A Night with no Stars - 16. Vertigo

Maks usually regained consciousness slowly, he hated getting up too early and took 'five more minutes' as a gospel. This time he jolted awake abruptly. He must have been dreaming about something, he blinked dozily and managed to determine that it was already bright outside. Then he felt another body pressed against his under the sheets. It wasn't Ewelina, she didn't cuddle up to him during sleep. She also wasn't so... flat and didn't have anything that could be poking his tailbone. He turned his head slightly. Right. Aleks.

He felt as if there was a bubble filled with elation growing inside him and the feeling was so bizarre it made him breathless. He hadn't felt like that in a very long time. Correction, he might never have felt like that before. Not to this extent, as if it was going to blow out his insides, because Aleks was really here this time. It wasn't a dream or wishful thinking. After weeks of waiting and visualizing it in every possible way, he was really here. Aleks was sleeping behind his back with his arm wrapped loosely around Maks's middle and he could feel his deep, even breathing between his shoulder blades. For a few minutes he just lay still, afraid to disrupt this perfect moment, but finally he turned around as gingerly as he could, so they were face to face. His eyes started to wander around Aleks's lips, nose and eyelids. It might have been the first time he saw that face so calm, he was always knitting his eyebrows, scowling and doing other weird things with his expression, but now... he was completely still. Nothing was happening on that face, he was just sleeping. It was fascinating.

Maks reached out, trying not to make any sudden movement that would wake him up and rested his fingertips gently on his chin, then started to move them up slowly, towards his cheek. Aleks stirred slightly, as if he didn't like when someone prodded him when he was sleeping. Maks smiled to himself at the sight.

It was hard to wrap his mind around the fact that it was the same Aleks he'd seen last night. They were complete opposites, this one was an oasis of calm, and that one an amalgam of uncurbed impulses. He was... turbulent. That was a good word, in bed he was turbulent, impossible to tame. It was... Jesus, it was really the weirdest and at the same time the best sex he'd ever had. Aleks was like a force of nature. A ruinous force of nature, because he had just ruined Maks for other people. He was... larger than life. It was already etched into his brain, the sight of his half-closed eyes, open mouth and flushed cheeks. He was constantly astir, rushing him and pleading shamelessly. Whatever cheap, dirty fantasy just popped into Maks's mind, he urged him to bring it to life right fucking now. He wanted it all so badly, Maks had never felt sexier before. Aleks was like porn, only better, because he was real. He switched nimbly between bossing him around and giving himself over, which was unfortunate, because Maks could barely contain himself, his hands were trembling when he was putting the condom on, until eventually he didn't even know if they were still trembling, he didn't know anything at all. He wasn't used to losing control. Sex had always been pretty mechanical and calculated, like most things he did, and suddenly he started to wonder whether he'd been doing it wrong his whole life or had he done it wrong last night. Because overall he didn't give a very impressive performance, the whole act lasted around twenty seconds. Ok, without exaggeration, maybe two minutes and a half. Yeah, now he was overrating himself. Less than two, because after he went off his head he couldn't... keep it inside anymore. And that hadn't really happened to him very often even when he was a kid. Eventually he figured that quickies just weren't his thing, which sucked, because Ewelina loved them, but there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't think it was a concern, it wasn't like he couldn't rise to the occasion, except for a few drunk incidents he had no problem with that and he also had no problem with coming, it just usually took much longer.

Suddenly he felt awfully embarrassed, because wasn't coming too quickly generally considered a... failure? He was actually terrified that Aleks might have thought he was bad in bed. Or at least worse than... that Wincent guy for example, who probably didn't finish after two minutes. But give him a break, it was his first time, he was practically a virgin! Virgins should be allowed some premature ejaculation. It's not like he didn't want to fuck Aleks longer. He just needed to figure out how to be more... composed.

Besides, after he exploded clumsily and unexpectedly, Aleks also didn't need much more time, a few seconds, that was all. So maybe it wasn't his fault, maybe they were both too wound up for it to last any longer? He really hoped that he wasn't the only one close to blacking out, because Aleks definitely didn't sound like he didn't like it. Actually he was so loud that Maks had to cover his mouth at one point, so all his neighbors wouldn't hear him. Fortunately Aleks got a hint, drew his hand away and just laughed breathlessly, keeping his wailing in check from then on. It was disarmingly unfettered.

