"And then I tear Flipper's suit off to tend to his wounds," Maria finished, looking around the table expectantly. All the players glanced between each other, and then finally Altair reached out and handed her a red die. "And I have nothing to fix his leg with, and neither do these penguins."
"Aha but you see!" Desmond declared as his turn came along. "That's where you're wrong. Penguins are well known to be compassionate and caring creatures. In their despair over seeing me in pain, they waddle over to tend to my leg-"
"How?!" Kadar cried.
"Ah-eh, I will tell you. They waddle over to my prone form, and they raise their wings in unison, and they slap me," Desmond said. "Flapflapflapflapflap. With each slap, my wounds heal, the bones in my leg come back as one, and I am healed! End scene."
Half the table was cracking up, muttering "holy shit" and "goddammit Desmond" under their breaths. Maria shook her head at him and also handed him a red die. Desmond grinned wickedly as he looked around the table, devising his next course of action.
"In thanks for their help, I jump up on my newly healed leg, and I slaughter the penguins!" he yelled, and Adha gasped loudly. "Then I skin their dead bodies, and with their pelts, I create a new mascot costume, thus completely ending my turn."
"What's wrong with you?" Malik laughed as he buried his face in his hand.
"Everything," Desmond grinned. "Your turn~"
"Right, okay," Malik huffed. "So Fuckhands McMike and Lord Boney are still trudging through the Antarctic wastes, trying to reach the research station. They're cold, tired, and Fuckhands McMike is getting a little bit hungry-"
"Lord Boney would like to remind Mike that he's a whole skeleton and will not provide sufficient nutritional value if Mike chooses to devour him," Altair interrupted.
"Well good news for us," Malik continued. "That there's a cave nearby full of dead, skinless penguins that are ripe for the taking."
"You leave my penguins alone!" Desmond cried.
"But they're already dead!"
"Yeah and I like them that way, get your own penguins!"
"SO FUCKHANDS MCMIKE AND LORD BONEY TRAVEL TO THE CAVE TO REUNITE WITH FLIPPERS AND AGENT OF CHAOS-"
"Flippers cries out in fear of the unknown!"
"Hold on I'm getting a phone call," Altair said as he pressed his cell to his ear. "Yo-"
"When they arrive at the cave, they are greeted to the sight of sheer horror, the bodies of dozens of dead penguins."
"Agent of Chaos cries out in sheer joy to see her rescue," Maria said. "But also feels very guffed that Lord Boney, her true love, is still with her hated rival, Fuckhands McMike."
"Flippers growls threateningly at the newcomers, to stay away from his dead penguin stash," Desmond said.
"Shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuup, all of you!" Altair shouted, and the table went quiet. "Okay, repeat that again for me," Altair said into his phone. "Uh huh….Okay…Sweet….On our way, okay…Yeah I got it…Aight….bye," and he hung up the phone. The table looked to him for guidance in their suddenly stopped game. "….Ezio's at a bonfire party down in Malibu, and if we hurry, we get there before the cops show up."
"Are we going to the beach?" Rauf asked him.
"Yeah."
The table let out a whoop of delight, and chairs scraped against tile as they hurried out of their seats to grab their belongings.
"Wait," Alex stopped Desmond, grabbing at his arm. "Are…Are we really going? What about the game?"
"This is the game," Desmond nodded. "The game is to see how long Game Night lasts before we get interrupted….We don't have to go if you don't want to, we can wait here if you'd like…"
"No, it's fine, let's totally go," Alex grinned. "I love hitting up the beach at ten p.m."
x-X-X-x
They piled into two cars, Altair, Adha, Maria, and Malik in one, and then Desmond, Alex, Rauf, and Kadar in the other. Desmond followed Altair the whole twenty minute drive through the mountains down to the beach, blasting an oldie's radio station as they drove, with Rauf (slightly already tipsy), singing along loudly to the "songs of his youth". To which, Desmond and Kadar gave him total hell for outing himself as a total old man (because being the only thirty year old out of the entire group is ollllld, especially compared to young seventeen year olds like Desmond and Alex).
The beach they found Ezio and his own gang of friends at was at a small beach, more out of the way, but less likely to be reported to by the cops. It was mainly students from the local high schools and universities, who knew the neighborhood like the back of their hands, all the best beaches for surfing every morning before class, the best ones to have parties at, etc.
Their group dispersed rather quickly once they hit the beach, spreading out amongst the crowd to say hello, make some new friends, all that good stuff. Desmond and Alex stayed at Kadar's side, the youngest of the bunch, the designated, metaphorical kid's table. There were three fires, two small ones and one big one that they sat themselves down at next to a few of Ezio's friends.
