Chapter Text
“I’m going to do it.”
Ezekiel’s eyes darted up from the parade of ants he had been observing for the past few minutes.
“And that is…?” He inquired, head slightly shifting on his forearms which laid on the table. Golden eyes scanned the redheaded girl he shared a meal with mere moments ago. In her eyes was a sense of renewed vigor, one that was more obviously displayed by the clenched fists she raised into view.
“I’ll confess to Ophelia by the end of the week!” Blaire suddenly stood up as she exclaimed, the basket of fries on the table shifting as her legs collided with the wood. With a slam, her palms laid flat on the surface and a heart-shaped smile on her lips.
“I’ve got it all figured out.” Dragging the “all” in a lilting tune, she closed her eyes and smugly huffed.
Does she now? Ezekiel felt one corner of his mouth twitch and he brought his head up, shoulders hunched as he kept his arms rested on the table. He briefly lowered his gaze to the still large pile of cooling fries in between them (how was he supposed to know this diner’s “large” was enough to feed a whole town?) and placed one in his mouth.
Ugh, this desperately needs honey mustard. Or any condiment really. Chewing on the fry, he glanced in the direction of their waitress. Immediately regretting it, he shot an outwardly confident smile in her direction. Her eyes had already been on him. The energy that came off their food runner was… unsettling, to say the least. Choosing the lesser of two evils, (not to be mean, she just really freaked Ezekiel out) he stayed put in his seat.
Turning his head to face his tablemate once more, he regarded Blaire for a moment and wondered where this newfound confidence was coming from. He made sure he had swallowed the entirety of the food in his mouth before speaking.
“Do you now?” He vocalized his thoughts, “What gave you the push?”
Blaire tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear that had escaped due to her sudden movements earlier. Almost conspiratorially, she covered her mouth with a cupped hand and gestured for boy to come closer with the other. Ezekiel obliged but not before rolling his eyes at the excited girl.
“You.”
Pulling back with an inquisitive brow, Ezekiel crossed his arms. Blaire followed suit, tittering as her back reunited with the maroon cushions of their booth seats.
“You and Mason are so frustrating to watch!” Blaire explained, “I don’t want us— er, Oph and me, to end up like you two.” Blaire flushed at her verbal trip and gingerly picked up a lukewarm fry in the midst of her words, pointing it at her conversation partner.
“What?” Ezekiel’s brows furrowed together; confused smile plastered on his face, “What do you mean by that exactly?” His gaze pointedly avoided the redhead’s eyes, redirected to the trail of ants that were transporting tiny granules of sugar up the wall.
It was Blaire’s turn to roll her eyes, immediately noticing the boy’s evasiveness. “C’mon, Zeke.”
Said boy huffed, clearly disturbed. Blaire let him ruminate in silence and gave him a patient expression. However, the silence did not last long before her face scrunched in displeasure as she realized they had run out of dipping sauce.
“Can you get us more mayo and ketchup please?”
“Do it yourself.”
“But the waitress gives me the heebie jeebies,” Dramatically shivering, she attempted to put her hands together, fry held between her pointer and thumb. Ezekiel gave her a flat look that only exacerbated her pout and begging.
“Pleaassseeee—” Immediately silenced by a single finger to her lips, Ezekiel raised his free hand to call the server’s attention.
In a blink, the off-putting woman was their tableside.
“May I… help.” Large pupils shifted from Blaire to Ezekiel, hands flat at her sides. The tall and imposing woman stood still as a statue, uniform swaying unnaturally. Peeking out from her front pockets were the tip of a pen and a small notepad.
Ezekiel swallowed his nerve subtly, although that subtlety was second-guessed by how the woman’s eyes honed on his throat. Putting on his most charming smile, he upped his charisma by tenfold and shook off his unwarranted anxiety. This was just a person, who happened to have a different… disposition than other people. He tilted his head to make eye contact, her stare swiftly connecting with his. He noticed the flecks of gray at the borders of her mostly dark irises.
“Hi, yes, we would like a refill,” He smoothly said, pointing at the empty condiment vessels. “Just mayonnaise and ketchup please.”
Seemingly weightless, the waitress near floated her arms to place several packets from her pockets on the table. Her long, seaweed-like hair fell from her shoulders as she returned her arms to their original position. Ezekiel smelled a hint of charcoal and… petrichor(?) as she drifted closer to his side of the booth.
“Will that. Be all?” She asked, the single question split into two statements. Ezekiel tried not to question this internally, lest she knew how to read minds. Suppressing the shiver down his spine, he briefly looked at Blaire. The latter began utilizing her prized condiments, though he saw the goosebumps forming on the girl’s bare arms as she tried to avoid their food runner’s gaze.
“I’ll pay now. Thank you, beautiful.” The compliment fell naturally from his lips. He really hoped she didn’t mind, or they would have to say goodbye to the best milkshakes in town. Blaire threw him an amused look over the menu. He saw the unspoken question in her azure gaze, really?
