elixjackson·:
Getting through the time leading up to their meet-up had left Eli entirely restless. As if Eli didn’t have trouble sleeping already, texting back and forth with Garrett of all people had seemed to do the trick just fine. He felt exhausted waking up the next morning after getting a full two hours of sleep - definitely not enough to brave the day and make it till it was time for them to face each other but as always, Eli somehow managed to pull through enough to function.
Despite thinking about cancelling on several occasions, Eli knew that he should give it a shot for the sake of finding closure, which was what ultimately convinced him to drag himself under the shower so he could at least feel a little more like an actual human being. He even put a little more effort than usual into his appearance, not wanting to feel inferior when facing Garrett again properly for the first time in three years. After sending Garrett the location, Eli made his way to the bar he’d chosen for their heart-to-heart, his hair perfectly styled and dressed in one of his signature looks: a pair of dark washed skinny jeans, combat boots, a black, tucked in dress-shirt and a denim jacket to top it off. His hands were buried in the pockets of his jacket as he walked, his head lowered and eyes focused on the ground rather than what was in front of him. The sinking feeling in his stomach that had set in ever since he’d seen Garrett again was still present and continued to get worse the closer he got to his destination. Sighing, Eli checked the time, trying to stall for a moment while everything inside of him screamed for him to walk the other way but his pride wouldn’t let him - he’d not let Garrett win this time and after all, he’d waited for this moment for a while now.
The day of Eli and Garrett’s planned meeting played out like any other ordinary day for the playwright, aside from the fact that his daydreams consisted less of his work and more of the pianist. It had been awhile since Eli had crossed his mind right up until, by the grace of sweet fate herself, he stumbled upon the younger man at a bar that turned out to be his workplace. But now ever since that moment, he couldn’t quite stop imagining all the ways this long overdue conversation between them could go.
Many of the scenarios ended with the same sharpness of the tongue and dark emptiness in the eyes that Eli displayed on their not so pleasant previous encounter. A fair share of them were more optimistic though, and those were the ones Garrett held onto for confidence while sauntering into the location Eli shared with him. Not that he needed any extra boost to get him through, his head was big enough on its own to keep him afloat through most situations. He arrived a few minutes prior to 8pm, scoping the place with his ever observant eyes before deciding on a place to settle. Garrett ordered himself a drink that now sat untouched on a square napkin in front of him, condensation collecting on the exterior of the glass as he patiently waited for his company to arrive. Once the older man caught sight of Eli, a face and a presence he could not miss in a bar full of strangers, he swept his hand in a gesture toward the seat across from him. “This seat isn’t taken,” Garrett offered to him pretending as if this wasn’t already prearranged, grinning upward at Eli. “I would’ve ordered you a drink but I didn’t want to offend you by assuming you still pick the same poison.”














