CHAPTER 2
“Hey,” Helene said, sticking her head into Adam’s office. “I’m about to head out. I’m going to that little Italian place around the corner. “Wanna go with me?”
“Yep,” Jake said. “I’m starving. Missed lunch today.”
“Sorry, can’t,” Adam said, turning off his computer.
Jake snorted. “Adam has a very important meeting at that coffee shop on the other side of the street.”
Adam shot him an unimpressed look and grabbed the box from his desk before heading out.
But Jake was undeterred. “Seriously, man,” he said, catching up to Adam. “Why don’t you just ask the kid out? What’s stopping you? Sure, he’s almost jailbait, but it’s not like it’s illegal or something. I’m already sick of watching you eat him with your eyes. It’s nauseating.”
“I don’t eat him with my eyes,” Adam said.
“Please. I saw you all but drooling the other day when the kid smiled at you. If you were a dog, you would have been wagging your tail and licking all over his face.”
Adam sighed through his gritted teeth. “Let it go, Jake. Harry is a friend, that’s all. Nothing can come out of it.”
“Why not?”
Adam bit out, “Because he’s straight and engaged.”
And it wasn’t the only reason.
Harry was... too good for someone like him. Harry was such a sunshine, everything good, happy, and kind, everything he could ever want all rolled into one person. Adam sometimes had to pinch himself to make sure he hadn’t dreamed Harry up: he was one of those rare people who were beautiful inside and out.
It’s just a stupid crush, he told himself. A stupid juvenile crush on a boy. Harry might have been legal, but sometimes he seemed so naive and innocent that it made Adam want to wrap Harry in his arms and hide him from the cruel, dirty world. He was dirty, too, because despite all the affection and protectiveness he felt for the strange boy, he still wanted. Wanted to bury himself in Harry’s sweetness and dirty him up with his greedy hands and mouth, fuck him up and ruin him. Adam felt like a bloody pervert for wanting that, because Harry genuinely thought they were friends. And they were. Of course they were. It wasn’t Harry’s fault that he wanted more.
“Sorry, man,” Jake said, clapping him on the shoulder.
Adam just shrugged. He didn’t want to talk about it.
Bidding his goodbye to Jake, Adam headed to the familiar coffee shop across the street.
The bell chimed cheerfully as he pushed the door open. Harry looked up and smiled at him. Adam smiled back and walked toward the counter.
The coffee shop was pretty busy that evening and there were a couple of customers in front of him. Adam took the opportunity to watch Harry while he served the others.
Harry had his chestnut hair brushed back that evening. His porcelain skin looked as flawless and soft as usual. His violet eyes were kind and attentive as Harry listened to the elderly woman in front of him, his pink lips quick to smile when she tipped him generously. Adam could relate. Lately he spent more money in this little coffee shop than was probably healthy.
The elderly woman finally said her goodbyes, and two little girls, twins about six, stepped forward, pointing excitedly at the chocolate cake. “Give us the cake, please,” they said together and started emptying their pockets to reveal what was probably the total of their savings, coins rolling everywhere, even on the floor.
Harry beamed down at the little girls, looking utterly charmed instead of annoyed as he started counting the coins. “Is it your birthday?”
The girls shook their heads. “We just like chocolate,” one of them said.
“And cake,” the other said.
“So we’re killing two birds with one stone,” the first one imparted with an important look.
Harry blinked at them. Adam could tell he was a little confused—he probably didn’t know that idiom either—but Harry smiled widely despite his confusion and gave them the cake. “Here it is, loves.”
Adam could tell the girls’ money was nowhere near enough for the cake and tried not to feel utterly charmed as Harry pulled some money out of his pocket and added it to the little girls’ coins.
The next customer was a guy about Harry’s age.
“Sorry, buddy, but what are you wearing?” he said with a laugh.
Harry frowned a little and looked down at himself. Adam smiled slightly. In the past three weeks since he had met Harry, he had gotten used to Harry’s quirks, and he’d stopped noticing how oddly Harry dressed. It was a good thing the coffee shop owner didn’t seem to believe in uniforms.
This day he was wearing a pair of old jeans and an oversized shirt under his apron.The shirt was bright orange with splashes of green and blue. It was truly hideous, but on Harry it somehow looked cute.
“I don’t understand,” Harry told the customer, blinking.
The guy snorted. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in that orange thing you’re wearing. Hell, even my grandma wouldn’t be caught dead wearing it!”
Adam felt a wave of irritation at the guy when Harry’s face fell.
“Oh,” Harry said, touching his shirt. “I bought it with my first salary.”
