Page 55 of Go the Long Way

Alex let out a huff as he threw himself backward in his chair.

"…Someone brought a skirt to the clothes swap," he muttered; scrunching down, making himself a smaller target. "Liam… said I'd look good in it. And he's — he's got…Ilikehisshoulders."

Ah. Jakob thought he was beginning to see what was going on here.

Seemed that somehow Alex had gotten it into his head thateveryrelationship had to fit the all-mighty boy-meets-girl Hollywood stereotype, even when it was boy-meets-boy instead.

But that trope didn't fit mostheterorelationships Jakob had seen, much less his own, and… well.

Whether he had picked it up from his dad or,hell— just media or something… It seemed he was having a hard time reconciling himself to one role or the other, finding neither fit quite right. Which… understandable.

"Yeah? You try it on?" Jakob asked, pretending he didn't already know the answer. Easier to focus on the surface level of their conversation for now, while he waited to see if his hunch was correct.

"No!" Alex spat, scowling. "I — "

"It's okay if you did," Jakob told him conversationally, as if it was no big issue. Because it wasn't. "At your age, it's good to try things. Figure yourself out, what you like and don't like. Hell, even atmyage, I'm still figuring that kind of stuff out some days. Skirts were never my bag, personally. Couldn't get past how much they flapped when I walk, and — it's silly, but not having comfortable pockets was a deal breaker. Still, it was worth trying. Lot of stuff is. We're all a bit of a work in progress, y'know? That's just life."

Alex was silent for a few more minutes. Judging by the state of the tomatoes on his cutting board, they would be having something closer to salsa at this point.

That was fine. Life was about adapting.

"…okay, yeah," Alex finally admitted. "Maybe I — maybe Idid. It's just… I wanted to — to see."

He trailed off then; ducking his head and glancing away as those shoulders came back up.

"And… how'd it make you feel?" Jakob nudged as he started getting out the shredded cheddar and all the other taco fixings.

"…It was — It was cool at first, I guess?" Alex finally answered, his face a complicated and shifting mix of emotions. "Swishy. Which — My dad would shit abrickif he knew, and that's kind of… Well, honestly it's a bit terrifying, but also sort of — of awesome, in a weird way? Fuck his bullshit, right? But… It just… It didn't feel likeme."

Jakob hummed. "Sounds as if you enjoyed being able to try something new out, but that particular option wasn't your thing. At least, not today anyway. But, y'know that's okay too? You don't have to be planning on becoming a world-class painter just to pick up a paintbrush. I think it's good you tried something new. Know that can't have been easy."

"Yeah," Alex huffed, stabbing at the mass of tomato bits with the tip of the knife. "But — But Liam said…"

"Dress foryourself," Jakob answered the unspoken question firmly, glancing up at Alex as he texted Cassie that dinner was ready. "But also, I bet Liam was just being encouraging. Not lying, only… trying to be supportive, right? He's a good kid. He'd probably think you look great in whatever makes you most comfortable. And if not? Then he's not worth your time."

"You sound like one of those old after-school specials, you know."

Jakob snorted.

"Iwishthey covered shit like this back then. Might've made life a whole lot easier for a lot of us," Jakob said as he handed Alex a bowl for the… tomato coulis, maybe they'd call it. "Y'know, the world's been feeding us this story for eons about the jock and the cheerleader, the knight and the damsel, the big strong hero and the simpering maid. But just because it's one that's been given the most airtime, doesn't make it theonlystory, right? Can be two knights riding off into the sunset together; the maid saving the cheerleader. Maybe the damsel knocks the jock on her ass and goes on their own adventure. Hell, I'd watch that show."

"…Iguess," Alex replied as he dumped the tomatoes into the bowl, sounding not entirely convinced.

"Look, take it from me and my two ex-spouses," Jakob advised him even as he heard the squeak of the screen door opening, the thump of Cassie's boots in the entry hall. "Don't change yourself to be what you think someone wants. Be yourself and find someone who wants you foryou. You'll both be much happier in the long run."

"Like you and Ethan?" Alex asked, a sly grin already spreading across his face at the chance to tease Jakob.

"I — " Jakob could feel himself blushing hotly again. "…we'll see."

Chapter 25

[Ethan|Today — 11:27 pm]

u there?

[Ethan|Today — 11:28 pm]

can I call?

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