Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1 – New Starts
December – One Year Ago
Well. This was it then. The brand new start. It was what he had always wanted. And now, after years of unhappiness, he finally had it.
So why did it feel so... empty?
“Stede... Can you please move your little tush, like now?”
He was standing frozen outside of the block of flats, gripping a cardboard box carefully labelled “Clothes – Summer”. Behind him, Lucius was red-faced and grunting, carrying the (much bigger) box labelled “Appliances – Kitchen”.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Stede blinked, trying to bring himself back to the moment. He had just travelled somewhere very far away inside his mind, although he wasn't quite sure where. “I was just... Gathering myself.”
“Well, gather some bloody boxes,” Lucius grumbled, pushing his way into the building. “I can't carry all the heavy shit while you just waft some shirts around.”
There was a reason Stede had asked Lucius to help with moving. Not only was he organised and incredibly driven, but he didn't take any of his boss's shit. It's probably why they had remained friends over all these years. Well, friends-ish. Friend-adjacent. Stede was fairly sure the second Lucius found a better offer and finally quit the antique shop, as he'd been threatening to do for the past three years, he'd never hear from him again. But still. Right now his help was all Stede had.
That was a slightly depressing thought. No offence to Lucius.
“Stede, come on!”
“Right, coming.” Stede finally picked up the pace, entering the building that was about to become his new home.
His first thought was that the entryway was... drab. Peeling, off-white walls, faded grey carpet, and that peculiar, vaguely unpleasant corridor smell that seemed to come with every block of flats in existence. He'd visited enough apartments in the past month to know it well. This place had been the best he could afford.
Oh well. It wasn't going to be as luxurious as his old house. That was part of the deal in exchange for his freedom. It was worth it. Everything was worth it.
Wasn't it?
“STEDE. KEYS.”
Lucius was already on the second floor, screaming down the stairs. The lift appeared to be out of order. Of course it was. Stede gripped his box tighter and made his way up, telling himself on an internal loop that this was all fine, this was great, this was absolutely lovely. He wanted this. He needed this. He was about to start a whole new chapter, he was...
“Woah, steady on mate.”
… walking slap-bang into someone.
He took a step back, reeling from the sudden impact. “Goodness. Sorry. I... I wasn't looking where I was going.”
His eyes flicked upwards. Standing in front of him was the most intriguing gentleman he'd ever seen. Big, brown eyes. A thick, greying beard. A one-armed leather jacket with tattoos covering every inch of his one bear bicep.
He was... beautiful.
“No worries.” The captivating stranger clapped Stede on the shoulder heartily. Then he glanced down at Stede's box with a smirk. “Just mind yourself. You don't want to ruin your summer clothes, do you?”
Was this man laughing at him? Stede suddenly felt deeply uncool in his floral shirt, knitted cardigan, and flared trousers. “Yes, well. I know my detailed labelling looks silly, but it never hurts to keep your wardrobe well-organised.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
The stranger nodded and began to walk off downstairs. OK, was that it? No heartfelt 'welcome to the neighbourhood'?
“Are you in this building?” Stede called after him.
“Sure looks like it, doesn't it?” the stranger called back.
The sound of the front door slamming echoed up the stairs. Stede stood there stunned. What an utterly rude man! Who did he think he was? Some kind of tough leader of a biker gang?
Oh no. Maybe he was a biker gang leader? Maybe Stede was moving into a building of dangerous miscreants and ne'er-do-wells? Maybe he was going to wake up tomorrow morning with a horse's head in his bed... Was it too late to run back to his old life?
“FOR FUCK SAKE STEDE, WHERE ARE YOU?”
Yep, definitely too late now.
“OK!” he called out in irritation. “I'm COMING.”
He heaved the not-so-heavy box up to the second floor where Lucius was waiting outside his new front door, tapping his foot. Alright, this was it. Home. He fumbled in his back pocket for his key and opened the door.
“Wow, this is nice,” Lucius announced, his cheery tone strained.
“It's fine, you can be honest,” Stede sighed. “It's not that nice. Not yet.”
The room was... functional. Beige. Unfurnished. Half the size of the room he used to share with Mary.
It had potential. That's what he told himself. Lots and lots of potential.
“No, no, it's great,” Lucius continued, still incredibly unconvincingly. “You just need to put your stamp on it.”
Stede pointed to the left-hand wall. “I was thinking of hanging some painting on this side? The Rembrandt prints?”
“Yes, that'll look fab.”
“And once I've got a new sofa it can go on this side.” For now, Stede was sleeping on an airbed, but he could visualise his future furniture so clearly and exactly where he would position it. “And right here in the corner I can have a great, big Christmas tree with lights and tinsel, the whole shebang.”
It was very strange to think about being here, alone, over the Christmas period. No Alma or Louis around to help him decorate this year.
No, he still had them every other weekend. He could wait until they were together. It would still be special.
It was all fine. Everyone would be much happier with this set-up in the long run. Mary even said he could come over for Christmas dinner as long as he left straight after dessert.
“Hey, what are you up to this Christmas?” he asked Lucius. “Do you fancy popping around in the evening for some eggnog and mince pies?”
Lucius could barely conceal the panic in his eyes. “Um, well, I was thinking of having a quiet one this year really, just me and Pete... But err... Um maybe...”
Oh goodness, he was being so imposing. He didn't want to be that tactless kind of divorced middle-aged Dad who forced his loneliness on everyone else.
Not that he was that lonely though. Not really. It's just he was so used to being around family, especially at this time of year, that he was going to need a bit of an adjustment period, that was all.
This was the right thing for everyone. He knew that. It was all for the best.
“Sorry, of course... You have a lovely day with your husband.” He coughed and looked down at his feet. “Maybe we could share a drink another time though? Housewarming?”
Lucius gave a tight smile. “Sure.” There was a long, awkward pause. “Shall we go and grab some more boxes then?”
“Right. Sure thing.”
They both headed back down to Lucius's car to grab more stuff. Stede suppressed a sigh as he surveyed the remaining contents. His entire life was compacted into a few flimsy cardboard boxes.
The bearded guy with the leather jacket was just outside the main building, smoking. Watching him.
Stede gave a small wave and a smile. He wasn't sure why.
The stranger nodded, stubbed out his cigarette, and went back inside.
He didn't bother to hold the door open.
Wanker.