He watched Aleks's eyelashes flutter. He blinked sleepily at Maks, his eyes instantly fixed on his face as it was right in front of them. He looked disorientated for a split second, but seemed to realize quickly where he was and why. The more awake he was, the more tense he became, as if he was waiting for Maks to freak out any second now. Maks needed to set him straight, so he cupped his cheek and stretched his neck. Aleks raised his face, expecting a kiss, but Maks just rubbed his nose gently against his and stilled.

Aleks felt a spark of hope, because Maks looked happy. Aleks was in his bed and he was smiling. It was confusing, because dreams didn't come true just like that. That wasn't how the world worked. According to every generally known rule, their love affair should always make Maks feel uneasy, resistant and bashful, because people didn't change just like that either. And here he was, caressing his face and smiling so sweetly as if he'd just found his place on earth. That might have been expected last night, because people often forgot their conditioning when they were horny, but his current lack of panic was almost suspicious.

Maks took a deep breath, oblivious to his surprise. That elated bubble in his insides didn't disappear, quite the opposite, it kept growing. He wasn't used to that, his life was never particularly happy or particularly unhappy, it was just so-so. And now his levels of happiness skyrocketed, even though he knew it was mostly an illusion, that all the potential issues were still in place and he was just high on Aleks's presence.

He decided not to care just this once. He pulled away slightly to be able to see his face. He looked so drowsy and vulnerable all naked and with his defenses down, Maks felt his heart was going to burst out of his chest. The mere thought that this baby-bird almost fucked him unconscious last night was ludicrous.

“You're fucking crazy.” Maks had wanted to say 'hi', but for some reason he decided to say this instead.

Aleks snorted, which sounded way too loud in the surrounding silence. He bit his lip sheepishly, because what if he scared him off? Maks was so proper after all, he should have at least tried to be a bit more ceremonial instead of attacking him right from the threshold like some caveman. But how would he have gone about it more properly? Asking 'excuse me, would you be so kind and put your dick in my ass?' Now that would be anticlimactic.

“Good crazy or bad crazy?” he muttered, smirking to cover up his anxiousness.

Maks leaned in, wrapping his other arm around him carelessly and brushing his ear with his lips. “My favorite kind of crazy from now on,” he whispered hotly.

That was a relief. Maks wasn't one of those weird phonies that pretended that they didn't have a kinky bone in their bodies (those usually turned out to be the most kinky) and anything that wasn't vanilla offended their delicate sensibilities. As if slow, tender love-making ever rocked anyone's world.

It turned out that he must have managed to do something good in life, because now he'd got not only his perfect night, but also his perfect morning.

Maks's lips were still nibbling at his ear, so he turned his head slowly to catch them with his own. They kissed languidly until it lulled them both, so they stilled with their lips connected, breathing in the air the other just breathed out. Aleks didn't fall back to sleep though and neither did Maks, because his hand started to wander slowly and reverently from his neck down. When he got to his hip, Aleks's only reaction was quiet panting.

Aleks squeezed his eyes shut, knowing where it was going and wanting it to go there so badly, but he gathered all of his willpower and whispered, “I have to go to school.” He was pretty proud of himself that he even remembered that such a thing as school existed. He felt Maks pulling away and opened his eyes reluctantly.

“No,” Maks groused just to be difficult.

Aleks's mouth stretched. “And you have to go to work,” he added callously.

This time Maks looked much more devastated. “No,” he whined again, then drew back in to kiss Aleks's shoulder, deciding that getting up was out of the question. He was too relaxed to move. He was way too happy to go and face the world. Bad things happened out there and the only good thing was in here, so why would he?

After another few minutes of lazy silence Aleks started to fidget. Maks knew he was wide awake already and didn't have the same superpower of falling asleep whenever he wanted as he did. In theory he knew he was right and they really should get themselves up and running, but coming to terms with it was hard. He moved his lips to his neck, trying to put off their inevitable separation in time. Aleks smiled knowingly.