"Ah, the brothers Miles and Al-Sayf~" Leonard sang out to them, strumming at a guitar like the most stereotypical beach bum ever. "And ha, who's this? You would happen to be the dashing young dame that's stolen our dear little Desmond's heart, would you?"
"What?!" Desmond and Alex cried out in unison. Kadar and Leonard barked out in laughter at them.
"Oh sorry, I thought you knew the praises your brother was singing of you, dear baby brother, finally found himself a girl," Leonard explained dreamily. "A girl way out of his league, he says, but ah, a heart of gold she must have for putting up with him anyway."
"What the fuck," Desmond scoffed, fucking Ezio-
"Well, I mean, yeah," Alex agreed, shooting Desmond sheepish smile. "He's not wrong there."
Desmond gawked at her, mouth wide open, feeling extremely betrayed. They all laughed at him some more, Kadar playfully punching at his arm, no hard feelings, they were just giving him a hard time. Nothing new but come ooonnnnn.
"I'm gonna actually kill Ezio," Desmond mumbled.
"Heeey, allllll I'm trying to say is I'm happy for you!" Leonardo assured. "My sweet young miss, you're lovely from what I can tell. I'm Leonardo, one of Ezio's friends."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Alex," Alex introduced herself.
"And IIIIII'm Yusuf!" The man himself cried as he plopped down with them. "Hello friends, whazzzuuuup?"
"Ohmygod, hey maaaan!" Desmond reached over to shake his hand. "It's been a while!"
"Deso-mond, hello! And ah yes, Kadar is it? Malik's brother, yes?"
"Yup, nice to see you again," Kadar nodded. "Leo drag you out here?"
"Oh noooo, no dragging involved!" Leonardo cut in. "Yusuf has become quuuuuite the party animal. We've truly Californianized him."
"Oh yeah?" Desmond smirked. "Yusuf, when's the last time you went surfing?"
"This morning!" Yusuf stated proudly. "I've been getting better at it!"
"Right on man, right on," Desmond praised.
"Your first year of college go well?" Kadar asked.
"It did! I had a wonderful time, it's so much fun!" Yusuf nodded enthusiastically before turning to Alex. "I go to Pepperdine, it is a great school. I love getting the beautiful ocean view every morning. But your water, baaah," he grimaced. "It's so cold, I don't know how you stand it!"
"Where are you from?" Alex asked.
"Istanbul!" Yusuf said cheerfully. Alex let out a soft "oh" in reply. "Hahaa, yes yes, I know! I miss the Mediterranean, it is a beautiful sea. Your weather reminds me of it, but your waters, tooooo cooolllld."
"See he complains about that and yet I swear he's part fish when he gets in the ocean," laughed Leonardo.
"Ahhh, details, details," Yusuf shrugged. "But hey! We are going surfing again tomorrow morning over at Point Dume! You should all come!"
"Oooh, that sounds awesome, count me in," Kadar smiled.
"Hell yeah man, I'm down!" Desmond said, then paused and looked to Alex. "Do you wanna come too? You don't have to if you don't wanna…"
"Why not?" Alex said. "It won't kill me. What time do you leave like...Seven? Eight?"
"More like six," Leonardo piped up.
"Oh," Alex's expression fell briefly, but she thought it over, and nodded, "Sure, that's fine."
"Yaaaaay!" Yusuf clapped. "I'll see you in the morning then! I gotta go find Ezio, see you later!"
"Byyyyyye!" They waved after him as he hopped back up and sped off.
"Kadar, you're good to surf already?" Leonardo asked.
"Oh yeah, it's fine. Really helps getting those muscles back into shape," Kadar grinned as he stretched his arms out and rotated his shoulders. "I'm not really sore anymore, and even I am, that's what painkillers are for!"
"So you're not worried about tear-" Alex started, then stopped, realizing she might be crossing into sensitive territory. But Kadar understood, and he just smiled understandingly at her.
"Nah, the stitches came out a while ago, and I'm not worried about scarring, really. 'Sides, I reaaaally miss it, I hate not being in the water."
"If anyone's a fish, it's Kadar," Desmond said. "Played water polo and did swim team back in high school."
"I would have been better if I didn't have ten extra pounds hanging off my chest!" Kadar laughed.
"Aw I thought you were plenty good from what I remember," Leonardo smiled. "But I'm glad you're doing better and getting back out there. Been missing you at the beach."
