♤SPRING SHIELD (MxM) ~fantasy~♤

(The real)dinner date

Kristian

Somehow I'm here in front of Elijah after he managed to convince me to go with him.
How fancy can a restaurant get? Fancy enough,I thought putting on one of many things  I had bought in an effort to stop wearing old rock band T-shirts inside suits. So I wore a elegant black suit with a gold necklace.
I didn't think I'd feel so out of place in such a place. Everything feels so... perfect. Royally expensive. Right above us on the second level of the building,live music is being played. Viola,cello and lyre,all his style. It drowns into the ambience.
It's all silent. Just us. Because such a large space is left for us to stare at each other.
I drag the rim of my wine glass along the surface of my lips,the flavour that the waiter described as smooth and romantic dancing on my tongue. Elijah watches me,giving me all his attention. Resting his head in his hands like a villain planning his next move.
But there's nothing evil in those eyes,it's all sweet and soft. As unguarded as I've ever seen him,"Is something on my face?"I ask nervously,
"No. It's just you look very... handsome tonight."says the man who looks as masculine and gorgeous because he put the slightest effort in his appreance.
"Eh,"I sigh,going back into a defensive body language,
"You really do,Red."he says with a smile I've never seen him make. Gentle and attentive.
It makes my situation so so much worse.
The more I push him away,the more he comes to retrieve me.
"So do you,very... captivating."I explain waving my hands in front of his invisible aura that's commanding the air. He chuckles warmly,"Should you be here after... what Shane said?"he stops laughing but his gaze remains welcoming,
"Gunther is not enough to scare me,Red."
"I have no idea who that is."
"You'd forget about it even if I went through the trouble of telling you."he says,pouring more wine into my glass. The gesture seeming so beautiful with the way he does it,
"How many members of the high board of Ferrez are there?"
"Five,how do you not know that?"he argues,putting that infuriatingly handsome brow up,
"Tiliger doesn't have a high board. Or high anything,just special operation officers at most,"I say. Watching in wonder as the waiters come with our dishes at the same time. Uncovering the plates and smoke spills out of both. Ah,yes unnecessary culinary performances.
I pull my head away from it and Elijah stays in place like this is so typical.
"I need to get around to visiting Tiliger."
"I think you'll like the plant life."
"Oh,so that's how you see me? The crazy plant guy?"he asks,a teasing glint in his eyes as he starts to eat his food through the smallest bites. You can barely tell he's chewing,
"I mean,sorry,but yeah. Plant crazy,work obsessed and responsible fellow. And the painting and the cooking that's just about all I know. If I were to tell you to tell me something fun about you,what would it be?"I ask,eating from my own plate and deducing that five star restaurants aren't half bad. I make a pleased sound as I chew,
"... I don't know-  there's a collection of rare plants in my basement?"
"Okay that's about your house. I need a personal story,"A pause,"This tastes really good."he nods and says something in French I don't get,"You can speak French?"he scoffs,
"Of course I can speak French."he says,
"You're saying it like it's an obvious thing that everyone knows how to do."
"No,I'm not! You obviously can't-"
"Wow,seriously? I didn't know you were like that,Lewis."I joke pretending to be hurt,
"My apologies,"he jokes back sipping his own glass of wine,"Back to the personal story thing. I don't think I can come up with anything on the spot."
"Oh,Really. Okay then,whose your favourite avatar?"I ask and he makes a face,
"All of them."
"That's not spilling the tea now is it?"I press and he laughs again. The sound full and amused making me have a smile of my own,
"What would you rather? I tell you the complexities of grudges between us? I promise we are all as close as brothers."
"What am I,a reporter? You can say the truth."
"I like all of them depending on the situation. I like Rowin when I'm looking for a laugh. I don't mind Azaar if I'm looking for some comfort. Jonathan is for when I want to know the about the best things to buy. And Shane? When I'm looking for a headache and brutal honesty."he explains,his eyes lit up with all the thoughts he's thinking,
"Has Shane always been like that?"I ask,the memory of all my interactions with the man coming to mind,
"Rash and bitter? Yeah. But there's a heart under all that,otherwise he wouldn't do so much for the people of this city."
"I suppose that's true,"I say lifting my hands up as the waiter take our dishes away promptly replacing them with a new set. They ask Elijah is he wants to try another wine and he shakes his head,requesting the same one. He's really good at noticing things I do and things I like.
With a smile,I continue,"Favourite colour?"
"Uhm,cream. If that counts,you?"
"Grey,as crazy as that is."
"I assumed. You're predictable as hell,"
"Or maybe you're just so interested in what I do."when I counter with this he shrugs almost like he's admitting defeat,"Favourite show."
"Currently,'If I found out.'"
"Same,do you like your name?"
"My name? Yeah,I like it. I like when you say it,"I nod,and his eyes go up my figure in one smooth slow sweep,"I like when you moan it,preferably."
I choke on my food and he laughs while handing me water. Once I'm done nearly dying,he covers his eyes with his hands his chest rising with his amusement. "I don't know why I said that-"he wheezes,
"Where did you learn to say something like that?"I ask and he shrugs placing some of his food on my plate and muttering something about how I might like it,"Uh-uh,you're not gonna pretend to be a gentleman after that."
"How can we know if I don't try."
"You're such a jerk,you know that?"
"Apologies,yet again,Mr White. Let me make it up to you,"he snaps his fingers up in the air and three men appear to clear our table and fill the space with three boxes. One is red with a silk blue ribbon on top,the other two are navy blue and black.
"... what's this?"I ask,picking up the red box and holding it both my hands,
"While I was in Spain,I attended an auction because one of the investors asked me to. At that auction there were so many jewels and accessories. Then I saw this one,immediately I thought of you and how perfect it was. I had to get it,I thought,so I did."hesitating after his description I open the box with my lips pursed.
It's a phoenix bracelet. It's shaped like a ribbon stopped in time,meant to wind around the wrist. The metal is red as it grows upwards it curves into the shape of a phoenix bird taking flight. "Elijah this... I can't-"I cover my mouth with my hand. Feeling the sting,
The guilt.
"It was like it made for you,right?"he says,a dreamy look in his eyes. All this time. All this damn time I kept yelling about how the world has been cruel to him,when in really it was me.
It was me who was frolicking with him after everything. Here I am going on a date after everything,instead of telling him the truth.
"Wear it. I want to see it on you."he says,excited,smiling with almost all his teeth. Innocent. Oblivious to who I am.
He would never do this if he knew,Kristian. A voice in my head whispers,
"I can't."I say,tears stinging at my eyes,my voice small like a flicker in the dark,
"After everything you've done for me. It's the least I can do."
"I haven't done anything and whatever... whatever I have done was my choice you don't have to-"
"I know,I know. You'll shake your head and say it wasn't about me but my adorable children. But I'm greatful for you. You're so strong. So resilient. I'm forever indebted to you,you might not like this gift today and I'll get you another one. Over and over until you say you'll accept it,"I shake my head slowly as he reaches his hand across the table and touches mine,
"Red,please? It'll make me sleep so well tonight knowing you wore it."he jokes,mimicking relaxation with his face. I swipe at my damp eyes and reluctantly pull it from its casing. I hold it up the light and watch as it shines.
It slips onto my wrist with such simplicity. And I keep silent as I look to the other boxes "Don't tell me there's more,how much did all this cost."
"Kristian,in this moment in time. Nothing costs too much for you."his eyes glow with such willingness as his fingers squeezing around my hand.

