Chapter Text
"Do you want to move in together?"
"No, I-- what?"
Elliot stared at his boyfriend. Yes, Tyrell was his boyfriend, and he was going to repeat it as many times as it took for him to get used to the concept. In his mind only, of course. For Angela and Darlene, Tyrell was still simply Tyrell. His best friend and sister knew about the relationship, Elliot hadn't made an attempt to hide it from them, but he did actively avoid discussing it with anyone. That did nothing to stop Angela's casually dropped hints of double dates and Darlene's blunt he any good in the sack’s.
Tyrell ignored Elliot's startled reaction and continued: "Think about it, it actually makes a lot of sense. You don't like coming to my place and it's pretty inconvenient for me staying at your place. I mean that I'm almost never able to stay for the night and I have to bring several sets of clothes for the next day... well, you know how it is. We could find a place that suits both our needs."
It sounded like a practised speech, confident but not forceful, hiding the conscious effort to sound nonchalant.
Tyrell let out a small sigh: "Anyway, don't give me an answer now, just think about it, okay?"
Elliot nodded and they both turned their focus back to the dinner before them. Outwardly, that was. Inside, Elliot's mind had gone into overdrive.
He wants to move in with me? Do I want to move in with him? He must be unhappy with the way things are right now and I had no idea. What else am I missing?
Had he looked up for a second, he would have noticed Tyrell picking at his salad, stealing glances at him.
They eventually left the restaurant without finishing their meals, Tyrell settling up with the waiter as usual.
"Text you tomorrow?" Tyrell asked him in lieu of a goodnight. The light from the street lamps made him into all sharp angles, the ideal of Manhattan money.
"Yeah, see you," Elliot answered and accepted a brief kiss before leaving. He had a lot to think about.
Tyrell watched him disappear into the subway.
---
Lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, Tyrell was considering the dinner and his proposal. He didn't regret it, it was a good idea and he had thought it through many times over. Elliot's reaction had been a normal one. Tyrell had surprised him completely out of nowhere, in a situation like that anyone's first response would be a rejection. That's human nature.
Or maybe he didn't tell him enough? Tyrell had more than a logical reasoning for wanting to move in together. Sure it was tiresome leaving Elliot's side when he would have loved nothing better than to close his eyes and fall asleep right there on the dusty couch. Yet above this was that he wanted to live with Elliot, wanted to share his space as much as Elliot allowed, wanted to breathe his air. Had he even told him that?
Tyrell reached for his phone, it read 23:55. Elliot was probably still awake, but if he wasn't, Tyrell didn't want to wake him.
Tomorrow I will tell him.
---
Elliot woke up a few minutes before his alarm went off. He checked his phone - no new messages - before getting ready for work. As he was hurriedly munching his cereal, he recalled the previous night.
Tyrell rarely stayed overnight since he couldn't risk being late to his super important job and even during the weekends he was usually on business trips across the States, and further. Elliot could see why Tyrell thought it inconvenient coming to his place, on such a schedule. However, actually moving in together could prove pretty difficult for Elliot. He had never lived with anyone like this before and he was a man who valued his personal space. What if he couldn't handle being around Tyrell that much, what if Tyrell grew tired of his anxiety and moodiness? Right now, he looked forward to spending time with Tyrell and he didn't want to lose this feeling.
Elliot checked his phone again and realized he was going to be late. Gideon wasn't going to like it.
---
-Lunch?
-sure. meet me at tom's at 12?
-see u there
Tyrell hit "send" on the last message and headed for his next meeting. He may have to leave early to make it to the diner in time but he could allow it with these people.
"Mr. Wellick? Mr Knowles asked for you. He's in conference room two." Diane, his secretary, was waiting for Tyrell outside his office.
Tyrell swore inwardly. "Thanks. Adjourn the 11 o'clock meeting, will you?"
He was not looking forward to seeing Scott Knowles. The fucker always acted superior to Tyrell when they were actually of equal positions. The worst thing about it was that they had to pretend being friends, when Tyrell was ready to stab him in the back the first chance he got, and knew that Scott knew it and would do exactly the same to him.
"Scott! How's it going?" Tyrell offered the man his fakest smile and shook his hand.
"Tyrell," Scott responded airily, "take a seat. I'm doing great by the way, thanks for asking. Sharon and I just got back from our ski trip to Sweden. That's where you're originally from, isn't it? A beautiful country, can't lie. You must miss it."
Tyrell smiled tightly. He had not gone back home since he left it 12 years ago and he didn't miss it, he was too busy for such things.
"I doubt that you wanted to meet me just to share your holiday adventures. I'm afraid I'm rather tied up today so you're going to have to get straight to business."
Scott smirked: "Alright then. Did you know that Terry Colby is going to get fired?"
"Yes, I'm aware of it," Tyrell lied. Terry Colby was a moron whose position at the company both Tyrell and Scott desired. His demotion would not have come as a surprise but a sacking? Something must have happened, something Tyrell did not know yet. I'm getting too lax.
