Chapter Text
I Miss You More Than You Know
Part One
"Yeah, I know that I said you'd be easy to forget
But I know I'll never get you off my mind."
—"Miss U More Than U Know" Sofia Carson & R3HAB
Was it just him, or were bars in New Mushroomton just getting more crowded?
Aeric squeezed his way to the counter, exhaling as he pushed his Wayfarer glasses up his nose to get a better look at the place. The whole "gastropub" aspect of pretty much every bar downtown started to all congregate into one entity, no matter where Aeric found himself: low lighting from hanging bulbs, rustic red wood counters and walls, mirrored walls boasting an impressive liquor collection. It was like this in Crystalwood; it was like this in the Northern Realm. Even the name had a twinge of slightly hipster, yet generic ring to it: New Mushroomton Aleworks.
Whatever brought patrons in, Aeric supposed, fighting to get one elbow on the counter so he could flag down one of the bartenders, a pixie flying around a mile a minute as she opened up tabs and handed out drinks without spilling a drop. He found himself fighting for room between a centaur and a troll, and even for a tall elf, he was completely dwarfed and ignored for a good five minutes before the bartender lavished any sort of attention on him.
"Opening a tab?" she asked, taking the card Aeric had held out for what seemed like a good ten minutes (but in reality, probably only a minute or two).
"Yeah, I'll have a pint of Dragon Ate My Homework," he decided, reading off the one beer on the menu that was legible enough for him to see under the troll's elbow, figuring it'd do. A saison, fruit-centric beer usually wasn't his first go-to, but for a beer the alcohol content was high enough for him to figure knocking down a few of these would open him up to... someone.
"You got it," the bartender promised, nodding as she rang his card up. Once he had his card back, the pint in his hands, Aeric stepped back, allowing himself a little bit of space as he took his first sip. Damn, that dragonfruit-blackberry flavor really came through, and yet... the strength of the alcohol wasn't diminished. Sometimes the strangest beers, though, surprised him greatly—but maybe that just came with age. 26 was a world away from fourteen, when Tina first thrust a plastic cup in his hands with the crappiest keg beer imaginable, and at the time, Aeric downed it just to even think about talking to the cute guy in the corner.
But maybe this wasn't much different. Sure, Aeric had a suave set of glasses now, and a way better affinity for subtle flavors in beer, but he still scanned the loud bar like it was his first party, reading the body language of each patron with the sole purpose of mustering up the courage to talk to them (and perhaps, well, a little more). Also, it'd been almost five years since he last lived in New Mushroomton—obviously things had changed, especially with why he'd moved back.
The guys, though? That, he doubted.
Sure, he could hang with the guys with the matching Fjørn's Glenn shirts, but how low would it be to hook up with someone like that on his first real outing since he moved back? Not that that hadn't happened in other towns, but...
But gods, that elf from the back might be able to—
Aeric turned his back to the group quickly, taking a long swig. His beer goggles weren't even on yet, and he was already thinking about that. He should just talk to that nice troll in the corner, texting with perhaps some purpose of meeting up with someone on the way.
But, just as Aeric was about to evaluate the room again, his eyes locked onto the elf that just walked in, and was it just him, or did the sunset backlighting the downtown windows make the newcomer... glow? He felt his breath catch, thinking this just had to be the mother of all coincidences, because of all the bars in downtown New Mushroomton during Friday Happy Hour...
Ian Lightfoot just happened to walk into this one.
His mouth dried up, feet frozen in place as Ian walked to the bar, rolling the sleeves of his red button-down up to his elbows. Most couldn't pull off a sweater vest, but in the years since graduating, Ian's shoulders broadened, finally growing into himself, given by the end of college he'd even grown a few inches. The baby fat shed from his cheeks, leaving a soft, angular jaw and defined cheekbones in their wake, and while most guys Aeric knew really couldn't pull off a goatee, on Ian, it added the perfect edge, effortlessly suave as he smiled at the bartender.
He should leave. He should just down the rest of his beer and hole up in his crappy little apartment he'd just started renting a few blocks away and try to forget this even happened. Sure, moving back here meant he'd always run the risk of running into Ian, but this soon, when he had nothing except his job and an endless number of nameless guys that had been in and out of his life since they broke up six years ago? It wasn't time.
