58 I am the competition

Daniel and Alex spend the evening making their rounds, chatting with the guests and eating the cake. After at first being very uncomfortable Alex slowly gets used to being referred to as "the boyfriend". But he doesn't know whether this is because he grew numb to the anxiousness after nearly 30 introductions or if it is due to the alcohol he is forced to drink since every guest congratulates Daniel with a toast, urging everyone in the vicinity to toast to the birthday boy. Alex can feel how he slowly gets lightheaded.

"Love, are you alright?" Daniel notices his boyfriend's intoxication after he swayed against him a third time. "Love, you can barely walk straight. Come, let us sit down a moment."

"Ah, thank you, but I am alright." Alex puts on a brave front, but Daniel just laughs lightly. "It would be more convincing if you didn't slur your words."

Alex' face reddens and mumbles "Stupid alcohol."

Daniel leans in close and whispers in his lover's ears, "Oh, I love you when you are drunk. Remember some months ago, when we did it directly in the hallway?"

"Daniel!" Alex slaps him lightly on the arm, his eyes widened in a horrified state. He looks left and right, making sure nobody heard them "Don't talk about something like this in public!"

"Oh, but in private I can talk about it? Then I will tell you now exactly what I will talk to you about later when we are alone." Daniel again leans in close and makes sure his breath tickles Alex' ears. "I will tell you how much I love the you who is begging in front of me to ravish you, the you who sits on top of me and takes his pleasure, the you...."

"Uncle Daniel!" Two slender arms wrap around Daniel's neck from behind. Suddenly rosy lips dart forward and press a kiss on Daniel's cheek. Alex nearly jumps of his chair. 'Did he hear? Did he hear what Daniel told me?' Embarrassment and horror are raging inside of him, his face burning hot and red. Only when he sees lips that aren't his own kiss Daniel's cheeks a second time he comes back to his senses with an unsettling feeling of something being very wrong.

"Michael, you brat, what are you doing?" Daniel is much more composed and already starts to disentagle himself from the other's embrace.

"Uncle Daniel, I am here to wish you a happy birthday." Only now is Alex able to see the other person and he is directly stunned. He has never seen someone so beautiful and sensual before. In front of him is a young man with long dark hair and beautiful facial features. He has long lashes and lips glistening in a rosy, wet color. He wears a long-sleeved top but it is so loosely cut that it shows off the collarbone perfectly and permits a deep gaze towards his chest and stomach. Alex' eyes feel drawn towards this opening and he manages to get a look at piercings in the other's nipples and if he looks even closer he thinks he can also see a belly button piercing. His every move shows a sensuality that Alex knows he himself is lacking. A pang of jealousy clenches his heart.

"Thank you, Michael. But why did you come? This is not the right crowd for you." Daniel looks at the young man worriedly.

"Uncle Daniel, stop worrying. You know that it is far too late for worries like that." Michael still stands close in front of Daniel, his hands interlinked behind his neck.

"You have to be careful and it is never to late to get your act together." Daniel stretches out a hand and ruffles Michael's hair.

Michael only chuckles. "And I heard you got yourself a boyfriend so I needed to check out the competition." Michael's smile turns lascivious. He reaches for the hand on his head and interlinks his fingers with Daniel's. "You know I always wanted to be with you."

Before Daniel manages to finish the sigh that forms on his lips, Alex suddenly speaks up "The competition is me." Alex doesn't know whether it is the alcohol speaking, the jealousy or an early form of insanity. He only knows that right now he stands straight in front of this young insolent man, his eyes at first fixed on the interlinked hands then fixed on the other's eyes. To his satisfaction he sees the other's eyes widen in surprise as Alex holds his gaze with his own eyes which are burning with determination.

Right when Michael composes himself and starts to say a mocking comment, Alex leans in and kisses Daniel. He doesn't hold back. In front of some love rival? In front of strangers? Alex, right in this moment, doesn't care. A wave of possessiveness washes through him and he grabs Daniel's face and pulls him close, his tongue hungrily darting out, deeping the kiss. His mind goes blank, his heartbeat quickens. His breathing turns into panting.

Alex doesn't notice the surprised gazes that fall onto him. Many of Daniel's friends see the scene. Some quickly turn away to give the couple some privacy, some look with curiositiy in their eyes. In the crowd is also Jeremy who looks at the scene with surprise and a faint smile. He grabs John's hand and they finally leave the party.

Meanwhile, Alex' mind finally clears a bit. He feels panic rise in his body when he realizes the boldness of this move. He starts to pull away frantically. But that is when he feels Daniel's hands on the sides of his head. Their lips separate, but Daniel holds his face still close, not letting him go. Instead he slightly turns his own head and smiles mischieviously at Michael.

"That's how it is." Michael shows a pained expression but rolls his eyes mockingly at the smug smile of the other.

"Wow, you really know how to rub it in." Michael pouts.

Daniel reaches his hand out and takes Michael's hand in his. "Well, with your behaviour you brought this on yourself." Michael's face twists, but he can't refute. Before he can say anything else Daniel continues. "And you know that you will always stay family." The moment lingers between the shortly, showing the deep meaning and closeness between the two. But Alex doesn't feel as pained at the sight as before. The air between them is more of an atmosphere of an older looking out for his younger brother.

"Love, please let me introduce to you the insolent brat in front of us. This is Michael, a kid I have known for many years and my family and I always look out for him. By the way, he is only sixteen so don't worry. I am not into little kids." The name seems to remind Alex of someone but he can't figure it out.

Michael sticks out his tongue towards Daniel, showing another piercing with the childish gesture.

"Sixteen?" Alex can't get his head around this number. The young man in front of him really doesn't look and especially act like sixteen. He handles himself way to sensually and mature.

"Well, in our world kids have to grow up fast." Daniel gives a sad smile. And then Alex remembers where he heard the name Michael before. When Dana's husband got shot the gang conflict started because of a kid named Michael who bought drugs. Was this the same one? But since Daniel didn't explain, Alex doesn't ask. He knows that it is not a happy memory.

"And Michael, please meet my boyfriend Alex. Be nice to him or I won't allow you to come for dinner again!"

Michael pouts "And here I am carrying gifts for you and your boyfriend. I can't believe you have so little faith in me."

"A gift? You shouldn't have. Better buy something for your mom, she works so hard."

Michael just waves his hand dismissively. "Don't worry. I modeled for my ex-boyfriend a bit and he gifted me the props we didn't use. But since we broke up and have no chance to get back to it now, I thought you might enjoy it."

He hands them a big package. "You might want to open it alone in your bedroom later." Michael winks suggestively before he quickly slips away in the crowd. Soon after he leaves the party, far away from Daniel's lecture he is sure will come.

"What is this brat up to again? I hope he didn't get in trouble."

"Let me take a look inside." Alex extends his hand.

"Oh?" Daniel hands the package over but is still surprised by his boyfriend's eagerness.

"Well, it sounded a bit suspicious.", Alex explains but since his face reddens Daniel can guess that there is still a hint of jealousy.

"Go ahead, love."

Alex tears the wrapping and looks inside only to slam it back shut. His eyes wide with surpise, his face even redder than before.

"Love, what's wrong?"

Alex can't meet his eyes. Anticipation floods his body, his heartbeat already quickens. He manages to speak mumbling "We definitly should open this in the bedroom."