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Chapter Text

    "…and now for 120 minutes of your favorite rock and alternative music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Be sure to tune in at 6am for Mid's Manic Morning Show where she'll tell you if your relationship is worth fixin' or if it should get chucked into the bin. 'Til next time, darlings, this is Cid signing off."

    He turned off his mic and pulled off his headphones as he leaned back in his chair. Greagor's Tits, he needed a better outro along with everything else. He pulled out his smokes and lit one up, damn the fire code and all. It was his show that paid the bills apparently, so why can't he smoke in the booth?

    "That show was really phoned in tonight, wasn't it?" Mid asked as she came into the booth to get set up.

    He gave a shrug as he took a drag.

    "Have to save up the flirtations for next week, yeah? Lover's Day and all that."

    "I can't believe you actually agreed to go on a blind date. You sure about this, Dad? I'm sure we'll raise plenty of money without you having to do that."

    Ah yes, the charity event they were holding next week for the Waloed Wayward Youth Initiative. It was something Cid himself deeply cared about and didn't mind putting himself out there to raise as much money as possible.

    "Think of it as using a carrot to lure a horse to water. If we say a date with yours truly is the big prize then why wouldn't it work? Besides, you and Gav'll help me pick someone decent I'm sure."

    Mid just gives a sigh as she sat down in the chair across from him.

    "You and your schemes. Just feels like you're selling yourself is all." She was worried about him, bless her. It melted Cid just a little bit and he reached over to pat her hand.

    "It'll be alright, love. You know how grateful I am that the Initiative brought me to you. I'd do anything to help them in return."

    Mid gave a little laugh and shook her head. She patted his hand in return.

    "Okay, Da, but don't get carried away."

    Cid gave her a wink as he finished his cigar.

    "Wouldn't dream of it."

    "…this is Cid signing off."

    Clive turned off the radio then and gave a quiet sigh. He had finally finished his closing duties at Mythos and was ready to go home. It had been a long night and he knew that next weekend would be even worse with Lover's Day.

    He pulled out his phone and texted Joshua that he was ready to come home.

    He turned off the lights and locked the door, lost in thought. When was the last time he even had a date for that holiday? Clive certainly couldn't remember. Dating was…a lot for him, always had been. Nothing to worry himself with now.

    As he waited outside the bar for his brother, Clive put on his headphones and opened up tonight's episode of Cid's podcast to listen to it again. There was something about the man's voice that was soothing to him, like rumbling thunder that rattled Clive's chest in the right way.

    He refused to call it a crush or an infatuation. So what if he thought Cid had a nice voice? Sometimes it was good to hear something pleasant when he was alone after hours. It certainly was nicer to hear than the shouting and random bursts of singing he heard from patrons.

    Joshua pulled up then and he got into the car. This was another thing that Clive had grown used to, a part of his routine that made him feel safe and comfortable. His brother didn't say much as they drove home and Clive was grateful that he could just decompress from the night.

    "…and just as a heads up, we start our Lover's Day charity week tomorrow evening. This year's charity of choice is the Waloed Wayward Youth Initiative, a program that seeks to find homes for orphaned and displaced children. Be sure to call in during-"

    A gentle nudge of Joshua's hand to his shoulder roused Clive out of his stupor.

    He turned off the podcast and put up his headphones to regard his brother.

    "You should let someone else close up for a change. I'm sure they'll let you have a few days off if you ask," Joshua was saying as they got out of the car.

    "You know Barnabas doesn't like putting anybody else on closing duties. He likes the way I work," Clive murmured tiredly as Joshua unlocked the door.

    His brother's lips pressed into a thin line as he pushed open the door. They've had this conversation about Clive's boss numerous times and it never got them anywhere. The tips Clive made were too good for him to just quit, so he put up with Barnabas and his tendency to overwork his employees.

    "Could have at least given you Friday off…"

    Clive chuckled a bit as he turned on a few lights before replying, "And do what? You have a date that night so I would just be sitting here alone in our house. I'll be fine."

    Joshua knew there was no winning with him and just smiled as he patted Clive's shoulder.

    "Alright. I won't keep you up any longer tonight. Goodnight, Clive."

