Chapter 50: Monogamy
Go after him. Show him that he's different. Paul's words echoed in his head as he looked over at Collins, standing awkwardly in front of him. "Yeah," Angel whispered to himself, "Go for it."
With the scent of Marlboro cigarettes still lingering in the air, Collins took a deep breath, bravely facing Angel. Be cool, be smooth. You've done it before. Chill out and relax, you can be alone with him. "He'll be back soon," he announced, referring to the filmmaker who could still be seen distantly down the block.
"So..." Angel mumbled, filling the silence. No matter how hard he tried to act cool and confidant, he still came off as a nervous wreck. Oh. My. God. How ridiculous can you be? Just talk to the man, its not that hard. You're a goddamn chatterbox; you've never had any trouble before. "Tell me about this show we're going to tonight. Who's performing?"
"Oh, Mark's ex-girlfriend, Maureen. She went out with Mark for a couple of months." Collins didn't want to rehash the bitter breakup between Mark and Maureen. Although he hadn't been there, he'd heard enough stories to know that it was an ugly fight.
"Why'd they break up?"
"Maureen found someone new," he answered simply.
"Oh. Have you met the guy?"
Laughing awkwardly, Collins grinned. "I haven't met him and... he's a she."
Angel burst into hysterical giggles. "Poor Marky. That must be a blow to his ego, having his shoes filled by some chick."
"Well, that's what you get when you're in a 'committed' relationship. She cheated on him all the time anyway."
Abruptly, Angel stopped laughing. "What's wrong with 'committed' relationships? I think there's a lot to be said for monogamy."
"I don't know, it just seems a little unnatural to me. Like, why would you want to limit yourself to only one person for the rest of your life, when there are so many others to choose from?" Collins asked. But if monogamy meant that I could limit myself to only you, I'd do it. I'd give up every trick I've ever had. There goes half the world's gay population.
See? I knew there had to be a catch. Way to go, Angel. Fall for the one guy who is COMPLETELY against monogamous relationships. You're probably no different than every other guy he's slept with, and from the way he talks, it sounds like there was a lot of them. But... maybe he would change his mind if he knew that someone, namely myself, would give their left arm to be monogamous with him. A sly grin crept onto his face, as he reached inside the pocket of his coat and pulled out a small, folded up piece of paper. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean I got this number from this really hot guy a few nights ago, and I wasn't sure whether I should call him or not. He seemed interested. Do you think I should? I mean, it seems sort of cheesy to call during the holidays, you know? Everyone's with their families and stuff and I don't want to interrupt anything he might be doing, but this guy is, like, so hot, and-"
Ripping the number out of Angel's hand, Collins gave him a sheepish, embarrassed grin. "Well, monogamy isn't bad, per se..."
You've got him exactly where you want him. Reel him in and then go for the kill. The grin that threatened to give away his scheme was beginning to spread even larger as he looked at Collins. "What are you trying to say?"
You babbling, stuttering idiot. "I... I just thought monogamy seemed a little unnatural, that's all."
Okay, this is your chance. Seize the day, carpe diem, and all that shit. Come on, Angel girl, you can do this. "You mean it is?" He paused. "Or it...was."
"Uh... um..." Collins was reduced to nothing more than a stuttering, nervous mess.
"So let me get this straight," Angel began. Ha. Me. Straight. "You're trying to tell me monogamy is unnatural, yet you literally rip up the number of some random guy that I was going to hook up with? That seems a bit inconsistent to me."
"Well, uh, I..."
"I think there's something you're not telling me. Are you hiding something, Collins?" Angel asked, arching an eyebrow to emphasize his point.
"I... I... I just don't know anymore, okay? My entire life I've always thought monogamy was for everyone else, but tonight I feel completely different. I never even wanted a goddamn boyfriend before and the though of couples... it just used to make me sick. I don't even know what I think anymore! I'm just..." He let out a frustrated groan and crossed his arms over his chest. Way to look like an immature child.
The smile still sat firmly on Angel's face. "Feel better now?"
His lips turning into a sheepish grin of his own, Collins answered softly. "Yeah a little."
