Amsterdam: Eight
Title: Amsterdam
Chapter: Chapter 8
Author: tie-19
Beta: pwoperninjaelf
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: PG-13
WARNINGS: None
Summary: AU. Dominic Howard is a businessman on a business trip in Amsterdam.
Disclaimer: This is all fiction, Muse is never mine.
Feedback: Would really be appreciated! <3
Notes: Hello there! I'm back from Bali! <3 Anyways, me and zetastation talked about a few things two days ago and she asked me about Dom's business trip. Well, since I'm a bit confused about it, too (don't laugh), so I decided to use my free time left in Bali to think about it. So, I decided that Dom was already staying for about two or three months there... I hope it will make sense even though I think it didn't D:
Now, enjoy the update? <3
When Matt opened his eyes, he could only sigh.
It has been two days since that day. He had been staying at home since. Despite everything, Chris opted to stay silent and ask him nothing, but he knew that the taller brunet was giving him some time to think and be alone-which he needed. He knew that Chris was trying to help him feel better after all that had happened five years before.
He had tried to forget about it, and he had, but everything had resurfaced after he’d met Dominic.
It was not like he hated Dominic for that, no. He actually felt secure whenever he was with him. He felt secure, he felt he was being loved, and once again, he’d fallen in love.
But that’s what made him feel afraid. The secure feeling he got with Dominic, the fleeting warmth that settled deep down inside his chest whenever they were together… It made him happy, but it made him afraid at the same time too. He didn’t know if Dominic would hurt him or not, and somehow deep inside he knew that Dominic wouldn’t, but still, he was afraid. So very, very afraid, if once again he fell too deeply in love with someone…
“I love you, Matt.”
Matt snapped his head upright, his eyes wide and panting slightly when he heard the voice. He’s not sure if the voice is real or not, though. He looked around, slightly relieved to find that he was all alone by himself in his room. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his suddenly rapid heartbeat. It’ll be fine, it’ll-
“Don’t you love me too, hmm?”
Matt’s breathing became ragged as time passed, his hands found their way to his head as he gripped his hair tightly between his fingers. “No,” he whispered to no one, his eyes squeezing shut as he heard the sound of a wicked laugh.
“You know that I love you, right?”
“Stop,” Matt whispered again, wishing for the voice to go away. Unfortunately, the voice somehow grew louder and louder and it overwhelmed his sense-
“Matt?”
Matt opened his eyes at the familiar voice, slowly lifting his head to find Chris standing on his doorway. He could see the depth of Chris’ frown, which indicated that the taller brunet was worried.
“Are you okay? You were talking to yourself for about five minutes by now,” Chris said, walking closer to approach Matt’s hunched form on the bed. “I’m worried,” he added, sitting beside Matt. The smaller brunet looked away from Chris to his lap; his hands fell limp as he stared at it.
“I-I think I’ll be fine,” Matt whispered, despite the way his hands in his lap trembled. Chris frowned, knowing full well that Matt was not okay. The taller brunet sighed, putting Matt’s left hand in his hands as he tried to soothe the smaller brunet.
“You know,” Chris said, a faint smile appearing on his lips when he saw Matt’s trembling stopped. “I need to go to work today. I’ve skipped work for two days and my boss will kill me if I don’t show up today again…” Chris stopped when Matt looked at him with two fearful eyes, and he sighed. “…no, it’s not like I’d leave you all alone. I called Magda, is that okay with you?”
Relief glinted in Matt’s eyes when Chris said that, and he nodded wordlessly. Chris nodded back, letting go of Matt’s hand when he heard the sound of knocking on the front door. “I think it’s her. Come on.”
“But I haven’t showered yet, Chris!” Matt whined slightly and Chris smiled, the usual Matt was back, even though it was only a little bit, but he was glad for that.
“I don’t care about that, and I thought Magda has seen you in your worst condition, so I think it will be alright if you come out even if you haven’t had a shower,” Chris paused to hold back his laugh, seeing Matt’s pouting face, “And it’s not like you’re smelly or something. Come on, I don’t want to leave you to go work without saying goodbye.”