    "Goodnight, Joshua."

    They gave each other a quick hug before Clive went upstairs to strip himself of his work uniform.

    As he let the scalding hot water cascade over his shoulders, Clive's mind wandered back to Cid. Why take Lover's Day off when Cid was working that night too? The host's ASMR special on that holiday was always…invigorating.

    Realizing his thoughts were drifting towards something unclean, Clive shook his head and turned the water to cold immediately. Couldn't have that now…

One Week Later

    Clive shouldn't have made the bet. That was bloody stupid of him. Damn his luck and damn his coworkers for putting him up to it.

    "…fine. What do I have to do?" He asked with a deep, resigned sigh as he cleaned glasses behind the bar. Lover's Night had gone without a hitch and for that Clive was grateful. Now if only he could get rid of his coworker so he could close up for the night.

    "You have to call into that radio station you listen to every night."

    …what? Call into 101.6 The Levin? Absolutely not-

    "You're bloody joking." The very idea of being live on air at all let alone with fucking Cidolfus Telamon made Clive immediately want to run away and lock himself back into the closet he only just got out of a year ago. "I'm not doing that."

    "A bet's a bet, Clive." Founder above, he really didn't like Leon or his stupid friend Robin.

    It was at that moment that Clive really wished he had taken Joshua's advice and asked for the night off prior to this.

    Damn it all.

    He crossed his arms over his tight-fitted button-down and gave his coworker a firm stare.

    "I will do it but only after hours. You know Barnabas hates us tying up the phone." There. Simple. He could at least call without having these two idiots sniggering over his shoulder.

    "Alright, but I'll be sure to tune in to hear you make a fool of yourself on that bloody show. It's Lover's Day, maybe that host will pretend he wants to shag you." The casual jab at Clive's sexuality didn't go unnoticed but Clive only tightened his jaw as he watched Leon and Robin walk out of Mythos.

    Barnabas himself walked out of the back and watched as Clive began to clean the empty tables. Clive never really liked his boss but he paid well and let Clive keep more of his tips than most establishments did.

    He expected the other man to bid him goodnight or to add an additional insult to Clive but instead he felt a hand at the small of his back and heard a whisper in his ear.

    "Shame you are alone on Lover's Day like this. My offer still stands."

    Clive did everything in his power to not freeze or give any sort of knee jerk reaction. He kept his eyes on the table he was staring down at as he wiped it down.

    "I believe your husband is waiting for you with a Lover's Day gift of his own," he finally replied quietly, trying to not give away how uncomfortable he felt.

    Barnabas just huffed quietly and backed away. Clive would give him credit, at least Barnabas didn't want to catch too much of an obvious sexual harassment charge.

    "Whenever you change your mind, you know where to find me." And with that, his boss left with a slam of the door.

    Once Clive was sure he would be truly alone, he went over to shut off the OPEN neon sign and lock the door. Finally, he leaned his forehead against the frame of the door.

    He wouldn't let himself cry. He wouldn't let himself get angry. He needed this job. He needed to just take whatever he was given so that he and Joshua could make it.

    After a few deep breaths to recenter himself, Clive gently pushed himself off the wall and walked to change the radio station to The Levin.

    Right…the phone call. He needed to prepare himself for such a difficult task. He never thought he'd see a night where he would call Cid's show.

    After he changed the channel, Clive pulled out his phone to look up the number to the station. He tried not to notice how his hands shook a little bit as he looked at the station's website. He caught a glance of a photo of The Levin's staff and immediately spotted Cid himself.

    Fuck…what a handsome, rugged sort of man. It was like staring at untamed wilds after ascending to the top of a mountain and wouldn't Clive like to climb-

    Right. Phone call. Now.

    Clive poured himself a shot of whiskey -fuck keeping his own tab- and then dialed the number.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile…

    Cid was glad that this was the last night of the contest as he was exhausted from listening to caller after caller trying to win him over for this date. He's had so many callers every night with most of them either trying too hard to be sexy or they projected their idolization of him onto the date.

    He was tired and he was regretting this entire thing before the contest was even officially over. Oh well, at least it would just be a one-off date and then he could move on.

