by Audra Red
“I will,” Alexander said, near breathless. He stepped back. “It was very nice. You. The you was nice. God, okay. Sorry.”
Daniel chuckled, and patted Alexander’s cheek. “Yes. Goodbye, Alexander.”
Alexander nodded and turned away quickly, making his way toward the train.
“Wait,” he whispered. He turned sharply, watching Daniel walk off in the opposite direction. “Hey!” he called. Daniel stopped in his tracks. “You said this was your stop!”
“I lied!” Daniel called back, lifting his coffee in a mock toast, and taking a swig. He was pushed back a few feet by the moving crowd, and Alexander fought to keep Daniel within his eyesight.
“And you stole my pen!” Alexander cried.
“You’ll have to get it back later!” was Daniel’s reply, and then he disappeared among the crowd. Alexander watched the crowd move, and sighed.
“What have you gotten yourself into?”
He wasn’t entirely sure.
Chapter Three
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“For the fifth and final time Eli, you can wait until our lunch break,” Alexander teased. He ignored Elijah’s pleading look and turned back to the computer, studying the monitor.
“Come on!” Elijah whined.
“Elijah, you can be so petulant,” Elizabeth said, bringing a load of paperwork into the backroom. “Are you working on the new cataloging, Alex?” She flashed Elijah a harsh look.
“He wanted to,” Elijah said defensively. “Besides, I’m doing all the actual work. He’s only typing it into the database.”
“I can use a computer, Elizabeth,” Alexander said gently. He knew how worked up and overprotective Elizabeth could get over him.
Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head, and plopped the folders down beside Elijah. “Eli said you’ve been having more trouble lately, you know, with your hands.” Elijah groaned, slapping a hand across his brow.
“Eli!” Alexander glared over at Elijah from behind the monitor. “I didn’t mean for you to worry Elizabeth.”
“Elizaaaaaaaaaaaabeth.” Elijah drew the word out, long and whining. “I told you not to mention it.”
“See, he’s petulant,” Elizabeth said, turning to Alexander. “And he’s supposed to be the boss, huh? Alex, what’s going on?”
“I’m fine, Liz, I swear,” he said. “It’s been a tough month for me, you both know that, but it’s mostly all clear now, and things are good. I won’t even have to wrap for much longer.”
“Alex met a boy,” Elijah added. “On the subway.”
“You’re kidding me!” Elizabeth exclaimed, the worry in her eyes replaced with excitement. She sat down beside Alexander, eyes wide and curious.
“Oh, come on,” Alexander huffed. “Why is it so shocking?”
“Alexander Price, you’re blushing,” Elizabeth said. She scrunched up her nose and giggled. “Oh my God, Eli, look how red he is.”
“You guys…”
“Well, spill the beans, Alex. What happened?” Elizabeth asked. She poked him in the shoulder with a pointed nail and grinned.
“He won’t tell you,” Elijah said, giving her a look. “Now don’t you have actual work to be doing?”
“Professional today, are we? Think you can just order me around, huh?” Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Liz, I’m your boss!” A small giggle escaped Alexander as the two glared each other down. “It’s not funny, Alex,” Elijah said. “I need to be taken seriously.”
“Grow actual facial hair, dress like you’re not still in grade school, colorblind and living in the mid eighties, and maybe you will be,” Elizabeth retorted. Alexander could only laugh harder. “Now excuse me, I have a date with Hey Diddle Diddle and thirteen terrible two-ers.” Elizabeth grabbed a book from the shelf and made a triumphant exit as Elijah sat there fuming.
“I can never win with her,” Elijah said, biting at his finger.
“That’s because you’re hopelessly enamored,” Alexander said. He smiled at his friend and Elijah flipped him off. His two best friends were always at each others' throats, it would be unusual for them to actually get along.
“Don’t remind me,” Elijah groaned. “It’s unbearable.”
“Oh, don’t get all melodramatic on me, Eli. C’mon, we’ll skip out early,” Alexander said, and Elijah immediately brightened.
“And then you’re telling me all about this guy you met on the train.”
Alexander rolled his eyes, gathering his mittens and jacket.
“You spill, I pay for lunch,” Elijah offered.
Alexander mulled it over, slipping on his jacket. “Fine, but I’m telling you, it’s really not a big deal.”
***
“So, let me get this straight,” Elijah said, stabbing at his salad. “This random guy approaches you on a train, plays twenty questions, buys you coffee and then asks for your phone number?”
“Basically,” Alexander replied. He took a sip of his ice tea and tried not to blush. Recounting the tale had made the fluttery monsters in his belly return.
