-- “I’M taking my break,” shea shouted to nobody in particular, his three coworkers responding unceremoniously either with something like ‘okay’ or ‘hurry up.’ he’d been waiting for this -- luckily, his boss was the type to let them take their breaks whenever they wanted, and shea had timed his so that it would fall right when everybody started to show up at the carnival. he’d already been working tirelessly and he was NOT in the mood for it to get any busier. he threw his hand towel behind one of the machines and hurriedly untied the knot of his apron, hanging it on the corner of a counter as he bounded down the steps of the booth and out into the growing crowds of attendees. he wasn’t the biggest fan of the annual carnival, but he could see the entertainment in it, so there wasn’t really any harm in walking around for a little while -- that is, until he looked in a particular direction ( to his left, and just slightly behind him ) and his mind was immediately sucked into a wormhole of undiscovered memory.
hands on his chest, bodies pressed together, lips on his own. he knew that face. teddy. it was far from fresh in his mind, clouded by the alcohol he’d consumed. “let’s go to the bathroom.” fluorescent lights, wide eyes. then he was gone. shea swallowed thickly, remembering the way teddy’s face had drained of color the moment his eyes opened in that bathroom. the moment he saw shea’s face. maybe it was the way shea had touched him, or maybe he’d suddenly sobered up and realized just what he was doing. either way, shea knew something had happened in that moment when teddy had bolted out of the bathroom, leaving shea without a word. and, by the way teddy’s face flushed red as their eyes met right then and there at the annual halston carnival, he knew he was looking at the same person.
without so much as a second thought, shea started walking in teddy’s direction. he could tell he was avoiding him, just by the way he had his body turned, shielding him from shea’s line of sight. but shea had questions -- and even more so, he had an apology to give. what for, he wasn’t sure yet ( scaring him in the bathroom? ), but it only felt right to give one. he was doing this. he was really about to do this. shea couldn’t believe he was about to do this. “hey,” he quipped, almost breathlessly, placing a hand on teddy’s arm in an attempt to get him to look at him. he glanced around, suddenly becoming very aware of where they were. again, without thinking, he tugged teddy behind the nearest booth where it was quieter. “teddy, i -- i know this is, like, super fucking weird, but i -- i just wanted to say that what happened that night... i just -- i don’t really know what happened, honestly, but if it was because of me, or something i did or said -- i’m sorry.”