Meeting Alex [ Cantarella x Delicate ]

[Delicate]

Title: Meeting Alex.
Authors: @Cantarella @Delicate
Pairing: MxM.
Genre: Romance.
Setting: Realistic, College.

---

I thought it would be over in high school! Sam found himself thinking. A circle of people had formed and trapped him with the behemoth of a man in front of him. "What's wrong, Sammie? Is the little faggot gonna cry?" James shoved Sam with both of his hands flooring him effortlessly. The predator was a foot taller than the prey; he could have easily used one hand to the same effect and probably humiliate him even more. Sam watched the faces around him; those laughing, whispering to each other, and those in the back trying to get a good view all disgusted him. How is everyone else okay with this? I thought college kids were different!

Sam knew James from his former high school wherein he had a reputation as a bully. It seemed like the brute was intent on reestablishing his former infamy in a new school. Sam was not even expecting James to be his colleague in this prestigious school given his barely-passing grades in high school but apparently athletic talents can get you far in this country. Sam knew his day was off to a rocky start as he saw James across the corridor. As soon as their eyes met Sam's face revealed his freight, and he knew James was just itching to get his hands on him. He had just been given his dorm keys by Mr. Dennings in Student Housing. He was supposed to take room 213. Judging by the floor map he was handed, that room was in the dead center of the floor. Surrounded by rooms all around him, with the door opening to the student lounge where a lot of students normally congregate, the location wasn't ideal for an introvert like Sam. He'd have much preferred a secluded room on either side of the floor, preferably close to the stairs for ease of access to class and away from the busier restrooms, elevator and lobby areas. He was told he shared the room with someone but he wasn't given a name.

"James, I'm surprised they got your head out of the coach's ass" he spat out, his voice shaking behind a veil of faked bravery. Once on his feet the smaller guy picked up his glasses, put them in the pocket of his hoodie, and brushed his long hair back. "What did you say to me, you bitch?" James asked but he punched before he could get a snarky answer, sending the cocky nerd reeling with pain towards the wall. Sam felt his nose with his index finger then looked down at his hand, rubbing his fingers together and smearing the red liquid on all his fingers. Blood. The reality of the situation dawned on him. "Leave me alone, jackass" he darted at him, his voice trembling with pain and his eyes starting to water up. Summoning his strength he curled his bloodied fingers into a fist and twisted his whole body in a punch. He hit the larger man on the chest square in the chest only for James to smile back at him tauntingly. "You punch like a fucking girl" he insulted, and then punched Sam right in the stomach making him drop and curl in pain. Had it been exam week, Sam would've been able to barter tutoring help or doing homework for him to be left alone, but this was the first day of school and James wanted to make it known to everyone that he was the top dog in Allen Hall Dorms.

"You leave him the fuck alone" a voice called out from a distant, angry. The gaggle of bystanders all turned around to see its source; a dark haired, broad-chested, big-shouldered muscular guy the same height as James striding towards him. "How about you pick on someone your own size?" he shoved James away then walked past him and reached his hand out towards Sam, helping him up. "Aight aight.. pretty boy got himself a knight in shining armor. Miss me with that gay shit" James said showing his hands and walking out of the ring that had formed around the scene. The interruption only slightly annoyed James. He had caused the scene he aimed to cause, and thus few would dare cross him.

"Thanks" Sam said after wiping away his tears and pretending they were never there. "I'm Sam. Thank you so much for helping me." The long haired guy put on his glasses and looked at his savior. Oh my.. ​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex was lost. No, scratch that- he was lost as fuck. He held up a little paper map, squinting his dark eyes to try to make heads or tails of it, the twisting corridors, the manifold lobbies and offices and other and sundry scholarly bullshit. He sighed. Why did schools insist upon being such mazes? He couldn't read maps anyway. Why the fuck did he bother using one? With a grunt of frustration, he crumpled it up and was considering chucking it, but then he noticed a jeering crowd gathered in a circle around two figures. Two men, he realized, by the antagonistic voices emanating from the inside of the circle. Alex stepped forward, holding the crumpled up map in his fist and curiously taking a peek. He used his bulk, his height, to his advantage, as he stood head and shoulders above most of those gathered. It allowed him to peer directly over a short blonde girl, and he gently placed a hand on the shoulder of a medium-height man to his right, muttering a polite "excuse me, man".

What Alex saw through the throng of cheering and jeering bodies disgusted him. A large guy about the same size as he himself was, was fucking with some skinny shorter guy. Alex, as it turned out, had a strong sense of justice, and to see some jock fucking up someone who clearly couldn't defend himself- it boiled his blood.
"Aw, fuck no," he muttered, stepping closer. "Not on my watch, you don't."
He chucked the balled up map at the back of James' head, not enough to hurt, of course, but enough to catch his attention, hopefully.

"Hey!" He yelled over the cacophonous crowd, his voice a deep, booming noise that carried like a theater kid's. But he couldn't have been a theater kid, surely- Alex looked just as much like a jock as James did. "You leave him the fuck alone!" He strode forward, wedging himself between the jock and the little nerdy kid getting his ass beat. See, now, Alex was a bigger target, but it would take significantly more to drop him. Something most bullies typically wouldn't even consider, as most were typically after weaker prey. But luckily for them both, James walked away, but not without some final snipe at Sam.

"Shit, man. You alright?" Alex asked. "Your nose is bleeding. What the fuck was that guy's problem?" He asked, looking Sam over for any further injuries.
Alex, as it slowly became evident to Sam as he put on his glasses, was an absolute unit of a lad. Even at only 18 years old, he stood at a staggering six-foot-six-inches, with broad shoulders, a distinctively V-shaped torso, and had dark, slicked back hair, dark eyes, and olive-toned skin. He offered his hand to Sam, flashing him a winning smile.
"Nice to meet ya, Sam. I'm Alex. And don't sweat it- I can't stand fuckers that beat up on people who can't defend themselves. Shit like that boils my blood." He reached into his dark-washed jeans pocket and fished out his key.
Room 213.
"Got a question for ya, if you can handle it. I'm lost as shit. Do you happen to know where the dorms are? I gotta get my shit together, meet my new roomie, I suppose, but..." He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "I can't remember where they are."

 

[Delicate]

Sam's eyes widened as they met his savior. He's fucking hot. Alex loomed over Sam by over a foot, his dark eyes peered right into Sam's soul almost undressing him. Sam found himself biting at his lips like an abashed bride as he studied Alex's handsome dark features. "Nice to meet you too Alex!" he beamed, already seeming to forget the beating he'd just been through. He wiped his bleeding nose dry with a napkin. His nose stung every time he dabbed it with the tissue. "Oh absolutely I can help you find your room!" he excitedly proclaimed, already grateful he had the opportunity to repay Alex's kindness and also stay around him. "Ah.. well" he scratched his head as he looked at the mp and then Alex's key. "I guess you can scratch meeting your new roomie from your list." he winked playfully. "We're roommates!" he cheerfully announced, "What a coincidence! Its almost like a movie!"​

"You're in room 213 too? Talk about serendipity! I guess we'll get plenty acquainted in the coming months, man." Sam smiled at the jock's friendliness. Not all of them are dicks, he thought fondly.With that, Sam led his new roommate to their room. Because it was in the direct center of the floor, the two had to walk across multiple crowds and rings of congregating students. Sam recognized a few familiar faces from his high school days and wondered if his reputation as the openly gay student would transfer to his university as well. For the largest part of his teenage years, Sam had kept his sexuality a secret. It was only during his junior year of high school when he openly confessed it to a guy he thought was cute and had considered him a friend. That student would go on to laugh in his face and spread the 'joke' around until Sam went from being a loner nerd to becoming a punchline for a lot of gay jokes among his classmates. He'd hoped his reputation would escape him in college but he wasn't going to deny his sexuality to anyone. He was comfortable with whom he was and would proudly embrace it.​

Their room was tiny, but it somehow managed to house their two beds and then two desks for each of them to study and dine on it. They had a weird, almost out of place, tall table standing by the door. "The beds look sturdy, at least. Which one do you call dibs on?" he gestured to the beds like some sort of tour guide. "I'll take the one furthest from the door, if you don't mind. That one there, under the window." Sam nodded obligingly at the man. "Over here we have our desks. I kind of want that one" he pointed at the one closer to the window "I like reading under natural sunlight, but I'll take the other one if you want" he meekly added. "Don't sweat it! I prefer artificial light anyway. I'll take that one over there. It'll suit me just fine; it's closer to my bed anyway."

"The good thing about this place is that we get our own bathroom. The other dorm halls force students to share the gross public bathrooms. Its worth the extra hundred we pay in rent in my opinion." "Yep, definitely worth the extra dough for a bathroom to ourselves. I'd rather not have to live through the horror stories I've read about dorm bathrooms." Sam sat on top of the desk he was assigned and then placed his backpack next to him. "I think we could put a microwave there on that goofy looking table. It would look cute, don't you think? Oh and sorry if I'm talking too much. I'm just really excited to have a roommate!"​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex studied Sam's much smaller form again, this time not in the sense that he was checking him for injuries. It was an innocent glance, all things considered. After all, Alex was sure he didn't swing that way. He had never been so sure of anything- he knew he was straight. He had to be. But he figured it wouldn't hurt to look. There was nothing gay about looking!

Sam was adorable. He was small, wiry, bespectacled, with long, dark hair and a sweet, innocent-looking face. He didn't exactly look his age, skewing more youthful. If Alex was the sort, he would have to admit that Sam was cute. No, more than cute- downright adorable. He looked like his eyes would sparkle with mirth when he smiled or laughed, and perhaps he had cute little dimples to boot.

Any untoward thoughts Alex may have had dispersed into a single-minded goal of getting through the throngs of students. Alex didn't let on, but he hated crowds. They made him uneasy. But given the sheer size and bulk of him, the other students gave him a wider berth. Within the span of a few minutes, the two young men arrived in the dormitories, and Sam inserted his key, pushing the door open.

