New Beginnings

Chapter 23

"Why do you look so cheerful?" Carter smirked at Alexander as he walked into the staff room for his break.

"I'm not," Alexander mumbled with the food in his mouth.

"Yeah," Carter sat opposite the man, "sure you aren't." He squinted as he looked at the brown-haired man. "Did you get a girlfriend?"

Alexander rolled his eyes with a tinge of pink on his cheeks. "No."

"You did!" Carter grinned. "I saw that blush. Come on, who is it? Do I know them?"

"Just knock it off, Carter," the brown-eyed man rolled his eyes for the second time.

"God, I have to tell Marley," Carter chuckled. He ran to Marley's desk, finding the man standing up to go on his lunch break. "Marley, you won't believe this."

"What?" he tilted his head.

"Alexander has a girlfriend."

The golden-haired man's eyes widened, but he soon realised there was nothing to worry about. "Oh, right," he chuckled.

"What? Who is it?"

He patted his friend on the shoulder and walked to the staff room, leaving Carter hanging. He found his boyfriend sitting by himself, eating a sandwich. "Hey, Sweetheart," Marley said quietly.

"Hey," Alexander managed to say even with the food in his mouth. "Did Carter pester you about 'me having a girlfriend?'"

Marley chuckled, unwrapping the sandwich that Alexander had made him. "How did he come to that conclusion?"

"I look 'cheerful'," Alexander smiled as he shook his head in disbelief. 

The golden-haired man gave his lover a warm smile. He secretly placed a hand on Alexander's left knee. "I wouldn't disagree with him."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I do think you look happier."

"Yeah, whatever," he rolled his eyes for a third time. He met Marley's blue eyes that wouldn't tear away from him. His heart skipped a beat with the look his lover gave him. "Fine," he averted his gaze, "I am happier. I...I haven't felt this happy in a long time."

Marley's eyes shimmered. He only wants the best for Alexander, and to hear he's feeling better because of him being in his life makes the blue-eyed man tear up. "Me too, Xander," Marley smiled as he rubbed his thumb on Alexander's leg. "God," he looked into his lover's eyes, "I want to kiss you."

"Marley, the staffroom is filled with people right now," Alexander looked around anxiously.

"I know," Marley took his hand away from Alexander, instead propping his head up with the same hand on the table. "But when we get home, don't expect me to not give you lots of affection."

Alexander blushed as he smiled. "Home?"

"It's not home without you there," Marley beamed.

"Might as well move in with you at this point if I'm going to spend every night at yours," Alexander joked.

"I wouldn't mind that," Marley replied sweetly.

"Isn't it too soon?"

"Nothing's too soon with the right person," Marley sank into the palm of his hand. 

"Ugh, stop being so cheesy."

Marley let out a good laugh, then set his eyes on his lunch in front of him. "You come around mostly every night, you make me and Shai dinner, and you even made me lunch this morning, which was the cutest thing ever. You help me out with Shai, even when she's being a bit of a handful," Marley smiled. "I don't know how you feel, but I want to wake up in the morning next to the person I love. I want to come home with you after a tiring day of work and just be beside you."