I've tried writing several different stories, but have never posted anything before this. So hopefully this is something at least somebody out there enjoys reading as much as I did dreaming up. The usual warnings apply: if you're under 18, or these types of stories are illegal for you to read in your area, then go somewhere else. Otherwise, enjoy.
*****
The tears were still drying on Alec's cheeks as he slumped at the booth in the 24-hour diner, cold coffee in front of him, not knowing where to turn next. He's been like that for at least a couple hours, still trembling in reaction. He knew his parents would have difficulty with him being gay, but if he knew they were going to kick him out he would have kept it quiet and stayed in the closet until he could pay for school himself. It was summer now, but the next year he would have started his first year in college in Electronics Engineering. Now all of those dreams meant nothing.
Scott came out of the kitchen, taking off his apron as he went. The only waitress on duty, Rachelle, called out to him. "Done already?" "Yeah," he answered, "Dave came in early and told me to just clock-out now. It's not like he has lots to do tonight!" He gestured around the mostly empty lobby, only then noticing the young man slumped at a far booth. As Rachelle moved off to clean a table just vacated by a trucker, something about the slouching boy attracts his eye, and he found himself looking over the kid closely. He was smaller, thin but not skinny, dark brown hair, and soft - almost feminine - features. There was something about the depressed figure that was tugging at Scott's heart, and he found himself walking up to the table.
"Hey." The gentle greeting snapped Alec from his re-re-playing of the nights events, and as he looked up he found himself looking at a rough - yet somehow gentle - face with piercing amber eyes. "You all right"?
Alec blinks, then realizes he was staring. He drops his gaze back to the table, hiding a light blush. "Sure", he replies with faint sarcasm, "if you call being kicked out of home and having nowhere to go, I'm doing peachy."
The stranger nods in sympathy, ignoring the sarcasm. "Ya know, I've got a decent place back near the college campus I share with some other guys. I'm sure they'd agree to let you crash there for a couple weeks until you get your feet under you again."
Alec's head snaps back up in startlement. "You'd do that for a complete stranger? You don't know anything about me!"
He smiles. "I get feelings about people, and my intuition is usually right. I'm Scott."
Alec shakes the offered hand, smiling in response. "Alec. If you're sure about this. . ."
"Very certain. My car's parked around the side. . . um, do you have a car?"
"An old beater, but it runs - barely."
Scott nods as they walk out of the diner. "No problem. Just follow me, then."
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They drive up to a decently sized, but fairly old two-story house. After they both get parked nearby, Scott leads Alec in, opening the currently unlocked door but locking it behind them. "The other housemates are usually awake at this time of night, but should be turning in soon. We try to keep the house locked up when we remember to." Alec starts to wonder if Scott is the 'responsible' one of the group, but doesn't say anything. Scott starts to take his shoes off, so Alec follows suit. In the living room right next to the entry two other guys were watching a movie, with a bowl of popcorn between them and bottles of beer in hand. Scott points, "The big jock is Ben, and the other one is Tim. I'm guessing Rick's in his room, on-line as usual. Guys, this is Alec, who needs a place to crash. I offered the couch for a couple weeks."
Ben and Tim both nod in greetings. Ben grins. "Another foundling, Scott? Are you collecting them?"
Scott mock throws a shoe at him. "Hah, hah. Pay no attention to him."
Scott shows Alec around the house, pointing out the two bathrooms, the kitchen, and laundry. Upstairs he goes to the one lit bedroom and knocks on the open door. The guy at the computer looks up, "Hey Scott, what's up?"
Scott introduces Alec to Rick, while Alec tries to identify the MMORPG on the computer screen. He doesn't recognize it by the time Rick's attention gets pulled back into the computer and Scott leads Alec away.
After scrounging around in a few rooms and closets, Scott finally comes up with a blanket and pillow. "Here, you can sleep on the couch for now once they're done watching that movie. Didn't look like you got anything besides coffee at the diner, so you're free to scrounge for tonight. After that you're expected to chip in for groceries, snacks, pop, and beer if you drink."
After the movie finished up, everybody else went upstairs, either to bed or back onto respective computers. Alec turned off the lights downstairs and laid back on the couch, staring at the ceiling, awake but unmoving for several hours before exhaustion catches up to him.
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