albert would always be there for race. especially when he's rejected by another girl. it wasn't like race actually tried to be appealing to them. he would simply go "what's cookin' good lookin'? mind if i take ya out tonight?" or some stupid phrase like that and they would think he was crazy. so race would find albert and complain about what had happened.
albert usually wouldn't say anything and would just listen. after all, he seemed to be in love with the boy for what seemed like 100 years. so, naturally, he wouldn't want to say anything. it hurt a lot, but he was coming to terms race would never feel the same.
after a long day of selling papes, albert was dozing off before race burst into his place. albert nearly fell off his bed at the sudden commotion. "racer!" albert whined. but race just flopped onto the bed next to albert. "what happened this time?"
race shrugged. "don't matter," he pouted into the flat pillow.
"'notha girl?" albert asked. race nodded and forced himself up.
"you nev'r seem ta 'ave problems like this, al," race complained, falling onto alberts shoulder.
"i don't go 'round scarin' ladies," albert rolled his eyes sarcastically, wrapping his arm around his friends shoulder.
"theys all likes you. why don't yous ever try to get 'em?"
"not interested." albert didn't lie, he'd wouldn't lie to race. he just didn't say the whole truth.
race scoffed. "me either, but 'ere i is."
albert furrowed his brows. "if yous aint interested, the whys ya doin' it?"
"distraction," he said bluntly.
"from what?"
"why ain't you interested?" race quickly changed the subject. "yous never pining after all the ladies we sees on the street, what's up with that?"
"i's never says i ain't pining ov'r someone," albert said quietly.
race's head shot up, suddenly intrigued. "yous nev'r told me you liked someone! who is it?" he had a bright smile on his face. "i'll help ya!"
"yous can't even get ya own date, how ya gonna help me?" albert joked. race pursed his lips and gently hit his friend.
"tell me anyway," race crossed his arms and legs. albert could feel himself blushing furiously.
"naw, they wouldn't even feel the same," albert avoided any chance of eye contact.
"who says?"
"because he's always complain' 'bout a new girl every day." albert talked slowly so race could hear what he said clearly. but, race was oblivious to these things.
"oh," is all race said. "the girls are probably a distraction"
albert finally made eye contact. okay, maybe race wasn't the dumbest person alive, "whaddya mean?"
"what i says earlier. a distraction," race was blushing madly.
"are you tellin' me what i think yous is?"
"i dunno, am i?"
"well if yous is...then....," albert trailed off, unsure of his conclusion.
race somehow brought them both down on the bed, his head on alberts stomach. "you really think i like girls? that awful attempt at flirting?" race pretended to gag. "i flirted with your oblivious arse up until you were too dumb to realize it."
albert's face must have been incredibly red now. "you shoulda jus' told me."
"you're funny," race laughed to himself. "i told ya now."
"not entirely."
race groaned, "yous gonna play that way?" they were both silent for a moment. race clearly didn't like being put in the spot like this. unlike his mouth, his brain ran a mile a minute. "fine. i likes ya," he muttered inaudibly.
"what'd ya say?"
"shut up! maybe if that big mouth of yous would shut up you woulda heard me!" race covered his face. "i like you, dumbass!" he shouted louder in a whiny tone.
albert was smiling so hard it hurt. he never thought his years of falling more and more for the boy would actually result in something. "i likes ya too."
