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The amount of cars that could be contained in a parking airport would always amaze Alexander. That and the fact that no emplacement seemed to be available every time he went to Charles de Gaulle airport. In the front seat, Lafayette was grumbling and insulting other drivers in a very Parisian fashion. Next to him in the passenger seat, Adrienne seemed equally exasperated. Alex himself was beginning to feel quite nervous. They weren’t late yet but he was the kind of person to always arrive early everywhere. He just couldn’t help it. If he didn’t, he could very well die of anxiety. He checked his watch once again to make sure they still had time when a hand firmly gripped his wrist.
“Relax!” his boyfriend said from the backseat next to him. “We have plenty of time.”
John’s voice was soothing, the best way to anchor him in reality when he started to get into his head. He nodded. John smiled at him, illuminating his freckled face.
“Va te faire foutre connard!” Laf yelled at a driver. Way to ruin a moment, Alex thought. They eventually managed to find a parking spot and Laf and Adri helped them take their bag out of the trunk.
“Did you pack your entire library?” Laf exclaimed after trying to lift Alexander’s suitcase. He made an indignant sound while John and Adrienne snickered. He had not in fact, packed a library. He had only taken some essentials: the Shakespeare integral Aaron had shipped him for his last birthday, a few traveling books about Mexico and John’s birthday present. And like a few notebooks but those were in his hand luggage so Laf really had no ground to complain!
They made their way to the elevator and then to the boarding desk. The registering for their flight had just opened and they let the airline company take away their suitcases for Lafayette’s great relief. Adrienne rolled her eyes amused at her boyfriend’s antics. She suggested buying them coffee and breakfast, considering it wasn’t even nine yet and they had left somehow in a hurry earlier in the morning.
They bought cheap coffee and bad pastries from the croissanterie stand and chew their meal at one of the iron tables. John was heavily leaning on Alexander, a warm and comfortable presence on his left side. Alex had no doubt he would sleep through most of the flight. And by that, he meant John would shamelessly use him as a human pillow, not that he was complaining.
Soon enough it was time for them to pass security. It was a Thursday in the middle of the All Saint’s vacation so the airport was pretty crowded. They hugged their friends, thanking them for the lift and promising to send photos. After showing their passports and plane tickets, they took the shuttle to get to their terminal. Then they waited patiently in line – or as patiently that Alex could manage – before finally getting inside the plane.
John sat by the window even though giving how often he was yawning, he would not enjoy most of the views. As soon as the seatbelt signal turned off, Alex got up to get his notebook and a pen. When he sat back down, John pulled back the armrest and curled up to him like a koala. Alex chuckled and combed his fingers through the sweet curls. John was snoring a little in his sleep. Alex thought it was cute. Admittedly, he thought almost everything his boyfriend did was cute but still.
He took a moment to admire the man in his arms and once again marveled at how lucky he was to be dating him. He still had butterflies even after two years together. John was so bright, so kind and yet also fierce and short-tempered. His artistic abilities were a wonder to Alex. And the fact that John liked to sketch him naked in their bed on regular basis was only, like, twenty percent of it. He had just gotten his diploma last July. It was something in art whose specificities totally eluded Alexander – the French system was weird. He was still ridiculously proud of him though. Since he graduated, John had mostly been doing freelancing and tourists’ sketches while applying wherever he could. Anna Strong, his boss at the shop he was working at was the one to recommend him for the position at the communication department at the mairie de Paris. Photographing the city for a living was like a dream coming true for John. He was starting at the beginning of December so Alex had decided he deserved a treat. He had seen the ad in the metro and booked them tickets for a ten days trip in Mexico. It was the 25th of October, which meant they would be there for John’s birthday in two days and for día de muertos.
Alex was excited. Except for their trip to Aaron and Theo’s wedding last year, it would be their first vacation just the two of them as a couple.
The flight was uneventful and a bit boring. Alex wrote for almost three hours before they meal were served. Alex shook John awake gently. The meal quality was no better than the last time they took a plane. Visibly his twelve pages letter hadn’t come through.
Afterward, John convinced Alex to let go of his notebook for a while and to watch a film in one of their screen. With a lot of puppy eyes on John’s part, Alex agreed to watch Captain America and then the X-Men prequel. The movies weren’t so bad, Alex thought. He still had trouble understanding John and Hercules’ obsession with superheroes and comics but yeah.
Nevertheless staying somehow still for another six hours would be hard no matter the number of superheroes movies he watched. He was ready to cry of relief when the pilot announced they descent toward the Benito Juarez airport. They still had to wait to pass immigration and then for their luggage to arrive. Alex changed the time of his watch (seven hours backward) and realized that he was kinda tired even though it wasn’t so late here. He and John took a taxi to get to their AirBnB.
Their host – a petite but still terribly energetic Mexican woman called Victoria – welcomed them warmly. That was an understatement for ‘she hugged them both very tightly and started talking a mile a minute about her house, her children and her work’. Even Alex was amazed.
She was living in a colonial house in Coyoacán. The ceiling was high and most of the surface was covered in yellow tiling. A grey cat came to sniff their shoes as they entered the kitchen and – as Alex expected – started to rub his head against John’s leg and demand caresses. Animals liked John. It was fucking weird.
Before he could protest, Victoria took Alexander’s suitcase and led them outside to a spiral staircase and climbed it like it weighted nothing at all. Meanwhile, the two boys awkwardly maneuvered John’s suitcase through the steps without hurting themselves. Once up there, she told them that it would be their room. It was a large space with a queen size bed, a desk and a closet. On the opposite wall, Alex could vaguely see an en-suite bathroom.
“You must be exhausted,” Victoria said. “I’ll let you unpack if you want but you should come down to the kitchen and eat something before you sleep! I’ll make quesadillas!” And then she was gone.
Alex and John shared an incredulous look.
“And here I thought you were non-stop,” John smirked. Alex shoved him playfully. They unpacked most of their clothes before making timidly their way down to the kitchen.
“Hey boys!” Victoria cheered from where she was making dinner. “Take a seat, it’s almost done!”
They sat at the counter, a little dumbfounded and watched her going around with the ingredients. Eventually, she situated a plate in front of each of them. They ate silently. Alex marveled at the taste of the frijoles, the vegetables and the cheese. It wasn’t quite like it but it was the closest he had tasted in years that reminded in so much of his home cooking.
“So, you guys are here on vacation?” Victoria asked conversationally.
John nodded.
“It’s his birthday in two days,” Alex informed her.
“Really?” Victoria grinned.
“Yeah,” he said. “This one’s spoiling me!” He pointed his fork at Alex.
“Guilty your honor,” Alex replied. John rolled his eyes.
“Well you’re gonna enjoy the city I don’t doubt it,” Victoria said joyfully.
“I don’t doubt it–” John yawned audibly “–either. Sorry.”
“You slept half the flight, how are you tired now?” Alex asked, incredulously.
“Unlike others, I need more than four hours a night!”
