Symphony | ✓

Chapter 43

"What are you doing?" Al asked, listening as carefully as he could as Leo shuffled about the room. He could swear he heard a drawer being opened, but now he wasn't too sure. His attention was grabbed again when he heard rustling, and then it went silent again. It both intrigued and frustrated him.

"You'll see," Al heard Leo say as the sound of things being moved about resonated through the air again. Al sighed, trying to stay still. He was sitting on the edge of Leo's bed. The two had come over to Leo's apartment together, and after a while of just talking and cuddling in bed, Leo had gotten up and said he had something he wanted to give to Al. He had scrambled away before Alejandro could protest, and now Leo was moving about the room like a mouse. Al wondered what it was this time. It wasn't music, that's for sure. They had both used Leo's keyboard piano in the living room earlier in the afternoon.

It seemed Leo had found what he was looking for since Alejandro started to hear footsteps approach him. He felt the bed sink in with Leonardo's weight, and there was a small pause before Leo took Al's hand in his. Alejandro gave Leonardo's hand a small squeeze in confusion, and Leo let out a grunt, realizing that he had spaced out.

It's not like I'm asking him to marry me. Why am I so nervous? Leo wondered, giving Al's hand a small squeeze in return.

"Open your hand," Leo said, and Al hesitated a bit, but opened his palm anyway. Leo let go, and after a few seconds, Al felt the touch of a small object on his palm. In confusion, Al closed his hand around it, feeling its sharp bits and smooth base. He opened his hands again, picking the object with the fingers of his other hand.

"It's a promise ring," Leo said, making Al pause what he was doing before cocking his head towards Leo's voice. "We're going to have times when we're separated for weeks—even months on end, so..." Leo trailed, not knowing where to go with it. "I have one too," he said instead, not finishing his former sentence.

Leo watched as Al gave him a small nod. Al would have said something, but his throat felt clogged, and his head was filled with a warm buzz. Leo scooted closer to him, taking the ring from him before helping him put it on the correct finger.

Al didn't know how to express his emotions, so he just settled with pulling Leo into a tight hug when the ring was secured snuggly on his finger. Leo was tense for a bit, a little surprised by Al's reaction, but he soon eased into the hug and wrapped his hands around Al as well, hugging him just as tightly. None of them said anything after that. The sound of the fan blades turning filled the air, and they stayed still, maybe both fearing to ruin the moment with their voice.

"Thank you," All finally found the voice to say before he pulled away from the hug.

"I love it," he added with a grin as he brushed the stone of the ring with the base of his thumb. Leo smiled, sighing in relief. He was happy Al appreciated it. He flopped back on the bed, landing on his back and sinking the mattress a bit.

Al continued to feel the ring with his fingers until his heart rate slowed down. He took the ring off before placing it on the bedside table. He found his way back to the bed again and made to lay down next to Leo. It didn't take long for their arms o find each other in the sheets, and soon they were cuddling—pressed against each other under the weight of the bedsheets.

"Hmm..." Leo hummed, moving his hand so that he could run his hands through Al's dark hair. Since they had started dating the fringe had gotten shorter, and so had his hair in general. You could now see his face, instead of it being hidden under all his hair. Al cuddled closer to him. It felt odd sticking to each other still wearing dress pants and uncomfortable cotton shirts. It was a minor inconvenience—or maybe they'd rather be uncomfortable than apart.

"We should take our clothes off," Leo suggested, and Al snorted before the two started laughing.

Finally, someone said it.

They both wiggled out of their clothes and were soon in just their underwear. They laid side by said, not really saying anything. Leo's eyes flickered to Al. The man had fallen asleep in a short span of time. Leo smiled, reaching out to push back strands of Al's hair from his face. He liked looking at Al—at his long face, tan skin, sharp jaw, and roman nose.

Leo thought he looked breathtaking, and it made Leo's head spin a bit sometimes.

He edged closer, feeling Al's shoulders and pressing his face into the man's smooth chest. He took a deep breath, running his hand over Al's hand, and then his waist before settling for cupping the skin of his arms. Al moved a bit, and Leo paused, looking at Al's scrunched-up features until they relaxed again.

"What are you doing?" Al asked, in a sleeping voice. His eyelids opening, and his eyes moving under the mist of cataract. He felt around the space between them until his hand bumped into Leo's bare chest. It didn't take time for Al to move his hand over Leo's chest, then stomach, then lower. Leo took in a deep breath, taking Al's hand away before pulling the man into a tight hug.

Al let out a small squeal, and Leo just returned to running his hand through the man's hair. Al suddenly pulled away, surprising Leo.

"Why are we still awkward about this?" Al asked, and Leo just stared at him with wide eyes as his face flooded with warmth. He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't get the words to come out. He closed his mouth, listening as Alejandro laughed at him before leaning closer. Their noses were touching now, and Leo was getting a bit distracted with Al's hand that had moved to give him a shoulder massage.

"We want to kiss each other," Al said, breaking the silence. He moved to play with Leo's hair, smiling a bit as he edged forward. "We want to sleep with each other..." he trailed. "So, why are we being children about it?" he asked, and the room fell into silence again. It was late in the afternoon now, and they were the only ones in Leo's apartment as always.

With one last edge, their lips got pressed together in a soft kiss. They laughed, breathing into each other's faces before deepening the kiss as they palmed, touched, and felt each other's bodies.