A GAP in Baltimore, Friday Evening

[myownface]

It was a date, if you could possibly call an outing to the mainland to buy yellow socks and archery gloves a date. At least Alec and Sparkle were following up their shopping trip with dinner, or at least that was the plan. Sparkle had scoped out the cheap restaurant situation before they'd left, and he'd managed to narrow what he could afford down to, like, a McDonald's on the way back to the causeway.

He'd worry about that once they were done picking up his socks.

And they'd pick up socks just as soon as Sparkle was done browsing.

"Oh, man. Look at these ones. They have stars on them."

Sorry, Alec.

[NFB for distance, and for that guy!]

Comments

[myownface]

"She flicked the condom at you," Sparkle replied, clearly amused, now. "Did it at least get good distance when she did it?"

[nottrivial]

"I didn't really measure it," Alec admitted, amused and surprised by the question, "but I think she did okay."

[myownface]

"On the upside, at least it wasn't used?"

Sparkle was being helpful! Helpful!!

[nottrivial]

"...True," Alec admitted. "That was... fortunate. Not that there was really a chance of us having to work with used ones in Sex Ed class; that probably would have defeated the point."

[myownface]

"Yeah, probably," Sparkle replied, still smirking. "So, you didn't want to do the sex ed condom exercise, huh?"

He couldn't resist the urge to tease. Just a little.

"What'd happen if you ever needed to use one?"

[nottrivial]

"I didn't really want to work together," Alec clarified, blushing faintly. "I mean. I know how. It isn't that hard... right?"

[myownface]

"If you have to ask," Sparkle noted, leaning a little further across the table, "you really don't know, do you?"

That was both adorable, and kind of disconcerting.

[nottrivial]

"The teachers did a demonstration in class," Alec insisted, a little flustered. "I watched. I didn't go ahead and do it for myself after, but I got the idea. And there's -- you know, tutorials on the internet, and..."

[myownface]

"So, in the heat of the moment, you're gonna just call a full-stop and look at this guy, sitting in front of you with his clothes on the floor, and say, 'Excuse me, I need to go Google this?'"

Sparkle wasn't trying to get him flustered, really, but now he was genuinely curious.

[nottrivial]

"...No, like I said, I got it from the demonstration," Alec repeated slowly. "And why doesn't this guy know about how to do it himself, anyway?"

[myownface]

"Sometimes," Sparkle purred, "putting the thing on for him is part of the fun, too."

Oh, Alec. You were such a little virgin.

[nottrivial]

Alec opened his mouth to answer, but was fortunately cut off by the arrival of their pizza, which was placed on a tray in front of them and gave him a moment to think of a reply that didn't suck. "I think I'll be okay," he promised, transferring one slice from the tray onto his plate. "I don't know that that's going to be, um, relevant for me anytime soon, so... subject change?"

[myownface]

"Subject change," Sparkle allowed. "You know, this time. Because I'm feeling nice."

He was the nicest, Alec. See?

"Any suggestions, then?"

[nottrivial]

"Um... I don't know." Good question, Sparkle. "I guess..." He leaned forward, smiling sheepishly. "Do you think this is going well?"

Well. That was... a topic.

[myownface]

It was definitely a topic! The sort of topic that meant that Sparkle had to reach for a slice of pizza. Weird-assed broccoli pizza.

"Well... are you enjoying yourself?"

That was generally the first indication!

[nottrivial]

"When we're not talking about condoms," Alec said, smiling, "yeah. Are you?"

[myownface]

"Even when we are talking about condoms," Sparkle shot back, laughing. It was some of the most fun he'd had all evening! "So, if we're both having fun, I'd say this date's going pretty well, wouldn't you?"

[nottrivial]

Well, that was because Sparkle was evil.

"I guess so," Alec replied. "Um, congratulations, us."

[myownface]

"Seriously. We're capable of going out together, like on a normal date thing, without even burning something down. And still having a good time."

Quite the accomplishment, truly.

[nottrivial]

"I could have predicted the last part," Alec said. "I'd like to think that if you started burning something down on a date, I'd object. But... it's good to know that we could maybe do this... often?"

[myownface]

"I wouldn't mind doing it again if you don't," Sparkle agreed with a nod, and then a pause taken to eat a bite of pizza. Huh. Broccoli. "And next time, maybe I won't even need ruined socks as an excuse."

[nottrivial]

"I was thinking... I think there's this dance in a few weeks?" Alec offered tentatively, awkwardly picking at his napkin. "We could... if you want."

[myownface]

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Valentine's dance by any chance, would you?"

So help Sparkle, he actually looked intrigued. And maybe a bit surprised. But mostly intrigued.

[nottrivial]

"You mentioned that it's for people who've dated longer," Alec admitted, "but... we wouldn't have to come across the causeway, or use socks as an excuse, so..."

To be honest, he'd had this idea roughly the second he'd mentioned it, so this wasn't really a fully-formed argument right here.

"Also," he added, "it's Fandom, so... it should probably be the same, um, glitter explosion as they have at every other party."

[myownface]

"And I do like glitter explosions," Sparkle mused, looking thoughtfully toward the ceiling. "Okay, yeah, I'll go with you to the Valentine's dance, Alec. I'll even dress up nice for the occasion."

A beat.

"We'll have to go shopping again, get you something nice to wear."

After all, it was a school formal.