A/N: Just to rule out any confusion, Collins' mom is single, and Angel and Collins are best friends. Just friends… for now. Angel is out of drag, so she is a he. Also, this is a oneshot. Sorry to disappoint, but readers of First Impressions should know how sucky I am with chapters.
"Ma, I don't want a big party," Collins said firmly, trying not to whine. "I don't have anybody to invite."
"Yes, you do," Ms. Collins insisted just as firmly, fishing something out of the refrigerator. "Angel, Roger, Maureen, Mark, Joanne, Mimi, April, Benny--"
"I am not friends with Benny," Collins said hotly. "He's a jerk, Ma, we've declared eternal animosity."
"Oh, eternal," she snorted. "You're only sixteen, 'eternal' means a month and a half. I'm not saying you have to invite every single person in your grade, I'm just saying that there isn't much family who can come to celebrate this year. You're not too old to celebrate your birthday until you turn thirty. Wouldn't it be nice to have a little bit of fun before that happens?"
Collins tossed his head with a loud sigh, like a horse, and then froze, thinking carefully. All he needed was a little bit of leverage. "All right, all right. I'll have a party on three conditions."
"Tom, isn't this a little--" Ms. Collins began, already exhausted.
"Ah, ah, ah." He held out a warning finger. "Hear me out. First of all, I want to spend three more days at Gran's house this summer. I like New York. Five days won't get me shot."
"If Gran says it's all right, that's fine," his mother said slowly.
"Secondly, I choose the menu. No more ants on a log, those are so second-grade."
"Within reason, I can agree to that."
"Finally," a grin spread across Collins face. He was winning, and he could tell that his mom was dreading this last condition. It was a rather ingenious one, if he did say so himself. "Angel stays over tonight."
"That's the third time this week he's come for dinner, not including lunch on Sunday," Ms. Collins protested. "We agreed on a limit, Tom! And it's a school night."
"Ma, what is more important?" Collins asked seriously. "One extra person at the dinner table--who's actually so tiny that he only really counts for like a ten year old--or the preservation of my youth and happiness?"
"Oh all right," she sighed. "But lights out by eleven."
"Thanks, Ma!" Collins beamed. He kissed her on the cheek, and darted off to call Angel.
(---)
"I can't believe she bought it!" Angel laughed, rolling on the floor of the Collins' basement. The soda, popcorn, and various sweets had kicked in just a few minutes ago. "You'd think that after fifteen years of listening to you talk she'd clue in."
"Don't you talk bad 'bout my mama," Collins threatened, throwing a piece of popcorn at him. "I could so kick your ass, munchkin, and you know it."
"My ass is way too pretty to be kicked. You would be awed and intimidated before you even tried. And besides, I'm not the one conning your mama out of parties and late-night visits at every turn."
"Fine then, see if you get invited next time," Collins shrugged, getting off the couch and plopping down on the floor next to Angel. "Are you even watching this?" he asked, gesturing at the movie.
"Yes. The bored-looking Italian guy is about to be killed by the scary black man, right? Oh wait, what the hell are they doing now?" He squinted at the screen, stuffing more popcorn in his face.
"Boxing. You know, because it's a boxing movie."
"I give up," Angel decided, grabbing an unchewed gumball and tossing it at the screen. It made a satisfactory plink.
"Lights out, boys," Ms. Collins called down the stairs.
"But Mommy," Collins whined.
"I gave you an extra ten minutes. Bed, now."
"Twenty more minutes, Madre, please," Angel begged. When you've been best friends with someone since third grade, you're allowed to call them your mother.
"Five minutes," she allowed grudgingly. "I heard you talking to Joanne, Tom, you have a math quiz tomorrow morning. Five minutes, then bed."
"Thanks, Ma." The door closed and Collins sighed dramatically, turning the TV off. "My mom loves you more than me."
"Yeah, but my sisters have celebrity crushes on you, so it all evens out," Angel shrugged, wiggling into a sleeping bag. He sighed, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. "I have just officially crashed," he announced. "Bring on the IV-drip."
"You're getting old," Collins teased, sweeping various crumbs off of the couch. Angel made a face when it landed on him, brushing it all away irritably. "The young Angel would be bouncing off the walls for another hour and a half, at least. What happened to causing havoc until the wee hours of the morning?"