“Sorry, but it’s hideous,” the guy said. “Black coffee, please.”
Harry silently served him and said goodbye with a polite smile.
“It isn’t,” Adam said the moment they were alone. “It’s not hideous, Haz. You look lovely in it.”
Harry smiled at him and stroked the fabric of his shirt again. “You don’t have to lie,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “I know my tastes seem weird and... yeah.” He grabbed a rag and wiped the spotless counter.
“Hey,” Adam said, putting a hand on Harry’s shoulder. When Harry looked at him, Adam said, “I’m not lying, babe. Fuck that idiot. The shirt is a bit of an eyesore, to be honest, but you’re totally rocking it.”
Harry laughed, his eyes finally brightening. “It’s very soft,” he admitted. “That’s why I bought it. But I didn’t think the color was terrible or anything. I love it. It cheers me up on gray, rainy days and there are lots of days like that!”
“As long as you love it, screw what everyone else thinks,” Adam said. “But for all it’s worth, I think you look great.” You always do.
Harry chuckled. “Thanks.” He handed Adam his usual order. “Anything else?”
“Yes, actually.” Adam put the box he’d brought from his office on the counter. “This is for you.”
Harry looked from the box to Adam, surprise on his face. “For me? Like, a present?”
“Yes,” Adam replied.
Harry looked at the calendar on the wall, his brows furrowed a little. “I didn’t know this was an occasion for giving presents,” he said uncertainly.
“It isn’t.” Adam shrugged. “I just like giving presents to all my friends, no reason required,” he lied, hoping Harry wouldn’t tell Jake about this; he’d never hear the end of it. Adam could almost hear Jake’s mocking. Where’s my present, Crawford?
“Oh,” Harry said, chewing on his lip. “But I don’t have a present for you.”
“It doesn’t matter, Hazza,” Adam said. “Come on, open it while there are no customers.”
“Actually, we’re supposed to be closed already,” Harry said, walking to the door and locking it. He returned to the counter, face bright with excitement as he grabbed the box. It shouldn’t have been so endearing, Jesus.
Adam watched Harry open the box carefully and examine its contents.
“It’s a mobile phone,” Harry said after a moment, with a strange expression on his face.
“I hope you like it.”
“I do,” Harry said softly. He looked at the label and pursed his lips, hesitation flickering in his eyes. “But isn’t it expensive? I think I’ve seen this one on the TV.”
As Samsung’s latest model of its flagship phone, it certainly wasn’t cheap, but Harry didn’t need to know that.
“Don’t worry, it didn’t put a dent in my savings,” Adam said. It wasn’t a lie. As a confirmed bachelor, he didn’t have many people to spend his money on. He did help his parents financially, but they lived in the countryside and insisted that they didn’t need much, so his bank account was comfortably full.
Harry gave him a look. “I’m not an idiot, Adam. I know this phone isn’t cheap. I can’t accept it.”
He looked so endearingly stubborn that Adam wanted to kiss the little frown between his brows and then his pursed pink lips.
Adam suppressed a grimace. He had it so bad it wasn’t funny anymore.
“I can’t return it,” he said. “And I already have a mobile phone. I guess I wasted money for nothing.”
Harry laughed. “You’re terrible, you know that, right?” Harry stepped closer and kissed him gently on the cheek. “Thank you so much. Really. Now I can be like every normal human!”
“You’re such an oddball,” Adam said fondly, telling himself his cheek wasn’t tingling from the innocent contact. He wasn’t that pathetic.
“I am.” Harry turned the phone on with the cutest look of great concentration on his face. Sometimes Adam thought that, wherever Harry’s home was, it couldn’t be very technologically advanced—Harry constantly seemed tentative and unsure around all sorts of technological gadgets. Adam had tried numerous times to ask about Harry’s home, but Harry just repeated the same answer he’d given him the first time—that he was an alien—before laughing and changing the subject. It made Adam wonder. It was strange for an eighteen-year-old to live in another country seemingly without any support or supervision. But he didn’t push. Harry would talk when he was ready.
“Can I have your number?” Harry said with a pleased smile, as though he got a kick out of saying it.
“I’ve already put it in there,” Adam said. “So you can call or text me whenever you want.”
Harry blinked rapidly before nodding and turning away. “I was wondering...” he said haltingly. “Are you free now? Would you like to come to my place, watch a movie or something? I got Netflix yesterday! We could Netflix and chill?”
Adam choked on his coffee and started coughing.
Harry was by his side immediately. “Are you okay?” he said, patting Adam on the back. Harry’s face was completely innocent. Of course it was. Harry had no clue.