    "Time for one last caller, Cid," came Otto's voice from the control booth.

    Thank Greagor for that.

    Cid pulled on his headphones again and turned on his mic. He rolled his shoulders as the music began to fade out and he turned his radio persona back on.

    "Welcome back to the show, darlings. We're heading towards the last stretch of our Lover's Day marathon and we have just enough time to squeeze in one more entry in our contest to win a date with yours truly."

    He pushed a button to tap into the phone line and cleared his throat.

    Here they go, one last chance for someone to actually sway him and save this from being a waste of his time.

    "Good evening, darling, tell me what your name is and where you're from."

    "My name is Clive and I'm from Rosalith."

    Oh…that was different. A deep, raspy voice with a quietness to it that was soothing to Cid's ears. All week he had been hearing women yap in his ear in their excitement. This man seemed…shy.

    "Well, Clive, colour me intrigued already. You know it's not often I get men calling into the show. Are you a regular listener?" Cid began to drink his water as he waited for Clive's response, leaning back in his chair.

    "I am. I put you on when I'm working."

    "Interesting…working late nights when you should be home in bed. You must be a bit lonely calling in tonight, love. Tell me what your perfect date would be."

    Moment of truth. So many callers had taken this as an opportunity to impress him with their knowledge of information he's shared about himself on the show or to be explicit with no sense of decorum.

    Cid tensed as he waited for the male caller's response.

    "Well…I suppose I could start with picking you up for breakfast. There's a little café I like to go to that has the best apple strudels in Rosalith. It opens early, so we could get strudels and coffee as the sun rises and watch people go by. I'm not good with small talk but maybe you could help me with that," Clive began, the hesitation in his voice apparent as it echoed in the studio.

    "Then we could either go to one of the beautiful lakes in the countryside and take a dip or we could…we could go to the markets in the city. It's lovely this time of year, actually, there's so many fruits in season right now." Clive's voice seemed to drift off a bit before coming back.

    "After that, I suppose it would be time to grab a lunch. If we stay in the city, there's plenty of quiet places where we could hide and just talk. Or if we go out to the countryside, I can make sure to pack us a picnic and we can lay in the grass to dry after our swim." Wow…options…that sounded lovely.

    "Regardless of what we do, I will take you back to your door and bid you goodnight. I would tell you I had a wonderful time and hope that you did as well. I wouldn't assume you kissed on the first date but I wouldn't protest if you did. I don't believe either of us are too old for a bit of a cheesy romance." Here Clive chuckled a bit nervously.

    "But…that would be it…yeah…something much more quaint where neither of us would feel the need to impress. How does that sound?"

    Cid was…speechless. The studio was completely quiet other than the gentle hum and buzz of various equipment. Everyone in the studio was slack-jawed. Even Clive was finally quiet over the phone.

    Where the fuck has this man been hiding? Cid had never heard someone give out such a beautiful, sincere, earnest date proposal in his life.

    It didn't occur to Cid that he hadn't responded until he caught Otto waving at him through the control room window.

    Finally Cid leaned closer to the microphone and said, "I'll be ready at 6."

    There's a burst of activity after that.

    He heard Mid's exclamation of "Da!" and Otto rambling in his ear about how "This was a contest, Cid" and Gav laughing from the sidelines and Clive mumbling about "Did I say something wrong?"

    None of that mattered to him now. All Cid cared about was this soft-spoken and thoughtful man on the other end of the line. Fuck the contest, he needed to see this man in person.

    "…I hope you win, Clive from Rosalith because you bloody well made me swoon just now. I guess even this old heart can still get butterflies."

    "Fucking hell, Cid," he heard Otto grumbling in his ear, "End the call already."

    He ignored that as he heard Clive give a breathless chuckle over the line. He wondered if the other man even realized how sexy that sounded.

    "I suppose I'll just have to see. Have a good night, Cid." The line went dead after that and Cid was left with his mind in a fine scramble.

    Was it possible to get blue balled over the phone? As Cid shifted in his seat and found himself suddenly grateful that there was a desk in front of him.