“Fine,” Matt whispered before he walked to follow Chris from behind, the taller brunet already beside the front door and his hand on the handle. With one swift movement, Chris opened the door, revealing a cheerful brunette standing in front of the door.
“Good morning, boys!” Magda beamed, stepping inside the rather warm house and handed a bag over to Matt. “It’s good to see you in spirit!”
“Well, not really in spirit,” Matt muttered under his breath after accepting the bag from Magda, his eyes cast downwards slightly. After putting her coat on a table nearby, Magda blinked as she eyed Matt from hair to toe, and managed to blurt out, “Is that why you’re dressing only in a worn shirt and boxers?”
Matt blushed slightly, somehow embarrassed. “What-”
“Um, guys,” Chris interrupted, clearing his throat slightly, “I’m going to work now. You’re going to be alright, Matt?”
Before Matt could open his lips to answer, Magda said, “Yes! Of course he will be alright. Now, Chris, instead of worrying about Matty, how about you go to work?”
“But-” Before Chris finished his response; Magda pushed him out from the house and slammed the door behind him. She sighed, and then turned over to take a full look at Matt. A grimace showed on her face when she saw Matt’s eyes; cast downward and vacant.
“Honestly, Matt? You look pathetic like this.”
Matt lifted his gaze from the bag that he got from Magda to the brunette in front of him, frowning when his senses registered the words blurted out from the woman’s mouth. “What-?”
“I said, you look pathetic like this,” Magda said, stepping closer to Matt. The brunet frowned, boring his blue irises into Magda’s deep blue ones. Magda could only sigh seeing the hint of pain inside Matt’s gaze, “Come on, Matty. I know you can cope better. Don’t do this to yourself.”
“Magda, I don’t-”
“Don’t lie to me,” Magda cut him off, her eyes glistening with worry as she stopped right in front of Matt. “Chris is worried. He said you haven’t been eating well for the past two days,” Magda paused, reaching out to stroke Matt’s left cheekbone, “… He’s really worried about you, you know? He even skipped work.”
“I’m sorry,” Matt blurted out because he didn’t know what else to say at the time. He could feel tears gathering in his eyes, and he could hear Magda shushing him as her thumb brushed his cheek again, her free hand looped to pull Matt into a hug.
“It is okay, Matthew, it’s okay,” Magda whispered, soothing Matt’s back in an attempt to make the man feel at least comfortable for the moment, “Cry as much as you want.”
“But I’m scared!” Matt sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut as Magda hugged him tighter. The brunette sighed, burying her nose in Matt’s shoulder before he spoke, “What if he-”
“No, Matt. No,” Magda whispered, “No, he’s not here. Even if he’s here, remember that you have us, okay? You’ll be fine. I promise.”
Matt didn’t respond, instead he sniffled, slowly looping his hands around Magda’s body as he hugged the brunette tightly. Magda tried and failed to hold back a smile; even from the small motion she knew that Matt felt a bit better for now.
“Now, Matt,” Magda started when Matt’s sobbing became nonexistent, “Why don’t we take a look at what’s inside the bag I gave you?”
Matt pulled away, rubbing his face in an attempt to clear the remaining tears on his face. “Uh, yeah,” he nodded slightly, lifting the bag that was still in his hand and moved it to the table before opening it. He frowned, and Magda couldn’t help but giggle.
“Really, Mags? Why did you bring me…” Matt couldn’t even finish his sentence, a bright blush spreading on his face as he pulled out a bra from inside of the bag. Magda couldn’t hold her laugh anymore so she laughed; ignoring Matt’s distressed “Magda!” as she laughed louder.
“What will this thing do for me?!” Matt yelled in frustration, his face still as red as a tomato when he put the bra back inside the bag. Magda coughed a little, her laugh receding into a fit of giggles.
“You could wear that to work,” Magda said, still giggling, “And I would be happy to see you wearing it.”
