Chapter 6 Clark
As the sun dipped below the horizon, we settled onto the soft grass in front of the makeshift screen. As the opening credits of The Princess Bride began to roll across the giant screen, Brody's solid warmth pressed against my side and our fingers intertwined.
I stretched out on my stomach, propping my chin on my hands as I let myself get swept up in the timeless tale of true love and daring adventure. But even as I lost myself in the story, I couldn't help but be aware of Brody's presence beside me, the heat of his body seeping into my skin like a soothing balm.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Alex and Will exchanging knowing glances, their heads bent close together as they whispered and giggled like a pair of gossiping schoolgirls. I narrowed my eyes, straining to catch snippets of their conversation over the dialogue on screen.
"...totally ship it," Alex was saying, his voice low and conspiratorial. "I mean, have you seen the way they look at each other? It's like something out of a goddamn romance novel."
Will nodded sagely, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Oh, definitely. I give it two hours tops before they're making out behind the concession stand."
I felt my cheeks flush hot with embarrassment and indignation. Were they seriously placing bets on my love life? And right in front of me, no less?
I leaned over to Alex, my voice a harsh whisper. "You know I can hear you, right?" I hissed, poking him in the ribs. "And if you don't cut it out with the matchmaking nonsense, I swear to god I'll hide your lucky Batman socks for a month."
Alex gasped, clutching his chest in horror. "You wouldn't dare! Those are my pulling socks. I need them for optimal flirting performance."
I rolled my eyes, fighting back a reluctant grin. "Then behave yourself, bird brain. Or else the socks get it."
"Ugh, fine," Alex grumbled, pouting like a petulant child. "Forgive me for trying to help my best friend find love and happiness. I'll just sit here in silence like a good little parrot, shall I? You never let me have fun."
But even as he said it, I could see the mischievous glint in his eye, the barely-suppressed laughter tugging at his lips. He was enjoying this far too much, the bastard.
I shook my head, turning my attention back to the movie. But try as I might, I couldn't seem to focus on the swordplay unfolding on screen. My mind kept drifting back to Brody, to the tantalizing brush of his skin against mine as we reached for popcorn at the same time, to the way his eyes seemed to linger on my face when he thought I wasn't looking.
As if sensing my thoughts, Brody shifted closer, his shoulder pressing against mine in a way that felt deliberate, intentional. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.
"You know," he murmured, his voice low and intimate, "this movie always makes me think of my childhood. I used to watch it with my mom on rainy days, curled up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn."
I smiled, the image of a young Brody entranced by the tale of Westley and Buttercup warming my heart. "That sounds nice," I said softly, glancing over at him. "I used to do the same thing with my dad, actually. He's the one who introduced me to all the classic adventure stories. The Princess Bride, The Goonies..."
Brody's eyes lit up, a grin spreading across his face. "No way, The Goonies was my jam! I always wanted to go on a treasure hunt just like them. To find a map and follow it to some long-lost pirate cache, dodging booby traps and outsmarting villains along the way."
I laughed, shaking my head in wonder. "Well, I guess today was kind of like that, huh? Minus the booby traps and villains, of course. Although I'm pretty sure Alex qualifies as a lovable rogue at the very least."
"Hey, I heard that!" Alex called from my other side, flicking a kernel of popcorn at my head. "And for your information, I am a dashing rogue, thank you very much. The Han Solo of the group, if you will."
"More like the Jar Jar Binks," I retorted, ducking the next volley of popcorn with a grin.
As Alex spluttered indignantly and Will laughed, Brody leaned in close, his breath tickling my ear. Brody's eyes darkened, his hand coming up to cup my cheek with a tenderness that made my breath catch in my throat.
I swayed towards him, my lips parting on a sigh. This was it, the moment I had been dreaming of all day. The moment when the dashing pirate would sweep me off my feet and claim me as his own, sealing our fate with a kiss.
But just as our mouths were about to meet, a loud snore shattered the spell. We jerked apart, blinking dazedly as we searched for the source of the interruption.
And there, sprawled out on the grass with his head pillowed on Will's lap, was Alex. Fast asleep and drooling like a baby, his feathered cap askew and his boa tangled around his neck like a neon python.
I groaned, torn between laughter and frustration. Of course Alex would choose this exact moment to pass out, effectively cock-blocking me from the kiss of a lifetime.
