He wasn't quite sure why he was back here. It wasn't to get drunk, certainly; he had the feeling that Keye would take a very long time to forgive him if he tried something that stupid so soon after that rather intense encounter the other evening. But he didn't want to be home.

He'd left a note that said he was going to be out for a while, but not to worry, because he'd be back sober and wouldn't go into his room and brood. Promise. They could do something when he got back, because he didn't anticipate being out very late. Hopefully that would keep Keye from being too upset with him for being away again.

If it didn't, well, he could mend that when it came to it.

Maybe if he surrounded himself with enough noise, he wouldn't hear the silent presence of the ghost that was temporarily residing in his head. (Not that Nick was so very obvious, but that Alexander was so conscious of his presence that Nick couldn't be unobtrusive, no matter how he tried.)

Maybe.

And if the noise isn't enough, there's always the troubling presence of Bo for a distraction.
Surely Alexander hasn't forgotten that Bo frequents this place? If he wants to avoid Bo, why is he here?

The aforementioned hybrid did a sort of flip-somersault into the seat next to Alexander (athetic little bastard), grinning one of his faintly disturbing jack-o-lantern grins. He appeared to be clad entirely in leather (which, I assure you, he's borrowing).

A very good question. Maybe it's just habit that brings him back here, despite the associations that Dark has in his mind. (Maybe he hasn't forgotten that Bo frequents the place, and subconsciously, he wants to see the hybrid. It's not impossible, though perhaps a bit improbable.)

"Oh. Hello."

With a strained expression on his face and a tight little smile and a cool tone, he certainly doesn't appear to have been looking for Bo, subconsciously or otherwise.

Bo's face fell slighty.
"Er...well...nevermind, then."
His smile twitched and he turned to go. He wasn't sure when it had gone from I don't want to have sex with you to I don't want to speak to you, and it bothered him (bear in mind, he doesn't quite understand the human emotions connected with sex; he might be less hurt if he did).

Alexander doesn't understand the human emotions connected with sex. He would possibly be more comfortable with Bo if he did, because understanding something seems to make it more palatable.

But he also caught Bo's wrist, preventing him from leaving.

"Wait."

He at least owes Bo an apology for the way he treated him last time they met.

Bo turned back, his eyebrows raised somewhat skeptically.
"Ja?"

"I... I'm sorry. For how I spoke to you, when you came by the apartment, the other day..."

It's still remarkable for Alexander to apologize--to admit he was wrong, even more so--to anyone other than Keye. I wonder if Bo is conscious of that fact.

Bo's expression relaxed, and he smiled gently.
"You are forgiven, of course."
He patted Alexander's arm, chuckling.
"Believe me, I've had much worse."

Alexander has dished out much worse, although not to Bo. (Bo is lucky; when Alexander disliked him rather a lot, he was still important and necessary and somewhat untouchable.)

"I still shouldn't have..."

But his face relaxed a little bit as well, and he stopped looking quite so strained.

"Shush, I've already forgiven you. Of course you shouldn't have, but it isn't an issue anymore."
And without thinking, he put a finger against Alexander's lips.

And Nick, who'd already been a little disturbed by the leather-clad angel, made a faint squeaky noise.

"Shut up," Alexander muttered absently, running a hand back through his hair. Dammit. He'd almost managed to ignore Nick for a little while there.

Pause.

"Not you," to Bo.

Bo lifted his finger (though the movement of Alexander's lips tickled quite pleasantly).
"Who, then?" he inquired, tilting his head.

I'm sorry, but...um... said Nick, and had he been alive and corporeal, he would have flushed.

Alexander made a face. "I'm playing temporary host to a ghost who seems to have some kind of compulsion on him to possess the living." And not enjoying it one little bit, obviously.

Um what?

Hey, look, he remembered to answer Nick with a thought instead of aloud. Bravo.

"Oh, you poor things. And you don't even know each other, I take it. How uncomfortable. How awkard."
That's kind of hot... he thought.

Well, um, he...er...he's too close and it's making me uncomfortable.

Only Bo would think something like that. Fortunately Alexander doesn't read minds.

Making you uncomfortable?

Except, oddly, it wasn't making Alexander as uncomfortable as it usually did. Perhaps that was due to distraction, or perhaps it was due to the fact that he was slowly getting used to Bo...

His lips twitched.

"Yes. To all of the above."

He still hasn't bothered to ask Nick's name, you know.

Yes, making me uncomfortable. I'm even more old-fashioned than you are, believe it or not, and I can't...handle it.

Bo giggled.
"I'd excorcise it if I could, but I can't. Besides, I tend to avoid tools for getting rid of demons."

Alexander's expression became amused.

Is that so...

Mostly to irritate Nick--he doesn't like the ghost who's taken up residence in his head, despite apologies and despite the fact that Nick didn't have much of a choice--he leaned closer to Bo.

"Of course you do."

