This story is forever dedicated to Sir Gawain of Camelot and Donner Dummot Schunard, cause their reviews amuse the hell out of me… That's for the help and insight!
It took a month before Angel was absolutely convinced that Collins was indeed flirting wit him. Sure, he should have figured that out the day they met, and one day looking back, he would see that, but he had spent a large amount of time convincing himself that Collins was just a nice guy, which he was, but more.
And even with how sweet and interesting, not to mention hot he was, Angel did all he could to fight Collins forwardness. Not that Angel wasn't incredibly interested, and returned the affection, but it's not like they didn't live in an entirely homophobic area. Angel didn't think it was still the kind of area where people would kill you for it though. After all, that was a long time ago, and times had changed, at least a little, but there were still people being beat up for it. Cars keyed, tires slashed, lockers graffitied, and Angel wasn't sure he could actually deal with some thing like that at this point in his life.
Angel closed up the book he had been working from in study hall as the bell rang and made his way to his locker. He had just gotten his book bag repacked when Collins came over, smiling as he lowered his voice. "Hey beautiful."
Collins said this to him every day after school, but that didn't ever stop Angel from rolling his eyes to keep the blush from his cheeks. He hit Collins playfully on the arm. "How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?"
Collins looked as if he was deep in thought. "Let's see. I've been here for thirty days today, and I started saying it to you four days in, not counting weekends or the one day your weren't in school last week makes it seventeen times." He looked back to Angel with a smug smile.
Another roll of the eyes. "Ohh your math skills astound me." He had to admit, when it came to computers and mathematics, Collins was along the lines of a genius.
"So Angel, this it our one month anniversary." He raised an eyebrow seductively and Angel couldn't help but smile back.
"And?
"Well, I think this calls for us going somewhere."
"Like where?"
"The movies maybe? Would your mom let you go?" Collins pretty much knew the system with Angel's mom. Not about her hitting him sometimes, but about how strict she was with him and all.
Angel nodded. "My dad's home for the week. He'll let me go." She gave him a cautious smile. "As friends' right?"
Collins smile wavered for only a moment. "Sure." He rolled his eyes playfully, making air quotes. "Friends." He walked backwards down the hall so that he could face Angel as they walked. "So. I'm picking you up at six, right? And we can get something to eat first"
"You know, you have a way of making friends going to a movie sound a lot like a date."
"Well tell me Angel, and you the kind of person who kisses on the first date?"
"But it's not a date right?" He always did his best to retort Collins comments rather than just blush and turn away.
"If you kiss on the first date it is." But his retorts were always better.
Angel's cheeks turned an evil shade of pink as he turned to see who was standing around them. "Collins, really, not in public."
"So in private?" He stopped walking, Angel stopping in front of him.
He gave Collins a somewhat desperate look. "Collins?"
He finally stopped smiling and frowned slightly. "Okay, I'll stop for now."
Angel smiled thankfully and hoisted his bag higher up onto his shoulders. "Thanks." He swerved around Collins in the hall, calling over his shoulder. "I'll see you later."
Collins was smiling at Angel's retreating back. "See ya Angel."
AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Angels mom and dad had decided to take Clara to Chuckie Cheese when they found out Angel wasn't going to be home, since his father knew Angel wouldn't want to go there. Clara had insisted that they go to her aunts for the night, another thing Angel didn't really want to do, but since Clara asked for it, of course their mother would do it. So they wouldn't even be back until the next day, but since that was a Saturday, who even knows. They left at five, which gave Angel an hour in the house alone before Collins came over.
Despite what he had told Collins, he was trying to consider what this 'going to the movies' really was. It was more than friends going out, that much was positive, but he wasn't sure it could be labeled a date either.
After showering, Angel got dressed, deciding on blue jeans, his black sneakers, and a black shirt with a red rose on the front. He had seen it in the mall and fell in love with it, but he had never worn it before, in public at least. Part of that was the rose, and part of it was because it was a bit tight on him. If he was the kind of boy who thought of himself as hot, then this was a shirt that made him look hot. He twirled around in front of the mirror, making sure he looked okay for this non-date and smiled at his reflection before grabbing a red zip up hoodie from his closet and zipping it over his shirt. There. Now he was more comfortable.
He sat on the oversized couch facing the door, waiting for Collins to show up. He was sitting there for only ten minutes when he did, which was twenty minutes early. Making sure the twenty dollars his father had given him was safely in his pocket, Angel jumped up to answer the door. His breath caught in his throat seeing Collins.
"Wow." He was wearing dark black jeans, a blue button up shirt, and an orange vest over it, with a black beanie on his head. "You look great."
Collins bowed. "Thank you. And you just… wow."
Angel suddenly realized that while he had been sitting in the arm chair, which was in front of the heater, he had taken his hoodie off and was now just wearing the tight rose shirt. "Ohh, I…" He looked over his shoulder at the chair where his coat now sat. He walked back into the house and walked to the chair. Collins followed him in and closed the door behind him. "So, you're early."
As Angel reached for his coat, Collins leaned forward and took it before him. "You know, it's kinda warm outside. I'm sure you'll be fine in just that."
Angel raised an eyebrow at him and uncomfortably folded his arms across his stomach, suddenly becoming aware of how he must look in that shirt. "I don't think I can wear this shirt around town. Sorry." He held out one hand for his jacket.
Collins smiled and started walking toward the door. "Don't worry, my grandma let me borrow the car. We're going to the next town over."
Angel followed him outside, locking the house behind them. "Why?"
"I just figured you'd be more comfortable, which it looks like I was right."
