"-ahem, alright. Thank you, Lindsey, for that... Er... Insightful presentation on why Victor Frankenstein is a homosexual-"

The collective giggle that rang through the class made Ambrose want to bash his own head through the wall. The young presenter in question beamed happily, as if almost glad she made him regret letting a room full of sexually frustrated teenagers make presentations on whatever they pleased for extra credit. He almost hated how good they were too.

"Alright. Shut up." He didn't bother to sugarcoat his annoyance with his students as they hushed. Ten minutes of time with these idiots left and he could wallow at his desk alone. The thought was enough to ask if anyone else wanted to present.

Aaron dragged his gaze over to where the man stood at the front of the room. Glasses over his tired eyes, 5 o'clock shadow just barely showing along his sharp jaw, and clearly fighting the agony of having had to listen to a girl fawn over the obvious Victorian gay story as many do at her age. He's mildly impressed by her bravery. Then again, she seems to be good friends with that Lin Greenie girl. So he had few doubts people would mess with her. She was weird and terrifying, in his humblest opinion.

Someone else toddled up to the front. A few papers in hand since they didn't seem to have the disturbingly detailed PowerPoint he and the rest of the students just had the pleasure of viewing. A simple essay reading that made Knox happy he had at least one normal student in this hell class.

Aaron felt himself tune out whatever the kid upfront was saying, eyes too busy roaming around before sliding back to the Frenchman leaning against this desk. Diligently paying attention to the presentation as he wrote what he assumed were squiggles on his clipboard. Just barely catching a whisp of someone else's hushed conversation as the teacher's name popped up.

"-you see how red he got? he was honestly so embarrassed it was almost adorable. You'd think he'd be used to things like that being around teenagers all day."

"he also got a bit angry... jeez I wish he wasn't such a stick in the mud, hes hot enough to be a model with faces like that."

"mr. knox is too into his job, I don't even thinks he likes being here"

"he's definitely not just like this, I'm sure."

"-Thank you, Jeffery, now, just sit still for a few minutes before the bell rings, then you animals can leave." Ambrose called out as the previouslt mentioned Jeff finally goes back to his seat. The tall man walking around his desk, grabbing his coffee mug in the most barbaric way possible, and drinking the most likely alcoholic contents in one go.

"-but I think he has a girlfriend or something. I heard a lady at the office talk about someone who keeps trying to see him during school hours. But she can't just let them in-"

"What?"

He didn't realize his question was outloud until both girls looked at him like they were caught red-handed when talking about the teacher. His face blushing red as he tried to think of something else to say that didn't seem so awkward.

"Uhm. Sorry, I thought you asked me something. I'm not paying attention-"

"Yea, no shit Aaron." One of his friends punched his shoulder as he scoffed. Seeing this as an off hand attempt at flirting. Which was very much better than what else his interest really lied in.

The bell rang, and as he stood up to see what Ambrose was doing he was a bit surprised to see him looking down at his phone he hardly touches. Brows furrowed for a moment before he slipped it back into his desk. A frown forming on his lips before he strode out.

~

Ambrose is most likely going to regret giving him that key very very soon if he hasn't already.

He wasn't home yet so Aaron had no problem letting himself in. Ranting to the Roomba that he pasted googly eyes to on the fact that what he heard hadn't left his head all day.

"IT DOESNT EVEN MAKE SENSE, WHY WOULD A GIRL TRY TO VISIT HIM IF HE DOESNT EVEN KNOW ANY WOMEN???"

Aaron paused for a moment. Realizing that he actually wasn't sure about that at all. Hell, he barely knew anything about him besides what his awful sister told him... And he doesn't exactly count her as a woman in his life to begin with, so shes completely out of the question. Sure Aaron liked girls the same way he liked guys too but... Would he tell him that? Does Ambrose like women? Ugh... Aaron barely found out that he liked him back.

He sat down for a moment on the couch. Grabbing a pillow and flopping down on it as he clutched in close to his chest. His blond curls falling past his eyes as he groaned.

"Fuck. I made myself sad." He muttered. Wallowing for a split second before his train of thought ran off the tracks with something else.

"-wAIT. HE SAID HE WAS GAY, WHO THE HELL IS SHE THEN???" He fumed. Even more frustrated with the fact that not only his sister, but Knox himself, probably, lied to him!

He heard the front door open, ready to throw around a whole host of accusations at the man as he turned on his heel. Stopping dead in his tracks as he came face to face with a woman sneaking in. Red pumps in hand as they both froze in place as their eyes met.

They stayed like that for a moment. Aaron still pointing accusingly at the door as both of their mouths hung open as they where both caught. The lady dropping her heels with both hands up first as she laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was here-"

Her voice sounded... Weird? It almost didn't match her pretty face as Aaron fumed. Realizing what he must've stumbled upon.

"Who the hell are you?? His girlfriend?!" He gasped for a second as he covered his mouth, mind reeling with so much more on his mind as he leaped to a worse possibility, his heart dropping into his stomach. "Oh my god. Are you his wife?"

Holy shit, he was a homewrecker. He went after a married man. He was both mortified and strangely proud that he could manage to do that. But before he couldn't even process both of those things, a wave of emotion hit him like a truck. Fuck-

"What? Wife-? Wait. No no no no honey, please don't cry-" She panicked. Rushing over to cradle the blond as she nervously tried to calm him down.

It was a weird sight for Ambrose to come home to after grocery shopping. His boyfriend sobbing into the chest of what anyone would assume was a random woman.

"....J-James? Aaron? Why are you crying-?"

