Ethan
Waking up to a jostling train wasn't ideal, but then again he wasn't supposed to be sleeping in the first place. Ethan opened his eyes warily, and then relieved to see he didn't miss his stop. Though it wouldn't be all together the worst. His time was his own now. With being between jobs for a nice and rare spell, he planned to jump around from Cole's place in the city, Anna's in the country, and Washington. Maybe even take a breather someplace on his own. He had to admit that wasn't his skill though.
Since it wasn't, he was looking forward to getting to Cole's. His father had also mentioned he'd be in New York the same time, and Ethan wanted nothing more than the company of his two favorite guys. Especially given his recent foray into the dating scene. He and Gabby had gone out a handful of times in LA when he wasn't on location, and when he'd let her know he was going out of town to see his family, she had expected to come with. For a few moment's he had wondered where he had gone jerk and led her on that far, but the tantrum that followed cleared that up real quick. Thinking of Gabby and the way too dramatic end, Ethan took out his phone with a grin and called up his most recent text to Anna.
(E) I'm not sure when I'll be your side. After that performance I need a breather from your gender.
(A) What makes you think I want any part of yours? Stay over on that corner of the state.
Shaking his head, he pocketed his phone again, rubbing a hand over his chin where the bottle Gabby had tossed at him had connected. The few days of growth he had going would probably disguise a mark but Christ was it irritating. He didn't look for the one, but he thought he got the hang of looking for someone to spend time with that was on the same page.
As the train announced his stop he forgot his trouble for a few moments, eager to get to Cole's.
Ethan didn't even notice the rain as he walked the rest of the way to the building. One of the few advantages of where he grew up. He was pleased to note that it was warmer than he was expecting for early April. It seemed the east coast was getting a break with early spring. His mood felt lighter by the time he got out his key and started his treck up the stairs to the apartment.
Before he could reach for the door it was opened by Keith, Cole's roommate.
"Brad!" Keith exclaimed.
Ethan grinned at the old nickname as he walked in. On his first meeting with Keith the guy had decided Ethan looked exactly like Brad Pitt, and would one day stunt for him. A day Keith anxiously waited for.
"How's it going Keith?"
"Amazing. I was just headed to meet Mark for lunch before his shift, but now…."
"Don't piss off the boyfriend on my account, I'll be here a while."
"I need to hear all the celeb details." Keith insisted as he patted his pockets for keys and wallet.
"You will." Ethan tossed his duffle on the couch and plopped down in the chair.
"Alright then. Well nothing whatsoever is in the fridge, but Leo should be home any minute. He's been trying to catch some shot up a roof not far from here. He'll be there if he's not off seeing that girl. You might remind him it's his turn to shop. There's a good boy. I'm off!" And with that Keith flew out.
Ethan chuckled as he took out his phone and texted Cole.
(E) Leo, Keith has informed me it is your turn to do the grocery so I guess that's what we're doing once you're free if we want to eat this week. You coulda gone earlier you inhospitable shit. –Brad
(C) Or. OR. You could go since your lard ass isn't working r/n.
(E) When you're right you're right. I'll bet the lovely Hayley (Or has she gotten her Keith moniker yet?) would accompany me. We can bond over the frozen food section.
(C)…Reese.
(E) Ahhh Ms. Witherspoon. Well now I know who to look for.
(C) I'm on my way.
Ethan set down his phone and dusted his hands off in a job well done. Keith mentioning Hayley reminded him of his other reason for visiting. Cole wasn't going to be able to hide her away for long. It was the first time he'd ever sounded this way over someone, and Ethan felt honor bound to tease as well as learn as much as he could about that development.
Deciding to be productive while he waited, he took his bag to the guest room which doubled as his storage in lieu of an apartment of his own. He tossed the things he thought he'd need around the room and in the bathroom, then tucked the duffle in a corner. The place looked the same as it had during his last visit in January, but as he walked back towards the living room he caught a glimpse of Cole's room and stopped.
He'd known it was there. Hanging on the small corner of wall next to the bed. It had gone wherever Cole lived since they were seventeen and it was made. He walked a step into the room to look at the painting he often avoided.
The canvas showed little sign of age or all the moving through the past eleven years. The background was a melding of different colors, in a stark geometric style. He knew Anna often mimicked that blending technique when she herself painted, though not with as harsh of lines. But over the colors Anna would often put a quote of some kind. This held images. To anyone else it would look like a painting the MoMa would pass off as abstract. To the three of them and those who knew, it was the beginning.
