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Walk like an Egyptian – Part 1
Noah’s confessional
“My resolution for this new season is to not get eliminated in the first few episodes… and win, sure, let’s make that plan b if I make it that far.”
“Worries I have? Only one. Spanish/Peruvian, got an IQ of 167, and without his shirt looks like a depiction of The Perfect Man from Leonardo da Vinci if the man was born during our time… that is a fact, not a compliment, and it better not make it to the final cut. If you ask how I know, you found yourself in UN-fortunate situations by being Chris Mclean’s assistant.”
“He was on his way to be in Total Drama Dirtbag, so I doubt Alejandro’s any more docile than Heather. We get to choose which predator to be mangled from this season, hurray. Sometimes I wonder why I keep bothering with this show.”
“No matter, if everything goes according plan for once, I might not even have to interact with people like him. It will be smooth, or at least boring, sailing.”
***
“A proposal, you say?” Noah looked the man of the hour up and down, from that obnoxiously practiced perfect smile to the most inappropriate pair of shoes for a competition like this – yet they somehow remained speckless, even after strolling in the desert, what kind of sorcery was this? “Shouldn’t you get on your knee to do something like that?” Not like the crummy economy class would have been the right place for something like that, even if he had been serious.
Alejandro quote and quote laughed, which was the only way one could have described letting out the least amused sound in existence by high pitching that deep voice.
There was no way someone was actually buying that act, right?
“Very funny, my friend.”
“You’ve been sending murderous glares at Owen all morning. Trust me, we’re not friends.”
“Uhm, duly noted?” It looked like the notion did not registered right, and honestly Noah didn’t want to know how his best bud was viewed inside this guy’s mind. Owen was a lot, but he also was the only human being that could bear Noah’s horrible personality. Therefore, back off. “Look, we’re both intelligent people, and you have way more experience in Total Drama than me. You don’t survive for long without a good alliance, or a good plan.” This guy seemed like the classic know-it-all from class that you desperately wanted to prove wrong.
Unfortunately, he was right. Even worse, Noah was vaguely intrigued.
So much for never having to talk with this guy.
Total Drama this year had started in a rather chill way, considering how his very first experience during Island had begun by launching himself off a cliff. Sure, one contestant had voted himself off immediately, and they had to sing a song to fend off a storm of scarab beetles trying to get on with it, and there was the whole walk into the desert with the constant risk of getting lost and die, and the sailing onto the lake full with crocodiles… alright, he was hearing himself, it got worse. Not winning and not losing for his team was a blessing and a curse, so far they were not the most feared, but also economy class absolutely sucked. The sooner they were going to start winning, the better.
So why not taking onto a potentially good offer? Alejandro was the wild card, Noah had taken his time to study most of his fellow victims, but he was the one that needed the most focus. Honestly, with this alliance, he could have killed two birds with one stone.
One quite handsome bird too… Noah was not blind, okay?
It didn’t mean he wasn’t suspicious.
“So am I part of the alliance, or the plan?”
In Alejandro’s perfectly calibrated smile, something bended in the wrong direction. Like he didn’t like what he just heard, or was genuinely surprised.
“I’m sorry?”
“Am I going to work with you by voting off people and messing up others’ games, or the moment it’s convenient to you you’re going to throw me to the sharks I know Chris is dying to put in some challenge?” Alejandro looked taken back. By being found out immediately or by the implication that this show could get plenty of violent, it was hard to tell. He looked almost… impressed? “I know you wouldn’t tell me if it was the case but try to convince me you won’t somehow, I dare you.” It would have been nice starting playing alliance games before being voted out this time.
Alejandro blinked a bit, a weird smile forming on his face. He looked back at the rest of the group. He indeed chose to wake him up specifically to talk while everyone was asleep. While most of Team Victory – or Team first to ever lose, but he digressed – still looked pretty beat after the day, Tyler was sleeping like a contortionist, Izzy like a pet, and Owen straight up like a boombox.
They were pretty safe, they had been whispering the whole time anyway. Right, no one had to know about this guy’s secret side. After a whole day of being basically the team’s hero, it was interesting hearing Alejandro getting a bit more devious.
“Do you think this lowly of me, Noah?”
“Think is a strong word. I perceive you at best.” A snort, did Noah actually get a snort out of the most suspicious contestant of this season? It would have been almost cute hadn’t those green eyes been eyeing him with such amusement the entire time. Like this was a meaningless conversation, and the outcome wasn’t going to change. Noah didn’t like not having control. “If you don’t have a good argument then I’ll go back to pretend to sleep, if you don’t mind.” He really hated these seats.
He barely managed to make a step away. Noah wasn’t one to regret decisions, not in the slightest. Even to this day the reason he got voted out in TDI felt completely unfair and unreasonable – no matter how much his brothers and sisters had laughed at him afterwards.
Even so, when he attempted to leave and got grabbed by the arm with such might, he did. For a fraction of a second. Then he got distracted by those frustratingly pretty green eyes.
“I do mind, actually. I don’t like when people ignore me.” Alejandro was grinning ferociously. This, this was the person hiding behind that perfect mask. He pulled him in, holding him like they were dancing the tango, their hands united, and the Spanish guy definitely had the upper hand. Again, Noah didn’t like it. “You want me to tell you that I’ll be loyal? I give you my word. Is that not enough? Then allow me to make you my priority. From here on out, I’ll be focused on no one but you. You have Alejandro Burromuerto’s attention, a one in a lifetime opportunity.” Oh wow, what a gentleman. If there was something this guy did not lack, it was self-esteem.
Noah made one single attempt to get free from his hold, only to resign to the fact that if he couldn’t win arm-wrestling against his little cousins, he wasn’t going to get free from him.
At least Alejandro was kind with it. Suspiciously so.
“Wouldn’t you want to reserve that kind of privilege to one of the girls?”
“Oh, I love women. Doesn’t mean I don’t find men dashing.” Oh, well, how about that. “I think that an alliance should be treated like a relationship. I’ll give you my all, so why not doing the same in return?” He tilted his head, showing off a bit more of his neck…
Wait, what did he just think?? Noah counted on his well-known self-control to keep his emotions in check and not letting a single hint of what just came to mind color his face. No. No. No. No. Whatever just brushed his mind was going to steer clear and remain in the void for the rest of his life. Noah had made a very poor performance in the past, he could admit that, and he didn’t even participate to Action. This was redemption time, he wasn’t going to throw it all away for… no.
He opened his mouth. His lips were dry. He licked them, and those green eyes followed the moment. Despite better intentions, Noah looked away. Shame felt cold.
“Why do you have to make it weird?”
“There’s nothing weird about a blossoming relationship.” Alejandro looked like he was having the greatest time of his life, which was hard to believe. Noah wasn’t exactly the epithet of fun. The mockery didn’t burn though. “Although we could have chosen a better place for our first outing.”
“Yep, nope, stop immediately.”
“Are you shy? Is it your first date?”
“Are you being serious right now??” His tone escaped his will, and Noah slammed a hand over his own mouth, right as Alejandro tried to shut him up the same way as well. He found himself pressing the Spanish guy’s hand against his lips, uncomfortably warm. Smelling like musk. Owen let out the loudest snore yet, and they knew they were in the clear. “… just…” Noah took his hand off, immediately feeling the coldness on his mouth. “What’s your plan, exactly?” Right, rationality, comforting calculations. Anything to get rid of this weirdness going around.
Alejandro chuckled softly, grabbing his hand again, multiplying the craziness even further. There was a weird light inside his eyes, of someone looking at something else. The finale? The victory? The money? He was definitely not here.
Nowhere near Noah. Somehow, it pissed Noah.
“Well, you know these people, I’ll need intel. I know that you’re meticulous with your work or Chris would have not hired you before, and I heard your IQ might rival even mine.”
“Take off the might, last time I checked 180 is a higher number than 163.” And there it was again, that baffled yet weirdly endeared look. Noah wasn’t sure how it made him feel, close to how a hamster might had felt being cooed for cleaning its fur right, yet not quite that shameful. It was embarrassing though. “What’s with the face? You just said I know how to research, pay attention.” Yet weirdly energizing too. It was hard to believe it was past midnight.
Alejandro smirked, like only a villain would have, yet from this close it still looked dashing.
“That’s exactly what I need. So, if you handle the data, I’ll process them and take care of the others one by one. No one will know that you helped me, you’ll just have to sit back and enjoy the show.” He kissed his hand, gently. So warm. “Aren’t you happy I choose you, specifically?”
That could have done it, that might have broken Noah’s barrier in a million of pieces.
… if it hadn’t been for the evidence. Noah scrunched his nose.
“You went for someone from your team because it’s easier maintaining an alliance. You don’t like Owen, Izzy is nuts, and Tyler is… well, Tyler. Your ‘specifically’ didn’t include much choice to begin with.” Alejandro looked like a deer caught in the headlights, lips still puckered, as Noah slowly retrieved his hand. Despite everything, Noah couldn’t help a smirk. “Look alive, Mr. Smooth, your small talk is lacking. It’s almost like it’s your first date.” Control was back. Truth to be told, it was kind of the most amusing ‘date’ he had ever been to.
Alejandro gaped a little. Then he laughed, and it felt weirdly genuine, like this was a normal guy and not some monster flirt ready to take down anything and everything.
“Alright, your win.” Dang right it was. “But I still need an answer.”
Right. That. It was all about the game at the end.
“It’s an alliance until the finale?” A nod. Noah frowned a little. Ultimately, there were more pros than cons, but he wasn’t going to take chances. “I have conditions.” Alejandro crossed his arms, as to make him go on. “First. You said I don’t need to intervene, but I want to know what you’re going to do every time. I’m not gonna be caught off guard by your actions.” A safety line was needed.