“Alexander, for being a storyteller by occupation… you really are an awful storyteller,” Elijah said.
“You asked me what happened and I told you,” Alexander retorted. The waitress arrived with their lunch, and Elijah signaled for two bills. “Come on, Eli! We had a deal.” Alexander scrunched his face up into an extremely childish pout, and Elijah nearly choked on his drink.
“I can’t believe you just made that face at me. I told you never to make that face at me again,” Elijah said, coughing. “I’m not looking, Alexander.” Elijah turned in his chair. “You done?”
“Eliiiii,” Alexander drawled, eyes going wide.
Elijah scowled and faced Alexander. “That’s so immature of you, Alex. How do you do that? That look?”
“Practiced on my mum, though it rarely works with her,” Alexander said. “Now, are you paying for my lunch?”
“Give me some details, and yes. Oh, and no more pouting or I’ll lose my lunch,” Elijah said, pointing a french-fry at Alexander threateningly.
“What kinds of details?”
“Alright, how about… what did he look like? Hm?” Elijah leaned in, waiting.
Alexander thought it over, poking at his grilled cheese sandwich with a fork. “Professional,” he decided, biting at the inside of his mouth.
“And…?”
“Tall, about my height. Um, blondish hair-- kinda strawberry blond. Kinda rough, but professional.” Alexander could picture the man perfectly in his mind, soft and warm, and a bit dangerous with his words.
“Yeah, but was he good looking?”
Alexander’s eyes went wide and he suddenly found his straw very interesting.
“Are you blushing again? Alex? Oh God, you are so… there isn’t a word. Look at me,” Elijah insisted.
Alexander raised his head, flushing all over. “What?” he asked, voice small.
“You can’t even say it,” Elijah said, partly amazed. It was extremely obvious that Alexander was shy, from the way he held himself, to the manner in which he spoke-- unsure and looking for approval. Elijah grinned and laid a gentle hand across Alexander’s bandaged fingers. “You can tell me, you know. I think this is great that maybe you’ve found someone to be… friends with.”
“You’re embarrassing me,” Alexander mumbled, dipping his head. “And fine, I suppose he was attractive.”
“To you, or in general?” Elijah asked. He enjoyed how he had Alexander squirming. He loved Alexander dearly; he had since the day they met nearly four years ago, and never once had he seen his friend so coy.
“He isn’t good looking in a handsome way, exactly-- though he is, I guess. I mean, that doesn’t exactly explain him properly,” Alexander said.. “He’s beautiful, is what you’d call him.”
Elijah grinned across the table at Alexander, and let go of his hand. “What’s his name?”
“Daniel. He’s a recovering egomaniac, he told me.�
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Elijah chortled at that. “Oh?”
“But he isn’t, really. I mean, I don’t think so. He’s interesting, and I…” Alexander paused and frowned. “What am I going on about? I don’t even know if he’s interested in me that way. I mean, I couldn’t just ask him, and he couldn’t just ask me. You know, ‘Hey, are you bent?’” Alexander’s pushed his plate away. “I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. I need to call him, and see from there. If I actually have the backbone to do it.”
“He obviously wants you to call if he gave you his number, Alex,” Elijah pointed out. “Now, are you going to eat that?”
Alexander sighed and nudged Elijah under the table with his knee. “You buy me lunch, and then you eat my lunch. Go for it.”
Elijah grinned and pulled Alexander’s plate to his side. “You will call him,” he said through a mouthful of cheese. “I mean, you’re always telling me how no one treats you normally just because of well, you know. Well, you’ve found someone who will, or has so far, and you kind of have to latch on to that, see where it goes.”
Alexander slumped down in his chair and slipped on his mittens.
“That’s because he doesn’t know.”
***
“Do I wait a few days, or is that just for straight people?” Alexander asked, opening his refrigerator for Elijah. Elijah leaned down and set a few items of food in the fridge, looking back up at Alexander.
“You said he’s a little crazy right?”
“Eccentric, Eli. He’s funny,” Alexander said. He emptied one of the grocery bags beside the door, his finger hooking slightly in the plastic handles, and he winced. “Fuck! I used to be able to get my own groceries, you know that?”
“Come on, Alex, let me do that,” Elijah said. He stood and took the bag from Alexander. “He might not think you’re too desperate if you call tonight,” Elijah continued, opening up some boxes and storing them in the cupboards.
Twice a month Elijah took Alexander shopping, helping with the bags and then opening some of the more difficult items for Alexander to use later. Elijah had been doing it for a year now, despite Alexander’s insistence that he could afford a cheap grocery delivery service.