“Do you really wanna go to school?” Maks whispered, pushing him onto his back and slipping his knee between his thighs, even though he knew perfectly well that the sudden need to fuck Aleks might not be sufficient reason for emergency leave.

“I mean, of course, who would care about orgasms when there are so many math problems to solve?” Aleks deadpanned.

Maks gave up his efforts of seducing him and stopped supporting his weight on his elbows, so he crushed him and started to shake with laughter.

“Where's your school?” he asked out of the blue.

“Muranów,” Aleks said automatically.

“I'll drive you,” Maks offered.

Aleks wanted to object that his work was in a completely different part of the city, but he didn't let him.

“Just give me... ten more minutes,” he asked purposefully.

Aleks grinned. “That many?” he wondered playfully.

Maks looked up, biting his lip hesitantly. “Well, I mean... It might get better with practice...” he stammered with an embarrassed giggle, visibly trying to turn it into a joke.

Aleks snorted. “It better not, it comes in handy when we're in a hurry,” he quipped, then frowned when a shadow crossed Maks's face. Aleks's face softened and he smiled indulgently. “For a guy who was straight a few weeks ago you've been pretty spectacular,” he confessed, cupping his face tenderly to make up for his still slightly biting tone. “Hottest two minutes of my life,” he assured him, because men shouldn't be left insecure about their sexual achievements. “Besides, it's the ultimate compliment. And you're right we're gonna keep practicing. A lot,” he promised, pulling him in to catch his lower lips with his own. Ten minutes, starting now.

Maks kissed him back eagerly, moving his hands up his arms. “Have you been going to the gym?” he asked distractedly, raising his head slightly. “You weren't so... buff... last time we were doing this. Not that you're buff now, but...” he broke off, snorting and dropping his forehead on his chest.

Aleks pulled a face. “Thanks,” he scoffed, because he wasn't that skinny. “You know, I have to look at least a little bit threatening to survive in the big world.”

Maks stared at him for a few beats before bursting into laughter.

“Hey!” Aleks protested, visibly affronted.

Maks kissed all his inane protests away. “When did you have time for that? You should be studying,” he said absently, otherwise preoccupied and not sure why he even kept talking.

“Oh my God, you're going to nag me,” Aleks realized suddenly.

“I'm not going to nag you,” Maks muttered soothingly.

“Yeah, you are. I can feel it already. You're going to nag me so hard,” he emphasized playfully with a trace of fake horror.

Maks snorted, immediately picking up. “Oh, you want me to nag you hard?” he teased.

Aleks started to wriggle and make his best porn sounds. “Oh yeah, nag me hard,” he begged shamelessly.

Maks laughed out loud, pressed him to bed and did just that.

***

A few hours later Maks still felt high. High and suspiciously calm. He was not even normally calm, he was overcome by calmness like he'd never felt, as if everything was right in the world all of a sudden. He was doing great that day. He was a king of Excel. All the numbers added up. He helped some random girl from the legal department with boxes from the highest shelf. He might have gone a bit overboard and she might have thought they were friends now. He felt like if he focused hard enough, he might have just popped out a cure for cancer.

He didn't realize up until now how scared he had been before. It was a good thing that he figured it out only now, that he had no reason to be scared anymore. Some part of him had been anxious about the morning after he finally had sex with Aleks, because deep inside he was pretty sure all along that it was going to happen sooner or later and that things would be awkward. That they wouldn't know how to act. That Maks would say something stupid again and Aleks would throw a fit and they would be back to square one. But when the moment had finally come, there was no sign of awkwardness. He had a very comforting feeling that between the two of them, there was no room for any awkwardness anymore. They were both present last night. They both got completely naked and not only in a literal way. They were just two people... two men ... who shared these things with each other, their bodies, their shortcomings, their passion and Maks found out that it was... good. It was good to share it with someone, to have nothing to hide anymore. Everything became easier after that. Of course some fears were still in place, but most of them disappeared, because when someone touches you like that, with no restraints, when they let you see how your touch affects them, then you eventually figure out that you can do the same. That you can open up too.