And sure, when would the "time" even be? When Aeric stopped judging everyone based on some arbitrary standard of how much like Ian a guy could be? Whenever Ian finally tied the knot so Aeric could see it as an out to move on?
Was there some otherworldly reason as to why they happened to be in this bar, at this specific time? Should he take the opportunity to say something, before Mom inevitably told Laurel about how he moved back because work wanted him specifically for this job? Ian was at least bound to find out from that exchange.
Might as well be in control of this moment.
Aeric took a giant gulp of his beer, downing more than half of it before heading back up to the bar, squeezing his way next to the cyclops on Ian's right side, just as Ian started to order.
"I'll put his drink on my tab," Aeric interjected loudly, so the pixie bartender could hear him, and not charge Ian immediately.
"Sorry, but I'm not—" Ian started to decline, and of course he'd heard that proposal a hundred times, but when he looked over to see who'd made the offer, those warm, dark eyes widened. "Oh my gods, Aeric?"
Aeric could only offer a sheepish smile. "Hey, stranger." The cyclops silently moved back to switch places with him, getting the memo. He set his pint on the counter as Ian offered his arms out for a hug, and he could feel the flex of biceps under that button-down. Oh, this was not going to be easy.
"You still want him to pay for your drink?" the bartender asked, blinking impatiently.
"Oh—no, I couldn't," Ian said as he pulled away, handing her his card. "He's an old friend."
Better than saying ex. Aeric had to take the small wins where he could, but his smile turned a little pained at the label.
"So... when did you move back to New Mushroomton?" he continued, shooting Aeric a wide grin. He must have finally gotten those braces he always wanted, though there's always be a part of him that'd miss its charming crookedness. "I think your mom mentioned something to mine."
"About two weeks ago?" Aeric confessed, taking a swig. He should slow down, wait for Ian to grab his drink before continuing his own. At the same time—getting drunk as soon as possible so he wouldn't have to worry so much about how he came off to Ian sounded like the better proposal. "Work, uh... specifically wanted me on the project here since it's where I grew up. My apartment is tiny and absolute crap, but... it was all I could find on such short notice."
"And you came back here after traveling all over the realms?" Ian inclined forward a little, engaged. "I mean, you're so lucky to be out for like... five years. Seeing all the people, all the culture, working on... Sorry, Aer, what is it you do again?"
Aer. He hadn't heard that from Ian's mouth in so long. And it wasn't the sign that he drove by into city lines that welcomed him back to New Mushroomton, it was this. "I'm an engineer for SolarTech? You know, bringing renewable sources of energy to different places all over the realms? It's, uh... kind of why I was traveling around for five years. Better than going pro, right?"
"I honestly don't know—you surprised all of us when that's the job you took. You don't play at all anymore, though? Not even for fun?" The bartender slid Ian's pint over, and they clinked glasses—a tradition done out of obligation, Aeric noted.
"Uh... I mean I still work out pretty much every day. My complex even has a gym, so that's... something." Even if half the equipment was falling apart and completely lackluster, and Aeric still wasn't comfortable enough to run around the city early in the morning to avoid it.
"Mine, too!" Ian pointed out, taking another sip. "Dunno if you noticed, but you kind of turned me into a bit of a gym junkie."
Aeric let out a small, uncomfortable laugh, taking a hair longer on his next swig—not enough to be a chug, which would so easily give away how much he hated (loved?) this. "Yeah, uh... kind of hard not to notice." He'd have those biceps on his mind all night. Probably longer.
Ian let out a low hum, the conversation dying as he started to glance around the bar. Crap—crap! How were they supposed to act? Aeric at least had his sport to fall back on in the year of college they'd been broken up to at least pretend they were still friends, and then fell into his new job. Maybe Aeric had been running with his tail between his legs for five years, refusing to admit that while Ian had only been growing more and more handsome and confident, he... just had his job. A great job, one he could see himself doing for the rest of his working life, but nevertheless, just a job. A hollow thing that only rewarded him monetarily, and in business trips all over the realms where he didn't have enough time to make connections.
"So... are you meeting someone here?" Aeric asked, finally breaking the silence. If he was... that'd be a good time to excuse himself—he couldn't handle seeing Ian with someone else, hence why they were still "friends" only in the social media sense, with Aeric muting every aspect of Ian's life.