The accommodations were spartan, just as Alex had expected, but that did not deter him. His dark eyes skimmed over the walls, and he muttered to himself.
"Poster here... Some lights there... Oh yeah." He smirked, crossing his muscular arms.

With the room evenly divided between the two young men, Alex dropped ungracefully on his bed, chucking his backpack onto the ground with a dull thump of heavy books and other miscellaneous school stuff. He gave a pleasured little sigh, his eyes dropping closed. He breathed evenly through his nose, his mouth quirking upward into a little Cheshire grin at Sam's excitement.

"Nah I'm not an athlete. I used to watch a lot of sports though." He confessed. The only reason he'd watch sports was because he found most of the athletes extremely hot. "And I could see that. You're very handsome and you have a nice body, of course a lot of guys would have a lot of crushes over you" He shot him a cheeky grin.

Alex's eyes snapped open at the friendly little flirtation. His lips curved again, though this time to a more demure sort of smile. "Thanks, man. Not too bad yourself." He admitted, thinking nothing untoward of this exchange.

 

[Delicate]

"Not too bad yourself." Sam chuckled at the response. Straight guys had this habit of trying really hard not to accidentally say something that could be misconstrued as slightly gay. Sam thought the stereotype was accurate but also utterly adorable and funny. They'd build a facade of confidence when complimenting another guy's looks and cower behind it, hoping nobody would poke holes in their shield and question their sexuality. I could have fun with this. He beamed at Alex with an exaggerated smile and aura of sarcastic vigor. "Oh really? You think I'm cute?" His voice sounded comically cheery but only slightly genuine like when a cheerleader is excited that the captain is hitting on her. "Oh my god! I think you're cute too!" He purred at the jock then jumped at his own bed, his face resting down on the pillow. "Its okay I know you're a straight boy. I was just teasing you!" He clarified quickly before Alex could say anything. He merely wanted to jest with the hot jock rather than give off the impression that he was weird. He shot him a playful wink. ​

​

Alex chuckled, closing his eyes again and leaning back on his pillows. He lie on his back, legs splayed open, his arms cradled behind his head. "Yeah, man. You're not bad-looking at all. It don't matter if I'm straight or not- there's nothing gay about looking." He meant it in the kindest way, of course. But he had to admit to himself, the way Sam seemed to melt at his compliments was endearing to say the least. He shifted, picking up his extra pillow, a heavy memory foam one he brought from home, and chucked it at Sam playfully.​

Sam caught the pillow and giggled, then threw it back at Alex's bed but not directly at the man. It landed a foot away from his legs. "So are you free? I was thinking we could go shopping for apartment stuff!" It seemed like a good time as any. Sam knew that the nearby Target would get flooded with students come next morning, and he preferred to get a head start and beat the traffic. He also didn't want to go the day without showering and he knew he didn't yet have a towel in his new place.​

​

"Free as the dust on the wind, my man. We can take my old beater to the store to pick it up. Which would be better, do you think? Bed Bath and Beyond, IKEA, or Best Buy? We might have to go to multiple, but I don't mind. It ain't too far from each other. In fact I'm pretty sure they're in the same shopping plaza. Lucky me."​

​

"Yes! I'll make a list of the things we need so we can decide where to go! Shout out stuff at me." Sam proceeded to look through his backpack. It took him seconds to whip out a notepad and a pen; he knew exactly where he kept them. "Hmmm, lets see.. We're gonna get Mr. cute microwave with his cute little tall table." He jotted down as he said the words. "We'll need some food, probably microwaveable stuff. They gave us a pretty mini-fridge for these things." He pointed with his pen at the mini-fridge that sat across from the twin beds, next to where the microwave would be. "Uhm, bathroom supplies?" He suggested after seconds of biting on the blunt end of his pen. "Like soap, shampoo, tooth paste, toilet paper.. OH I know the bathroom is missing a mat. We also need shower curtains.. well, 'need' is a strong word." He giggled at his lewd joke. ​

​

"What do you think about blackout curtains? I dunno if you're the type to wake up from the light, but even the moonlight drives me nuts when it's too bright. Hmm, definitely bathroom stuff. How about a toothbrush holder, so we can keep ours separate?" He tapped his chin, thinking.​

​

Their conversation went on for another thirty minutes, then the two roommates embarked on their journey to buy the furniture and supplies they needed.

 

[Cantarella]

The two young men chatted for awhile, making a list of the things they would need for their little dorm room. Alex continued to lounge on his back, already a little worn out from the events of the day. It had been a long day already, from waking up earlier than he was accustomed to, to his arrival at the school, and then the altercation between the two men and the bully. Of course, the jock wouldn't have traded any of it for the world, and unbeknownst to him, his life was about to drastically change, and in ways he never would have expected.

Eventually, Alex stopped lounging on his narrow little bed, sitting up and giving a deep stretch, groaning deeply in pleasure. He tilted his head back, his rich, brown eyes falling closed.
"Fuck. Right, then." He grunted. He swung his legs off of the side of the bed and stood up, rearranging his little nest of blankets and pillows into some semblance of neatness. The jock patted the wrinkles out of his pillows for good measure.

"You about ready to head out?" He inquired, patting his pockets to find his keys. They were a visible bulge in the pocket of his jeans, letting out a satisfying little jingle as they banged together. Between them, they had decided on a couple of different shops in the plaza, mostly going off of price and availability. Target would be first, they had decided.

"Yeah I'm ready! Let me grab my hoodie, its cold out!". Sam then proceeds to put on his white hoodie, spray some cologne, and then wear his navy-blue sneakers. He rushed to the door shortly after in hopes of not keeping his new roommate waiting for more than a few minutes.

"Oh, by the way, do you have a car too? Wasn't sure if you knew how to drive too. Not that I mind taking my car instead." He flashed a wolfish smile, his white teeth a string of pearls in his moist, pink mouth.

"Ahh.." Sam started uncomfortably shuffling, then he scratched the back of his head before collecting his thoughts. "Er, you see, I can't drive. Its kind of embarrassing but I don't know how.." He confessed, his cheeks flushing red as he revealed his incompetence.

Alex chuckled lowly in his chest, stalking forward and draping an arm across the yoke of Sam's shoulders, giving him a pat on the back. "Don't sweat it, man. Hey, how's about I teach you?"

"What? really? I don't know.. I'm scared I'd wreck your car.."

That comment carried Alex's good-natured chuckle to an uproarious guffaw. He took a few minutes to recover from it, wiping tears from his eyes. "That's a good one, Sam. My car's a fucked up piece of shit anyway. Hell, another dent might add character to it." He chuckled again, beginning the sojourn to the student parking lot.

 

[Delicate]

That comment carried Alex's good-nature chuckle to an uproarious guffaw. He took a few minutes to recover from it, wiping tears from his eyes. "That's a good one, Sam. My car's a fucked up piece of shit anyway. Hell, another dent might add character to it." He chuckled again, beginning the sojourn to the student parking lot. Alex's laugh was contagious. Sam found himself hypnotized into joining the laughter almost without agency. "Oh, well I guess that works" he muttered after catching his breath. There was something endearing and attractive about Alex's spirit. The warmth in his laughter spread to Sam effortlessly, it made the burly man shed his intimidating coat and don the mantle of a friendly giant. "Thank you, Alex. I really appreciate it!" He murmured, his smile remaining resilient. The butterflies still in his chest, he followed his roommate towards the student parking lot. I really hope this goes well, he thought to himself as the two reached Alex's mess of a car.​

​

It was a silver 1998 Corolla. Its bumper was slightly sagging, a mild accident apparently cause it to hang loosely in the air. The fenders had multiple dents and spots of chipped paint. An ugly blemish marred its front hood, a gruesome scar coursing through its windshield. He wasn't kidding, Sam quickly realized as his friend tossed him the keys. The doors were functional and the seats were comfortable, at least, and it seemed the space inside the vehicle was ample enough to accommodate a sizable amount of groceries and small furniture pieces. "Nice ride" he instinctively said to his roommate, a shot at politeness driven by courtesy. "Do the seats go all the way down?" He teased a flirtatious joke to take the edge off. He didn't want Alex to feel ashamed of his car. It was more than anything Sam had, and Sam truly appreciated his new friend's willingness to teach him how to drive and volunteer his own car as learning equipment. Alex guffawed and gave a little snort. "Sure, if you don't want them to ever come up again. At this point, though? Might give me points for style."​

​

When Sam sat on his seat, the pressure quickly descended on him. He swallowed nervously and bit on his lips peeling a layer in the name of stress. Oh god I'm going to wreck this man's car. After sealing the seat belt over him, he turned the car on, and the mechanical beast let out a sickly roar. Sam turned to his friend for guidance, visible shaking. "Ah, what do I do next?" Seeing the slight quake in the smaller man's form, Alex slipped a hand onto Sam's shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze. "Take a breath. Relax. It's not gonna bite you. Now, first thing's first. We need to reverse out of the spot. See the little stick, there? You're going to want to move it to 'R'. Keep your foot on the brake for now. Okay, good. Now, be aware that while we're in reverse, the steering is in reverse, too. I have power steering on this piece of shit, so you won't have to crank the wheel too hard to get it movin'. So, instead of moving all the way to the right like you would if we weren't in reverse, you're gonna want to move the wheel to the left. Gently. Move hand over hand."​

​

Under Alex's guidance, Sam dragged the car out of the parking space. The student parking lot was narrow and dark, but at that point of the day it was mostly empty. With only one foot on the break pedal, Sam slowly ushered the car out with gentle taps, then pushing the gear stick back to D, he felt the car hiccup before it drove forward with his hesitant steps. He kept the speed at a bare minimum in the tight area until he drove to the end of the row of parking spaces then turned along the ramp descending to the ground floor, and then from there out to the main street. Sam's heartbeat was racing as he drove in the open next to the few other cars in the road up to a red stoplight which prompted him to stop. "Its not that hard! haha" he celebrated his triumph, his voice elated and jubilant. "Target is only a few blocks away right? We should be there soon!"​

 

[Cantarella]

All things considered, Sam did a phenomenal job getting the sinking ship of a car out of the parking space and down the ramp, exiting the student parking lot with ease. Alex had come into this fully expecting some new dents on his car, and was pleasantly surprised that no such thing ended up occurring. However, it was too soon to start cheering. Instead, he murmured words of encouragement to the smaller man, very careful not to startle Sam into suddenly jerking the wheel. The car made guttural grinding noises as it went, but it continued to chug along reliably.
It's a piece of shit car, Alex mused, But it's my piece of shit car.
A smile curved his lips as he thought this, a chuckle rising in his throat.