    His mind was fuzzy and his stomach jittery as he went through his usual speech to end the show before turning off his mic.

    "He's the winner, I don't care how any of you lot feel about it," he declared as he pulled off his headset.

    "Da, we need to run a background check-"

    "Cid, the public doesn't even know you're-"

    Cid just waved them all off as he lit up a cigar.

    "I make the rules of the contest, I pick the winner. He was the best entry, why shouldn't I pick him? Think of my personal needs, guys. I should want to go on a date with someone who actually put in some bloody thought about the whole thing, right?"

    Otto just sighed and Mid looked at her father with worry.

    "Don't be reckless, Da. Let us at least run background on him first before you decide to call him."

    Cid chuckled.

    "Oh trust me, I think he knows he'll have to wait a little bit before we call him and tell him he's won. I do care about my personal safety sometimes, you know. Besides, waiting a little bit will just make it all the more exciting."

    Cid took a drag.

    "And if he turns out to be crazy, then at least this will forever be a highlight of the show."

    Clive hung up the phone and he was shaking as he grabbed the bar counter.

    He did it. He actually did it. He called into Cid's show and described a fucking date he would like to take the man out on.

    And Cid had been speechless.

    Clive's heart was trying to break free of his chest and he touched it to make sure it was still there. His breathing was equally rattled as he felt the panic well up.

    What the hell did he get himself into? There was no way Cid would pick him for a date -did Cid even like men? He never said as much on air.

    "It's fine…he'll pick someone else…he just…didn't expect a man to give that kind of answer."

    It was all a way to justify and rationalize how exposed and insecure he felt. He had really shot his shot on air with who knew how many people listening to the show. Fuck.

    His phone buzzed on the counter and he sees Joshua's name across the screen.

    Clive finally shook himself out of his panic and picked up.

    "I'm ready to come home, sorry to keep you waiting. Just had a few extra things to take care of tonight. Did your date go well?"

    "It did, I'll tell you about it in the car. I'll be there in ten."

    After hanging up, he closed his eyes and let himself decompress a little longer before finishing up his closing duties.

    It was alright…Cid would pick a woman that would make the station look good and that would be the end of it. Clive was content with that, at least he got to say he overcame a fear of his and got to call his favorite radio show.

    But he still felt a tightness in his chest as he thought of how speechless Cid had been, his unsteady breathing music to Clive's ears. He thought of how Cid hadn't cracked a joke or flirted with him but said he would be ready at 6 for their hypothetical date.

    Did he have a chance after all then?

Chapter Text

    It took five days for the background check to come back clean and as Cid looked over the paper that Mid had printed out for him, he adjusted his reading glasses as he caught where Clive Rosfield worked.

   Mythos? Ahh…well…that was an interesting development. His mystery man working for his ex -what the hell had Barnabas been to him anyway?- made Cid think that the world was too bloody small.

    "No wonder he listens to my show at work," he grumbled, trying to make a joke as he tried not to think too much about the implications. Did Barnabas know that one of his employees listened to his show and put Clive up to the phone call? No, that didn't sound like Barny's MO as Clive had been much too sweet over the phone.

    Still, Cid found himself getting up and going over to a small cabinet in his office and grabbing the wine he kept in there for special occasions…or for times like this when he felt too tired to think. He opened the cap as he sat down heavily in his desk chair and took a swig straight from the bottle.

    The very idea of Barny coming back into his life was not something Cid ever wanted to think about again. The restraining order was still firmly in place last he checked but Clive being this close in proximity to his last mistake was a bit too much.

    It really did throw a wrench in Cid's plan to choose Clive as the winner for this date but it wasn't the boy's fault. Fuck, he was calling him boy already…not that the age gap bothered Cid, Clive was almost thirty and could clearly think for himself.

    Cid took another drink as he set down the papers and leaned back in his chair. He had joked about his personal safety when it came to this date but it was always something to consider given the damage Barnabas had done to him. His left arm ached at the memory and he flexed it instinctively.

    It would pay him well to be cautious and pick someone who wasn't even slightly associated with Barnabas…but thinking about the beautifully quaint date Clive described over the phone made Cid feel hopeful for the first time in ages. Cid had never been thought of as a cautious man.