Aaron's head shot up from the woman's chest. Eyes wide as he got a better look at the woman. Wait-

"... I'll be in the kitchen." He muttered before taking his bags inside. Kicking the door closed as Aaron and... James sat beside each other in the hall. James offering a sheepish smile.

~

They sat at the kitchen table awkwardly. Knox had actually spent the majority of the silent weirdness making dinner from a recipe Aaron shamelessly taped to his door to try. Since he had shopped for the ingredients... He found no reason to wait as he dropped their plates infront of them. Sitting down in front of his own serving with a huff. Looking between them both at his small table, before settling on the freckled one first.

"Why do you keep breaking into my house-?"

"You gave me that key on your own free will! And I had a question since I knew you where making dinner!" He crossed his arms over his chest, eyes still tinged red along with his nose and ears. Still glaring at the mystery person who decided to drop by and freak everyone out.

Ambrose followed his gaze as he pinched the bridge off his nose, sighing before acknowledging them.

"James. Why the hell are you here?"

"That not a nice way to say "I'm so glad you visited me, James. I love you always."." James huffed. "And well... I wanted to surprise you. I tried to get to you earlier but they said I needed your "permission" or whatever."

Something in Aaron's brain clicked. But that didn't mean he wasn't still angry. Because he still wanted to know, who the hell was this?

Ambrose groaned. Regretting not pouring his usual drink out the moment he saw them both on the floor. But he could manage. He mildly expected him from the strange text be got earlier. But he didn't expect to see Price sobbing.

"James. You can't just barge into my house after disappearing for 5 months. You told me you gave me all the key copies you made last time."

"Oh... I think... I lied?"

Ambrose grit his teeth. Turning back to Aaron as he watched the confusion swarm over his head like a cloud.

"Aaron? Dear? This is regrettably, my old friend. James. He's a crossdresser. And my guess is that you didn't notice he was a very good one at that."

James beamed at what he took as a compliment. His entire demeanor changing as he turned to Aaron with a ruffle of his hair. Watching his jaw drop for a second before regaining his composure.

"Holy shit." He muttered.

"Why thank you. I'm sorry I scared you... I didn't know Amby had a boyfriend, much less one who could get into his house. I didn't think he was capable of loving anything but the mirror-"

Under the table it was pretty clear he got kicked as he jolted with a yelp. Ambrose glaring before taking a bite of something off his plate. Sighing at the fact that it actually tasted good.

"Can you tell me why you burst into tears when you saw him? Besides that he's absurdly awful to look at-?" Ambrose got kicked back, but something tells Aaron that the way he held in his yell, that James threw one a bit harder.

His embarrassment started to well up as he felt his face go red.

"I heard you had a girlfriend trying to visit you earlier today, and I thought it was a joke..." He lied through his teeth. ".. so I came here to tell you about it but then I started thinking about a lot of stuff and how you never really tell me anything about yourself and then I saw James and-" He couldn't help but cut himself off. Looking down at his plate with an almost sheepish look. It was pretty clear that he had let his thoughts run wild again. Ambrose couldn't blame him for that, he wasn't going to anyways.

He pursed his lips. It's been a few months since this whole... Relationship began. And honestly. Talking about what happened before it all wasn't really a topic he brought up often.

"Ah... I see... You do know I like men, right? And... Well... Namely you. Not anyone else. Much less James who barely counts as a man anyways-"

Another hard kick and this time Ambrose did yell. Ready to throw something Jame's way as he innocently shrugged. Lips curling into a grin.

"I never told you how to live your life ex-jiggalo. And I wouldn't touch you even if you paid me." He said happily. "But now that I know you're alive and actually being a decent human being. I think my nerves are calm enough to just visit properly next time. Maybe I can dress this one up-" He pinched Aaron's cheek as the boy slapped it away. Face going a deeper red from the embarrassment he's already felt enough of today.

Apparently he had finished his meal whilst the entire talk was happening, neither of them noticing how quickly he had scarfed it down. Standing from his seat and blowing them both a kiss.

"Sorry for the trouble darlings, you both look cute together." He hummed. Waltzing out as if he wasn't here to begin with. "ALSO I BROKE A HEEL COMING IN SO I'LL SEND YOU THE BILL AMBY THANK YOUUU!"

The door slammed before any response could be made. Things falling quiet as suddenly they both found themselves staring at each other. Aaron absently picking at his food as his gaze kept switching from his plate to the green eyes burning on him.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My fault I think." Ambrose took another bite. "I suppose I'm too... Mysterious-"

It was almost hard to believe that he was trying to make a joke as Aaron punched him in the arm. Making them both sputter into a bit of laughter as they kept eating. The air improving as they chatted. Talking about the day, the way Knox felt like he was going to have an aneurysm in class, while Price nearly had his heart attack. They talked about James, and dates, and tv, and problems. They fell quiet after a bit. The silence comfortable. But not as they chewed while looking elsewhere.

He was still uneasy. He was still burningly curious. And it wouldn't leave his head.

"I have an idea." Aaron stood up in his seat. Snatching all the plates from the table and the fork out of Ambrose's hand while he was about to bite.

"Hey-"

"Wait!" He rushed off to the kitchen. A small rattling going on as he came back. Bottle in hand that he put right between them. Two glasses as he grinned.

"I know what'll make me feel better, and you too."

"Tommorow is Thursday, Price-"

"So what?" He pulled his chair closer to his side. Lips curling in a smile. "Let's just do this."

He poured them both a heaping serving. Aaron himself didn't really drink like he knew Ambrose could. But there was no harm in trying.

"Let's just talk."

They clinked glasses. Smiling lightly as they both began.

•••

(I really am gonna continue this because lmao why not)

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