Elijah opened a tin of cat food and spooned out a bowl full for the fat tabby who was fast asleep by the heater.
“No wonder it’s so cold in here.” Elijah nudged the cat with his boot, and the animal barely raised his head. The cat gave Elijah an annoyed look, eyes narrowed and ears drawn back, and went back to sleep atop the vent. “I swear that thing gets lazier by the day. He won’t even hiss at me properly anymore. Lazy bastard.”
“Oh, leave him alone. He’s a darling cat, aren’t you Cat?” Alexander cooed, squatting down carefully and stroking the cat’s back softly. The animal curled up, purring loudly, nuzzling his face into Alexander’s wrist. “Sweet Cat.”
Alexander patted the cat and stood, eyeing up the phone from across the room. The little red light on the answering machine blinked, and Alexander sighed. “Dare I check that?” he mumbled, and Elijah chuckled.
“I swear you're the last person in New York to have an actual answering machine. Don’t be such a baby and check it,” Elijah teased, filling up a blue ice tray and stowing it in the freezer.
“You know I don't trust technology,” Alexander said with a pout. “Landlines are much more romantic than cell phones.”
“Check your messages then,” Elijah said back.
Alexander scowled. He strode across the room and stared down the machine. “You don’t have to deal with her.”
“True, but she’s a lovely woman.”
“Guh.” Alexander groaned and pressed the blinking button, bracing himself. The machine read off the number and the time the call was placed, beeping loudly.
“Hullo sweetie, it’s mum,” came the pleasant voice of Natalie Price. “Are you there, Alexander? You aren't answering your mobile and you know I can't figure out to leave messages on that contraption. Where are you this afternoon? You don’t work on Wednesdays, and I’d hate to think you’re stressing yourself. Now, I’m just calling to check up. I know you think I’m silly for it, but I worry. You know me.”
“Oh, mum,” Alexander sighed, smiling despite himself.
“Please call me back and let me know you’ve been taking your vitamins. You know what the doctor said. And dear, tell that darling Elijah I said hello. I don’t understand why you two don’t date.”
“What?” Elijah squeaked.
Alexander went beet red. “She’s got crazy notions, my mum,” he explained, punching in the delete button as quickly as he could. “She met you, and well, I don’t know!”
Elijah reddened a bit, too, smacking himself across the forehead. “I’m doomed, I’ll never get a girlfriend,. No wonder Liz won’t give me the time of day, if she thinks… bah.”
“She just despises you, is all,” Alexander said. He placed a hand on Elijah’s shoulder, smiling wide and comical. “It isn’t that she thinks you’re gay.”
“Oh, thanks. Now that’s enough on my nonexistent love life. Maybe call him tomorrow,” Elijah decided, stocking the rest of the food into the freezer. “You don’t have to break down and explain everything to him on the phone either, maybe wait until you meet?”
“If we meet. If I call. If, Eli,” Alexander said. He sat down at his small kitchen table and toed one of his shoes off. It was an uncomfortable process, but far better than using his hands, and less embarrassing than walking around with Velcro-snapped sneakers. “I almost feel dishonest, not telling him. I mean, he didn’t ask, but still.”
“You shouldn’t label yourself, Alex. You shouldn’t always be thinking about it,” Elijah said. He sat at the other end of the tiny table and Alexander sighed.
“I have a disease, Eli. Lately, it’s always on my mind. I can’t shut it off. Everything I do, even right now, I’m tense, watching for obstacles. I don’t know what I’d do without you helping me here. I’d be eating nothing but TV dinners and peanut butter sandwiches.”
“I don’t think you’d get the peanut butter jar open, I barely could,” Elijah said sheepishly. “The thing is, this isn’t who you are. I see so much more than just someone with EB, some patient, some victim. You’re independent, intelligent and a good friend. There, how was that for a self esteem booster?”
Alexander smiled, kicking off his other shoe. “Good show,” he said. He flashed Elijah a fond look. “Want to go watch something sappy?”
“Sure, I’m in the mood to indulge my feminine side,” Elijah said and Alexander rolled his eyes.
***
“Just spit it out, man.”
Daniel groaned, setting down his glass at the bar.
“For the fifth and final time, nothing’s wrong,” Daniel replied, turning to his friend and co-manager, Owen Fox, with a sigh.
Owen downed what was left in his own drink and signaled for another from the bartender. “I didn’t say anything was wrong, you’ve been grinning like a complete fool all day.”