“You do realize that I’m a man, right?!” Matt retorted, the blush appearing back on his face when Magda laughed again. After a few seconds, he sighed, smiling slightly.
“Uh, thank you,” he whispered, scratching his cheek with his finger. Magda stopped laughing, cocking her head to one side.
“What?”
“I said, thank you,” Matt repeated, a smile appearing on his face as he said, “For making me feel better.”
“Oh,” Magda mumbled, smiling back at Matt. She walked closer, reaching out to ruffle Matt’s hair. “Don’t mention it. That’s what friends do, right?”
Matt chuckled slightly, letting his hair be ruffled by Magda. “Yeah.”
They fell into a comfortable silence as Magda continued to ruffle Matt’s hair. When she decided to stop, they flopped down on the couch before turning the TV on and chatted while watching some shows together.
“Oh, by the way, the bra’s size is A.”
“Magda!!”
-x-
Dominic sighed as he glanced at the empty display.
Dominic knew whose display it was. Dominic remembered the man that belonged to it, the man who’d seduced him with his sexy lips as he’d offered himself with a whisper. The man who made his heart stir whenever he thought about him, the man who rained him down with a feeling of worry whenever he looked afraid.
Matt.
It had been two days and he couldn’t stop worrying about Matt. The last time he’d seen him, he had noticed the trembles that the brunet tried to hold back. He had noticed the way Matt flinched whenever he spoke, and it worried him somehow.
And since that day, Dominic noticed that he hadn’t come back to work, either.
Thomas also informed him that Chris had also skipped work for two days, so he presumed that there was something happening with Matt. Dominic knew that he had nothing to do with this matter, but he couldn’t just remove the heavy feeling deep down in his chest whenever he remembered how fearful Matt had been the last time he’d seen the brunet.
Dominic knew that it wouldn’t change anything if he just stood there and waited for Matt, because if he was not wrong, Matt was at home now. Closing his eyes slowly, he sighed, opening them again and lifted his gaze to stare at the empty display again. A small choked laugh came off from his throat finding it was still empty.
Don’t act as if you can bring him here with a blink of the eye, Howard.
He took a deep breath as he turned, deciding to let go for the day and go home already but he stopped when he saw a glimpse of green eyes.
Dominic blinked rapidly, trying to register if he was imagining things or not. Turns out he wasn’t. There was a man with bright green eyes, standing a few meters away from Dominic, his blond hair messy but short. He was staring at Matt’s empty display from afar. When he realized that Dominic was staring at him, his lips turned upright into a smirk.
Before Dominic could even react, he turned and walked away.
Dominic’s mouth fell agape as he watched the blond disappear, blinking rapidly and feeling too confused for the time. Who was that? Did he know the stranger? No.
And if Dominic was right, had the stranger stared into Matt’s display?
“Does he know Matt?” Dominic muttered to no one in particular, his eyebrows knitted together to form a small frown of confusion. He didn’t know that man, but he looked like he recognized Dominic…
“Ugh, why am I thinking about this?” Dominic muttered to himself, sighing as he took a last glance to the empty display. Worry settled deep down in his heart once again as cold wind washed over him. He hung his head as he walked away from the display to his house, silently praying that Matt was at least alright.
-x-
It has been a week since the last time Matt saw Dominic face to face.
He breathed out heavily as he walked to his display with Magda, occasionally glancing behind his shoulder to make sure no one stalked him, and to make sure that Dominic wasn’t nearby. Honestly, he was still afraid of meeting Dominic, and despite Magda and Chris’ words, Matt was still afraid if the man from his past somehow resurfaced and decided to stalk him.
“Matt, come on, get over it already,” Magda elbowed him as she sighed, ignoring the look Matt gave her, “I mean, it has been a week and you’re not over it? Please, I’m tired of it already.”
“Alright, alright,” Matt muttered, pouting slightly, “Look, I’ve agreed to come to work for two days and that’s progress at least, right?”
“Yet you avoided meeting Dominic.”