"Good," Angel agreed quietly, putting a hand behind Collins's head and pulling him in for a deep kiss.
Softly yet intensely, the two men finally kissed, touching each other in a gentle way that neither had ever felt before. Their tongues explored the soft interior of their mouths, each man savoring the kiss as if it would never happen again.
Pulling away from each other, they blinked, staring in silence. "Wow," Collins mumbled, his face still close enough to Angel's so he could see the little sparkles on his lips.
"I was thinking the same thing," Angel admitted. "So monogamy's not so horrifying anymore, is it?" Wrapping his arms around Collins, he stared into his eyes.
"No. Not when you actually love someone enough to be with them."
Angel was brought back to a time many years ago, with Queenie. When he thought he had loved Will, he'd gone to her asking what love felt like. "Baby, when it's true love, you won't even have to ask," she had said to him. At the time, he had been almost insulted by the words. Now, everything seemed to fall into place; not just Queenie's words of wisdom, but everything that he'd felt his entire life. This was love. This was what living was all about.
"I love you too," Angel said confidently, taking hold of his hand.
The snow danced in front of the lovers, creating a light blanket of white on the dirty streets. It was enough to make the scene story-book perfect. Holding each other, they leaned in for another kiss, knowing they'd never let go.
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So this is it. This is the end of Today 4 U: Proof Positive. After a year and a half of writing this, I must say it's strange to say that I've finally completed it. I want to thank everyone who's reviewed and given me feedback, positive or negative. Your comments mean a lot to me and have helped me so much along the way. Thank you to the teachers who've helped, and to my family for editing. Especially mommy, who edited EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER after I wrote it. Thank you Rachel, my other half. If it wasn't for you, this would not have gotten done. Through this, I've met the best friend I could ever ask for. Love you to pieces To Risa, for encouraging me the entire way. Another great friend that I wouldn't have met (well, not technically, but soon enough) had it not been for this monster fic. And to all of the people that I've met through this. You've made this entire process worthwhile. By the way, his middle name is Bartholomew.
Go after him. Show him that he's different. Paul's words echoed in his head as he looked over at Collins, standing awkwardly in front of him. "Yeah," Angel whispered to himself, "Go for it."
With the scent of Marlboro cigarettes still lingering in the air, Collins took a deep breath, bravely facing Angel. Be cool, be smooth. You've done it before. Chill out and relax, you can be alone with him. "He'll be back soon," he announced, referring to the filmmaker who could still be seen distantly down the block.
"So..." Angel mumbled, filling the silence. No matter how hard he tried to act cool and confidant, he still came off as a nervous wreck. Oh. My. God. How ridiculous can you be? Just talk to the man, its not that hard. You're a goddamn chatterbox; you've never had any trouble before. "Tell me about this show we're going to tonight. Who's performing?"
"Oh, Mark's ex-girlfriend, Maureen. She went out with Mark for a couple of months." Collins didn't want to rehash the bitter breakup between Mark and Maureen. Although he hadn't been there, he'd heard enough stories to know that it was an ugly fight.
"Why'd they break up?"
"Maureen found someone new," he answered simply.
"Oh. Have you met the guy?"
Laughing awkwardly, Collins grinned. "I haven't met him and... he's a she."
Angel burst into hysterical giggles. "Poor Marky. That must be a blow to his ego, having his shoes filled by some chick."
"Well, that's what you get when you're in a 'committed' relationship. She cheated on him all the time anyway."
Abruptly, Angel stopped laughing. "What's wrong with 'committed' relationships? I think there's a lot to be said for monogamy."
"I don't know, it just seems a little unnatural to me. Like, why would you want to limit yourself to only one person for the rest of your life, when there are so many others to choose from?" Collins asked. But if monogamy meant that I could limit myself to only you, I'd do it. I'd give up every trick I've ever had. There goes half the world's gay population.
