The Outsider

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"I liked her. She has really nice eyes and her lips tasted like watermelon, and I really like watermelon. And she was sweet, kinda dorky-- but I think I like that. So sure, I liked her. But I'm not going to go run to meet her behind your back, if that's what you're worried about. I'd rather be here with you than chase after a girl who doesn't even like me. You said that she was drunk and didn't like me, right? I was naive, I was being dumb, so it's fine," he summarised, nodding firmly for emphasis and adding a quick smile. In reality, he was genuinely upset that he might not see her again. She had been drunk, that was true, but he felt like there was at least a friendship ready to potentially bloom. If anything, he just wanted another friend other than Maxwell.

"...She was cool. She's at your college so I could find her if... if you were okay with that," he began slowly, glancing to the other with a hopeful smile. "I mean, I could come and check out your college, you could show me around, and then maybe I could find Georgia and... we could all hang out? You need a friend who's not... an alien. It's not normal that your best friend isn't even from this planet, Max~"
 
"I like having you as a friend, alien or not," he replied simply with a small frown. He knew it wasn't a case of Milo being insecure but rather an attempt to make him feel better if Milo abandoned him - at least, that's how he saw it. "No matter how many friends I make in college, they'll never compare to you. You... are more important to me. I mean, I'm here to protect you, yeah?"

Once nestled in close to Milo and adjusted in a comfortable position, Maxwell covered his lips with the blanket and simply locked his eye on the television. Nothing felt like he was in his element more than when he was just like this. "I don't like it that everyone thinks we're cousins. I mean... why couldn't you have said friend? It's what we are, right?"
 
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"It was the first thing that came into my head after our discussion before it, so... it's not a problem, is it? If we meet new friends and they come over, we can say I'm staying here because I'm family, which isn't that wrong. I am like family to you," he shrugged, not seeing a huge issue in his lie. In fact, he had been quite proud of it at the time, although Maxwell's clear resistance was enough to make him wary.

"Should I have said something different? I didn't... think it was that outrageous. Would you have preferred me to introduce myself as an alien who crashed in your garden when I was a kid?" He continued, a slow smile appearing to emphasise his joke. "Relax, I only told Ricky we were cousins, and I doubt he believes that now. I'll introduce myself as a friend to other people, if you want?"
 
"Yes, please!" He quickly insisted before offering an awkward laugh in an attempt to distract from how strange his insistence was. "I mean - they might ask where you're from or who my aunt and uncle are and it just... spirals, I guess. Hell, saying you're some alien would probably be less difficult to explain. Look, like I said, I want to take this one step at a time."

Moving a bit to properly look up at the other, his cheeks immediately ignited at the realization of the scene. He knew Milo was too naive to realize just how special this sort of thing was yet for him it was everything. He wouldn't just blurt out his feelings, especially since Georgia was a thing, but he could still pretend.
 
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He didn't really see the difference between saying he was a friend rather than a cousin. If anything, he thought the latter was a better lie than the former, but seeing Maxwell's eagerness made him relent and nod in agreement. "I don't even think we'll meet anyone new, you don't seem very eager to do that."
 
"See, I don't actually make friends. I just go with the flow, I guess? I mean, I met Ricky in my algebra class and he approached me. If people want to talk to me, I'm all for it, you know? I might not be very good at talking back but it's easier," he admitted with pursed lips. "It's a lot of effort to go and meet people, I'd rather just sit in a bar and have people introduce themselves to me instead. I guess that's kind of selfish, huh?"
 
"...I don't think it's selfish. I just think you need to be a bit more outgoing is all. I approached people at the party and I made some friends-- I think I made friends, anyway. Georgia seems like a friend, even if you insist she's not. We... got on well, and that's because I approached her. If you approached some people, maybe you'd have more friends," he suggested quietly, making himself shrug so he seemed less confident about that remark. In reality, he was extremely confident that he was right, but, with his limited experience, he didn't want to seem like he knew everything after just a few hours of socialising.

"I don't know," he continued, moving his arm around his friend again. "I'm happy just being here with you, I told you that. We could go and watch TV in bed if you wanted, I know you prefer that and I like cuddling with you. Cuddling doesn't mean we're going to kiss like I did with Georgia. I'm not so stupid that I don't realise that cuddling can be platonic, which is fine for us. We're friends, you're like a brother to me."
 
"Yeah, I'd like that," he admitted quietly, hiding the disappointment in his voice perfectly. The last year of his life had been full of disappointment so it wasn't very hard to pretend that he was fine in that respect anymore. First it was the fact he didn't get into his first choice, then the death of his parents and now the slimming chances of having anything with Milo. He was too afraid to admit it, though, and decided to simply purse his lips.