   Putting his reading glasses back on, he leaned over to grab the phone off the desk before dialing the number on the paper left for him attached to Clive's background check.

    Clive was at home for once when his phone rang unexpectedly on the kitchen floor. He banged his head on the dishwasher he was trying to repair as it caught him off guard.

    Joshua was at his own job today and had the car and there wasn't anything either of them had scheduled for another two weeks. Barnabas wouldn't bother him for at least another two to four hours.

    He grabbed his phone and didn't recognize the number and he would normally ignore unknown numbers but he found himself answering it. Years later, Clive would still be unable to give an answer as to why he took the call.

    "Hello?" His voice was more guarded, trying to sound more calm than he actually was. He loathed being on the phone as it was harder to disguise his anxiety.

    "Clive Rosfield?"

    He nearly dropped the phone as he immediately recognized who he was on the phone with. This couldn't be happening…

    "Cid?" He couldn't hide the shock in his voice as he accidentally put the phone on speaker and now the kitchen had the heady sound of Cidolfus Telamon chuckling filling its space.

    "Yeah, it's me, lad. Did I catch you at a bad time?" No, actually, he caught him at the perfect time.

    "My brother isn't home." Clive wanted to hit himself.

    "Ah, is that right? Well, I hope your brother is alright with me talking to you then. Should I ask his permission to take you on this date?" Cid teased as Clive found himself blushing already.

    Wait-

    "Is that why you're calling? I…I won the contest?" He didn't want to believe it. Out of all the people Cid could have picked, he somehow picked Clive?

    "I would have called you anyway, truth be told. That date you described was bloody perfect. You listen to the show, you heard all the other entries surely. Why wouldn't it be you?"

    The self-deprecation was on the tip of his tongue. He couldn't possibly live up to whatever expectation Cid now had of him. He had overstepped, over promised and now-

    "You still there, love?"

    Oh…he could get used to that.

    "Yeah! I mean…yes, I'm still here, Cid." Founder, why was he like this? Why couldn't he pay attention and respond like a normal person?

    "I was saying that as much as I like the sound of your ideas, unfortunately the sponsor of the contest decided that our date would be at a restaurant of their choice. I know it's not the most exciting thing in the world but at least we don't have to worry about the bill, yeah?"

    A restaurant, Clive's worst nightmare. Restaurants were all colour and noise and people in close proximity-

    "Still with me, Clive?" The question was gentle with a hint of amusement rather than annoyance. "You remind me of my daughter, you know. Her mind sometimes wanders too and I have to bring her back on track."

    Clive could feel how hot his face was now. He had to remind himself that Cid wasn't mocking him but rather letting him know that he understood. It wasn't a bad thing, he wasn't bad.

    "A restaurant is fine. When and where are we going?" Now he was thinking about clothing and if he needed to take off work and if he needed to ask Joshua to borrow the car and-

    "L'Alexandre. Not my usual place but if the sponsor wants to pay for you and I to go there then I suppose it would be rude to turn down free wine." Cid was clearly trying to make this sound like it would make the date easier for them both but he didn't sound thrilled about it either.

    "I suppose it would be…so when do I meet you over there?"

    "Dinner reservation is at 6:30 this Saturday. I told them to put it under my name and to give us a window view. That alright with you?"

    "Yeah…that's alright. I can get my brother to drive me there." He hoped it didn't sound extremely lame that he couldn't drive himself.

    But Cid didn't mention it and instead just hummed in confirmation on the line. It made Clive feel a tightness in his stomach as the sound filled his kitchen.

    "Sounds like a plan then. I'll see you Saturday, love."

    "See you Saturday."

    After they hang up, Clive let himself grip the counter top before he jumped as his brother entered the kitchen. It was obvious that Joshua had overheard the entire exchange.

    "Was that a date I just heard about? Are you sure you want to go?" Joshua was lightly teasing him but the seriousness in his eyes was also apparent. They both knew Clive's reservations about dating and that it had been so long since he even entertained the idea.

   "It's…It's a good opportunity. At least I'll get a free meal out of it, right?"