“Just wait until you’re parents to complain!” Victoria warned them, amused.
As if on cue a baby cried somewhere in the house. Victoria sighed.
“¡Sí bebé, voy!” She exclaimed. She turned toward them. “Just put the dishes in the sink once you’re done eating. I’ll have your breakfast ready tomorrow when you wake up, whenever that is!”
“Thank you,” John said. “Truly this was delicious.”
Victoria grinned and disappeared upstairs.
“Where does all this energy come from?”
“You’re the one talking,” John replied cheerfully. “Now you finally know what it feels like to live with you!”
Alex pouted, which – he knew – wasn’t the most mature thing to do but he didn’t really care.
“Eat!” John ordered sternly. “And then we’ll get some sleep because I know you’re exhausted.”
Alex nodded. He would never let anyone else boss him around like that but this was John. John, who had way too much power over him. It would frighten him except for the fact that John was one the kindest soul he knew and would never abuse it.
They went to bed together. Alex tugged the covers from where they were neatly made. John watched him with a fond smile. He knew it made Alex feel trapped. The smaller man curled up next to him, his head resting on John’s chest.
“Goodnight,” John whispered. “Love you.”
“Buenas noches,” Alex replied. He pressed a kiss to John shoulder. “También te amo.”
.
They woke up to the sound of piano from downstairs. The light curtains were letting most of the sunlight into the room. Alexander blinked several times, adjusting his vision to the unexpected luminosity. He felt John tensed for a second beneath him but he nibbled at the skin under his jaw and the other man relaxed almost instantly. It made Alexander smile.
“Hi,” he murmured. “Slept well?”
“Mrph,” John answered. “S’too early.”
Alex reached out for his phone on the bedside table.
“It’s almost ten love,” he chuckled. His boyfriend only groaned in response. “I’m going to take a shower,” he said. He wrestled out of John’s arms before going to the bathroom. When he got out, John took his place and they were quickly going down the stairs. They located the source of the music at the dance studio Victoria had briefly showed them the day before. They could see through the glass a dozen of young ballet dancers, practicing. Inside the kitchen, Victoria was feeding her baby. The child couldn’t be older than a year old. Like his mother, he seemed totally incapable of staying still. He squeaked when he saw them and Victoria turned toward them, grinning.
“ ¡Hola! ¿Cómo están?”
“Bien,” they answered.
“¿Quieren un cafecito?” John laughed at the frantic nod coming from Alexander. She poured them both a cup and Alex almost gulped down his in one go. John added sugar and cream to his own but instead of drinking it, he walked closer to the baby in his chair.
“Buenos días niño,” he cooed. “¿Cómo te llamas?”
“David,” Victoria answered from where she was making eggs behind the counter.
“Hola David,” John continued. Alex watched him helplessly, sipping his second coffee cup more slowly. Apparently babies too liked John. He wondered distantly if anyone on Earth did not.
“¿Hablan español?” Victoria asked him. Alex had to physically dragged his eyes away from John.
“Sí,” he nodded. “Soy de Nevis en el Caribe entonces es mi primer idioma y su Mamá era Puertorriqueña.”
“¡Ay qué padre!” Victoria grinned. She finished the omelet and handed them their plates. They sat at the table where a bowl of papaya was already waiting for them each. Alexander’s eyes widened comically when Victoria informed them that there was yoghurt in the fridge if they wanted. What he had in his plate was already more than what he usually took for dinner! Even John who ate more than him because he went running in the Buttes Chaumont twice a week and just because he had a big sweet tooth seemed to be thinking the same thing. They were about to tell her so when she disappeared once more. They attacked their breakfast since it did smell delicious and it would be if their dinner had been any indication.
“How come you never make me breakfast like that?” Alex teased John.
“You kidding? You’re always up before me and I do make sure you eat!”
“Yeah but you don’t make me omelet like that,” Alex kept pouting.
“Are you criticizing my frozen waffles, Hamilton? ‘Cause those can be gone pretty quickly!” John mock-threatened.
“Nooo! Please!” That earned him a shriek of laugher from the baby. John grinned and immediately went back to tickle his sides. Alex was definitively not ready for that sight. He felt warm all over, seeing John smiling so widely and kissing the top of David’s head.
“You’re good with children,” Alex said out loud even though he didn’t quite mean to. John arched an eyebrow at him. “I just… didn’t know that,” he finished lamely. He felt like an idiot.
“You forget than I’m the eldest,” John reminded him. “I grew up with a bunch of siblings.”
Right. That made sense, Alex thought. He quickly shoved a spoonful of fruit in his mouth to prevent himself from saying something stupid. Once they were finished – which took some time because little David would constantly demand attention from John, Alex had never so much related to a nine months old – he asked John what he wanted to do.
“We could just explore the barrio,” he responded. “Coyoacán is said to be one of the nicest place of the city.”
So they went upstairs, brushed their teeth before climbing down again. John had his backpack secured on his shoulders, which contained sunglasses, their wallets, and his travel guide. Victoria gave them indications to the center and they made their way there, slowly, admiring the architecture of the houses along the way. The zócalo was a nice square with a coyote fountain, lots of restaurants and a cathedral. They claimed one bench for themselves and just watched the people passing by. Alexander dug out one of his notebooks from John’s bag and sheepishly handed him his sketchbook. He had tucked them both inside without telling John. His boyfriend just rolled his eyes and accepted the item. They spent an undetermined amount of time like this, just enjoying the place and each other. With what they had eaten for breakfast, they didn’t feel the need to have lunch and so they didn’t. Alex took the travel guide and began reading about the place. It was a former Aztec village that had been progressively integrated by the capital city. They wondered around the square, going inside the cathedral to see the baroque’s decorations and eventually sat down at a taquería because it was already 7pm and they were quite hungry. They ordered two Victorias. John decided on tacos and Alex chose a huarache.
The waiter brought salsas and lemons and when John was about to dive into the guacamole, Alex had the common sense to warn him.
“You might want to taste that before, love.”
John frowned but did so. Good thing because he almost choked on it. He coughed as it burnt his tongue and his palate. Alex tried his best to look sympathetic and not laughed at the sight. John glared and took a sip of his beer. Once it was served, they enjoyed the food, talking idly and somehow always touching each other, whether it was their knees brushing or their hands holding. Once they paid, they went to get churros nearby and ended up with sticky fingers. Damn that thing was harder to eat correctly than the kebab they indulged themselves from time to time in Paris, Alex thought. John’s lips tasted sweet after it though, so he didn’t condemn churros too harshly. Not long after they found a coffee shop and got a cup each. John made him take the coffee decaffeinated – “I’m the one sleeping next to you, you keep wriggling if you’ve had caffeine!” – and Alex complied. John took a café de olla, which might have been invented for him. When Alex tried it, his taste buds were invaded by the taste of cinnamon and sugar. It barely tasted like coffee at all!
The night had fallen when they decided to call it a day. It was only 9.30pm but they both appeared to be exhausted.
“Must be the altitude,” John mumbled.