Alejandro shrugged, a little too lightly. At least he didn’t look bothered.
“I can get behind that.”
“Second. You don’t like him, but I do, so no voting out Owen unless it’s necessary. He will be an ally since he seems to like you despite your attitude, so you’ll need him more than you’ll want to hate him.” The frown Alejandro made screamed how much he doubted that, but he nodded anyway. He was fairly open, or maybe he just knew that Noah wasn’t going to set for anything less.
Alejandro needed him, not the other way around. Right?
“Is there a third?”
“You know how to count, that will come in handy.” The sarcastic comment came out automatic, but right after Alejandro snorted, Noah went serious. He pointed at him. “Third, and most important, no voting me off. You will not stab me in the back, I don’t want you anywhere near the area behind me, don’t even think about my anatomy in general. I don’t like being treated like I’m stupid, and you will not like me after that. Are we clear?” It should had been a given, honestly. Yet there was something devious about this atmosphere, the one manifesting under those eyes filled with schemes. Like nothing was for certain.
Alejandro definitely found it unusual, he was smiling with that lightness way again, like it barely mattered to him. Maybe it did.
“I believe that would defeat the point of an alliance.”
“You’re not using me, that’s all I want.”
“Of course not.” Alejandro smiled that perfectly fake smile. “Don’t I look trustworthy?”
The girls were going crazy for him. Owen was more of a Justin type of guy, but he did confess that he found Alejandro attractive. Noah wasn’t going to believe that the others were not at least fascinated by this person. This vision would have shaken anyone.
Noah included. Thank goodness for his numb face.
“I don’t trust you.” Those green irises darkened. This was going to turn out bad, really bad. “But I’m in.” Or this was going to bring him to the very end.
Alejandro beamed, with no light in his face. It was almost creepy. He extended his hand.
“I hope we’re gonna work well together, Noah.”
Noah held it back, certain more than ever that he had just signed up for troubles.
“Likewise, eel.”
“… what did you just call me?”
***
Anything Yukon Do, I Can Do Better
Noah’s confessional
“So, my alliance partner shot his shot at half of the most iconic couple of Total Drama and made it happen. Not to excuse a homewrecker, although I’m confident the only thing that could break Geoff and Bridgette apart would the demise of one of them, but I’m a little impressed.”
“Judge me all you want, you gotta be intrigued by the length a man might go to get a bunch of cash. It’s like watching a human case… one that looks like he’s constantly on a photoset for a magazine.”
“Another concrete fact, no fluttery, cut this out.”
“Even more interesting, he’s not that shameless with me. He’s almost nice. Although he does have some colorful words about our team when it’s just the two of us, not awful conversations, honestly quite witty too. Such talks will not be mentioned for the sake of the anonymity and just in case one of my little cousins snuck out to watch this.”
“I’m talking to you Rajesh, go back to your room!”
The Am-AH-Zon Race
Noah’s confessional
“I can’t believe we lost against Duo Victory, I think I lost IQ during this challenge, aside from almost losing Owen. The Amazon Forest is officially crossed off summer vacation destinations.”
“Alejandro saved Owen… after leaving him behind. It hit me only after arriving that only he could have. We could’ve won if he hadn’t, which is annoying, but the thing is that when I asked him about it… he said that he didn’t want him around me. Then he said us. Then he said the team, stormed off and I haven’t been able to talk to him since.”
“There’s no way, right? To actually be… there’s no way.”
“… well now, Alejandro Burromuerto. I’m officially intrigued by you. And that is something I wouldn’t wish to my worst enemy.”
***
‘The First Encounter’ of Marc Chagall, a dreamlike lithography of an influential artist obsessed with flying figures and European folklore, able to depict a supernatural atmosphere to the viewer and bring them into a world made of fantastical beings and melancholic sceneries. An adventure of the self, and these moment of two figures taking flight in embroidered vests was truly inspiring… and, once again, not a creation belonging to the Louvre.
Alejandro was so happy that their past trip to Germany did not include the Museum Fur Naturkunde Berlin, because any inaccuracy of the paleontological kind would had freaked him out to the point of blowing his perfect cover. Luckily, they were just paintings.
Nice paintings, at least. A lithography of a romantic moment, ideally.
“Hey eel, the walk-off thingy is about to start. I’m sure we’d like to do everything else in the world, but apparently the whole team needs to be present on camera.”
Romantic indeed. Alejandro grinned.
“Why, hello hermoso, isn’t it wonderful meeting at the Louvre, where loving paintings are hanging all around us?” Perhaps he cringed a bit on the inside, but everything to have Noah look at him with that adorably confused look. He was always either completely uninterested or deadly focused, every other emotion was precious. “Let us take in the moment, and who knows? Perhaps the next artistic manifestation of romance will be with the two of us…” Flirting was second nature for Alejandro, it came almost without thinking.
It usually had the echo of flustered giggles. Not around this guy.
There was always either judgmental looks coming from vague brown eyes, or the whole thing was completely ignored. It was amazing how in a couple of seconds and a few frowns, Noah could turn Alejandro from charismatic charmer to hopeless fool.
It was a bit of a challenge inside the challenge that was their alliance, trying to crack him. So far, not much luck. But man, if it wasn’t compelling trying.
Noah raised the eyebrow of all eyebrows.
“I think a piece of the Venus hit you in the head while I wasn’t looking.”
“I’m just trying to make our first meeting one to remember.”
“Maybe even two pieces.” Noah walked to him, noticing the lithography that looked so out of place with all the other paintings around. He let out a single unenthusiastic snort. “I see. Art inspires or makes you crazy, and I have an idea which one I would pick for you.” No one was this snarky with him in this competition. Why was it so refreshing? “A first meeting, huh?”
Alejandro smiled, taking a small step towards him without him noticing. Noah stayed still. They were looking at the picture without a word, a weirdly complicit silence.
The alliance was going well. Perhaps even great, considering that Team Victory was almost decimated, and Alejandro was getting in the heads of both Heather and Courtney. His team was behaving – well mostly, Owen was in there after all –, and it didn’t seem like someone was targeting them or even knew about the info Noah was providing. Alejandro knew what Cody was weak to, the kind of stuff able to freak even Gwen, and how DJ could be easily manipulated with the right circumstances – if he wasn’t going to jump off the plane himself, which he looked willing to. He knew more than expected and was insanely discreet.
Alejandro hit the jackpot with this guy. It didn’t hurt that he was quite the looker.
Definitely of the subtle kind that took a while to notice, paired with a tremendously intriguing personality. Which was dangerous, because Alejandro had every intention to throw him away if needed, and he couldn’t like garbage.
Wince . Why did it always hurt thinking it like that?
He cleared his voice, stealing another glance to that squared profile.
“What did you think of me at our first encounter?” He grinned, and when Noah gave him another unimpressed look he grinned even more. “For real, no joke. I’m curious.” He really was. figuring out the other contestants’ thoughts was almost unfairly easy. He was different. It was challenging, but also… unnerving, at times.
Noah hummed, eyes fixated to the lithography like it was genuinely that interesting.
“I don’t think you want my honest opinion.”
“I promise that I want-”
“You looked like a show-off and a try-hard the moment you stepped off that bus and you continued to prove it all the way to the first challenge.” Silence. It was almost comical wasn’t the equivalent of kicking him in the stomach. The mood suddenly felt less serene. “You came to a trekking all over the world with expensive moccasins with heels to be higher than the others, pecs out to show who’s boss or whatever, and you wanted all girls to want you and all boys to be friends with you. If that’s not high school rejection anxiety, I don’t know what is.”
Oh. That was low.
Alejandro could hear. He could hear Jose’s laugh from years ago, when he presented his fossil project for the science fair and his brother made the grand show of knocking it all other, only to win with a stupid baking soda volcano. All those mockeries, all those snorts and fingers pointed, and the blood of his blood looking at him like he was a waste of space.
Not here. No, here Alejandro was the cool one, he was the one getting the ladies and making fun of the others. He was… happy?
Anger built up. He marched towards Noah, who backed off until he was against the wall.
“Yeah, I didn’t like that answer.” Alejandro slammed his hand next to his face. “Care to try again?”
Noah was still not reacting. Not to his flirts, nor to his outbursts, neither to threats. Was this person completely empty or was Alejandro utterly meaningless to him? What did he have to do to get a colorful response out of him, something to stop this pinch inside?
Alejandro was not invisible. He was not.
Noah sighed. He sounded almost disappointed.
“I doubt facts from the past have changed in the last five seconds.”
“Try me. I’m sure you can find better words.”
“You think you’re the first bully trying to take something from me?” At the word Alejandro retracted his hand like he got burn. No, wait, no. Flashes of the past were getting annoying. He did not invite them to his head. “Giving up already?” This show was supposed to turn it all around for him. Alejandro hated how he had limits, and weaknesses.
They somehow always found a way out in front of this guy. His façade, his comments, his attitude. He couldn’t hide from Noah’s eyes, and it was maddening.
“Stop that.”
“Stop what? You said you wanted the truth.”
“I don’t want this truth!” It came out with such difficulty and it made him regret it immediately. What was he saying right now? What was going on? Alejandro had been flirting with him just a minute ago, now he didn’t have control over the conversation anymore. “I’m not a bully. I’m not… trying to do anything to you.” That felt wrong on so many levels, starting from what was hiding behind this alliance all the way to… to…
Noah laughed. He laughed. Truly an event.
As quickly as it had changed before, the mood softened.