    His brother gave a bit of a smile as he looked over Clive.

    "…that place has a dress code. Dion and I can help you make sure you're put together."

    "Oh…joy…" But he couldn't help but smile at Joshua's apparent enthusiasm at the idea of helping his brother clean up for a date.

That Saturday Afternoon

    "At least do up one more button, Da." Mid sounded exasperated as she looked over him.

    "What's wrong with this?" Cid looks at the deep purple dress shirt he picked out for the night. "This is one of my nicer ones and I even tucked it in."

     "But three buttons, Da? This is a first date, innit? Can't be givin' away everything." Mid reached out to button up Cid's shirt before smoothing it out.

    Cid just shook his head as he adjusted the cuffs. Leave it to his daughter to pay more attention to details than him. He would never admit to anybody that he was nervous. This was his first date since-

    "Da? You alright?" Mid's hands stopped him from fidgeting anymore as she held them in hers.

    "I'm alright, darling. Just hope he isn't hideous." Jokes were so easy to fall back on even though his daughter knew better. It was better than talking about it, better than confronting the things he was still afraid of.

    Mid snorted a bit as she stepped back and looked him over. She gave a bit of a head shake and said, "If you looked at the photos of him that I did when I looked at his brother's socials then you would know he's anything but hideous."

    "Ahh, but then the anticipation and mystery would be ruined, wouldn't it?"

    "He's a contest winner, Da, not somebody you're meeting naturally. Pretty as he is, he might not even be your type once you sit down with him." She was too right there but Cid wasn't known for being picky.

    As Cid grabbed his reading glasses off the nightstand and pocketed them, he found his hand shaking already. Dammit, he didn't need tremors tonight.

    "Guess we'll have to see." He told this to himself more than Mid, who got on her toes to give him a peck on his cheek.

    "Don't scare him too much, Da. He's your date, not mine."

    Cid just laughed and shook his head as he grabbed his car keys.

    "I'll be home late. You be good while I'm gone."

    "You behave too, Da. Don't do anything I wouldn't!"

Meanwhile

    "I can't believe Dion found a shirt that fits you." Joshua's hands were smoothing over the dark red button down Clive had been put into. It was the nicest shirt Clive had ever owned and he tried not to look uncomfortable in such a tailored and fitted piece.

    "He didn't have to do this…"

    "Nonsense, he's more than happy to. If you're going on a date with a celebrity-

    "I would hardly call Cid a celebrity-"

    "Regardless, it's the first date you've had in so long and judging from the pictures I've seen of this man I have no doubt you'll look better than him without even trying."

    At this, Clive huffed and gently pulled away from his little brother's fussing.

    "Are you trying to boost my ego or tell me I have bad taste in men?"

    Joshua grinned and replied cheekily, "Two birds with one stone, as it were. Now let me brush your hair so it doesn't look like an actual bird nests there."

    Clive stood still as he let Joshua lightly brush his hair out and style it a bit. Joshua was the only person he let touch his face ever since the accident that scarred him. He still flinched even now and his brother gave him a sad smile.

    "It'll be alright, he'll be so distracted by your eyes and smile that he won't even notice."

    He appreciated that Joshua was trying to make him feel better about the scar tissue across his cheek but it was something he was deeply insecure about. There was a reason all the photos of him from the last ten years were taken at certain angles.

    "Let's get going before I'm late. Wouldn't exactly be a good first impression, would it?"

Chapter Text

    Cid was on his second glass of wine as he waited for Clive but he would never admit to anybody that he was nervous. He was just getting himself loosened up to meet a fan, that's all it was. He had to be the charismatic radio host and not the man who was currently trying to hide the tremor in his left arm by hiding it under the white tablecloth.

    He thought that maybe he should have looked at a photo of Clive to know who he was waiting for as he tried not to fidget. Did he get here too early? Was Clive going to stand him up? Was he overthinking everything?

    Years later, he would insist that he had no idea what made him look up when he did and he met the eyes of the man approaching his table. 

    Summers he spent as a child on the coast in his father's fishing boat came to mind as he found himself lost in those deep, rich waters again. He could hear the waves crashing against the cliffs and his own boyish laughter as he swung his feet off the bow as the wind whipped at his hair and their sail.

