Pierre had never been in more of a bind than he was now. He was short on cash and he owed his supplier more than he'd like to admit.
He should've known better than to avoid paying in full. If he'd just paid everything off at once, he wouldn't be in such deep shit.
He'd tried his damndest to keep himself calm but he couldn't do it anymore. The more time that passed, the more dire his situation became.
He'd been driving around all day, unable to get a hold of any of his other clients. Most of them didn't answer and the ones that did didn't have enough money to splurge or couldn't risk buying right now.
He slammed his hands on the steering wheel before deciding to pull into the parking lot of a nearby coffee shop. He'd need some fuel if he was to continue on the way he had been lately.
He made his order in a haze, stuffing the coupon into his pocket as he searched for somewhere to sit.
He'd noticed a blonde and a brunette in one of the booths. They were very attractive but he didn't have the time to try and flirt with either of them.
Even if he did, he'd be trying to get the blonde alone. He'd always had a preference for the short chicks. Not only that but the brunette seemed sort of pregnant. He didn't need to get into that mess. He wouldn't be anyone's stand in for a father. Mostly because he'd probably make a pretty shitty one.
He shook his head and continued past, somewhat relieved that they were unaware of his staring. He didn't need to be accused of being a freak. But something stopped him in his tracks.
"Erik's been doing a lot better. I'm still weary as he doesn't really talk about...his inner thoughts and worries but..." The brunette shrugged.
Erik? His Erik? The Erik that couldn't stay away from morphine if his life depended on it?
It was a huge risk but at this point, not trying anything would be an even bigger risk at this point. He'd just have to be smart about how he approached this.
The blonde was just about to speak when he backtracked towards them and offered them a winning smile.
Which probably didn't seem that winning as his front tooth happened to be chipped. But that was honestly besides the point.
He laid his hands down on the table, his rings clinking against the wood. It affectively cut off the cuter woman and they both turned to look at him.
"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt ladies. But I accidentally overheard you talking about an Erik. He wouldn't wear a mask, would he?" Pierre drawled lightly.
The blonde stared at him, her brows furrowing. The brunette seemed more uncomfortable, one slender hand slipping away from the table to cradle her baby bump.
It almost seemed like a protective gesture. It probably was. But she had nothing to worry about. He didn't hurt pregnant women. He did have some lines that he wouldn't cross after all.
"Yeah...he does. I'm sorry...but how do you know him..? I don't think he's ever mentioned anyone like you to me." The brunette finally finds her voice again.
Which is a relief. The cute one was actually starting to make him uncomfortable with all of her staring. He felt like she was trying to see his soul or something. For that reason, he resolutely avoided her gaze.
"Ah, of course the ass wouldn't mention me to his pretty little lady. I'm Pierre. We go way back. If you could ask him to call me, that'd be great." He leaned forward slightly, trying to seem as imploring as he could manage.
"Christine.. " The blonde interjected, her tone seemingly nervous.
She was becoming less and less attractive by the second. He chanced a glance at her out of the corner of his eye to see that she was shifting awkwardly.
God, he hoped her behavior wouldn't ruin this. She wasn't pregnant. He could hurt her all he liked and not feel any guilt whatsoever. But he didn't want to.
The brunette waved her off and offered him a sweet smile before nodding.
"Of course I will. Just give me your number, please. If he hasn't mentioned you, I doubt he still has it." Christine agreed.
"Good lass. Let me just write it down and I'll get out of your hair." He relented, searching for a pen in his pocket.
Raoul nuzzled lightly against Erik's shoulder, clenching his eyes shut. One of them had forgotten to close the curtains again. The sun seeping through the blinds was almost impossible to ignore.
"I know. It sucks. We should've done something about that before we crashed." Erik uttered, his voice raspy and thick with sleep.
As always, the older man's morning voice sent shivers down Raoul's spine.
He didn't say anything right away, simply tightening his arms around Erik's waist when he leaned against his chest more heavily.
"We really should've. I just wanna enjoy being able to hold you but the sun is making it impossible." Raoul mock whined.
A deep chuckle was his only response and he kissed the shoulder he'd just nuzzled against.
An almost comfortable silence filled the space between them for quite awhile. It wasn't awkward. It felt right. Perhaps they'd needed this more than they'd realized.
Eventually, Erik rolled over to face him. The older man cupped the side of his neck with one long fingered hand, lightly stroking it with his thumb.
"Christine will be back soon. Maybe we should make the most of the time we have left together." Erik purred huskily.
Raoul leaned closer, leaving barely any space between their lips. He let one of his hands slip lower and lower.
"How do you think we should do that?" He teased.
His only answer was a kiss. Which was fair. It was really too early to be a tease.
Christine could have their attention when she returned. If she came back early? Well she could have herself quite the show.