That was new. And so unlike him. Aleks was a miracle worker. He took out his phone under the desk.

2:15 pm. To: Aleks. Whatever you're doing, keep it up, he wrote enigmatically.

2:18 pm. From: Aleks. ? Building a paperclip octopus? Thanks, I'm pretty proud of that one myself.

A picture followed the text. Maks choked on laughter.

2:20 pm. To: Aleks. That's supposed to be an octopus? It looks more like an anchor.

2:20 pm. From: Aleks. How dare you.

2:21 pm. To: Aleks. What are you doing after school?

He put the phone on his thigh, clicking something carelessly on his computer to keep up appearances. He felt vibration and looked down with a smile that immediately dropped off his face.

2:23 pm. From: Ewelina. When are you getting back from work? I have to do a little overtime, but I could come over after?

He felt a cold sweat running down his neck. No way. There was no fucking way he was not spending this evening with Aleks. The mere thought of not seeing him for a whole day made his eyes twitch. His phone vibrated again.

2:24 pm. From: Aleks. It depends, are you going to nag me again?

He felt himself grinning and suddenly it was a no-brainer.

2:26 pm. To: Ewelina. I'll probably have to stay longer too and then I'm going to grab a beer with people from work. How about tomorrow?

So what that the only people from work he spoke to were his fifty year old boss, the IT guy with greasy hair who smelled like cheese puffs and the girl from legal he befriended earlier today but didn't register her name.

Tomorrow. Somehow he imagined that tomorrow everything would be different, that he would get his act together by then and there wouldn't be a huge 'Aleks and I are fucking' caption on his forehead. If he wanted to make it as painless as possible, he needed to plan what to tell her first instead of putting a foot in his mouth and giving himself away.

2:27 pm. From: Aleks. I'm actually going to dinner. Wanna come?

2:27 pm. From: Ewelina. Ok, baby. Have fun xx

2:27 pm. To: Aleks. Sure. Where?

2:28 pm. From: Aleks. Pick me up at 5.

Now that sounded mysterious. Maks straightened up with determination, focusing his attention back to work. Two and a half hours left.

He felt a bit like a creep parking in front of the high school building and seeing all these kids running through the main entrance, as if they couldn't wait to get away. He tried to convince himself that his sudden need to justify himself that he wasn't some pervert lurking at oblivious, innocent schoolboys was completely unwarranted. There were no children here for Christ's sake, only teenagers and some of them were even adults. He decided not to ponder on how adult eighteen-year-olds really were. He hoped they were, because he hadn't come to pick up a friend or a little brother, he'd come to pick up a guy he spent last night with and he was doing his best not to think of said guy surrounded by this bunch. Sure, he used to call him a kid or a brat in his mind a lot, but truthfully he considered Aleks a man. He didn't belong here and Maks definitely preferred to believe that last night he's had sex with a man, not a boy. The latter seemed much too fucked up to even contemplate.

His eyes searched the crowd. He'd parked a bit out of the way, just in case Aleks didn't want anyone to see him, but it was of little use, because a tall, pretty blond spotted him and had been staring at him for the last few minutes. And really staring, distinctly and intrusively right through the windshield, until he started to fidget. Aleks appeared soon enough and rolled his eyes at her, then crossed the street and opened the passenger door with a gloomy expression.

“Sorry for Sonia,” he remarked. “She needed to check you out,” he explained.

Maks smirked at him, starting the engine. “A friend of yours?” he guessed.

Aleks shrugged. “More like the least irritating person in this pitiful place.”

“So where are we going?” Maks asked when they got out of the traffic.

“Praga,” Aleks replied straight away. Of course. “Seventy seven, Kordeckiego Street.”

Maks reached out for his phone to set the GPS up.

“I'll direct you,” Aleks stopped him smoothly.

Maks withdrew his hand, glancing at him curiously. “What's there?”

“You'll see,” Aleks said enigmatically. “You were the one that wanted to come along,” he added innocently.

...