    How long had it been since he thought of his homeland? How long had it been since he thought of any remnant of his past with fondness?

    Cid found himself giving the man a fond smile as Clive finally made it to their table. He tried not to stare at the way the beautifully tailored shirt the other man was wearing fitted his pecs and how it matched the colour of the wine in his glass as he lifted it up in greeting.

    "Here's our lucky winner," he said teasingly, "And here I thought I was going to be stood up."

    Clive's expression immediately turned into one of worry -fuck that was doing something to Cid's chest already- and he murmured, "I wouldn't dream of it. My brother actually broke the speed limit to get here and nearly gave me a heart attack."

    Greagor, this young man was much too sweet. Cid had no doubt that this man before him was the same person he had spoken with over the phone.

    "Then perhaps I am the winner here to have someone so thoughtful. I do apologize again that we couldn't do your date idea instead." He watched as Clive sat down across from him and he tried not to continue to stare at his face. 

    "You said this wasn't your type of place either. Have you even been here before?" Clive mumbled this as he shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable here. Cid watched as the younger man looked at the menu as if it were in another language.

    "…once but it was a long time ago." It was his anniversary with Barnabas and Cid's fingers twitched as he briefly thought about that night while his gaze shifted to look out the window. It was a beautiful night in Port Isolde and they had a perfect sunset view like Cid wanted.

   There was a silence for a moment as if they both knew what Cid was hinting at. Fuck, where was their waiter? He needed another glass of wine.

    Cid already felt like he had struck out. Fuck.

    Clive didn't drink and he kept having to insist to the waiter that he only wanted water. He was grateful that the restaurant wasn't too noisy and that there were things on the menu were written plainly.

    He lifted his head to watch Cid look at the menu and noticed how the older man was squinting at the menu. There was a peek of glasses poking out of Cid's breast pocket and Clive wondered why Cid wasn't wearing them.

    "…the menu is hard to read, isn't it?" He asked this softly as he looked from the menu to Cid's glasses.

    The other man gave a small hum as their eyes met again and Clive nodded at Cid's breast pocket. He seemed to take the hint then and chuckled as he took out his glasses and put them on.

    "Do they make me look like a dashing gent?" Cid joked while Clive had to remember to breathe and not say something completely idiotic.

    Clive was never good at flirting.

    "They make you look more refined, yes. I would mistake you for a teacher and not a radio host." 

    "Ahh, then perhaps I could teach you many things, Clive." That voice, that was the voice Cid used when he was on the air taking calls. It made Clive flush deeply that it was being directed at him.

    The waiter came by to save them and Clive was proud of himself for not stuttering as he placed his order. He kept his eyes trained on anywhere that wasn't the peek of Cid's chest. Seriously, did he want everyone to look at him? Was that chest hair-

    "Eyes on me, sweetheart."

    Clive's cheeks burned as he realized he had been staring and he forced himself to meet Cid's gaze. He felt ashamed for staring and he found himself confused when Cid just gave him a bit of a smirk.

    "You're a sight for sore eyes yourself. I should have known my date would come straight off the pages of a romance novel."

    "Surely you jest," Clive grumbled as he broke Cid's gaze and took a sip of his water. He was certain the older man was just being kind to him as there was no way to miss the scars on his face.

    "Might tell some jokes but I won't lie to you and I suspect you do neither." Cid downed the rest of his wine and set it down. "You were quite animated on the phone, so colour me surprised that you're this reserved face to face."

    "Forgive me for not matching your…energy." Joshua had always said Clive was a bit of a stiff board when it came to small talk.

    "Did I say it was a bad thing, love?" Cid's tone was softer as if he was well aware of the shaky ground he was treading on. "I don't mind coasting for a bit. We're just getting to know each other tonight. You suggested a date with no expectations, so why don't we just take a deep breath?"

    Oh…so they were both treating this like a real date. Fuck.

    Getting any lengthy answer out of Clive was akin to trying to break into the deepest vault in Sanbreque. Cid had been mistaken in calling the younger man "reserved" when it was clear that he wasn't keen on letting Cid any closer.

