alexanderkaufman:
Alexander nodded - that neighborhood didn’t seem like a bad place to live. They’d been living in NoHo for a few years, and grown up on the Upper West Side, but the whole city was practically their backyard; everywhere they could’ve been, they probably had, at this point. They could easily figure out a place to drink near Tom’s supposed-apartment, but Alexander had always been one to show people new places and new things, especially because it meant that those people would forever associate those new places and new things with them. He liked having that sort of permanence in someone’s mind, even if it was over something as small as one bar in one neighborhood in the city. It was permanence nonetheless. Alexander’s last shoot of the day was scheduled for three, which means that he’d have about an hour after the shoot to edit or wrap up some other work before they had to head down to the lobby to meet Tom. “Five fifteen in the lobby,” they commented, wanting to give Tom enough time to wrap up work and not feel stressed about rushing to meet them. Alexander was a timely person, and they didn’t like their time to be wasted, but they’d wait for Tom. Not that they’d say that out loud, of course, but that didn’t make it any less true. Watching them step back into the elevator, Alexander grabbed their coworker’s attention, asking them for the prints of the newest ad shoot for one of the in-house brands.
When five o’clock rolled around, Alexander wrapped up their work - the shoots for the day had gone well, the editing looked fine so far, and they’d sent a few things of their own off to the graphic design department so they could put finishing touches on magazine covers and ads alike. They didn’t mind leaving their laptop in their office overnight - there was a perfectly good charger there, and the door would be locked, plus Masters had plenty of security, it’s not like someone would steal it. So, locking their door behind them, they hit the elevator button and rode down to the lobby, leaning against the receptionists’ desk as they waited for Tom’s arrival. They had a few different places in mind to take them for drinks - places that served good alcohol, but places that wouldn’t be too loud so they could talk if they wanted to. What was there to talk about with someone who had seen the most intimate parts of them before they even knew each other’s names? Then again, they’d never felt uncomfortable with Tom; they could figure something out. It’d be a nice night.
Tom couldn’t pin down what was causing the butterflies in their stomach. Up until yesterday Alexander had been a ghost. A fleeting moment that’d managed to burn a memory into Tom’s brain that they wouldn’t forget. Tom could understand how so much art could be inspired by a magical one night stand. Certain songs held a new spot in Tom’s heart now. They had someone to invision yearning for, to feel however the fuck they wanted to feel about them without fear of rejection or a lack of reciprocation and it’d been nice. Alexander wasn’t the first one night stand they’d had. Hell, Alexander wasn’t even the last one night stand they had in New York but few held a candle to that late afternoon they shared. As a hopeless romantic Tom had already shrouded the event in fantasy and Tom was almost scared being in their presence again. It was like meeting the royal highness from a storybook they had written. Could Tom seriously be feeling starstruck over someone they’d already gotten down on their knees for?
Tom somehow brought themself back to earth by the time they got in the elevator. Alexander wasn’t some demigod or trickster fae. They were a person that existed outside of Tom’s head and they were waiting in the lobby for them... hopefully. Tom was opening himself up for disappointment crossing paths again but Tom didn’t dwell in that fear. Their cup was overflowing this intrigue and optimism and didn’t have room for the negative what if’s as they made it to the lobby. It didn’t take time to pick Alexander out of the crowd. Tom couldn’t contain the grin that spread across their features as they approached them. Seeing them in the flesh again was just as energizing as it had been two hours ago. “Hey,” Tom greeted them as they got their attention by brushing their bicep. “Did you think of a place?”
@alexanderkaufman