“My little turtledove!” an old lady shrieked seeing them in the doorway. Maks kept himself from taking a cautious step back when she pounced on Aleks, who just laughed and returned the hug. She was almost a head shorter than him. She drew away to size him up with her eyes. “You got bigger,” she noted in surprise. “Still too skinny though. Come on in!” she shouted, going back inside and clearly expecting them to follow. Aleks glanced at Maks over his shoulder and winked.

The living room was small and old-fashioned, full of furniture from the communist times. Maks was eyeing the old books, wood reliefs and other knick-knacks on the wall unit curiously.

“Sit down,” she ordered, grabbing Aleks's shoulders and plonking him on a chair, as if she was used to insubordination. She did it with surprising force for such a tiny, stooped old lady. Fortunately, she spared Maks.

Aleks crossed his legs immediately, visibly feeling right at home. “This is my friend, Maks,” he introduced cheerfully. “And this is my grandma.”

“So after so many years of me fussing that you should introduce some of your friends to me, you've finally decided to listen?” she wrinkled her nose in confusion, then addressed Maks. “Maksymilian, isn't it?” she asked to make sure, appraising him with her eyes.

Maks nodded quickly, suddenly nervous. “Yes, nice to meet you.”

She smiled at him, amused by his jumpy behavior, then turned around and went to the kitchen. “Friends are all nice and well, but when are you going to bring a girl?” she yelled from the other room.

Aleks smirked. “Never!” he called back without a second thought.

Apparently she decided not to grace it with an answer. Maks fixed a quizzical gaze on Aleks who just shrugged apologetically. She came back, carrying two plates so full with soup Maks was astonished that she managed not to spill a single drop. “Eat,” she ordered Aleks, then focused back on him. “So where did you come from, Maks?” she asked flat out. Maks opened his mouth, then closed it dumbly. “Where did you find him?” she repeated when she didn't get an answer, this time addressing Aleks and looking at him expectantly.

“He just wandered up and stayed,” Aleks said brightly with his mouth full.

Maks barely held a snort and took the opportunity of not being targeted for the time being to try the soup. He admitted with good conscience that it was one of the best things he'd eaten lately, considering that he was a pretty good cook himself and that his parents loved dragging their children to all fancy restaurants.

“You can't get anything out of this one,” Aleks's grandma complained, rolling her eyes, then fixing them back on Maks, who spaced out a bit, too focused on the content of his plate. He knew now where Aleks got all this batting his eyes at everything. Their eyes were identical, wide and vivid, and conveying their constant amusement with the world. His grandma must have been at least seventy, but her eyes were just as sharp and expressive as his. “I asked what you do,” she repeated.

Maks opened his mouth, but Aleks was quicker. “He's an accountant,” he announced with a shrug. Maks shot him a dirty look.

“Financial advisor,” he corrected, pursing his lips. An accountant sounded so boring, the mere sound of this word made him sleepy.

“So you're telling people what they're supposed to do with their money?” she asked skeptically, then shrugged. “Maybe it's for the best, otherwise they would be spending it all on some nonsense,” she added, for some reason giving a meaningful look to Aleks, who looked affronted.

“I bought you meds,” he reminded her dryly.

“That's what I'm talking about,” she agreed as if he just proved her point. “You should invest in your future instead of keeping old, tired people alive. Speaking of, how is school?” she managed to sound almost strict.

Aleks fidgeted on his chair. “Oh, I was just there,” he started with a fake confidence. “It's... still there,” he finished lamely, apparently having nothing else to say about school.

“I'm not amused,” she emphasized, sounding pretty amused in spite of her words. “You know I've already told all my friends about you going to the university...”

“I haven't even graduated yet,” Aleks protested.

“I don't care, I've already sent you to university. What was that...?” she broke off quizzically.

“Psychology,” Aleks muttered in resignation.

“Right, I knew it had something to do with crazy people,” she nodded to herself. “Well, I'm telling you you're going to get your diploma to deal with crazy people, but you need to get your priorities straight first and not to get distracted. Tell him, Maks,” she demanded suddenly. “You must have had to work hard to be where you are right now. And you're an advisor, so advise him.”

