Faded Embers

01

Sean's POV:

Hikes are nice, yes, but not on a Saturday morning when it's misty and cold. As I wrap my jacket tighter around me, I shoot Miles a glare and stomp even louder so he can tell that I'm pissed off.

"I thought you liked hiking, Sean," Miles tells me, slowing down just a bit so that I can catch up with him. "You went on hikes with me all summer!"

I huff. "It wasn't cold in the summer and we never went on Saturdays."

"That's because we work on Saturdays. I'm sorry that the Ember needed renovations, but the bar is going to be so much better for you! A new fridge underneath, repairs to the lights, and a new countertop to match the aesthetic..."

Miles sighs dreamily as he rambles on about the changes to his favorite nightclub, the Ember. He opened it about seven years ago, not long before I moved in with him. The Ember and Miles have been my home since I was seventeen, although I was not permitted to attend in the evenings until I was twenty one. Before that, I worked at one of the pubs as a manager and server while also attending mixology school. My education was paid for by Miles despite my arguments that I could save up and take out loans, but he refused.

I love the Ember so much, so I cannot stop myself from smiling as Miles talks about it. I'm one of the bartenders there and Miles is the best boss anyone could ever ask for. He's extremely fair and he loves his job and his employees.

"I think we should begin discussing some upgrades to be made to the Sunrise as well," Miles says, referring to the other nightclub he owns but doesn't often visit because he has a manager that takes care of it.

He makes sure to visit all of his nightclubs and pubs twice a month, but for the most part he remains at the Ember because we live right above it.

Miles and I are often mistaken for lovers because he's only five years older than me, but the truth is that he is only a mentor and best friend to me. Definitely not a lover of any kind, though we do cuddle sometimes and Miles has a habit of hugging me and kissing my forehead before I go to bed because it offers me a little bit of comfort.

When you're kicked out at sixteen and left alone to walk the streets of New York without the money to pay the high rent rates, you crave a little bit of affection. The fact that Miles has a heart of gold makes it that much better, but even his extreme kindness does not stop my temper and moodiness when he wakes me up on a Saturday to go hiking in the cold.

"What does the Sunrise need done?" I ask, walking a bit faster to keep up with Miles' fast pace.

"Just some painting touch ups and bar changes. I am thinking of a new theme that coincides with the name a bit more. The Ember is dark and has a red-orange theme, whereas the Sunrise is all blue and black. Maybe we should rename it... what do you think, Sean?"

I try to answer without sounding too breathless. "Uh... the name would be easier to change, no?" I ask. "Because the Sunrise is one of my favorites to visit on my days off and I think making the aesthetic more sunrise colors would make it too much like the Ember."

"That's true... we can discuss it later," Miles says, patting my back. "You're breathing pretty heavy."

"You walk like a true gay- a man on a mission."

Miles chuckles deeply. "You need to keep up."

I groan and drag my feet on purpose. "I have to pee. Can't we go back to the start so I can use the bathroom?"

"We're in the middle of a forest and you're a man so it isn't difficult to whip it out. Go."

Miles is sweet and generous most of the time, but when he gets strict, I've learned to listen.