Matt’s mouth fell open, unable to answer Magda’s words as he stopped in his tracks. Magda sighed, leaning in to pinch Matt’s cheeks. “Come on! Don’t try to play dumb. Dominic was visiting your display for the whole week and you just slipped away from your display whenever you saw him! Come on, I can see from his expression, that man is as worried as Chris and I about you.”
“Yes! I know, but-”
“Do him a favor, yeah? He hasn’t seen you for a week. He must be very worried because you just disappeared after you had a session with him. Do him a favor by meeting him!”
“But-”
“But what, Matt?” Magda cut him off again, puffing her cheeks and pouting slightly as she pinched Matt’s cheeks harder, “Come on, I know you’re not a coward like this. Be a man and face him. Tell him you’re okay and he’ll stop worrying over your empty display.”
Matt tried to pry Magda’s hands away from him as he cast his gaze downwards, “But, Mags… It’s just-I-”
“Goddamn it, I said cut it out already!”
“You don’t understand!” Matt yelled, unable to hold back the anger settled deep inside his heart, “You don’t understand how much it hurts me to see him for now! You don’t-”
“Please don’t tell me about how I don’t understand about the terms of love, Matt,” Magda cut him off, pushing the brunet over slightly as anger glistening in her eyes, “Don’t tell me about that shit, because I do know about it,” Magda took a deep breath, hanging her head low as she spoke again, “And I know that it hurts, Matt. I know. I felt it too.”
A hint of recognition flashed in Matt’s eyes as he stared into Magda’s deep blue irises, the usually cheerful aura turned into a sad one in seconds. He actually felt bad, because he knew that it was him who’d set the brunette into that state of sadness. “Mags, I’m sor-”
“And, don’t say that to me, either,” Magda cut him off again as she placed her forefinger on Matt’s lips, “Come on, don’t give me that guilty look and let’s continue our walk to work instead. We’re going to be late,” she whispered, flicking Matt’s nose with her forefinger as she walked, “Come on now!”
Matt couldn’t help but smile a little, following Magda from behind as they walked together to their displays.
-x-
It has been a week since the last time Dominic had seen Matt.
The businessman took a deep breath as he walked out of his office, his messenger bag tucked safely under his arm. When he opened the front door, he flinched slightly because of a rather big and cold wind blowing in his face.
Dominic looked around, seeing no one he knew nearby. Thomas hadn’t come to work today because he was sick, and thus Dominic was alone now. His colleagues were already home too, for about two hours now. The only reason Dominic had stayed this late was to take his mind off of Matt, so he wouldn’t go back to the district and stare at the-possibly-empty display.
But it was no use. The more he tried to forget about Matt, the images he got of a quivering Matt coming off to hit him like a train wreck.
He sighed as he allowed his feet to move, to bring him to the district; to bring him to the brunet’s display. Something inside him praying that Matt would be there, standing half-naked in the display, and he hoped that Matt would be alright, that he’d seduce him like the first time they’d met. He hoped that he’d meet a smiling Matt, not a quivering Matt who had his expression filled with terror and fear.
But before Dominic even reached Matt’s display, he stopped.
He saw a man standing in front of Matt’s display, certainly bargaining with the small brunet for a price.
Dominic breathed out in relief after registering that the man was not the green-eyed blond that he’d seen a few days before. Honestly, he couldn’t think how Matt would react if that man was the one who’d visited him. He looked like he knew Matt, although Dominic couldn’t be sure.
Yet something deep inside Dominic’s chest ached, seeing Matt get out from the display to walk with the other man, now fully dressed.
He could see Matt lifted his head and saw him standing there in the streets, and the brunet’s blue pupils glowed with something for a second. But then his expression softened, and Matt flashed a small, soft smile, and even with the distance between them, Dominic could hear him whisper, “Long time no see. I missed you.”
Before the businessman could react, Matt turned his back to Dominic as he started to walk away from the district with the random man. Something inside Dominic stirred with rage, something inside Dominic wanted to tear that man away from Matt and replace him with himself instead.