The home was silent when they got back, minus for the lessons still happening in the studio. They waived Victoria goodnight before going up to their room. They changed to their pajamas quickly and climbed into the bed. John wrapped his arms around Alexander’s waist, spooning him. Alexander closed his eyes and fell asleep with the certainty that John would be there when he woke up.
.
John was not with him in bed when he woke up. He wasn’t far – thank God! – he was just in the bathroom in what appeared to be a intense conversation with the grey cat. Alex blinked furiously, trying to understand the scene in front of him. The cat was on the toilet seat – which was down for whatever reason – and was meowing at John pitifully.
“No!” John said firmly. “It’s not made for that!”
The hell?!
“Here,” John continued and turned on the tap water, “if you must you can drink from there!”
The cat meowed again but did jump toward the faucet to lip at the water coming out. Once he was satisfied, John turned it off. He went back the main room, the cat in his arms.
“Hi baby,” he smiled and went to peck Alexander’s lips.
“Good morning,” Alex replied. “Care to explain what’s happening?” He asked, amused. The cat was now settled at the end of the bed, having apparently decided that it was a good place and a good time to nap.
“Heard him in the landing, let him in,” John shrugged. “Seemed to be fascinated by water.”
“Hum,” Alex answered, the cat now purring happily from John’s petting, “so you wanna check the guide and decide what to do today?”
They scanned the “À faire” section of their Guide du routard and decided to go the historical center. They checked with Google maps and decided that the metro was their best option.
They got dressed, took their breakfast downstairs – Alex chatted amiably with their host, John played with her son – and they went out.
The metro station wasn’t far – at least not by Mexico’s standard – and by some miracle, they managed to get two seats. It was hot in there. How did people wear so many layers and didn’t pass out? John shared an earpiece and he lost himself in the sound of John’s eclectic taste in music. Fortunately the line was direct if a little long toward the center. They got out of the train at Hidalgo and were hit by sunlight so John handed him his sunglasses.
They walked through a park for less than ten minutes before they saw it, el Palacio de Bellas Artes. It was huge, made of marble stone with an orange glass roof. The style reminded Alex of the Garnier Opera. John took out his camera and snapped a few pictures before they headed inside. The queue wasn’t long and soon enough, they were watching the murals. Alexander knew that it was a technique typical of Latin America and especially Mexico. But holy shit Diego Riviera was definitively a pure genius! John’s eyes were eager. Alex could see him willing his brain to commit those images to memory with an intensity he rarely saw. They stayed there for hours – Alex had stopped counting how long, it wasn’t in the customs of the country to be worried about time and in any case, there wasn’t such a thing as too much time if he was in John’s company – and were definitively hungry when they got out.
They found themselves at a cantina that was recommended by the guide. Once again, they appreciated the way Mexicans did not joke about food. At the end of the meal, Alexander was positive he wouldn’t need to eat anything for the rest of the week. His stomach was so full it might explode.
He welcomed the exercise that came with walking toward the main square, which was probably the first time in his life that he had valued a form of exercise that didn’t include John naked in a bed – though the bed part was optional.
The Zócalo was huge, surrounded by the cathedral on one side and the presidential palace on another. There were also lots of ofrendas because it was almost día de muertos. The altars were all decorated with flowers. They went to see the cathedral first. This one was bigger than the day before but still in the baroque style. They peeked at the different chapels and observed the fervor displayed in one of them.
“Es la Virgen de Guadalupe,” John murmured. Alex couldn’t help but notice that he stood a little straighter – like he usually did in churches, – that was one of the few remainders of his way-too-strict-Christian education in South Carolina. Alex let go of that thought for the time being and focused on the image in front of him. That morning, Victoria had explained to him that México es laico pero guadalupano. The Virgin was loved here because she was mestiza. She looked like them and that was important. He had to admit it was a nice symbol and a nice metaphor for the country’s identity – forever balancing between the European and indigenous heritage.
On their way back to the metro, they walked pass the torre latinoamericana and John used his best puppy eyes to convince Alex to go up. So they took a first elevator until the 37th stair and then another and then they had to climb stairs but boy was it worth it!
From more than one hundred meters high, the city was even more beautiful. The sun was low in the sky so the light wasn’t blinding but just warm enough. Alexander gaped and he saw the look on John’s eyes again. The one he got when he saw something he wanted to photograph. The look that said he wanted to conquer the whole world with his art. Alexander fell in love with once more every time he got that look.
The October air was chilly yet they stayed up there almost an hour – John was gazing at the city and Alex was gazing at John. Only when Alexander’s teeth started to audibly shake John snapped out of his trance. They made their way down and John kept Alex close as they walked toward the metro station to get back at Victoria’s.
When they were safely tucked in their bed, Alex felt John mumbled something against his shoulder.
“What was that?” he asked.
“I’m getting birthday sex tomorrow right?”
“What?” Alex almost laughed. He knew John was kidding but it still seemed weird that he would bring that up.
“I mean… We hadn’t had sex since we arrived…” John said almost petulantly. “And I really want to have sex on this continent so…”
Alex chuckled.
“Well technically,” he said, “this is North America. And I remember quite clearly you and I going at it wildly last year after the wedding. So technically,” he smirked, “we’ve already had sex on this continent!”
John pinched his side and he yelped.
“Well I wanna have sex in Latin America then,” John pouted.
“You get all the sex you want tomorrow love,” Alex replied patiently – John looked moments from falling asleep and was still cuter than he had any right to be – “it’s your birthday after all.”
“Good,” John grumbled sleepily, “love you.”
“I love you too John.”
.
John’s eyes fluttered open on his birthday to his boyfriend peppering his throat with kisses. John grinned. Alexander made his way under his jaw to his chin, his cheeks and his nose before finally kissing him hello.
“Feliz cumpleaños mi amor,” Alex whispered. John was once again hit with how much love he felt toward the other man. Alex smiled down at him.
“What do you wanna do today?” he asked. “We do whatever you want, you choose. It’s your birthday.”
John took a few deep breaths. A part of him wanted to spend the whole day between the sheets with Alex but they had all night for that. Besides, they were in Mexico City and there was somewhere John absolutely wanted to see.
“¿La casa azul?” he said. “No está lejos.”
“Claro que sí corazón,” Alex replied. It felt deeply intimate to have Alex call him that. It wasn’t the first pet name he had used. The other man in fact, loved using terms of endearment. It was just that he usually stuck to English or sometimes French since they were surrounded by it in Paris anyway. But since was the language his Mom spoke, the language his own mother had taught him. Knowing he held such a high place his Alexander’s heart was a bit overwhelming.
They checked the guide and bought tickets on line like it was advised. After another delicious breakfast – Victoria hadn’t forgotten that it was his birthday and she seemed to have robbed a bakery to make sure he would have enough pastries to choose from. John also took the time to answer the birthday texts he’d gotten. With most of his friends being seven hours ahead of them, they were quite a few but he was smiling all along. Nothing from his family though. He didn’t really expect anything but he would lie if he said that radio silence from his blood-relatives for his fifth birthday in a row didn’t hurt. Fortunately, the baby squealed before he could dwell on that thought and he let him pull his hair and laugh until they had to leave.
