LoveAffair( mxm )

16

"Lizzy can you please hurry? we're going to be late! "
Timothy called to his wife again, irritated. She's been preparing for at least two hours and apparently it was still not enough for her because she was still running around,  switching earrings and purses in front of the mirror and messing with her hair.
"Why are you so uptight ? there's plenty of time and I need to look perfect for this event!" she huffed.
"No Lizzy,  there was plenty of time an hour ago! if we don't get out in the next five minutes we'll be late for sure!" he snapped.
It was the evening of the anniversary party and he couldn't afford himself to be late to that one, it was business more than a party and arriving not on time wouldn't look well. He had to admit to himself that he was also eager to get there so he could see Arch.
"Okay, okay! I'm ready! "
Timothy thanked god when they finally left their house and got in the car, it was almost an hour long drive to where it took place. Long hour of Lizzy applying more make up and examining herself in the mirror from all angles  to make sure she didn't miss a spot. Timothy just drove in silence,  humming whenever she asked him if she should change something because he knew she'd do it no matter what he said so why bother?
He turned the radio on, soft music filled the car and he thought back to that day. When he played the chain of events he was still embarrassed but the overall outcome comforted him.
They were at his place and it was nice, really cozy with Oscar on his lap,  he was a bit heavy but nothing he couldn't handle. Archibald got nostalgic with funny incidents he experienced with his dog and Timothy enjoyed hearing them all and laughing uncontrollably at how bizarre some of those incidents were.
At some point Archibald moved closer so he could pet Oscar and their hands even brushed a bit, their shoulders touching. They were so close and Timothy wanted to lean and kiss that man but he couldn't,  he just couldn't because he knew where it came from and he knew it'll only lead to bad. So he held back, it was painful but necessary because he knew that succumbing to his heart would only bring him greater pain.
It was amazing how he wanted to be so close to him and a moment later so far, he was truly trapped.
One day , sooner or later Archibald would have enough and he didn't know if it was a day he anticipated or dreaded.
For now he preferred to keep whatever storm of emotions he had at bay and keep pretending he wasn't falling for Archibald Carmichael.
They arrived at the place and parked before entering,  it was some sort of a museum that was rented especially for the evening.
People were already gathered at the main hall, there was a long table to the left packed with food and a bar to the right, waiters were roaming and offering guests drinks . Lizzy immediately gushed with excitement and went to look for a place with a proper lighting for a picture.
Timothy sighed and proceeded to take champagne from a waiter.
"Timothy !"
he turned to see Johnson and Collins approaching him with wide smiles.
"Just arrived?"
he asked as he shook their hands in greeting.
"Yeah, traffic is bad at those hours that and the fact a certain someone doesn't know his way " Johnson teased.
"Oh come on! I only made one wrong turn! just one!" Collins grumbled and Timothy chuckled.
" I take it you came together? "
"Yeah that bastard wanted a night of drinking so I'm stuck as the driver, you owe me by the way. hey where are you going? we just arrived! "
Collins frowned as he followed Johnson as he made his way to the bar.
It was really funny to watch those two sometimes, they were not only colleagues but friends. friends that went at each others throat every now and then but friends nonetheless.
Timothy spotted Lizzy near the food and started to make his way towards her only to bump into someone.
"Oh sorry! "
he hurried to apologize to the man .
"It's alright, nice seeing you again Timothy. "
He blinked in surprise as he came face to face with Thomas, Arch's assistant.
"You too!" he shook his hand. "It's really nice what you made here" he gestured to the hall.
"Thanks, there's more to come though. There'll be a show at the theatre inside which I hope you'll enjoy as well." Thomas said and Timothy couldn't help but admire how good the suit looked on him.
"There's a theatre here?"
"Yeah this place is basically a museum but it also hosts events quite often, especially music events so it's fully equipped for that."
It was really just a polite conversation, he was a nice man but what really interested Timothy was where is Arch?
As if on cue the chatter in the hall got louder and seemed like everyone turned to the same direction,  and there he was, in all his glory,  Archibald Carmichael.
He was with no doubt the most gorgeous man in the room, hugged in a white suit with a light blue dress shirt,  his signature smirk plastered on his face.
Timothy's heart skipped a beat as he watched him and then he froze at the slender blond guy that was latched to his side, touching his arm seductively. What the fuck?
His heart couldn't have hurt more than in that moment as it clenched painfully in his chest.
He got tired of you , didn't he?
Well it had to happen sooner or later no?
So why was he so surprised?  Fuck why would it hurt that bad when he knew it'd come to this?
He just wanted to get out of there as fast as he could, he stepped back.
" Timmy!  you gotta taste this! "
Lizzy appeared behind him,  holding a muffin of some sort and offering him a bite.
"I'm not hungry Lizzy " he said weakly and she frowned then noticed Thomas that was eyeing Timothy all the time with a pitiful look.
"Oh you were in the middle of a conversation? sorry! I'm Elizabeth, his wife but you can call me Lizzy." she offered her hand.
"Thomas" he shook it with wide eyes.
Timothy didn't care in the least if he knew that he and Arch had a thing,  that he was married. He just felt like disappearing.
He made his way towards the entrance, leaving behind Lizzy and Thomas that got into a conversation of their own. He passed by Archibald and his partner,  not casting a glance or stopping even after he heard his name called.
When the cold night air hit him it only did little to cool him off, he stood there gazing at the night and taking deep breaths, contemplating what to do. He couldn't leave Lizzy behind so running away wasn't an option, maybe he could just wait in the car until this whole thing was over.  He really didn't know what to do, he just wanted the heartache to fade.
He decided to take a walk,  behind the museum was a huge garden and his legs carried him there, he sat on one of the wooden benches and just hummed to himself,  fighting the tears in his eyes.
"I'm not going to cry over this," he murmured to himself " I'm not going to..."
His phone buzzed constantly but he ignored it, he just wanted a few more minutes to himself. The sweet scent of the flowers comforted him a bit, he took deep breaths of the aroma. 
There he was, a grown man on the verge of tears because of an outcome he already expected,  sometimes he really wondered where was his logic.
He and Arch were nothing, not even fuck buddies , not even friends,  barely colleagues, and he told himself that it wasn't going to end well, and he was right. At least it's over before it even began, he wouldn't have to worry about further ache, he wouldn't have to carry another secret,  they were done.
He just wished Archibald had the decency to break this all thing before going with someone else, what an asshole.  But then again why would he do such a thing?  He didn't owe him anything, he was just his temporary toy.
He just couldn't believe that they wouldn't meet anymore, that someone else would take his place, someone younger and probably far less complicated than him.
Did he held any sort of importance to Archibald or was it easy to toss his aside for the next in line?
Whatever, he was way above this, he could forget him like nothing and move on, there were plenty of guys out there that were good in bed,  and that's just what he was - simply good in bed .
So why can't you believe your own lies?
"Fuck "
he cursed and closed his eyes, biting his lower lip as the tears finally broke, descending down his face.