"Well... I was," Ian admitted. "Just a work colleague, but you know how tired work makes you. But it's a Friday, and—I need a night out."
Work colleague could mean anything. It wasn't like Aeric didn't hook up with any of his, particularly the ones he knew he'd never see again once he left. "Sorry, what do you do now?" And there was his dead giveaway that he really hadn't kept up with Ian since they broke up. Any picture of him with anyone else, and... well, those tended to contribute to Aeric's worst regrets.
Ian chuckled, but Aeric knew him well enough to note that it was laced with a hint of uncomfortableness. "Fourth grade math teacher at NMES. And then after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach some of the kids magic—but that's open to all grades. Turns out, there really aren't that many wizards out here—less so are ones who want to teach magic, too."
Of course, of course Ian was a teacher. One who taught the future, used everything he knew to make kids better and more prepared. He remembered Ian lamenting that more kids should learn how to use magic earlier so they weren't struggling to learn it on top of applying for college, getting jobs and all that. "Well, that's just so perfect for you," he laughed back, though he figured that might sound a hint... condescending. "No—I mean... honestly, I always saw you as a teacher and it just... fits. These kids are lucky to have you. And you live near here?"
"I mean, the school isn't that far from where I'm living. I just wanted a change of pace from suburbia. That, and all those nights we spent out in college? I kind of fell in love with the city." Ian took another sip, feeling more comfortable. Probably also had to do with NMES being closer to to downtown than the suburbs near the ocean where they were from. "It's nice that all the public transportation is faster, and everything is open later..."
"A schoolteacher staying up past his bedtime?" Aeric joked. "Don't you have papers to grade? Lessons to plan?"
"Well, the lesson plans are a little more difficult than the papers, and the good thing is the kids are super amazing—hey, you wanna claim that table that's leaving over there and grab some food? The flatbread is amazing here." Ian gestured to the troll and cyclops leaving the one table that several people eyed.
"I'm on it." No one screwed with Aeric when they saw his arms the moment he claimed a table in a crowded place, and hopefully, despite the slight decline in muscle tone, it still applied to them after college. And, with Ian's new look, it might actually be easier. Quickly he strode over to the table and slid effortlessly into the troll's seat before a leering gnome could take it, leaving his pint at the bar so he wouldn't have to worry about spilling. Okay, so maybe it was a flex to see if he still could (to impress Ian).
Ian smirked as he carried both of their pints to their claimed table, sliding into the seat opposite. Well... it looked like it worked.
"I'm impressed." Ian slid Aeric's pint over to him before scanning the Happy Hour menu. "You've still got it, Aldheim. I still remember that time at Scratch when you bulldozed the entire basketball team to get us a table."
"Hey, they had a dozen griffin wings for 5 all night!" Aeric chuckled, looking back fondly on that memory. He remembered how scared Ian looked, thinking the whole team would have beaten him up for that stunt. "You were so hungry, and how was I gonna say no to that pouty face you always give when you want something?"
"What, this one?" Ian looked up at him with those huge, dark eyes. Though it looked different on his angular face, it still had the same effect, where Aeric was immediately tempted to do whatever he asked. "Gotta admit, it probably doesn't look as cute with the new... uh, everything."
"No, it..." What the hell was he supposed to say? That Ian was still just as gorgeous as when they broke up, just in a way that was completely different? What would happen if he was obvious about still liking Ian? Was this a trap? "You still look great." Better than great. Aged like a fine wine, only getting better as the years showed off his maturity.
"Ah-hah, yeah..." Ian laughed again, made uncomfortable with the fact that he led the conversation there, likely unintentionally. At this point, they'd have to order another round to keep this going or just end it here. But they did just get a table. Ian flagged down a waiter, just to help change the subject. "Hi, yes, I'd like another round of this Bad Elf IPA, and... Aer, what're you drinking again?"
"Uh..." Saying it out loud with Ian here would only serve to embarrass him. "Dragon Ate My Homework?"
Ian blinked at him briefly, before looking back up at the waiter with a smile. "Another one of those, and we're gonna split a griffin and pineapple flatbread. Thanks."
Once the waiter turned his back, Ian held his hand out. "Okay, now I have to try a beer with that name. Damn, I didn't even see it on the menu."
"Uh... it's different," Aeric advised, sliding what little of his pint was left over to Ian. "And since when were you into IPA? You always loved pale ales."