John was right. The house was close by – barely fifteen minutes away – on the calle de Londres. Buying their tickets first had also been a good idea because the queue was already long even though it was still pretty early.
In no time though, John had landed his camera to a very nice woman and the two of them were posing in front of the ‘Diego y Frida vivieron en esta casa’ sign. John was grinning like an idiot as Alex rose to his tiptoes to peck his cheek. Alex had no doubt the picture would join the other ones hanging by a string in their bedroom.
The house was… something. Alex was clueless about most form of art and it was no exception. He could still see a lot of pain in the painting and let John explain everything he knew about each of them. She was a fighter, Alex couldn’t help but think as he watched the photographs of a smiling woman. Who would think that the cheeky smile had to battle illness and tragedy? Do not let your past define you, become someone that is more than a sad story. Alexander could relate to that.
Alex changed his mind: this place was incredible, even he had to admit it. Not only did Frida y Diego transformed the Mexican art scene, they were also very active in politics and very close to Stalin’s political opponent inside the communist party, Leon Trotsky. Yep they definitively deserved to be on the higher bill of the currency. Their house was full of colors – bright yellow and blue – and so undeniably Mexican in many ways. The turtle by the kitchen had John gaping, of course and the gardens were totally in harmony with the rest – a chaotic and beautiful piece of art. They stopped by the tienda and Alex got a few postcards.
It was already the beginning of the afternoon when they exited the museum. Given what they ate at breakfast, they skipped lunch once more. John suggested they went to see the house of Leon Trotsky.
“You don’t have to offer to go because you think I want to John,” Alex said. “It’s your birthday.”
“Well first of all,” John rolled his eyes, “I don’t think you want to go, I know you do. I saw your eyes at the section about his exile. And second of all, I do want to go. It’s like… the logical next thing to visit! Like the guy had an affair with Frida when he came, holy shit!”
Well who is Alex to argue against logic?
The house is a bit farther away but still quite close. It was painted in red which had them both chuckled. When they entered, they realized quickly that it was way smaller and way less organized than the previous one. Still it was really interesting to see where the soviet leader had spent his last days. When they walked into Trotsky’s office and read the sign that said that he used to bury himself in his work and not go out for days, John coughed loudly and Alex glared at him. He would later denied how much he gaped at the books collection even though John had visual proof. The bedroom was impressive too – with still the bullet holes on the walls from the first assassination attempt.
This time it was Alex who was blabbering historical anecdotes and facts that were more or less related to Leon Trotsky. John wondered for a second if he had looked like that at Frida’s house – or at any art museum they ever went to for that matter – but tourist guide was a nice look on his boyfriend and he would be a hypocrite to call him out on it.
When they exited, John suggested they found somewhere to eat but Alex shook his head:
“That’s the only part of today that you don’t get to choose, love. Let’s get coffee instead.”
John raised an eyebrow.
“I may have asked Victoria about a nice restaurant to go to tonight and she may have booked us a table already,” he admitted. “Our reservation is at seven.”
John laughed.
They found a coffee shop nearby that belonged to the same franchise as the first day and they sat on the plastic chairs outside, taking in the last rays of sun.
The walk to the restaurant was quite long but they enjoyed it nonetheless. The restaurant was in another colonia called San Angel and was actually called San Angel Inn.
The restaurant was gorgeous with a pyramid for decor and the food excellent. Alex made a mental note to thank Victoria for the recommendation. He kinda felt bad though. Because as beautiful as the setting was, he just couldn’t take his eyes off of John. John whose smile was so bright and honest and loving it might just kill him. John who looked at him like he was something extraordinary, like he was worth so much more than what he actually could offer. John who changed his life over the course of one weekend in the city of lights.
John squeezed their joined hands on the table, bringing him back to the present.
“¿Todo bien?” he asked softly.
“Perfecto,” Alexander answered. “I… I actually have something for you…”
“Seriously? Alex you promised!”
For John’s first birthday after they had started dating – only three months into their relationship –, Alex had gotten him the painting oils he had been eyeing at the art store without any qualms about the fact that they were worth half of John’s rent. John had been a bit overwhelmed and then had felt shitty when all he could afford for Alexander’s was a new notebook and one of his own watercolor painting. When Alex went way over the top again last year, John had confronted him. His head had been ducked down in shame and he had had a hard time admitting that he felt bad enough for having moving in with Alex and only pay a ridiculous fraction of the rent and that it kinda felt like being someone’s sugar baby and he hated that feeling. Money was a touchy subject between them. So when Alex bought the tickets to Mexico, he had insisted that they both needed vacations anyway, that it wasn’t just for John’s birthday but also to congratulate him and that he would not be offering him anything else. John should have known better.
“I swear it’s nothing fancy! I didn’t pay for it – or I hardly paid for it!”
“You said you wouldn’t give me anything!” John insisted.
“Now c’mon John, you must have known that I’m not capable of doing that,” Alex said like it was obvious. “It’s was like, less than ten euros I swear!” he added more softly.
John sighed. “It’s not like you wont give it to me anyway…”
Alex smiled and pulled out an envelope from his pocket. John felt somehow relieved. The thing was small and weighed almost nothing so it couldn’t have been too costly. Then again, Alexander lived to surprise him so he was still suspicious. Alexander rolled his eyes and gestured for him to open it.
There were postcards inside, quite of few of them. Almost every one were of Paris though he spotted one of DC.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Turn them around,” Alex replied.
Behind each of them was a comment, marking a step of their relationship. ‘Our first kiss,’ behind the one of the Place de la République, ‘You forced me to climb all those damn steps instead of taking the funiculaire!’ behind the Sacré-Cœur and ‘I choose you’ behind the US Capitol.
“You utter sap,” John managed to say, his throat feeling tight. Damn he was turning 25 he was not going to cry!
“I take it you’re not too mad then?” Alex asked. John would have expected him to be smug but he seemed fairly emotional as well.
“Fuck you,” he muttered.
“Whatever you want love, it’s your birthday.”
John snorted at this. Yet he distinctly remembered them making plans last night and he was suddenly eager to see them through.
“Take me back home,” he said and Alex complied.
The taxi ride was short but still blurry. Alexander didn’t remember anything but the look on John’s eyes. They quietly walked through the house to get to their room, grateful to not cross path with Victoria – she was great but Alex didn’t think he was capable of exchanging pleasantries at the moment.
Upstairs John kissed him with everything he had. Alex lost himself in the feeling, almost melting in the other man’s embrace. They stumbled toward the bed, discarding their jackets along the way. John’s knees hit the mattress and he let himself fall backward, Alex following him close.
