above all (m×m) ✔

1) new beginnings

part one
t h r e e  d a t e s

Stephen ran a hand through his freshly cut hair, taking another look from the full length mirror. It amused him to think how much effort he had gone through for the date, to look as sharp and charming as possible, whereas Brandon was likely going to show up wearing one of his baggy sweaters and a pair holey sneakers.

Perhaps that could have been interpreted as Brandon's lack of interest to the date, but Steven knew better. They had known each other almost nine years by then and during those years Brandon had never much cared about the way he looked. His sloppily cut hair was overgrown at its best, curtaining his dark eyes, always kind but alert behind the thick glasses. He rarely bought new clothes, let alone shoes, likely having to spare his scarce salary for food, rent and art supplies.

"Did you hear that, Fitzgerald?" Steven hummed, snatching the unsuspecting red cat into his arms and swirling them around in the spacious living room. "I am going on a date with Brandon Moore!"

Fitzgerald let out an uncatlike gargle, trying to push his tiny body further away from Steven. His tail was slamming against Steven's side, giving him a wordless warning of an oncoming attack. Before Fitzgerald could show Steven his needle-sharp claws, Steven dropped him and continued dancing on his own. If Fitzgerald could have rolled his eyes, he would have, as he peered at his owner who had surely lost his mind.

Steven pulled on a button up shirt, which had mint green print on one side and a bright cat print on the other. He gave it a little spin in front of the mirror, but Fitzgerald's judgemental glare made him drop the shirt and pick up another.

"I know what you're going to say, but don't be too quick to judge." Steven warned the cat, buttoning on a black shirt with neon colored mushroom print. Then he turned to face the cat again, lifting his hands towards the ceiling and said: "Ta-da!"

Fitzgerald managed to look even more condemning by pulling back his ears, but Steven just grinned at the cat. He happened to like his shirts, no matter how many times his friends had told him they had the most ridiculous color combinations and prints they had ever seen. Steven's motto in life was that you could wear whatever you wanted if you did it with enough confidence.

A while later, as Steven was striding across the familiar streets of his hometown, he fumbled for his cigarette pack. Steven was trying to quit smoking, but it was simply one of those decisions he could never stick with. It didn't help that whenever he thought about cutting down, he only ended up smoking more. It was bad for his skin, and, sure, for his lungs too, but the kick he got every time he lit up was simply too much to resist.

Steven, with his respectable height of 6 '6, was used to being stared at, especially as his second motto in life was that each place deserved to be treated like a broadway show. He walked, talked and dressed like a model, even outside the studio. He always wore his best smile and made sure his hair was camera-ready, just to let everyone see how fabulous Steven Dempsey could be.

He was early, so he sat on a pillar near the main entrance of the mall, to wait for Brandon to show up. That was, of course, if he was going to show up. He hadn't exactly been thrilled about the idea of dating Steven, as he was having hard time trusting Steven's intentions. But Steven would show him that dating him wasn't a guarantee for a heartbreak.

Steven would have three dates to prove himself to Brandon, so you bet he had used hours upon hours perfecting his plans for those. He had bored Brandon's twin sister Shirley with his endless questions about Brandon's favorite things to eat, see, drink, do and listen to.

It wasn't like Steven hadn't tried to find those things out straight from Brandon during all the years they had known each other, Brandon just wasn't much of a talker. Fortunately Steven had no problem with finding things to say. It was the opposite actually; he was constantly having a hard time keeping his mouth shut.