Maks narrowed his eyes at Aleks, glancing at his grandma from the corner of his eye. She seemed pretty laid back, and he had only one general recommendation for Aleks. “Don't do stupid shit,” he advised helpfully. Aleks choked on the soup.

“Now that's complex customer service,” Aleks's grandma giggled with exaggerated approval, then leaned in to Maks. “You're going places, son,” she said in a stage whisper, pointing her finger at him. Maks was pretty sure she was taking the piss out of him, but still appreciated it. She took an empty plate from under his nose and marched back to the kitchen.

Aleks glanced at him from under his eyelashes, grinning like mad and Maks stared at him adoringly for a minute or so, before quickly averting his eyes when Aleks's grandma came back to the living room.

“You see, Maks,” she started purposefully, placing another plate in front of him. “Most of my turtledove's friends are idiots...”

“You've just complained that I've never introduced you to anyone,” Aleks protested, cutting in. He was immediately pierced by a glare.

“It doesn't mean that I don't know them,” he emphasized disapprovingly. “That's why I need you to go to college and stop surrounding yourself with idiots. Listen to Maks, he doesn't seem like an idiot,” she added reasonably. “Or you're going to end up like...”

Aleks rolled his eyes. “Leave Kostek alone,” he muttered as if he heard it a hundred times before.

“But it's true. He has a good head on his shoulders too after all, he could do something for himself, but it's all about bros and that bimbo of his. And dumb as a box of rocks,” she added under her breath. Aleks snorted loudly. “I am wrong?” she challenged him.

“I'm a Switzerland,” he deadpanned diplomatically.

“Don't you even think of finding yourself such a stupid girl, turtledove,” she warned him.

“Yeah, you don't have to worry about it,” Aleks assured her smoothly. Maks smirked to himself.

“You would break my heart,” she continued as if she hadn't even heard him. “There's nothing worse than a stupid girl. But you also need to grow up and get yourself together eventually, you can't just live and breathe that strange music of yours and cars and...” she broke off suddenly. “You just can't,” she finished grouchily. “Do you want some seconds?” she asked Maks much more kindly.

“No, thank you,” he said, straightening up automatically. “It was all delicious,” he added, because it was true, but also because there was something in this women that made you not want to end up on her black list.

An hour later Maks had already said goodbye and was waiting in the hallway for Aleks, who had been being hugged for the last five minutes. He made her promise to call him if she needed anything, which she did reluctantly. Maks couldn't help but smile when he watched Aleks with this perky, glib older lady, trying to use his snark to cover up the clear adoration he had in his eyes whenever he looked at her. Maks pushed the elevator button and waited for Aleks to join him before they silently got inside. This whole afternoon had raised his spirits so much he still couldn't force himself to stop smiling. He barely remembered his own grandmas, so he didn't know that grandmas were so heartwarming.

“Sorry about that,” Aleks finally spoke up, looking pretty happy in spite of his words.

“I love your grandma,” Maks confessed simply.

“She's my great-grandma actually,” Aleks corrected him.

Maks did a double take. “She's your great-grandma?” he marveled.

“Yup,” Aleks confirmed. “She raised my dad,” he added randomly.

That was the first Maks heard about his dad, even though he was constantly bitching to Aleks about his. He's never said a word about his mom either. Up until meeting grandma, he could just as well have suspected that him and Kostek popped out of thin air. “Do you live somewhere around here?” he asked cautiously when the elevator went down.

“Yeah, three floors above,” Aleks said blankly.

Maks blinked. “Seriously? You don't wanna... stop by to say 'hi' or...” he broke off hesitantly.

“Not really,” Aleks shrugged, trying to look anywhere but at him. “Nothing to see there,” he added flatly.

Maks felt a stab of worry and growing uneasiness, but he didn't know what he could possibly say to that, so he just reached out to put his hand on the back of his neck in a way that he hoped was comforting. Aleks jumped out of his skin, grabbing his wrist abruptly and pushing it away.

“Not here,” he hissed.