Sometimes Alex wondered how he had managed to stay celibate for more than a year before he met John. Because ever since they started dating, Alex wasn’t ashamed of admitting that he craved the physical intimacy. Sure John’s body was gorgeous and Alex – who was very familiar with every inch of his skin – would not deny that it was part of the reason why. He was also pretty much shameless and with a sense of adventure and experiment in the bedroom that Alex had never witnessed before. There was something else though. Something about the absolute trust John had invested upon him ever since their first night. Something about the vulnerability he didn’t allow many to see but that he had shown John on that same night. Something that was way beyond lust that he never knew existed but that John had taught him every single time they spent the night together.
Alex kissed John soundly from on top of him.
“What do you want love?” he asked, breathless. His hands were tracing patterns on John’s ribs and John shivered.
“You,” he answered, his voice raw and honest. “Please Alex, I…”
“Shhh, I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”
He kissed him again, trying to convey what his words couldn’t: I love you more than I thought possible, you’re the best part of me, let me take care of you until the day I die.
John kissed him back with so much passion that Alex knew that somehow, he’d understood.
.
When John felt Alex slipping out of his arms the next morning, he tightened his hold on his boyfriend’s waist.
“No!” he said firmly. Well he intended to be firm anyway but since he had his face half buried in his pillow and the other half buried in Alexander’s chest, it came out more like petulant.
“No?” Alex repeated, amused. John looked ridiculously cute like that, with his hair in every direction and slightly drooling. Well he probably wouldn’t look that cute to anyone but Alex but that was alright because Alex was the only one who was allowed to see John like that.
“We’re taking the morning off,” John declared, his voice still a bit muffled by the pillow. “We’re on vacation! So we’re spending the morning in bed and Imma cuddle the shit out of you!”
Alex burst into giggles. “Ok corazón, I still need to go to the bathroom.”
John reluctantly let him go. Alex was back by his side in no time though with a notebook and a pen. John decided that the pillow wasn’t doing a good enough job and instead settled his head on Alexander’s chest and closed his eyes.
Alexander spent an hour writing on his notebook and then another one on Twitter, only mildly distracted by the adorable noises John made in his sleep. There was music coming from the studio so Alex assumed that the lessons had already begun.
Eventually John opened his eyes again and after a shower each, they made their way downstairs at past noon. Victoria made an apparition for a second to tell them that their breakfast was ready and only needed to be heat up. Since it was enough to be considered lunch anyway, they ate it appreciatively as usual. They had decided to go walk around the nearby park.
Viveros was very nice with lots of trees and lots of joggers. They spotted many squirrels too, grey and brown and not so wild because they would often come very near them. They sat on a bench basking in the sun. Alex was almost sitting on John’s lap – the two had apparently decided that the snuggling session was not over – and his boyfriend was nuzzling his neck and murmuring nonsense in Spanish. It made Alex think of the opening scene of Du côté de chez Swann, the Proust novel and wondered if this moment could be his own madeleine. The taste of John’s lips was definitively as sweet as any pastries he had ever tried.
“¡Vamos a bailar!” John suddenly said.
Alex arched an eyebrow at him. John really liked dancing and he dragged Alex along with him in clubs at least every other week. Last year he had even traded sexual favors to get Alex to sign up to a couple dance classes. Alexander still wasn’t nearly as graceful as him despite nearly a year of practice.
“¡Por fa!” John whined.
And Alex should really start to worry about his chronic inability to refuse John anything. They looked in Google for salsa bars and found that most of them were located in the North of town. They went back to change in their room and seeing John in that shirt, Alex thought the humiliation he would undoubtedly face later was worth it.
They took a cab to la Roma and entered the bar. It was different from the clubs they usually went. First and foremost because they mostly went to queer ones and then because of the undeniable latino vibe – well duh they were in Mexico, Alex thought. The lights were dim and everyone seemed to be on the right side of tipsy. John ordered them cocktails with mescal – “Might as well try it while we’re here!” – and even as they sat at their table he couldn’t seem to keep still.
Alex – just because he could – took his sweet time drinking his cocktail. The second his glass was empty though John was tugging at his sleeve, urging him up. The lights of the club made him look almost ethereal, Alex thought.
He fake-sighed dramatically and followed his ridiculously cute boyfriend to the dance floor.
Like he expected, Alex was still clumsy. He let John lead the salsa. His boyfriend was grinning each time he twirled Alex around and he only pouted the few times Alex unfortunately stepped on his feet. When John spun him and managed to keep him there, Alexander’s back to his chest, Alex decided that as long as he was dancing with John, he didn’t care how ridiculous he might look.
They danced late into the night and Alexander lost himself in the feel of John’s arms holding him and of his breath on his neck.
.
The next day they had decided to go out of town to pyramids. After breakfast they took a microbus to the South terminal at Taxqueña. It wasn’t the first time they witnessed the Mexican way of driving but Alex – for the first time of his life – felt suddenly very grateful for the Parisian driving. Once at the terminal, they bought their tickets to Teotihuacan. It took another hour of driving through the mountains until they finally reached their destination. John dozed off on Alexander’s shoulder while Alex kept his eyes wild opened, taking in the scenery before him.
They waited a little more to get their tickets and chose to do the visit with an actual guide rather than rely on their book.
Their guide was a small Mexican named Juan. He spoke Spanish with the hint of an accent that told Alex that his mother tongue was most likely an indigenous language. He told them he was fifty-four and had never known anything but Mexico. He showed them around the site, starting with the temple of Quetzalcóatl, along the alley of the Dead and up to the top of the pirámide del Sol and to the center halt of the pirámide de la Luna. He spoke passionately about the people that used to occupy the land before the Europeans showed up, spoke about how they were all great cultures with a knowledge of astronomy far superior to any other at the same period. He seemed to genuinely enjoy talking and didn’t mind the hundreds of questions Alex threw at him without even meaning to.
The day was sunny but the heat was bearable. Still climbing up the pyramids was even more tiring than it looked – and that thing was sixty-five meter high, holy shit! – and Alex mumbled about the need for a funiculaire here too or at least a zip-line to get back down. John had only laughed and the asshole was barely out of breath once they’d reached the top!
He made them took the most cliché tourist pictures ever, with them pretending to hold the pyramids on their hands.
“I’m having flashbacks,” Alex grumbled.
John stuck his tongue at him. Alex noticed that the sun had tanned his skin since they’d arrived, making his freckles stand out as well as the birthmark on his neck.
They bid their farewell to Juan after climbing down the second pyramid and went to buy souvenirs. Alex got other postcards and John bought a calavera mug.
“You know that día de muertos is only the day after mañana, right?” Alex asked.
“Yes, that’s why I’ll buy a Catrina then,” John responded.
“Nerd,” Alex shook his head fondly.
“Yep!” John smiled back.
They managed to catch a bus to the city just before it left. They had spent more than three hours on the site and they were both exhausted. Back at Taxqueña, they ate tacos from a street vendor before taking another bus back to Victoria’s.
Before he fell asleep, Alex looked up at John: “Pyramids!” he said excitedly. Honest to God pyramids, damn!
