Chapter Text
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“Amor, please , I’m a perfectly safe driver.”
Noah rolled his eyes, hands still gripping tightly at the car handle and his seatbelt, an empty comfort as the car swerved to the right, taking Noah to the right with it.
Noah grunted as the car’s middle console dug into his side, blinking when he was suddenly thrown back to his original position.
“..Yeah? Tell that to the mailbox you nearly ran over last week,–”
“Okay, I admit that was a bit too close for comfort.” Alejandro huffed, opening his mouth to continue defending his driving honor but was cut off by Noah continuing his own offense.
“–the driver you had an aggressive honking match with a few days ago,–”
“ He was in my way and going at a turtle’s pace! ” Alejandro whined, looking at Noah with wide eyes as though he was incredulous to the fact Noah did not understand his actions at that time. Noah did not then and does not now. Though he does wish Alejandro would keep his eyes on the road.
“–and the ridiculous way you just turned.” Noah muttered at last, falling back in his seat and staring up at the car’s ceiling with a sigh.
“Cariño, you just drive like a grandma .”
“I drive like a safe human being !” Noah yelped, jumping back up to an upright position, looking at his boyfriend in offense. Honestly, as if he had room to talk with his horrendous driving. At least Noah wasn’t nearly in a car crash every time he got in the driver’s seat.
“Sure sure,” Alejandro waved him off, leisurely turning into the aquarium’s parking lot as he did. Noah scoffed, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms as he sunk a little in his seat.
“Oh querido , don’t sulk!” Alejandro parked and immediately turned to face him, a dopey smile on his face as he attempted to hug Noah from the driver’s seat. Not an easy feat, especially when Noah tried to avoid him to continue his sulking session.
“Quit it!” Noah whined demanded, frowning when Alejandro got him in his arms anyway. Stupid toned long arms. Christ, they were strong.
“ Nooah , cerebrito, why the long face?” Alejandro pulled back and looked down at Noah with a face Noah knew Alejandro was attempting to stifle a laugh.
“Shut it.” Noah huffed, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. A warm hand moved from his shoulder to his cheek, a finger thumbing at the small upturned corner.
“you’re smiling .” Alejandro teased quietly, an (at least from someone else) uncharacteristically soft smile on his lips.
“maybe.” Noah rolled his eyes, fondness creeping into his voice and face. He sighed and let himself be held, ignoring the way Alejandro hummed in contentment, and sunk into his boyfriend’s embrace. Though the moment did not last long, as all things soft and quiet between them don’t.
Mainly, because Noah had the inability to handle quiet moments without feeling sleepy and tired. Alejandro knew this, and it was absolutely why he pulled away slightly from their cuddle-hug.
“Maybe we should head inside before we end up canceling our nice aquarium date because someone couldn’t stay awake, hm?” Alejandro grinned at Noah’s grimace.
“That’s not fair.” Noah rolled his eyes (Alejandro got used to Noah’s excessive eye rolling a long time ago) but got up anyway, groaning as he hefted himself up and out of his seat.
“It’s completely fair. Especially after we had to cancel our reservation because you fell asleep and refused to get up.”
“You didn’t get up either though.” Noah pointed out, stepping out of the car and meeting Alejandro in front of the car.
“I couldn’t get up because someone was clinging to me like a koala would a branch.” Alejandro huffed, “It was near impossible to get up.”
“ Near impossible? That implies–”
“Shut up.” Alejandro grumbled, storming ahead with Noah’s hand in his.
“–you could have gotten out but chose not to in the end .”
“Querido, I love you,” Alejandro swung Noah around to face him, holding both of his hands, “but please do shut that wonderful mouth of yours.”
Noah huffed and turned away but neither could miss the smug smirk tugging at his lips.
Once they had gotten inside and got tickets and whatnot, they finally got to see the marine animals Alejandro was babbling about during the whole week prior to coming.
"Noah?"
