Page 53 of Margins

“At the bar, or after you go home?”

“Both,” Elijah answers.

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you really think I was gonna say no?” Alex chuckles.

“I don’t know. I wasn’t great company last night.”

Alex glances over to where the picture of Elijah and Peter rests on the nightstand. “Something something, for better or worse, in good times and bad.”

“Just the sight of wedding rings was enough to have you reciting that shit when the sun’s barely up, huh?”

Alex grabs a pillow and swings it at Elijah’s head, then backs away toward the door. “Take your time and let yourself out whenever you’re ready. I’ll see you tonight.”

And it’s just that easy, as hard as it is to say goodbye at all, Alex grabbing coffee and something small to eat in the kitchen before he packs up his work bag and heads to the office for what he assumes will be a half day for everyone. He doesn’t actually hear from Elijah, and maybe that’s a good thing, a little space after two emotional nights, and he runs a couple of errands after lunch, mostly to keep his mind on anything else. Once he’s home again, there’s time to take a late afternoon nap before he catches up on a couple of shows, changes clothes, fixes his hair, packs a bag, and makes the drive to the bar.

Elijah hadn’t been kidding about people wanting to drink before the holiday, the place more crowded than it probably is on any other Wednesday, but Alex takes quick note of one table open next to the wall, such an easy place for him to hide, and a single open stool at the far end of the bar, where Elijah stands now.

Watching him. Waiting for him. The Edgar to his Peter, except for all the ways Edgar and Peter hadn’t quite figured out the balance of fear and hope, and Alex so badly wants to.

He slides onto the barstool, and Elijah smiles. “Hey, handsome. Decided to step out of the shadows?”

“Seems like a good night for new adventures.”

“Kinda got a jump on that a couple nights ago, didn’t we?” Elijah points out just before he ducks his head, though it does little to hide the pink in his cheeks. “No, wait, listen, I don’t mean—that sounds terrible, and I—you don’t have to prove anything to me. Adventures or—I need you to know I can be plenty patient.”

“Still want you to be,” Alex says, reaching across the bar to tip Elijah’s chin upward until he can smile at him again. “But I want a lot of other things, too.”

“Okay, that’s—yeah. You wanna start with dinner and a beer?”

“Yeah, that sounds perfect.”

The next few hours are full of all the expected chaos in a crowded bar, but Elijah is as attentive as he can be, and Alex isn’t demanding much of anything anyway. There’s plenty of time to get tipsy and sober again, so after Alex's plate is cleared, Elijah brings over another beer and a shot of the good tequila.

“Body shots with the cheap shit are gonna have to wait for another time,” Elijah teases. “Unless you want me to find someone here for you.”

“Nah, you’re my only someone.”

When the shot is gone, Alex goes back to the beer and enjoys the view, Elijah such a natural behind the bar, flirting with everyone in a way that doesn’t threaten Alex at all, laughter erupting everywhere and the music overhead the perfect complement to the fun being had. And then slowly, just as Alex thinks he’s getting the slightest bit impatient, more people leave than come in, the noise softening around them, and all the space to breathe leaving Alex ready to gasp for a little more. Eventually, a couple of the other bartenders are gone too, and Tyler nudges Elijah’s shoulder with his own.

“You guys should get out of here,” he offers.

“I’m not gonna stick you with closing again,” Elijah argues, though he’s apologetic when he glances toward Alex. “We’re okay.”

Tyler just laughs. “Sure. But also, I’ve already got family crashing at my place, and I am not in a hurry to get back there, so how about we pretend you’re doing me a favor? Just clean up your shit and go. I’m totally fine, I swear.”

Elijah blushes again when Tyler winks, then he turns to grab Alex’s empty glass and take care of as much as he can at his end of the bar, disappearing into the back a minute later.

“Thank you,” Alex says.

Tyler shrugs. “That guy has had my back more times than I can count. This is really the least I can do.”

Alex gets up then, sliding a tip across to Tyler, whether he'll be happy to accept it or not, and he uses the next couple of minutes to stretch his legs and make his way toward the door. Elijah isn’t all that far behind him, nodding goodbye to the handful of customers left before he presses his hand to the small of Alex’s back as they step outside. He thinks maybe Elijah will take his hand as they walk to their cars, but he never does, and Alex hasn’t decided whether he wishes he had.

“You’re okay to drive?” Elijah asks once they’ve reached the parking garage.

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