"Okay but haven't all of you been though?" Kadar smirked. Both Leonardo and Desmond rolled their eyes, and Desmond lightly elbowed him in the side.
"That's really cool though," Alex said, admiration in her voice. "A-All of that is."
Satisfaction bubbled up in Desmond's chest, happy for Alex for being so relaxed and finally having someone to actually relate to. He knew inviting Alex over tonight would work out.
x-X-X-x
A few hours later they all found themselves back at the Miles residence. The cops had finally shown up to chase them off, so they piled back into cars and went on back home. Leonardo and Yusuf went home, Ezio as driven home by Cristina because he got totally plastered at the beach, and when Cristina left herself, he drunkenly bragged to all of them that she was the best, the best of the best, no other girl could top her, he loooooved her soooooo much. It made for really good blackmail material that Desmond happily recorded on his phone.
Desmond and Alex stayed up long enough to play a table-top game with Altair and his friends before they finally called it quits. The "adults", by this point, were happily buzzed or sober enough to drive themselves home, Kadar saying his goodbyes to them ("See you in the morning!") and left with Mailk. Maria and Rauf left soon after, and last Desmond had checked, Altair and Adha remained, cuddled up together on the couch.
Course, Desmond had his own lovely lady to curl up with. It almost felt a little surreal having Alex in his actual bed, this being their first actual "sleepover" at his house. He had spent the night at Alex's before, usually had arrived in the dead of the night upon Alex's request and slept on her bedroom floor with the bed between him and the door, less the Momster come in and find him there.
But no, this time, it was Desmond's house, his room, and his queen sized bed that they could both fit in just fine. Especially to slide in on and pull Alex's back to his chest, and kiss her behind her ear.
"Did you have fun tonight?" He asked.
"Yes," Alex breathed. "It was really cool meeting your brother's friends...All of them."
"That's good, I'm glad you did," Desmond replied. "I figured you would."
"Yeah it was just like...Super nice being around some of the gayest people ever?" Alex giggled. "Like how often do you meet a big group of gays like that outside like, a bar or something."
"Yeah, it's really wild, but you know what they say, bird's of a feather flock together."
"Honestly though….Is that how you knew originally?"
"Know what?"
"Know that I was….trans? Cause of Kadar?"
"Wellllll, kinda?" Desmond mused. "I mean like….It took me forever to actually drive the idea in my head that Kadar was actually trans himself. I was a kid still when he came out, and I didn't think much on it by calling him by his preferred name and pronouns. So I guess I kinda subconsciously put two and two together with you when I met you. I guess I just didn't realize it at first, and then it all kinda clicked together, and well here we are."
"Here we are," Alex echoed. "Well, I mean….It's probably really late to say it now, but I still appreciated that back then, and I still do now."
"Hey, it's no prob. And it ain't gonna be a problem still if I can help it," Desmond promised. Alex huffed and rolled over in his arms to face him, then kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Okay so...Another question then."
"Shoot."
"Everyone seems to have this like, notion that we're a uh...couple? So I just wanted to ask...Are we? Do you consider us a thing?"
Desmond blinked, mulled it over, and asked, "Do you want us to be one? Cause you know I would love to be in a heartbeat, I wouldn't even question it. But, I only really do if you want it. I don't wanna force you into a relationship you don't want, or can't have right now."
"Cool, that's sweet of you, cause see the thing is...I...Do though?" Alex said.
"You do….Wanna date me?"
"Yes? ...No, I mean, yes, a solid yes. I….I wouldn't mind. I just...I just worry a lot I won't make you happy, or you'll find someone better and I just-"
"Are you fucking kidding me? There is no one better! I knew I wanted to be with you the moment I looked at you. And every moment since then I've wanted to be with you even more. Fuck like, I was worried I was coming on too strong and you'd never want anything to do with me, and I really wouldn't blame ya!"
"Ohmygod, do you know how many nights I've stayed awake angsting about that?!"
"Do you know how many I have?!"
"Okay okay, fair fair. So….So….Will you just be my boyfriend already? Officially? We're gonna be here all night otherwise, so, like, go out with me?"
As if she needed to ask. All Desmond did in response was kiss her, passionately. Cause by god, he had been waiting for this moment since February.
x-X-X-x
hey folks, so, little quick update for you. starting now, I won't be updating this story from now on here on this site. if you want any more updates and other fics from me, you can find me on AO3 under the same penname of TheWritingMustache. This story right here will be updated again once it's complete, and I'll upload all the chapters from AO3. until then, there shall be no further updates. thank you for supporting me for all these years, it's been much appreciated. see you on AO3!