Noah glanced up and saw his boyfriend waiting by an entrance to another long hallway with clear glass to view the many fish and sea creatures swimming by. Noah absentmindedly took note of the way Alejandro looked bathed in a blue glowy hue, the way it hit him in just the right places to make him look absolutely stunning. Which was absolutely not fair because how was he supposed to focus on the sea creatures when his (stunning) boyfriend was. Right. There?
“Cerebrito?” Noah blinked and all of a sudden Alejandro was right in front of him with his stupidly good hair (that low ponytail was a mistake , Noah can hardly focus when it’s in place) and stupidly good-looking arms that would be (and are) amazing to fall asleep wrapped up in–
“ Noah , there are people .” Alejandro snickered, hooded green eyes looking down at him with amusement and fondness.
Noah smirked as he was suddenly hit with an idea, not bothering to think it out because it was clear he was spending way too much time with Izzy and Eva.
Noah leaned in slightly, placing his hands on Alejandro’s broad shoulders to stabilize himself, and whispered, “You’re hot, what can I say? A room full of people won’t refute that, nor will it change my plans for later .” And with that, Noah pushed past him to walk into the clear hallway, stopping to watch a peculiar looking fish swim by (absolutely not because he wanted to look at Alejandro over his shoulder, absolutely not).
Alejandro was still standing where Noah had left him, his back facing Noah so he couldn’t see the expression on his face.
That is, until Alejandro turned around slowly and gaped at him. Noah snorted and looked away but couldn’t hold it in once Alejandro sped walked to him and immediately started talking his ear off about how ‘you can’t just say that’ and ‘ Noah , querido, my heart can't do this right now'.
"What? Can't handle a little flirting?" Noah huffed in triumph, "You can dish it out but can't take it when I flirt back."
Alejandro groaned, rolling his eyes and turning away while grabbing Noah's wrist, "To be fair, you hardly flirt flirt back so it's just a surprise when you do. I haven't gotten used to it yet." Noah shook his head with a snort.
"Sure, sure. Next thing you know, when I initiate a kiss, you'll explode."
Alejandro spluttered but noticeably did not deny it. Rather interesting if you asked Noah. He hummed quietly and noticed a small, not entirely well-hidden, dark alcove in one of the corners near an entrance nearby.
Even more interesting (and useful).
“–and their color!” Alejandro smiled, “It’s so vibrant and would be completely unnatural and bewildering on any other animal but just works for this particular fish.”
Alejandro turned to see Noah’s small smile and, though he was staring at something else in the large tank, Alejandro could just tell Noah was giving him all of his attention.
“So what caught your attention?” Alejandro took a step closer and attempted to find the sea creature Noah was intently staring at the whole time. Probably one that hadn’t moved in a while, seeing as Noah was staring at one spot for most of the time.
Noah hadn’t said anything, simply continuing to stare with a smirk, his finger playing on top of an information stand of–
Alejandro soon found his answer.
“It’s you.” Noah said cheekily, a finger tracing the eel’s picture while an unbearingly smug smirk formed on his face as the eel he had been watching peeked their head from behind a rock they were behind. Wide eyes and slightly agape mouth, it looked at them once before diving behind a line of rocks. Alejandro’s chest puffed up as he inhaled, working up an argument.
Before exhaling and drooping his shoulders, knowing Noah would never let him forget about the eel comment.
“Noah..” Alejandro groaned, pouting down at the bookworm currently smirking up at him with the most smug smirk Alejandro has ever seen.
“Yes?”
“Please, please , can we forget the eel comment?”
It was silent for a moment, the soft murmurs behind them being the only noise. That and the water surrounding them.
Then–
“No.”
Alejandro was on his phone near the entrance of the first exhibit they had been to. He was waiting for Noah to come back from the gift shop before heading to the last exhibit they had wanted to see before leaving.
He absently wondered what they would do when they went home, wondering if Noah would want to cuddle in or maybe stop by a hole-in-the-wall restaurant they had both grown fond of over the start of the semester.
Suddenly, Alejandro remembered the little stunt Noah pulled earlier.