“You’re devious and merciless, but yeah. You’re to bullies what, I don’t know, enemies to lovers are. A similar strong opponent, but towards different ends.” That felt like a weirdly fitting comparison. In many ways. “Sure you’re evil, ruthless, manipulating, an eel swimming in motor oil.” The point being? “But at least you’re keeping your promises, and I would be lying if I said I’m not curious to know what kind of person you are outside this madness of a show.” What. Was that… an invitation of some sort? “I’m pretty sure they’re looking for us, we should go.”
Wait, not right now. Not when something was happening that was scary and uncontrollable, and that Alejandro wanted to see the end of. In the same unchecked way, letting his body take control, Alejandro placed both of his hand onto the walls around Noah. He was closer this time, noticing the slight bags under his eyes, and the way his lower lip was ruined by biting it out of frustration.
No, wait, focus Burromuerto! Back to charming mode!
“Espera, I heard something peculiar just now. Are you saying you might want to see little old me outside this game? Are you interested in me?” He grinned, yet he dreaded the answer.
Noah looked completely unreadable. It was truly unnerving.
“I said what I said, nothing more nothing less.”
“Let me paraphrase that then, would you enjoy spending time with me? Like getting a coffee or going to the amusement park?” He definitely said amusement park with too much enthusiasm, but this flow was getting somewhere. “What if I also find you curious and would like to see you more?”
Noah huffed.
“I don’t believe you.” He kept saying stuff like that. It was fair and he was right, yet Alejandro hated it every single time. It was like Noah was seeing right through him, yet at the same time he couldn’t even try to perceive him as anything other than a liar. “Whatever happens after this show will happen, there’s no point talking about it now. And what will that be will not happen because of your Latin lover-like moves, I’ll tell you that.”
Harsh and untrue. But it felt normal, at last.
Those heavy steps and that deep voice calling their names – hopefully without bear yeti and seal roars as well – had to be from Chef, therefore yes, it was most definitely time to retreat. With a bit of luck, the fate of Team Victory was going to be in Alejandro’s hands. Perfect.
Lost in the mindset of the strategy, Alejandro almost missed the moment Noah tripped over his expensive moccasins, a bit too close to him. He still managed to grab him right in time.
His hands fell on that slim waist. Noah’s were on his open chest.
Alejandro’s breath was completely lost.
And there he was a genuinely shocked Noah, truly a rare specimen. He was way lighter than Alejandro thought, even for someone clearly not into sports and probably spending his free time reading books in the dark all day. His hair was perfect though, no sign of an imbalanced lifestyle, or maybe he had his friends of family doing it for him. Would that had been weird to ask? Probably so, yet the curiosity was suddenly so pressing, and Alejandro didn’t know how to keep it down. He didn’t know how to keep anything down, both his mind and his chest were agitating.
Noah’s hands moved slightly, making him jump. Alejandro could hear his frenetic heartbeats all the way to his head, so no doubt he got exposed. For what, really? What was happening right now? Then Noah looked up, wonder in his eyes and the littlest blush underneath.
He grinned, and it almost floored Alejandro.
“Alright, maybe a little because of your moves.” Noah moved forward and kissed his cheek. It all made sense. “Just a little.” Noah smirked some more and left him there.
Alejandro stared at pure nothingness, mindlessly brushing his cheek. Then he snorted, then he chuckled, then he laughed freely, and it felt like his entire body got rid of a giant weight. It was scary how little idea he had on how to move from then on, and it was equally terrifying how little he cared right now. He really didn’t want to think about strategy, at least for tonight.
All he wanted was to go back to the walk-off, mock the whole thing, and laugh with Noah.
***
I see London…
Noah’s confessional
“I’m not looking forward to my family laughing at me again. If you thought being voted out for dodging a dodgeball match was priceless, imagine doing it over a guy?”
“Yes, I voted myself out. Yes, I put on an act and made Alejandro’s latest schemes about me. Heather was after us. Maybe I’m cheering for the bad guy, but honestly who cares? This is a reality show, the game will be played, and at the end of the day money do not discriminate no matter who spends them. Am I justifying a manipulator ready to do anything to get where he wants? Yeah, but he’s also one of the very few people that made me feel like I wasn’t wasting space.”
“To win Total Drama you have to be either athletic or charismatic. Alejandro got both. He got this. If I play my cards right, maybe I’ll get a pity party with him to celebrate winning his million dollars… or even if he doesn’t win them.”
“I’d go either way.”
TDWT Aftermath IV: Hawaiian Style – DELETED
Noah’s confessional
“Can we stop doing these things at the Aftermath? I know Bridgette thinks it helps us getting things out and be more comfortable at the actual show, but they never make it to the end. Did any of the tape of Trent crying for an hour got into the show last season? Yeah, didn’t think so.”
”Well, since this will be cut out anyway… sorry Cody, in another life I would’ve sided with you, but you’re not the sexiest man on Earth and you’re not the one making my heart skip a beat.”
“Okay, if you keep that, I promise I will personally hack into the phones of whoever is behind the editing and make their life worthless, so don’t tempt me. Let me swoon in piece over the finest guy I’ve ever seen, and we won’t have a problem, are we clear? Good, because I have a couple of intrusive thoughts I’d like to share so they stop plaguing my brain.”
“I would like not to be a weirdo the next time I see the guy. Possibly.”
***
It was time, the moment all viewers had been waiting for, and Noah was a part of it. In his hands, the chance to make Alejandro richer of a million dollars, he was there to take the show and turn it all around. He had the chance to do a full TDWT ending rewrite with his choices alone, and nothing was going to be the same ever again.
… to summarize, this game was stupid, the challenge idiotic, and the guy Noah had a crush on was even more of a moron for choosing him as his second helper.
Welcome to the finale.
Putting together a dummy sacrifice? Easy enough, Noah managed to rebuild the – buff – Venus de Milo after all. Aiding the guy on his run towards an active volcano? Less simple but still doable, participating to Total Drama built stamina. Distracting Heather’s minions while passing through a lake made out of lava? Honestly, Cody was a good friend, but distracting him and Harold was unfairly easy – something something Gwen and Leshawna are watching. It was a lead that almost guaranteed victory and the million, one Courtney was probably going to take the credit for.
Did all of that matter now that the eel got a sprain? Not really.
“Those ridiculous shoes, I knew they were going to be your downfall at some point!” It was likely not the truth, the path was very unsafe, so Alejandro likely stepped on a rock or something. It didn’t mean Noah wasn’t going to be pissed about it. “I can assure you that no one would have found you less sexy even in sneakers, why in the world would you want to run in heels?!”
Alejandro even had the gall to laugh, the dummy left by his side. He looked uncharacteristically amused, even though his face was all sweaty and it was clear how worried he was. Anyone would have been with a million on the line and someone like Heather behind their tails.
Courtney jumped like a meerkat, turning around.
“I can hear them approaching! We have to go now!”
“You hear that, eel? Get a move on, come on!” Noah helped him get up, with the entire feather gear that Chris had forced the finalists to wear – something about Ku being the god of war and the costumes being approved by accounting and what the heck they made the challenge funnier. It was big and uncomfortable, and Alejandro had taken off the head just to breath. Somehow, he was still heavy. “You could’ve chosen someone buffer to help you out, you know?”
Alejandro smiled. He didn’t smirk, he smiled. What was up with this man since the last time he saw him? He almost looked… happy to see him.
“I didn’t want a ripped helper, I wanted you.”
Crap, right in the feelings.
Noah coughed it out, focusing on the arm around his neck.
“Well, wish granted, you got the least athletic prone guy of the entire cast aside from Zeke, and not even so after he went wild. Congratulations. No way I can help you all the way up there.” Noah didn’t know why he kept insisting on participating to Total Drama, he should have just hacked into the government’s system and become an evil mastermind. Unfortunately, he liked money. “And if I try to get in Heather’s way, she will come at me like an angry bull. Courtney, you go and try to buy us some time.” To go against a crazy lady another equally crazy lady was necessary.
“Hey, I don’t take orders from you!” Courtney pointed at him with the sword she used to cut the ropes, it almost brushed his nose. “I’m here for Alejandro only, so you better watch your mouth!” People thought Duncan was the wild one when they were together. Those people were blind.
Alejandro cleared his voice.
“Countney?”
“Yes!”
“Do what Noah said.” Priceless. Seeing the princess with her jaw on the floor was absolutely priceless. “I’m sure you’ll do a wonderful job, thank you for your support.” Hit and sunk.
Courtney blinked a couple more seconds, giving them a double look, before she put on the biggest pout ever and mouthed something about going only because she wanted to, as she ran back to face the ‘unbeatable force vampire’ Heather. Girls really did everything Alejandro asked, although this one felt a bit too harsh, even towards one of his biggest supporters.
Noah frowned at Alejandro’s still very bright smile.
“Nice work, genius. If she turns on you because she thinks I’m your favorite, that’s on you.”
“What if she’s right?”
“What in the world is wrong with you today??” Noah was done playing dumb, not when everything was getting weird and warm in the most inopportune moment ever. “Why are you sending all these signals? Where did the subtleness go? I’m telling you that you need to focus so you get what you’ve worked so hard for, and all you have to say are these cheesy one-liners? What happened since the last time I’ve seen you?” Noah did not leave this weakling behind when he had jumped off.
Alejandro laughed, again, and Noah was one step away from forgetting his calm demeanor and strangling him with that stupid necklace of his, when those long fingers grabbed his hand. His green eyes got uncharacteristically timid, and Noah seriously wondered if this was the same eel he knew.
“You being eliminated happened. You being gone happened. I just missed you.”
Seriously. Seriously. Noah swallowed hard.
“I-I don’t think you do.”
Alejandro laughed, and gosh, that was a real laugh. No quote and quote to speak of.