"You know the way, right? You're gonna want to take a right on Birch, about a half mile up this road here. And then from there, hang left at the stop sign. You'll be able to see the IKEA from there, and the Target is across from it." Alex instructed, gesturing with his broad, tanned hands for emphasis.
"Oh yeah, I see it." Sam lied. He didn't want to look away from the street to spot sign. He knew precisely where Target was but he elected to not interrupt Alex's explanation. His voice was too soothing to interject.


"Take it slow and steady, and get comfortable. No one else is on the road here, and the speed limit is only 35. It's alright, you can drop your shoulders. You're a natural." Words of praise spilled past Alex's full lips, and he gave another squeeze on Sam's shoulder, smiling gently.
Sam felt himself sag comfortably in the seat. Alex's commanding presence and encouraging compliments inspired him with confidence to drive calmly, a pink blush appearing on his cheek as the jock squeezed his shoulder.

It took mere minutes to reach the intersection between Birch and Sandalwood, and despite himself, Alex tensed a little. "You got this, bud? Right turns are easy, and the power steering on this old thing means that you won't have to crank the wheel. Slowly turn into it, it's kind of sharp. Not too slow, or you won't make it. There... Just like that. Perfect." Alex cooed.
"Ohh, okay. Like this? Ah. That's fairly straightforward"

Right past that was the aforementioned stop sign. Alex's dark eyes, such a rich, chocolate brown, flitted briefly from the road to Sam's face. His features were smooth, unbothered. He had faith that Sam could do it. So far, the man had done brilliantly, and Alex had the utmost faith that things would continue to go smoothly.
"Okay, now, this is a left turn. It's a bit trickier, but not all that different from what you did before. No need to apply the brake on this one, just coast until you slow a little, and then turn across. Be aware of your lane."
Sam bit on his lip, holding his breath as he took the sharp turn. "Well, that wasn't too bad." he exhaled.

And finally, they were there. The Target's sign, that big red target, glowed faintly in the twilight. The parking lot was mostly empty, with a prime spot right at the front, perfect for Sam to guide the car into. Alex's heart swelled with pride within his chest.
"You've done great, Sam. Hard part's over. Try to park right there-" he gestured with a finger, "- in front of the doors. It's a perfect spot. Now, all you gotta do is watch your corners and edges. It'll take some practice getting right, but there's no shame in backing out a few times just to make sure you're perfectly within the lines. In fact, that's better than accidentally double parking or getting too close to the other spots and having someone ding the door."
"Aye aye captain" It took Sam a couple of tries but he eventually managed to get the car aligned perfectly with the parking space. "Do you have enough space to open the door on your side?" Sam asked as he looked on the passenger side trying to discern the distance between the car and the car on the side. "I think its good right?"

Alex slowly cracked open his door, and found there was ample room to move. He flashed his most winning- and most disarming- smile, his teeth a string of pearls in the wet cavern of his mouth.
"Perfect! You're a natural, I tell ya!" He slipped out of his seatbelt and exited the car, slamming the door hard behind him, enough that it rocked the entire vessel a little.
"Thanks Alex! You're a fantastic teacher honestly! I really appreciate your help!"
Alex shook his head. "Don't sweat it. We'll have to do this more often, yeah? "

 

[Delicate]

"Absolutely!" a big grin adorned Sam's face. He exited the car and slammed the door behind him, high on the adrenaline rush of his successful journey. The air around him seemed lighter, almost pushing him towards Alex and the entrance to the supermarket. The shorter man skipped to the front door happily. "Hey I drove us here, that means you get to push the cart!" he teased, tossing the key to his roommate. ​

​

Alex chuckled in approval once he had exited the battered old car, carefully shutting the door behind him. The car was ancient, and he feared that one day, not aware of his own strength, he'd shut the door too hard and the glass would explode in a shower of broken glass. It was unlikely at best- Alex was a strong lad, but he wasn't that strong. Expertly catching the tossed keys in one hand, Alex walked the six feet to the cart corral. He grabbed the cart closest to him with both hands wrapped around the handle, giving it a cursory wheeling back and forth to check the glide of the wheels. Nodding in satisfaction, he whipped the cart around and followed Sam inside the store.​

The store was almost empty that early in the day. The cashier raised her eyes from the phone to look at them as they emerged from the door then gave them a curt smile. "Do you like fruits? I feel like you're the sporty type" he teased, leading the way to the produce section. He picked up a hand of bananas, electing the greenest one he could spot. "Okay maybe I'm weird but I always buy green bananas because they last longer" he confessed. "We can get more yellow ones if you want but you know, green ones are usually harder". He giggled. Why did I just say that? he immediately cringed at his lewd humor, wondering if maybe he was making Alex feel uncomfortable. ​

The automatic doors sighed open, the expulsion of conditioned air ruffling Alex's dark hair. Noting the cashier's eyes upon them, Alex flashed a winning smile and lifted an arm to lazily wave until Sam asked him about fruit. He shifted his dark eyes from the cashier to Sam, a grin still plastered over his masculine features. "In moderation, bro. Fruit's got too many carbs. Gotta watch my girlish figure, ya know?" He chuckled, removing his hand from the cart and slapping his abs, his hand colliding with the washboard surface of his belly with a loud slap, affirming the solidity. The lewd humor, however, was right up Alex's alley, and he near doubled over with laughter. "Riiiight. If you insist." He shot back​

"There is apples and oranges there if you want any of that healthy stuff" he pointed towards the wall to their right where copious varieties of fruits were piled up. Turning the opposite way, he picked up a bag of almonds and another of pistachios and threw it in the cart. "That's as healthy as I get" he joked, trying his hardest to silence the part of him that wanted to make an inappropriate joke about buying nuts.​

Despite what he'd said, Alex grabbed an assortment of fruits. The aforementioned bananas- firm and green. But now it was Alex's turn to rib Sam a little, noticing the assorted nuts in the cart. "Like nuts in your mouth, do ya?" He chuckled​

Sam giggled at his roommates joke. He so gets me, he thought fondly. They strolled past the produce section and the eggs corner, and past the wall with different types of meats sold in packets. Italian, German and Jewish sausages, bacon strips, turkey slices, roasted beef strips, and marinated whole chicken filled the shelves. Realizing they weren't exactly capable of cooking such foods in their tiny unit, they skipped past the section without picking any items. "Damn. The last time I saw this much sausage at the same time I wasn't at a Targets!" Sam's itch escaped his lips in a blurt, a childish giggle snowballing into a fit of hearty laughter. ​

Alex, too, chuckled. "Damn, man, you're off the chain today! Had too much sugar or something?" He inquired, briefly drawing close and looping a well-muscled arm around Sam's shoulders and slapping him on the back.​

The next section to meet them had boxes of drinks of different flavors and colors. They stopped the cart at the start of the aisle and Sam reached down to a box of orange soda. He heaved the box of metal cans, biting his lips and holding his breath, struggling as his knees shook, while feigning strength to shield his ego, and slid the box to the bottom rack of the cart. Looking up at his muscular friend behind the cart handle, Sam smiled. "I hope you like orange soda!" he murmured, wiping his brow. "There is water bottles there if you want something healthier I guess" he rolled his eyes jokingly. ​

Alex visibly tensed, lurching forward to assist Sam as he struggled with the case of orange soda. But just as he stepped forward to take the case from Sam, he finally managed to get it into the bottom rack of the cart. Shaking his head, Alex grabbed a pack of water bottles and easily hefted them into the cart as well. Show-off.​

Next came the cleaning supplies aisle. They parked the cart in the middle of the aisle and they spread out, each picking out their own personal hygiene products. Sam grabbed a Crest toothpaste that was cinnamon flavored, a purple herbal essences shampoo bottle, an Axe dark chocolate scented body wash, and a milk and honey moisturizing hand soap. "We can both use the same hand soap. You can pick another one if you want and we'll use one after the other is empty" he explained, dropping the soap in the cart. "I usually overbuy cleaning products because they don't have an expiration date. I'm a genius like that". He strolled further to the end of the aisle and stared at the different bags of toilet paper rolls and facial napkins, his dainty hands resting on his slender waist. "Don't mind me, I need optimal care and softness for my tush.. Actually, no, any recommendations? I have no idea which one is the best.. Charmin?"​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex wandered off to go grab his personal care products as well. Namely, his toothpaste was Scope, in a green and white tube, coconut and black pepper Axe body wash, and some Head and Shoulders, liking the minty smell of the shampoo and the way it caused his scalp to tingle when he washed his hair. Alex, apparently, was the simple type.
He reappeared, dropping his stuff in the basket of the cart with a bang. His eyes darted over the assortment of toilet paper, a hand on his hip.
"Charmin's fucking terrible for the plumbing." He said, matter-of-factly. "Trust me- uncle's a plumber and he's forever having to clear out gunked up septic systems. Angel Soft isn't bad. Pretty soft. Double ply. And look, they're double rolls!" He reached up, grabbing the 24 pack from directly overhead and dropping the pack into the cart unceremoniously with another metallic clang.

"Oh, I didn't know that! I never really knew which brand my parents bought. I guess I never paid attention. I'll take your word for it. Angel Soft it is!"

The trek through the few remaining aisles was uneventful. Being an athlete, Alex did grab a couple bags of those microwaveable steamed veggies, but nothing else of note, ignoring the candy aisle almost entirely save for a longing glance at some Sweetart ropes. He loved those, but he had to be at his peak soon, and simple sugars would only wear him down until he needed to carb load.