But Dominic could only watch them go off into the night.
Chapter: Chapter 8
Author: tie-19
Beta: pwoperninjaelf
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: PG-13
WARNINGS: None
Summary: AU. Dominic Howard is a businessman on a business trip in Amsterdam.
Disclaimer: This is all fiction, Muse is never mine.
Feedback: Would really be appreciated! <3
Notes: Hello there! I'm back from Bali! <3 Anyways, me and zetastation talked about a few things two days ago and she asked me about Dom's business trip. Well, since I'm a bit confused about it, too (don't laugh), so I decided to use my free time left in Bali to think about it. So, I decided that Dom was already staying for about two or three months there... I hope it will make sense even though I think it didn't D:
Now, enjoy the update? <3
When Matt opened his eyes, he could only sigh.
It has been two days since that day. He had been staying at home since. Despite everything, Chris opted to stay silent and ask him nothing, but he knew that the taller brunet was giving him some time to think and be alone-which he needed. He knew that Chris was trying to help him feel better after all that had happened five years before.
He had tried to forget about it, and he had, but everything had resurfaced after he’d met Dominic.
It was not like he hated Dominic for that, no. He actually felt secure whenever he was with him. He felt secure, he felt he was being loved, and once again, he’d fallen in love.
But that’s what made him feel afraid. The secure feeling he got with Dominic, the fleeting warmth that settled deep down inside his chest whenever they were together… It made him happy, but it made him afraid at the same time too. He didn’t know if Dominic would hurt him or not, and somehow deep inside he knew that Dominic wouldn’t, but still, he was afraid. So very, very afraid, if once again he fell too deeply in love with someone…
“I love you, Matt.”
Matt snapped his head upright, his eyes wide and panting slightly when he heard the voice. He’s not sure if the voice is real or not, though. He looked around, slightly relieved to find that he was all alone by himself in his room. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his suddenly rapid heartbeat. It’ll be fine, it’ll-
“Don’t you love me too, hmm?”
Matt’s breathing became ragged as time passed, his hands found their way to his head as he gripped his hair tightly between his fingers. “No,” he whispered to no one, his eyes squeezing shut as he heard the sound of a wicked laugh.
“You know that I love you, right?”
“Stop,” Matt whispered again, wishing for the voice to go away. Unfortunately, the voice somehow grew louder and louder and it overwhelmed his sense-
“Matt?”
Matt opened his eyes at the familiar voice, slowly lifting his head to find Chris standing on his doorway. He could see the depth of Chris’ frown, which indicated that the taller brunet was worried.
“Are you okay? You were talking to yourself for about five minutes by now,” Chris said, walking closer to approach Matt’s hunched form on the bed. “I’m worried,” he added, sitting beside Matt. The smaller brunet looked away from Chris to his lap; his hands fell limp as he stared at it.
“I-I think I’ll be fine,” Matt whispered, despite the way his hands in his lap trembled. Chris frowned, knowing full well that Matt was not okay. The taller brunet sighed, putting Matt’s left hand in his hands as he tried to soothe the smaller brunet.
“You know,” Chris said, a faint smile appearing on his lips when he saw Matt’s trembling stopped. “I need to go to work today. I’ve skipped work for two days and my boss will kill me if I don’t show up today again…” Chris stopped when Matt looked at him with two fearful eyes, and he sighed. “…no, it’s not like I’d leave you all alone. I called Magda, is that okay with you?”
Relief glinted in Matt’s eyes when Chris said that, and he nodded wordlessly. Chris nodded back, letting go of Matt’s hand when he heard the sound of knocking on the front door. “I think it’s her. Come on.”
“But I haven’t showered yet, Chris!” Matt whined slightly and Chris smiled, the usual Matt was back, even though it was only a little bit, but he was glad for that.
“I don’t care about that, and I thought Magda has seen you in your worst condition, so I think it will be alright if you come out even if you haven’t had a shower,” Chris paused to hold back his laugh, seeing Matt’s pouting face, “And it’s not like you’re smelly or something. Come on, I don’t want to leave you to go work without saying goodbye.”