"I could go for a nap, if that's okay with you. I want to snuggle and nap while you watch TV, is that okay?" He suggested while he absently adjusted his pajama pants, rolling up the edges of them. "I hope you don't mind."
 
"As long as we can go out later and meet up with some people I met at the party? I'm sure you could track them down on those weird sites you go on-- Snapchat or whatever. We could go and get a McDonald's together and meet up with them and... I don't know, have fun? I'll stay here with you for a few hours if we can do that later one," he countered, deciding that it was fair to ask when he was willing to stay in and let Maxwell nap against him. Besides, the fact he was including him in his plans this time, rather than going behind his back, ought to be commended.

"Because I think they did like me, even if you said they don't. They were nice to me, Max. Georgia especially-- and even if she was using me for kisses, I don't mind. I liked it," he grinned, cracking his knuckles as he rose to his feet. "I don't know why you rejected me when we were, like, 14. I tried to kiss you back then and you turned me down. Kissing's pretty amazing, Maxwell. It's why I want to see her again, she seems to really like me and that'll mean she might kiss me again."
 
"I... didn't know what I was doing then," he explained as he got to his feet, wobbling a tad before holding his head with a frown. It was a big regret for him, he obviously realized, especially when a small part of him knew the truth over the fact that he was gay - he would still deny it, though. While he didn't really believe in God anymore, he still felt the guilt of being gay.

"Just... I guess I'm jealous. You go out and immediately have a girl sucking on your tongue while I don't have a... girl who likes me the same way," he explained with a nervous smile as he headed to his room. "I guess you're just cooler than me with, like, everything. Of course you are, though, that isn't a surprise."
 
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"Have you even talked to a girl? I only heard you talk about Ricky. If you talked to one, maybe they'd get to like you? You can't expect people to initiate things, sometimes you have to take things into your own hands, right? I don't know much, but I'm pretty sure it'll help if you introduced yourself to someone you liked and acted confident? It's what I did with Georgia and that clearly worked out in my favour," he reminded, a brief smile appearing once again at the memory. Considering Maxwell had clear reservations about Milo meeting with her again, he felt he had every right to cling onto the memory of their kiss - he didn't know when he would get the chance to have something like that with someone again, after all.

"I don't think I'm cool," he quickly continued, trailing behind him. "I didn't do much at the party, I was mostly alone for the night. It was only near the end that I really... talked to people. I don't think you need to be 'cool', Maxwell, if that's not you. I like you how you are."
 
"Thank you," he whispered, his cheeks growing pink at the compliment. Every compliment he ever received, he immediately filed it under false in the back of his mind. Milo, on the other hand, had no reason to lie - hence why the fact that the other did lie to him hurt so much. Once reaching his bedroom, he happily flopped down, curling into himself a tad. He immediately grabbed the remote and motioned the other over.

"Come on, then. Honestly, I just... want to stay in today, do my homework. I was invited to a party but I don't think I'm really up for it. I mean, I'd prefer that you stayed too - I'm still upset. I wish you and I could have done this slowly, you know?"
 
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"I think me waiting all these years was going slowly enough, don't you? If I kept you locked in a house most your life, I'm sure that you'd be driven to the edge one day too. I snapped, I went out and I had fun. Was it dumb? Maybe, but I don't regret it that much. I'm willing to at least ask for your permission to head out in future," he admitted as he quietly perched himself down beside him. He still felt like a child, having to ask for permission or inform the other where he was headed out, but it was better than the alternative of not being let outside whatsoever. If he had to ask, he could deal with that.

"Can we stop talking about it? You'll just get upset and bicker with me and I don't want to argue," he sighed, moving to lay down on the bed with his hands behind his head. "I said sorry, didn't I?"
 
"It just... really fucked me up, Milo," he admitted with pursed lips. "You're the only person I really have, you know? I have other people in my life but they're all so fake. I know you and I thought I could trust you, and just... that isn't the case now. Call me dramatic but I'm not going to pretend about my feelings. I mean, I'm sorry what my parents did b-but... it's whatever," he grumbled.

"Please, Just... lets talk the next time we go out. I don't want you going alone and you can come to the parties I go to with me, just...for now?"
 
"You are being dramatic. I think you're being overly dramatic, if that's possible. But I get it, okay? I messed up and I'm sorry, but I don't regret it? I'm not going to pretend that I wished I never did it. I had fun and I was a long time coming. In future, I'll tell you where I'm going and... I'll go with you until you can trust me to go out alone, yeah? That's as fair as I'm going to get," he sighed, slipping under the covers tiredly. He did want to head back out, but not if that risked pissing Maxwell off even more. Besides, laying in bed with him had always been one of his favourite things to do - no matter what Maxwell had said over the last few hours, Milo still adored him, and being close to him like this was better than any party.