Brody chuckled ruefully, running a hand through his hair. "Looks like someone had a little too much excitement for one day," he said, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
"Yeah, he tends to do that," I sighed, shaking my head fondly. "The man may have the energy of a hummingbird on crack, but even he has his limits."
As if on cue, Alex let out another earth-shaking snore, his mouth falling open in a way that was both endearing and slightly horrifying. Will looked down at him with a mixture of amusement and affection, his hand coming up to stroke Alex's hair almost absently.
I raised an eyebrow at the gesture, filing it away for later teasing ammunition. It seemed Alex wasn't the only one harboring a secret crush after all.
When the credits rolled, Will gathered up our sleeping beauty and we made our way towards the parking lot. Brody's hand found mine in the darkness, our fingers interlocking like two puzzle pieces finally snapping into place.
As we approached the parking lot, Alex stirred in Will's arms, his eyes fluttering open with a confused grunt. "Where am I?" he mumbled, blinking up at Will's amused face. "What happened to the movie?"
"You fell asleep, Sleeping Beauty," I teased, poking him in the ribs. "Missed the whole damn thing. Some wingman you are."
Alex's eyes widened in indignation, his mouth falling open in a scandalized gasp. "I was resting my eyes for like, five minutes tops! How dare you let me miss the epic romance of Buttercup and Westley, Clark! That's a violation of the bro code!"
I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Oh please, you were snoring louder than a chainsaw. I'm pretty sure you scared off half the wildlife in the park."
Alex huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll have you know my snoring is a soothing, melodic sound, like the gentle cooing of a dove."
"More like the mating call of a congested walrus," Will muttered, earning a glare from Alex.
"Watch it, mister. Or I'll revoke your cuddling privileges."
But even as he said it, Alex made no move to extract himself from Will's embrace. If anything, he seemed to burrow deeper, his head coming to rest on the taller man's shoulder with a contented sigh.
Will chuckled, his hand coming up to stroke Alex's back in a way that was both tender and possessive. "Tell you what, how about I make it up to you with a kiss? A little birdie told me you've been wanting to sample the goods all day."
Alex perked up at that, his eyes gleaming with undisguised hunger. "Well, when you put it like that..." He tilted his face up, his lips puckering in a shameless invitation.
Will bent down and captured Alex's mouth in a searing kiss. They moaned in unison, their tongues tangling and their hands roaming with wild abandon.
"Oh god, my eyes," I groaned, throwing a hand over my face. "I did not need to see that."
Beside me, Brody let out a low wolf-whistle, his eyebrows waggling suggestively. "Damn, get it, Alex! Looks like you found your own dread pirate after all."
Alex surfaced from the kiss with a gasp, his cheeks flushed and his lips kiss-swollen. "Shut up," he panted, flipping us both off with a giddy grin. "You're just jealous of my superior make out skills."
"Well, gents, I hate to break up this love fest, but I should probably get going," Brody said, jingling his car keys. "Early morning meeting tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep."
My heart sank at the thought of saying goodbye, of letting this magical day come to an end. But before I could open my mouth to protest, Brody turned to me with a soft smile.
"Clark, would you like a ride home? I'd be honored to escort you back to your castle, my prince."
Behind me, I heard Alex and Will exchange a conspiratorial whisper, followed by a muffled giggle.
"Use protection, guys!" Alex called out, his voice sing-song. "And Clark, remember what I taught you about the importance of enthusiastic consent!"
"Shut up!" I hissed, whirling around to glare at him. "I am not taking sex advice from a man who once got his dick stuck in a park bench."
Alex gasped, clutching his chest. "That was one time, and I was very drunk. And for the record, it was a very narrow slot, okay? Could have happened to anyone."
I just shook my head, turning back to Brody with an apologetic grimace. "I am so sorry about him. He has no filter when he's sleep-deprived. Or ever, really."
But Brody just laughed, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "No worries, I think it's cute. Reminds me of my own friends, actually. Bunch of lovable idiots, the lot of them."
We said our goodbyes to Alex and Will, who were too busy making out again to do more than wave distractedly in our direction.
The drive to my apartment was both too short and not nearly long enough. We talked and laughed the whole way, the conversation flowing as easily as breathing. It was like we had known each other for years, not mere hours.
