"Yeah, I just came in," Geb said into the phone he had it leaned on his ear. He listened to the person on the other side and then reply: "Sure, I'll wait for you here." Here meaning, in Michael's bar.
Geb aimed his steps toward the counter, his gaze traveling over a few patrons --two who were sitting behind the counter and the rest occupying the three tables by the wall to the left of the entrance. "No, I don't know who is working,"
"I can't see anybody." He slid onto the stool behind the counter and listened to what Marshall had to say.
"Marshall, just cut out the crap and hurry up. Have you forgotten that I don't have a lot of time on my hands?" Geb closed the phone and shook his head. Marshall had been contradicting himself lately; he was encouraging him not to give up his pursuit of Robin and saying that he would help him to get Robin, while on the other hand he was all clingy and jealous. If Denis, Marshall's ex, wouldn't begin with his stalking tendencies again, Geb would have shut Marshall out from his life for a week or two until Marshall calmed down.
He slid the phone into the pocket of his grey and black-striped jacket, part of his suit. He loosened up his violet tie and, after establishing that the counter was clean with the tip of his finger, he leaned his elbow on it. He had paid a fortune for this suit in one of the Boss shops and it would be very bad if he dirtied it with something like an old beer stain.
The door that led into the private parts of the bar opened and laughter drifted though them, followed by Robin. A brunette who usually worked the same shift as Robin was walking flush against him, hugging him around the waist and whispering something in his ear. Robin laughed again.
Geb frowned and his fingers grasped the edge of the counter, the knuckles turned white. He smoothed his forehead a second before his eyes met Robin's.
The laughter died and, with a few words too quiet for Geb to hear, Robin slipped out from brunette's embrace. He came closer and leaned his elbows on the counter before Geb. "Hey."
"Hey."
"It wasn't what it seems."
"Hmm?"
"Just now. It wasn't how it looked. We were just goofing around."
Geb frowned. Damn, why did those words give him a feeling like a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders?. "Why are you explaining this to me?"
"I just… I didn't want you to misunderstand." Robin .straightened "So. What are you doing here before noon and in a suit at that? It looks good on you."
"Thanks." Geb said. "I'm meeting Marshall here."
"Oh." Robin said. "You are pretty close with him, aren't you? I mean, lately even more than usual. One would think that you two are dating."
"We are not."
"Yeah, because you don't date." Robin smiled. "So, what can I get you?"
"Coffee with milk and a glass of water, please."
"Sure." Robin went toward the coffee machine. With a swish of his hand he removed the handle from the machine, hit it upside down against the open drawer full of used coffee grounds, so that the old contents in the funnel of the handle fell out. "Where are you two going?"
Geb admired the line of Robin's spine and the stretch of Robin's muscles visible under the thin cotton shirt.
"Any place special?" Robin put the funnel under the coffee grinder, filled it and hooked it back into the coffee machine. He put a cup under the funnel, pushed the button to start the machine and then looked Geb over his shoulder. "Geb?"
Geb shook his head; he woke himself from his ogling. "I'm taking Marshall to my grandfather who owns a dojo. He's going to teach Marshall some easy self-defence moves."
"Oh." Robin turned off the machine, put the spoon and the full cup on the saucer, added milk to the coffee and put a packet of sugar on the edge of the saucer. "Does Marshall have problems or something?"
"He has this weird ex who occasionally stalks him and he is always using me to scare him off, saying that he is too nice and too much of a chicken to do it himself. I want to build his self-confidence."
"Really?" Robin put the coffee before Geb and took a glass from a shelf, filled it up and put it beside the cup. "That's nice from you."
"Not really. I'm doing this for myself. It will cut Marshall's excuses and get him off my back." Geb tore the sugar packet and put the sugar into the cup.
"You are just saying that." A soft smile graced Robin's face as he leaned on his elbows before Geb again. "You are really a nice guy; you just pretend not to be."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere." Geb took the spoon and started to stir the light brown liquid.
"No, I'm serious. At first glance I thought that you were like this guy I knew." The smile disappeared from Robin's face. "Self-centred, immature and deceitful-"
"Is this part of: 'been there, done that, and never again'?" Geb's hand stilled, he leaned forward.
"Sort of."
"Yeah?" Geb wanted to know more. He put the spoon beside the cup, leaned his elbows on the counter and his chin in his hands. He hoped to hear the story that would explain Robin's unwillingness to become – what did he want Robin to become to him? Not one of his one-nighters, that was for sure. But what then? A lover? Boyfriend?
Wow. Wait a minute.
"Hello, is anybody there?" Robin waved his hand before Geb's face.
"Umm?" Geb focused his gaze on Robin. "I'm waiting for you to share your story with me."