“It felt like you were going to say that. Not like it changes anything I feel.”
This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Before Noah even had to time to feel embarrassed and ecstatic though, the familiar screams of girls fighting caught up with them. They were officially out of time.
Noah bit his lip. He couldn’t make Alejandro lose like that.
“Any chance your sprain got better during this intimate moment of ours?”
“Uhm…” Alejandro put his weight and his face betrayed how much it hurt. “Definitely not. I’ll hug the wall until I get to the top.” No way he could have outrun Heather with that kind of strategy, Noah could have helped him, but it was still slow, especially in two… wait… Noah gasped. “Oh, you made a face, got an idea?” Noah stared at the feather mask of the god Ku. He put it on. You could barely see, and the face was completely hidden. It could work. “Hey there, are we at that stage of the relationship where we are comfortable wearing each other’s clothes?”
The serious mood was officially gone, but it was a blessing in disguise. It was easier to think when Alejandro wasn’t acting like his boyfriend or something. Noah took off that feathery vest before the guy could have asked questions, putting it on. The costume kept the shape even though he was smaller, and it was hard to tell who was behind.
Perfect. Noah looked around. There was a small cave on the path, probably made to fit some of the cameras to film the show. He pointed at it.
“Hide in there so they don’t see you.”
“What? Why?”
“Role swap.”
“Role sw-” Alejandro’s eyes turned furious, it genuinely caught him off guard. “Are you out of your mind?! No way, no, take that thing off! Just help me through the path, that will be enough!” He took the head, looking like he was going to break it just to prove his point. “What is wrong with you today, suggesting something like that? How am I the weird one here?”
That felt unnecessary. Even too careful. Was this seriously all because Noah had been missing for a while? What kind of difference did it make? It wasn’t the most pressing matter, and every second meant giving the enemy the advantage.
He grabbed the head too, and so it began the tug of war. One Noah knew he was never going to win, so it was either convincing this hothead or find a plan b.
“I’m literally winning you the competition, what’s the big deal?”
“You are not going up there, that’s final!”
“I’m not keeping the money, they’re in your name!”
“That’s not the point! I… you… urgh!” That groan felt raw and genuine, two words Noah would have not used to describe Alejandro. Then the guy kissed the corner of his mouth, and those felt like the perfect words. “You jumped off planes and escaped alligators and you get Izzy to listen to you and did other dangerous stuff, but I still don’t want you anywhere near that mountain of death! Is that so hard to understand?” The hand holding the head were so tight they were turning white.
Noah could hardly understand what was happening. Lucky things didn’t happen to him. Even being a prodigy kid only brought stress and detached him from life. Yet now he wanted something, someone, and for some miracle the feeling looked like it was mutual. Before he could even think about it, he was leaning in, and Alejandro gasped in wonder as he did the same.
Warm, close, lovely… too bad for the timing.
Well, if Alejandro was being stupid smitten, Noah was going to think for him. So he took advantage of the moment, snatched the head, pushed the other on the ground, and grabbed the dummy from the ground – holy cow Alejandro made it look so much lighter than it actually was.
“Sorry eel, you’ll thank me over dinner!”
“You little…! Wait!” He sounded more worried than angry. It was a relief. Perhaps a bunch of cash was going to reassure him, but that was up to Noah’s short legs.
The top of Kilauea welcomed him with all of its heat, and from underneath the costume it was arson inside his veins. The crowd of people was already there, all looking like a sweaty mess. No Heather though. Noah walked towards the volcano, with the voice of Chris announcing him getting lost in the background. Despite knowing that this was the right choice, that someone like Alejandro would have regretted not taking action, his mind wondered back. The way he approached the kiss the moment Noah did, like he had been waiting for this moment.
How much time did he spend thinking about him? As much as Noah did? Less? More? The same? Had that moment been the last chance he had to kiss Alejandro? Were there going to be more? A million dollars didn’t seem like the right amount in exchange for that. Seriously, Noah was almost disgusted of how much of a corny loser he had become.
He hadn’t been this happy in a while, though. But was it even the same for Alejandro?
“NO!” Ah. Right. The competition. “I can’t catch my… my breath…”
Noah didn’t really have the same conflictual relationship with Heather as other people – perhaps a blessing of having such a short run first season, who knew. That being said, there had always been a weird chemistry between her and Alejandro, one perhaps only born villains could have understood. One Noah was not a fan of. Nevertheless, he was sure that seeing her this exhausted and emotionally destroyed was very therapeutic for the crowd.
It was done. Alejandro would have not missed the chance to gloat, though. It was show time.
“What a sight for sore eyes is your defeat…” Yeah, Noah wasn’t believable.
Luckily the Doberman with the golden tooth looked too caught up in her own pining fury to even notice how higher and crackly his voice was in comparison. She looked ready to take Noah by force and throw him into the volcano, and to be honest he would have hardly been able to stop her.
Yet she stayed there, throwing daggers, yet eyes wet the same.
“I worked so hard! And you’re just gonna steal my mill and disappear from my life forever!” Ah, another one of Alejandro’s conquests. Figured. “How dare you?? You’re shameless! First you flirt around, you make me believe in something, then you suddenly cut everything off! You didn’t give a warning!” What? “Ever since London you haven’t looked my way, and I hate that! I hate you! I hate that I want you, darn it! Why did you cut me off??” Wait, what??
She was still talking. She was, and man Noah wasn’t listening to a single word. London. When Noah had decided to risk it for someone else. The last time he had seen him.
Oh. Oh man. Noah wanted to see him. He wanted to see him right now.
As Heather glared at him expectantly, probably had been for a long while, Noah shrugged.
“Uhm… let’s stay friends?” If looks could have killed, seriously.
What followed was still hard to register inside Noah’s mind.
He knew he had tried to throw the dummy, only for Heather to throw hers onto him. She had managed to win, which left him beyond disappointed despite the crowd’s excited response. Then Zeke had come out of nowhere, a habit of him lately. As Noah had tried to take the chance to sneak off, supposedly to swap back and let Alejandro make the walk of losers, the tug of war between Zeke and Heather got a out of hand. Zeke was launched into the volcano with the money, Heather was shoved on the other side. Against Noah, making him lose the head.
And knocking him off the side of the mountain. The wind whistled into his ears as he fell, it was hard making out screams. Definitely Owen, perhaps Cody, most likely Izzy, calling his name. Then stronger, more powerful, more desperate than ever.
Of the guy he was so lost for. What a nice voice to hear before losing consciousness.
“NOAH!!”
***
What was the line to cross for a guy that kissed someone else’s girl, betrayed several allies and manipulated so many good people just for the sake of a prize money?
Apparently, it was seeing the guy he liked falling from a volcano in the attempt of winning him a million dollars. Alejandro was standing near the bed, so tense he could barely sit down right, holding Noah’s hand for dear life. His frowny face was covered in bruises, he hadn’t woken up since the fall, but he was alright. The costume had been a surprisingly good armor – thank, Ku.
Alejandro had barely managed to get to the top, right in time to witness Heather’s victory and feel the slimmest feeling of disappointment in his life. Then, in a flash, he had seen the absolutely crazy genius that was risking it for him being pushed over the edge, and Alejandro hadn’t stopped shaking ever since. He remembered running like a desperate, with his foot begging to stop and him taking the pain like a punishment for what happened, with people like Owen and Izzy following him. He remembered picking him up and feeling Noah stirring, making him exhale the biggest sigh of relief in his life. And he remembered the eruption, them escaping the water, then Courtney calling her attorneys and bringing helicopters for everyone – except Duncan, but that was her revenge, not his.
The hospital smelled clean, almost no medicine in the air, which actually made Alejandro feel more agitated, like something was off and the worst was upon them. The others left when they heard about his positive conditions, the doctor did as well after tending to Alejandro’s sprain as well. Noah’s hand was smaller than his, but his fingertips were tougher, from using the computer a lot.
Everything of him felt so precious right now.
Another stir. This time with a hum. Alejandro didn’t cry, he wasn’t one to cry, and this was Total Drama. Being injured in some way was part of the process.
Noah slowly opened his eyes. He looked at him.
“Hi.”
Alejandro was crying. He brought his hand to his lips.
“Hey, hermoso. Don’t you dare scare me like that ever again.” This was so far beyond their usual subtleness, but honestly Alejandro was scared and tired. He didn’t want to miss another minute. “How are you feeling? Do you need water?” He wished he didn’t, only to make him stay here a little more. He couldn’t believe how noisy he was being. Noah didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he wasn’t reacting, he just kept blinking. “Noah?”
Noah kept staring, to the point that Alejandro seriously pondered if it would have been better calling a nurse. Then the guy got up and put a finger on Alejandro’s lips. Well now.
“When were you going to tell me you were a vampire?”
… what?
“A vampire?”
“That’s so annoying, how do I do my job now?” Noah poked his lips, and now that Alejandro looked better one of his eyelids was lower than the other. He looked like he got a concussion despite the doctor denying that before, so he either was too tired to think or he finally lost it after thinking too hard. “How do I hunt vampires like you when vampires like you look like… huh… you?? Thing???” Definitely wasn’t thinking.
That finally made his body relax. Alejandro even snorted. This had to be the most vulnerable he had ever seen him, which was priceless to watch.
“Uhm, sorry I didn’t tell you? I didn’t know it myself.”
“I’m not convinced.” Even in his sleep Noah hardly ever let go of his mistrust. It hurt only until Noah let go of his lips and decided to grab him by the collar and pull him closer. The intent was maybe to appear threatening, but Alejandro was going positively nuts. “How dare you being like this? How do I hunt you know? I made a promise to hunt, and if I don’t hunt, I’m hunted instead! Do you hunterstand?” Chris Mclean could have come up with that.
