FIC: Way Back When and the People We Were (Gil/Toby, PG)
Way Back When and the People We Were
The Office (US), 382 words, Gil/Toby, PG. For office_romances.
***
High school reunions are nothing but depressing, and Toby shouldn't have come. Fifteen years means everyone looks old, and he doesn't really have anything to say to them, and his divorce just got finalized last week. He might as well have written "Failure" on his nametag.
He sits at a table in the corner and watches people mill around the gym, which is decorated with streamers and balloons like it's the Winter Formal and none of them have grown up at all. Some people up at the front, towards the DJ, are dancing half-heartedly. Jennifer Miller's one of them, in low-rise jeans too young for her, dancing with Steve Thompson like it's 1989 and Steve just played a great game of football.
"Depressing, isn't it?" someone says on Toby's right. Toby turns to see Gil Preston settling down in the seat next to him, holding a glass of red wine. How about that, one person he's actually glad to see.
"Little bit," Toby says, and smiles.
"So, tell me your life story in ten words or less," Gil says, setting his wine down on the table. They had pre-calculus together in eleventh grade, and English in twelfth, and ate lunch with the same crowd for a couple of years.
Toby thinks for a second. "Divorced," he says, finally. "You?"
Gil shrugs. "Gay."
"Oh yeah?" Toby says. He's not really surprised, looking back on it. "Hey, good for you."
Gil smiles and Toby takes a sip of his beer. The DJ starts playing "Faith," by George Michael.
"I had such a crush on you," Gil says, and when Toby looks over at him, Gil's watching Jennifer and Steve dancing.
"Really?" Toby says. It's hard to imagine anyone having a crush on him, ever. He thinks about Lisa's car pulling out of their driveway for the last time.
"Yeah," Gil says. "You were the nicest guy I knew." The disco ball over the dance floor is revolving slowly, light glancing off it.
"Huh," Toby says, and turns it over in his mind. Huh.
"Well," Gil says, getting up. "Take care of yourself, Toby." He puts his hand on Toby's shoulder for a second, warm and light, and Toby watches him walk away.
It isn't anything, really, but maybe Toby's glad he came after all.
**
END
The Office (US), 382 words, Gil/Toby, PG. For office_romances.
***
High school reunions are nothing but depressing, and Toby shouldn't have come. Fifteen years means everyone looks old, and he doesn't really have anything to say to them, and his divorce just got finalized last week. He might as well have written "Failure" on his nametag.
He sits at a table in the corner and watches people mill around the gym, which is decorated with streamers and balloons like it's the Winter Formal and none of them have grown up at all. Some people up at the front, towards the DJ, are dancing half-heartedly. Jennifer Miller's one of them, in low-rise jeans too young for her, dancing with Steve Thompson like it's 1989 and Steve just played a great game of football.
"Depressing, isn't it?" someone says on Toby's right. Toby turns to see Gil Preston settling down in the seat next to him, holding a glass of red wine. How about that, one person he's actually glad to see.
"Little bit," Toby says, and smiles.
"So, tell me your life story in ten words or less," Gil says, setting his wine down on the table. They had pre-calculus together in eleventh grade, and English in twelfth, and ate lunch with the same crowd for a couple of years.
Toby thinks for a second. "Divorced," he says, finally. "You?"
Gil shrugs. "Gay."
"Oh yeah?" Toby says. He's not really surprised, looking back on it. "Hey, good for you."
Gil smiles and Toby takes a sip of his beer. The DJ starts playing "Faith," by George Michael.
"I had such a crush on you," Gil says, and when Toby looks over at him, Gil's watching Jennifer and Steve dancing.
"Really?" Toby says. It's hard to imagine anyone having a crush on him, ever. He thinks about Lisa's car pulling out of their driveway for the last time.
"Yeah," Gil says. "You were the nicest guy I knew." The disco ball over the dance floor is revolving slowly, light glancing off it.
"Huh," Toby says, and turns it over in his mind. Huh.
"Well," Gil says, getting up. "Take care of yourself, Toby." He puts his hand on Toby's shoulder for a second, warm and light, and Toby watches him walk away.
It isn't anything, really, but maybe Toby's glad he came after all.
**
END