    It was alright, Cid could play a longer game. He hadn't expected anything out of tonight as it were, if anything he was glad that Clive was clearly not wanting to draw attention to them. Clive being absolutely breathtaking to look at also helped.

    He had lost track how many glasses of wine he had but it wasn't like he was a lightweight and he could always call Mid or Gav to come pick him up. Thank the sponsor for footing the bill.

    "So…your brother brought you here?" 

    This seemed to bring something out of Clive as the other visibly relaxed and there was a softness in his eyes.

    "Yes, my brother Joshua. He is much different from me and a bit younger."

    "Is that so? Is he a bit more energetic?"

    Clive shook his head before ducking it to look at his silverware.

    "Energetic isn't enough of a word, I'm afraid. He loves to tease me and he loves to go on tangents about his studies. He's studying at Phoenix Gate University right now."

    "Phoenix Gate…quite a prestigious university, isn't it? And quite a drive from here." How could someone like Clive work at a bar while their brother went to one of the most exclusive universities on the continent?

    He must have said something wrong as Clive clenched his jaw a bit.

    Cid was rescued by the waiter bringing their entrees and Cid another glass of wine. He definitely needed more of that coming.

    They began to eat in relative quiet and Cid was grateful that his right arm was his dominant as he didn't think he could eat with how badly his left arm was shaking right now. Dammit, was he really that worried about upsetting Clive?

    Sit up straighter. Don't embarrass me. I know you weren't raised in a barn.

    He found himself jerking upright as Barnabas's voice echoed in his head and he accidentally scrapped his fork across the plate in an ear-piercing pitch.

    Clive winced at the sound and his voice was unintelligible to Cid as his blood roared in his ears as he found himself getting g up from the table.

    "Excuse me…" Dammit, did his voice really sound that weak? He was better than this, this wasn't how he wanted his first date to go.

    He didn't catch the way Clive looked at him as he tried to hide the way his arm was going into full tremors and he had to grab it to keep it steady.

    Go clean yourself up and then come back to me.

    Cid wouldn't cry. He had learned how to stop crying and just keep smiling to hide his pain. But as he made it to the bathroom and locked himself into a stall, he couldn't breathe.

    What the fuck was wrong with him? It was a mistake going on a date, it was a mistake going on a date with a man who worked for Barnabas.

    You'll never be rid of me, darling. I'll always be the shadow that's right behind you.

    Before he knew it, Cid was hunched over and expelling the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

    His friends and brother always teased him about how Clive almost had a compulsion to help people but never himself. Clive was known to be a terrible liar and even worse at saying "no."

   It must be why he found himself following Cid to the bathroom despite the alarm bells going off in his head that something was off.

    He winced as he heard the telltale signs of someone being sick as he entered the men's restroom. Was the date really going that bad?

    He went to the only occupied stall and gently rapped his knuckles on the door.

    "I'm alright, lad, just too much to drink." Cid's voice was raspier than normal but in this instance, Clive couldn't help but feel pity.

    "That didn't look like that to me. Are you sure you're well?"

    He heard Cid chuckle and shift around on the floor before he retched again.

    Clive moved to the sink and wet a few napkins before coming back to the stall door. He found himself kneeling on the floor and tried to peek under the door.

    "…will you let me in?"

    There was a pause before he heard the door unlatch and Clive gently pushed it open. Cidolfus Telamon, radio host and star of Clive's recent fantasies, was a wreck on the floor. There was mess on his face and beard, his shirt was beyond rumpled, and his eyes were wet with tears that refused to leave.

    Clive ignored the way Cid still tried to keep up appearances as he gently grabbed the older man's chin and began to carefully wipe his face. It was a familiar act of care that he used to do for Joshua when they were children and so he didn't think of how intimate it must be for him to do this for his date.

    Their eyes met as Clive finished and he flushed as he realized he was cradling Cid's face. He promptly dropped his hand and went to stand before helping Cid get off the floor.

    "Apologies-"

    "None needed. You're a real sweetheart after all."

    Clive's heart was pounding at the compliment as their eyes met and he saw a single tear run down Cid's cheek.