See? I knew there had to be a catch. Way to go, Angel. Fall for the one guy who is COMPLETELY against monogamous relationships. You're probably no different than every other guy he's slept with, and from the way he talks, it sounds like there was a lot of them. But... maybe he would change his mind if he knew that someone, namely myself, would give their left arm to be monogamous with him. A sly grin crept onto his face, as he reached inside the pocket of his coat and pulled out a small, folded up piece of paper. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean I got this number from this really hot guy a few nights ago, and I wasn't sure whether I should call him or not. He seemed interested. Do you think I should? I mean, it seems sort of cheesy to call during the holidays, you know? Everyone's with their families and stuff and I don't want to interrupt anything he might be doing, but this guy is, like, so hot, and-"
Ripping the number out of Angel's hand, Collins gave him a sheepish, embarrassed grin. "Well, monogamy isn't bad, per se..."
You've got him exactly where you want him. Reel him in and then go for the kill. The grin that threatened to give away his scheme was beginning to spread even larger as he looked at Collins. "What are you trying to say?"
You babbling, stuttering idiot. "I... I just thought monogamy seemed a little unnatural, that's all."
Okay, this is your chance. Seize the day, carpe diem, and all that shit. Come on, Angel girl, you can do this. "You mean it is?" He paused. "Or it...was."
"Uh... um..." Collins was reduced to nothing more than a stuttering, nervous mess.
"So let me get this straight," Angel began. Ha. Me. Straight. "You're trying to tell me monogamy is unnatural, yet you literally rip up the number of some random guy that I was going to hook up with? That seems a bit inconsistent to me."
"Well, uh, I..."
"I think there's something you're not telling me. Are you hiding something, Collins?" Angel asked, arching an eyebrow to emphasize his point.
"I... I... I just don't know anymore, okay? My entire life I've always thought monogamy was for everyone else, but tonight I feel completely different. I never even wanted a goddamn boyfriend before and the though of couples... it just used to make me sick. I don't even know what I think anymore! I'm just..." He let out a frustrated groan and crossed his arms over his chest. Way to look like an immature child.
The smile still sat firmly on Angel's face. "Feel better now?"
His lips turning into a sheepish grin of his own, Collins answered softly. "Yeah a little."
"Good," Angel agreed quietly, putting a hand behind Collins's head and pulling him in for a deep kiss.
Softly yet intensely, the two men finally kissed, touching each other in a gentle way that neither had ever felt before. Their tongues explored the soft interior of their mouths, each man savoring the kiss as if it would never happen again.
Pulling away from each other, they blinked, staring in silence. "Wow," Collins mumbled, his face still close enough to Angel's so he could see the little sparkles on his lips.
"I was thinking the same thing," Angel admitted. "So monogamy's not so horrifying anymore, is it?" Wrapping his arms around Collins, he stared into his eyes.
"No. Not when you actually love someone enough to be with them."
Angel was brought back to a time many years ago, with Queenie. When he thought he had loved Will, he'd gone to her asking what love felt like. "Baby, when it's true love, you won't even have to ask," she had said to him. At the time, he had been almost insulted by the words. Now, everything seemed to fall into place; not just Queenie's words of wisdom, but everything that he'd felt his entire life. This was love. This was what living was all about.
"I love you too," Angel said confidently, taking hold of his hand.
The snow danced in front of the lovers, creating a light blanket of white on the dirty streets. It was enough to make the scene story-book perfect. Holding each other, they leaned in for another kiss, knowing they'd never let go.
--------------------------------------------
So this is it. This is the end of Today 4 U: Proof Positive. After a year and a half of writing this, I must say it's strange to say that I've finally completed it. I want to thank everyone who's reviewed and given me feedback, positive or negative. Your comments mean a lot to me and have helped me so much along the way. Thank you to the teachers who've helped, and to my family for editing. Especially mommy, who edited EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER after I wrote it. Thank you Rachel, my other half. If it wasn't for you, this would not have gotten done. Through this, I've met the best friend I could ever ask for. Love you to pieces To Risa, for encouraging me the entire way. Another great friend that I wouldn't have met (well, not technically, but soon enough) had it not been for this monster fic. And to all of the people that I've met through this. You've made this entire process worthwhile. By the way, his middle name is Bartholomew.