Isolated Interview

Fifth Element: Gage DeSonier

The little rickety New York apartment room was only distantly familiar. It had been years since Gage saw it in even his darkest dreams. It was a strange thing to wake up to. This was not his mobile home. This was not the bed that he shared with the blonde angel on so many nights. The dingy gray bedding and the creaky mattress smelt clean, but felt stiff. They were similar, but not the same as his mother's apartment. He doubted that she still lived there. It seemed unlikely that she was in the same place, as her meal ticket had disappeared.

Gage sat upright and allowed his eyes to adjust to the lighting. A bit crept through from the curtained window next to his bed. He pulled the curtain back and saw on open grassy area. Definitely not New York...

He stood, stepping onto the incredibly cold wooden floor. The little yellow rug he'd kept in his room was not there. A later purchase in his life, after he was working. It was a strange thought. All so strange. Why am I here? His eyes scanned the room until he stopped at a little end table. A neatly folded pile of clothing on the top, and an envelop on top of those. What...? Am I in a horror film now? Where is Noah? And Raphael? He was beginning to worry, but he supposed dressing was a good first start. Even with those worries he did not quite feel properly anxious.

He put on the brown button up shirt with asymmetrical design over a blank undershirt. This is a nice shirt... weird. The jeans were also exactly his size, same as the shoes, and the white socks didn't feel particularly cheap. Next the envelope. "Gage DeSonier" read clearly on the front.

You are invited to a compulsory interview. You will be returned safe and sound upon completion. Please come promptly to the main building. Follow the path.

Gage frowned. That didn't sound any less sketchy. He sighed. Okay, time to... do it, I guess. This all seemed to fall in line with other weird things that happened. He didn't feel good about it, but he wanted to get back home. He took the envelop and its contents and followed the path directly. It brought him to the apparent "main building." A desk, a bathroom, some storage, and a room in the back. A bell chimed overheard as he entered, and a moment later he was greeted.

"Please come to the back room."

Was a back room less safe? Well... he was in the middle of... somewhere, without any means of leaving, and he supposed his best bet was going along with things. Gage walked to the back room and spotted a man sitting in an armchair in front of a desk.

"Please, take a seat."

Gage looked at the couch and took a seat. Nothing really odd in this exact room. Some alcohol over to the side. That did seem off, but not suspicious. I've never been to therapy so... maybe this is really what it looks like...

"Is this therapy?"

The man arched a brow. He reminded Gage somewhat of previous work acquaintances. The entertainment ones. Not that he looked like them overall, but he reminded Gage of someone specific. He couldn't exactly remember the man's name. "Therapy? No, this is an interview. You may consider it a form of relationship counseling, if you like."

"This is about my relationship?"

"Mostly. I have a list of questions that I need you to thoughtfully consider and answer. I need an honest answer, you can be as detailed or brief as you need. Is that acceptable?"

Gage was silent. The man waited. What, really? This is insane, right? "Uh... so I'm supposed to just act like this is normal?"

The man sighed, "You may... or you may struggle the entire way. You go home once the questions are answered-"

"Speaking of home. Where is my family?"

"Home. They have no interaction with this. They know nothing of this. Consider it a dream."

A dream... a dream would... explain it.

"Okay... I guess... what are the questions?"

"Thank you." He pulled a clip board forward from his desk and looked down at it. "Question one, what is your name?"

Gage looked at the envelop now in his lap. "Gage DeSonier."

"How old are you?"

How exactly does this pertain to my relationship? Okay. "Thirty-one."

"Relationship status?"

Oh, is this where we start? "I..." Oh, this isn't quite that simple... no, no, it is. This is fine. "I am dating someone." Right? He wouldn't mind that description.

"Why do you like that person?"

"Raphael?" Or, or maybe you don't need his name... "Well he's... kind. Angelic, really." He is a little walking angel. Too pure for this world. Certainly too pure for me, but I don't even think he knows that... he's soft. Like rose petals... he's impossible. Too good. He cares about me despite not knowing me that well... I think he's the second best person I've ever met. He gives me faith in humanity... or at least in my life. He is incredibly interesting and talented, wrapped up in this... naïve little... man. "He is very good with my daughter, and I enjoy his company, a lot."

"What does he not know that you don't want him to find out?"

Automatically Gage's hand went to the back of his neck, rubbing a spot instinctively. Well, the porn stuff... I don't think he's ever seen porn... I'm sure he knows that it exists but... I don't want him to know about that. "Just... work history and... stuff with my family. Maybe I'll let him know later, when the time is right."

"What is your greatest fear regarding your significant other?"

Gage frowned. It wasn't pleasant to think about, but he had an answer immediately. "That he will lose interest in me... or I will hurt him... just... that I will lose him in some way or other." There were countless ways it could be accomplished. Gage was too slow? Too fast? Didn't open up? Opened up too much? He was open but... he rubbed at his neck more.

"What is your greatest fear unrelated to your significant other?"

"That my daughter will..." find out I made porn. I probably have to tell her about that someday. Or... maybe I don't. How likely is it that she will see 20 year old porn? If she ever ends up looking at porn... gay porn, mostly... oh, wow. Okay. Those were all highly uncomfortable thoughts. "That she will find out things about my old work history..." Not that I want my child to look at any porn, but I guess its fine if she's an adult... or... ugh, okay, no. Just no. No porn for Noah. No internet. Let's just throw out the electronics, he thought sarcastically. He finally crossed his arms, feeling he was wearing a hole in his neck.

Still there was no feedback from the man. Gage was undecided as for if this was helpful or uncomfortable. He didn't know if he was being judged harshly or not at all. He looked like he was about to continue though.

"So, are you even interested in the answers?"

"Hm?"

"You just..." his tone was temporarily distressed, he took the time to level it back down. "You are hard to read."

"Would you prefer I give you feedback on your answers?" Gage was unsure how to answer that. "I do not know the intricacies of your life or your relationship with your significant other. Most of what I hear is new to me. I can tell when things are said in sincerity... but that does not mean I know what you should be saying. I am not judging you. I appreciate your sincerity even as it comes with brevity."

"Alright..." Well he sounds like he is on the up and up... as much as someone in this situation can be... I don't get any narcissist vibes from him... "What next?"

"What is a negative memory that you think impacts you to this day?"

"Oh. Definitely... well, my ex-boyfriend cheating on me. Its not exactly negative. I use it to encourage myself to live in the moment, enjoy what I have, and be open with others... but it still burns sometimes. In weakness."

This time the man nodded. Minimal feedback. Acknowledgement. "What is a vice or bad habit that you have?"

"Overthinking? I do not like giving up control... so just letting go. I'm handling that though. Or, trying to."

"Do you consider yourself open with your significant other?"

Gage actually groaned. Could the groan suffice as his answer? From the man looking at him patient, Gage supposed not. "I could stand to be more open." Apparently that was enough. There was a lot that Raphael needed to know, but not yet. They needed to establish trust, and then they could get into the muck and the grime. He's too pure for my kind of grime... No... don't think that. Give him a chance to decide. Reasonably. After he already really likes you.

"If you received $10,000 in a contest with the condition of spending it in the next month, and time off, what would you do with the money?"

That was a lot of money. "Put some away for Noah's future... my daughter, Noah, that is. Pay off any outstanding debts."

"Very practical. Excluding those things. No bills, no putting the money away. You cannot save it."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense in the spending portion..." And apparently no bills.

"Right. So... what then?"

"Raphael might get his family to pay for us to go visit his family in France... but I think I would be happy to take them there. Take some time off work then... take Noah and Raphael there for a month. Not have to worry about money. That would be nice. Buy Noah a few things at home that she wants."

"What are three things on your bucket list?"