"Not since we..." Ian cleared his throat; clearly he was going to end that with a mention of their breakup. "Not since we left Willowdale. You know, that whole 'acquired taste' thing you don't realize is a thing until you turn twenty-two and beer all of a sudden starts to make more sense? That's what happened." He took a sip of Aeric's beer, but not after examining its unusual purple tint with a skeptical brow. "Whoa—you can really taste the blackberry. And yet... it's really good. Not really light at all."
"Right?" Aeric took his glass back with a smile and downed the rest. "Okay, your turn. How good is this IPA?"
"It's fine," Ian replied, scrunching his nose a bit before pushing his pint across the table. "Pretty good, very smooth."
Aeric took a sip, letting the flavors sink in so he could assess. Ten years ago, he drank just for the sake of it, for whatever gave him the courage to talk to someone. This was all more of the same, except now... he had better taste in beer. Not so much in the guys. "It's pretty subtle," he concluded. "You just got it 'cause it's cheap, didn't you?"
"Well, and the name," Ian admitted, taking back his glass with a shrug. "Not like I was ever a bad elf, but..."
"Oh, I think I could name a time or two where that was the truest statement." If they were still dating, that would have been accented with a wink as a true form of flirtation, but for now... it was a subtle form of flirtation. He couldn't help it.
"Stop, we're in public!" Ian reached over and tapped Aeric's shoulder lightly, those freckled cheeks flushing. So many of them had faded over the years, but a few still stubbornly stayed just under his eyes, lifting when his smile did. He sighed, looking behind him to the centaur backing right into him at the next table. "I'm... I'm sorry, but I'm getting a little uncomfortable sitting here, do you mind if I move next to you?"
"Not at all." Aeric looked over to see Ian's midsection crushed by the edge of their table. "Too bad you're not as small as before. You made the perfect crowd weaver."
"Oh, hush, all the changes came from you," Ian retorted, moving his chair so they sat next to each other. "When we broke up, I... started running. And now I do that every morning. I didn't realize how much it clears your mind."
"A good workout works wonders, and I've been telling you that for years." Of course, leave it to the worst for Ian to go from his adorable self to... the gorgeous person next to him right now. "Although it sucks that I only get to run and work out maybe four times a week as opposed to the six in high school and college. Work is hard. I come home now and I'm too unmotivated to even cook."
"Tell me about it," Ian sighed, finishing his drink. "I love the kids, but making lesson plans, grading papers, coming up with fun ways to learn magic... takes its toll. Sometimes I just need a night out like this."
"I'm just here to relearn the city," since it was part of his new job, "and so many things have changed, even in just five years." Ian certainly wasn't an exception. "A good drink can make a night a lot better."
"And good company?" Ian asked, raising a brow.
"I don't think I've had good company in a really long time," Aeric confessed, and luckily, before Ian could ask him to elaborate, their refills and flatbread made it to the table. But Ian was always good company.
"Gods, I didn't realize I was hungry until now," said Ian, ripping off a little square for himself. "Meal prep is nice, but it's nice to go all out every once in a while."
"What, no more off-campus Burger Shire runs?" Aeric joked, grabbing a piece for himself. With its thin crust and light cheese, he could tell on first bite that he'd be ordering from here, probably more often than he'd ever admit. "Don't think I forgot how often we'd run off at one in the morning during one of those all nighter sessions studying for finals."
"Alas, Burger Shire no longer agrees with my stomach," Ian sighed, patting his flat midsection. Briefly Aeric wondered if he had abs, but that wasn't something you asked of your ex, much less in public. And then he wondered if he could handle Ian in a more fit state than him. Maybe it was a little off-putting, but he wore his new look so well. "Now it's quinoa and lean griffin in the teachers' lounge. Mom always said that food would catch up to me, but did it have to be right after my quarter life crisis?"
"How is your mom, by the way?" Aeric asked politely, trying to change the subject so his mind would stop wandering to what he figured a shirtless Ian looked like. All he knew about Laurel was that she was still friends with Mom, but in whatever calls they shared, the Lightfoots never came up—Mom was the only one who could gauge how hard Aeric took the breakup (and, well, maybe he still hadn't fully processed it, even after almost six years).
