A Man of Unusual Talent

Chapter 1 Part 3

 

Don't waste your time. He remembered Mathias Giraud from high school. Who wouldn't? Athlete, scholar, popular. Handsome. Untouchable. Elite. "He's not gay. Wasn't gay in high school, isn't gay now." CC glanced at the Thor cup...golden hair, piercing blue eyes, lovely square jaw...bulging muscles... Chris Hemsworth really was well put together. Maybe some straight guys could appreciate that too.

"Uhem."

Realizing he'd been staring at Thor, CC jerked his gaze up, and felt the heat in his fingertips again. Mathias Giraud was back from the restroom, holding out the key. "Yes?" He reached for the key. Giraud pulled it back, and CC whipped his hand behind his back before freezing. Mathias hadn't been one of those jerks in high school, but teasing... The warm buzz in his fingers turned to a full on tingle. Damn it. No!

"Are you a fan?" The keys rattled as Mathias gave up on CC taking them and just let them fall to the counter.

CC watched them fall in slow motion as his heart hammered painfully loud. Control yourself. One... "Of Thor?"

"Yeah. I'm a big fan of superhero movies. This one opens next weekend." Mathias stared at CC expectantly.

CC stared back. He was really busy trying not to make a total idiot of himself, but it almost sounded like Mathias Giraud was hinting at something. Like maybe he wanted CC to ask him to the movie? On a date? He shuddered. "No."  

Once upon a time, he'd been enamored of every superhero from Batman to the Power Rangers. Every pair of underwear he'd owned from birth to age ten had been imprinted with some sort of superhero emblem. Even in junior high he'd had a large collection of Batman and Spiderman t-shirts. He'd broken his arm trying to fly like Superman at five. Broken his nose trying to perfect his own version of a batarang at nine.

He'd outgrown it though...the fascination with superheroes sometime between sixth grade and freshman year, when it became damned clear that no Clark Kent was waiting in the wings to save him, or anyone else for that matter. He was damned sure over it completely senior year. By the time he'd run into the second floor boy's bathroom to escape Frank Conrad's bullying, Collin Crane knew the only one he had to count on for a speedy rescue in life was himself...

"Uh...okay. Can I get my cup, please?"

Oh shit. Right...just keep dreaming. "Oh, sorry. Yeah." He smiled lamely. His fingertips felt like they were on fire now. "Long night." He handed over the cup, and pretended to be doing something with the paperwork while Mathias went and filled it.

"What do I owe you?"

"Nothing." CC didn't look up. He couldn't bear to see mockery or amusement or pity in Mat's blue eyes. "Management policy. Deana wants to encourage our men in blue to stop by frequently to discourage...um...stuff from happening."

"Okay. Well...then how about it? You want to see Age of Ultron with me when it comes to the Baynard?"

What the ever-loving fuck? Not just go to the movie with him, but at their local theater no less? Where everyone could see them? "No, thanks, not a fan of men in tights."

"So, asking you to go to the Nutcracker recital next year is out of the question too huh?"

Plop. Plop.

"No." He said miserably, focusing his gaze on the restroom key. The wood block was grubby and worn from use. He meant it more as a reaction to the events Mathias couldn't see...below the counter, but he could see that Mat took it personally.

The other man stiffened, his face going still. "All right then. Thanks for the soda, but Captain Giraud would have a fit if he thought his crew were accepting bribes, however small." He dropped a dollar on the counter and left.