In the candy aisle, Sam made sure to grab a bag of Maltesers, two extra large bags of Lays chips; a spicy one and a hickory barbecue one, and then a large bag of pretzels. Despite being slim, Sam never paid attention to his calorie intake nor pursued physical exercise to build muscle. He consumed food in modest quantities, and chocolate and snacks comprised a sizable portion of his daily meal. Almost miraculously, it had minimal affect on his health and teeth, outside of his general weakness compared to most males his age, and the low pace his muscles were developing.

Next came grabbing the microwave. Alex considered for awhile what the best option was. Get a cheaper one here at Target and potentially have to deal with it breaking down the line, or spend a little extra money for a better one at the IKEA across the plaza? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to just grab what they could here and finish up for now. It might not be cheaper in the long run, but they were broke college kids, after all. No one would begrudge them for going for cheap for now.
"Hey Sam," Alex drawled, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "What do you say we just finish up here and make a beeline back to the dorm rather than heading to IKEA? Shit's kinda expensive there, and if you're anything like me, you're on a shoestring budget too. We can always grab the rest later, or the shit we didn't realize we'd need."

Alex's words about managing the budget and IKEA being too expensive might have well been in another language to Sam. He tilted his head, trying to relate to the situation Alex was presenting. I thought IKEA was cheap? He wondered idly, but never vocalized his thoughts out of fear being thought of differently. He wanted to relate to Alex in order to build a strong friendship between them. Or more.. "Yeah, good thinking. We can just grab a cheaper one here. I totally forgot Target sold tables, haha!".

The two young men walked through the remaining aisles until, like a beacon, there was the electronics aisle, almost annoyingly lit with electronic lighting and pulsing neon. Great, just what he needed. A splitting migraine. Alex squinted against the light and made his way over to the microwave display, rubbing his chin idly with his thumb and forefinger. There were more options and colors, he found, than he was prepared for.
"What do you think, Sam? This red one's pretty nice, and it has more wattage than that silver one there. Whatever that means." He shrugged. Clearly, he wasn't in his element here. Interior decorating was hardly his strong suit- just utility.
"Plus, it's kinda cool-looking, huh?"

"Well, higher wattage means more power" Sam suddenly sounded more analytic, almost like a scientist. "It normally also means higher power bill, but we get free electricity at our dorms. Its also cute. That's a big plus for me!" He beamed, before adding, "and look, it looks great with the table we'd picked out!" he giggled. "I grabbed it when you weren't looking. Its so cute! White, easy to assemble, and looks really good quality. Its really cheap too. Only sixty bucks!"

Alex nodded at the explanation on what wattage meant. He was a nerd, after all- of course he would know what that meant! Alex couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle, amused.
"Ah, alright. That makes sense. I think." He shrugged. Alex had always sucked at physics or whatever this stuff was. It was refreshing to be around someone who understood this kind of stuff.
But then, there was the subject of the table. A little white side table in a cardboard box. He could hear the rattle of the screws inside and prayed he had a screwdriver somewhere. His dad had insisted that he bring a small toolbox, but Alex wasn't sure if he had brought it in, or if it was still squirreled away somewhere in the trunk of his car. Probably the latter, she realized with a grimace. A grimace that turned into a wide-eyed startle when Sam mentioned the price.
"Si-" he sputtered for a second. "Good god, man, sixty bucks? You got a cozy summer job before comin' here for the semester or something?" He inquired, good-natured, but still quite curious.

 

[Delicate]

Alex's words flustered Sam. His tongue tied itself in knots as he blinked and gaped at his roommate, fumbling around struggling to conjure up the words to explain his position. "I.. ah.." he scratched the back of his head, his fingers burying themselves in his long hair. "Never mind. You're right, its probably too expensive for a table but.. erm.. its okay.. I can pay for it!" he flashed his credit card. "Don't worry about paying me back" he added, "Its the least I could do after you helped me with James."​

​

Alex simply stared down at Sam, his warm brown eyes smoldering, his perch above the smaller man from up so high, he may as well have been an albatross on wing. He cocked his head quizzically. What had Sam so flustered, he wondered? What did he have to hide? Ultimately, sixty bucks really wasn't all that much, but to be able to just whip out a credit card and drop that sort of cash like it was pocket change was beyond the taller man. But he had grown up not particularly well off; inquiring about someone's finances was a taboo in his world, and he did not pursue it further, instead shrugging. "Alright, man, if you're sure." He did, however, smile brightly, clapping Sam roughly on the shoulder when reminded of the very situation that had introduced Sam into Alex's world. "Like I said, don't sweat it. Fuckin' hate bullies. Anyway, how's about we get the fuck outta here, eh? The stupid fluorescent lights are giving me a headache."​

---

Days Later..​

​

Steam filled the spacious room. The air grew laden with the moisture, wisps of vapor forming clouds under the fluorescent lights. Dark figures remained blurred behind the misty veil, moving around and congregating. Sam entered the space with nervous steps. It was the first week of class, and her found the visits to the men's locker-room and shower-rooms daunting. The last time he was in a similar position he was caught gawking at Steve's v-shaped abs. Other guys pointed it out and teased him, and when he tried denying it, his nose started to bleed as if to expose his lies. What could I have done? His entire body looked like an arrow pointed to his dick..​

​

Filling his chest with a lungful of the room's heavy air, Sam walked in. The shadows materialized into jocks either clad in boxers or wrapped in towels. He bit on his lips nervously and tried his hardest to stare on the ground, only raising his eyes to navigate his way through the fog. The patter of the drizzle filled the space around him, dampening out the locker room banter as he walked. He finally arrived, after much effort, to an unoccupied shower head. Sam slowly slipped out of his sweaty gym clothes and turned on the faucet, the hot water numbing down the soreness instantly. He was alone in a false sense of solace, in a empty corner away from the noise and banter, a shroud of solitude gave him enough confidence to scrub his slender body, hum music to himself, and forget the world around him.​

​

"Ahhhh.." he purred in satisfaction, and started scrubbing his body clean. He never saw nor heard the man approaching him from the back until the voice suddenly called out his name. He turned around, caught off guard, and saw a familiar face. Gasping and staggering, he lost his balance and slipped on the wet ground in front of the completely naked figure. Recovering to his knees, Sam bit on his lips and looked up at Alex, a massive cock proudly sitting inches away from his face. ​

 

[Cantarella]

To Alex, the locker room was a sanctuary.

After every game, the lads gathered in the misty, tiled room, content to shoot the shit and talk about their performance. This wasn't just after games too- sometimes, just after particularly hard lifting sessions. And boy, did Alex have a propensity for lifting especially hard. Slightly dizzy from overexertion, his blood pounding in his ears, he stood under the showerhead, cool water pouring over his head, down the back of his neck, and across the broad, tanned yoke of his shoulders. He closed his eyes, facing the wall with his hands up against the cool tile, enjoying the bracing sensation. A blissful sigh escaped his full lips.

There really was nothing like having a cool shower after a good workout.

Ah, but that meant he'd have to grab his soap and shampoo and wash himself off at some point, didn't it? With an inward groan, unwilling to move from this very spot, he reached across, grabbing the bottle of body wash that he had purchased on his trip to Target with Sam, just days prior.

A smile creased his lips, in spite of his torpor. He liked Sam, he found. He was the perfect roommate, kind and conscientious, with a good sense of humor to boot. Perhaps the guy was a little awkward, sure, a skinny little thing, but that was nerds for ya, he thought. Not that he minded- Alex was the sort who got along with almost everyone, though not without a healthy dose of teasing. He was a jock, after all, but not the type that was a bully. He wasn't like James.

Alex squeezed the soap into his hands and started to scrub himself off, running the suds across the rippled plane of his abdomen, under his arms, up his arms and down his legs, relishing the scent. It wasn't the most masculine, no, but he didn't care. In fact, he found, it reminded him a little of Skittles. Next, he washed his hair, and with that done, he dragged himself from beneath the showerhead, turning the faucet off with a squeak of metal.

He padded away from the shower, completely nude, and, propriety forgotten, he strode through the locker room.

Until he caught Alex's eye. Slender as a reed, pale, dark-haired, hair that curled down around his ears and the nape of his neck. It was Sam. Grinning wolfishly, Alex strode forward and called his name.
"Hey, Sam!" He called. "Fancy seeing you he- oh, shit!" Sam lost all composure in that moment, and he suddenly slipped and fell. Alex lurched forward in an attempt to catch him, and he missed completely. There was the crash of flesh against tile, and Alex winced in sympathy. Yep, that had to have hurt.

As it turned out, though... Alex's form, a feast for Sam's eyes, would not have helped, especially with his cock primed right in front of his face. Alex was beautifully sculpted; tanned skin, as though by the benediction of the sun, glowing and bronzed in the mist. His shoulders were broad, his hips narrow. Arms and pectorals rippled with muscle, his thighs bulged with dense musculature, and, most deliciously was his six-pack abs and the glorious v-shaped crease from belly to hips, ending right above his cock, which swayed between his thighs: uncut, vascular, and quite large, even flaccid.

Alarmed, Alex dropped to a squat before Sam, knees splayed open.
"Woah, dude! That was quite a fall. You alright?" He inquired, head cocked, his brown eyes locked and saccharine as honey as he offered him a broad hand.

 

[Delicate]

It took every bit of Sam's resolve to not lock eyes with the enormous cock that sat idly in front of him. He blinked and looked away abashedly, but even when he closed his eyes he could see Alex's girth imprinted in his memory. Thick enough that Sam's delicate hand wouldn't wrap a grip around it without aid from the other hand. The veins adorning the shaft ran in parallel lines, visible even when soft. Its massive head peeked through its sleeve, staring at him until he blushed. Around the shaft that swung like a pendulum, a thicket of coarse black hair grew, like mane on a lion, giving Alex's cock a masculine regal look that made Sam salivate. Alex's balls hung low, and at that close distance Sam could see the skin breathe and shift, expanding and contracting, in hypnotic waves. Dew glistened around the-

Fuck, why am I still thinking of his cock?!

