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Mike thought it was just a fluke. That Alex's friends just hadn't known where to look for him, so they hadn't had the chance to remove the duct tape, pull him into the lunch room. That maybe they'd already moved outside after eating lunch, wondering where Alex might have gone, maybe thinking he was talking to a teacher about his grades, or something. That Alex had friends.He'd always been too self-obsessed, and exhausted when he came home from work to actually notice the absence of teenage voices that were not propelled by his very own blood.It takes just a couple of days... Running into Alex in the hallways, eating lunch with him, playing ball - all without interruption, for Mike to begin scowling as he thought silently, before Alex tossed him curious looks that called Mike back to whatever it was they had been discussing.He'd had friends once, hadn't he? When he was younger? Mike knew that when Maggie was just a toddler, it had been difficult to find play dates, just because he and Scar were the youngest parents on the block, and many of the other parents either seemed too judgmental, or intimidating. But Alex had come after that period of their lives passed, when they were average parents, working too hard to provide shelter and food, and of course, toys. Hadn't Alex had birthday parties with far too many little mouths to stuff full with sugar? Or had it just seemed that way because they were in a constant struggle with their bank account, and Scar's desperation to at least make their small space feel reminiscent of a home?When was it, exactly, Mike wondered, that he stopped paying attention enough to not realize that his only son was sorely lacking in social obligations? Not that he needed any help in not being able to sit down before seven at night, for dinner, but wasn't it supposed to be even worse than working and carpooling? At least for a while, until Alex learned how to ride a bike, or something? Mike had felt more urges in the last 72 hours, to call Scar and ask about their children's lives, then he ever had before.It made him sick to his stomach."Where are your other - buddies?" he blurted across open books, and pencil-smudged, lined paper.Alex furrowed his brow, looking up at Mark slowly. "What?" he asked, a slight lift in his left nostril, judging. Good; Mike deserved to be judge for not actually knowing the answer to this."Your friends, you know? I mean -" He paused, lips thinning, as he rubbed his rough thumb over chin. He was coming off rude, wasn't he? God... "I mean," he said, trying again, voice softer, more playful, "I'm used to fighting for attention." It wasn't true, not at all. Not when he really was seventeen. "I would have expected you to ditch me by now." Now that... That could be true. Alex never wanted to be around him. He genuinely was surprised that Alex hadn't told him to leave him alone, yet.Snorting, Alex thumbed the glossy page of his algebra book, looking down. "Me? Ditch you?"Mike frowned again. "Well, yeah. I'm the loser new kid. Pity friendship usually doesn't last too long."That was clearly the wrong thing to say, Mike realized, when Alex remained silent after that, his eyes no longer even scanning the pages, beneath his dirty blond eyelashes. Mike's throat closed up, making him sound way too quiet when he said, "Sorry. I didn't mean to -""No, it's fine," Alex said, too quickly. That had once been tick-inducing for Mike... Alex cutting him off without actually listening to what he was trying to say. Not that he could blame him, now. What Mike had to say - well, it probably hadn't been worth listening to.He licked out at his lips quickly, before quirking one side of his mouth up. "I just meant that, I appreciate you spending time with me."At first, Alex just shrugged, his eyes going back to work on his assignment. Slowly, Mike sank back into his seat, resting his knuckles and the tip of his thumb on his lips, elbow pressed uncomfortably into the edge of the library table. Shit.Then, he perked up; he felt Alex's feet shifting under the table, 'accidentally' bumping into the soles of Mike's trainers. Mike tried to hold back his smile, but realized how much he hadn't succeeded, when it fell quickly from his face upon seeing Alex's expression when he looked up. His eyes were tight, scrutinizing, forcing heat into Mike's cheeks as he adjusted himself in his chair. He hadn't wanted to make space between them again, with Alex actually reaching out like that - or maybe Mike had gotten ahead of himself... Anyway, he was retracting his feet into the chair legs almost as if by an invisible force. Then he was coughing into his fist, and blinking his eyes down and away.When Alex's book snapped closed, across the table from him, Mike jumped. He'd never been so skittish in his life, but he guessed he'd never been a lot of things before, in his life, until now. With raised eyebrows, Mike tried to read the set of Alex's shoulders, the way he was looking at Mike like he was some kind of black hole, a swirling, black emptiness in front of him. At least he didn't look scared, or anything. Numbly curious, maybe."Hey," Mike said quietly.Alex looked him in the eyes, biting his lower lip. He didn't make a sound, so Mike continued, "You're not leaving, are you?" Why the hell did his voice sound so damn small? Jesus...His forehead drew tight, before Alex said, "I don't know. I can't figure you out."Mike didn't know what to say, so he said, "Sorry," and it was probably long over-due."It's fine," Alex said again."If you want me to go, I can -""No.""Oh," Mike said, glancing to the side of him as his options rolled through his head. "Do you - d'you wanna go somewhere else, like, to hangout?""Just to hang out?" The tone of Alex's voice... Mike attempted to hide the surprise from his face, as he realized Alex was smiling at him, like he was laughing at him.His own mouth turned up of its own accord, in response, and he shrugged, leaning forward, over the table. His half-folded hand drifted closer to Alex's hand, where it lay on top of his book, before he drew it back again, a nervous jump to his nerves as he studied Alex's expression further. Smile lilting a little at what he saw suggested there. "I'm -" he said, before choking his objection off. It wasn't about him, it was about making sure Alex felt wanted, needed - anything but rejected. "I don't know yet," he said slowly, before quickening his pace to gather his things messily into his bag. "Let's see where we end up," Mike suggested, not looking Alex in the eye, until he remembered: he had to sell it. He had to sell it, and it didn't matter if his heart racing in his chest made him uncomfortable, or scared - he just had to do it anyway."C'mon, I'm driving," he told Alex, stepping toward the exit, looking over his shoulder at Alex hastily grabbing his own school work. He looked excited. Mike's eyebrows drew together, and he bit at his lip again. But when Alex turned a brilliant smile at him, walking excitedly towards the door, Mike took in a deep breath and thought, Fuck it.