“Fine,” Matt whispered before he walked to follow Chris from behind, the taller brunet already beside the front door and his hand on the handle. With one swift movement, Chris opened the door, revealing a cheerful brunette standing in front of the door.
“Good morning, boys!” Magda beamed, stepping inside the rather warm house and handed a bag over to Matt. “It’s good to see you in spirit!”
“Well, not really in spirit,” Matt muttered under his breath after accepting the bag from Magda, his eyes cast downwards slightly. After putting her coat on a table nearby, Magda blinked as she eyed Matt from hair to toe, and managed to blurt out, “Is that why you’re dressing only in a worn shirt and boxers?”
Matt blushed slightly, somehow embarrassed. “What-”
“Um, guys,” Chris interrupted, clearing his throat slightly, “I’m going to work now. You’re going to be alright, Matt?”
Before Matt could open his lips to answer, Magda said, “Yes! Of course he will be alright. Now, Chris, instead of worrying about Matty, how about you go to work?”
“But-” Before Chris finished his response; Magda pushed him out from the house and slammed the door behind him. She sighed, and then turned over to take a full look at Matt. A grimace showed on her face when she saw Matt’s eyes; cast downward and vacant.
“Honestly, Matt? You look pathetic like this.”
Matt lifted his gaze from the bag that he got from Magda to the brunette in front of him, frowning when his senses registered the words blurted out from the woman’s mouth. “What-?”
“I said, you look pathetic like this,” Magda said, stepping closer to Matt. The brunet frowned, boring his blue irises into Magda’s deep blue ones. Magda could only sigh seeing the hint of pain inside Matt’s gaze, “Come on, Matty. I know you can cope better. Don’t do this to yourself.”
“Magda, I don’t-”
“Don’t lie to me,” Magda cut him off, her eyes glistening with worry as she stopped right in front of Matt. “Chris is worried. He said you haven’t been eating well for the past two days,” Magda paused, reaching out to stroke Matt’s left cheekbone, “… He’s really worried about you, you know? He even skipped work.”
“I’m sorry,” Matt blurted out because he didn’t know what else to say at the time. He could feel tears gathering in his eyes, and he could hear Magda shushing him as her thumb brushed his cheek again, her free hand looped to pull Matt into a hug.
“It is okay, Matthew, it’s okay,” Magda whispered, soothing Matt’s back in an attempt to make the man feel at least comfortable for the moment, “Cry as much as you want.”
“But I’m scared!” Matt sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut as Magda hugged him tighter. The brunette sighed, burying her nose in Matt’s shoulder before he spoke, “What if he-”
“No, Matt. No,” Magda whispered, “No, he’s not here. Even if he’s here, remember that you have us, okay? You’ll be fine. I promise.”
Matt didn’t respond, instead he sniffled, slowly looping his hands around Magda’s body as he hugged the brunette tightly. Magda tried and failed to hold back a smile; even from the small motion she knew that Matt felt a bit better for now.
“Now, Matt,” Magda started when Matt’s sobbing became nonexistent, “Why don’t we take a look at what’s inside the bag I gave you?”
Matt pulled away, rubbing his face in an attempt to clear the remaining tears on his face. “Uh, yeah,” he nodded slightly, lifting the bag that was still in his hand and moved it to the table before opening it. He frowned, and Magda couldn’t help but giggle.
“Really, Mags? Why did you bring me…” Matt couldn’t even finish his sentence, a bright blush spreading on his face as he pulled out a bra from inside of the bag. Magda couldn’t hold her laugh anymore so she laughed; ignoring Matt’s distressed “Magda!” as she laughed louder.
“What will this thing do for me?!” Matt yelled in frustration, his face still as red as a tomato when he put the bra back inside the bag. Magda coughed a little, her laugh receding into a fit of giggles.
“You could wear that to work,” Magda said, still giggling, “And I would be happy to see you wearing it.”