He shook his head banishing the salacious thoughts to the corner of his mind. Still burdened with these distracting thoughts in mind, he sighed and open his eyes. "Oh I'm okay!" he mustered the most cheerful voice he found within him. "A bit embarrassed I fell like a clumsy clown, but otherwise unharmed." he joked, grabbing Alex's hand and using it to pull himself up to his feet. Wow, I'm actually so light and weak compared to him. The revelation descended on him. The herculean jock lifted him up as effortlessly as if he was a pack-bag. Alex didn't even need to steady himself to avoid slipping on the wet ground. There was enough size difference between them that Alex could easily anchor himself, and utilizing only a fraction of his muscles' might, he lifted Sam up to his feet. It wouldn't have taken him much more effort to literally scoop me up on one arm. Sam reflected dreamily, his own cock slowly stiffening at the thought.

"No harm done, man." Alex flashed a bright smile, his teeth a perfect string of pearls in a moist pink mouth. The rippling bicep and tricep muscles in his tanned upper arms flexed as he hauled Sam to his feet with a grunt. "Just be careful, yeah? These tiles get stupid slippery when they're wet. Add in a layer of soap, and, well, it might as well be black ice." He chuckled. True! I'll try to be careful." Sam replied with a cheerful smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "You startled me! Hercules, my friend, I'd say you owe me dinner" he teased before he awkwardly resumed his shower. That earned a snort from Alex. "Yeah, sure. To the cafeteria. I heard it's stew night again. My favorite." He licked his lips. It wasn't sarcasm; he legitimately liked the cafeteria beef stew. It was a lot like how his mom made it. He paused for a moment, turning around to give Sam some privacy. He plopped down on one of the wooden benches adjacent to the showers and began to rub his hair dry with a towel. "Actually, my old man sent me some cash. We could go out somewhere. I heard there's this awesome Italian place in the shopping plaza. What do you think? Should we head there for dinner tonight?"

"Wait, really? That sounds so good! Sounds like a plan!" Not feeling comfortable with another person's presence around his naked body, he turned his lithe body around and faced the wall. He used his shampoo and body soap, foam covering fragments of his modesty, but his dainty body was still mostly exposed. Firm, supple, plum ass cheeks exposed. The skin growing goosebumps under the open air. His body was pale, almost smooth except for the strands of hair that had grown in his armpits and above his average sized cock. His legs were slender, his shoulders thin and under-worked. Sam looked like he never had to endure a single day's worth of hard labor in his life. If he was trying to hide his affluent upbringing, his boyish form exposed it without dispute.

In minutes though, maybe out of discomfort, Sam was hastily done with his shower. He patted his porcelain body dry and then wrapped a towel around his waist. Exiting the misty bathroom with Alex, they ran into a familiar face. Eric looked flustered. Alex knew Eric as a player on the football team - one of the more popular, cool and confident players. His voice was different this time, shaken with embarrassment, as if his parents had walked on him while masturbating. "Hey Alex! Uh.. I'll see you in the game, bud!" he playfully tapped Alex's shoulder and walked past the two roommates into the bathroom, completely avoiding eye contact with Sam the whole time. "Huh, I wonder how long it'll take him" Sam playfully mused.

By then, Alex had dried himself off and had put on his clothes. He lumbered along beside the much smaller Sam until he caught sight of Eric. "Sup, bro!" He greeted. But even he could tell that Eric was ill at ease, something that caused Alex to raise his eyebrows. But before he could ask, Eric had made his expeditious retreat to the bathroom. "What's up with him?" Alex inquired, to no one in particular. "Closeted. I met him last week in Grindr. I sucked him off right... there" he pointed to a stall. "It was right after the game too. He kept denying he's gay - it was funny in a cute way, not going to lie. Maybe he was embarrassed I got him to shoot his load in under a minute, haha".​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex's eyes shifted over Sam's form while his back was turned. There was nothing gay about looking, he assured himself; hell, didn't everyone look at some point? He found his breath catching while gazing fondly at Sam's naked back, the water curtaining his pale, soft skin. Skin like marble, completely unscarred, the muscles supple and untrained. His shoulders were pinched and narrow, his form willowy and scholarly. This was the body of an absolute nerd, he thought. It hadn't even occurred to him at the moment that this was the form of a man who had never had to work a day in his life. His eyes lowered, lowered, until they rested on Sam's plump ass.

For someone with next to no muscle, he had a really nice ass, Alex found himself thinking as his eyes glazed over. His rough rubbing of his hair with the towel slowed, and then ceased. His hand, and the towel, fell away from his tousled black hair, the strip of white cloth falling into his lap... where, to his absolute bemusement, he found his dick twitching and swelling, a bead of pre alighting on his tip, just past the sleeve of his foreskin.

Sam's excited chattering about going to dinner dragged from his growing wonderment, and Alex cleared his throat. He needed something to distract him from the lithe body bared before him, those glistening, plump cheeks seemingly pointed directly at his eyes. Alex averted his gaze. The heat rising to his cheeks and the tips of his ears had to have been from the humid conditions, he assured himself. Had to have been. He focused, instead, on the pattern of tiles on the shower room wall while Sam washed and dried himself.

"Yeah, I've heard good things about it. It just opened up a couple weeks back. Looks like they chose the perfect spot to open a business." He chuckled. "Good thing, too. I need to carb load before the meet this weekend's meet. Gives me an excuse to absolutely pig out. It's called Luigi's. I hear their tortellini is to die for."

"And I'll just shamelessly pig out like every Friday! Woo!" He raised his hands in the air sarcastically. "No for real though, I'm so excited for our date, hehe"

By then, they were both washed, dried, and at the very least decent. Alex in his street clothes, and Sam with a towel slung low around his thin hips. And now Eric had awkwardly skittered off to go do... something. That something slowly dawned upon Alex, and he flushed again, suddenly feeling a little strange in his own skin. All he managed was a meek "...oh" until he shifted from foot to foot, only for Sam's clarification to cause any pent up breath in the jock's lungs to explode out from between his pretty teeth.

"He- you-" He sputtered, feeling the heat coursing down his neck. He coughed into his fist, trying to gather some semblance of reason. "Shit, man. You're far bolder than I realized! So, uh..." He averted his eyes, shifting from foot to foot. "... What was it like? What was he like?"

"Hahahaha" Sam laughed out-loud, his hands pressing against his stomach to contain himself. "What was it like to suck his cock? Is that what you're asking, honey? hmm? Or are you asking me how big he is?" Sam teased, his voice slightly higher pitched as he leaned forward towards. "I had fun, if that's what you're asking. I'm very open and comfortable with my gay adventures and I could tell you all about it over dinner if you're curious." Sam relaxed his tone into something more chill and serious. "I feel bad for closeted gays like him, though. He said he was curious to try at first, then he claimed "its not gay to get your dick sucked". I got him to cum faster than any girl could so.. I don't know about you but I think that's gay as fuck, haha" he giggled playfully once more.

Alex's cheeks, ears, and neck were all burning now, and he couldn't get any redder, he was sure. He could only hope his tanned skin would disguise the flush a little. Absolutely mortified, he averted his brown eyes from Sam's hunched over form, racked with paroxysms of laughter.
His tongue felt foreign in his mouth as he struggled for the words. What could he say that wouldn't call to question his own masculinity? What could he say that wouldn't out him as a little too curious for a straight man? He spent several moments trying to catch his breath and shifting awkwardly until he finally stammered out, "Wait, n-no, I didn't mean-" He exhaled again, composing himself. "Y-yeah... We'll talk more about it over dinner." He cleared his throat.

 

[Delicate]

Later That Day...

The drive from their dorm to the restaurant was shorter than Sam had expected. Alex's old beater rattled along down the road from the dorms to the restaurant he'd mentioned just hours before while the two young men were in the showers. Alex, as it turned out, had a rather relaxed approach to driving. His window had been rolled down, and one tanned arm stuck out of it while the other remained on the wheel. He had immediately handed the AUX off to Sam, entirely expecting nerdcore or even bardcore to rattle through his speakers, but was pleasantly surprised neither did. He nodded along to the song, tapping the beat on the steering wheel as Sam read the directions off of Google Maps. They made a good duo; Alex was behind the wheel while Sam used Google Maps on his phone to help Alex navigate the streets to the restaurant while playing music. He joked that he was the best driver assistant in the world, combining the skills of an eloquent navigator and savvy DJ. They parked their car directly opposite to the restaurant which was an unexpected surprise given how packed the place was. Upon entering the place, the receptionist asked them if they had made a reservation, and that if they didn't have one, she estimated the wait time to be at least forty five minutes. The news made Alex flustered before Sam nodded with a smile. "Yes. Its under Sam Erickson." The receptionist returned the smile and showed them to their booth right next to the window.

"Thanks for bringing me here! The place looks really pretty!" Sam cooed before taking a sip of the water the waitress gave them. Alex sank gratefully into the pillowy booth, the plastic creaking as he plopped down and planted his palms on the table. He offered Sam a winning grin. "No problem at all, man. Figured you could use something tasty to eat." He, too, picked up his glass of water and took a sip. He lifted his eyes to Sam, eyes skimming the menu as he agonized over what to get. Huh... He's really cute under this lighting. Startled by the thought, eyes darting about as though his thoughts could be heard, Alex cleared his throat, opening his own menu. Right off the bat, he knew he'd get the tortellini he had heard such good things about. Tortellini stuffed with ricotta cheese and mushroom with a creamy sauce. His mouth watered already.

Sam's eyes naturally wandered to the menu and scanned the items to make a selection. "Hmm.. There is a lot of good things to choose from" his eyes skipped past the bakery section mostly consisting of Pizza and Calzone entrees and focused on the pasta section. Weighing multiple options and vacillating from one to another, Sam let out an indecisive low sigh and finally uttered "I'm tempted to get the Bolognese Pasta, but their Chicken Alfredo looks so good!". He took another sip and the waitress came back with her notepad. "Excuse me ma'am, I can't decide between the Chicken Alfredo and the Pasta Alla Bolognese. Which would you recommend?"

