Elevator
Ed and Et
XXXXX
Avoiding was the best course.
It was a cities meeting and there was no way that Ed could attend without seeing Étienne. So the best tactic was to avoid. It had been over a year since they had last spoken and while some wounds were healing over, Ed was not expecting the sudden lurch in his stomach when he saw Étienne.
It had been two days and he had managed to successfully avoid the man outside of meetings during the Annual Cities Meet, one more day to go. It had been absolutely exhausting to quickly take different corridors, linger in different rooms talking to people he wasn’t exactly fond of, or even once attempting to hide behind a potted plant when a run in with Étienne had taken him unawares.
Entering the elevator, he sighed happily as it was empty, and he calmly adjusted his jacket around him. He had heard some rumours in between meetings that the wind was getting pretty wicked outside. The doors began to close before a hand suddenly jammed the doors, forcing them open again and Étienne, rather out of breath, appeared. Their eyes locked for a moment, the silence heavy between them. Étienne moved as if he was not going to get onto the elevator before a large crowd of people appeared, propelling Étienne forward into the elevator. The space suddenly closed between them as more people shuffled in, apparently coming in from a different meeting, forcing bodies to squish together and causing Étienne to uncomfortably press up against Ed. Not a word was exchanged as Étienne resolutely looked forward clutching his satchel to his chest. Reaching the ground floor, Étienne impatiently tried to push through some of the people, knowing that Ed was following behind, tripping slightly as he exited the elevator, his arms loosened causing his satchel to fall onto the floor. The latch, not firmly pressed, popped open, causing his files to fly around the foyer.
“Merde,” he muttered as he bent to quickly pick up the various papers.
“I’ll help,” Ed’s voice was soft, almost inaudible as together they quickly and awkwardly worked together to pick up the papers, their eyes not meeting in a strange dance of avoidance.
Moving forward to grasp the last paper, Étienne’s hand fell upon Ed’s who had also went to grasp the last paper. Both of them froze, unsure of what to do, the moment in time seeming to slow down into a moment too long, until slowly Étienne withdrew his touch, straightening up.
Barely looking at Étienne, Ed handed him the rest of the papers, his warm fingers lightly brushing up against Étienne’s, a touch so familiar and strange at the same time.
It was now or never, Étienne thought as their eyes met. Heart thumping in his throat, he managed to croak out in the most uncool fashion, “Hey… did you want to catch up… over coffee?”
Wide eyes stared at him, as if Ed had no idea what language was being spoken to him. They were still both awkwardly in the crouched position from picking up the files and Étienne could feel his leg starting to cramp.
The silence hanging between them and suddenly feeling embarrassed for even opening his mouth, Étienne began to say “Well I mean you don’t ha-”
“Alright.” Ed cut across him.
“A-alright?!” came the startled croak.
“I mean… coffee isn’t so bad,” came the offhand comment as Ed finally straightened up, consciously rubbing his hands on his pants as if unconsciously trying to rub away Étienne’s touch.
Clutching the firmly closed satchel to his chest Étienne also stood up, shocked that Ed had actually agreed. Attempting to keep his cool and hating his heart for pounding like some idiotic drum – he was! OVER IT! They were Just friends! He had managed to leave the house and have many adventures in the past six months, many sexual adventures with many different people. He enjoyed every single one. Ed dropping him was probably the best thing that happened to him!
He smiled. The smile probably was not the best of smiles, it was one of those awkward forced ones that showed a little too much teeth, and probably was reminiscent of him swallowing a fly.
Exiting the building the wind hit their faces like a freight train, the snow swirling around them and Ed pulled his jacket higher. Their walking pace was awkward, until after about a block or so, Ed managed to ask, “So we passed like five Starbucks. Where exactly is this coffee happening?”
Blanching, for Étienne had no idea where they were going, he quickly looked around trying to figure out the best place nearby that was not a Starbucks. He could not just drag Ed into one after passing five, right?
“We are going to a nice mom and pop place,” he responded, quickly deciding to go Left. Left felt Good to him.