This felt like the parody of an awful vampire teenage sitcom, and it made Alejandro wonder just what kind of stuff Noah was into. He would have given anything to know if the guy he liked was genuinely into love dramas. Alejandro wanted to know everything about him.
He held the hands Noah was holding his shirt with. They were so cold, this guy was always cold. He wanted to warm him up forever. Man, what did this guy do to him?
“So you’re a vampire hunter? And I don’t look right to you?”
“It’s the opposing… opportunity… OPPOSITE!!” Noah’s eyes were so wide opened now that they looked pulsing. This was the extreme, and what a luxury to be the first person ever to experience this moment. Ironically, this was the least frowny Alejandro had ever seen him. He really was pretty under those long faces. “You look right! Too right! How dare you??”
Oh. Oh wait. Oh, now it was interesting.
Alejandro tried to hold back a laugh, because this guy looked dead serious, but seeing the smartest person he knew – aside from himself, duh – sputtering nonsense was histerical.
“You can’t hunt me because I’m sexy?”
“No! I can’t hunt you because you’re sexy!” Noah had officially turned his brain off, and it was the best day of Alejandro’s life. “With your sexy smile and sexy face and sexy body and sexy sexy, do you have any idea how hard it is to focus on stabbing you??”
Alejandro snickered and put his hands on Noah’s back. They were met with a nice gulp.
“Well, Mr. Hunter, I believe you’re playing a dangerous game right now. Teasing your victim, isn’t this kind of cruel?” This was the most ridiculous game he had ever played, but Alejandro was having the time of his life. He passed a finger on Noah’s neck, making him shiver like mad. “Then perhaps I should punish you for it. You wouldn’t oppose, would you? I’m too much of a weakness for you.” He hoped he was. Noah bit his lip. Alejandro followed the movement. “And I really want to have a taste of you.” Vampire drama was officially his new genre.
Alejandro wanted to kiss him. He had been wanting to ever since London, ever since it all made sense. He wasn’t going to resist for much longer.
Noah looked at him with pleading eyes, and it almost broke him.
“Sexy… vampire AUGH!” Suddenly Noah pushed him away, holding hard his head. Right, they were in a hospital, and perhaps the first thought upon awakening should had been calling the doctor. “I hate this stupid job…” That felt more like Noah, although his gaze was definitely still unfocused. He almost fell back onto his pillow, rolling into the cover to get warmer.
Cute. No matter, they had time. Alejandro sighed.
“Alright, let me call the doctor real qui-” A hand promptly stopped him from getting up.
“No.” Noah hid his entire face into the pillow. He was more aware, probably getting back from vampire world. “Stay… with me.” Still unfocused enough to be able to say that.
Alejandro’s heart shuddered. He laughed, incredulous, pushing the call button for the nurse.
“Congrats, Mr. Hunter. You’re killing me.” He went back to holding his hand, feeling the lightest pressure back. He smiled. “I’m now your problem to bear.” He wanted to take everything of him in. He wanted to stare until the image was going to be marked in his brain.
He wished he had the energy to. Slowly, Noah’s image blurred, and everything was black.
…
King Alejandro was standing where he had always wanted, high above everyone else. The castle was celebrating, anywhere he looked there were people dancing for his accomplishment. Madame Courtney was dealing with the dignitaries, without rejecting the attention of a certain grim looking lady, sir Tyler was making a fool of himself by challenging sir Harold to a all-you-can-eat challenge on the spot, with lady Lindsey cheering – probably wondering who was who, knowing her.
The ladies were pleased, the sirs were amused, and Heather of the golden tooth had been banished from the Total Drealm at last. This was a moment of glory and victory.
King Alejandro had taken over. He had finally found his place.
The inept José the jester arrived running at that moment, with that ridiculous hat on.
“My king, the royal authority of this realm! I’m here to announce an arrival!” He tripped before he could continue, because of course he did, then he gestured towards the door with vehemence. “Here he is, sir Noah Sankar, knight of the realm! Here to reclaim his reward!”
He was… breathtaking. In the shining armor of a Spanish medieval soldier, with the stunning chest armor and the symbol of the jaguar on the shield, here to serve his king only, Noah moved forward onto the throne room with everyone saluting him with respect and appreciation. Then kneeled before Alejandro. Despite knowing better, his eyes looked of an unidentifiable color, and it made Alejandro want to get lost in them for the rest of eternity. He moved towards him, and Noah smiled in a way Alejandro didn’t think he was ever going to.
He opened his arms, beaming at his warrior.
“Noble knight, for your actions to the benefit of the kingdom, you can ask whatever you wish for. What is it that you desire more than anything else? Speak, and it will be yours.”
Noah’s impossible eyes never lost a moment of his. Then he stood up, marched proudly towards the king, and took his hands. They were bigger than his, which was simply impossible and wonderful and it gave Alejandro an unknown feeling of safety.
“All I wish, my king, is to stay by your side forever.”
Was there any end to this happiness? Was there a limit at all? King Alejandro didn’t want to know. He just leaned forward, their foreheads touching.
“Then you shall me mine, and I shall be yours, for the rest of our lives.”
The celebration party became livelier than ever after that. Owen the servant was devouring the rest of the banquet without a second thought, José was making a fool of himself like the foolish jester he was – what a delightful sight was that indeed. Then the music started to change, and several couples entertained the ballroom.
King Alejandro took the hand of his loyal warrior, leading him to the center where everyone else was already having fun. With an era of peace in front of them, it was the time of relaxing, of thriving, of loving too. It felt like a better prospective than the secret stash of gold of the dragon Heather could had ever given him. It felt like the kingdom was never going to die, it was never going to stop improving, as long as Alejandro was in charge and his knight was right there, defending him and providing him with infinite affection.
The king looked at the warrior with all of his heart.
Then the hand he was holding disappeared. Noah disappeared. Everything of his beloved kingdom disappeared around him, and Alejandro was alone.
Alone .
…
Alejandro opened his eyes, tired and vaguely upset. Something felt off, but he was too scraggy to pay attention. In front of him the vision of the handsome knight collided with the regular lovely Noah, watching his phone with massive attention, and Alejandro felt happy without a reason.
He cleared his voice, a bit too eager in the tone. Noah didn’t react.
“So, forgetting all the vampire stuff… I think we have a dinner still up?” He was doing his very best not to sound excited. It was hard not to, nothing would have brought him down now.
Only Noah. With those lucid, betrayed eyes.
“Care to explain what’s this?”
Before Alejandro could even wonder, Noah’s phone was almost thrown into his face. Pure freezing cold ran through his back, as his eyes landed on a video of him. Chris did not wait a second to put the show up for international audience, and a compilation of significant moments had already been made. Of all Alejandro’s confessionals in which he talked about their alliance, and everything that was behind it. The truth of it, the worst of it. All meticulously taken before London.
Before Noah’s little act about not trusting Alejandro, giving credit to Heather’s paranoia but at the same time being subtle enough to make her want to keep being suspicious and less hostile. Before Alejandro had voted off for Noah, realizing the true nature of that plan only after realizing that Noah had voted himself off. Before the roller coaster of realization that had followed.
The bliss was gone. The knight had left.
The king was clinging to his crown for dear life.
***
This is not what Noah wanted to wake up to. When he opened his eyes – with the instant flashback of the amount of cringe vampire crap he blabbered, the kind that he was going to pretend it never happened for the rest of his miserable life – and saw Alejandro sleeping on the chair near the bed, he felt like the happiest guy alive. Darn it, he felt happy for the first time in who knew how long. He had been almost excited for what was going to come next, even.
Then he took a look at his phone, to answer back Owen and Izzy and Cody and likely Eva, just to assure he did not achieve dead yet. He wished he hadn’t seen it. Yet, unfortunately, he preferred knowing over not knowing. It saved a lot of trouble against situations like this.
Against people like him. Alejandro looked pale. He swallowed so hard Noah could hear him.
“It… it’s not what it looks like.”
Noah wished he had the strength to slap him on the face.
“You can’t just go with something like that! That’s the worst you could’ve said!” Noah grunted, he wanted to break something, if not this guy’s neck. He wanted to hold him and shake it and destroy him and cry. He wished he wasn’t so spent inside to be able to cry. “Even when I thought I was doing this for you, I was merely following your scheme! What a selfless idiot I am!”
Of course, of course the only time Noah decided to do something for someone other than himself, it turned out this way. Sacrificing himself in London had felt like the rightest choice of his life, and now he didn’t know how he hadn’t heard the laughter erupting after jumping off the plane.
Alejandro tried to grab his hand. Noah slapped it away. It did not ease the anger, and the fact that this jerk had the guts to actually look panicked did not help.
“Noah, I swear, this is not-”
“Are you seriously going to deny video proof? How much of a fool do I look to you??”
“You’re not! This isn’t…! That’s not all of it!” Another attempt of contact. Noah was tired, he was exhausted, and moved away instead of hitting him. Somehow it was enough to stop him. “That’s cut out of context, you know it is! You would recognize bad computer editing anywhere! There’s so much more in there!” Of course it was a montage with cuts all over, and of course it was bad quality like the show was – Chris Mclean’s approved editors were probably paid with coins from the park.
Yet it didn’t erase the content. Noah clenched his hold on the phone.
“So you didn’t plan to turn on our alliance when it was going to be most convenient?”
“Uh, I…”
“You didn’t call me a cocky burnout kid?”
“I- Well-”
“You weren’t going to do the exact thing I told you not to, the one thing everyone did when it was discovered I was a child prodigy.” All those people asking, and asking, and asking, turning what used to feel like a superpower into a curse. One that had turned Noah in what he was now. “You weren’t going to use me then throw me away, right?”