“You do realize that I’m a man, right?!” Matt retorted, the blush appearing back on his face when Magda laughed again. After a few seconds, he sighed, smiling slightly.
“Uh, thank you,” he whispered, scratching his cheek with his finger. Magda stopped laughing, cocking her head to one side.
“What?”
“I said, thank you,” Matt repeated, a smile appearing on his face as he said, “For making me feel better.”
“Oh,” Magda mumbled, smiling back at Matt. She walked closer, reaching out to ruffle Matt’s hair. “Don’t mention it. That’s what friends do, right?”
Matt chuckled slightly, letting his hair be ruffled by Magda. “Yeah.”
They fell into a comfortable silence as Magda continued to ruffle Matt’s hair. When she decided to stop, they flopped down on the couch before turning the TV on and chatted while watching some shows together.
“Oh, by the way, the bra’s size is A.”
“Magda!!”
-x-
Dominic sighed as he glanced at the empty display.
Dominic knew whose display it was. Dominic remembered the man that belonged to it, the man who’d seduced him with his sexy lips as he’d offered himself with a whisper. The man who made his heart stir whenever he thought about him, the man who rained him down with a feeling of worry whenever he looked afraid.
Matt.
It had been two days and he couldn’t stop worrying about Matt. The last time he’d seen him, he had noticed the trembles that the brunet tried to hold back. He had noticed the way Matt flinched whenever he spoke, and it worried him somehow.
And since that day, Dominic noticed that he hadn’t come back to work, either.
Thomas also informed him that Chris had also skipped work for two days, so he presumed that there was something happening with Matt. Dominic knew that he had nothing to do with this matter, but he couldn’t just remove the heavy feeling deep down in his chest whenever he remembered how fearful Matt had been the last time he’d seen the brunet.
Dominic knew that it wouldn’t change anything if he just stood there and waited for Matt, because if he was not wrong, Matt was at home now. Closing his eyes slowly, he sighed, opening them again and lifted his gaze to stare at the empty display again. A small choked laugh came off from his throat finding it was still empty.
Don’t act as if you can bring him here with a blink of the eye, Howard.
He took a deep breath as he turned, deciding to let go for the day and go home already but he stopped when he saw a glimpse of green eyes.
Dominic blinked rapidly, trying to register if he was imagining things or not. Turns out he wasn’t. There was a man with bright green eyes, standing a few meters away from Dominic, his blond hair messy but short. He was staring at Matt’s empty display from afar. When he realized that Dominic was staring at him, his lips turned upright into a smirk.
Before Dominic could even react, he turned and walked away.
Dominic’s mouth fell agape as he watched the blond disappear, blinking rapidly and feeling too confused for the time. Who was that? Did he know the stranger? No.
And if Dominic was right, had the stranger stared into Matt’s display?
“Does he know Matt?” Dominic muttered to no one in particular, his eyebrows knitted together to form a small frown of confusion. He didn’t know that man, but he looked like he recognized Dominic…
“Ugh, why am I thinking about this?” Dominic muttered to himself, sighing as he took a last glance to the empty display. Worry settled deep down in his heart once again as cold wind washed over him. He hung his head as he walked away from the display to his house, silently praying that Matt was at least alright.
-x-
It has been a week since the last time Matt saw Dominic face to face.
He breathed out heavily as he walked to his display with Magda, occasionally glancing behind his shoulder to make sure no one stalked him, and to make sure that Dominic wasn’t nearby. Honestly, he was still afraid of meeting Dominic, and despite Magda and Chris’ words, Matt was still afraid if the man from his past somehow resurfaced and decided to stalk him.
“Matt, come on, get over it already,” Magda elbowed him as she sighed, ignoring the look Matt gave her, “I mean, it has been a week and you’re not over it? Please, I’m tired of it already.”
“Alright, alright,” Matt muttered, pouting slightly, “Look, I’ve agreed to come to work for two days and that’s progress at least, right?”
“Yet you avoided meeting Dominic.”