“You sure?”
“Yup!” Ignoring the doubtful tone in Ed’s voice, Étienne strode forward acting as if he totally knew the city of Halifax like the back of his hand.
Trying not to act as if he was desperately looking around for a place, he adjusted his satchel, and attempted to start up a conversation. “Soo… how do you like the meeting so far?”
“Mind numbingly boring. If I have to hear one more interruption from your fricking mayor about why a pipeline is the sign of the devil, I am going to personally crawl across the meeting table horror movie style and strangle him with my own bare hands.”
Giving a disapproving cluck, Étienne turned his head, not looking where he was going, and began to say “You wouldn’t dare-” and managed to fall off the sidewalk onto the road, neatly twisting his ankle on a sewer grate. He did an awkward wobble, clutching the file to his chest attempting not to fall, which nearly sent him into traffic, where no doubt he would have been squished by a bus whizzing by if Ed had not quickly pulled him back onto the sidewalk.
The force of the pull was perhaps too great as Ed slid on some hidden ice, causing them both to fall violently onto the sidewalk with a not nice sounding thud, Étienne’s head awkwardly butting against Ed’s chin.
Swearing, Étienne attempted to recover, twisting and rubbing his head looking at Ed with concern. “Sorry, are you ok?” Without much thought, he reached out to rub Ed’s chin to make sure the injury wasn’t so bad, his freezing cold fingers almost getting electric at the touch as he quickly withdrew.
“I’m fine… just sore. Seems like even if you may not be so smart, you are still hard headed, like some bull.”
“Hey!”
“Anyways, I would really like to get in before I freeze to death, to hell with your mom and pop place,” Ed responded as he tenderly stood up, “Look, that place looks good, let’s go there.”
“But—” Étienne vaguely protested.
“Shut up, I’m freezing and I don’t give a damn about this mom and pop place, I want you off the sidewalk before you manage to actually kill yourself; today has been long and I don’t have the time or patience to scrape you off the pavement. We are going there.”
Secretly relieved that he didn’t have to find some random place, Étienne nodded meekly. “Alright… I can’t guarantee anything though.”
Holding out his hand, Ed pulled Étienne up, “At least it will get us out of this fricking wind.”
Putting pressure on his ankle, Étienne stumbled, feeling embarrassed that he had somehow twisted it.
“Hold on to me, and we will hobble you over to this place, ok?” Without waiting Ed wrapped his arm around Étienne’s waist, pulling him close.
Relaxing into a hold he had missed for far too long, Étienne acquiesced as they hobbled towards the restaurant, the bell chiming as they entered. Due to the time of day it was not so busy and they managed to get a booth rather quickly. It was one of those well lived restaurants that served the loosely termed “Canadian fare”. What this really meant was it was one of those places that had an eclectic menu of items filched from all around the world and vaguely modified to the region.
The booth seats were an old dull red vinyl, some of them sadly patched up obviously having seen better days. Cleanliness was to be desired, but it was not revolting. It was a homey atmosphere, with non-offensive lighting, not too bright not too dim.
Having slid into the booth, Étienne was startled when Ed squatted and rolled up his pant leg in order to inspect his ankle. Cold fingers pressed up against his skin in an intimate caress. It took a moment for him to realize exactly what was going on, to comprehend the situation. Why was Ed acting so concerned over him? So caring? After all he had literally dumped him like a pile of rubbish and suddenly he was squatting touching his ankle like it was some prize gem? Unexpected anger washed over him as he violently jerked his ankle away from Ed.
“What are you doing? I’m making sure you haven’t fucked it up too badly–”
“I’m fine, ok?” Étienne hadn’t meant to sound so snappish but quite honestly he was ready to chop this leg off due to the amount of injuries it had managed to incur during the past six months.
Looking as if he just got slapped in the face, Ed withdrew, “Fine,” and opened up the menu, staring at it in a stony silence.
Shit, this was not how this was supposed to go, Étienne thought and when the waitress appeared he panicked and actually ordered a large food dish attempting to look as if they meant to be here all along.