The evidence was there, all in there, no denial. Even so, Noah wished with all of himself that there was something he did not consider, a twist in the story, where the first guy he ever fell for wasn’t the evil manipulator that everyone thought he was. At least not with him.
Alejandro hesitated one second too much, and the truth was evident. Noah was sick of being smart, he was sick of being right.
“Noah-”
“Whatever. It’s my fault, really.” Noah actually laughed, while the world was falling apart inside of him and he didn’t even know how to cry out the debris. “I knew your type, I was aware the moment we made the alliance. I thought that I knew better, but I guess I fell for it the same way all the others did. This is more embarrassing than what happened to Bridgette, what a joke I am.” He laughed again. It burned. He wanted to scream, he wanted to throw a tantrum even. Against whoever decided that he wasn’t allowed to get what he wanted.
This time Alejandro made no vague attempt, he went for it. He grabbed him for the shoulders, forcing him to look directly at him. He looked like he was about to cry. What did he have to cry about? The show was other, there was no point into keeping up the façade. Or maybe he needed him in real like too? He wanted to keep using him?
“That was all in the beginning! I changed so much ever since then, that’s not the kind of relationship I want for us!” He was still so pretty. “Noah…” So infuriatingly wonderful.
Noah looked down, just to not fall for it.
Not again. Never again.
“Did you tell me about this plan of yours, like you said you were going to?” Silence. “Did you avoid voting for Owen?” More silence. “Did you not vote for me in London, even though I was going to be voted out anyway?” Excruciating silence. Noah got free of his hold and turned around, covering himself with the blanket. He didn’t want to see anything for a while. “I want to rest. Leave.” His body was exhausted, yet his mind was all over the place. He hated himself so much.
“Noah, please…” Alejandro’s voice was a plea. In any other situation, that might had been enough. But Noah was broken, sad and tired. He wasn’t going to bend for no one in the world, definitely not for the guy that helped him touch the sky then let go of his hand. “Noah…!”
Fury .
“I said LEAVE!” He had never raised his voice. Not once. His throat hurt.
There was silence. It used to be a bliss between them, during those lonely times on the plane, like they were on the same length and each other’s company was almost too comfortable to be true. Now it felt like a pause, frustrating and maddening, that neither of them knew how to interrupt. The sounds of steps was not enough to take it away.
Noah hated how disappointed it made him feel, like he wanted Alejandro to fight more for this, as there was even something worth saving. They stopped.
“What I have for you is the realest thing I’ve ever felt. In this game, and in my life.”
Noah felt his eyes warm. His heart broke.
“I don’t believe you.” The circle closed. The steps continued. The door closed.
The silence was deafening. He closed his eyes.
…
It was the two of them, laying on a field of grass.
It looked like a college of some sort, it was big and sophisticated, yet it felt like a comforting and calm place to be, the kind he liked. He was seeing it for the first time, yet he knew that there were classes for computer sciences and paleontology, engaging and enticing as he had always wished for. As they did. Even more unusual, that was not Noah and the other was not Alejandro.
There was a gorgeous girl laying down, long chestnut hair sprayed all over and her bellybutton in the air, and the most common looking student ever, with a weird bowl-cut and ugly glasses, laying onto the taller girl’s legs.
Alexandra and Noemi. Their names were obvious, even though they didn’t exist. Alexandra had her eyes closed, while Noemi was reading a book. A stupid book.
Alexandra asked about it. Noemi didn’t answer until she was done with the paragraph.
The explanation began, and the words seemed to created worlds and characters around them, dancing in the air. The background was mutating without warning, yet neither of them were noticing a thing. Noemi was too busy with her annoying explanation, filling the surroundings with more and more unusual sights. Alexandra was looking at her like she hung the moon, her hand passing through her ugly hair slowly.
When the narration stopped, so did the creations, one by one. A cloud manifested all around, covering the two of them. As the whiteness disappeared, Alexandra had leaned down to kiss Noemi on the forehead. The colors around them became softer.
Alexandra told her that Noemi was great. Noemi laughed.
They both laughed, over and over again. A stupid gender swap dream.
…
He forgot how it felt, to feel them pouring down his cheeks. He couldn’t believe that he was actually capable of doing that, still.
When Noah woke up hours later, it was morning, there was no one around him, and his pillow was wet of his tears. He wiped them off, ready to negate their existence to the end and beyond. The doctor had told him that the next day he was going to be released, so at least he was free to focus on his next move to forget about everything.
He got his phone, wondering how exactly to go back home from here, when another notification came up. Seeing that it was Owen, and not Alejandro, made him feel relieved and destroyed. This wasn’t going to go away any time soon, huh?
It was another video. No caps or name, just ‘Document’. Probably done in a rush.
Noah sighed.
“Do I have the strength to go through another one of these?” Maybe Owen caught up about what happened and wanted to warn him too, in a more sincere way than Heather. How nice… “Whatever, might as well be further humiliated.” He pressed the link. It didn’t look the same.
It was not.
Tears came back. Noah started to sob.
***
Super Crazy Happy Fun Time Japan
Alejandro’s confessional
“I do not like this streak of ‘not losing’ we’re having, that has to change. At least I managed to deprive Team Victory of their know-it-all. Noah states that niche knowledge guys like him are dangerous on the long run, and although I doubt it, his info helped.”
“… pff… wait, no, what was I saying? I’m… pffahah… Harold, yes, well Noah did say that he was an easy target and he basically voted himself ou- ahahah, okay, seriously, what kind of line is ‘think of the children’? The delivery was so bad, what was he thinking, I can’t even… ahahahahaah! That guy is not normal, I’m- pffahahahahahahah!”
“Ah… alright… he’s cute, I’ll give him that. He’s really cute.”
Broadway, Baby!
Alejandro’s confessional
“That was very close, although I know what to do if we ever get to an elimination. I need Noah close so Owen is in, unfortunately, and Tyler is useful… sometimes… so it’s all on Izzy, which is so difficult to control. Not for Noah though.”
”Seriously, being the self-proclaimed difficult one, Noah got the most beloved guy under his thumb and crazy girl somewhat follows what he says. He might not have my charm, but he has some. It kind of makes you wonder if he could seriously win, I feel like he’s a bit too moralist in some ways, or at least he’s not as unhinged as others.”
“A one-on-one between us with no obstacles would be interesting, though.”
“Well, I promised to get the two of us to the finale, so why not? And wouldn’t it be nice to face an equal for a change… wait, equal, no I-”
Slap Slap Revolution
Alejandro’s confessional
“So I actually got a sprain while falling from the platform. No one noticed, because of course I didn’t let them, and luckily Heather didn’t suspect a thing. I have her under control.”
“… then Noah came to me and said ‘the cameras are off, I can check your foot’. I feel like I’m the only one that values his brain, but at the same time it feels like I’m amazed by his observation skills each and every time. Or maybe it has simply been a while since someone took their time to take care of me… it felt a bit good.”
“Noah is pretty delicate when he wants… and sweet… cielos, what is happening right now?”
Newf Kids on the Rock
Alejandro’s confessional
“I CALLED HIM MY LITTLE PORPOISE! I TRIED TO SAVE IT AND EXTEND IT TO THE WHOLE TEAM BUT I TOOK HIS HAND FIRST!”
“I’VE OFFICIALLY LOST MY MIND!”
“DID HE NOTICE?”
“HE SMILED AT ME TOO! WHAT WAS THAT? AAAAAAAA-”
Jamaica Me Sweat
Alejandro’s confessional
“Only he could have made such a good time on the skate with Owen behind his back, he’s so smart it’s unbelievable that he’s playing this stupid game. He could be a millionaire just by hacking into top-secret servers all over the world.”
“Well, I’m glad he isn’t, or else he would have been anywhere but here. And I’m glad he’s here, I’m glad I got to meet him.”
“… oh.”
Greece’s Pieces
Alejandro’s confessional
“I’m going to say it, and this will be cut to avoid stirring the fans: I don’t blame Gwen.”
“Yes, what she did was pretty awful, and it ruined her friendship with Courtney, but then again it’s hard to deal with love affairs and it’s hard to judge. How can someone predict how to react when your loved one comes back after being missing for such a long time?”
“… I’m not projecting… shut up viewers!”
Niagara Brawls
Alejandro’s confessional
“…”
“…”
“… oh, sorry, I was imaging- All this talk about weddings made me ponder about… the future… couples… Mr. and Mr. Sankar…”
“…”
“…”
“… this better be cut out.”
Awwwwww Drumheller!
Alejandro’s confessional
“I miss Noah. Alright point taken, I always miss him, but seeing such an amazing rich history all around, that might had been the chance to show off a bit to him.”
“Oh, he would have destroyed Cody for his coprolite abomination, an actual murder on TV and Chris would have filmed the heck out of it! I’m missing the best of his jabs! Perhaps he would have appreciated mine, more than the electric chair did anyway…”
“I wonder if he has an impressed face, somewhere in that monotone expression of his… I wanna see it… I wanna see him.”
Planes, Trains, and Hot Air Mobiles
Alejandro’s confessional
“It’s me, Heather or Cody. A liar against a viper and Bambi. I should be excited to get to the end, I’ll finally win the million and everything.”
“… I want to use the money to move to Spain, where my mother lives.”
“I hate living at home, I’ve been waiting for a chance to make my own future since forever. Only a couple of years before I become fully independent, but anything that makes the process faster is incredibly welcome. This is why I don’t let anyone stop me, this is why I’m merciless. The others want the money, I need the money… or needed.”