“I know…” John replied, with a goofy grin matching the one on Alexander’s face.
.
The next day they decided that it would be fitting to visit the museo de antropología. It was still quite a long subway ride and there were no seats available so they were plastered against each other.
The building was an architectural prodigy according to the guide. Alex took their word for it. There was a little queue, which was to be expected since the next couple of days were national holidays he supposed.
There was a water fountain in the inside court that made a very beautiful rainbow appear with the sunlight.
Architectural prodigy or not, Alex thought, this thing was just huge. And that was saying something because he and John regularly visited the Louvre. Still, it was incredible – all those civilizations were so interesting! He thought it was a really great thing that the Mexican government had invested so much money into its own history and culture. He let himself get lost into it: the Mayas, the Aztecs, the indigenous tribes from Oaxaca, the current status of the indigenous people… How come no one talk about these things? Nobody seemed to know just how rich the Mexican history was in the US or in Europe. He’d have to make a blog post about it!
It was the early afternoon when they got out. They crossed the street to the bosque de Chapultepec and got very greasy tortas and then some fresh mangos.
“¿Quieres ir al Castillo?” John asked him.
“¡Vámonos!”
It turned out that to reach the castle meant climbing the hill for a good half hour – with Alex complaining about his feet, again – before actually take a look at it. They learnt by the guide that the place had always been a place of power since before the Aztecs. The actual castle was of course more recent. Maximiliano, the emperor Napoleon III had “given” Mexico to, had built it.
Alexander absorbed every information he could about the history of the country. It was fascinating. When they got to the part of ahem “the complicated relationship with the United States” Alex muttered “pinche gringos” under his breath.
John snorted.
“What?”
“You do realize that we’re both gringos, right?”
“Excuse you!” Alex exclaimed outrageously. “You definitely are since you’re from South Carolina, born and raised but I was born in the Virgin Islands!”
“Yeah and when you got drunk last Fourth, you started waxing poetics about the US that got me a little jealous,” John reminded him, smirking. Alexander groaned. “How did you describe it again?”
“Don’t you dare Laurens!”
“America! You great unfinished symphony!” John parroted and his laugher didn’t falter when his boyfriend smacked his arm.
“Alright, I admit it,” Alex sighed, defeated. “¡Tengo un pasaporte Americano! ¡Soy gringo!”
“Muy bien mi amor,” John replied, not without fondness. “Now, let’s see the rest because the view is supposed to be gorgeous from the balcony!”
It was indeed. They could almost all the Paseo de la Reforma hasta el monumento de la independencia. John took again too many pictures but Alex knew very well that protesting wouldn’t work at that point so he just smiled and even posed for a few of them.
They chose to come back in taxi, not wanting to face the metro during peak-time and again ate something from the street vendor by Victoria’s place – at that point, they were pretty sure it wouldn’t mess with their stomach. In overall, this had been a great day, Alex thought.
.
It was finally día de muertos. Alex was excited. He really wanted to see what that would be like. Victoria had them tried the pan de muertos and damn that thing was so good! He resolved to find a place that would make those in Paris for next year.
When they went out, the population of the city had doubled. That was the only logical explanation Alex could think of because there were suddenly so many people in the streets! He wasn’t particularly agoraphobic but he did find it a bit oppressive. The streets seemed to be covered by marigolds. The orange flower combined with the music and the people dressed as Catrinas was very surprising for Alexander. He couldn’t quite understand how those people could have such a peaceful, almost joyous relationship with Death. The tall and dark figure was everywhere and it was a bit too much.
John must have felt his grip tightening on his hand because he managed to lure Alex into a small coffee shop, relatively away from the celebrations. Alex drank his cup slowly and purposely-avoided John’s concerned looks, which the booth they were sitting at made easier. John sighed and wrapped an arm around him, a silent prompt to talk whenever he was ready. Alex wasn’t sure how to put words to what he was feeling though.
“When we met, you told me that you believed there was something after death,” he finally said.
“I remember,” John replied slowly.
“What do you believe in?”
“I’m not sure,” John said thoughtfully. “I guess I’ve been taught about Heaven and Hell young and even though I’ve come to question pretty quickly what the priest was saying, it stuck. I don’t think there’s a judge in the end – or a balance or whatever – but I do believe that we’re more than just flesh and bones. That when our body dies, something remains – call it our soul or something else. I haven’t thought about it too much but yeah…”
Alexander nodded slowly. He was leaning into John’s embrace, resting his head on John’s shoulder where it fitted perfectly.
“Those are comforting thoughts…”
“They are,” John agreed. “Maybe it’s just what I needed to tell myself when my mother died. I needed to believe that she wasn’t entirely… gone, y’know?”
Alexander shook his head and sank more into John, sniffling.
“What is this about babe?” he asked softly.
Alex didn’t answer for a long time so John settled for combing his fingers through his boyfriend’s hair. He pressed a kiss to his head and just held him. Alex wasn’t quite crying but he was still far more vulnerable that he would allow most people to see. John thought that beside him, the only others that could ever witness this were Eliza and Burr.
Eventually, Alexander looked up to meet his eyes.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too.”
“It’s just,” he started in a rush. “I guess I never saw death as something that you could celebrate you know? It’s hard to imagine because every time I’ve encountered it, it was always so painful. First my Mamá and then my cousin… It was so awful… I don’t think I was actually able to grieve either of them properly so maybe that’s why… I don’t know… I’m sorry I didn’t mean to freak out like this…”
“Shhh,” John said soothingly in his hair. “You can tell me anything, you know that? Anything at all and you never have to apologize for how you feel ok?” he said in echo of a conversation they had the year before.
“Using my words against me Laurens?” Alexander chuckled. John answered by a smug smile.
“When I got to college I’d imagined death so much it felt more like a memory. I was somehow convinced that I wouldn’t live past twenty. When I told her about my past, Eliza said that the fact that I was alive was a miracle. I used to be so obsessed with the idea of a legacy because I wanted to be remembered. Because nobody remembered my Mom or my cousin except for me. After that time I was alone on the streets in New York… I wanted to be heard.” He sighed. And John stayed silent. He knew that Alex wasn’t done and that it was hard for him to let those words out.
“But I haven’t thought about it in a while though,” he admitted quietly. “I’ve been more keen on living than thinking about what happens when I’m no longer here. I guess the thought does terrify me a little, now that I’m contemplating it.”
John nodded. He was not sure if he should close this conversation or not. While talking about his fears might be good for Alex, he was far from a perfect counselor. Besides, he was afraid that it would be taking advantage of his vulnerable state and to have him confess something he didn’t want to. So instead he chose to slightly change the subject since the thought had been bothering him since the beginning of that conversation.
“You know you’re listed as my next of kin?” he said. Alex’s brows furrowed. He didn’t quite understood what John meant to say by this.
“If something happens to me and I’m in no condition to, you’re the one taking the decisions for me.”
“Since when?” Alex asked.
“I changed it last year when I moved in,” John tried to say it nonchalantly. “I should have told you, I’m sorry.”
