alec_leads | Monday night

Monday night

The lesson with Edmund passed with no more personal discussion, but it was a good one. Actually, it was a grueling one, but in a good way.

Alec has to hop in the shower when Edmund leaves, and he almost misses Ginny's phone call as a result.

"Sure, babe. Come over. I have extra hugs just for you."

He's waiting on the porch when she drives up and walks to her car to meet her.

"Hey."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ginny pretty much collapses into his arms. She and Tom had fun - pizza, and ungodly amounts of ice cream, and he let her paint his toenails green - but he was exhaustingly depressed, and keeping up a cheerful face was getting pretty difficult by the end.

"Oof."

"So what do you need? Foot rub? Head rub? Lots of kissing? Name it and you've got it."

He holds her, kissing the top of her head. He wants to know how Tom is, but Ginny's well-being is his priority.

"Oooh, all of the above. And extra hugs."

She feels a little better already. Alec tends to have that effect on her.

"Mmm, extra hugs sound awesome. Come on inside."

After a quick kiss, of course.

Ginny is looking forward to kisses that are perhaps not quite so quick later on, but for now she just follows Alec inside.

"How was Edmund?"

Alec makes a face. "Touchy and all business. We didn't talk much."

Once they're inside, Laurie walks in from the kitchen, greeting Ginny with a smile and urging offers of drinks and snacks on both of them.

"Um, yeah, Mom. A bowl of trail mix and some lemonade would be great"

He gives Ginny a grin as Laurie returns to the kitchen and whispers, "She likes making us snacks. I like her making us snacks."

"I don't think I could eat anything if I tried," Ginny groans. "Tom and I downed our weight in Ben and Jerry's."

"I'll valiantly step up to eat your portion."

Once he has the bowl of trail mix in hand, he leads Ginny upstairs to his room.

"Ben and Jerry's, huh? How is Tom?"

"He's pretty destroyed."

"Oh, man," he says, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Edmund didn't seem to be all that upset. On the outside, anyway."

Ginny sits next to him and leans her head on his shoulder.

"Tom really thought they had something. Or were starting to, anyway."

He puts his arm around her shoulder.

"Edmund is really- I don't know, Ginny. I think he's got some real problems. We were talking the week before Thanksgiving, and he kept saying how he's always stressed out and never has a moment's peace."

Alec has the sinking feeling that all of this is his fault for the advice he gave that day.

"I don't know," she sighs. "I really don't get him at all. And I promised Tom I'd be mad at him, so you have to not be, okay?"

"I'm not mad. I feel sorry for him. It's like- I don't know. Like he's tormented. Does that make sense?"

He sighs.

"I think it's kind of my fault how it went down. In that same conversation, he was talking about how he wasn't sure about what Tom needed and I said to not make things worse if a clean break would be better. Was that bad? I mean, I know a little something about needing to be sure before going for it."

"God, I don't know. Do you think Edmund was just stringing him along the whole time? I mean, they were pretty private about it, so I just don't know what to think."

She turns her forehead into Alec's neck with a sigh. Why are relationships so complicated?

"I think..."

He smooths his hand up and down her arm.

"I think Edmund's got issues in the way that aren't going to let him be happy. And if he can't be happy with himself, I don't think anyone will be happy with him. Tom needs someone who can make him happy. That's what I want for him, you know? To be happy."

"Tom says he was happy until Edmund ended things. And he seemed happy recently, didn't he? I thought so. But now he thinks he's 'not boyfriend material', whatever that means, and - yeah. I want him to be happy, too. And I think he really wants a relationship, but he's convinced himself that he doesn't deserve one."

"You're kidding. He said that?"

He shakes his head.

"What a mess."

"He said it to me, too. I mean, before, when we were - that he couldn't be anybody's boyfriend. But he could, you know? I just wish somebody could show him that."

"I know. Me, too. Um, to everything. I never told you, but, um, he pretty much took himself out of the equation when we talked. He said he was a dream I hadn't woken up from, and I needed to wake up. It's like he was trying to talk me out of being with him, in a way."

Alec made his own decision. He has no doubt about that. Tom made it easy.

"He's always had this emptiness inside him. I don't know how it can ever be filled up if he's too scared to let anyone close. And I know that's what it is. He's scared."

"Sometimes I just want to hug him forever."

"Right?"

He hugs her.

"He definitely needs them. He hardly let us touch him until this year. Alyce always made him stand still while she hugged him at Christmas. I think he secretly liked it even though he scowled and griped about it."

"He's getting pretty good at them now. I mean, he lets me hug him a lot, anyway."

...is it okay that she hugs Tom a lot? She hopes that's okay.

"Trixi gives him plenty, too."

Yeah, it's okay. Alec doesn't even bat an eye.

"He asked me what being in love is like."

"Ginny, I don't think he was ever loved. I mean as a kid. Has he told you about his uncle?"

"He showed me his arms. God, Alec, I just want to fix him."

"You and me both. When we were kids, he was- Huh. He was a little like Edmund. You never knew when something you said would set him off, and he was wound tightly. Yet we just wanted to be his friend, you know? To try."

He knows she knows.

"What on earth happened to Edmund, then?"

"I have no clue. He has a family, which is more than Tom had. He seems close to his sister. It's her birthday today, and he was wearing a sparkly tiara for her."

"...I'm not sure if that's adorable or terrifying. Ooh, Tom let me paint his toenails!"

"What? Like with nail polish?"

"Yeah! I mean, I've only been the supportive BFF for girls before, so, you know, ice cream and nail polish it is."

"Hey, if it worked, then I say job well done. Although I may be jealous now."

He grins and wiggles his feet.

"My toenails are bare."

"Oh, I will totally paint your toenails."

He kicks off his shoes.

"Alyce has purple. With sparkles."

Ginny looks at him, eyes shining.

"Really?"

"Really."

Alec isn't jealous. He's really not. But if his girlfriend's going to paint another guy's toenails, he's going to get some color on, too.

"I draw the line at fingernails. Well, maybe black would work on the fingernails."

"You," Ginny says, leaning in close, "are the best boyfriend ever."

"Aren't I, though?"

He pulls her into a kiss. When it breaks, he snickers.

"I also have a girl twin. We went through a beauty shop phase when we were six."

"More kissing, less talking about your beauty shop phase."

Maybe painting his toenails can wait just a little while.

He laughs and kisses her again. And again.

Yeah, painting his toenails will have to wait.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Monday night

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject