antidote

8. Don't stop

'Are you free tonight?' Ares asked late afternoon, they had spent the afternoon at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. 'Yeah, why?' Helios held the door for him. 'There's a party, rich people in some very fancy place, I was invited because I have friends going, I don't really want to spend the evening getting drunk on champagne all by myself' They wandered around not really going anywhere, Helios nodded instantly, 'I'd love to go with you, I'm not really fond of these of parties but it can be fun!' Ares grinned softly, 'Do you have a suit?'

Shit. Helios panicked a bit but didn't let it show. 'Um, no I don't' Ares stroked his chin, looking pensive. 'I may have one that could fit you, you know what let's go to my place, I'll make you dinner and we can get ready there?' Helios took a deep breath, 'Sure, sounds good' Ares looked pleased with himself.

They took the bus, Ares lived in Marylebone. They walked three stairs and arrived to his apartment. 'It's my parents' they aren't here though, since it's Friday I'm staying here for the weekend.' Helios nodded then stepped in, Ares switched the lights on, it was a beautiful vintage flat. The windows were floor to ceiling, hidden with maroon curtains patterned with flowers seams. A forest green carpet covered in roses was taking a large amount of space on the wooden floor. The small orange table was oval and tulips in a vase were disposed in the middle of it. He gasped when he got closer to the midnight blue velvet sofa. Two big shelves were full of books and vinyls, he then noticed the record player.

'Sit down, get yourself comfortable' Ares disappeared in the hallway. He sat on the sofa and stroked it, it was so soft and he sunk so easily into it. White pillows and a yellow and orange blanket were making it even more comfy, he could fall asleep in a minute if he didn't have a party to attend. A few minute passed and Ares did not come back, he got up and inspected the record player. He gently put up the dust cover and grabbed the first vinyl he saw on the shelf. With no hesitation he delicately took the disc out and placed it on the record player. He put the needle on the edge of the vinyl, stopped breathing until he heard the crackling sounds and the music began playing.

The album was 'Arrival' by ABBA.
Ares entered the room, a suit on his arm and a huge grin on his face. 'You found my record player!' He handed him the suit, 'Hope it will fit you can go change in my room, it's the door at the end of the hallway with the Bowie poster'

Helios inspected his room and his heart ached a little. Ares' double bed was under the window and a bit of a mess, the bedsheets were cream colored with two simple pillows. On his bedside table a beautiful lamp was switched on, a white cat was asleep on the small crimson armchair next to the wooden closet next to the bedside table. Helios turned around to face a bookshelf with tons of books and a record player laid on top of it, a lava lamp and other books served as decoration. Next to it was an aquarium with two big blue fishes and three small yellow ones.

Ares' room was small but very cosy. Posters filled the walls, he recognised Fleetwood Mac, Bowie (again), Queen, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and the Beatles. Ares was the typical seventies teenage boy. Still, Helios could not help but admire his taste in music. He also knew that a cat was a green flag. He mentally noted to ask the cat's name. Helios hurried to change. The smell of the suit got him dizzy. It smelled so good. He sniffed it, the smell was new and addictive but very familiar. The suit was black and simple, the shirt he gave him was white, though he didn't give him a tie it looked very casual yet chic. It was a bit big on him, nothing a roll of sleeve can't fix. Helios couldn't help himself and caressed the cat before heading back to the living room.

Ares was setting the table, a candle was lit on and two empty glasses of wine Ares was filling with a bottle of rouge. He stopped pouring the wine to look at Helios, he stared at him, up and down very slowly then smiled. 'You look very nice, glad it fits you.'