____________________

"That went better than I expected,"Elijah says as we let go of each other's hands the moment we step outside of the restaurant. A proud look on his face,"You were all like I can't go this,I can't go that."I don't quip anything back and just keep my head down as we walk to the car,
"Elijah?"we both turn around and see Bethany with an older woman fuming. Her fists balled at her side,
"Oh,Miss Wilder and Bethany. What a surprise,"I can tell by the way he stands straighter he's annoyed.
"I can say the same thing to you. I thought you said you were busy this evening,"the older woman who seems to be Bethany's mom says,
"Bethany,I thought that was our little secret?"Elijah says with a fake smile,"Trust me,Mrs Wilder,we were working."he reassures the lie like it couldn't be any further from the truth. I take a step back hiding any hint my expression might show,
"Trust you? I'm afraid I stopped doing that a while ago,Lewis. Working? In such clothes and alone together I think-"
"We were waiting on an investor of ours and then they never showed up. As you can see by our sullen faces we're quite disappointed. If I had the chance to go back in time I'd choose to enjoy an entertaining dinner with Beth,but... Alas."he holds his head like he's truly regretting it.
What an actor.
"Elijah you... is that the 'Phoenix of passion'?."she points to my wrist where the bracelet lies,glowing even in the night,
"Ah this is- I mean obviously not! It's a fake,I'm obsessed with the uhm ..."
"'Phoenix of passion'"Elijah whispers the correction,
"The phoenix of passion."I laugh awkwardly,hiding my wrist under my turtleneck sleeves,
"Oh... well you could never afford it. The original cost millions of dollars. But it's an amazing dope,you almost got me."
"Right? Even a family as affluent as yours would go bankrupt if they tried to buy it,"the back handed insult makes the both them shut up. "Well,Bethany. I can't wait to go to dinner with you,just as we planned."he lifts up her hand as if he's preparing to kiss it,
Without thinking I grab his arm and pull him aside.  "I believe we should be going,now. Good evening ladies,"I say pulling him away as he laughs,
"Is that jealousy I smell,Red?"He teases,
"You did that on purpose-"
"Maybe I did."he winks,