“No it’s fine,” Alex replied. “I did it after our first Christmas.” At John’s raised eyebrow, he added: “I just thought that since Eliza was not in the same continent, it would be more practical so yeah…”
“Ok,” John said. “What I meant by this was that you’re also the one to decide what happens if I die.”
Alex tensed in his arms, holding him closer.
“I don’t want to talk about that,” he mumbled, burying his head in John’s hoodie.
“I know but now is a good time as any since we’re on the subject so…”
“What’s there to say?” Alex groaned. “Apart from the fact that I would be heartbroken and devastated?”
John forced himself to take a long breath. He wasn’t really fitted for that kind of things either but they still needed to have that conversation. He needed to know what Alex thought and he needed to know his opinion. The issue wouldn’t disappear and as much as John wanted not to think about that eventuality, there was always a risk.
“If I die and the doctors ask you,” he said with determination, holding Alexander’s chin so he would look at him, “you need to tell them that I’m okay with them taking any organs they want. I have a donor card but it’s not uncommon for them to ask anyway.”
Alex nodded slowly.
“And then I want to be cremated,” John said. Alex did a double take, he hadn’t expected that coming from John. “I don’t what a stele on some kind of holy ground,” he explained, “I don’t care of what the Church might say. I want a cremation and then I want you to disperse my ashes in the Seine, by the Pont de Iéna.”
Alex took in all those information, his curiosity becoming stronger than the dread he felt when thinking about John’s death.
“Why there?”
“Because it’s where I fell in love with you,” John responded. “That first night, at the Champ de Mars. Or it’s where I started to, without wanting too and kinda fighting it because you weren’t gonna stay. And that way,” he added, “it means that from Paris I’ll follow the river to the Atlantic and kinda come back to where I was born. I know it’s kinda fucked up but that’s what I want. At least for now.”
“Alright,” Alex eventually said. “Do I have to tell you what I want?”
“If you know what that is and you wanna tell me, then go ahead,” John smiled. Alex no longer looked distressed, more like thoughtful.
“Same,” he said. “I mean the organs, they can take whatever they want. It’s not like I’ll need them. As for my body…” he hesitated before saying: “I think I want to be buried in Nevis, next to my mother. No prayers, nothing like that.”
“Ok love.”
For a long time they didn’t speak, just held each other close. It was a strange and rare kind of peace and Alexander allowed himself to enjoy it. Exhaustion was settling in his bones though even if they hadn’t been out long. He asked John if they could come home and John agreed. They spend the rest of the afternoon safely in their bed.
John took his time to kiss every inch of skin on Alexander’s body. He took special care of all the spots he loved and all the spots he knew made Alex squirm and moan. He was still wearing most of his clothes as Alex gripped the sheets, spent. He kept going with his kisses though, praising him, telling him how much he loved him, how incredibly lucky he was that Alex let him do this and how he deserved the greatest things in the world.
“I already have you,” Alex panted and John lost the last few shreds of restrain he had.
They had to leave the bed and take a shower before going out to dinner since they were both pretty gross. It was baby’s bedtime when they went down so John gently kissed the top of his head while Alex did his best not to coo.
They had never discussed the subject – and that was normal he supposed, they were both pretty young and had only been together for two years. Yet he couldn’t help but let his imagination wonder. He knew John wanted kids because he had overheard him talking about it with Laf once and he had no doubt that John would be a great father despite his lack of role model in the department. He had considered the idea at that time and had reached the conclusion that he wasn’t opposed to it even though he couldn’t imagine it in the immediate future. That was another conversation they needed to have, he realized, although not today. They had discussed enough Serious Topics for the next six months at least.
They ate in a nice restaurant not far from Victoria’s – at her recommendation again, this woman is a Saint – with lanterns in the ceilings and it was also decorated for the occasion. It kinda reminded Alex of his first Halloween in the States. He knew that the two celebrations had nothing to do with each other except that they were roughly at the same time. No it was just that it was something he knew happened but that he didn’t fathom just how far people would get into until he witnessed it first hand.
He noticed that John kept looking at him worriedly. He rolled his eyes, John always had motherhenning instincts when it came to Alex. He was significantly less good at taking care of himself and at acknowledging his own fears and issues. So Alex squeezed his hands on the table and talked about the upcoming US election, how Romney was a shitty candidate for the GOP and how Obama was almost certain to be reelected. Then he talked about the last French elections results and how LGBTQ+ people’s lives might get easier in the future. John listened, eyes bright and focused and he was always snarky and insightful in his comments. Alex was so in love with him and he told him so because his mouth was a treacherous thing. It was far from his most embarrassing admission though and it was old news at that point. Well he doubted that loving John or telling him his feeling and witnessing the faint blush on the other man’s cheeks would ever get old but semantics.
They walked back in silence, hand in hand. The night was fresh and the streets were still pretty full of people, dancing and laughing and Alex found that it wasn’t so dreadful anymore. Uh, maybe talking about it did help. Well he was still a stubborn little shit so he wouldn’t admit that to John. They chatted amicably with Victoria when they got back before going to bed, exhausted.
.
The day after was still a day of celebration and Alex insisted that he was fine at John’s constant worry. They went to the center to see the ofrendas and there was a nice little market. John ended buying a Catrina with a red dress and a red hat and a smiling face. Alex liked it. He wouldn’t even mind having it on the buffet or something at their place. He pretended not to see John buying him a dream catcher. His nightmares had never really gone away since he was a kid but they still happened and they could get pretty ugly. John always felt powerless when it happened. He’d made the joke before they came and Alexander should have known he wasn’t really joking. Well he supposed he could complain about his boyfriend being unfairly sweet and concerned about his wellbeing but he decided to save it for later. He got himself a few other postcards and ignored the inquisitive look he got from John. They also bought a bottle of mescal to drink with their friends when they’d get back. Which was tomorrow, Alex realized suddenly. Damn! He didn’t want to leave so soon! He liked it here! The weather was way nicer than in France, the food was insanely good and he really needed to practice his Spanish more. And John looked happy here. It wasn’t that he didn’t in Paris but Alex had been kinda anxious after the semi-disaster of their time in DC. He liked seeing him so carefree and he liked knowing that he hadn’t screwed up bringing them here.
The money issue still bothered him. Looking back, he couldn’t believe he had been so insensitive. He – better than anyone – should have known how it felt to be surrounded by people who have more money. It had been more than a problem for him when he went to Columbia and started hanging out with Burr and then the Schuyler sisters. Then he’d started making money after he graduated thanks to a good job with Washington and a few good investments. Not having to wonder if he’d be able to afford the next meal had been liberating. When John had first mentioned it, he had to take a few steps back to realize what he had been doing. It had never been pity or even condescendence on his part. The fact was that Alexander was a pragmatic person: he had money, John didn’t ergo he should be the one paying. He hadn’t taken in consideration his boyfriend’s feelings and he still wanted to slap himself for how stupid it had been. Hopefully his new job would help lift off some of John’s insecurities.