"I'm mature," Angel huffed. "You're just too young."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Collins decided not to point out that he was a few months older. Angel already knew and resented that fact. He laid down on the couch an let an arm fall over the side, tapping Angel on the head. "Speaking of which, I officially call a Mature Moment effective now."
Angel sat up, immediately serious. Mature Moments had become routine in seventh grade, when he had been seriously trying to get Collins' opinion on something and the other boy insisted on goofing off. No jokes were allowed unless the caller of the MM initiated it.
"I was talking to Larry Kidman--you know, the guy who graduated last year? He was like six-five, dreadlocks and an earring."
"Oh yeah, I remember him."
"He got accepted like everywhere he applied and he ended up going to MIT, and he dropped out after about a quarter of a semester."
"Wow, that sucks."
"Yeah," Collins sighed. "It just-- I don't know, hearing him talk about it made me kind of nervous. He had those two friends, Jessica-something and Kenny Patel. They were like inseparable, but he said he hasn't talked to either of them in months. How intimidating is that? The guy lost a future and his best friends faster than you can blink an eye. I don't want that to happen to me, you know?"
"It won't," Angel said confidently.
"How do you know?"
"Because I said so," Angel said with a smile. Collins was annoyed.
"No jokes," he reminded him.
"I'm serious. I'm not going to stop being your friend unless you physically repel me. I mean seriously, that would mean we wasted like ten years liking each other. Besides, I don't really want to have to start over with somebody else. You're my best friend, Tom," he said simply, shrugging.
There was a brief pause. "All right, that was hug-worthy," Collins decided.
Angel laughed and reached up for a quick one-armed squeeze.
"All right, boys, this is the official bedtime," Ms. Collins announced with a knock.
"Okay, Ma. Night."
"Good night, Madre."
The boys spent an enjoyable three minutes tossing various items at the light switch so they didn't have to actually get up, and finally Collins hit it with a shoe. The only light came from a streetlamp that shone directly into a small window as they said good night, settling down to sleep.
As if.
"Collins? I'm calling another Mature Moment."
"Hit me."
He thought he heard Angel take a deep breath. "I'm gay."
Collins didn't say anything for a moment. He rolled over so he wasn't facing the back of the couch, and saw Angel lying on his side, eyes wide as he stared at the wall. He looked mildly afraid, and that made Collins pause.
He had been friends with Angel for forever. They had gone everywhere together, and been over each other's homes millions of times. They had talked about every single subject known to man, but never run out of things to say. Collins was like a bigger, more protective brother to the Schunard girls--Tina, Caroline, and Marcia--and Angel was the gentler, sweeter son to Collins' mother. It was literally impossible for Angel to be even remotely uncomfortable around Collins… right?
"Why do you look nervous? Ang… I know. Come on, man, you're my best friend too. I know you at least as well as you know yourself, probably better. I'm just kind of offended you never told me."
"You-- you know?" Angel spluttered, sitting up and twisting around. "But-- but that is so not cool! How long?"
"I dunno, maybe seventh grade? Sixth?"
Angel's jaw dropped. "That is so not fair," he whispered. "I have had so many internal arguments about this and it's been that obvious?" He paused, eyes narrowing. "Why didn't you tell me you knew? That would have been so much easier!"
"Angel, think about that and tell me how you can politely tell your friend that he's gay without having any proof whatsoever that wouldn't completely offend him."
Angel thought about it, and grudgingly admitted it was an awkward thing. But still…
"That's… comforting, I guess." He laughed in an embarrassed kind of way. "I've been sort of terrorizing myself for a couple of weeks imagining enraged shouting matches and violent encounters."
"Alright, now I'm offended," Collins chuckled. "I promise you this, munchkin, as many times as I threaten to kick your ass, I never actually will." He paused, wondering if he had the nerve, and then added with a sly grin, "Admit it. You've had to struggle to keep from checking me out."
Angel groaned, stuffing his head into his pillow. "I knew it," he claimed, voice muffled. "I should have seen it coming."
"That's not a no," Collins said in a sing-song voice.
"You're an asshole," Angel laughed, swatting him.
"Still not a no."
