Alex woke up the next day to the smell of breakfast and loud voices. If it were any other day maybe he would have felt better about it than his headache allowed him to. Yesterday had been a ride and all he really wanted to do today was sleep. Of course,he couldn't tell his family this without being asked a million questions so he'd just have to suffer through the day. He brushed his hair and got dressed slugishly, wishing god would go easy on him today, only to be greeted by the last person he wanted to see in his kitchen at that moment. Pablo looked up at him from his seat at the table and Alex couldn't ignore the clench he felt in his chest when Pablo's grin immediately fell and his laughter ceased.

"Oh, papito, Pablo was telling us anout his job in LA" his mom said enthusiastically.

"Oh yes it is wonderful! He's a fellow preformer." Abuelita cooed.

Pablo cleared his throat and looked down as he stood up to wash his plate. He wiped his hands down on his pants anxiously. He imagined Alex didn't really want to talk to him today, or ever if yesterdays events were anything to go by. Alex couldn't have been more eager to talk to him and just apologize, but of course he couldn't tell him this. He couldn't continue with whatever it was they had been, for Finn had been very clear as to what would happen if Alex kept hanging around him. Alex didn't even want to imagine how Finn would react if he knew how they had held each other that one night or how much Alex wanted to do it again.

"I-I should probably get to work but thanks for... for everything."

"Well, we could come see you!"

Pablo looked back at Schneider and smiled, chuckling at the man's enthusiasm. He really was one of Pablo's favorite people ever.

"Yeah, I guess that could be fun."

Alex had to restrain himself from strangling Schneider. This was not what he needed right now. Finn had told him to meet him at the mall in thirty minutes and saying no to Finn wasn't something Alex ever looked foward to. He could get... harsh. Unfortunately everyone voiced their desire to hear Pablo sing again so Alex had to climb into the car and attempt to text Finn the news.

'Seriously you're ditching me for him? Wow.'

'Did you not fucking understand what i told you yesterday?'

'Call me when you're home I'm not done with you yet.'

Alex wanted to assure Finn that he hadn't chosen this but soon they were getting out of the car and he was being pulled along by Abuelita. Pablo glanced back at him with sad eyes and Alex wanted nothing more than to run up to him and hold him and assure him everything was ok but everything wasn't. It was only after they had been out of the car for about two minutes and a group of girls came bouncing up to them that Alex seriously began to feel angry at Pablo again.

"Pablo! Pablo!"

"Josie, Alma, Mafer, how are you?"

Alex tried to control himself but he couldn't help but glare acidly towards the girls. He was pretty sure he could see Pablo smirking which made it even worse. The girls were walking rapidly next to them, all playing with their hair and nudging each other out of the way to get nearer to Pablo. All of them where trying to pick up a conversation with him and Alex was practically fuming when he saw how Pablo and touching him humored them and led them on.

"We were really excited to see you sing! Amara told us you're in full costume today!" one of them squealed, and Alex had to wonder how anyone within a twelve mile radius could keep their ear drums from exploding. Pablo chuckled and sent them on their way as he led the Alvarezes and Schneider to one of the tables at the crowded plaza. As soon as Pablo left to get changed Abuelita was talking to Elena about the girls Pablo had been flirting with and Alex never loved Elena more than when she said it had been wrong to lead them all on. Sometimes Elena's social justice warrior spirit was all Alex could hope for. Pablo came trotting up to them a few minutes later with the biggest smile on his face and Alex didn't want to imagine why.

"There's still about thirty minutes before i go on so you have time to eat or explore the shops."

"I think we'll stay but why don't you kids go?"

Alex was about to decline when Elena pulled him up and started going off about a shirt she thought Syd would like. They hadn't even taken five steps before there was a small crowd of girls running up to Pablo, who waved them off as sweetly as possible. Too sweetly, in Alex's opinion. Still, as they walked there were more than a few girls and guys waving and swaying their hips just a little more seductively.

"Alex?" Pablo said, trying to catch his attention. Alex huffed and looked away, arms crossed.

"Oh come on, you've been pissed at me the whole day! What did I do?"

Alex shook his head. He shouldnt be doing this. He had a boyfriend (maybe) he shouldn't be pulling this little jealous act with Pablo but he really couldn't help it. He just got so mad every time someone winked at Pablo or rested their hand on his shoulder for too long.

"Alex, please? I'm sorry okay?"

"For what? For being a flirt or for shoving your love life in my face?"

Alex shouldn't have snapped like that and he knew it but Pablo had a sour look on his face and his eyes were all sad and hurt again.

"Well, I was going to say both but I don't think I should when you're doing the same. You went and got together with that- that asshole and that really hurt Alex, so you really can't blame for trying to move on from someone who obviously doesn't feel the same way."

Pablo slid away before Alex could apologize and he sighed. He had really screwed up this time.

"You're with someone?"

Alex turned around and met Elena's gaze. He forgot she was near by. She was looking between him and Pablo's retreating back in confusion and Alex rubbed his hands over his face in frustration.

"Elena, you cant tell mom-"

"I won't. Who is it?"

"Finn."

"Finn?! Seriously, Alex?"

"Look, I'll explain just please... lets go."

