Swift as a Coursing River (LGBT+) | ✓

24. Foliage

Edwin sees Vincent on their usual run, but he can't bring himself to confess his crush. It was easy on New Year's Eve to make that resolution, drunk and kissing somebody. But once he is alone with his thoughts, doubt creeps in. He's going to do it, but how? When? Every time he gathers his courage, thinks, now, he opens his mouth and something else comes out, or nothing comes out. It's not the right time, he tells himself. He needs to prepare what he'll say. Brace for rejection. He won't do it in public, out at Bonaparte, where Gert is standing on the other side of the group. He cuts the night short because it twists him up inside, the waiting, the wanting.

Still, on the second Saturday of January, Edwin waits in front of Vincent's store. Through the window, he studies the jewellery and watches on display. Vincent closed the store for the afternoon and went up to use the bathroom and grab his coat, so Edwin only has a few more minutes before he allows Vincent to dress him up however Vincent likes. If he wanted to back out, he should have done that any of the dozen times he's considered it since the movie night. He could have had the perfect excuse to delay the shopping trip, with his birthday tomorrow, but he wouldn't have been more ready a few weeks from now. He definitely wouldn't have been more ready after confessing his crush, or pining away for all those weeks. So when Vincent had asked if Edwin wanted to pick another Saturday, Edwin had waved it off. He'd just be home otherwise, since Saturday dinner is replaced by Sunday party.

So now he has committed. Whatever Vincent throws at him, he will have to try it. He will try it, even when Vincent's enthusiasm scares him a little. Since the moment they fixed a date, he's been babbling about the winter sales this month and different fabrics and how he will transform Edwin into his best self. That seems far-fetched for some clothes, but Edwin hasn't protested. "Think of all the clothes we are getting you as a birthday gift," Vincent had joked. "You'll look extra good on your birthday party, darling."

He hears the click of a door opening and closing and Vincent is putting away his keys. They fall into step next to each other in the direction of the city centre and Vincent steers them to a chain clothing store that doesn't look horribly expensive.

"I often buy second-hand," he explains. "But I think we'll start with something new for you. When's the last time you bought clothes?"

"I bought socks last year."

"Doesn't count. Pants, shirts, jumpers?" Edwin has no answer and Vincent grins. "Thought so, honey. You should probably have shown me your wardrobe, but we'll just buy you a few complete outfits." He must see something on Edwin's face because he repeats: "Just a few, I swear. I'll leave you enough money to buy food this month."

It's quite busy inside the store, but not horrible. The men's section is upstairs and Edwin trails after Vincent as they walk through the clothing racks. Vincent touches the clothes, studies them and then folds them over his arm or lets them fall back in their neat little row. He doesn't ask for Edwin's opinion, just holds items up in front of him, looks Edwin over with an assessing gaze. Eventually, he has gathered a whole pile of different items and moves to the fitting rooms. They need to wait a few minutes for a room to free up and Edwin tries to look what kind of clothes Vincent found. Nothing outrageous, it seems, but he has barely processed how fast Vincent lead them through the store.

"Nervous, darling?" Vincent teases.

"Isn't that pile heavy?"

"Nothing I can't carry. I've done ballet, I could lift you." Edwin flushes. That ... It'd be an impressive sight, for sure. If Vincent ever did that, just to prove he could ...

They snatch a fitting room and Vincent hangs everything up, pants, shirts and jumpers separated. He hands Edwin one from each pile.

"I want you to try these first. Come show me when you've changed." Vincent closes the curtain and Edwin looks at what he's holding. A regular pair of blue jeans, a white shirt and a maroon thickly knitted cardigan with long sleeves. That doesn't seem so bad.