“You’re hot, what can I say? A room full of people won’t refute that, nor will it change my plans for later .”
Alejandro soon found himself a blushing mess and covered half of his face with his hand while the other gripped his phone tightly.
Oh, Noah, querido, the things you do to me.
“Ale!” Alejandro jumped, his heart warming at Noah’s emphasis on the ‘ eh ’, a dopey smile on his face as he remembered Noah’s immediate use of ‘Ale’ instead of ‘Al’. And his nonchalant attempts at getting Owen to use Ale instead of Al (though, for as much Noah can accomplish with the blond, it seemed the guy was stuck on Al).
His dopey smile soon dropped as he noticed the.. thing resting around Noah's shoulders.
“Noah.”
“Ale.” Noah’s honeysuckle sweet voice made Alejandro shake his head, ignoring the obvious buttering up.
“What. Is. That?”
“It’s my new friend,” Noah shrugged, grabbing the– the eel’s chin with his hand and giving it a little shake, “Al. Al the eel.”
Alejandro narrowed his eyes, “You think you’re so funny.”
“I know I am.” Noah smirked, sauntering over to Alejandro with a certain twinkle to his eyes.
“I hate you.”
Noah rolled his eyes, as though those words were such obvious lies he couldn’t stand them (which they were, but Noah has no need to know), “Sure you do.”
“I do.” Alejandro huffed, attempting to keep up his annoyed farce. Though the longer he stared at Noah’s confident steps and slight sway of his hips and hair–
“Sure.” Noah got up close to him, eel loosely curled around his shoulders, limp and pathetic. Noah’s hands, small but surprisingly firm, found their way onto his shoulders once again.
Then he was being pushed towards a corner, the sudden shadow casting over him surprising him as he turned his head to find themselves in a dark corner, an alcove of sorts. And a stand of something covering them even more.
When Alejandro turned his head back down at Noah, he had no idea what he was expecting but it sure as hell wasn’t a kiss.
Noah went on his tip-toes and leaned in, barely an inch away as he whispered, “you love me, you say so all the time.”
And then he captured Alejandro’s lips in a kiss, slow and sweet but with something lurking underneath the surface. Alejandro nearly burst into a million pieces right then and there but quickly found his hands on Noah’s hips as the smaller leaned further and further into him, probably a mere second away from losing his balance as his hands moved from his shoulders to his neck and hair.
Alejandro attempted to pull away, as much as he didn’t want to but he didn't want to explode and become putty in Noah's hands, but he was pulled right back in by Noah’s impatient hands.
Once they were forced to part for air, Noah smirked at him while Alejandro’s face burned . Stupid smart boyfriends. Alejandro should’ve gotten a himbo.
“Rendered speechless by one kiss.” Noah murmured after Alejandro stood silent and blinking (trying not to be obvious about wanting Noah to kiss him again, because it was just even more exhilarating when Noah initiated it). He trailed a finger down his cheek, biting his lip to keep a smile down, “Who knew?”
After shaking his head and gathering his thoughts once more, he muttered, “you, obviously.” Alejandro rolled his eyes and coughed, ignoring the couple that walked by them, curiosity clear in their faces, “All for your need to gloat.”
Noah rolled his eyes, “It was more of wanting to see you flustered, but being right is a nice bonus.”
Alejandro huffed, “You’re insufferable.”
“After all those nicknames you insist on calling me? Ale, I’m hurt.”
“Tu eres mi molesto, querido estorbo, mejor?”
“I really need to learn spanish.” Noah murmured before falling back onto his feet and grabbing Alejandro’s wrist, leading them away from their little ‘secret alcove’ (which wasn’t so secret from a certain point but who cares about that?).
“Ale, please laugh, it was $90.”
“Oh my god–”
“Please.”
“ Ninety? ”
“Just a mechanical ‘haha’ will do.”
“You’re banned from the gift shop.”