Adam cleared his throat, loosening his tie a little. “Fine.”
“So what about Netflix?”
He should say no. He really shouldn’t spend more time with this straight, taken, engaged bloke. It was positively masochistic.
But Harry was looking at him with such a hopeful expression, his violet eyes big and earnest, and fuck, this kid had him completely wrapped around his little finger already.
“Okay,” Adam said. “But…You really need to look up what ‘Netflix and chill’ means. Wouldn’t want people to get the wrong idea, Haz.”
Five minutes later, Harry emerged from the back room, his face scarlet red.
“Ready to go?” Adam said, pulling out his car keys.
Harry just nodded.
“I asked Samantha what ‘Netflix and chill’ meant,” he said when he took the passenger seat in Adam’s car. “I’m so embarrassed.”
Adam snorted, starting the engine. “You’re lucky you made the mistake with me and not anyone else. Someone else would think you were leading them on.”
Harry chuckled, pressing his hands against his flushed cheeks. “Good thing I have you to tell me when I’m being a dumb foreigner.”
“Well, you did tell me you were an alien. For an alien, your grasp of English is excellent.”
“Thank you,” Harry said with an expression Adam couldn’t quite read.
“So where’s your place?” Adam asked.
Harry gave him the address and Adam entered it into the navigation system.
The drive didn’t take long. Twenty minutes later, Harry was letting him into his flat.
Adam’s first impression was the tiny size of the place. The flat consisted of a tiny kitchen and a tiny room that was barely big enough to accommodate an old brown couch, a small coffee table, and a TV. There was no bed. Adam looked at the short, hard couch and suppressed a grimace as he imagined Harry sleeping on it. It looked more than a little uncomfortable.
“It’s not much,” Harry said, looking a little self-conscious.
“You should have seen my first flat in London,” Adam said with a chuckle, sitting down on the couch. It was as uncomfortable as it looked. “It was bigger, but I had three flatmates.”
“I’ll get popcorn. Pick something to watch?”
Adam hummed in agreement and Harry left the room, disappearing into the kitchen. Adam looked around, a little unsettled. The flat was downright claustrophobic.
But he said nothing when Harry returned with a bowl of popcorn and two Diet Cokes. Harry looked so excited and pleased. Adam didn’t want to ruin his mood by making him feel embarrassed. The rent was expensive in London. It was admirable that Harry managed to get by on his own.
Harry plopped next to Adam and spread a blanket over their laps, placing the bowl with popcorn between them.
Adam closed his eyes for a moment. It was a struggle to keep his body relaxed. The couch was too fucking small.
“Why didn’t you pick a movie?” Harry said.
“I wanted you to.”
“Okay, but no complaining if you don’t like it!”
Adam watched Harry browse Netflix, trying to suppress the urge to put an arm around Harry’s shoulders and pull him even closer.
In an attempt to distract himself, he picked up the stack of DVDs from the coffee table and raised his eyebrows when he saw the titles. “You’re interested in sci-fi?”
Was Harry blushing?
“Samantha is a big science fiction fan,” Harry said. “She loaned me a couple of movies that weren’t on Netflix. They looked interesting.”
“I didn’t think War of the Worlds was the kind of movie you would enjoy. It’s pretty violent and gross.” Harry had mentioned he didn’t like violence in movies.
Harry scowled at the DVD in Adam’s hand. “I didn’t like it very much. The plot didn’t make sense to me. It’s ridiculous that aliens would want to invade Earth. What for? There are millions of planets without sentient life!”
Adam stared at him in mild surprise. “I didn’t know you felt so passionately about it,” he said, a little amused. “Do you really believe in aliens, Haz?”
Harry looked at him. “You don’t?”
Adam shrugged. “Never really thought about it.” He smoothed the wrinkle between Harry’s brows with his thumb. “But who knows. I think it’s statistically impossible that intelligent life could develop only on Earth when there are billions of stars out there. It would be pretty arrogant of us to think so.”
Harry nodded. “Intelligent life is pretty rare in the universe—” He paused. “I mean, I believe it’s pretty rare,” he corrected himself, dropping his gaze. “But it can’t be that rare, right? There are a hundred billion stars in this galaxy alone. Sure, not all stars have planets, and not all of them are habitable, but the odds are still very good that there are thousands of intelligent civilizations only in this galaxy.”
“But how many of them would be around long enough to develop interstellar travel?” Adam murmured, fascinated by the fire in Harry’s eyes. For some reason, Harry really felt strongly about the subject.
