Chapter Text
Saturday had finally arrived and, as usual, Axl was a bundle of nerves.
This would be the first time since they met that he and Rodrick were going to a party as a couple. It wasn't that he was ashamed, but he also wasn't exactly ready to do in public the same things he'd done with his previous girlfriends.
It was... complicated.
And he felt alone.
Sure, Sue knew, but asking her for advice was practically volunteering to be ridiculed.
So the athlete had promised himself that, at least for tonight, he wouldn't worry about what any of the strangers at the party thought about them. He took a deep breath.
The other boy's teasing smile flashed through his mind, pearl-white teeth and all.
That alone helped him relax for a moment.
He pulled on a dark green T-shirt and fixed the still-damp waves of his brown hair.
Getting all dressed up for your boyfriend, Axl?
The thought caught him off guard, leaving him slightly embarrassed as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.
As much as thinking about nothing was usually his specialty, this was still hard.
It was hard to simply forget everything he'd been taught for all those years. Hard to say out loud the thing he'd tried to hide even from himself.
Rodrick had come into his life like a tornado, tearing apart everything he thought he knew. But deep down, he still felt guilty for liking another boy. He still got offended if someone called him gay, and he still avoided doing anything that might make him seem "different."
And deep down, it hurt to know that he had been this way long before Rodrick.
Axl sighed, trying to clear his mind, when a new message made his phone vibrate.
The drummer had already arrived.
He rushed toward the door, stumbling as he tried to put on his shoes while walking. He threw on his jacket in a hurry before heading outside.
As usual, the classic white van was waiting for him.
The black-haired boy waved from the driver's window. The dark makeup around his eyes was more noticeable than usual, and he was wearing a white button-up shirt with the sleeves ripped off, a loosely tied black necktie, and the usual assortment of rings and earrings.
It completely redefined Axl's idea of how attractive a guy could be.
"Get in," Rodrick said, opening the passenger door from the inside.
"Hey." Axl settled into the seat beside him.
"Hii."
Axl nearly jumped out of his skin when a third voice came from the back of the van.
He looked into the rearview mirror and spotted a girl with charcoal-black hair, heavy dark circles under her eyes, vaguely gothic clothes, and an excessive amount of silver accessories.
"That's Janis," Rodrick explained before Axl could even ask. "I'm giving her a ride because apparently she doesn't have any other friends."
"Hey! Yes, I do. But Katy's going with Aaron, and I'd rather die than be the third wheel for a straight couple."
Rodrick laughed before glancing at Axl for confirmation.
"You cool with that?"
"Uh... y-yeah. It's fine."
The fact that Janis obviously already knew—or at least wouldn't care if she found out—made him feel strangely comfortable.
Surprised, but comfortable.
Comfortable enough to gather the courage to lace his fingers through Rodrick's free hand while the other remained on the steering wheel.
The drummer's eyes widened in surprise before a small smile appeared on his face, never once taking his eyes off the road.
For the first time all day, Axl felt complete.