Crushing Part 4
Alex's sides hurt, his cheeks stung. He was so happy, he had never known smiling and laughing so much could actually hurt you.
"I'm serious! I had no idea until the morning and everyone showed me the photos!" Logan laughed from where he sat in the drivers seat beside him. Alex felt tears in his eyes as he doubled over in laughter.
"How the fuck did that even happen?! Why was there a duck in your bed in the first place?!"
"They said it came through the window but I reckon it was a prank. Still it made a good little spoon for the photos. I'm just snoring... cuddling a duck."
"I need to see these photos."
They were well into their drive up to Leeds. The lightness that filled Logan the further he drove away from their childhood home was infectious. Alex felt excited to see this city which Logan had been raving about for the last hour and a half straight. They only had about 15 minutes left on the SatNav when Logan pointed.
"Here we go, this is the exit. Almost there," he smiled and took Alex's hand, lacing their fingers together over the gearstick between them as they pulled off the motorway.
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up in front of a row of terraced houses. They looked worn down and tired, squatting on grey pavements littered with colourful cans and plastic packets, but to Alex it looked like heaven. Freedom from his parents, from his old life.
"Home sweet home," Logan grinned, stepping out of the car and opening the boot, pulling out both his and Alex's bags and putting them over his shoulder.
Alex followed Logan up to the door, which he unlocked and threw open.
"Let's dump this stuff upstairs and then I'll introduce you to everyone."
Alex nodded, following Logan up the stairs strewn with flyers and unopened post, past several closed doors, some with music playing or voices, and up to the last door. He unlocked it and welcomed Alex inside.
Logan's room. It wasn't something he had thought about up until he was actually here in it. You can learn so much about someone from their personal space, but they has always been together in Alex's room, not wanting to risk the discovery of Logan's dad. Now, the tables were turned.
He took in the double bed that looked like it had been hastily made before he left to go home for the holidays, a wardrobe with a slightly broken door that didn't sit right, a messy desk covered in papers and a couple of used mugs. On the wall were posters for The Beatles and Arctic Monkeys, and drawings that looked like Logan's own work.
"Sorry," he said hastily, picking up a pair of socks and a towel from the floor and throwing them into the washing hamper. "I hadn't expected to be bringing someone back with me when I left."
Alex grinned, "it's great, I love it. It's so... you." Even after having been away for weeks, Alex could smell the Logan-ness on the furniture, could imagine him at that desk, on that bed. He approached the drawings with curiosity.
"Did you do these?"
"Yeah, drawing calms me down," he admitted with an embarrassed smile.
"I had no idea you drew so well," Alex said, gazing at the detailed landscape sketches before him. The shading and proportions were incredibly good.
Logan dropped the bags on the floor and approached Alex, wrapping his arms around his waist, kissing him gently.
"It's so weird, you being here."
"Good weird?" Alex whispered.
"Very good weird," he confirmed, kissing him again with more intention this time, Alex laughed breaking the kiss.
"Slow down, shouldn't I meet your housemates first."
Logan groaned, "they can wait."
"It's rude," Alex chided and Logan sighed.
"Fine," he said rolling his eyes, but he smiled and kissed Alex one last time before dragging him to the door. "Let's go meet the crew."
*
Logan opened the downstairs door to a large kitchen and living area. Inside there were two girls, one cooking, the other leaning on the counter top talking animatedly. Further into the room there were three guys playing what looked possibly like Call of Duty, Alex wasn't sure.
"Logan, I didn't know you were back today," the nearest girl beamed, giving him a one armed hug whilst continuing to cook with the other hand. She had long curly auburn hair and thick glasses, she was pretty in a casual way, curvy in shape, wearing little makeup and an oversized flannel shirt. The guys shouted their greetings from their game, and the girls rolled their eyes at Logan.
"That bloody game has been on all day, they can only grunt one word answers."
"Fuck off Megan," one of them called, "just because you're shit! Take that for a one word - oh fuck!"
"Yeah you deserved to die shithead," Megan called, but neither seemed to actually be angry at each other. There was a lightness of good friends to their insults.
"Who's this?" The other girl asked cheerfully, approaching Alex. She was petite and white blonde, she was quite elf-like in appearance with a soft tinkling voice.
"This is Alex, my boyfriend."
The girls didn't seem even phased by his words, and Alex remembered Logan having told him that these were the only people who knew about his sexuality.
"Cute! So nice to meet you," the girl said, giving Alex a surprisingly strong hug, "I'm Lulu, this is Megan."
"Hi," Megan said from her saucepan, giving Alex a look he didn't quite know what it meant, and glancing at Logan.
"The losers over there are Harry with the red hair, Rob with the glasses, and the one who just died, Seb."
"Fuck you Megan," Seb called again, but he stood from the sofa, his game screen blank whilst the other two played. He was mixed race and tall, with a kind face.
"Hey nice to meet you man," he said to Alex, "Logan, good summer then?"
"Yeah, good cheers."
"What's with the cut on your nose?" Lulu frowned, "Wait... are they bruises? Were you in a fight?"
"What?!" Megan gasped, abandoning her meal to swing Logan round. "Logan we talked about this! What happened?! I can see the old bruises, you're right Lulu."
"It's fine, Megan I'm fine. Stop fussing," Logan pushed her away lightly and she scowled. He grinned at Alex sheepishly. "Megan is like my adopted mother, she likes to fuss over me."