"Oh, that." Robin gave Geb a grimace posing as a smile. "There's nothing to say, not really." When Geb just stared at him with raised brows in a sort of "I don't believe you gesture," he continued. "It's just that in high school I was in love with this guy who posed as a straight, but was in reality a big, gay slut."
"You slept with him?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
"Nothing." Robin was about to back away.
Geb grabbed Robin's wrist. "If it was nothing, you wouldn't try to avoid talking about it."
"It was really nothing. I was just naïve in those days. He was my first and he was beautiful and popular. I thought we were dating and that the girlfriend he had was just for show until he saw that what we had was special but…"
Geb slid his fingers over Robin's wrist and wrapped them around Robin's hand, his thumb caressed Robin's palm. "He was fucking others too?"
"Something like that." Robin's jaw clenched and something flashed in his eyes. He tried to pull his hand out from Geb's grasp.
Geb frowned, he opened his mouth to ask more, but Robin's eyes held a warning not to go there. With his hand around Robin's he drew Robin closer, forcing him to almost lie his upper body across the counter. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Robin frowned.
"For whatever he did to you." With his free hand Geb cupped Robin's face, his thumb caressed the skin in a comforting manner, his eyes on Robin's face. He never knew that Robin's eyes up close looked like two jewels of golden and dark brown liquid around the pupil, dancing together in twirls but never becoming one.
"It was a long time ago." Robin sighed. "And I'm sorry too, for even thinking that you are anything like him."
"Even when I molested you?"
"Even when you molested me, and even though you like to sleep around." Robin leaned into the touch of Geb's hand. "The more I get to know you, the more I can see that you are warm and caring person. And that you don't pretend or hide who you are."
"You have to watch out, saying things like that. I might misunderstand and even think that you like me." Geb leaned closer, Robin's breath was warm on his face and it almost felt like they were kissing.
Robin closed the inch that was separating them, his eyes fluttered close and he tilted his head. Their lips touched, just a soft brush.
Geb closed his eyes. His hand slid along Robin's jaw, over his neck; he cupped Robin's nape and pulled him closer.
"Can I join in?" A voice spoke by Geb's ear and a hand landed on Geb's shoulder.
Geb startled and moved on his stool; his forehead bumped against Robin's temple. Something rattled and a cold liquid pooled under Geb's elbow. Shit. Geb looked down at the water that was quickly spreading and threatening to spill over the edge of the counter. He stood up, a second before the water started to drip in a steady rhythm over the edge. He straightened the glass. "Damn it, Marshall. Do you have to sneak up like that? My suit is wet because of you."
"I couldn't resist." Marshall gave Geb a cheeky grin, he swung himself up on the stool beside Geb. He waved to Robin. "Hi, Robin. Give me a latte, please."
"We don't have time." Geb pulled the valet from his inside pocket of his jacket. He looked at Robin who had grabbed a cloth and was now wiping away the contents of the tumbled glass. "Could you get me the bill?"
"It's ok." Robin smiled and with a little turn tossed the cloth into the sink by the wall. "It's on Michael."
"Tell Michael thanks." Geb gave a smile to Robin; he slid the wallet back into his pocket and grasped Marshall's arm. "Let's go." He pulled Marshall off the chair and pushed him forward.
Marshall turned over his shoulder, smiled and waved to Robin. "Bye."
"Geb." Robin leaned over the counter and took hold of Geb's sleeve. When Geb turned, Robin continued: "I have an invitation for my schoolmate's art exhibition tonight. Do you want to come?"
"Hmm." Geb drew his eyebrows together. He had never been one for art. Sure,, he liked good paintings of still life and nature or even a good portrait, but he never went around exhibitions, had never even set foot into a gallery. Set, his brother, was more for that stuff.
"Not as a date, of course." Robin let go of Geb's sleeve.
"Of course." Geb ran his fingers through his hair. He would like to spend time in Robin's company, maybe even get to learn what that 'something like that' was, but on the other hand, a whole evening spent in Robin's company, not being able to touch him would be a torture; he had learnt about that quite well the other night at the 'game' and he wasn't sure he was ready to go through the same torture again so soon . "Ermmm… Sure."
"Great." The corners of Robin's lips turned upwards. "I will pick you up at eight."
"Ok, see you then." Geb nodded, turned and with Marshall on his heel went toward the door.
"You don't like art exhibitions," Marshall whispered to him, snickering. "You are going to get so bored and annoyed. I can already see you, restless and grouchy, how you'll glare at poor Robin, your way of letting him know that you want to go home."
"Shut up, Marshall." Geb said and Marshall did, with a big smirk on his face.