Angel sighed as he slid into the passenger seat, where Collins was holding the door open, and put on his seat belt. Collins slid into the driver's seat and pulled out of the driveway.
They drove in silence for a few minutes before Angel turned to Collins. "You don't make me uncomfortable Collins."
Collins looked from the road to Angel and back before a smile broke out on his face. "That's not what I meant Angel. But you grew up here. I didn't, so I could care less what everyone thought of me. But people have seen you the same way all your life. It's hard to just suddenly change that."
Angel nodded, but he knew it was just excuses. "But you know you don't right?"
He laughed softly. "Ya, I know."
"I'm actually more comfortable with you than anyone I can think of. Believe me, nobody else could get me to leave the house in this shirt."
They both laughed before Collins turned to Angel with a hopeful smile. "Just let me know if I'm wasting my time, okay?"
Angel nodded softly. "You're not."
Collins smiled and turned the radio, and it wasn't until he turned back to the road that Angel let a huge smile spread across his face.
AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
After dinner, Collins and Angel sat side by side in the movie theatre, back row, with a large popcorn that Angel had insisted he paid for, since Collins paid for dinner, and the movie tickets. It wasn't a huge movie theatre, only two theatres in it, and at the moment, one was a horror flick, and the other was something with a talking animal, so they had opted for the horror one.
They were about halfway through the movie when something onscreen happened that caused Angel to shriek and hide his face in Collins shoulder, peaking out between his fingers. After a moment, Collins patted Angels arm. "It's okay to look now." Angel smiled gratefully at him, and Collins smiled back.
Angel settled back into his seat, pressed into the back. Another on screen incident and Angel flinched. Collins looked over to Angel, who had his eyes squeezed shut. He chuckled softly before sliding his hand over Angels. This, which Collins was thankful for, made Angel's entire body visibly relax. Without looking to Collins, Angel turned his palm face up and locked their fingers. They sat that way for the rest of the movie. It wasn't until the lights came back up that they mutually pulled their hands apart.
AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Angel and Collins sat in the car for a few minutes before Angel opened his door and got out. Collins did the same and they looked over the car at each other. Angel shifted his weight uncomfortable and looked to his feet before smiling up to Collins shyly. "Nobodies home if you wanted to come in for a few minutes." He shrugged, making very light of the offer.
Collins grinned and nodded. "Sure." After Angel unlocked the door, they walked into the kitchen while Angel quickly drank a glass of water. Collins held his hand clasped behind his back, looking around the incredibly clean room. "Nice house." Of course it was nice. Angel had had to clean the kitchen, living room, and bathroom before his mom would let him go with Collins. It was going to be that plus finish the laundry, dust the house and vacuum all the rooms, but his father had told his mother to take it easy on him, since Angel only had two hours to do it all.
Angel instantly washed out his glass, so his mom wouldn't flip in the morning, and put it away. "Thanks. I try to keep it clean." He laughed and shrugged. "It's like I'm holding up the house by my self."
Collins laughed with him and then turned to look around the other rooms. Once they were in the living room, Collins looked to the stack of board games in the corner. He nodded toward them. "You play a lot?"
"Everyday. My little sister's obsessed with Monopoly; we play that one almost every day."
Collins nodded and started looking over a row of pictures on the mantle, mostly of Clara and Angel, a few of various other people, but mostly Clara. "She's cute."
Angel smiled, walking over to stand beside Collins, looking at the pictures. "I'll be sure to tell her. But I think she already knows."
Collins picked up a picture of Clara and Angel together, playing on the swings at the park. "She has your smile."
"Well then she is truly blessed. I've always liked my smile." Sure, he was insecure about a lot of things, but not his smile. He knew he had a great one.
"Me too." Collins smiled at him, proving his point.
Angel nodded. "Yeah, you have a great smile too."
He laughed and shook his head. "No, I was still talking about yours."
"Ohh…" Angel looked to the floor again and Collins put the picture back, still looking at it. Angel looked up after a moment, taking a deep breath before quickly leaning up and kissing Collins on the cheek, before looking down again. "Thanks, Collins. For tonight. I had a lot of fun."
When he looked back up, he didn't have time to see anything, as his lips were instantly locked with Collins. At first, he didn't know how to react. Pull back or fall into it? It wasn't until he felt Collins' hands rest on at the small of his back that Angel forgot what he was thinking about and leaned up, wrapping his arms around Collins neck and pressing into the kiss.
After what seemed like an hour, Collins pulled away, pulling a small whimper from Angel. He chuckled softly and brought one hand from Angels back to his cheek, drawing a line over his jaw. They both just looked at each other for a moment before leaning toward each other for another kiss. They both kept their mouths open this time though, tongues exploring the others mouth. Collins lips were rough and gentle, his kiss strong and soft at the same time. He was sweet and salty, a mix of the sour patches and the popcorn. This was everything Angel figured a kiss should be like.
It wasn't until they were out of breath that Collins ran his hands up Angels back and rested them on either side of his face. They each waited until they would pass out from the lack of air to pull away. They looked at each other for a moment before Collins smiled. He kissed Angel once more softly on the lips, letting his fingers linger on the smaller boys cheeks as long as possible as he dropped his hands. Angel did the same, his fingers tracing down Collins chest in the process.
Collins took a step back with that huge smile on his face, and Angel couldn't help but blush. "I should get going. My grandma's gonna start to worry."
Angel returned the smile and let out a content sigh. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow?"
Collins nodded, pulling Angel in for one more kiss before making his way to the door. Angel waited until he heard his car pull away before moving any part of his body, which ended up melting onto the couch, barely covering with a blanket before he fell asleep in the living room.