The waitress bent forward and pointed at the pasta on the menu with her pen. "Sure thing, sweetie. The chef is from Bologna. His Bolognese sauce is amazing, you'll love it. Should I get you one?" Sam nodded enthusiastically "Yeah! That sounds delicious! I'll have that with some Sprite. Thank you!". He handed her the menu back and watched her leave to the kitchen with their orders. With a sly curl on his lips he whispered to his roommate. "I was tempted to ask if his meatballs were amazing too but its too early in the night for these jokes".

Alex's lips curled into a smile and he leaned back in the booth, now with nothing between the men but the table and the glasses of water. Until Sam beckoned him forward to whisper conspiratorially, and Alex leaned forward against the table to hear him. Immediately, he chuckled, shaking his head. "Fuck, man," he laughed. "Well... you know what they say about Italians, right?" He picked up his water again and took another sip. "Anyway, why don't you tell me about that, uh... thing you did with Eric? The thing you were telling me about earlier, I mean."

"Oh, yeah" Sam took a sip of his water, his brain working to articulate the story in the meantime. "He messaged me on Grindr. I don't know if you're familiar with the app, but its supposed to be a 'gay dating app'. Its mostly used for hookups because that's sadly what the gay dating culture is these days. You sign up, put your preference, and start searching for people that fit what you're looking for. He's a top, I'm a bottom, and he's looking to just get his dick sucked without doing anything 'too gay like kissing'. I was bored and sort of in a dry spell, so yeah, we matched and I said yeah to meeting up next day very early in the morning. I usually don't say yes to this unless I get something out of it too but he wasn't interested in actually fucking me and he didn't even have a condom, boo! boring I know." The waiter arrived at that point and placed the hot dishes on the table, warning them about the temperature before distributing the silverware and politely reminding them to enjoy their meal.

"Anyways, yeah. That was basically it. It didn't take him more than a minute to shoot his load in my mouth and he didn't even warn me, ugh. Chivalry is truly dead, y'know?" He said as he started digging into his pasta. Talking about sexual matters like this came naturally to Sam. Long gone were the days of being a closeted gay teenager that found it shameful to talk about his fantasies, preferences, and salacious adventures. Years of bullying in high school had honed him into the man he was today where he could speak about sucking cock as if he was talking about the weather. "AH" he almost moaned, "That sauce is really good. Bitch wasn't lying!"​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex nodded as Sam explained how the two had hooked up. He had heard of Grindr before, and he voiced this.
"Oh yeah, that's like the gay equivalent of Tinder, right?"
That earned a small nod from Sam.
He leaned forward on his elbows, giving Sam his undivided attention as Sam told his story. He'd wait until after he was done telling it to ask questions. And boy, did Alex have questions.

As expected, Alex's brown eyes steadily grew bigger and rounder as he listened, his mouth eventually hanging open. The waiter arrived with the food while he was leaning forward, seeming to almost bend double over the table. It took him a moment to notice his tortellini, the steam warming his face. He plucked up the rolled utensils, peeling away the paper cuff holding the paper napkin tight around the utensils. One unwrapped, he picked out the fork, allowing it to hang limply between his fingers.

Alex couldn't help but allow his mind to wander as Sam told his tale. He didn't appear to be the most pleased with the encounter- Alex couldn't blame him, as he gotten to nothing out of it but a load in his mouth, and that was it. Not even an orgasm. All the same... Alex couldn't help but allow his gaze to drift from the light fixture hanging over them to that mouth speaking the story. That same mouth that had been spattered with Eric's cum, dribbling down his lips to his chin. And he began to wonder... What would those lips feel like, wrapped around his own cock? The same as a girl's, or better? He felt a warmth pooling in his abdomen, a stirring, stiffening, and thickening as he thought about it, even subconsciously. A gentle gasp passed through his teeth, a sharp intake of breath.
What the fuck is wrong with me? He thought, grappling with the sensation. I'm straight! I'm not gay, but I'm thinking about those pretty lips of his around my cock?!

Clearing his throat, he tightened his grip on the fork and stabbed the tortellini. Cream oozed out of it, and as Alex cut it in half to pop in his mouth, he heard the half-moan from Sam's lips as he took the first bite of his pasta. That, much to his chagrin, just made his dick even harder. Sucking in his breath and trying to banish his thoughts, he allowed himself to ask his questions. He pushed his bite of tortellini into his cheek.
"So, a minute, " he chewed once more, and swallowed. "Is that, um, the norm?" He had wanted to ask if Sam prided himself on his oral skills, but how could he ask such a thing without outing the budding desire he had for his roommate?

Sam started blowing on his hot food to cool it before he could take a second bite. "Ah, well, its not so much that its weird that he came so fast. That happens a lot. Its just so.. sad that he'd deny he's gay and then.. you know?" He finally took a bite after he deemed the food safe to eat. "Like if you cum that fast, bitch, you gay as fuck."

Alex cleared his throat, averting his eyes for a moment before he picked up his water and took a sip, aiming to wrangle back his heterosexuality. But the question lingered. A question he had to know the answer to, his perceived straightness be damned. He lowered the glass from his lips, placing it on the table. Condensation beaded on the glass, fat drops of dew that slid down the surface of the glass in lazy rivulets to leave the tabletop moist and cool. He swallowed heavily, leaned forward, took a breath, and asked. His voice was so low, it would have required that Sam lean forward to hear it over the general commotion of the crowded restaurant.
"So, then... I take it you're good with that mouth of yours, huh? Rather proud of it, to boast being able to make a guy cum in less than a minute, hm?" He locked his eyes on Sam's, having thrown all caution to the wind.

Fuck.

 

[Delicate]

For once, Sam was knocked out of his element by Alex's curiosity. Wait.. Is he flirting with me? A crimson blush ripened his cheeks as he pondered on his handsome roommate's motives. The alternative was that Alex was merely messing with him, being bawdy and seeing how far he would go confessing all his sexual exploits. The room suddenly grew hotter, his food more spicy as he started sweating and swallowing nervously. "Yeah" came his bashful confirmation a bit late. He swallowed before adding "I have my moments. It used to be really bad in high school when I first realized I was gay. I once blew the entire baseball team in a party." He broke into a fit of giggles before composing himself. "I'm not as much of a slut anymore, though. People bullied me all through high school over shit like that. James was one of them".

Dear God, could Sam get any cuter? It was the smaller man's turn to blush at this sudden brazenness from his roommate, and Alex ate up ever second of it. Should he push more, he wondered? Pry, try to get the cocky young man to squirm in his seat? The answer was an obvious one: an overwhelming absolutely. Alex leaned forward, extending a hand to gently touch Sam's cheek, brushing away a piece of oregano from the corner of his lip. His dark eyes locked on to the smaller man's.

"The whole fucking basketball team? Did you just line them up all at the same time, or...?" He trailed off, chuckling a little at the image, finding his ears burning again. Another bite of the tortellini, rich cream filling his mouth. He chewed for a moment before continuing, letting the fork dangle between his fingers in a loose grip. "So what's your secret? What's the technique? I mean it's gotta be pretty crazy, to make a guy bust in your mouth in less than a minute, huh?"

Sam was visibly blushing at the words coming out of Alex's mouth. His curiosity carried an air of flirtatious teasing that made the smaller man wander with his mind. "Nah, no secret!" but then he winked at Alex, signifying the secret reality is otherwise. "I don't know. Some things are better kept secrets" He took a sip from his drink before adding, "and something are better explained by hand". He curled his lips into a sly smile and shot another wink, before erupting into giggles. "Pardon me I'm being too naughty. This food was amazing, though" he gestured at his empty plate "Thank you so much for bringing me here, Alex!"​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex deflated a little. Looked like he wasn't going to pry that from Sam's lips. Not over a pasta dinner, at least. Which piqued his interest even further. How could he get him to talk, he wondered? Or would it just have to wait? He peered away from Sam's impish features, pursing his lips. Ah, but was that a suggestion Sam presented the jock with? A passing mention of a demonstration? No, that couldn't be, he thought, near panicked. His pulse quickened, and his voice cracked as he replied, a bit louder than he meant to,

"Noyou'refinenotnoaughtyatall!" He squeaked. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.

I'm straight, damn it. He reinforced mentally, albeit weakly. I'm straight, I'm straight, I'm straight. Totally hetero.

"Anyway, yeah," he deflected, attempting to defuse the situation at hand... and distract himself from his growing curiosity. Among... other things.
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it. Tell ya what, this could be our new spot, couldn't it?" He finished his own food, and the bill was placed on the table, housed in a little leather pouch by the same cute waitress as before.

"It could! It should be our spot whenever you take me on dates, haha!" Sam teased, his chin resting on one hand as his lips curled in a smile.

"Alright, what's the damage?" He muttered to himself, opening the pouch to look.

"Oh let me take care of this!" Sam pulled out his credit card and placed it on the pouch. "I got this. Don't worry about it, roomie!"

Alex squinted those dark eyes of his. He did not, however, fight it like he did last time. Something was amiss here... Along with Sam's eagerness to drop that much cash at Target a few days ago. Like an alarming amount considering how strapped for cash college students usually were. Did Sam have a wealthy family or something? Or had he just had a really good summer job and had some money stowed away? There were so many possibilities, and Alex wasn't sure about any of them.

Dinner paid for, the two young men drove back to the dorm, bellies full and Alex with more questions than answers.

A month later....

The semester was in full swing now, with the roommates having gotten comfortable with each other... and, more importantly, the professors no longer going easy on their students. It was around midnight on a Tuesday, and Alex was hunched over his desk, gripping his pencil in a vice as his tired eyes scanned the equation for what felt like the millionth time.

"Whoever decided to put the alphabet in math is going straight to Hell," he mumbled irritably, rubbing his eye with a fist. He had always sucked at math. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back in his chair, the piece of furniture giving a beleaguered creak under his considerable weight.

Fuck it.

"Sam, you awake?" He croaked, his voice a husky rasp.