Scott was watching him closely: "Well, then you must also know that it's going to be one of us who gets his job. I don't want things to get nasty between us, so I propose that you tell Price that I'm the best candidate. You understand, right? I know that you've worked hard to get this far but so have I and honestly, I've been here longer than you."
Tyrell was incredulous at Scott's statement. There was a threat, a well-hidden one, but it was definitely there. Tyrell should not have expected anything less.
He said: "Of course I understand, Scott. And you must also already know my answer."
They stared each other down for a few long moments before Scott stood up and turned to leave.
"Well, I don't want to take up any more of your precious time. It was nice seeing you, Tyrell."
"You too," Tyrell replied without getting up from his seat. "Give my best to Sharon. I'd like to see her again."
Scott stopped on his way out and looked back, his face unreadable. "I'll tell her that. You know, you should come have dinner with us some day. You and... Elliot, right? We're dying to meet him." Scott took a moment to savour the look on Tyrell's face.
"Have a nice day," he then said and left.
Tyrell hadn't told anyone about Elliot. Not because he was ashamed or anything stupid like that, he just had no reason to. His private life was his private life and it had nothing to do with his job. Tyrell felt disturbed because of the way Scott had said Elliot's name, slowly and deliberately. He was not going to get away with this. Tyrell was going to beat him to Terry Colby's position, there was no way around it.
---
Walking towards the restaurant, Elliot was still unsure if he was ready to take the next step with Tyrell. When they had first met three months ago, Elliot had only recently got his life together. Tyrell didn't know this but there were still days and nights when Elliot was fighting himself to keep his hands off morphine. Having Tyrell around helped since it gave his mind something else to fixate on, his hands something else to reach for.
Yet there was another factor behind Elliot's uncertainty. He didn't actually know Tyrell that well. Perhaps it was enough that he knew the worst in Tyrell. He was essentially an egomaniac and a sore loser. His whole life revolved around his status at a company that only made him into another faceless pawn, obsessed with wealth and ownership, ready to do anything for power. That's why Elliot found their mutual attraction somewhat confusing. He had hated Tyrell at the beginning, the way he hated everything Tyrell stood for. He had hated himself as well for wanting Tyrell despite everything. Elliot had not told Tyrell this but he probably knew anyway. And now they were in love.
It helped that Tyrell was an incredibly attentive lover, selfless and devoted. He often initiated kisses and tender touches but he never took things further, even in the most heated moments, until Elliot made the next move and gave him a direction. Only then did Tyrell take the lead again to give Elliot exactly what he wanted. This was imperative for Elliot as there were days when each touch charred his skin, made him flinch and he couldn't bear any intimacy.
Tyrell knew that he was seeing a therapist for his anxiety and mood disorder. Elliot was going to tell him about the drugs too, one day, along with everything else.
---
The restaurant was busy as it was lunchtime but the booths offered enough privacy and quiet for a serious conversation. Tyrell found Elliot waiting for him at the furthest table from the door. Elliot gave him a small smile as Tyrell sat across him, and Tyrell felt immediately more reassured.
"How's your day going?"
"Pretty good," Elliot shrugged, "I was late for work but Gideon arrived even later so it was all good."
Tyrell chuckled and signalled for the waitress. "Have you thought about my proposal?"
"I have. And found an oversight in your plan."
The waitress came to take their order and Tyrell waited until she left before continuing.
"What do you mean by oversight?"
Elliot took a deep breath and said quickly, "Even if we found a new place for both of us, it would still be yours, and I would be the one moving in with you. Since you're the one with sufficient means, unless you're willing to significantly downgrade from your current living conditions..."
"Elliot, stop," Tyrell interrupted, "yes, you're right, I haven't paid much attention to it but that's because it's not important to me. My apartment or not, that's just the paperwork, it would still be our place."
"No, it's not just the paperwork, it's money as well. Your money, and I don't want to be... dependent on it."
"Elliot, you won't be. Are you worried that I might use it as a kind of leverage? Is that what you really think of me?"
Tyrell leaned over the table for a better eye contact, "I would never do that to you, Elliot."
He leaned back again and continued in a milder tone, "All in all, it's your choice now and I don't want to pressure you into agreement, I just... would like to give it a shot, alright?"
He didn't want to say anything wrong so he shut up instead. The waitress returned with their meals but Tyrell had lost his appetite. He watched Elliot staring at his fries, eating them one by one. He was half-way done with his food when he looked up again.
"Alright," Elliot said. Tyrell raised his eyebrows.
"I want to move in with you, too. I want to try it." His voice was calm and steady, and he was looking straight into Tyrell's eyes.
Tyrell was beaming, "Really? You're sure?"
Elliot smiled slyly, "You're not having second thoughts now, are you?"
"No! I'll start looking for apartments as soon as I get back to work."
They finished their lunch sharing their visions of an ideal apartment and location, it was an easy-going conversation. The memory of his earlier encounter with Scott Knowles was completely out of Tyrell’s mind. Before they went in different directions on the street, Tyrell made a point of kissing Elliot longer and deeper than he usually did in public. His boyfriend blushed and gave him a bashful smile, a bit embarrassed but happy.