“Chris is trying to put together a half-believable semi-final challenge right now, and I’m here wondering if I’m really not regretting anything. I don’t even feel like moving out that badly as before, I still want to, but it feels so minuscule in comparison to the rest.”
“I don’t want to do something that makes me less in pain. I want to do something that makes me happy, something I want. And all I want is… Noah.”
“…”
“… will a million be enough to be the kind of guy he would date?”
***
So, safe to say, Alejandro was at rock bottom. No million in his pocket, hated by the guy he was head over heels for, and with no support to speak of given his family at home and his performance during the entire show. Also, he had no actual friends, how about that.
Did that stop someone like Alejandro, the brilliant and charismatic Latin lover?
… well, kinda. He did cry pretty uglily in the hospital’s bathroom, insulting himself at the mirror until he realized that he didn’t want to be recovered by a psychiatrist. Not his brightest hour.
Looking like a mess for the first time in a while he had exited the Hawaiian hospital, in search for some kind of purpose or comfort, trying to come to terms that he was never going to get mocked by that sarcastic voice ever again. Just as he was on his way to ponder if take the first plan and hope to crash or go back home and isolate into his room forever, he realized the reality of his situation. Right, he was a loser. He lost his love interest, he was worse than the worst, and considering the time spent by Noah’s unconscious side right after the most difficult challenge of his life near a volcano, he was likely smelling pretty bad.
That description was clear identikit. Of a person that, with a bit of luck, was too much of a goody two shoes to have blocked him.
Finding ‘Butter Donkey’ in his phone book was easy. Calling, a bit less.
Alejandro took a deep breath and hit call… it only took two rings.
“AL! EJANDRO! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE CALLING ME!”
So this was how hitting the bottom of the barrel sounded like, huh?
“Uhm, yes, hello Owen.” It felt both shameful and karmic feeling this awkward at talking with the big guy, he was the last one he would have asked for help. Yet, he was the first Noah would have contacted, which made him the unfortunate perfect guy for the job. “I’ll cut to the chase, I’m sure you have your… stuff, to do.” What was Owen into aside from food and farts?
A massive laugh almost made Alejandro lose grip on his phone.
“Yeah I do! Me and Izzy are talking again! She stopped being all smart a while ago but the show was still going, so we postponed the thing a bit, but now we’re here together and-”
The hate, the hate was massive. Not as big as his will to make things right.
“Sì, claro, that’s good and all, but I’m kinda in a hurry right now.” It was half a lie, there wasn’t an expiration date for trying to fix the situation, but it was likely going to be harder down the line. Alejandro didn’t want another minute of this awful situation. “Listen, you know Noah in a way I’ll never understand, you spent so much time with him. You must know best what to do when you wrong him.” That had to be ordinary administration, it was still hard to get how a genius and this glutton were this close, it evaded him.
… or maybe Alejandro was jealous… of course he was jealous. It was the main reason he had directed so much hate towards him, and why he had voted for the big guy despite the alliance. Hearing from Owen about Noah, especially after Noah was eliminated through a plan Alejandro hadn’t known a thing about, had been too tough to bear.
… that didn’t sound better than what Noah thought it had happened.
Great, was there really a saving to this?
“Oh, you got Noah mad? That’s an easy fix, I get him angry all the time!” As expected. “You see, he’s all serious, but he’s actually a pretty softie inside! Just apologize and mean it!”
Alejandro actually laughed. It was almost cute if it wasn’t so sad.
“I doubt it will be that simple.”
“Did you apologize already?”
Alejandro opened his mouth. He closed it. Oh. He begged him to listen, he tried to reason with him, he swore that things were different from how they looked. Because Alejandro was sure they were, but were they? Despite doing it to hide the initial shady motivations, Alejandro did avoid telling Noah about his secret plans. Despite acting out of pure jealousy, Alejandro did vote Owen off. Despite that happening right before Alejandro realized what a guy he had lost, he did betray Noah.
He did. He was wrong. Yet not a single apology came out of that. It was truly the lowest point of his life if he had to admit that Owen was making sense.
“I don’t think I did…” He was beyond awful at doing this.
“Well, that would be good start! Don’t worry about it, just be upfront!” That was actually good advice. The time to act behind people’s backs was officially over. “Oh, and make sure you tell him how much you love him!” Once again Alejandro’s phone got very close to face plant against the floor. “I tell him all the time and even though he doesn’t show it, I know it makes him happy!”
Right, platonic love or something. It was a blessing that Owen was such a simpleminded guy, Alejandro didn’t have the time to unpack that at the moment.
First, fix the mistake. Then the rest… hopefully.
“I don’t think he’ll believe me.”
“Whaaat, but that’s nuts! You were so cute all the time, talking about him in the confessional!” The phone fell. Luckily it didn’t break. “Sorry about that, since I’m an ex-TD winner I got access to special contents on the websites, all the confessionals that weren’t included! Yours are my favorites, I watched them last night!” That was a whole new level of embarrassing. “What?… oh, oh that’s a fun idea! Hey, Izzy says that she could make a montage of your videos and send it to Noah! That’s what she did with her ex-boyfriend with the restraining order!” That was… not shocking to hear.
Shocking was how the video idea was not awful. A bit of cheesy, sure, not exactly his usual romancing method, and out of context Alejandro had no idea if he was going to look pathetic or simply stupid, but if there was a chance at success then he was fine with that. If thousands of flirts had never worked on Noah, perhaps one pathetic act was gonna cut it.
“That sounds good, how long will that take?”
“She started right before you asked, from the looks of it… one minute?” Oh. Wow. “Yeah, she’s still smart, she’s just funnier about it.” Owen sighed lovingly. Stupid in love, huh? For once, Alejandro couldn’t blame him. “I’ll send it to Noah myself, just in case he doesn’t want to open it if it comes from you!” Wow, that was smart – how used was he at making Noah mad?
Alejandro took a breath, not quite of relief but some of the tension was off. Relying on others, he never thought he would have seen the day.
“Thanks, Owen.”
“No sweat, anything for a friend!”
Alejandro pressed his lips together. As much as he couldn’t bear him, Owen was the opposite of a bad guy, quite literally he opposite of him. Perhaps that was why Noah looked so at ease with him. Jealousy and shame were confusing, but Alejandro wasn’t the same as before.
He hoped he wasn’t. Maybe that was enough for now.
“I wasn’t really much of a friend to you. I did things I’m not really proud of.”
“Well, yeah, you were a bit mean… even quite mean, I would say.” Alright, Alejandro could admit the appeal of having a guy being this reassuring. Although the guts of minimizing being slammed with a baby stroller onto a fireman pole going down a thirty-story drop – so Alejandro was a bit vicious. “But you were really good for our team, and you make Noah happy! He was so adamant at helping you at the Aftermath.” Ouch, his heart. “The boyfriend of my friend is also my friend!”
Aaaaand the hate was gone. Like was a big word, as big as Owen, but whatever could happen later was going to happen later. Alejandro allowed himself a little smile.
“You’re really something, Owen. Something hard to understand, but something nonetheless.”
“Aww, thanks!” Izzy’s chirpy and hyperactive voice was erupting from the background, likely after finishing the work. “Gotta go! Hang in there, it will be alright!” The call ended.
Now, stating that his chances at making up with Noah were in Owen’s big sticky hands was the least encouraging affirmation to ever exist, but he could admit that there wasn’t a whole lot that could have been done, realistically. The hurt was there, it was never going to leave, and if after seeing Alejandro’s true feelings through the show Noah was still going to be adamant about cutting him off, then that was going to be the end of it.
At the very least, Alejandro wanted to let Noah know how wonderful he was to him. Even if that was going to be the last time they were ever going to talk.
After the call he resigned at moping around in a close café for a while, with a couple of maids giggling around him. It felt like blasphemy to ignore the female gender, but he also felt like his charm had reached historical lows. Besides, he wasn’t interested.
How was he supposed to ever move on?
Then, a message. Alejandro hoped it was Owen with some good news, hopefully not bad, like mistaking his phone for a hot pocket and ate it – listen, anything was possible with this guy.
His heart stopped when he saw the name. It beat faster than ever when he read the texts.
Alejandro downed the coffee, burnt his tongue, and threw the cash onto the counter before he could even think of where to find a specific amusement park in all of Hawaii – he almost hit the cashier with the coin bouncing against the surface, not his smoothest moment.
After a quick search on the net, it came down to Sea Life Park, the closest place to the hospital Noah had been to. Alejandro felt like the biggest fool of the world, running like mad towards it, accidentally pushing people out of the way and tripping a couple of times more – because yes his sprain still hurt bad and yes he didn’t care one bit right about now. Half of him expected this to be Noah’s revenge, with no one waiting. The other had decided that even in the case, what better way to spend his time then running after the hope alone? He was a hopeless romantic after all.
He was hopeless for Noah after all. The brightness of the place hurt his eyes. It was too sunny and colorful, especially in the eventuality that everything was about to take a bad turn.
Alejandro looked around the entrance. No sight of him.
He paid to get in and explored the first wider area. Nothing.
His chest tightened. He laughed sadly. He totally, definitely, absolute expected that.
What he didn’t expect, was feeling something pointing at his back. Now, ideally Alejandro was a man of rationality, but that had left the house a couple of days ago and at the moment no other possibility other than being mugged was going through his pretty head. He instinctively raised his hands, pondering if this was karma itself armed with a gun.
“Just for the record, my friend, you robbed the wrong Total Drama contestant. You got very close, but missed out.” Why couldn’t Heather get some comeuppance too?
There was a snort from behind. The press against his back continued.