Sam had always been a light sleeper, but at 4 AM he found it difficult to sit upright. His groggy head swam as he heaved himself out of the bed, his eyes heavy as he yawned an answer. "Ah yeah. What's up Alex?" he took a step towards his roommate who seemed to have spent an eternity staring at a pile of papers.

Alex turned around in his chair, looking back at the smaller man with eyes ringed with fatigue, hair all askew.
"Shit, sorry, man. But I need another pair of eyes on this equation. If it's not too much trouble, could you give me a hand with this?"

 

[Delicate]

Sam rubbed his eyes as he approached his roommate. He pulled out his phone and glanced at the time and cursed under his breath. "Let me see" he reached out for the paper and pulled it closer to him as moved his hand away from his eyes and rubbed his neck instead. "Oh, yeah, derivatives. Those are not too bad" He explained as he sat on the desk. "Excuse me" he enunciated slowly as he took the pencil from Alex's hands. "They probably taught you to do it by the formula - which will take longer and you might make mistakes doing it that way. Its easier to just take the power that's over the X, you know, this one." Sam then drew a small circle around the 3 on the X3​. "You drop this down, in front of the X, and then you subtract one from the original power that was above. So, our X3​ ends up being 3X2​, right? You just drop it, and then subtract one from whatever was on top. If that doesn't make any sense just let me know."

Sam handed him back his paper and pencil, then looked at other papers that were on the desk and started inspecting them closer. "Okay you got those right" he traced his index finger down one page full of problems asking to find the slope of a line and X-axis and Y-axis intercepts. "Yup, they're all perfect. Good job!" Sam picked up another paper and saw that it wasn't solved yet. "Okay so those are more of the same. Its all derivatives like the one I showed you. Lets go through them one by one, okay? I want to see you solve them. Come one, I believe in you man. You got this!" He handed his roommate the other page.


Alex stifled another jaw-cracking yawn, taking a deep inhale through his nose and briefly holding it to force himself from nodding out at the desk while Sam helped him. A small groan escaped his lips, and he rubbed an eye with his fist, shaking himself back awake. With the explanation done, Alex carefully picked up his pencil again and went back to work. Like this?" He croaked, blinking those hooded brown eyes of his. "Yes! Exactly like that! See? You got this! When is this due by the way? It must be really close if you're up at 4 AM working on it." Sam sat down on his bed facing his roommate.

"Look, sorry I woke you up... This thing's due in three hours and I've been here since last night working on it." He chuckled mirthlessly, leaning back in his chair and drawing his legs up to cross. "Oh don't you worry about it. I gotchu, man, anytime. Let me know if you need anything else!" He slipped back in bed, his eyes staring staring at the ceiling. "I'm probably going to stay up." He stretched then checked his phone for the time. ​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex loosed a low groan, slumping over his work again. For awhile, he was quiet. The only sounds in the room the scrape of a mechanical pencil over his papers until, at last, it was finished. Another beleaguered exhale from the jock as he draped his huge body against the back of the chair, the expanse of his tanned throat bared as he threw his head back over the head of the chair. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to go limp for a moment before raising a fist into the air.

"We did it! Fuck yeah, we did it!" With a chuckle, he rolled off the chair and picked Sam up in a bear hug, his muscular arms wholly enveloping the smaller man as he spun him around for a second before placing him back down on his feet. Flashing a toothy smile, he shook Sam's hand. Not just his hand- his opposite hand cupped under Sam's slender forearm, bracing the elbow.

"We diiiid iiiit!" Sam sang as Alex effortlessly picked him up and embraced him. He felt their bodies pressing tautly together, his slender frame feeling delicate against Alex's toned build. "Wooo" he cheered when Alex lifted him and squeezed his back, then giggled as he landed on his feet. "We make a perfect team!"
"Fuck, thanks, man, you're a lifesaver. There was no way I was gonna be finished in time." He let go and stretched now that he was up.

In truth, when Alex pressed Sam's tiny, thin body to his large, muscular one, he felt that familiar stirring i his chest and belly again. He could smell the sleep on Sam's sweet breath, the warmth of his tiny body, his soap and shampoo... But that was far less tempting than his mirthful, dancing eyes, even hazy from being woken up in the middle of the night... and his lips, just out of reach.

Alex wasn't sure if he'd ever been so tempted by a pair of lips before.

The loss of Sam's body pressed against his when he put him down was almost painful. Enough that for a moment, until Sam replied to his little quip about the smaller man's sweet tooth, he could do naught but stare into his eyes, lip drawn into his mouth, teeth settling into familiar indentations there.

Would it be so bad to want to kiss him, Alex thought blearily. Was it the sleep deprivation that emboldened him in that moment?

Time stopped around Sam when he felt Alex's powerful arms squeeze him close. He felt simultaneously vulnerable and safe, empowered and paralyzed, as he gazed into Alex's piercing eyes. He uttered no words, but his eyes whispered all the secrets; he wanted him, and he wanted to treasure this moment and etch every little detail in the back of his mind. His lips curled into a gentle smile as onset of a rosy blush blossomed on his cheeks. Seconds passed and he remembered he'd not been breathing, his heart lodged in his throat and his brain snapped back to reality. He blurted out: "I might take a shower then I'll stay and help if you have anything else you need help with... or I could go get us some bagels?"

"You know, now that you mention it, maybe we could do a coffee and bagel run. You like coffee, right? Or is it the sweetest, most sugary energy drinks you can find that you prefer?" He laughed.

"I drink coffee too, you dork! Just because I prefer riding the Bull doesn't mean anything! haha!"

That earned a chuckle and a roll of Alex's brown eyes, hooded and shadowed still from fatigue as they were. "Yeah, yeah," he reached over and ruffled Sam's errant strands of bedheaded hair. "All cream and syrup too, I'd wager!" He pounded his chest with his fist. "Us men, we take it black and bitter!" He lowered his voice purposefully there, puffing himself up and drawing his broad shoulders back. He was shirtless, just a pair of sweatpants, and the movement caused his muscles to visibly ripple. Even exhausted as he was, Alex was a sight to behold.

 

[Delicate]

The sexual tension between the two roommates kept escalating day after day. Whenever Sam peered into Alex's eyes, he felt his legs tremble and his body ache for Alex's touch. He missed the feeling of Alex's strong muscular body holding him close, the weight of his breath landing on his neck, the warmth of his voice. He longed to be his; to kiss, hold, and squeeze to his heart's content. Love amassed inside Sam's heart and he yearned to let it out to Alex and confess his feelings. Lust showed in the way he gazed and spoke to his roommate, explicit even when hidden behind thinly veiled bawdy jokes.

Falling in love with someone not attracted to your gender was an endeavor riddled with depression and angst as Sam quickly came to discover. It became Sam's mission to be around Alex as much as he could. Something within him told him the athlete was attracted to him. Nothing else would explain the sexually charged atmosphere that lingered whenever the two were alone in a room. Surely Sam's charm would be enough to tempt his roommate to try being with another guy. After all, how can Alex be truly certain he wasn't into men if he'd never been with one at all?

This party is wild as fuck! Sam thought as he walked in the large house. He only recognized several faces out of the dozens dancing and swaying around him to the deafening beat played by the large speakers scattered around the house. The smell of booze floated in the air, music, laughter, and colorful lights made the exciting atmosphere. "Yo! Sam, right? Alex's roommate?" Sam turned to face Jacob, his host and the captain of the football team. "Yeah! Its quite a party you got here!" He had to raise his voice and huddle closer to Jacob to be able to communicate with him over the loud music and multitudes of conversations surrounding them. "Have fun man! Let me know if you need anything! Any friend of Alex is a friend of mine!"

The two parted ways; Jacob to tend to other guests while Sam continued exploring the raunchiest party he'd been to in years. Someone handed him a red plastic cup filled with cheap beer. He heard a group of jocks talking about the football team's next big game and whether or not the team could clutch a win against their rival school. I wonder where Alex is. He was grateful his roommate invited him to this place, and even though the vibe was enjoyable, the nerd barely knew anyone or had enough social stamina to mingle with other students. Every few feet, against a wall or on a sofa, there was always a couple making out with complete disregard for the presence of others around them, completely sucked in their own world. Sam made his way through the maze of intoxicated young adults dancing, kissing, groping and grinding against each other, while he sipped on alcohol and got progressively tipsier. ​

 

[Cantarella]

Alex found himself in a damnably similar situation. The jock was continuously confounded by the sensations that rolled through him whenever his tiny, adorable roommate would smile brightly, whenever he laughed and cracked some lewd joke. He wasn't sure what to make of it, these feelings. It was not unlike the peculiar stirring sensation in his gut- and, to his horror, his cock- whenever he had crushes on various girls in school. He did not embrace it. He was straight, goddammit, he reassured himself as he stroked himself under the sheets while Sam slept. He was straight, goddammit, he thought as his hands flowed down his sculpted traps to the V of his pelvis below, fingers playing along his most sensitive of areas.

He was straight, he reassured himself weakly every time he came, body spasming as he sated these pent up emotions.

But he knew he was lying to himself.

Alex redoubled his efforts in the gym, at practice, at every chance he could. Anything to apply himself and to keep his mind off of the way his heart leapt within his chest whenever Sam would smile, whenever he would laugh.

Whenever he remembered the sensation of his warm, soft body pressed against his chest when Alex lifted him into his arms and spun him about in jubilation that one night.

It was all that was on Alex's mind as he threw the final touchdown, securing the win of the season. The win that put their team ahead and secured their place in the finals. The ball soared through the air, propelled by his arm even as he was tackled from the side, hitting the ground hard, landing under a heavy mass of another man. His knee was screaming, and he felt something tear inside, but he cared little, eyes cast up, up, to the arc of the ball as it soared further and further, hurtling helplessly along as though it bore wings. As though by divine providence.

And, as though in slow motion, he beheld it intercepted by another of his teammates, a light, fleet thing who carried it the rest of the way, the wind at his heels as though he were Hermes.

The lad had plucked the ball from the air with but a meter to spare, plenty of space to maneuver.