“Oh c’mon, what if I wanted to get you a surprise gift? I know how much you like surprises.” Noah tried, even after 5 minutes after their little gift shop argument ended.
“If it keeps you from wasting another 90 dollars.” Alejandro sighed wearily, looking down at where his boyfriend was frowning and looking disgruntled, “I’m starting to see how well you all work together.”
Noah glanced up at him with a quirked brow and crossed arms, “‘You all’?”
“..Team.. Escope.” Alejandro sighed, as though saying the mere name was painful. Which, with how much shit they regularly get into and had to return Noah home with? It probably was.
“Oh,” Noah blinked, “Well, to be fair, Izzy’s the worst out of us. She once spent 50 dollars on a piece of paper a guy was selling off the side of the road. Admittedly, Eva and I could’ve stopped her..”
“But you wanted to see where it would go.” Alejandro rubbed a hand over his face as he took Noah’s hand and guided him away from the dreaded gift shop, lest he suddenly get a new idea and decide to fuck it all and buy another eel (to be honest, no matter how much he loved Noah, he wouldn’t put it past the other).
Noah nodded, either not noticing or caring that they were leaving before he could buy another ridiculous item, absently playing with the eel resting on his shoulders, “Turns out, it was just regular notebook paper that could glow in the dark. We had to stop Eva from turning back around and punching the shit out of the guy. Well, it was more Owen since Izzy wanted to fight and I honestly thought the guy deserved it.”
Alejandro shook his head as he opened the car door for Noah, smiling down at him as he got into the passenger seat, “You guys sure are something.”
Noah shrugged, “I’m sure the man thought so too when Eva glared at him and nearly shoved her middle finger up his–”
“ Anyway , I think you’ve topped Izzy with that atrocious thing.”
“Don’t be mean to Al.” Noah chided, patting ‘ Al ’ on the head as he did, “Also, no. Technically I had a purpose, a reason. Izzy just wanted to see the paper. I had a mission.”
“To annoy me.” “To irritate you.”
Alejandro rolled his eyes as Noah nodded and continued petting the eel’s head. After a minute, he frowned and glared at the eel.
“That eel looks horrendous, I hope you know.”
Noah’s eyes twinkled, “Takes right after his father.”
Alejandro shut the car door closed right as Noah cackled. He’ll admit, he walked right into that one.
Once they got home, Alejandro shucked his shoes off and carried the take-out bags from their favorite restaurant inside.
Noah trudged in behind him, eel still curled around his shoulders as he dragged himself inside and took his shoes off.
The car ride had been quiet and with the only noise having been the hum of the car.. Noah was out like a light within 10 minutes.
“I’m so tired.” Noah grumbled, shutting the door and locking it as he turned around to walk into their little kitchen.
Alejandro stood in front of the kitchen island and took the containers out of the bag. Though he may not love fast food or anything of the sort.. he could make an exception for (sleepy) Noah.
Noah shuffled in and wrapped his arms around Alejandro’s middle, crushing his cheek against his back and leaning into the softness of the eel plush.
“ Ale ,”
“Eat first, Noah.”
“ Ale ,”
“Food first, nap second.”
“You’re terrible.”
“Consider it payback for the eel.”
Noah sighed and tried to peel his cheek away but found he couldn’t, his energy pouring out of him in waves.
“At least carry me to the couch.”
“You do have legs for a reason, mi amor.” Alejandro turned his head to the side and attempted to give Noah an amused smile but found the other to be pressed up too close to his back to see.
“Alas, you never do use them much, do you?” Alejandro sighed and carefully lifted Noah's arms from his middle, turning around to pick up his sleepy boyfriend.
“you should know the answer to that.” Noah grumbled, a lightning fast hand moving to grab the stuffed eel before it could fall to the floor.
“A shame.” Alejandro hummed and walked into their small living room, depositing Noah on top with a smile, “I’ll be right back.”
Noah nodded and hugged the eel tighter as a substitute for Alejandro.
(And if Alejandro moved quicker than normal because of that.. no, no he did not.)