Swift as a Coursing River (LGBT+) | ✓

30. Bright flowers

Vincent is waiting for Edwin outside Bonaparte. He's wearing a long coat with a faux fur collar, which gives him a tall and serious air, but the colourful scarf offsets that impression. He must have knitted it himself, since Edwin saw wool the last time he came over.

"Sorry I'm late," he says. "The bus got stuck in traffic."

"As long as you warm me up, you're forgiven, darling." Vincent pecks Edwin's mouth and then he draws back. "What's this?" He touches Edwin's ear, where he's wearing a small clip-on hoop. It's a plain silver colour, no bells and whistles, and it's so small it wouldn't even fit around his pinkie. If Edwin had really committed, he should have gotten his ears pierced, but that seemed scary. Too permanent. Too public as well, because he would have had to go into a piercing shop and tell a stranger what he wanted. "Are those the hoops you bought from me last week? I thought it was a present for one of your women."

"They're not my women," Edwin protests, so he doesn't need to confirm out loud that he did indeed buy the hoops from Vincent. He hadn't wanted to go to a store where he'd be guessing what the owner was thinking, where they might ask questions. If Vincent had asked questions, Edwin would have answered honestly, but it was easier to let him assume.

"I don't mean that you own them, pumpkin. Only that they're important to you. Why didn't you tell me these were for you? I could have given you better advice."

"Did I pick wrong?" Maybe he should have bought from a different store after all. He could have avoided this. He reaches up to his ears to take the hoops off, but Vincent grasps his hand.

"Sugar, it's literally my job to help people pick something they like. You didn't even test anything out! There are so many options." And then he gasps. "Edwin! You've done your nails too?" He spreads out Edwin's fingers and holds his hand up to study the green nail polish glinting in the light of the street lamp. Caroline had put it on for him a few hours ago, after work, and given him a bottle of remover because Edwin doesn't know if he can stand it for longer than an evening.

"I thought I should try it," he says. "To see if I like it."

"And you decided to pick tonight, when we're meeting a bunch of people you don't know?" Vincent's thumb rubs distractingly over the back of Edwin's hand as he peers up at Edwin's face. "You always find a new way to surprise me, darling."

Edwin pulls his hand loose and turns towards the entrance. "Shouldn't we go inside? They'll be waiting for us."

Vincent laughs. "Why the sudden hurry? But we can go in if you want. It's a little cold to stand outside all night."

A blast of warm air and noise assaults them when they enter. By now, the inside of Bonaparte is a familiar sight and Edwin has gone with Vincent twice before since they got together. He spots Eliane, Rosalie and Kim, but Vincent approaches the men next to them. Today he's introducing Edwin to other men who came out later in life.

"Hey, dears," Vincent exclaims, and he slings an arm around Edwin's shoulders. Edwin stiffens up and then consciously relaxes his muscles. They're in public, sure, but this is an LGBT club. Vincent introduces him to Tarak and Jef and they shake hands.

"Do you want a drink?" Vincent asks. "A beer?" Edwin nods and Vincent kisses his cheek. "If you want to exchange coming-out stories or whatever, this is your moment!" He slithers into the crowd, half dancing to the music.

"Vincent's really something, isn't he?" Tarak says. Like Vincent, he has dark brown skin, but he doesn't wear any make-up or jewellery or flamboyant clothes, and he has a well-groomed beard. "How long have you been together?"

"Six weeks."

"I guess Vincent is the same with everyone, even if you're dating him."

Edwin shrugs. "I guess so." Vincent teases Kim and Sumaya too, it's true. But if he thinks too much about how Vincent is with other people, about Vincent teasing him, he gets restless, so he switches topics. "Vincent mentioned you both came out recently."