All too soon, we were pulling up outside my building, the engine idling as we sat in silence, neither of us quite ready to say goodbye. Brody turned to face me, his expression soft and a little uncertain.
"I had a really great time today," he said, reaching out to take my hand in his. His thumb stroked over my knuckles, the touch sending sparks of electricity up my arm. "Like, one of the best days I've had in a long time. And I was wondering, would you maybe want to do it again sometime? Without the costumes and the treasure hunt, I mean. Just you and me, getting to know each other better?"
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. "Yeah, I would love that," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. "I feel like there's still so much I want to learn about you, so much I want to share..."
Brody's smile was blinding, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made my stomach swoop. And then his lips were on mine, soft and warm and perfect. I gasped into the kiss, my hands coming up to tangle in his hair as he deepened the angle, his tongue sweeping into my mouth with devastating skill.
Fireworks exploded behind my eyelids, my blood singing with desire as Brody kissed me like his life depended on it. Like I was the most precious, most intoxicating thing he had ever tasted.
Eventually, we broke apart with a ragged gasp, our foreheads resting together as we caught our breath.
"Wow," I panted, my lips tingling.
Brody chuckled, brushing a stray curl out of my eyes with a tenderness that made me ache. "That was pretty damn spectacular."
I bit my lip, suddenly feeling bold. "You know, you could always come up for a nightcap," I suggested, my voice low and inviting. "I make a mean hot chocolate, if you're interested."
I could see the temptation in his eyes, the hunger that mirrored my own. But then he sighed, pressing a chaste kiss to my forehead.
"As much as I would love to take you up on that offer, I think we should probably take things slow," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "I really like you, Clark, and I don't want to rush this.”
I nodded, a little disappointed but mostly just touched by his thoughtfulness. "I understand," I said, squeezing his hand. "And for the record, I really like you too.”
Brody's smile was soft and warm. And then he was gone, disappearing into the night with a final wave and a promise to call me soon. I stood on the curb for a long moment, my fingers pressed to my tingling lips.
I had kissed a man, something I hadn’t done in ages. I floated up the stairs in a daze, my lips still tingling from his kisses, my heart doing giddy somersaults in my chest.
Soon, as I was stepping out of the shower, a dreamy grin plastered on my face as I toweled off my hair, a loud knock sounded at the door. Frowning, I got dressed and padded out to the living room.
I swung open the door to find Alex standing there, a massive hickey blooming on his neck and a smirk on his face.
"Looks like someone had a good night," he crowed.
I rolled my eyes, unable to keep the grin off my face as I stepped back to let him in. "Like you're one to talk. That hickey is visible from space."
Alex just preened, running his fingers over the purpling mark with a dreamy sigh. "What can I say? My man's a biter. And I am so here for it."
I wrinkled my nose, holding up a hand to silence him. "Okay, dude. I do not need the gory details of your make out session."
"Spoilsport," Alex pouted, flopping down on my couch like he owned the place. "But fine, I'll keep my sordid tales of passion to myself. For now."
I shook my head, amused despite myself. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit? Not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but I figured you'd be halfway to Will's place by now, ready to continue your French kissing tournament."
Alex's smirk softened into something more wistful, almost shy. "Actually, I was hoping I could crash here tonight? I'm too wired to sleep, and I could really use some quality bro time to process everything that happened today."
I felt a sudden rush of affection for my ridiculous, wonderful best friend. For all his bravado and swagger, Alex was just as nervous about this new thing with Will as I was about Brody. It was oddly comforting to know we were in the same boat, navigating these uncharted waters together.
"Of course, you can stay," I said, plopping down beside him on the couch. "My home is your home, you know that."
We settled back against the cushions, Alex kicking off his shoes and tucking his feet up under him like a contented cat. Then he turned to me, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "Hey, do you remember that night back in college, when you first told me you were a Little?"
"Of course, I remember that day," I said softly. "How could I ever forget? That was the night I realized I wasn't alone.”
It had been sophomore year, a few months into our friendship. By then, Alex had seen me use my binky, crawl around in training pants and cuddle up with my stuffies dozens of times. We had been up late studying for midterms, giddy with exhaustion and too much caffeine, when the conversation had somehow turned to kinks.