In a triangle formation was a juice box in one corner, a swing in the other midflight, and on the point a tree with a book sitting under it. Ethan lifted a finger to trace the juice box, sighing as he looked at the swing and tree. As his finger lowered to the signature on the bottom, his throat tightened. He could still remember that hesitant smile as she turned over the canvas to show him. How he teased that he wished he had a better symbol than a juice box. She knew he was joking, just like she knew what it meant to him that she would make it. And what it meant to Cole to open it that birthday. He hoped wherever she was she knew Cole kept this always.
The sound of the door buzzer snapped him out of the memories trying to push in. Running a hand over his face he backed out of the room to answer. Cole's voice came through the intercom.
"I'm not saying I forgot my key…"
Ethan rolled his eyes as he slapped the open button.
As Cole bustled in Ethan felt the last of the dark mood drift away and reached out to take one of the camera bags himself.
"Jeez son, how many of these do you need to shoot one roof?"
"I'm not shooting the roof, I'm shooting a garden on a roof a few buildings down from the building next door. I'm trying to get the right angle from the ledge and can't get the light right though without manipulating it, hence the different lenses not cameras." He carefully plopped the bag down as his head fell back.
"You'll get whatever shot is in your brain, you always do nerd."
Cole smiled at him and tapped a fist on Ethan's jaw before heading to the kitchen. "That stubble look is sexy my friend, but it's not hiding that bop you got there."
"We don't talk about that." Ethan leaned on the doorway. "Keith said there's nothing in here."
"He's not wrong." Cole closed the fridge and looked back. "Shit, are you all settled here, how was your trip? Man I'm out of it."
"Twitterpated."
"Might be. But you're good?"
"So good."
"Then what's wrong with your face?"
"I told you. We don't talk about that."
"Be a smart ass and I won't buy you waffles." Cole shrugged.
Ethan glared and thought it was one of the times he missed when Cole was more shy and quiet. Now he took no shit where his friends were concerned. "The shiner incident paired with your twitterpatedment had me in my memories, that's all. No. See." Ethan walked over and lightly smacked the side of Cole's face. "That's why it should be left alone, don't go getting a face on about it, I'm fine. Knock it off."
"Your face wasn't fine, my face isn't fine. What do you expect?"
"When you get like that it's why Keith calls you Leo." Ethan sighed. "Cole. I'm going to get in my memories from time to time. Anna is too. Nothing is wrong with that and it doesn't mean any of us stop moving on. We've made that crystal clear with you."
"I know."
"When I was twitterpated did you ever get upset with me?"
"No."
"That's right. Knock it off. I'm pumped about this. I can have a moment and still be pumped." Needing that to be it he grinned. "Besides. She could be the next one."
"For the love of God." Cole turned to rap his head against the fridge in tune to a knock on the door.
"There she is now!" Ethan yanked open the door and then rushed to slam it, only to have it kicked back. "Wrong she. Get back witch!"
"If one of you doesn't grab one of these bags so help me I will make the tussle of 02 look like a freaking toddler tantrum." Anna seethed, two groceries in one hand and a wheeled suitcase in the other.
Cole took two and kissed her cheek. "Not like I'm not glad to see you but how the hell why the hell?"
"I thought I was going to be earlier but I ran into Keith on my walk up and he said you didn't have groceries. In a weak moment I retreated. There are more in this." She dropped her backpack on the counter with a sharp thud. "God." Anna rotated her neck. "I haven't done that since college."
"I don't think he meant the food Anna Jane." Still, Ethan rubbed at her shoulders before she could roll them.
"Don't get all huffy cuz I'm encroaching on man time." But she tilted her head so her cheek tapped his hand. "I'll only be here til Saturday night. By request of the delightful Hayley Gillies."
"What now?" Cole froze in unpacking the food.
Anna nudged Ethan aside and boosted herself up on the free counter to give them some space in the narrow room. "She emailed me and said since Ethan would be here for a while she imagined she would end up meeting him and didn't think that was fair and that if I wanted to come I could bunk with her."
Ethan patted a beat on his heart as Cole shook his head and muttered. "It's starting. They all told us to set boundaries and did we listen?"
"Oh hush, I'm staying right here and letting you two squabble over whose stuck on the couch."
"Me." Ethan interrupted. "Since when are you Ms. Spontaneity?"
"Since my boss has been hounding me to use more vacation time anyways aaaaand you were going to meet her first." She waved it away. "Can't have that." Anna smiled at Cole. "Could you possibly continue unpacking that, there's ground chuck in there."
Still stupefied Ethan shook his head and did it himself. "Seems a worthy reason to have our man time, as you called it, infiltrated."
Cole nodded in agreement then in one step hugged and lifted Anna off the counter. As she laughed, Ethan wrapped his arms around the pair of them and held all he'd ever need.