The music was starting up at the plaza when Pablo saw Alex and Elena walk back towards the rest. He really hadn't expected today to go like this. The guys had agreed to change the song last minute so he could at least get his emotions out while singing.

'Cuando te hablen de amor

y de ilusiones

y te ofrezcan un sol

y un cielo entero'

He looked over at Alex and saw the way he reacted to the words. His nose scrunched up and he looked guiltily at Pablo who looked away in time to catch Elena looking between them. Fuck.

'Si te acuerdas de mi

no me menciones

porque vas a sentir

amor del bueno'

Elena's eyes widened at the word's implications and Pablo almost flinched. She knew. She had heard them he just knew she had.

'Y si quieren saber

de tu pasado

es preciso decir

una mentira

Di que vienes de allá

de un mundo raro

que no sabes llorar

que no entiendes de amor

y que nunca has amado'

Pablo's eyes were starting to get a little misty and to the audience it may have seemed like passion for the music but a lot of the people that worked here knew it took a lot of emotion for Pablo to cry on stage. It was mostly when his Dad was an asshole so Pablo made sure to shake his head at Amara when she looked at him in concern. He was fine.

'Porque yo a donde

voy hablaré de tu amor

como un sueño dorado

Y olvidando el rencor

no diré que tu adiós

me volvió desgraciado'

Alex was staring, Pablo could feel it. He didn't want to look though. He knew if he saw Alex's sad eyes again he would have to wipe away a few tears.

'Y si quieren saber

de mi pasado

es preciso decir

otra mentira'

Lydia was staring at Pablo in between glanced at her grandson knowing better than to ask what had happened. Sometimes people had to work things out together without anyone else and she trusted them to make the right decisions.

Les diré que llegué

de un mundo raro

que no sé del dolor

que triunfé en el amor

y que nunca he llorado'

The music stopped not long after that and Alex wasn't as oblivious to Pablo's hasty escape as he was meant to be. Schneider looked over at Alex with an eyebrow raised and Alex was pretty sure this was the first time in his life that Schneider had been truly unimpressed with him.

"I'll fix it, I promise."

Schneider only gave him a small nod. The ride home was tense to say the least and the only one who didn't seem to sense it was his mom, which Alex was eternally grateful for. Pablo stayed close to Schneider all the way up to his penthouse so Alex had to ask Elena to cover for him as he snuck out the window and climbed up the fire escape. There was an awkward encounter with a kid who asked if he was spiderman on the tenth floor but otherwise he got safely to Schneider's fire escape where pablo was sitting. He was staring at his boots and only looked up at Alex for a second before looking back down.

"Pablo-"

"I'm sorry. I had no right to yell at you like that and you have every right to date Finn. I just dont think he's the most polite person and I thought you would feel the same way so I was confused and-"

"Pablo."

He looked up. His eyes were big and wet and sad, Alex wanted to punch himself for making such pretty eyes look that sad. That was the first thing he'd noticed about Pablo, Alex remembered. Pretty eyes.

"You dont have to apologize. Everything's just been happening very fast and I was confused too but I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"I didn't exactly help-"

"Stop. Why do uou do that? Why do you put yourself down like that?"

Pablo shrugged and shifted in his seat on the window. He knew why. He just didnt think he should lay it all on Alex. No one should have to deal with his problems just because he couldn't deal with them himself. It was only after he felt Alex pull him into his chest and place a hesitant kiss on his head that he realized Alex might want to help with them.

"My dad. He's been shouting all this shit at me since I was six... some of it just kinda stuck, I guess."

Alex didnt ask a any questions for a long time after that. Not about the girls at the plaza, or Pablo's dad, or anything. They just laid beside the window, barely noticing how uncomfortable and cold the metal of the fire escape was. Pablo felt no matter what was happening around them Alex's chest was always just as warm as it was that first night after the fight with Finn. Alex couldn't have been happier with how close Pablo was holding onto him or how his breath tickled against his skin. Until his phone rang. Suddenly everything came back to Alex and he scurried to get ip and tugged his phone out of his pocket.

"Shit shit shit. Hello?"

It was Finn. Alex could hear him screaming something but he was too busy smiling at how Pablo rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Alex! Are you seriously ignoring me? You stupid shit your attention span is shorter than your-"

Suddenly Pablo swiped Alex's phone away from his hand and put Finn on speaker.

"Hey asshole, its Pablo. I just wanted to tell you he's mine so back off and if you ever come near him again I'll chop your dick off and feed it to you. Okay, bye!"

"You-"

The phone was off and back in Alex's hand before anyone could say anything else. It was a few moments of Alex glancing between Pablo and his phone before Pablo started rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly (as Alex had observed he did when he was nervous).

"Sorry I know it wasnt my place but I could hear him screaming and I-"

Alex basically tackled him in a hug and mumbled a thank you into his neck which made Pablo giggle so cutely Alex was pretty sure he died and came back to life right after he heard it. Pablo threw his arms around him and gave him a squeeze. A few seconds after Alex pushed himself a little ways away from Pablo and stared at him seriously. Pablo raised an eyebrow with a grin.

"What?"

"I could kiss you right now."

Pablo's expression felland soon melted into a hopeful smile. It was shy and sweet and Alex was sure he would melt if it stayed any longer.

"Then why dont you?"