Maks took a step back without thought until they were standing as far from each other as it was possible in a small elevator. Right. It was Praga after all and Aleks might have been pretty comfortable about his sexuality, but he clearly didn't lack common sense either. Maks's hand fell limply in the exact same moment the elevator door opened.

“Ok, turtledove,” he whispered amicably, letting him through first and unable to hold back a teasing smirk. Just as he expected he was instantly pinned down by a death stare, before Aleks passed him haughtily, clearly deciding to pretend that he didn't even hear that.

***

Maks loved sleeping in. He even liked waking up every once in a while only to discover that he didn't have to get up yet and he had so many hours of sleep left. When he first stirred around six am, it sank in on him that it was the first of May, which was a holiday, so he smiled to himself, nestled his face back in the shoulder that served as his pillow and happily went back to sleep. The second time he woke up was around eight. He spent a few minutes basking in the fact that he could be as lazy as he wanted, before yawning and snuggling up to something that was way too fluffy. He frowned and opened his eyes reluctantly, then raised his head, rubbing his eyes dozily.

Damn Aleks had ruined his sleep! Or rather it was him being an early riser, hence his absence in Maks's bed that ruined it.

He glared at his pillow as if it was its fault, before deciding to at least try to nap some more, because it wasn't that he couldn't sleep without Aleks. He just didn't like to. The moment he closed his eyes again, he heard a loud bang that sounded suspiciously like pots and pans falling out of the cupboard. “Aleks,” he moaned, wondering if he would even hear him from the kitchen.

Apparently he did, because not a minute later his head appeared in the door. “Sorry,” he whispered, biting his lip apologetically, as if it made up for all the noise he'd just made.

Maks reached out blindly. “What are you doing?” he grumbled, waving his hands. “Come back here,” he demanded.

Aleks rolled his eyes, but came closer dutifully and got on the bed. “I'm making breakfast. And coffee, because I know how to use the coffee machine,” he informed him proudly, looming over him.

“My little genius,” Maks muttered tenderly, pulling him closer.

Aleks broke the kiss off after a minute or so and moved his mouth to Maks's ear. “Happy birthday,” he breathed.

Maks grinned, then grabbed his waist and turned them around. Before Aleks realized what was happening, he was flat on his back, serving as a pillow again. “Let's go back to sleep,” Maks murmured, sounding as if he was half asleep already.

Aleks shook his head disbelievingly. “I don't wanna,” he whined, shaking him. “You get up and start doing something...”

“It's my birthday, I'm not gonna get up at eight am on my birthday,” Maks scoffed, proving that he was still awake, but clearly not willing to move.

Aleks pouted for a minute, immobilized and already bored. “Do you know how many things we could be doing right now?” he asked rhetorically, annoyed that Maks had the nerve to ignore him and pretend to be asleep. “We could be eating an amazingly fancy breakfast I've prepared especially for you,” he waited for a moment for any sign of enthusiasm. There was none. “We could make fun of your age?” he suggested reasonably. Maks kept playing dead. “We could have sex?” he added casually. Still nothing. He let out a long-suffering sigh.

“We'll have sex later, shut up and go to sleep, turtledove,” Maks mumbled, completely unfazed, but unable to hold back a small smile.

“Try calling me that one more time...” Aleks started grimly.

“Yeah?” Maks asked, going so far as opening his eyes and looking annoyingly smug. “What are you gonna do?”

Aleks brushed his question off with an angry silence, because he had nothing to threaten him with and Maks was well aware of that. “How about you go back to sleep and I'll go trash your kitchen some more,” he suggested hopefully. He didn't get a reply and was going to move on to his next strategy, which was diverting his attention with sex and sneaking out from his embrace, when Maks decided to speak up, “No.”

That was all, 'no'. How was Aleks even supposed to bargain with it? “Why?” he asked flatly.

“I don't like to sleep without you,” Maks mumbled into his shoulder.

Aleks opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it, feeling his lips stretching. When put like that, then ok, he was ready to lie here for the rest of the day, bored to tears. He closed his eyes, even though he had no chance of falling back asleep at this hour, but he nuzzled Maks's hair, deciding that he could as well stay here with him instead of making breakfast if that was what Maks wanted. It was his birthday after all. So he wrapped his arms around him, enjoying the lazy coziness.

