Chapter Text
Another long summer had come and gone. Elias sat on the beach and stared out at the ocean, a melancholy feeling building in his chest. The late summer sun set gently over the horizon, causing the pier to feel as empty as his broken heart. It had been five years, and Elias was still hoping that David would come back. Internally, Elias knew it was just a silly summer fantasy to even think it would happen, yet he still yearned for that beautiful boy everyday. He practically counted the days until he'd see David again. Elias never left the city on the off chance David would return.
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It was late May 1989, and 15-year-old Elias Choi had just been hired on as a summer seasonal at the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier carnival. His dad was a mechanic and had gotten him the job as an assistant maintenance hand. Mr. Choi and the maintenance manager had played baseball in high school and college together, so Mr. Drake hired Elias as a favor. All he had to do was grease gears, straighten the tracks, replace lightning fixtures, and tighten any loose bolts that would pop up. In exchange, Elias would get some pocket change and free access to the carnival. A fantastic exchange, really. He usually finished all his tasks really early in the day.
Elias smoothed his slightly overgrown, wavy black hair and unzipped his light blue coveralls to the hips, tying the arms there. Grease covered his forehead, face, and arms as he stepped back from the teacups.
"All set, Mr. Drake," Elias barked back in his soft Appalachian accent, wiping the sweat that was accumulating on his forehead. He sauntered over to the older gentleman. As he stopped, he placed his left hand on his hip and used his right hand to fan himself, wrench still in hand.
"Thank you, Eli. Here's an extra tip," Mr. Frank dug his wallet out of his back pocket and retrieved a crisp five dollar bill. "Just printed it this morning."
Elias smiled, taking the cash and pocketing it. "Thanks, sir."
"You're free to walk the boardwalk if you'd like. Clean yourself up first."
"Yes, sir. Thank you sir."
Elias walked over to the bathroom at the edge of the pier and went to the sink. He scrubbed his hands and arms under the far-too-freezing water that flowed from the sink. There was flush in one of the stalls behind him. Max Shim stepped out and stood at the sink with him. Despite the age difference of almost four years, Elias and Max had bonded over their shared Korean heritage and love of sports and music. Max acted as a sort of mentor for Elias. Max had come home this summer to fund his life while on break from college.
"Hey, Eli," he said, squirting soap into his hands. His dyed brown hair was gelled back out of his face, a few pieces threatening to fall out of place. He wore a green t-shirt he'd cut the sleeves off of tucked into loose fitting jeans.
"Hey, man. You working today, too?" Elias shook his hands into the sink and retrieved a paper towel.
"Yeah. I have a small break from my shift. Those kids are crazy if they think I'm giving them a prize for barely grazing the bottle. You have to actually get the ring around the neck."
Elias laughed. "The audacity of children." He crumbled his paper towel into a ball and shot it into the trashcan behind Max like a basketball, making it. "Ah, nothing but net!"
Max dried his hands. "You ever think about going pro? You might have a career there."
Elias put his hands on his hips. "Maybe someday. I'm in junior varsity at school, and hoping to make varsity this year." They walked out of the bathroom.
"I think you can do it. I believe in you."
Elias rubbed the back of his neck, a blush creeping up his neck. "Thanks, man."
Max clapped a hand onto the younger, but not much shorter, boy's shoulder. "Of course."
They made their way through a small sea of carnival guests back toward Max's ring toss booth. Elias gazed at the man next to him. He didn't know what his sexuality was, but he knew he liked men, and found Max very handsome. Maybe not enough to date him, as he was just a bit too old for him, but it helped that Max was so boyishly handsome.
"So, Eli, you have a girlfriend yet?" Max asked, breaking the silence.
Elias blushed. "I don't really think about that."
"Come on. All men think about girls."
"Do YOU have a girlfriend, Max?"
"This isn't about me."
Elias shrugged. "I guess I never really looked. There's a cute girl who was in my physics class, but I don't know. I don't think she's that interested. I don't know if I'm all that interested. Clara Stevens. She's blonde and curvy and smiles brightly when I sing to myself. Her dad's navy, though, so she might be moving."
Max grinned. "Take a chance. You could do long distance."
"My mom doesn't make enough for collect calls across the states, or around the world."
"You could help with the cost with this job. And you can work during the school year."
"I dunno, man."
They stopped in front of Max's booth, and Max climbed over the short wall, settling into his stool in the left corner.
"You're only 15 once, Elias. Put yourself out there." Max crossed his knees and picked up the daily newspaper. "You've got a lot of charisma, and I'm sure you can get any girl you want."
"Max?" Elias asked, leaning against the frame.
"Hm?"
"What if I don't just like girls?"
Max shrugged. "Then get yourself a boyfriend. I won't judge you."
Elias sighed. "I knew you wouldn't." He turned his head and stared at the ocean behind them.