"Egomaniac."
"I'm not hearing 'no.'"
"Shut up."
"Angel." Collins voice was abruptly serious, and suddenly he was sitting on the ground right next to Angel, just a little tiny bit too close. "You still haven't said no."
Oh geeze, was it getting hot in here? Wow, Collins was a little close, huh? Was it just him, or was Angel's breathing abnormally loud? Hey, look, Collins was getting closer! Damn he had nice lips… Angel didn't really just think that, did he? About his best friend in the whole world. No, of course not, 'cause that would be-- why the hell was he so damn close!?
Collins could see Angel getting flustered and he couldn't help but grin. He was just so cute. Suddenly Angel seemed just a little less flustered and a little more pissed.
"You are an asshole," he hissed, shoving Collins away. "Don't talk to me."
"What?" Collins was subtly bewildered. "Ang, I was kidding! I didn't really mean-- I trust you, I was completely joking."
Angel bit his lip, but the trust thing tore the words out of his mouth. "Collins… I might have a teeny tiny little bit of a crush on you," he admitted, rushing the words together and waiting for the explosion.
Collins was struck dumb for the second time that night.
"It's totally not a problem, though," Angel added hastily. "I mean it's not like I'm ridiculously in love with you or something stupid like that, you're just like, you know, my best friend and I think you're really cool--well no duh, I've put up with you for this long--and you're kinda cute and, um, apparently I don't know you as well as you know me 'cause I could never really tell if you were gay or straight and either way would totally end this stupid little thing so speak now before I shoot myself."
"I'm not sure," Collins said slowly.
"Not sure? How can you be not sure?"
He shrugged. "I've just never thought about anyone that strongly, I guess. I've noticed guys or girls who are cute, obviously, but never really felt attached either way, you know?"
"Um, I guess?"
They had both ended up sitting on the floor Indian-style, facing one another and pretty much staring at the floor. Collins blushed a little bit and looked up from under his lashes. "But if I wanted to figure it out with anyone, I'd like it to be you."
Suddenly Angel's face was on fire. "I-- I-- um, I don't know, that's, um, I'm not sure--"
"No, no, no!" Collins flushed too, raising two hands in the universal "STOP RIGHT THERE" symbol. "That is so not what I meant, like atall. No. No, I'm not-- no."
"Great." Angel relaxed enough to laugh at himself. "You scared me for a second there."
"Yeah," Collins agreed with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I just like heard how that must have sounded and-- I just meant like a totally innocent, just for experimentation friendly non-awkward kiss. Like, two Italian cousins saying hello kind of kiss, you know?"
"Okay, that I can deal with."
Without more than a second of hesitation, Angel leaned forward and pressed his lips to Collins'. Collins' eyes popped open in surprise and he very nearly jerked away, but after a moment he relaxed. That felt really good… Hey!
"Well?" Angel was looking at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"I dunno. I mean, this is going to sound weird, but if I didn't know who you were I couldn't have said whether I was kissing a guy or a girl, so…"
"You just want to kiss me again," Angel teased, trying to hide his excitement at the prospect.
He moved closer and kissed Collins again, loosely draping his arms around his neck. Collins let out an involuntary sigh, his hand moving to the back of Angel's head to keep him there. Gently, he coaxed Angel's lips open as his other arm moved to wrap around his waist.
I've already fallen asleep, Angel decided. Collins made his stupid checking-out joke and I laughed and fell asleep and this is going to totally suck in the morning. There's no other explanation.
"Yeah, Ang, I'm pretty sure I'm gay," Collins breathed.
"Okay then." Angel took a quick, deep breath. "Ilugoutwime?"
"Sure," Collins agreed instantly, grinning. Angel looked stunned.
"You understood that? I don't think I understood that!"
"I told you, I know you better than you know yourself. Which is why I know you're free Saturday morning and you would love breakfast at Tina's Corner in the town next door. At least, I'm ninety-percent sure." Angel wasn't cruel. He confirmed the plans with a gentle kiss and a grin.
"This is going to be the best first date ever," he prophesized.
"I hope so," Collins smiled. "So… goodnight." He leaned forward and kissed Angel's cheek before climbing into bed-- er, couch.
"Good night."