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He wasn’t one to chase sunsets. Composed, yet out-of-place, the tall man shuffled slightly, attempting to find a more comfortable position on the cold rigid oakwood bench; he had gone out thoughtlessly and somehow wandered here. The air had been slightly chilly but nothing out of the ordinary, the usual whistling of leaves were only slightly uplifted as cool winds breezed freely throughout the quiet park, carrying their soft melodies to his ears. Besides the creaking of the occasional unheeding cyclist or the typical Tuesday night crowd walking home from work, the park was empty. Saddeningly so actually. Tim hadn’t realised he had felt slightly nerved by the lack of anyone else- his legs had brought him here on a whim after nearly going stir crazy from staying in his studio way too long, and he found himself almost hoping someone else would disturb his silence. Sunlight was only beginning to dip down now, it was a show he hadn’t even realised he wanted to tune into, but as he watched those heavenly glows douse the atmosphere in shades of autumn amber he felt content.
“Pardon me, but would you scoot over a little?” an awkward voice had tumbled meekly and it was only after a beat did Tim realise it was not a voice within his head that had spoken. Orchid eyes and cheeks of porcelain almost deceived him, the person who had been looming around the public bench seemed almost mythical however the longer he looked the more he began to truly believe that the man who had greeted him was some sort of angel- tasked with pulling him out of his Tuesday slump of an evening walk. Embarrassingly the Dutchman couldn’t conjure any smooth reply and instead simply nodded, turning away with side eyeing attraction.
“Lovely view from here right? I usually come here earlier…” angel eyes- he had nicknamed the stranger accordingly - had settled down close to Tim, and was currently adjusting the string of his worn down hoodie. Hiding his grin behind his old scarf, Tim mused at the fact a person with such vibrant red attire had sat down next to him, making his plain bland coat seem boring. No doubt angel eyes was maybe a few years younger than him, that small frame and quirky smile was soaked in youth and charismatic energy; there was no doubt he had brighter ambitions and wishes, although the mellow tone of voice obviously displayed the stranger’s more subdued approach to things.
He huffed, he needed to say something to angel eyes, “Yeah. I just kinda felt lured to sit here today. I feel like I was-”
“Searching for something?” the interruption had been quick and on a whim, the shorter of the two had suddenly looked towards Tim with a new found urgency that only held a strange mixture of experimental interest. Unconditionally Tim reddened at the close proximity but also broke out a little smile as angel eyes lurched back flustered, clearly self-conscious of how he had just reacted. Maybe this was all a fever dream, and the Dutchman was still in his bed, constructing up fantastical fantasies of an angel to swoon over...
“Actually yeah. Didn’t know what I was searching for though, but I think I found it now.” attempting to seem bothered by the curly haired male’s interruption, he had loosened his scarf to show off his smile better. Slightly confused, angel eyes had tilted his head curiously before laughing a little at the absurdity of the situation. He murmured about how you weren’t supposed to talk to strangers, or how it was ridiculous that he had felt a tug towards this park bench. Angel eyes introduced himself as Matthew, and if Tim hadn’t felt like melting in this man’s presence before he surely did now- Matthew had been humming beside him mindlessly and was astounding, distractingly, beautiful. Matthew was like the sun that he wanted to orbit around till the end of time. Matthew was the winter cold that kissed his lips and promised of bountiful springtime harvests.
Matthew was beautiful.
They spoke about their day, and soon the conversation felt as if they knew each other before. Like waves returning to a familiar shore, it felt natural speaking to the former stranger. The small stature of those angel eyes was not, in fact, indicative of an age difference, in fact, Matthew was only a couple years behind Tim himself. He wondered what the seemingly human - Tim was still convinced he wasn’t a mere mortal - was like as a child: if they would have gotten along, especially seeing as they acted like old friends. The type of old friends who didn’t really know each other before, who weren’t particularly close beside having mutuals, exactly the types who would not talk to one each other till much later in life and realise their curiosities and easy natures meld so well like metal. Perhaps if they had met when they were teenagers they would have been the sort to fade apart, only regretting their lack of courage to pursue more in youth.
“Pardon me but...Do I know you? Have we met before somewhere?” his scarf was now pushed lower across his pale neck, messy compared to his buttoned coat and his inquisitive expression.
Matthew’s brow furrowed, and he sputtered, looking around before avoiding to answer,
“Why do you look like, as if-if I was to say yes, you would regret it so much?” They both paused. Tim turned back to the view, he pondered for a moment- Matthew seemed concerned by his questions, obviously a little hurt, but the more he thought about it the more he could not think of any place he had seen the blond. He would have remembered.
“If you said yes, I would want to kick myself for not asking you out sooner.” For once in his life he was going to be courageous, he wasn’t even sure if a stranger like Matthew would be okay with such a forward proposition- in fact, he didn’t even know if those angel eyes would look at another man in such a way. His gaydar has been quite shoddy in the past. However, Matthew reddened and broke out such a charming laugh, one that Tim wished he could replay over and over.
“I was messing with you, and uh- I mean, better now than never. I’m sure if we knew each other before I would have found some way of getting your attention.” Tim’s heart twisted, pained by the man’s confessional opinion, it was spoken with such veracity and yet so much faint-hearted tenderness; as if announcing a predetermined loss that one was working upon. The tender silence nurtured their souls as they both stared out back into the park, drinking in each other’s words. Matthew had wrapped himself so delicately in that weathered hoodie and compared to his own bulky outerwear, he was a thinly veiled victim of fever waiting to be snatched and sent to a clinic. Slowly Tim found his hands unwrapping the long lengths of his favoured scarf and sliding it off shakily before pushing it into the hands of his new found interest. Without much of anything more than a smile full of gratitude and a little nod, the other man wound the blue and white fabric with slight difficulty; it was much more undignified and messy compared to how Tim had worn it, but it just added to the appeal of the younger man next to him. Soon the night returned to lull them out of their dreamy hillside meeting, and the two men bode each other farewell as they parted ways - Tim to his home shared with his siblings, and Matthew to his quieter cramped apartment.
As new daylight broke through a dreary skyline, 2 pairs of feet found themselves guided to the once lonely park bench. Subconsciously, it seemed, the two found their way back to the park, to each other’s wanted company. Longing for that connection once more they’re heavy coats nearly drifted off as they rushed and rampaged their way, passively determined and hopeful to see each other. Rosy cheeks glowed with red tints and cold wind weaselled onto their faces, Matthew had remembered to bring a scarf for once; snow white and tasselled at the end with cotton knots and tangled strings. Gleaming with such a toothy wide smile, his eyes soon found the other man in his view. Tim was tall and though his closed-off trenchcoat screamed stoic want for isolation, the gaze that the man had given Matthew in return called him over.
“Hey ho-” As Matthew brought his body closer to the man an arm had reached to his shoulder stopping him. Huffing with uncertainty Matthew’s glare turned unsure as the other man had motioned for his silence.
“I….I’ve met you before. If not now..it must have been in another life.” The thick Dutch accent that sprinkled over the words only made such an honest confession more alluring. Matthew brought himself up, tiptoes balancing to reach up close to his supposed soulmate.
“I thought about..about what we talked about yesterday. How you said you’d get my attention. You did..you have...It’s been in my head all night.” His body heat radiated off into Matthew's face and for once the Canadian bit back his shyness for once and let his head rest precariously off his presumed soulmate’s shoulder.
“Well. We can talk about it? I want to know you..” He replied letting Tim’s hands grab his own and bring them towards the bench. The two shared a secret smile as they decided to make this fever-dream of a romance begin; if there was one thing they both knew, it was that at least this time they both came to this park for something. Something beautiful.