“I will return. Shortly.” They watched as the girl literally hovered away, her unusually long skirt concealing her gait. Mindlessly, his hand ran through his hair as he turned his attention back to Blaire.
“Thank you, Zeke!” Said redhead beamed, her smile easing the tension in his shoulders slightly. Still, some remained as he shot her a look that reminded her of his query. Deep down, he knew what she meant, he just wanted confirmation.
“He’s—” Blaire started once more, thoughtfully pausing to choose her words, “He’s really into you.” Her pitch dropped in its conclusion, clearly all she was certain to say on the matter.
Ezekiel’s eyes widened, accompanied by a dubious choked out laugh. He shook his head and once again ran a palm through his hair, slower this time. Mason is “into” him. Obvious enough to be noticed by Blaire, of all people. The same girl who was oblivious to the several passes he had made at her on their first meeting. The same, sweet-hearted Blaire, who did not realize that Ophelia was more than 100% going to reciprocate her affections, should she choose to act on them.
Reciprocation. Right. Ezekiel, of course, was not blind to the other boy’s infatuation with him. How could he not notice when he himself was similarly enamored with Mason? The fluttering sensation in his stomach made that clear when Blaire first said her piece.
He had known the blond boy for quite some time. Their chemistry was undeniable. Yet something stirred deep inside Ezekiel, something he was sure would taint Mason’s brilliant smile or his kind eyes, kept preventing him from crossing the line. In some ways, he was grateful for that. It reeled him in when he teased the other boy on occasion, stopped him from leading him on; The last thing he would ever want is to hurt Mason. At the same time, it was the cause of many sleepless nights, egging on his greedy desires and fantasies. A double-edged sword that convinced him that he needed Mason, but Mason didn’t need him.
Their waitress returned, as promised, and left their receipt at the table along with a small basket for their payment. Temporarily breaking the tension, Ezekiel left the right amount of bills and asked for their leftover food to be put in a bag. His tablemate knew this was the end of their lunch date and gave him a grateful smile as she folded her hands on the flat surface.
“Do you think you’ll ever tell him?” She asked carefully, as if her words would crush the boy. Frankly, they could’ve. If confessing to Mason meant losing their connection, he never would. He would rather bear the burden of his love alone than destroy them both with it.
“I’m not the right person for him.” His voice didn’t betray him, years of experience made sure it never will. With a shrug, he stated, “I would just ruin him.”
Despite the weight of his words, his face remained carefully neutral, bordering on content. In turn, the sadness in Blaire’s expression was palpable, the corners of her lips tugging down into a slight frown.
“Says who?” Blaire reached for his arm still on the table but stopping short a few inches, waiting for the boy to accept.
“I do.” He pulled away, “Now, let’s get going, hmm? Wouldn’t want your girlfriend to miss you.”
Casting an easygoing smile, he stood up from the booth and wordlessly waited for the girl to follow suit. Unable to shake away her pity, Blaire abruptly stood up and forcefully took him in her embrace. The short girl wrapped her arms around him tight, as if to tell him that she’s here for him in any way he needed. Ezekiel was shocked. His heart ached at the surge of emotion overtaking him.
“I can’t breathe, Blaire.” He spoke with ease.
“You deserve to love too.” Her slightly muffled voice reached the boy’s ears, her head pressed into his chest. Ezekiel placed his hands on her shoulders, gently prying her off him.
“Please know that.” The redhead’s voice rang clear as she pulled back but not enough to let him go. Her eyes were glassy, and Ezekiel felt another pang in his heart.
“Okay, okay. If it means getting you to not cry.” He said sardonically as he gave the girl a slight smirk.
“Zeke, I’m serious!” Blaire pouted and resumed her tight hug once more. Ezekiel sighed as thoughts swirled in his head. He thought about the logistics, the consequences, and the ever-tempting desire to be with Mason. Maybe…
“Fine,” The girl’s head perked up at his response, “I’ll think about it.”
I always think about it.
It seemed like his admission of partial defeat was the key to the girl's happiness. Blaire was back to normal. With a megawatt smile on her face, she cheerfully exclaimed, "I believe in you!"
He couldn't help but snort. "Corny," A genuine smile of his own began blooming on his face, "But thanks."
Blaire finally released him, “Of course.” The redhead observed Ezekiel’s face. At the surface: a mole-decorated visage and a charming smile, but she looked deeper and watched him process what she had just told him. The tension in his shoulders was gone. It seemed that she got through to him, at least a little. She was glad for him.
She hooked her freckled arm around his own and marched them to the door. Ezekiel obliged out of habit, his other hand grasping their to-go bag of fries. It was time to move on. Blaire earnestly wished happiness for her two friends. Perhaps wishing for luck with her own affairs as well.
They left the diner, cool breeze brushing against their skin.
“I think that waitress had a crush on you.”
“What?”
“She kept going near you and I think I saw her blush when you complimented her.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“She put her number on the back of the receipt.”
“Enough…”