Matt’s mouth fell open, unable to answer Magda’s words as he stopped in his tracks. Magda sighed, leaning in to pinch Matt’s cheeks. “Come on! Don’t try to play dumb. Dominic was visiting your display for the whole week and you just slipped away from your display whenever you saw him! Come on, I can see from his expression, that man is as worried as Chris and I about you.”
“Yes! I know, but-”
“Do him a favor, yeah? He hasn’t seen you for a week. He must be very worried because you just disappeared after you had a session with him. Do him a favor by meeting him!”
“But-”
“But what, Matt?” Magda cut him off again, puffing her cheeks and pouting slightly as she pinched Matt’s cheeks harder, “Come on, I know you’re not a coward like this. Be a man and face him. Tell him you’re okay and he’ll stop worrying over your empty display.”
Matt tried to pry Magda’s hands away from him as he cast his gaze downwards, “But, Mags… It’s just-I-”
“Goddamn it, I said cut it out already!”
“You don’t understand!” Matt yelled, unable to hold back the anger settled deep inside his heart, “You don’t understand how much it hurts me to see him for now! You don’t-”
“Please don’t tell me about how I don’t understand about the terms of love, Matt,” Magda cut him off, pushing the brunet over slightly as anger glistening in her eyes, “Don’t tell me about that shit, because I do know about it,” Magda took a deep breath, hanging her head low as she spoke again, “And I know that it hurts, Matt. I know. I felt it too.”
A hint of recognition flashed in Matt’s eyes as he stared into Magda’s deep blue irises, the usually cheerful aura turned into a sad one in seconds. He actually felt bad, because he knew that it was him who’d set the brunette into that state of sadness. “Mags, I’m sor-”
“And, don’t say that to me, either,” Magda cut him off again as she placed her forefinger on Matt’s lips, “Come on, don’t give me that guilty look and let’s continue our walk to work instead. We’re going to be late,” she whispered, flicking Matt’s nose with her forefinger as she walked, “Come on now!”
Matt couldn’t help but smile a little, following Magda from behind as they walked together to their displays.
-x-
It has been a week since the last time Dominic had seen Matt.
The businessman took a deep breath as he walked out of his office, his messenger bag tucked safely under his arm. When he opened the front door, he flinched slightly because of a rather big and cold wind blowing in his face.
Dominic looked around, seeing no one he knew nearby. Thomas hadn’t come to work today because he was sick, and thus Dominic was alone now. His colleagues were already home too, for about two hours now. The only reason Dominic had stayed this late was to take his mind off of Matt, so he wouldn’t go back to the district and stare at the-possibly-empty display.
But it was no use. The more he tried to forget about Matt, the images he got of a quivering Matt coming off to hit him like a train wreck.
He sighed as he allowed his feet to move, to bring him to the district; to bring him to the brunet’s display. Something inside him praying that Matt would be there, standing half-naked in the display, and he hoped that Matt would be alright, that he’d seduce him like the first time they’d met. He hoped that he’d meet a smiling Matt, not a quivering Matt who had his expression filled with terror and fear.
But before Dominic even reached Matt’s display, he stopped.
He saw a man standing in front of Matt’s display, certainly bargaining with the small brunet for a price.
Dominic breathed out in relief after registering that the man was not the green-eyed blond that he’d seen a few days before. Honestly, he couldn’t think how Matt would react if that man was the one who’d visited him. He looked like he knew Matt, although Dominic couldn’t be sure.
Yet something deep inside Dominic’s chest ached, seeing Matt get out from the display to walk with the other man, now fully dressed.
He could see Matt lifted his head and saw him standing there in the streets, and the brunet’s blue pupils glowed with something for a second. But then his expression softened, and Matt flashed a small, soft smile, and even with the distance between them, Dominic could hear him whisper, “Long time no see. I missed you.”
Before the businessman could react, Matt turned his back to Dominic as he started to walk away from the district with the random man. Something inside Dominic stirred with rage, something inside Dominic wanted to tear that man away from Matt and replace him with himself instead.
But Dominic could only watch them go off into the night.