Well I want to get married. Another kid would be nice... but... "Meet every one of my known siblings. Ideally all of them at once, but I don't know about that. Spend a summer in France. Or maybe even a whole year. And... to see... one of my drawings made into a physical article of clothing." He definitely did not feel like dwelling on that, but he did want to see it.

"What do you think that you are worst at in your relationship and how would you like to improve that?"

"Just... expecting the best. I'm bad about not overthinking... too uptight. Too in my own head. Improving... Just live in the moment. He's a really outstanding man... he is inexperienced, but he isn't burdened by all these negative thoughts. If I can just trust him... he is not so good at talking about things..." his expression was softer as he spoke of Raphael. "but if I can chill... we can still find out pace..." he gave a sheepish half smile. It was stupid how infatuated he was with the little Frenchman, but he didn't mind at all.

"What is a kink or sexual preference in your relationship that is new or unexpected?"

The warmth spread quickly across his face as Gage looked around the ceiling. "We haven't... There isn't... anything new or unexpected." Because we've only cuddled, and I knew I liked that... except that... kiss...

"What do you think of your significant other's family?"

That's a switch. "I don't know them... they must be very nice, and very special. He adores them."

"What does your family think of your significant other?"

"My brother Dani thinks that Raphael is... innocent. And he teases me a lot, but he likes Raphael. My daughter adores Raphael completely." He smiled.

"Do you think that is fair?"

"Yes. I will meet them sometime and have a better idea, and everyone should like Raphael," he said, with complete certainty.

"Last one. Describe a hypothetical road trip with only you and your significant other from West to East coast USA, preparations and three designated stops along the way."

"Oh." That was involved. Gage wasn't exactly the best at planning trips. He had been around various points in the country. "I would take him to see Aurora Borealis if I could but... that doesn't work so well with that kind of road trip... avoid New York Though. I'm not a fan... of going back there..." He would need to think of things. "Well, get off work... I guess Noah must stay home. I would see if Dani could take care of her. Definitely ask Nina to step in and help. I trust her with Noah, and I know Dani would not want to be weighed down by all of that for so long. Noah would be thrilled to feed Waffles. Hm... Atlantic City Boardwalk... I think that we would have fun on the boardwalk there..." he said, fondly remembering their beach date. "Also Café du Monde. Definitely. And Lake Tahoe maybe? I have wanted to go and... if we start on the west coast... that would be nice. I guess Tahoe, then Atlantic City, then Café du Monde French Market, and then we head home... sounds like a nice time."

He had a moment to properly enjoy imagining a long road trip with Raphael. Time alone, just the two of them. With little to worry about except each other. Maybe it would give them time to relax and grow into things. Maybe they would learn about each other. No, they definitely would. It was a pipe dream, surely, but it was a desirable fantasy. Nothing to distract from getting comfortable with each other along the way... Gage could use it. He mentally added that to his little bucket list.

"A very nice plan indeed, Gage. You are free to go. I hope this has been beneficial to you."

Gage looked at him. "Yes... I... suppose so. Uh... thanks." It was weird, but since he was chalking this up to a strange fever dream, it was okay. He stood. "Just out the door?"

"Yes, you will find your way home."

"Thanks," Gage said again. He walked out the door and found himself laying flay in his bed. The lights off. A warm body beside him. He still had the scars from a battered body. He still had the signs of a bad encounter, but they did not hurt right now. He must have taken his medicine... or he was just having a really nice dream. He reached over and placed a hand on his blonde counterpart. A soft arm, covered in those impossibly soft pajamas. A shirt that looked suited for the cutest girlfriend. Raphael was cuter than any girlfriend Gage could imagine, even if he were interested in that sort of thing.

Maybe I could do better than Raphael... maybe, I guess... but why would I want to? And maybe I can't... but I'm grateful for this chance... He sighed, lightly rubbing his thumb against Raphael's arm until the mostly unconscious boy rolled over and snuggled up to him. It was warm. Safe. Perfect. His strange dream had definitely helped. Bleary eyes closed as his view of the ceiling faded out. He could sleep well.