"She's great." Ian nodded, putting a hand in front of his mouth so Aeric couldn't see him chewing as he answered. "She broke up with Colt, and, well, now she's with Corey. We all knew it was coming. They're really happy together, and I've gotta say, I am, too."
"Yeah, uh, my mom mentioned that. That was like, two years ago, right?" All he knew was that the divorce was amicable, and apparently they were all still friends. And that wine night and Sunday brunch got a lot more interesting with Corey around.
"Gosh, right about." Nodding, Ian reached over to grab another slice. "Barley got his degree in Magical History, by the way," he added, figuring Aeric would ask about him next (he would have). "But now he's a tattoo artist. Still does Quests of Yore pretty much every week." Pulling out his phone, Ian scrolled through until he found a picture of Barley, standing proudly in front of his storefront, Inkers and Dragons. His beard and long hair boasted braids (essential warrior styles, Aeric remembered him saying), whole sleeves displayed proudly with his arms crossed, tattooed with every mythical creature, symbol, and object in existence.
"That's so surprisingly fitting for him. I'm glad he's doing well." Gods, even Barley was probably in a better place mentally than he was.
"Yeah, we're insanely proud of him. Of course, I only have the one piece of ink." Ian washed down his current bite with his beer, and Aeric remembered the Phoenix Gem he got for his eighteenth, the way he squeezed Aeric's hand with this biting determination to get it done. "Which is probably good, in case any parents of my students want to inquire about it."
"Oh, don't tell me there's some dumb dress code in place there." Aeric chomped down on the crust of his flatbread. "No one ever got on you for wearing some of your crazier styles at the end of high school."
"Oh, it's not that, I would just hate to explain it all and lose lesson time, not to mention they're pretty expensive—and painful depending where you get them," Ian dismissed, waving a hand. "One of the kindergarten teachers has sleeves—she had to spend a whole day explaining them to her kids, but I guess it ended up leading to this whole 'tattoo design' craft project. We all thought it was pretty funny when she brought it up in a staff meeting. But you know... they're Barley's thing, not really mine—even if they look great. Weirdest thing I do is that my kids never know how I'm gonna dress. Keeps 'em on their toes."
"Yeah, I wondered with the whole... glo-up," Aeric replied, taking Ian in again, from his broad shoulders to his goatee. "I bet you're taller than me in heels now."
"Probably." Ian chuckled, taking another swig. "I'd test that theory now, but, uh... I just have the sneakers, unfortunately. My apartment's close, but I wouldn't walk to and from there in pumps, no matter how much I love them."
That wasn't an invitation, Aeric told himself, just an offhand comment. "Tina really did a number on affecting your wardrobe. I used to thank her for that sometimes, you know."
"I still do, too! How is she, by the way? Do you still talk to her?"
"Um… not really," Aeric admitted, scratching the back of his neck. Sure, it'd been a few years since he let the rest of his hair grow to the same length, but sometimes he still wasn't used to so much hair behind his ears. "I was in an entirely different realm when she got married, but Mom told me it was pretty nice. I think she's gonna have her first kid, but… I'm not really on much social media anymore unless I have to be." Whatever it took to avoid Ian on his feed. "But maybe I should catch up with her, now that I'll be back in town for a while. I'm sure she'll like that."
"Yeah, I bet that must be pretty hard—traveling all over the realms just for work… But I'm sure you've dated so many amazing guys." Ian sighed, inclining forward a bit.
Aeric knew this part of the night was coming up, where he'd have to pretend like everything in his dating life was fine. After shooting Ian a shy smile, he took a huge swig of his beer. "I mean… no relationships to speak of, but you meet people here and there," he said as plainly as possible. It wasn't like he could confess that every guy he'd met, and worse, hooked up with, had something about them that reminded him of Ian, but how could it be what they'd had, the electric chemistry felt right off the bat, the urgency Aeric had felt shouting at him to make his move before someone else inevitably did?
"Come on… no stories?" Ian pressed, making it worse. "No hot guys up north who are all gorgeous and built like you, or someone hitting on you by trying to buy you a drink… nothing you wanna tell me?"
