Author's note: I discovered that there are Alex Rider fanfics only yesterday, and found myself liking Alex / Tom within, like, ten seconds. Obviously, this is my first Alex Rider fanfic, so please don't bite my head off, but tell me what I can improve. And there will be a lot to improve, I'm certain. Right now, I'm considering to buy the Alex Rider books in English (read them in German) to get an idea of Horowitz' writing style and terminology. Speaking about Horowitz, this brings me to the

Disclaimer: Alex Rider and all characters from it are the intellectual property of Anthony Horowitz. I own nothing but the plot (what plot? Can 900 words be considered a 'plot'?)

Alex Rider's eyes were fixated on the TV screen in front of him, but his thoughts were miles away. Or rather, his thoughts were approximately 12 inches to his right, where his best friend, Tom Harris sat. His eyes were fixated on the TV screen as well, his eyes narrowing the slightest bit as he pressed the fire button on his controller, mowing down digital enemies. Usually, Alex didn't do shooter games, because he had witnessed gunfights first-hand and didn't wish to be reminded of it, but Tom didn't know that, and Alex simply couldn't say 'no' when Tom's black eyes looked into his.

Alex was seventeen now. During the past two years, he and Tom had been limited to phones and video chat, but luckily, Tom had been able to come visit the US during summer break. His parents had divorced one year ago, and his older brother Jerry had fought for the custody over his younger brother in court, and won. Now he was living with Tom in England, and his job paid off well enough to allow him to buy Tom a plane ticket to San Francsico. Tom would stay for the whole summer break with Alex and his adoptive family, and this prospect made Alex happy.

Alex had never really been in love before. He hadn't really had time between his life-threatening missions, saving the world in general and Mr. Blunt's job in particular. And he was confused, to say the least. Tom just kept catching his eye, far more than what could be explained by the two years of parting. Alex noticed little things, like how fascinatingly his best friend's eyes sparkled when he laughed. He felt the irresistible urge to wrap his arms around the smaller teenager. During the past two years, more than a few girls had wanted to go out with him, but he had never felt tempted to say 'yes'. But to his utter confusion, he had no problems imagining to go out with Tom. Kiss him.

If he had gotten that infatuated within two weeks, how much worse (or better? He didn't know) would it get during the next two months? Alex was fully aware of the fact that most people got confused when they fell in love for the first time, but that didn't help him. Rationality didn't help him. He had talked to Edward about this, and his adoptive father had smiled and told him to 'follow his heart'. At first, Alex had been pretty sure that that couldn't be the solution. 'Following his heart' would, in this case, mean to ask Tom on a date, and he hadn't even the slightest idea how that worked.

One week later, Alex had decided he'd simply ask Tom. Though 'simply' didn't really live up to the situation. He had spent the night drafting countless plans and dumping them again, writing various monologues to declare his love, always ending up with crumbling the paper up and throwing it into the trashcan, which was now brim-full. His eyes once again fixated on the TV, he spoke up. And of course, he almost immediately fucked up.

"Tom… I don't want to be your best friend" he said, and heard a loud gasp from his right. "No, not like that, I mean that came out wrong and…" He heaved a sigh. "I mean, I—shit, I don't know how to phrase it—I just—" he got interrupted by Tom. "Don't beat around the bush, just say what you want to say!" His best friend's voice was full of anger. Of course Tom would get it wrong.

"I don't want to be your best friend because I want to be your boyfriend!" Alex blurted out, and flinched at the sound of Tom's "you what?!" Of course Tom wouldn't feel that way. Alex kept glaring at the screen, his fingers mishandling the game controller in his hands. "I know" he muttered. "Just say that you're disgusted, that you don't feel that way, that you hate me…"

He could hear Tom throw his controller away. The smaller boy's hands found their way to Alex face, cupping it and forcing him to look into Tom's face. Blue eyes locked with brown ones as Tom brought their faces closer. Their foreheads touched, and Alex' heart was thumping at one-hundred miles per hour due to the close proximity. Tom's blue eyes bore into his as he spoke up.

"Look at me, Al. Do you see the slightest hint of hate there?" whispered Tom before he finally closed the last inches between their faces. And in this very moment, when the lips of the former spy met the lips of his former best friend, Alex didn't give a dam about anything. Not even about the fact that Tom had to leave in two months. In the background, their respective characters got shot down in-game, the rapid fire of guns roared from the speakers, turning the room into a battlefield, but for the two of them, none of that mattered.

They didn't notice when Edward Pleasure glanced through the door crack and quietly retreated downstairs, a knowing smile on his lips.