“Turn around.” It was firm and raspy, clearly on purpose, and again Alejandro might had realized what was going on sooner wasn’t for his current mood. When he obeyed, something flashed his eyes, the surprise sending him to the ground. “Tag.” The most monotone voice ever showed itself.
Alejandro was seeing spots of purple in the corner of his vision. And there he was, looking slightly amused, holding a gun. A bit of an extreme revenge, maybe.
… right?
“Is that a laser tag gun?”
“It appears your brain cells are back to work again. I honestly didn’t think you were going to buy it, but that makes for good blackmail material.” It was shuddering the thought of the kind of things Noah could have done with some quality embarrassing content. “Now get up, stop being a big baby. You’re lucky I’ve vented the necessity I had to strangle you through this neat thing.” Honestly, Alejandro was. The world could have exploded to satisfy that.
How lost was Alejandro not to care one bit? He was still on the ground, and he couldn’t take his eyes off Noah. This was bad. He had resigned to beg him to keep being his friend if things were to go sour, but right now he felt sick at the idea that he wasted a chance someone else was going to take. They were at an amusement park, they were together, alone.
At the very least, something was deserved, like Owen had said.
“I’m sorry.” Noah perked up, like he didn’t expect this, like he was thinking of something else. Alejandro slowly got back to his feet. “About everything. I should’ve say it before, I-”
For the first time since he had met him, Noah’s eyes became telling. That cold demeanor was gone, and as they got closer and closer, those brown irises shined of a thought that pierced through Alejandro’s mind, leaving him frozen as Noah grabbed his collar and kissed him.
Shut up, eel . And shutting up Alejandro did.
Lord, he wanted this. He wanted him. More of Noah’s unnaturally cold hands holding him tightly. More of his rough lips against his, again and again, forgetting the need of breath. More of having him here, right now, like they weren’t in a public place with hundreds of strangers giving them weird looks. More of holding him tight, more of licking his lip, more of getting high on the heat that they were creating. He had never wished to stop existing like in this moment, then perhaps they could have kept going forever, embracing each other like they belonged there.
Unfortunately, they were humans, and some not so experienced judging from Noah’s push and the way he started to pant. It did things to his heart Alejandro could barely explain.
Noah swallowed, then he looked up. He was beautiful all flushed.
“That’s cool and all, and I accept your apology. But…” He grinned, and it made all of the doubts and problems inside Alejandro’s heart disappear in a heartbeat. Noah let his hands stop onto his chest. “That’s not what I want to hear from you right now.” Like back in Paris.
Noah was too smart. Alejandro widened his eyes. Then, slowly, a smile erupted, impossible to stop, as he let a hand caress Noah’s cheek as gently as possible.
“I’m in love with you.”
Noah beamed. A one in a kind image. He pressed a hand onto the one Alejandro had on his cheek.
“That’s more like it.” He stared into his eyes, deeply, to ensure he had all of Alejandro attention. Alejandro wondered if he knew that he had everything else too. Whatever he wanted from him, he could get it. Every little thing. “I believe you.” Because he had already given Alejandro everything back, just by giving him another chance.
The crowds around them started to move and get more consistent, in a moment even the open space they were in was going to get tricky to stand in without being bothered.
Tricky, not impossible. It took them at least an hour to let go of each other and go to their first real date. It took Noah just a little more to take Alejandro’s hand, and admit that he was in love too. It took them no time at all to kiss again at the first long line.
***
“… this is cute.”
Pissed off Alejandro was the most endearing thing Noah had ever witnessed in his life – and he had seen a baby panda… well, before DJ hurt him, but what happened in Total Drama stayed in Total Drama. This perfect human being had clear weaknesses, and whenever something didn’t go his way the pout he put on was the equivalent of a three-year-old not seeing adults excited about his toy. How had someone ever taken him seriously?
Granted that the toy on this turn was the world-heritage site of Drumheller, and the adult was the boyfriend he had spent the last five years with.
Alejandro grunted, and Noah felt so happy.
“It took me forever to finally get you here, and this is all you’re gonna say? Cute? Thousands of years of history are not cute, they are cool!” He probably realized how corny he was sounding, because his chest wasn’t as puffed up as before. “The one time I wanna show off…”
Noah giggled, holding his hand.
“Nah, I’m still up for getting my mind blown. Come on babe, set up the dynamite.”
“This condescending tone isn’t too inspiring, you know?”
“What is condescending? My passion for the ancient arts is condescending to you? Preposterous.” The pout was still there, but his lips were trembling and clearly Alejandro was trying to hold back a snort. Noah grinned. “I’ve been waiting all my life to have the full Jurassic something experience, and you’re gonna undermine this enthusiasm of mine? It thought you were better than that, eel.” How did that go from derogatory term to pet name was still unknown to him. Anything to make this hunk laugh. “Okay, which way for the dunk-o-ramus again?”
And there it went. Alejandro had an awful laugh, it was loud and full of snorts and Noah wished it was solid to bask into it. The moment the thought hit his mind, as corny as it was, Alejandro hugged him from behind making him laugh too. Their joyful voices echoed in the canyon.
“I hate you so much, my little porpoise.”
“You love me, and you hate it.”
“You’re right and I hate it.” They giggled more, then Noah leaned back to kiss him. No one had ever understood him like this. He really was the one, huh. “Can you at least stroll with me?”
“You mean we can walk here? We got the whole package today.”
“Noah…”
“Fine, fine.” He pulled him forward, probably failing to keep up the appearances, like he wasn’t excited on his end as well to be here. “Alright, show your stuff, Mr. Jones, but let it be known that I haven’t been swoon ever since that handsome guy from my sociology asked me to dinner.”
“Is that right?” Alejandro grinned and nodded, knowing fully well that guy was him during their only class together at college. He led him forward, and the neo-paleontologist’s speech begin.
Noah was ready to listen to him for hours.
Five years were a lot of time. In five years, Owen had finally become a food critic and got back together with Izzy, in five years Eva had opened up her survival camp, in five years Cody got buff and still had Sierra drooling after him – still to wonder what kind of twisted relationship those two had, but Noah wasn’t in the position to judge. In five years, Duncan had been to prison, again, Tyler and Lindsay got married, Courtney and Gwen started dating, and Chris had been to jail… also again. Years of new realities, of new contestants and challenges – with two different offers for both Alejandro and Noah, to which they both happily gave the finger to. Years of realizations.
Today was that. In a couple of days, they were going to be on the first flight towards Madrid, after saving up for a house and confirming jobs in their respective fields. It took time, effort and an inhumane amount of stress because of someone’s family.
In a small bit, everything was going to be worth it.
The canyon opened up in front of them like several mouths wide and far, in a game of lights and shadows with the wind blowing as their soundtrack.
Noah clenched his hold onto his boyfriend’s hand.
“Alright, I’ll relent. This is beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you.”
“That was so embarrassing, man, how old do you think you are? I can’t believe I’m dating a sophomore!” Noah pushed him a little, only to get trapped by his arms, clearly with no intention of letting him go. Alejandro had clear weak points, and so did Noah. They both knew how to exploit those in the most exciting ways. “Even worse, he’s a jock. Fifteen-year-old me would have my head for this turn of events.” He was kidding but not even that much.
Alejandro laughed, his laugh reverberated in his chest. It was warm and solid, Noah immediately leaned his cheek against it. Even now, after so many years, those heartbeats were fast. They were the reason Noah had decided to believe him, because even with all the schemes and lies and misunderstandings, something remained pure. Something that made him fall hopelessly.
For someone better than appearances. Alejandro hugged him close.
“You’re unusually touchy today.”
“Is that a problem?”
“It’s the solution. To many things, I believe.”
“… you know that I love you, right?” It was a weird, stupid, unnecessary doubt that crawled into his head right now. Before anything else needed to happen, Noah wanted to make sure it was clear. He wasn’t the easiest to understand, and he could be serious too when it mattered. “So much.”
Alejandro blinked, then he smiled. He kissed him, so tenderly it felt like a caress.
“I do. And I love you, so much.”
“Then I have a real proposal for you.”
They knew each other too well. Because they were both so insanely intelligent, but also because they had been obsessed with each other ever since they met, like only geniuses with hyper fixations could have been. So, when Alejandro rolled his eyes with that amused expression of his, Noah knew right away what his words were going to be.
“A proposal, you say?” The goof even tried to mimic his voice, making a surprisingly good impression of him. “Shouldn’t you get on your knee to do something like that?”
Alejandro smirked. Noah smiled.
“Well…”
Alejandro was grinning. Noah was kneeling.
Alejandro wasn’t smiling anymore.
“Oh dios…!” Noah had seen Alejandro cry only twice in his life. One time after Noah had woken up post-Total Drama World Tour finale, quite the woozy experience still. The second at the first and only attempt of a family meeting, when Noah had ripped José a new one and his boyfriend had spent the night apologizing and sobbing. This third time, finally a good reason to let it go, it was definitely Noah’s favorite. “Are you for real?” Alejandro was shaking, this big strong man was barely holding up. All because of the little box Noah was holding in his hands, opened.
They had visited Alejandro’s mom last summer. Aside from being unbelievably pretty and insanely witty, she also got along great with Noah – he thought he was a master at making fun of Alejandro, but she was the queen. Before leaving, she left him this gorgeous ring with a red ruby, passionate like this family. Giving him her blessing, and good luck.
Luck. Had that been the reason they managed to get this far? If Noah had acted even a little differently, were their dreams going to be shuttered forever?
He didn’t know. He didn’t care to know.
“Believe it.” All he cared for was the man in front of his eyes, those dazzling green eyes screaming yes before the question was even spoken out loud, and the rest of their lives to nurture this eternal alliance of theirs. “Alejandro Burromuerto, will you marry me?”