____________________________________

Archibald didn't see that coming and he was frankly disturbed as Timothy ignored him and ran out. What happened?
"Hey, let go "
he said to the blond holding onto him, he was his date for the night but he didn't even remember his name.
"What's wrong Archie? " he purred.
That nickname actually made Arch cringe, next time he should pick someone less annoying to escort him.
All he wanted was to find Timothy and see if he's alright. This wasn't how he planned the evening to go, he hoped they could both slip from the party to a little room he prepared in the building and have fun but now Timothy was gone .
"Just let go, go to the bar and enjoy yourself " he shook him off and made his way to the entrance only to be tugged.
"Thomas?" he raised one eyebrow.
"He's married " he simply stated and it took a moment for Arch to catch on before a defiant frown formed on his face.
"And?" he challenged.
Thomas sighed " You might want to check this relationship you both have,  I think you don't fully understand how deep in it you truly are ."
Archibald shrugged him off confused as he went out to the cold night.
Where could he go?
He scanned,  noting that he might be in his car or strolling the streets.
There were many cars parked so it took him a few minutes to spot Timothy's,  it was empty.
He looked around, examining his surroundings, he doubted Timothy would go far,  surely not with those temperatures.
Arch remembered there was a garden behind the museum,  maybe he was there?
He turned towards the back of the museum, calling Timothy's phone again and again stubbornly in hope he'd pick up.
The garden itself was lit with dimmed lights so it took him a few seconds to adjust his sighting.
Something in him was urgent in finding Timothy,  he was worried that he might be experiencing another panic attack and he wasn't there to help him.
A sigh of relief left him as he spotted a familiar figure sitting on one of the benches, he carefully made his way there.
As he got closer and closer it was more clear that it was Timothy and he grinned. For some reason he didn't call him and just made his way towards him, halting a few meters from him. Timothy still didn't notice him and Arch frowned as he realized why- his eyes were closed but what really bothered him were the tears flowing down his face and the pained expression he had.
What's wrong?  why are you hurting?
He swallowed with a struggle as he felt this weird painful tug in his chest.
He reached with his hand and gripped his shirt as the throbbing of his heart got stronger.
What's wrong?