“True,” Harry said, nodding. “The truth is, many civilizations would destroy themselves if their technological level becomes high enough.” Harry popped a piece of popcorn into his mouth. “Anyway, enough about it!” he said, grabbing another DVD. “What about this one? I think it’s a sequel to the movie I watched yesterday. I liked it very much.”
“Hmm, I have seen the first movie, but not the sequel,” Adam said.
That was how they ended up watching Star Trek into Darkness.
The movie was okay, but then again, Adam spent most of the movie watching Harry and listening to his commentary, so he couldn’t be all that sure.
“This Prime Directive thing makes so much sense,” Harry said at some point. “Interfering into another civilization’s natural development is a really bad idea. It can have really unfortunate consequences. I don’t understand why Spock would even go along with that mad plan in the first place.”
Adam chuckled, brushing his fingers over Harry’s cheek. “Babe, it’s just a movie. Don’t take it so seriously. Aliens aren’t real, remember? Well, maybe they are, but we haven’t met them yet.”
Harry looked at him with wide eyes before laughing awkwardly. “I’m an alien, remember?”
Adam rolled his eyes with a fond smile and they returned to watching the movie.
But soon, Adam noticed that Harry had grown very quiet.
Adam squeezed Harry’s shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”
Harry was chewing on his lip, his gaze far away and thoughtful. Adam had rarely seen him so somber.
“Do you think lying is ever okay?”
Adam frowned, puzzled by the random question. “I think it depends on circumstances,” he said, eyeing Harry. “Sometimes lying is the best option.”
Harry nodded. He still wouldn’t look at Adam.
“What’s wrong, love?” Adam said.
Harry swallowed and forced out a faint smile. “Never mind me. I’ve been in a weird mood lately. I guess I’m just homesick. I’ve never been away from home for so long.” He smiled crookedly. “I guess I’m really a baby.” He glanced around the tiny room. “I love it here, but it gets lonely, you know? It’s a little scary to be on my own. Until I got here, I barely made any decisions in my life and now I’m making them every day. But you know the weirdest thing? I like it. I think I’m going to miss the freedom of making my own decisions. It won’t be possible at home.”
Adam stared at his bowed head. The more he learned about Harry’s home, the less he liked it. “Haz,” he said. “Is…your home situation okay?”
Harry blinked before laughing. “It’s not that bad. My life back home is very... comfortable and peaceful. I don’t have to work a day of my life if I don’t want to. I mean, certain things are expected from me, but I’m not obliged to do most of them. My family adores me, and I adore them, too.” Harry sighed. “I miss them very much.” Harry tapped on his new phone idly. “I like it here, but until I met you, I felt kind of lonely. I miss having... connections to people. Now I kind of get why my parents chose this as a punishment.” He chuckled wetly. “You shouldn’t have given me this phone. It’s your own fault if I bother you every time I feel lonely in my head.”
“You can bother me whenever you want, Haz,” Adam said, studying him. He’d never seen him so down. “Hey. Do you want a hug?”
Harry blinked at him. “A hug?”
Smiling, Adam opened his arms. “Come here.”
Harry bit his lip before moving and curling in Adam’s lap.
Adam went still. This definitely wasn’t what he’d had in mind.
After a moment, he wrapped his arms around Harry’s back and squeezed, hoping he radiated only comfort and friendly reassurance and didn’t seem like a possessive creep who wanted to take this boy inside his skin and hide him from the world. Mine.
“Mmm,” Harry murmured, burying his face in the crook of Adam’s neck. “This feels good. No one has hugged me since I was a small child.”
Adam’s forehead creased. “What?” Honestly, the more he learned about Harry’s home, the more concerned he got. “What about your parents?”
Harry didn’t say anything for a while. “Things are different back home,” he said. “We prefer... spiritual closeness back home rather than physical.”
Adam snorted. “You sound like a bunch of hippies.”
“Hey!” Harry said. “What’s wrong with being a hippie?”
“Nothing,” Adam said, stroking Harry’s back and allowing himself to bury his nose in Harry’s hair. It smelled of something sweet. Mineminemine.
Adam managed to shove the creepy possessive thoughts out of his mind, but his arms still tightened around Harry until there was no space left between them. Harry made a pleased noise, pressing deeper into him and generally acting like a clingy monkey. He seemed touch-starved. It was no wonder if he hadn’t been hugged in years.
Adam dropped a kiss on top of Harry’s head, affection washing over him, overwhelming in its intensity.
And then came fear.
Because the young man curled in his arms wasn’t his, no matter how badly he wanted it. There was something about Harry that seemed unreal, as if one day Harry would disappear from his life as suddenly as he had entered it.