FINE PRINT [✔]

Fourteen

Breaking into Todd's apartment was not really as clandestine as I hoped. The guy left his window open when he wasn't around. So mission impossible was more mission very possible. Didn't this guy think about robbers? Another reason why I knew he couldn't be the one following Timothy if there was someone. You would think some secret assassin would secure their hideout.

"Okay so, do you still think he is your stalker?" I rolled my eyes as I whispered the absurd words. I was ready to go back because the room we had entered which looked like a bedroom. Judging by the bed was barely giving me stalker vibes.

"I don't even see a creepy shrine with pictures of you or anything in here," I whispered as I tripped on dirty socks behind Timothy.

"We are barely in you don't know what he has and what he doesn't have."

"Okay, fine let's search for some evidence then."

"That was the next step of the plan."

"For the record, I don't need evidence to know that killing him is not the way to go," I said reminding Timothy that we were definitely not killing anyone. 

"Okay, okay fine. But if he attacks me and you find him dead it was self-defence..." Timothy whispered back before pausing as he opened a door closet door that creaked loudly as it opened.

The apartment was silent and dark. And according to the mastermind, Timothy. Switching on the lights would only get us caught. So we were barely making out our way with the torches on the backs of our phones. And to make matters worse the whole tattoo's idea was a terrible terrible mistake. The painful small thing nestled just below my collar bone was a searing throbbing remimnder of why I shouldn't be the one to make decisions. The pain was nothing if not a reminder of how much I underestimated the process. Timothy, on the other hand, was taking it like a champ no complaints whatsoever.

"I don't like the murderous glint in your voice when you say self-defence. I swear if he sneezes in your direction and you kill him I want a divorce." I whispered from behind Timothy as I tripped over something again. Could this guy be any messier?

"Ok ok, no killing got it.  Concentrate, if he is stalking me he should keep the evidence somewhere close and accessible to him easily."

"Oh, my word. Are you quoting procedural crime shows right now!" 

Timothy ignored me as he rummaged through a study desk by the door. He did it with so much precision as if he had been in here before. Then with a glint and an odd mixture of satisfaction and slight trepidation on his face he held up a large A4 picture to my face. I raised my hand to direct my light onto the picture and sure enough, it was a picture of Timothy.

"We have to go to the police." I immediately said looking at his mildly horrified face.

"We cant go to the police."

"What do you mean, we can't go to the police?"

"They will have it on file that I am here."

"Okay, then how do you think we should go about it the..."

"Hold on...Let me think." He said staring through the picture.

"You better think faster I hear footprints. wait I meant footsteps." I whisper yelled.

Timothy shoved me into the closet the moment the footsteps sounded clear. Great, now we were trapped. How would we even explain this to Todd? Your window was open? Coat inspection? I crouched further into the small closet mimicking the way Timothy folded himself. Almost as if fitting into small spaces was a thing he was used to.

I looked at his dimly lit profile as he stared ahead at the tiny opening between the closet doors. The way his face scrunched up with concentration was fascinating almost poetic in a way. And the way he let his forefinger and middle finger gently tap his knee was so different from the way he was on a normal day. Seeing him in this new adrenaline-induced light I could see the changes. I could see the real him. The past him. The part of himself he had locked away.

It was a strange realisation to come to terms with. But the whole son of a Mafia Don thing suddenly made sense. I also felt like I could suddenly see. Like this whole time I was with him, I couldn't see.

"So uh...husband of mine," I whispered as  I slumped softly against the far edge of the closet behind thick wool coats, "What happened...what happened between you and Jason?"

Timothy did not respond, for what felt like a really long time. I was just about to repeat my question when he finally replied with a question of his own.

"Do you think now is a good time for that?"

"Well if I am going to prison I would like to go there with no questions," I whisper yelled at him.

"He is dead."

"I am sorry to hear that," I said feeling oddly relieved that some past lover was not going to come back and claim Timothy as his own. A possessive part of me felt like he belonged to me now and in a way, he did, "Do you ever think of him?"

"Eric, Babe now is definitely not the time for..."

"Time for what..."

He immediately placed his hand over my mouth as he looked at me with a stern chastising look. I rolled my eyes as I tried to train my ears closer to the closet opening. I could hear Todd walking around...singing? Yup singing really loud pop music. Who knew he was a pop fan. The singing got softer and softer as he moved further from the door but it never left the room. My heart rate escalated at the idea of getting caught and the realisation of how very real this whole breaking and entering thing was. Because Timothy and I now had no choice but to get comfortable in the cramped tiny space. Who needed two dozen thick winter coats anyway this wasn't Russia we barely got winter here. I felt my heart kick up another notch as Todd moved about in his bedroom. 

Once Todd's singing subsided for what felt like a very brief time, my heart rate slowed just a bit. I looked at Timothy waiting for him to say something or at least come up with a plan. And after a very long pause, his eyes darted from left to right as his eyes studied my face carefully in an all too intrusive gesture.

"You know, you don't have to worry," He began.

"I don't?"

"You don't." He continued.

"Why."

"Because I like you of course."

"You do?"

"I do."

He answered with a certain determined ease that it sounded so simple and believable. But my mind still could not wrap around the fact that he liked me. I mean maybe because I am providing shelter and comfort but...

"I do. I do like you Eric Hale." He said before moving closer to me and placing his palm gently on my cheek in a very awkward position due to the tight space and twenty million coats hanging above us. He then proceeded to dip down and gently placed his lips on mine. The kiss was soft gentle borderline chaste and yet it felt like he was saying so much. Whether I was reading into things or not it reassured me of doubts I did not realise I had.

The kiss would have continued if it wasn't for Todd clearing his throat.

"Todd!...Oh."