"I've always wondered about that," Alex had said, tapping his pen against his chin thoughtfully. "Like, what makes someone into spanking, or roleplay, or whatever? Is it nature, nurture, or just a whole lot of porn exposure?"
I had frozen, my heart suddenly pounding in my throat. I knew I should laugh it off, make some joke about Alex's browser history and change the subject. But something in his open, curious expression made me want to be brave. To take a chance and share this hidden part of myself with the one person I trusted most in the world.
"Actually," I had said, my voice barely above a whisper, "I'm kind of into age play. Like, regression and having a Daddy and stuff."
Alex had blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Age play? What's that?"
I had taken a deep, shaky breath, my palms sweating as I began to explain. I braced myself for judgement, for disgust or ridicule. But Alex just nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.
"Huh. That actually makes a lot of sense," he had said, tapping his chin. "I mean, who doesn't want to feel safe and cared for, you know? Especially with how stressful and crazy the world can be sometimes."
I had gaped at him, hardly daring to believe my ears. "You don't think it's weird? Or gross, or pathetic?"
"Of course not!" Alex had looked almost offended at the suggestion. "Clark, you're my best friend. Nothing you could ever tell me would make me think less of you. And honestly? The more I think about it, the more I can kind of relate."
It had been my turn to blink in surprise. "Really? You think you might be a Little too?"
Alex had shrugged, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "I don’t know about that. But sometimes, when I'm really stressed or overwhelmed, I just want someone to hold me and tell me everything's gonna be okay, you know?"
I had nodded emphatically. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."
And just like that, a wall I hadn't even realized was there had come crumbling down between us. We had stayed up all night talking, giggling over childhood memories and fantasies we had never dared to voice aloud before.
It had been the first time I had ever felt truly seen, truly understood by another person. And it had cemented Alex's place in my heart as the brother I never had, the other half of my soul.
Now, curled up on my couch with him after the most surreal and wonderful day of my life, I felt that same rush of love and gratitude washing over me. I reached out and squeezed his hand, my throat tight with emotion.
It had been days since Alex and I had indulged in any Little play together, both of us too busy with work and the general chaos of adulting to make time for it.
"Hey," I said, nudging him gently with my elbow. "You wanna have a Little night? For old times' sake?"
Alex's face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. We sprang into action, giddy with excitement as we gathered up all the necessary supplies. Sippy cups and stuffies, coloring books and crayons.
Soon, we were snuggled up together on the couch, clad in fuzzy pajamas with cartoon characters dancing across the fabric. Alex had his favorite stuffed penguin clutched to his chest, while I nursed a cup of warm milk with a sleepy, contented smile on my face.
"This is nice," Alex mumbled around the binky bobbing between his lips. "I missed this.”
Then a sly grin spread across his face, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "But you know what would be even better? If we could do this with our men sometime. Can you imagine? Double dates with sippy cups and naptime snuggles?"
I felt a sudden swoop of excitement in my stomach at the thought, followed quickly by a pang of uncertainty. "That would be amazing," I said slowly. "But, do you really think they'd be into it? I mean, they're not Daddies. We don’t even know if they're cool with the whole Little thing."
Alex's smile faltered slightly, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's not exactly first date material, is it? Hi, I really like you, wanna come over and read me a bedtime story sometime?"
I snorted, nearly choking on my milk. "God, can you imagine? They'd run screaming for the hills before we even got to the good stuff."
"True," Alex sighed, hugging his penguin a little tighter. "I just really like Will, you know? Like, I think this could be something really special. And I don't want to scare him off by bringing out the onesies too soon."
I nodded, my heart clenching in sympathy. I knew all too well how he was feeling - the giddy thrill of a new crush warring with the bone-deep fear of rejection, of being deemed too weird or broken or needy for love.
"I know it's scary," I said, reaching out to pat his knee comfortingly. "Believe me, I'm terrified of messing things up with Brody before they even get started. But we can't let that fear control us, you know? We have to be brave enough to be ourselves, even if it means risking heartbreak."
Alex was quiet for a long moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Then he let out a rueful chuckle, shaking his head.
"When did you get so wise? Wasn't it just yesterday you were calling me in tears because you dropped your ice cream cone at the park?"
"We agreed never to speak of that again!" I yelped, smacking him with a throw pillow. "It was a tough week at work, okay? Cut me some slack."
Alex just giggled, ducking out of the way of my fluffy assault.