What, like the centaur Aeric hooked up with just because his name was "Ian," so he had something to say in bed? That stint with Athena's brother before he was even out of New Mushroomton thinking that was a good rebound? Or the guy just finishing up college that had something about the texture of his curls, so Aeric could thread his fingers through them? Or that troll, where in the dark his brown eyes could almost be mistaken for his ex's? Or that, when he was alone, all he could think about was the past? "My life really isn't as exciting as you're trying to make it out to be," he dismissed, taking another swig and realizing he was almost done with his second pint. "Mostly I'm just too exhausted from work to do any sightseeing." And maybe that little white lie could get them off this subject.
"I guess maybe I'm a little jealous," Ian admitted, sighing. "Jetsetting all over the realms definitely crossed my mind senior year of high school. You know, before the whole…"
"Right, evil cult leader killing off all your magical friends debacle," Aeric replied. Nine years just seemed like a lifetime ago. He could hardly even remember that night, other than a big bonk to the head he had to ice for weeks afterward.
No, the night he constantly replayed in his head was the night they broke up. Because right now, looking into those welcoming, dark eyes, he still couldn't understand why he'd ever take so much time away from someone so perfect. All the mornings spent practicing, working out with the team when Ian needed him… Ian had called it them "naturally drifting apart," but they'd always managed halfway through college. If only Aeric could go back and just… shake his twenty-year-old self for putting so much time into a team, a career path he wouldn't even pursue once the engineering job came up.
"Ian, really, it's not as fun if it's just you," he confessed, but gods, he hoped Ian didn't ask why this was still a problem six years after they broke up. Aeric could get over it… eventually. Someday. Maybe this was to help him get through it. "Enough about my boring, jetsetting life. I'm just here because my boss knows I grew up around here, so that apparently makes me most eligible to negotiate with people about our upcoming project."
"Okay, now you have to elaborate," Ian chuckled, patting his arm. Oh, those little touches that drove him crazy… he'd been grazed countless times over the years, but the second Ian did it, sent that shock down his spine he hadn't felt since they were together. "Can you tell me what this project is?" And, worse, he leaned in—a completely flirtatious move. Ian wasn't just toying with him, was he? And since when did Ian Lightfoot make moves? It'd always been the other way around! But with the way he looked… of course confidence came easy now. People were probably falling all over his feet just for a chance to talk to him. Ian's voice lowered, to a deep tone he never used in public. "Or if you told me, would you have to kill me?"
Aeric shifted in his seat, taking a moment to lick his lips before answering. "No, it's no secret," he assured. "The plan is to make New Mushroomton one of the first cities in the United Realms to be entirely solar powered. It's just the perfect candidate with the great weather, its position to the ocean… renewable energy is the future, after all. It's what I've been doing all over the place, but only with smaller up-and-coming towns. New Mushroomton is gonna be the big one for the company."
"That's insanely exciting," Ian replied, clearly impressed with how his brows raised. "I always wondered why you took that job instead of going pro, but… now I totally get it. You've been all over the place, and I've been… here."
"That's not a bad thing," Aeric assured. "You're probably doing insanely well. Heck, I bet your partner is probably insanely proud of you for teaching the youth of our city."
"I'm actually single right now," Ian chuckled, finally confessing. Oh, Shantar's Talon. Both he and Ian, single just as Aeric moved back to New Mushroomton? It took everything in his willpower to not proclaim his undying affection right this second. "Yeah, I… you know, dated a few people here and there, a few serious relationships…"
"Sadalia," Aeric murmured under his breath. They'd always looked so perfect together in high school. His final nail in the coffin that kept him all but unfollowing Ian online. "Mom told me when it happened, by the way."
"Right, she… works for Della now," Ian replied with a blush, hiding it behind another sip of beer. Sadalia did exactly what she wanted, finishing college magna cum laude and an immediate job writing for the New Mushroomton Times under Mom's watch as she edited the most important sections of the paper, both online and in print. And of course, she only grew into her beauty, highlighting her almond brown eyes with glasses, curls naturally falling around her cheeks. "Two years. The moving in phase last year is where we pretty much fell apart, but we were happy for a while. I guess we're just better off as friends, but we had a great time together."
He was gonna move in with her. He probably loved her, at one point, the way they used to love. Even Aeric had no idea, much as Mom tried to break the news to him. Even worse, how could she not tell him they'd broken up before moving back? Did she think he would have come running back, begging for Ian to give him another chance?