They dragged their time outside as long as possible, getting food on the streets and then spending hours on a bench again just so they could look at people. John seemed to want to see everything and Alex for once was ok with just sitting and watching. On their way back, they picked up a gift for Victoria – well one for her and one for the baby – because that was the least they could do after everything.
When they got back, they give her the sunflowers and the green onesie with a turtle for little David. Victoria thanked them profusely and insisted they stayed with them for dinner. Alexander could tell that John was only protesting out of politeness and that he clearly wanted to spend a little more time with the baby. Victoria made them molé so that they wouldn’t leave without trying it. Alex helped her set the table while John divided his attention between the laughing baby and the whining grey cat.
They chatted and laughed throughout the meal. Victoria told them about here dance company, about the kids she was teaching and how proud she was of them. She ushered them to their room when they tried to help her do the dishes. Seeing there was no room for discussion, they complied.
“I don’t wanna go,” John admitted when they alone in their room.
“Are you going all Tenth Doctor on me?” Alex raised an eyebrow, amused. “Your obsession with Tenant is seriously not healthy!”
“If I’m Ten then who does that make you?” John replied easily. “Rose? Martha? Donna?”
“Martha?!” Alex exclaimed, almost outraged, “seriously?”
“What? Martha Jones is pretty great!”
“She’s also the one who pines after a man that’s never gonna love her back,” Alex pointed out. “What? I’m not the Rose to your Ten?” he mock gasped.
“I’d rather not burn a sun to say goodbye to you,” John admitted, “I’d rather never have to say goodbye to you again,” he added quietly.
Alex exhaled with difficulty. He took a step closer to John and rested their foreheads together. Neither he nor John liked to mention that moment when they thought they would never see each other again. And he knew that it was especially more difficult for John because his boyfriend had more insecurities and doubts that he let on. The weight of those words hung in the air for a second before John clicked his fingers.
“I know who you are!”
“Who?” Alex asked.
“Jackie Tyler!” Alex elbowed him in the ribs. “Ow, this kinda proves my point though!” John massaged his side, laughing.
“I hate you Laurens,” Alex said threateningly.
“I mean,” John said, raising his hand in surrender, “first, you’re the same height… Oye! Jackie is a freaking badass, she’s funny and she fights teeth and claws for those she loves…”
“And she never picks on the Doctor’s bullshit,” Alex finished, smug.
“That too,” John grinned. “C’mon, let’s go to bed now.”
“You know now that you’ve said that,” Alex said, “I have images of Jackie and the Doctor in bed and it’s pretty terrifying…”
John rolled his eyes. He extended his hand for Alex to take and taking it was as natural as breathing.
.
Alexander woke up on their last day to the sound of a motor. Well that was what he thought but it turned out it was nothing else than the cat purring very close to his ear. He groaned. He knew the second they were back at their apartment, John would try to get him to get a pet again. And he knew that each time he was closer to say yes. He just wanted to delay as much as he could the moment John turned their place into a refuge for animals.
“We need to pack,” he mumbled.
“I know,” John replied mournfully. “We need to be at the airport at four, we can take a last walk before leaving.”
“Sure,” Alex smiled.
Packing didn’t take them too much time with only a minor inconvenience when the cat decided that Alexander’s half-made suitcase was very comfortable and absolutely refused to move. Alex couldn’t believe he was losing a battle of will with a freaking cat! John eventually took pity on him – but not before he took a video of their staring contest – and gently coaxed the cat out of Alex’s suitcase and into his arms. He petted him and played with him while Alex finished packing, apparently unaffected when he got bitten and scratched.
They shared their last breakfast with Victoria and David. God Alex had probably gained a few kilos over the course of ten days. There was no way all this cheese didn’t settle somewhere on his hips. For a second, he considered going running with John next time but he quickly dismissed the idea. Better have John join him in another kind of exercise that both of them would enjoy.
“Where do you want to go?” Alex asked John when they were heading out.
“Let’s just get lost,” John answered.
He’d say the same thing in Paris sometimes. Let’s get lost in a part of town we don’t really know, let’s get out of the subway one station before so we can see how it looks like from above, let’s walk along the entire boulevard…
John could make everything feel like an adventure and Alex often felt like the sidekick, desperately in love with the hero of the book. John had argued that if any of them was the hero of his story, it was Alex because he was a survivor and a genius. While that might be true, Alex thought that in a way he had been living pretty cowardly before he met John. He had gone to college, met a nice girl he once believed he would be marrying and he was living in a lifeless apartment in upper Manhattan. Then he and Eliza broke up and he didn’t stop working. He was living in a world made of different shades of grey. John had burst into his life like fireworks and he had suddenly realized he was missing the colors. John was carefree and full of spontaneity. Beside him, Alex had relearnt how it felt to enjoy the simplest things, to wonder before a Van Gogh painting, to bask in the last rays of sun, to laugh with friends by the River. John was also incredibly brave. He had stood up for himself and managed to escape from the very toxic environment he grew up in to go to one of the most beautiful city in the world and surround himself with absolutely amazing people. He had also lots of doubts about his worth and there were moments when those would literally paralyze him. He’d gotten better at talking about it though since their trip to DC and Alex had learnt to see the signs that too much was going on in his head.
So lost they got. The streets of Coyoacán made even less sense to him than the Parisian ones when he first came to the city. John obviously didn’t mind. He tripped a few times because he kept admiring the houses and the flowers and didn’t realize that the sidewalks were uneven. He glared at Alex when he heard him stiffen a laugh.
Eventually, they made their way to the Zócalo and decided on one last meal with tacos, churros and coffee. They had to hurry a little to get back to Victoria’s. She hailed them a cab and negotiated the price with the driver firmly. She hugged them both tightly. John said his goodbye to David and the cat who meowed pitifully.
With a last “¡Hasta luego!” and a promise to welcome her and the baby – “yes and the cat too, Alex stop pouting!” – they were gone.
The formalities at the airport passed with a blur and soon enough, they were boarding. It was a ten hours night flight and John had made Alex promise he would at least try to get some sleep: “If only for my sake and because you actually have to work on Monday!” Alex had reluctantly agreed. He ended sleeping for three out of the ten hours – which was more than last time, thank you very much! – and spent the rest watching John sleep. No it wasn’t creepy because they were dating, did nobody remember that How I met your mother episode?
When they finally landed, they didn’t have to go through customs again since they were both permanent residents, thank god!
They waited for their luggage and then tried to find Hercules who was picking them up. They found him and Cato at the Starbuck. Herc welcomed them back with great enthusiasm and they both chuckled. It felt like home.
Once in the car, Alex watched the by the window Paris slowly coming to view and smiled. Home sweet home.
“So how was it? How is Mexico?” Hercules finally asked them.
Alex glanced at John sitting next to him and saw him looking back. Their hands met in the middle seat and Alex smiled without meaning to.
“It was alright,” he replied. “México está como siempre.”