Page 18 of Cross the Line

“Thank you. At least someone in this family loves me. Also, why are Charlie and Andrew here if they’re not hungover?” Jason scrubs a hand through his hair, frowning when his fingers get stuck. He drops onto the stool beside Charlie, eying his breakfast. “I want pancakes.”

“I made you a vegetable omelet and a protein shake.” Alec sets both in front of Jason with an innocent smile.

“We had a sleepover for old times’ sake,” Andrew offers, always one to be counted on for actually answering the questions asked when Jason and Charlie inevitably dissolve into bickering.

“I don’t want a protein shake that tastes like ass.” Jason pushes it away petulantly, looking closer to thirteen than thirty. “I want pancakes. Charlie has pancakes.”

“As someone who enjoys ass, I can promise you that Alec’s shakes definitely don’t taste like that.” Charlie smirks, making a show of eating his pancakes with an appreciative groan to annoy Jason.

“Thank you,” Alec says. “It’s yummy.”

“They taste more like play dough than ass,” Charlie adds, earning him a glare from Alec.

Jason cackles. “Ass play dough.”

Andrew leans over, swiping the protein shake from in front of Jason and taking a drink. He shrugs. “It kind of does taste like ass.”

“Whose ass are you eating?” Jason asks at the same time Charlie takes the shake and pushes it towards Theo.

“Taste it.”

Too hungover to argue with any of the King boys, he does as instructed. It’s not the worst thing he’s ever had, but the vanilla is overly sweet and the banana is too, well, banana-y. There’s definitely something gritty and chalky about the texture, too.

Aware of everyone watching him, Theo shrugs. “It tastes like play dough.”

“We need a tie-breaker. Give it to Alec.”

“I drink one of those every day so I don't need to taste it,” Alec points out. “I literally finished my own shake before I showered.”

“Then settle the votes,” Andrew says plainly, lifting an eyebrow at him. “I don’t care if the team nutritionist makes you drink one of these every day to hit your protein goals. Be honest about the taste. Ass or play dough?”

“I couldn’t say,” Alec answers evasively. Theo’s not sure he’s ever seen Alec so blatantly deflect a question. His own curiosity is piqued enough for him to butt into the conversation.

“Why not?” Theo asks, blinking when four sets of eyes swivel towards him. Jason looks delighted, Andrew is as impossible to read as ever, and Charlie looks inquisitive. Alec’s reaction is the most confusing of all, though, because he almost looks like he’s blushing. Theo has never, ever seen Alexander King blush.

“Alec doesn’t have to answer,” Charlie says.

“Why—” Jason starts, cut off when Charlie shoves a forkful of pancakes into his mouth.

“What aren’t you telling us?” Andrew asks.

“Nothing,” Charlie tries, but it’s no use. The other two are like dogs after a bone.

“What’s going on?” Jason and Andrew ask at the same time.

“Not all of us have eaten ass,” Alec mumbles.

“I haven’t,” Jason pipes up.

“No shame in not liking that,” Andrew says. “Sex is kind of overrated anyway, am I right?”

“No,” Charlie, Jason and Theo all answer at the exact same time.

Theo laughs, along with Jason, until he notices Charlie isn’t laughing and neither is Alec. If anything, Alec looks a little pale.

“So the pancakes are amazing,” Charlie tries, but it’s no use because Jason clearly hasn’t picked up on the tone shift.

“What about you, Alec?” Jason presses. “You didn’t vote on the smoothie, so place your vote on sex. Overrated or not?”

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