“Do you really think he’ll come?” Deimos was sitting at the bar at Salvatore’s Twilight, face deep in his ivy cashmere sweater. His glasses pushed up to the top of his head. Deimos looked like one of those nerdy bookworm guys you see at Starbucks on his laptop typing away some blog stuff about something and then later catching at the newspaper stand reading Vogue.
“If he is how you say he is and because of...well..,” Lunar looked at the doors, his arms flexed from the tension in the air that was caused from worry,” then he should come.” Deimos nodded. Both waited in silence. Minutes felt like hours though. Deimos was starting to get impatient.
“I thought you said,” Deimos was cut off by the front door thudding shut and Erien standing there. Sighs relieved out of them both.
Bagy forest green hoodie hung low on the young male’s frame hiding any evidence that he had shorts on. He tapped his sneakers on the tile flooring, his head lowered enough so he could look at the old males on the side of him in secret. The eyes were making him nervous.
“We started to think you weren’t coming,” Lunar spoke up, rising from the stool and stepped towards Erien. He raised his head up, smiling cocking his shoulder up some,” You and me both hehe. I almost siked myself out. Aitne yelled at me to go.”
“Aitne?”
Erien looked away, his tongue stuck out some,” My pet bird.”
Deimos and Lunar blinked at Erien. Not for the fact that he was a bird owner in a city where it could escape, but that he listens to animals more than his own species.
“You trust your pets more?” Lunar sat down on the chair facing him as Erien nodded. Deimos gave out a shocked, dramatic gasp. Erien and Lunar gave an unamused look.
“My friend the other night pointed out something the last time you were here. She noticed you had markings on you.”
Erien tensed all over. He thought he covered them all up with his stage makeup. Did the clothing rub it off? Did he miss some areas?
“Did that guy do it to you?” Lunar stood up and crossed over the floor to Erien before kneeling down. He noticed the tears swelling in Erien’s eyes as he dug his fingers into his hoodie, fighting the tears with everything. Once Erien regained control and noticed how close Lunar was, nearly inches with his hand to wipe the tears, Erien’s face turned grim and disgusted. The once bright honey colour was a burnt smoke hue, no light or anything in it.
“Step the fuck back. Don’t touch me.”
A cold chill ran down Lunar’s spine as he backed off from Erien, regaining his composure and cleared his throat. Deimos was pale as a ghost from seeing the familiar look he always got. It always scared him no matter how many times he saw it.
“Erien,” Lunar was still trying to pry on it,” you got to talk. You can’t keep it in.”
“Wanna bet Salvatore?” Erien stood up, nearly knocking chest to abdomen with Lunar, the look more dark and unwelcoming. Then a dark smile broke on to his fair face as he grabbed onto Lunar’s shirt and yanked him down to his height. Erien was gripping too tight, his arms shaking to fight for the composer he needed to keep.
“Listen here. I’ve been doing this keeping-it-in-thing for a hell of a good chunk of my life. I don’t care if you are a bit older than me, you are not my boss. You don’t control my mind, body, words, whatever. You have no say. The only person that ever will, would be mine forever. I don’t hand out my trust that easily, even if after a long time I do trust you, I will still have trust issues with that person. All my friends know that. So back off.”
Erien released Lunar and turned away storming back towards the doors yelling he could handle himself and he knew what he was doing. The club doors thumped close leaving Deimos and Lunar in total silence. Deimos sighed and slid off the bar stool with his glasses pushed up onto the top of his head holding his hair back. He noticed that Lunar looked a little defeated. Deimos smiled, patted his shoulder.
➼
Lunar was eased back on his couch, slumped some from the exhaustion that was endured. He ended up trading numbers with Deimos. Worst. Idea. Ever. He wouldn’t stop texting. He ended up muting the man’s number for a while just to get a break.
“What now. He seems to have his stubbornness on greater this time. Does he really have that much…” Lunar looked over to see a new message. Unknown number though. Lunar reached for it and replied asking who it was. Moments later a forest green hoodie filled a photo, a bird sitting on the person’s head with only their eyes visible and a cringy half-assed peace sign.
Lunar smiled in shock and shook his head before clicking the call button. The other side answered fast,” Deimos gave me your number. Just so you know before you ask. I didn’t want it but I thought I’d let you know.”
“I see. So, the bird? Looks a bit like you with that hair.”
“Leave Aitne out of this. He is a good boy.”
Lunar chuckled and sat up, resting his arm on his leg,” Like you?” Silence on the other side. Absolute silence. You couldn’t hear the white noise of the call.
“Uh, sorry, that kinda-”
“Do,” a small voice muffled out slowly. You could hear the smallness, kid-like tone to it.
“Do?”
“Do you actually mean that?”
Lunar smiled,” Yes.” A small muffled laugh on the other line echoed into Lunar’s ear. He felt his face warm from the noise, looking off as he waited for Erien to reply if he did. He did, sounding a bit sad but more upbeat than from this morning.
“I’m sorry for how I was before. I probably looked like a freak acting the way I was and that face I made. I’m told I am a baby faced devil.”
“Don’t worry about it. But, I am still worried. So, can we talk?”
Silence again. The pin-drop silence. Lunar leaned back again, ready for the blunt no and a hang-up. Not saying that would happen, but, probably with how fast Erien’s attitude could change, but who knows.
“Erien?” Lunar whispered out. A sigh echoed from the line. Good sign. No yelling.
“Okay. Just. Can we talk at my place? It’ll be easier.”
“Okay,” Lunar jolted up, heading towards his door, jacket in hand and keys jingled at his fingertips.
“See you.” Erien hung up, his address sent in a matter of seconds for Lunar to find. He was out the door.
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