Ed ordered an appetizer and a coffee.
Waiting for their food, Étienne found it hard to look at Ed, not sure how to bring up a topic of conversation, racking his mind for something Safe to talk about.
“Did I ever tell you about my worst day ever?” he finally managed to say smoothly, knowing full well he hadn’t but trying to frame it as if they were still on speaking terms so that he possibly could have.
“You have a new one?”
“Uhh huhh… this one really takes the mouldy gateau too.”
“Alright, you have me intrigued… I’ll bite. What happened?”
“Well this was after the stupid minor cities camp,” Étienne began, “And because I had won the prize to Banff my flight got changed, and of course Emma was the one who did it.”
“Oh you won too? Usually it’s only one team that wins the prize,” Ed commented offhandedly.
Taken off guard for a moment, Étienne cautiously replied, “Too?”
“Well Calvin won it so he was late a day… I was waiting for him to get back.”
“Ed… Calvin and I were on the same team. Didn’t he mention it to you?”
“What?” Surprise and then a sudden schooling of features, “Well hmm, guess it must have slipped my mind. Continue with your bad day.”
“Ok so I am stuck in this long ass layover, because of course no direct flight to my city so I get the milk run to Toronto and I’m eating the worst sandwich of my life…”
He continued on, the atmosphere between them relaxing once more, only getting interrupted when he mentioned the elevator was broken.
“Your place does not have an elevator?”
“Oh! I forgot to mention my place was under renovations, so I was temporarily inhabiting a different apartment,” he responded.
“Ohhh, ok that makes sense. So wheel of luggage broken? And then what?”
The food arrived halfway through the story, disrupting the cozy atmosphere temporarily, as Étienne spent so much time he nearly forgot about the food, subconsciously pushing it more towards Ed as he elaborated on the broom closet, making a large gesture to get the point across.
Ed had begun picking at Étienne’s food, nearly choking on the pasta in laughter as he was told about Elyse shouting at him. In telling the story somehow the worst day ever was transforming into the funniest day ever, and Étienne had to work hard to keep a straight face as he talked about being absolutely humiliated in front of His Royal Asshole and wanting to die.
“Ohhh nooo, how embarrassing!” came the correct response, after another forkful of pasta.
“Ugh it was the WORST. And to make things even worse as a punishment she made me go to the pothole meetings for her… so there I was with two black eyes attempting to be all professional—”
“Wait, when did you get black eyes? Did you actually get those from Lucas?”
“Oh no, of course not, it was when me and Calvin had a fight during camp,” came the laugh, Étienne seeming to wave away this tidbit as if it was insignificant, “We got on each other’s nerves and emotions were expressed, you know how it is with Calvin… but anyways…” Étienne wrapped up his story, glad at how enthralled his audience was throughout. However Ed was not so enthralled, his brow was drawn down as if in thought.
“Extinct penny for your thoughts?”
“Huh?”
“I have finished my story and you are busy chewing on a chicken wing with no major response for le grande finale…”
“Oh sorry, the chicken is real good, want one?”
“Sure,” suspicious that Ed was lying but not wanting to call him out on it, Étienne took one of the chicken wings to try. “Mmm! It is good!”
“You say that as if you doubted me,” came the wry response.
“Of course not, I know you have good taste… when it comes to food.”
Eyebrows raised Ed said, “What are you implying!?”
“Oh… nothing, of course,” came the cheeky reply as Étienne flashed him a wicked smile, one that usually had a very physical effect upon Edward.
“Sure…” hearing his phone buzz, Ed wiped his hands on the napkin before pulling it out; glad for the timely distraction, he read the message and blanched, “Shit…”
“Shit?”
“Ugh I have to go, this turned longer than I meant it to,” he hurriedly put his phone away after sending a quick text and then put his jacket on, “Sorry about this it was good catching up, here,” he slammed a twenty-dollar bill onto the table, “This should cover, right?”
“That’s far too much,” Étienne protested, “We could walk back together?”
