly and his jaw was all tensed up. Rudy frowned.
“Are you drunk already?”
For the shortest moment, Alejandro smiled, but he quickly cleared his throat and tilted his head, sliding back into the bench and offering Rudy his hand. Rudy stared at it.
“I’m Alejandro. I think I saw that someone left your side. Must be a real idiot if he left you alone in here.”
Rudy frowned, irritated and confused, but Alejandro’s clearly flirting voice did things to him he hadn’t thought were possible. His heart fluttered, fireworks in his stomach exploded, but he wasn’t sure what this was. A game?
Alejandro crooked a smile when Rudy still didn’t accept the handshake.
“I would like to get to know you better.”
Rudy stared at him.
“If you want to.”
As if wrapped into clouds, Rudy felt strangely weird. He stared at the hand, then back up to his eyes, seeing insecurity and vulnerability for the first time in Alejandro’s eyes since he knew him.
“What are you doing, Ale?”
Alejandro’s gaze flickered. “I thought I’m the daft one of us. I’m picking you up, cariño.”
Cariño .
The nickname caused Rudy to flush instantly, and within a second his face was the colour of a tomato. Alejandro had the audacity to grin at that, tilting his head, while still reaching out for him.
“I’m probably really bad at flirting if that’s not obvious. Cariño .”
Again, that word. Again, that shudder. Rudy was embarrassed and nervous and everything at the same time, unable to speak.
“If you don’t tell me your name, I guess I’m just going to call you that. Is that alright?”
Flirt, sparkle, a moment of passion in Alejandro’s eyes - usually directed at those pretty blonde women, but now at him. Rudy.
Rudy hesitated, swallowed and finally accepted the handshake.
His skin burned when Alejandro squeezed his hand tight, rubbing his thumb gently over his palm.
“It’s really nice to finally meet you, cariño.”
The very first time Rudy had seen Alejandro, he had fallen in love with him. It had taken many, many, many more glances for Alejandro to do the same, or to realize it, perhaps.
But this night, this moment, they met for the first time, again. Not as friend to friend or brother to brother, but as soul to soul.
“Let’s get out of here.”
Alejandro’s whispers were like a spell, enchanting Rudy’s entire body. He felt the eyes and the stares, he heard some whistles, but nothing mattered because Alejandro still held his hand and it felt as if a missing piece of a puzzle finally found its place.