Alex closed his eyes, exhaling his pleasure and a smile on his lips as he heard the blaring and cries of the crowd as the other man rushed into the endzone and claimed the touchdown.

Next thing he knew, Alex was being lifted and carried, praise spilling from every tongue, cheers and confetti spilling everywhere, raining down from the heavens. He laughed, his pain forgotten as he was carried into the locker room and deposited to his feet. It took half an hour until he was free to wash himself off and prepare for the afterparty he was sure there would be.

And his Sam would be there.

Wait... his Sam? Alex chuckled, ducking under the showerhead and inhaling deeply at the blast of cold water that sprayed over his back. When had that happened?

His knee gave a tiny throb, the scope of the tear not quite evident yet as he readied himself for the afterparty at Jacob's, dressed in clean clothes: a tight-fitting white tee-shirt and loose shorts that fell just below the knee, and his clean sneakers. The music was blaring already when he arrived. And was that the entire cheerleading team hovering about, with a handful of girls in short skirts and tight shirts hovering about each of the prominent players? He laughed. Someone was getting laid tonight, that was for damned sure.

He sat down on one of the cheap, torn couches with a solo cup of his own in hand, head bobbing to the music while the lineman and some blonde cheerleader making out to his left. He watched a couple of his teammates battling it out over the foosball table, but that wasn't what drew his eye.

It was Sam, tiny amidst the considerably larger bodies of the other players. And by God he was a sight, as he always was.

His head already swimming from his third- or was that fifth?- cup of the beer, he pushed himself up off the couch to greet his roomie.

"Shit, man! Thought you'd never come!" He laughed, wrapping an arm around Sam's narrow shoulders and giving them a squeeze. "Did you catch the game? Fucking wild that we pulled it off!"

 

[Delicate]

Students continued trickling into the house until the atmosphere got hot and dense and laden with human breaths and alcohol. Dozens of conversations competed amongst each other and against the overbearing music bouncing from one wall into the other. Sam recognized few faces, and fewer faces recognized him. Alex's voice reeled him free from the cusps of boredom and loneliness, a surge of joy pulsing through his body, his lips stretching into a smile, his pupils dilating as he spotted his roommate in the distance. God, he's so fucking hot.

"Alex!!" He waved at his roommate and walked closer to accept and return the side hug. "Yeah! I caught most of it! Dude, you were popping off!" He playfully punched Alex's arm and plopped next to him on the seat. "Everyone was cheering your name! It must've felt amazing! Even now I'm walking around and everyone is talking about you. You better not forget about me when you're famous, okay? You'll be the next Michael Jordan! No wait that's basketball! Fuck!" His usual fit of laughter took him by surprise, this time blessed by alcohol.

Alex resisted the giddy urge to pluck up the smaller man by the waist, squeeze him hard, and spin him about as he had in their dorm on that night just some weeks ago. Instead, he clapped him on the shoulders after giving him a hearty squeeze about the waist before plopping back down on the couch. He took another sip of his beer, chuckling. "Goes both ways, my dude! When you're a Nobel Prize winner or whatever, best not to forget about us meatheads!" He lifted his Solo cup up for a toast. Sam met the toast, his grin never leaving his face. The noise and smell of the place became more tolerable with Alex's company. I could stare into his eyes for days, he thought dreamily. The alcohol was making his thoughts bolder, and he kept on nursing more courage from his cup.

"This shit feels awesome in a way I can't even describe, bro. Then again..." he giggled, giving a tiny hiccup, "the beer prolly helps." He slurred a bit on the last sentence before snorting and bumping his broad shoulder into Sam's chest. The proximity was making Sam boil on the inside. All sorts of lecherous thoughts flowed and ebbed in his mind as he stared at Alex, enchanted by the larger man's looks, voice, and smell. I fucking want to kiss him.

"So, see anything ya like here?" He chuckled.

"Yeah!" Sam readily confessed. You. He almost blurted. He wanted to say it, but caught himself in time. Instead, the smaller man kept his gaze at Alex, with the same calm smile adorning his lips. "What's not to like?" He finally added, unsure if his pause revealed any of the emotions he'd been harboring towards his roommate. Another sip from his drink gave him another shove into what he'd been wanting to say. "Do you see anything you like around here?"​

 

[Cantarella]

Being the object of the dreamy look writ large upon Sam's face escaped Alex completely. If anything, the jock could chalk the flush on his cheeks to the cheap beer the nerd had been pulling from in his plastic cup. After all, what did alcohol- cheap or otherwise- do, but stir one's baser instincts? Even an dummy like Alex knew that much. He sat back down on the couch, carefully wedging himself between the bodies draped over the side, the cheerleader and the linebacker mashed together hungrily. He chuckled and gestured next to himself for Sam to sit down, something that would have wedged their bodies together.
"Sorry, tight fit," he chuckled. "Hope ya don't mind?"

"It's all good. I'm tiny as fuck so I can fit anywhere easily" Sam chuckled. He savored the proximity to his roommate. Something about their bodies being glued together, about Alex's breath landing on his face, made him simmer on the inside. His face was reddening, sweat condensing on the back of his neck.

He kicked his feet up on the table directly in front of him, mindful of the steady throb in his knee. Meanwhile, the two lovers beside him were absolutely going to town. Alex watched as the linebacker's hand slid up the cheerleader's skirt, disappearing underneath it while her head tilted back, eyes closing. Alex chuckled deep in his chest. He bumped into Sam with his shoulder again, leaning close, breath hot upon his skin and the scent of his soap a clean musk as he whispered, "well, someone's gettin' lucky tonight, huh?" He took another pull from his Solo cup, his laughter muffled in its depths. The hint of temptation was something Alex hadn't even considered in that moment of close contact.

"Yeah! I hope we get lucky too. Its been a while since I last had some good dick!" Why the fuck did I just say that? Even though his confession was entirely a joke, Sam felt embarrassed to say that out loud in public. He hoped the music would mask most of his words from people, and that those closer around him were too distracted to pay attention to what the small nerd had to say. "That probably doesn't apply to you, though. You probably get a lot of.. Pussy, huh?" he struggled to say the word, as if it was something that disgusted or even scared him. A fake-giggle poorly concealed his embarrassment.

Alex about choked on his beer, sputtering a bit and lowering the solo cup from his lips, coughing a couple times. That said, he did not pursue it, rather shifting a tad uneasily. He shook his head in response, a hand planted on his broad chest.
"Uh-uh," he admitted, a little uneasily. "Not in... months, really. Since summer, before first semester."
Before I met you, he yearned to say, but he was not quite drunk enough to admit it yet, to admit the stirrings of affection that he felt within his gut when he looked at Sam. It was the same stirring in his belly- and more importantly, in his cock- that he felt when he saw girls he liked, or remembered his last fuck before school started. He stood up and refilled his cup from the keg. God knew he needed it. He planted his ass back down on the couch and took a long drink from his cup, gulping down the beer.

He looked about the room, dark eyes a little heavy-lidded. The music was bumping, and he swore it was getting hotter in here as all the bodies pressed inside. He put down his cup on the table, the condensation leaving a ring on the glass.
"Anything I like." He repeated, a little hazily. "Hmm, yeah. The fact that all my teammates are here, havin' a kickass time after an unprecedented win. And you." His eyes snapped onto Sam, wedged in beside him. A lazy half-smile curved his lips, and he looped an arm around the back of Sam's neck, dragging him in against his broad chest.

"Oh" the words caught him off guard. His cheeks were as red as ripe apples. "Th-thanks" his voice broke, before he swallowed his shame and recovered, "Always happy to be around".

"And I'm happy as fuck to have ya." He was slurring now, vision beginning to go a tad hazy. How much had he had? Well, at least his knee didn't hurt anymore. "I mean it, y'know. To have you as m'friend, m'roomie. M' mentor. Don't think I woulda passed Calc without yer help."

 

[Delicate]

All sorts of thoughts tempted Sam as he gazed at his roommate. "I.." his blush grew redder, his voice breaking before he recovered, "You did all the work, Alex. I only helped a little". The smile lingered on his face long after he was done with his sentence. The music grew louder in the place and more and more people were dance-grinding on each other, while others were making out on one sofa or another. It seemed like the whole place was slowly devolving into a sinister orgy with how many bodies were swaying together or laying on top of one another. The girl next to them was already topless, but Sam only had eyes for Alex. He stared at him for an eon before he knew what he wanted to do.

It was time. I need to do this.

Perhaps it was a case of stupor-induced burst of courage, but Sam felt emboldened enough to go for that kiss.

They had known each other for close to two months, but Sam felt a strong bond between them. As the slender boy leapt for that kiss, memories shared with his roommate flooded his brain and filled it with dopamine. He thought back of when they first met; of how Alex had protected him from James and scared the brute away. The memory made Sam warm on the inside. Then he reminisced of other memories they weaved together; of their first trip shopping for groceries and furniture, of their first dinner together, and of their first tutoring session. Alex never made Sam feel anything but happiness. When they're together, Sam was never lonely, was never scared, and was always comfortable with himself and understood. Alex gave him the blanket of security and confidence to express himself and feel at ease.

I.. I love him.

He thought just as their lips touched. It was a soft kiss muddled with hesitation, fueled by sincere adoration rather than carnal lust. Whether people around them noticed the peck or not, Sam wasn't sure - and he didn't care. He knew he had one opportunity to go for this and at least test the waters. No matter what happens here, he knew he would regret not going for the kiss more so than getting rejected after going for it.

I can always blame it on the alcohol. The thought made him smile mid-kiss.

The kiss felt wrong but tasted so right. Sam let his weight sag on his seated roommate, the two bodies leaning back on the couch in the heated embrace for a few seconds before Sam rose for air and broke the kiss. A blush still filling his face, he wiped his wet lips and looked at his roommate, horrified wide-open eyes staring at Alex as he spoke, "I.. I'm sorry.." It was a short, soft kiss despite the over-dramatic hug. Blood rushed to his face and his heart started pounding at the realization that all of this unfolded publicly and most guys would have major issues with this. He only hoped he didn't offend Alex enough to lose him as a friend. ​