Actually, he didn't want the answer to that one. Because now here that moment was, staring him in the face. Both he and Ian, single as he moved back to New Mushroomton. His boss asked if after this project was done, if he wanted to find something else to do here, that would keep him grounded. Maybe this was it.
Did he actually have a chance? Was this the universe telling him that he might be able to start over with Ian and do things right? Or did Ian just want to move on after every stupid thing Aeric had done to ruin them in the past?
"Ian I… know I was dumb enough to let my scholarship and sports get in the way of what we had. And I know you had every right to not wanna stick around because life was just starting for you, too. But do you feel, in this moment, that we're supposed to make things right?" Aeric asked, his heart pounding.
"Aeric…" Ian started, his brows furrowing. "You're not drunk, are you?"
"This is my second pint," Aeric uttered. "You know me well enough to know I'm not."
"I just…" Gods, Aeric had to prepare himself for the blow. "Sometimes I go back to that night, and I really do think we were drifting apart. I mean, we broke up really cleanly—no jealous texts, no fighting or anything. You had sports and I tried to focus more on school. It just seemed like a natural end then."
Then. Aeric let that word repeat in his head a few times. "What about now?" he asked. "Six years after the fact?"
"Aeric, you just moved back to New Mushroomton. But seeing you, right here… I dunno, I just started falling back into that flirting pattern. Like you were some claim I had to stake because I know someone else would see how gorgeous you are now with your turtleneck and new haircut and glasses, and I…" He sighed, slumping back in his seat. "It's just all coming back. Everything. You were my first love, and seeing you now is scary as hell. Especially since I'm not entirely the guy you knew in high school and college."
Wasn't that a good thing? Aeric reached over to take one of his hands, his own shaking. "No, you're… more than that. You think I won't like you 'cause you're not the skinny kid you used to be, but now you're even more gorgeous, if that's even possible." Ian offered a shy smile, and only squeezed his hand in return. Was this really happening? "I was never just attracted to you because of your looks—it's because you're just an amazing, wonderfully smart person.
"I searched the realms over and over trying to replicate what we had with guys that could never hold a candle to your fire," he said, finally coming clean (in the vaguest way possible) about how messed up his love life really was. "And now I know it's really because… I don't think I ever stopped loving you."
"Aeric…" Ian said lowly, leaning in. "Is this really happening?"
"What, us just about to kiss?" Oh, was Aeric well aware of just how close they'd gotten in the past few moments, how they went from a friendly hug to this just after a night of catching up. "I mean, I wouldn't mind it happening." Understatement of the century. "You?"
"I'm scared," Ian uttered, low enough to where Aeric could hear it despite the low hum of a million conversations happening around them. His hand shook, wrapping tighter around his own. "I'm scared that it'll mean we were never supposed to break up."
"Maybe we still were," Aeric said, the first time he tried to take all this as something that was meant to happen. If they didn't break up, then Aeric wouldn't have his amazing job at SolarTech. It meant Ian might not have become a teacher. Honestly, he'd never know what would have happened if they tried to still make things work in college, if he'd still be an engineer or if he went pro. But here they were now, at this crossroads together. When he leaned in, so did Ian.
It'd been six years since they last kissed, but the years melted off like they'd never happened. There was the added little tickle coming from Ian's goatee, but the sweetness was still there, the sincerity and all the feelings they just couldn't express into words. It wasn't their first kiss, where Ian had to learn how to tilt his head to meet properly. Now Ian took initiative in the kiss, his free hand cupping Aeric's jaw gently with the reminiscing taste of Bad Elf IPA on his lips.
Ian bit his lip as he pulled away, his shoulders tense. "We're really gonna do this, aren't we?" he asked, chuckling.
"Well, gods, I missed this," Aeric replied, reaching over to down the rest of his beer. "You wanna get out of here?"
Immediately Ian nodded, taking his hand from Aeric's just so he could finish his beer, too. "Gods, yes. Let's take the rest of this flatbread home and close out the tab. Your place or mine?"
"Yours," Aeric answered right off the bat. "My place is a shithole and I've barely started unpacking."
