Why the Straight One? - Chapter 58: Chapter 58

"Of all the horrible, unfair—he totally betrayed him! He trusted him!"
"Alex—"
"No! This is too much!"
"I don't think you should be—"
"Why is everyone against this poor guy? He hasn't done them any wrong!"
"Alex, it's just a book."
Alright, so maybe it was just a book. A book that he has propped up on the pillow next to me. A book that he read while laying on his stomach, his hair a mess from sleep, and his feet swinging back and forth absentmindedly as he read.
"It might be just a book, but it feels real to me! Edmond is so young and trusting, and everyone is just using him!"
I could tell Thomas was trying his hardest to hold back a smile, and the fact that he was so amused by my outburst bothered me. I wanted to be taken seriously.
"Stop smiling at me! I'm serious. If—"
"Hi, Serious."
"Shut up!" I tried to whack him, but he rolled into his side and out of my reach. This time he couldn't hide his smile, and was laughing at my attempts to hit him.
"Get back over here so I can hit you."
"I'd rather not, thanks. Besides, you shouldn't be getting so worked up. I'm sure it's not good for you."
"I'll get as worked up as I want to. Besides, it's your fault for reading so well that the story feels real. I blame you entirely."
"Well, I'll take the compliment then. And the blame. Forgive me for reading so well. I didn't realize the extent of my abilities as a storyteller."
"Shut up, you weirdo." This time we were both laughing, and Thomas rolled back over to lay on his stomach next to me.
"Are you doing that just to make me jealous?"
"What?" He looked confused, and I gestured to how he was laying.
"I probably won't be able to do that for weeks, if not months."
The confusion fell away from his face, and he looked genuinely sorry.
"I never thought of it like that. I just found it easier to talk to you if I was facing you: I can—"
"I'm just messing with you. I like it when you lay like that and talk to me."
He smiled, closing the book he still held in his hands, and putting it near the end of the bed.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" His voice was softer than before, his eyes scanning my face as he lay close enough for me to lean up and kiss him if I wanted.
"I don't know, but this is driving me crazy. I need to get out of this room soon. I was not made to be confined."
"I know, but you're doing so well right now. You don't want to push yourself too early and make the recovery time way longer."
I sighed, and he smiled at me, the kind of smile I didn't think I'd ever get used to from him. When he looked at me like I meant the world to him, like he could spend the whole day just looking at my face and not get tired of me.
"Well, this sucks. If I had good company, maybe it would be tolerable, but as things stand..."
"Bitch, I am amazing company! I'm reading to you and everything." He shot me a reproving look.
"Ah ha! I am rubbing off on you! You just called me bitch."
"Woah, I think you are. I never call anyone that."
"That's because you didn't know how to sass until you met me. And I hate to break it to you, but you just did call me that, so you can't say you never do. And also, you sounded so gay."
"You just stereotyped—"
"Myself? I know. And I'm gay so I'm allowed to." He shook his head, looking at me with such fondness I could hardly believe this was actually Thomas laying this close to me and looking at me with so much love.
"Well, I'm not."
"Okay, maybe you aren't gay, but...you kind of are. We could find your label if you wanted, or go label-less."
"I don't think it's that important. I don't see myself needing any kind of name for how I feel."
"Great, we'll just put you somewhere in the Fifty Shades of Gay." I burst out laughing at his shocked face.
"That's not even a real thing, and I bet you've just been waiting to say something like that since we got on the subject of sexualities." I nodded, and he continued to shake his head, laughter dancing in his eyes.
"We could read that series next." I suggested. "But since I've already read them, I can read out loud."
"The scary thing is that you actually like those books."
"I actually do, and would recommend to a friend. But those are actually really light-weight as far as that kind of thing goes. And reading a book, you don't really get the whole idea. If you really—"
"Alex, stop." I could tell he was starting to feel uncomfortable by the faint blush spreading across his cheeks. It was so easy to get him flustered.
"What? Too scared of what my kinks might be?"
"Yes." He replied truthfully, and I burst out laughing.
"I'm joking. I'm too much of a wimp for anything like that. And I'd make an awful sub."
"Can we talk about something else?" His blush had deepened, and he was looking even more uncomfortable than before.
"Why?"
"Because, you married the wrong guy if that's the lifestyle you are into."
"You're not, like, secretly Christian Grey?"
"Nope." I sighed dramatically.
"Ah well. Life is full of disappointments, I suppose."
"Why did you bring up those books anyways?"
"Because, it's fun to bug you, and because I've been married to you a very long time and I'm extremely frustrated." His eyebrows rose at my bluntness.
"Oh?" His answer was even more frustrating, and I threw my hands in up in annoyance.
