Alex and Felix (LGBT) ✅

Part 16

Part 16

Alex and Felix had never argued.

So, of course, Alex had to go hard or go home for their first argument. He wasn't sure how much Felix knew, since he hadn't waited around when Alex ducked back into his room to grab his boxers, but it was quite clear that Alex had been keeping secrets. He couldn't remember how vocal he'd been or what he'd said but he reckoned Felix knew Marcus had been in there with him and, given Alex's view on one night stands, Felix knew he wouldn't sleep with just anyone. No, he must know he'd been dating Marcus for a while.

Alex had fucking screwed up.

Imogen was wholly unsympathetic. "You did lie to him for over a year."

"Not helpful, Imogen." Marcus said.

She lifted a shoulder carelessly. "Sometimes, you need your friends to be brutally honest rather than coddle you. I mean, I understand as well as anyone how scary it can be to come out to new people all the time but I don't understand how you can keep it from someone you're so close to, especially after a whole year."

On another occasion, Alex might've appreciated what she was saying but, right now, it wasn't helping and he said harshly, "Well, if you were so against it, why didn't you tell him yourself?"

She scowled at him. "I'm not going to out you just because I think your decisions are stupid. It's your mistake to make."

"Maybe you should take a breather for a bit." Ellie suggested tactfully.

Imogen flounced off, probably to wherever Scotty and Felix were holed up, and Alex watched her go with tired eyes.

"You don't owe him anything, no matter what Imogen says." Ellie said, forever on his side. "It doesn't matter how long you've known someone or how well you know them, it doesn't give them access to all your secrets. If you don't feel like telling someone, regardless of the reason why, you don't have to. It's your choice."

Alex knew that. He'd visited a lot of online forums over the past few years and the majority of them said exactly what Ellie was telling him now. Straight people didn't have to announce their sexuality, or deal with the fear or rejection that came from it, so why should anyone else have to? It made sense but, at the same time, there were people who thought it was a necessity and it'd left him tormented. Alex thought he'd done the right thing for himself here but it still left him feeling terrible.

"I should have told him." Alex said quietly, looking down at his hands. "He shouldn't have had to find out this way."

"No, but he did."

"We'll go for damage control." Marcus said, bringing an arm around him. "Trust me when I say you're not the first person to keep a secret, or the last, and the guaranteed best move from here is honesty."

"He won't even talk to me." Alex's voice sounded small and pathetic. "I haven't seen him in three days. I just hear his door slam."

Ellie tapped a finger against her lips, thinking. "Then don't give him the choice. Corner him and make him listen to you."

Alex worried his bottom lip.

"It's worth a shot," Marcus said. "You've given him space so now it might be worth trying something else."

Which was how Alex found himself sitting outside Felix's door at night, waiting for him to come back into the house. He'd been staying out late recently and leaving early in the mornings, too, and Alex hated that he'd made him feel unwelcome in his own house. He'd never meant to hurt Felix, and he needed him to know that. It was the first thing he wanted to say to him but, somehow, it wasn't what left his lips when Felix finally stumbled in.