"You got it." The pace this was all going, this flurry of emotions rushing through his belly had Aeric's heart racing, and he could barely process his shaking fingers closing off his tab, putting the flatbread in a box as he and Ian got up together, clasping hands as they surrendered their table to a gnome couple that just arrived. But he registered Ian's shy smile, the shaky, almost teenage way they giggled down the street, floating past blocks that Aeric tried to relearn. He was so engrossed in Ian, however, that it was all just a blur, from running down concrete blocks, to the relatively decent apartment complex even closer to the bar than Aeric's place was. The only thing he remembered was the hot kiss in the elevator once the doors closed and Ian quickly pressed the button for the eleventh floor, realizing this was the first time Ian could actually pick him up without the aid of magic.
And it was still a flash as they made it to apartment 113, Aeric chuckling as Ian's shaky fingers fumbled with the keys. A standard, neat one bedroom apartment. He'd take the time to look through it later. For now, after putting the flatbread in the stainless steel fridge, Ian pushed him onto the comfortable, navy sheets, and it didn't matter whether this was their college dorm, or his room way back in the day.
When Ian leaned in and kissed him, Aeric was home.
"Remember when we tried that one move back in college and almost broke your bed?" Aeric chuckled, reminiscing as he nuzzled himself more into the crook of Ian's neck. Hazy sunlight peeked in through the blinds, and it was far later than either of them wanted to admit as they woke up together. But given how much time they spent "catching up," that was understandable. Aeric traced his fingers down Ian's arms, fascinated by the bumps of bicep and tricep muscles that hadn't been there before they broke up, getting to know Ian again through touch, since his eyesight had only gotten worse over the years.
"Oh, my gods, I think I almost had a hernia!" Ian started to laugh, playfully slapping Aeric's chest. "To be fair, it was still our freshman year. We were still getting used to everything. This bed, on the other hand... I mean, I invested in only two great things: a good desk, and a good mattress. Both of which I use pretty extensively."
"Trust me, it's way better than what I have." Aeric yawned, lazily draping his right leg over Ian's to cuddle closer. "It's always such a quick move whenever I get sent to another city, that I guess I'm just used to living so minimalist now."
"Well... you mentioned something about your apartment being a shithole. Guess we made the right choice, coming here." Ian's fingers traced lazily down his abdomen. A whole night together, and yet it was like learning each other all over again—Ian in particular. Aeric might have slimmed down a bit, losing some muscle, and with Ian gaining, it's like they met somewhere in the middle now. Once his fingers got to Aeric's right hip, Ian sat up a bit, looking down. "You still have it."
"Hm?" Aeric followed Ian's gaze, to the three rune letters he'd had permanently etched into his skin. He must have missed it earlier, when they were still in the dark. Well, obviously when Ian got his Phoenix Gem tattoo, he had to get something, as well. And, as the naïve, fresh-faced college starter he'd been at eighteen... he'd gotten Ian's name tattooed in rune with this idea that they'd be together forever.
And no other guy he'd hooked up with had been able to read it, anyway, so he was able to get away with having such a cheesy tattoo for years.
"I couldn't get rid of it," Aeric admitted lowly. Sure, one drunken night after a relatively bad hookup from a rival player had him considering removal, but... the pain from getting it removed probably wouldn't be as bad as how awful he'd feel if it wasn't there, almost like a twisted security blanket. "Maybe one day I just hoped..."
Ian leaned in and kissed him, shutting him up. "We're in way better places now than when we broke up," he said. "I'm not just saying this because the sex was nothing short of amazing—"
"Nice to know we haven't lost our stride," Aeric joked, interrupting him briefly with a smile. "But yeah, go on."
"—but, I've been thinking about it. And... I'd really love to give us another chance. See how it'd work now that we're adults who file taxes and have our own health insurance plans."
"And no sports whatsoever to keep me preoccupied from you. We both work 9-5s, Monday to Friday. And time to actually work out together and cook together..." Aeric sighed, content. "I think... maybe this might all work out for the best. You know I'm in it completely."
"Speaking of 'working out'..." Ian smirked, his hand grasping Aeric's hip since it was already down there. "I wouldn't mind going for a... what round were we on again?"
"Honestly, I lost count." Aeric shook his head, laughing. "But it's the weekend, and I wanna spend every second of it getting to know you again." He pecked Ian's lips, realizing that he hadn't been able to stop smiling since that first kiss at the bar last night.
"I do, too, Aer," Ian sighed, leaning in for a deeper kiss.
As he wrapped his arms around Ian's neck, pulling their bodies flush, Aeric promised himself he wouldn't let this go ever again.