"Yes! You have no idea. And your just laying here with your messy hair, looking all sexy and being super cute, and...ugh!" I didn't even know where I was going with this, or why I brought it up in the first place.
"I'll admit, you being this injured is a little frustrating, and I'm sure it's worse for you. But you're alive, and that's the important part. Don't worry, there will be plenty of time after you've recovered, and I'll try to tone down my sexiness until a more opportune time." He smirked, and I rolled my eyes at him.
"You are way too arrogant for your own good."
"Well, it's nice too know that you think I'm sexy."
"You were not this weird when I married you, I'm sure." He laughed, scooting closer and putting his hands up on either side of my face.
"Then I guess you really have been rubbing off on me."
"Rude." I pouted, and he kissed my lips quickly.
"I'm sorry, but it's true." I turned my face to the side when he tried to kiss me again, and he laughed at my behavior.
"I'm not saying that in a bad way. Really, Alex, you've brought out a side of me that I forgot was there. Sure, there is a lot going on right now with you being hurt and Elliot and everything, but I haven't felt this happy in a very long time. I'd almost forgotten how it felt to be truly happy. And it's because of you, Alex."
I turned back to face him while he talked, his dark eyes sincere as they met mine. His words took me by surprise, my heart melting at how tears gathering in his eyes.
"It's not just me. You've changed so much since I met you. You've had the strength to face your past, which is something I couldn't do for you. You're learning how to love yourself again, and that is not an easy thing to do. I'm so proud of you, Thomas."
He bit his lip to keep back his tears, and the openness in his face and eyes was one of the many things that had changed about Thomas. He was no longer afraid to be vulnerable in front of me. No longer scared that I would judge him for showing emotions.
"I love you, Alex."
"I love you." I smiled up at him, and he connected our lips in a soft, meaningful kiss. I felt his tears drop down into my face, and wrapped my arms around his chest, drawing him closer.
"Alex," he pulled back slightly, his lips almost touching mine. "I've been thinking—"
He was cut off by a very loud series of knocks on our door. Before either of us could react, it was thrown open, and in stormed Cameron with Jay trailing behind him.
"So my best friend almost dies, and I just now hearing about this!"
Thomas sat up to face them, and I could see that Cameron was fuming. Jay was just looking at me like he couldn't believe I was still here. I felt bad for not telling them sooner.
"Explain yourself!"
"I'm sorry, Cam. I—" I began, but he cut me off.
"Not you. You." He pointed to Thomas, who looked surprised at being singled out.
"Why me?"
"Because, oh prince, you weren't injured and were quite able to talk to us, and you should have told us what happened."
"I invited you to my estate so you could see him when we came back." Thomas defended, but Cam didn't seem impressed.
"But you didn't tell us why you were coming back later then everyone else." Jay put his hand on Cam's arm, and he turned to look at him.
"I'm sure there is a very good reason if you would let him talk, Cam." His gentle voice seemed to calm Cameron, who took a deep breath, and glared expectantly at Thomas.
"He wanted to explain what happened in person. We thought a phone call just want right. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner."
Cameron looked slightly taken aback at the apology, deflating slightly when there was nothing to argue with.
"Well, apparently you've changed a lot since I saw you last. Does his answer appease us?" He turned to Jay.
"Of course it does." He turned to me, moving to stand next to the bed. "How are you, Alex?"
His kind blue eyes searched my face, and I saw the worry in them as well. I realized then just how worried everyone must have been and probably still were.
"I'm doing much better, Jay. I won't be able to be up and about for a while, but I'm well past the danger zone." I took his tattooed hand in mine, and he smiled.
"That's good. It won't be long before you're back in your feet and getting into everyone's business."
"Speaking of that. How are you two?"
They looked at each other, and the smiles on their faces told me more than whatever they were going to say.
"My boyfriend and I are doing very good, thank you very much. How about you guys? Things seemed awfully affectionate when we came in." Cam looked closely between us, and i couldn't help but look over at Thomas. He was looking at me again with that same fondness from before.
"Oh, I'd say things are going pretty good." I said, looking at Thomas instead of Cameron.
"Great. So when is sex back in the picture?"
I whipped by head back to look at him, but not before seeing Thomas' reaction. And he wasn't blushing, like I had been expecting. Jay punched his arm, and he looked at all of us in surprise.
"What? I'm just saying what you're all thinking."
"Actually that thought never came to mind." Jay admitted, but to be honest, he was probably the only one.
"That's because you, unlike Alex, are an innocent child."
"I'm kind of innocent." Cameron raised his eyebrows at me, and when I looked over at Thomas his were raised as well. He was probably thinking of our talk earlier. A change of subject seemed advisable.
"Wow, it's good to be alive and with such good friends."