Chapter Text
Florian didn’t particularly “hate” social gatherings. They aren’t something he attends often, and aren’t anything he wants to make a habit of going to, yet he still holds a special kind of contempt for them.
He was preparing to decline his friend’s invitation. Florian knew very well that they planned to stay out until ungodly hours. He had schoolwork to do, which would be a much more efficient use of his night than seeing Richard flaunt his luxuries for the hundredth time.
That was until they mentioned there would be liquor. Hard liquor.
Florian piped up instantly at the mention of alcohol.
Now, that was definitely something Florian could get behind. He could practically taste it now! What’s the harm in taking the edge off?
In hindsight, he probably should’ve stayed home.
Florian was welcomed by drunken partygoers and greeted them in turn. After saying hello to a few friends and flashing his plastered smile to a few more he made his way over to the makeshift bar setup in the kitchen.
—
He may have drank a little too much. It was free, obviously, so he was trying to make the most of it. Though somewhere along the line of throwing back shot after shot he had definitely crossed his limit.
He could barely walk straight. Florian felt newly sensitive to the stuffiness of the dorm. The cramped college kids huddled around. The overwhelming alcoholic smell.
Florian ran a hand through his hair and over his bandages, wrapped tightly around the side of his face. He felt dazed and off balance. He shouldn’t stay much longer.
Florian notified a few people that he would go. Seeing as the clock was way past midnight, nobody really thought much of it. He was grateful for that. A small blessing.
He stumbled through the throng of people packed together. Florian felt his breaths growing heavy and a spiky pain blossoming in his temple. It was a miracle he had even managed to find his way to the door with how it felt like the room was constantly shaking. He shoved past a few people grunting angrily at him, not caring to look back.
He heard the door slam behind him as he took a second to take in his new environment. The air of the hallway stood in stark contrast to the dense, suffocating atmosphere of the dorm. It was light and breathable.
While he stood fixed at the dorm entrance, he took notice of a moving figure just around the corner.
Huh.
Was there someone else roaming the halls this late? Another party attendee?
Perhaps he should help them make their way back to their dorm. It would be tragic if something unfortunate were to occur to this poor individual. A smile creeps on his face.
He can help.
Florian finds himself skipping happily around the corner, seemingly recovered from his dejected condition moments prior.
Upon getting closer, he’s able to see a lanky, hunched boy idly mopping floors.
He had fairly disheveled dark hair, with sickly pale skin. He was dressed in a desaturated blue uniform, circling a spot on the floor with his mop. Next to him there was a little stationed cart with various cleaning supplies and antibacterials.
Florian makes his way over to the man in the middle of the hall.
He gives the man a little tap on the shoulder to notify him to turn around. The boy spooks and whips his head around instantly.
Florian smiles at him in return, unintentionally locking eyes. “Hello! I don’t believe i’ve seen you before. Do you need some help?” Florian’s grin grows brighter, offering the boy a hand to shake.
The boy lowers his gaze and timidly replies, “No, thank you… this is my job,” Dismissing Florians outstretched hand.
Oh.
Clearly, he missed the obvious signs here. What kind of student would be hauling around a giant cart of cleaning supplies this late? Well, no kind of student, obviously. He had to save himself the embarrassment here.
He tries to play it off with, “If I had to go around cleaning this late I would get pretty tired! Just wanted to know if you needed a hand,” Florian exclaims, unnecessarily gleefully. The cleaner shoots him a strange look, finally lifting his eye from the floor.
The guy was really cute. He couldn’t see well before, but now he definitely could. He had ragged burn scars covering the left side of his face and body which could be seen through his short sleeves.
The boy was missing his left eye. His eyelid was shut and textured with burns like Florian’s right eye, which he had to keep wrapped. He felt a silent connection between them, a shared experience.
Now he definitely had to “help” him out. Whatever excuse can get this boy to stick around longer.
It was starting to get awkward between them, so he was glad when the boy decided to speak up.
“N—No thank you, I’ll get into trouble if they catch me not cleaning. I need the money,” He stated casually. He turned away from Florian and continued mopping the floors, putting more effort into it this time.
He felt a frown shrink his expression. He had to ask his name. It wasn’t every day he met another survivor like himself. Money troubles can wait!
Florian caught the boys sleeve, causing him to turn back to him with a dim glance.
“Please, tell me your name? I know we just met but we share the same scars. I’ve never met another with my burns,” Florian explains, both hands having moved to tug on the (slightly) taller man’s sleeve.
The man’s eye darts around before settling on Florian’s hand, not sure where to look. He relaxes slightly and replies, “My name is Matthias… I-I’m not sure what you’re talking about—?” Matthias expresses dimly, looking lost.
He feels giddy. A perfect name for a perfect boy.
Florian’s hands move upwards to make work of his bandages, exposing his marred burns to the man in front of him.
He didn’t seem disgusted or upset. In fact, his face barely changed expression. Good. Great even.
“Do you see it, Matthias? Our mirroring scars. Your left, my right,” The lighter haired man whispered, as if it was a secret meant to be kept between them.
Never in his life did Florian imagine he would meet another survivor. He always knew such blazing displays of emotion existed elsewhere too, yet he had never found it.
Today, he’s found his golden ticket.
“I’m sorry? I am not familiar with you…” Matthias pauses, turning away from Florian slightly, seemingly gathering his thoughts. Florian’s hand stays intertwined with his.
“Florian Brand,” He helpfully supplies, smiling wide.
Matthias’s gaze is still downturned, struggling to keep eye contact. “Okay. Mr. Brand, I would like to get back to work so could you just… leave me be?” He explains, hopefully clear enough for this man pestering him.
Florian stares blankly, “Could I have your number then?”
Matthias jerks his hands out as a defensive response. “Excuse me?!”
—
Matthias caved.
Maybe it was the man’s expectant, sharp gaze. Maybe it was his unnecessarily energetic attitude. Maybe Matthias was just a wimp who couldn’t say no.
But Florian had his number now, and he sure as hell made use of it. Florian texted him the second he reached his dorm. He was hoping Matthias was still awake, mopping the floors while sadly hunched over like before. Luckily, he was.
Florian made sure to message Matthias regularly, not wanting the man to forget him. They had grown closer since the few weeks they met, Florian growing more and more comfortable. Eerily so.
Matthias knew he wasn’t imagining it. There was something off about him that he couldn’t explain. It was unnerving, like Florian had a scheme planned and wanted to drag Matthias down with him.
The first time he noticed something off about Florian was when he started visiting Matthias during his shifts “by coincidence.” Mind you, Matthias’s night janitor shift begins and ends in the AM hours of the morning. He had never told him what his hours were. How he obtained this information? He wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
Though the man could be pushy at times and quick tempered, he listened to Matthias. He always listened. Maybe it was a little selfish, but Matthias hadn’t spoken to anybody regularly since he began college. Having Florian to himself was like a blessing.
College had allowed him to get away from Louis, which in and of itself was wonderful. However, this left him stranded without money. He’s been working odd jobs to keep his tuition paid, his most recent settlement is being the school’s night janitor. It was enough to keep him from starving and his loans from piling up.
Meeting Florian on that janitor shift was God’s greatest and only gift to him. He’s never been favored by anything. Rather, misfortune seemed to trickle behind him wherever he went. This suboptimal meeting brought a new beacon into Matthias’s dull life.
Perhaps it’s a little cheesy, but Matthias can’t help it. He comes to find he doesn’t really mind the enthusiasm all that much.