And they would probably have been napping, or in Aleks case just slacking off until noon, if his phone hadn't rung some time later. He reached out to the bedside table reluctantly. Maks protested faintly.

“Hello?” he spent a long moment listening to the person on the other end, before picking himself up slowly. Maks's arm that was still wrapped around him fell limply on the bed. “Sure, I'll be there. I'm on my way,” Aleks said without hesitation. Maks frowned, observing him from the corner of his eye. “Ok,” he added curtly, jumping from the bed and tossing his phone aside.

“Who was that?” Maks asked, getting to a sitting position and looking at him gloomily.

Aleks paused in the middle of putting his pants on, shooting him a significant glance.

“Partyka?” Maks figured, lowering his voice. Of course he was the one responsible for ruining their morning. Maks didn't know anything about that guy except that his timing really sucked. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know anything more. “What does he want?” he asked tersely.

Aleks made an unclear gesture between shrugging and shaking his head.

“You don't even know what you're going there for?” he asked disbelievingly.

“He won't say anything on the phone,” Aleks dismissed it lightly.

Maks pressed his lips tightly. “Do you have to always be at his beck and call?” he grunted, not even trying to hide his displeasure.

Aleks rolled his eyes. “He's my boss,” he said plainly, as it should be obvious, tired of having the same conversation for a hundredth time.

“In a normal job the boss doesn't call you at eight in the morning on the weekend and demand you to drop everything and run to him without even knowing why,” Maks remarked, sounding more and more pissed with every second.

“Yeah, and I can see how much you enjoy your normal job,” Aleks sneered, now fully dressed, before looking up and hesitating, because he didn't want to argue with him on his birthday. He didn't want to argue with him at all. He opened his mouth to apologize and explain that he had no say as to when Partyka needed him, but Maks was quicker.

“At least it lets me spend the morning with you on a day off,” he shot back. “But you always have to go, because Partyka always wants something, and people are going to come here later and we won't be able to...” he broke off, sighing and rubbing his face tiredly.

“People, meaning Ewelina,” Aleks picked up, changing his mind about arguing in a flash. “So when it's your girlfriend that gets in our way, it's all fine and dandy, but when it's my boss...”

“Hey, Ewelina and Partyka are not the same thing,” Maks cut him off sharply.

“Of course not, I'm not fucking him,” Aleks mocked.

“Well, I'm not fucking her either,” Maks bridled tetchily.

“Now that's just sad, what are you with her for, her charming personality?” Aleks taunted.

Maks scowled. “Don't ask stupid questions...”

“Besides, I know for a fact that you do,” Aleks added, interrupting him and crossing his arms.

Maks knew he was going to rub it in his face. “It was one time!” he snapped defensively.

“Said by many others before you,” Aleks scoffed and then shrugged, trying to appear impassive. “Anyway, it's fine. It's not like we're exclusive or anything. You can fuck whoever you want,” he added brutally.

Maks's eye widened. “Aren't we?” he asked in confusion.

Aleks looked at him like he was an idiot. “You're kind of engaged to someone else” he observed.

Maks rolled his eyes. “I told you I'm gonna dump her after my birthday. Can't we consider her gone already?”

“Not until she knows it,” Aleks stated, ending the discussion and intending to just turn around and leave before something worse was said.

“At least me fucking her is not life-threatening,” Maks dropped a bombshell in a harsh tone.

Aleks felt his shoulders hunching. “I wouldn't bet on it,” he muttered bitterly, grabbing his hoodie and walking out of the bedroom. “I'll see you at your party!” he called from the hallway.

Maks heard the front door slamming and fell back into bed in surrender, feeling the will to live evaporating from his body. Now there was no fucking point in getting up anyway, but he couldn't go back to sleep. Every time Aleks did something for Partyka, a paralyzing fear ate him up inside, because that might be the time something went wrong.

Why did this happy bubble inside him always have to burst when he least expected it?