Eli sat in silence throughout the ride to his home beside Aesop. He couldn't help but keep glancing over at Aesop. The tinted windows reflected all the light away. Aesop looked at the address Eli had typed out for him. Taking a sharp left turn, he turned into the street. Eli awkwardly muttered a thanks before getting out of Aesop's car. He fumbled in his pockets for his keys. He felt around, starting to panic a little when he couldn't feel the cold steel. Aesop was still waiting behind him, window rolled down.
"Something wrong, Eli?"
Eli nervously turned around and checked his pockets one last time.
"I may have left my keys in my desk drawer in the office..."
He was starting to feel nervous now. He would be burdening Aesop if he asked him to turn back to the office just to get his keys, but he would have no where to stay for the night.
"Sir...If you don't mind, could I borrow some money to get a cab?"
"Hm? What for?"
"Er...To head back to the office and get my keys."
Aesop chuckled and leaned over, opening the passenger seat door and gesturing for Eli to get in. The male sighed and got in. He promised himself he would buy his boss a coffee the next day. Suddenly he realised they weren't going back down the road to the office. He assumed Aesop was taking another route, but after a few more turns, he decided to ask.
"Actually sir...Where are we heading?"
"Ah? Oh, my place. Unless you have anywhere else you'd want to go?"
Aesop Carl's place?! Wait a moment!
"I should treat you dinner..."
Eli's tried to focus while Aesop continued mumbling to himself. This was getting awkward for Eli. He hadn't intended for this to happen, but he didn't want the situation to get even more awkward. Aesop drove out of the street into the city centre, where traffic still buzzed at this time. Everyone was getting off from work, so this was definitely going to be a long drive.
"Let's go to this one restaurant I found. I heard it's got some nice food."
"Sir you don't need to-"
"I insist. You worked yourself all night. You deserve a reward."
Eli sighed and leaned back. The traffic clogged every road. He looked over at the GPS and saw that the estimated time to arrive at the restaurant was almost an hour. That should be enough for him to get enough rest. He closed his eyes and leaned over to the side in his seat. The smell of leather filled his nose and he settle back to sleep.
"Eli, Eli wake up. We're here."
Eli opened his eyes and shivered slightly from the cold of the air conditioner in the car. He unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car. The air felt fresh with a hint of smoke from the traffic. Aesop was waiting for him on the sidewalk, coat hanging in his arms. They both entered the dimly lit restaurant. Aesop spoke with the waiter for a bit before they were lead to the back in a corner.
The menu was in complete French, which Eli had trouble understanding. Thankfully, Aesop gave him some recommendations. The soft music filled the interior along with the slight clinking of silverware on porcelain plates. Neither male spoke much, simply staring into space.
"Your meals, gentlemen."
The waiter placed down the steaming plates of food before both of them, bowing before he left to attend to other customers. Aesop picked up the silverware and began to eat, but he noticed Eli hadn't started yet, rather he was staring at the plate, troubled.
"Is something wrong? Did they get the wrong order?"
"Ah? N-no...Just, I don't really know what to use."
He pointed at the various spoons, forks and knives. Aesop looked at his food, a simple chicken salad with not much of the 'chicken' part, more vegetable.
"Do I have to use like a fork or a spoon or-"
"Whatever you want."
"People don't care?"
"What makes you think they do? All those movies where people pick out specific utensils is just for show Eli."
Eli nodded slowly, mouth forming an 'o' He picked up the fork and stabbed at his salad, happily eating it as Aesop watched. He looked at his own plate, filled with rich, juicy meat and spaghetti. He poked at some meatballs and dropped them into Eli's bowl. He looked at Aesop in surprise and tried to pass him a piece of chicken from the salad, but was pushed back by Aesop. He stared for a few moments as his boss resumed eating before continuing with his own.
He swallowed the last chunk of meat, satisfied with the meal, to find Aesop staring at him. The male called the waiter again, who handed the both of them a menu. Eli took it, confused. He saw that Aesop had turned to the very back of the menu, where the dessert were. As much as he loved desserts, he knew there was no way Aesop was going to let him pay for it, so he decided not to order.
Identically, however, Aesop knew Eli would never order anything since he was paying for the sub-ordinate. He ordered a chocolate lava cake, one of Eli's favourites. He'd eaten the most out of the various cakes the company ordered for a Christmas celebration the previous year. Eli watched as Aesop placed the order without saying anything, relieved that his boss hadn't made him order.
The cake was presented on a small plate with small red berries on either side and an extravagant drizzle of chocolate of the restaurant' name. Aesop sliced into it with the fork and bit down, savouring the gooey chocolate. Eli tried not to seem tempted and looked away at the large window pane. The sky was slowly darkening as night came. A sudden thought struck him.
Surely the group won't attack again right? Not when one of the twins wasn't feeling well.
He was about to bring this up and Aesop let out a small groan.
'Oh whatever do I do?"
"Are you alright, sir?!"
"Ah yes, but I seem to be unable to finish this cake. It would be such a waste if I just left it here unfinished...Unless-"
"Mr Carl. I am not finishing it for you."
Aesop sighed. He should've known his own secretary and executive wouldn't have fallen for something like this. To his surprise, Eli pulled his plate over and stabbed the remaining bits of cake.
"But since you don't want this, I wouldn't mind eating it. And also because you're paying. And also because you're my boss."
He chomped down, feeling the sweetness coat his taste buds. Indeed it was delicious, and he finished it with no problem. He swallowed the last bite unwillingly, supressing the urge to burp. Aesop got up and went to pay while Eli excused himself to the bathroom. He was extremely full from this, but there came the nervousness of having to spend the night at his boss's home that made him feel a little sick.
Looking into the mirror, he slapped himself hard.
Knock it off Eli. It's just one night, nothing much. And it's only out of pity.
With that, he went back out to find Aesop waiting for him by the car. He got in as Aesop started up the engine. He wanted to thank Aesop, but somehow a part of him was too nervous to speak up as his heart jumped around in his chest. He didn't know why he was feeling like this, but it was certainly not like the normal nervousness he experienced. Something about Aesop Carl seemed to make it all feel different.