“No I have to go now,” something about his manner was off-putting. It was almost as if he was trying to run away from some illicit affair.
“Ed, wait.”
He was already turning away.
Panic entering him, Étienne lunged out and grabbed him by the wrist, “Ed! Wait!”
“Étienne, I have to go–”
“Wait a moment, I,” Talking to Ed had reminded him what a good friend he was and how much he missed him, as a friend. Feeling nervous even asking this as if he had no right to even say these words he said, “Are you still good for my birthday party? Like I mean after… everything… Are– are you coming?”
“I uh…haurh?” Ed’s voice seemed to go an octave higher as his face got red.
“…I would really like it if you came. It’s going to be very chill with some other people,” came the hopeful response. “But obviously no pressure, I mean… I don’t want to intrude on the honeymoon period.”
“Haa honeymoon period? What are you even talking about? But… other people will be there? That… sounds alright… uhm well…”
The eye avoidance failed miserably as Ed finally looked him directly in the eye, seeming to pause and stutter, the words seeming to be fighting amongst themselves over what he would respond until, “Okey well, expect me there! Just uh email me the instructions…”
Letting him go Étienne smiled warmly, “Great! See you.”
Giving a curt nod, Ed fled.
XXXXX
Entering the hotel room Ed looked at Calvin, feeling guilty. Somehow even having a meal with Étienne made him feel as if he had just had a full-on affair. Plus, he had stupidly agreed to go to the birthday party, shit, how could he back out now?
Taking his jacket off, he wondered how he would approach this topic to Calvin.
Calvin who he was a half hour late for; apparently seeing Étienne had caused his plans to fly right out of his head.
Thankfully Calvin was on the bed looking sleepy and tousled, “Hey, you finally came.”
“Yeah sorry, I got sidetracked.”
“Oh, me too… While waiting I ended up falling asleep. I’m just so sleepy with this time change.”
“Mmm…” sitting on the bed beside Calvin, Ed leant over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “I must admit the sidetrack was me being bad…”
“Oh?”
Swallowing but knowing it was better to be upfront Ed said, “I grabbed a bite to eat with Étienne and we caught up…”
“Oh?? Tell me more.” Calvin shifted so that Ed could fully climb onto the bed and snuggle up to him.
“Mmm, well we literally bumped into each other and I guess… well I was curious. It was nice, he told me about some news, we caught up, but there was nothing more than that… mmm, I guess he was also a friend and I wonder if I may have been too extreme just cutting him out like that, you know?”
“I suppose… but sometimes you also need time and space to heal certain wounds, when you are ready though I suppose you could pick up the friendship again.”
“Yeah? Aren’t you worried?”
“Naw, I mean… what really could happen?”
“Mmm.” Laying there feeling comfortable, Ed wondered if he should confront Calvin about the fact he had left rather key points out concerning the camp experience… Opening his mouth to speak, the words seemed to clog up inside of him and he covered it up with a cough.
Perhaps it was better not to. Étienne didn’t seem to think it was a big idea and he was probably overreacting at the thought of the two men whom he loved… no wait, fuck. His boyfriend and ex interacting. Yeah it was just an awkward situation, probably best to be avoided.
“I fucked up too…”
“Mm?”
“I ended up confirming to his face that I am going to his party,” Ed sighed out, “I meant to say no but he was looking at me like some sort of kicked puppy… I can back out if you want.”
“Eh, it’s just a party,” Calvin responded pragmatically, “I mean I need to start trusting you more at some point, right? Really what could go wrong?”
“Well a lot of things.”
“Like?”
“Well what if somehow… oh… I screw up?”
“Well what happens at the party stays at the party? Does that sound good?”
“Are you giving me a pass?”
“I suppose… so long as you come home to me at the end, I don’t see what harm could really happen.”
There was silence for a moment, before Ed gave Calvin a soft kiss on the cheek, “I love you, Calvin McCall.”
“I love you too, Edward Murphy… now then… are we going to order room service because I am hungry but don’t want to leave this room.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
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