Yes, it i...hey. Stop smirking like that.

Bo drew back slightly, his smile somewhat cool now. He raised an eyebrow.
"Why the sudden change in attitude?"

Alexander paused.

"... I don't know."

Because there's more than just his wicked sense of humor at work, here. He wasn't certain what, but it wasn't just that he wanted to get back at Nick for being in his head.

Though that was certainly part of it.

"Then perhaps you ought to think twice." his smirk faded. "You're mixing your signals."

"If that's all that I'm mixing, then I consider myself to be in good shape."

Because he's emotionally mixed up, what with Keye and Katrina and Bo, and he's morally mixed up, what with revenge but murder and that section, and he's physically mixed up, because of...

Never mind.

"Oh, you are most definitely in good shape," Bo murmured, casting a critical eye up and down Alexander's body, "but that wasn't my point."

Alexander flushed. His turn to be embarrassed and uncomfortable.

"What was?"

But he asked the question anyway.

"Don't tell me you don't want something and then act like you do." he reached out to fiddle with the first button on Alexander's shirt.
Imagine how quickly he could open it. And all the ones after it. And then...
We all know where this line of thought leads, don't we?

Alexander didn't move.

"I don't know what I want." This is true; Bo confuses him. He can't control anything that happens when Bo is around, ever. That's a little frightening, but sometimes, it's a little comforting.

Which is even more confusing.

Bo stopped toying.
"...well, then. Don't know what to tell you."

Poor Nick must be very uncomfortable by now, considering the number and sort of emotions that are roiling through Alexander's head.

"I..."

Pause. He looked away, creasing his forehead thoughtfully.

Very, very uncomfortable.

"It's all right." Bo shrugged, calm. Saying anything pertaining to Alexander's feelings (or his own) would probably upset him further, so Bo refrained.

He's not upset, per se. Confused, uncertain, nervous, and uncomfortable, definitely. Bo isn't like those students who develop crushes upon him, after all. (For one thing, he got his wish.)

And, silence. For a little while, as Alexander attempts to sort out what he actually wants out of all the many things that are occurring to him to do.

Among them? Kissing Bo and hoping that he isn't doing something completely irreversible.

He hasn't decided on that one. He probably won't, unless pushed to it, somehow.

Would Nick making further uncomfortable noises push him to it, maybe? Because the ghost is muttering (to himself, though he probably wants to be heard) some fairly disparaging things about Bo.

Bo just sat, though he scooted a little away. He may not have been a terribly respectful person, but he was giving it a shot.

Yes. It would.

You shut the hell up.

Alexander gets defensive about people he cares about, and though he hasn't (quite) figured it out yet, he does, somehow, care about Bo, in some way.

"... Bo?"

Well, I'm sorry, but look at him.

"Yes?" Bo glanced up, looking gentler than he usually did.

I have. Several times. Shut up.

"I..." Pause. He swallowed, leaned over--he had to actually scoot a little--and quite tentatively kissed Bo on the lips.

And once again, some part of his mind wondered vaguely what in the world he thought he was doing, especially considering how Keye had reacted last time.

Nick might have responded again, had he not been busy freaking out. He was way too close to this interaction, and he didn't want to be.

Bo kissed him back for a moment, before getting a hold of himself. He drew away, put a hand to Alexander's face, and kissed his forehead instead.
"You don't want that."

"I want something." Pause. "You have no idea how lonely I am..."

And yes, he's still lonely, despite having Keye around. That makes him less lonely, but he still has all his secrets between himself and his boy, and that makes him more lonely.

There is also the fact that he came from a rather large extended family, and never did quite get used to being the only one around.

Excuse me, do you think you could...maybe have this conversation another time...? Nick said timidly, then felt awful for saying it.

Bo smiled sadly and hugged him.
"There are lots of lonelies, just like there are lots of loves. Make sure you know which one is yours, before you ask anything of me."

Nick should feel bad for saying it.

Alexander pulled away from Bo, in more ways than just the physical, and closed his face off again.

"I see." He gazed fixedly at a point somewhere across the room. "I shan't bother you any more, then."

Bo frowned, and resisted a strong urge to roll his eyes.
"Oh, don't," he said, barely keeping the frustration out of his voice. "You know that isn't what I meant."

"Mm."

Alexander becomes uncooperative when he's upset.

He's lonely in a lot of ways, by the by. He misses his parents, he misses his sister, he misses his cousin--who killed himself--he misses his boyfriend... There were a lot of people to miss. (So, yes, in some fashion, he is lonely in the sort of way that Bo is so expert at soothing.)

Oh, that infuriating, ridiculous man! Bo almost huffed. --After he'd gotten so far, and now...HMPH! That's what he wanted to do.

"Alexander, please. Don't do that." And, because it was not entirely dishonest (Bo was hurt, too), he let just a tiny bit of raggedness seep into his tone.