"...I just wanted to feel normal, I don't think that's a crime. Let's just stop going on about it. We can have a nap and... go out later for some fast food, like you said."
 
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Rolling to face the other, he grew quiet before daring to just pull the other close and bury his head in the other's neck affectionately. It was so much different than a year ago, where he'd easily be the bigger hugger while having to be particularly fragile with the alien. Now, he could squeeze Milo as hard as he wanted and he wanted to squeeze the other tight, just desperate to stay like that for a moment with his face hidden as he seemingly shook.

"I'm sorry, i... I know, that was stupid of me, I should have realized that you wanted to leave," he murmured with a sniffle. "I'm... yeah. A nap sounds good. Then we can get some fried chicken and just watch television," he insisted before letting his muscles relax to at least prove he was ready for sleep. "I just... care about you, so much. Don't forget that, okay?"
 
He could quite easily find the other's protectiveness of him annoying, given how intense it was over the years, but he chose instead to find it sweet. It was nice to know that Maxwell cared about him, even if he wished that the other would relax just a little and trust Milo to do the right thing... even if he hadn't really portrayed that well with the whole Ricky situation. Nonetheless, he was determined to try and show him he could be trusted, and he chose to do that by staying on the bed until Maxwell woke up. It would have been easy to slip out, which he was tempted to do, but he was also keen to win back Max's trust, and he hoped sticking around for hours helped, even only a tiny bit.

That wasn't to say he wasn't ecstatic when they were able to finally head out, the delight on his face beyond obvious as he tucked into the greasy food with a smile. His complete lack of the outside world meant a simple outing to the local McDonald's was as good as anything he could imagine. Pleasing someone who had spent years stuck inside one place was hardly a difficult feat, after all.

It was especially great for him after absently glancing out the window at the crowds of people passing along on the street to notice Georgia, sat with a group of her friends on a bench. At the same time, she seemed to notice him and, without any real hesitation, headed inside to greet him. Even though Maxwell had told him that the girl wasn't interested, that she'd only been with him because she was drunk, Milo didn't necessarily believe it... and he was almost smug when seeing how eager she was to sit down beside him.

"You never gave me your number, I would have called," she huffed, playfully pouting. "I thought you wanted to, like, avoid me. Some guys do that, I didn't think you were that guy-- and you're not, you're too sweet~"

"I don't... have a phone right now," the alien admitted with a weary smile. "But, uh... you can hang out at Maxwell's house with me, sometimes? That's okay, isn't it Max? Georgia's allowed to come over to hang with us, isn't she?"

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"No." He flatly replies, not even needing to look up from the fries he was lightly picking at. Not only did the woman irritate him on his own from what classes he shared, she also was flirting with his crush. "No, sorry. No one is available but family. I don't bring anyone over so neither should you. Sorry, Georgia."

He would never admit it but he also was incredibly annoyed by the fact that his chances with Ricky were dashed, as was evident when he was told just that when he woke up to see Ricky text him that he wasn't invited to the that night's party. To see Milo easily have a girl he just met so excited to see him while the only other guy he had a crush on didn't want to see him? It was annoying. "Yeah, sorry."
 
"You can totally come over to my place? It's a shitty little apartment I share with a few other college students, but I'd love you to come around-- we have a movie night tonight, you could come to that? We'll have alcohol, obviously, and pizza and snacks. It'll be great. You're invited too, Max. If you want to come along, you can," the girl smiled invitingly, even if it was glaringly obvious that her main focus was on Milo. Nevertheless, out of politeness, she didn't want to leave Maxwell out of things, especially when she was trying to impress Milo. Inviting his apparent best friend along was going to go down well - hopefully.

"That sounds fun, I'd love to-- we can go to that at least, Maxwell. You said we should go out together, so this seems... okay," began Milo cautiously, the other's sharp refusal earlier on still making him wary. He didn't know what the problem was, or why Milo was so sharp and abrupt with him, so stared hopelessly at his friend instead. "...It's a chance for you to meet new people, you said you haven't got many friends, so you should start going to new events and meeting new people, right? I want to go, Maxwell."
 
"I-I have friends!" He squeaked, his cheeks suddenly beetroot in embarrassment. The statement was true but like hell did he want this woman to know that he was that desperate. Sinking a tad in the seat, he shyly looked away before popping a chicken nugget in his mouth.

"Yeah, okay. That's fine," he murmured before rubbing his eye with the loose sleeve of his sweater. "Uh, but we can't stay too long. I have a lecture in the afternoon and I still have to write my final statement for my paper, aha... that's good, right?" He offered, at least offering to agree with Milo in the hope that the alien would agree.
 
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