Midnight Sparkle

Chapter 2

The Phantom orders another round of wine and Adrian nurses his expensive mineral water (£8 a bottle... Jesus) Now that it's a 'real date' he's even more nervous, why the Hell did he agree to this?! Of course Phantom is still just a client, but this feels a lot more personal and personal interaction is even worse. He can disassociate when it's just a client, put on a confident facade, but he hasn't been able to do that this time because of stupid fucking social anxiety. "So," the Phantom begins, having his own desert now and folding a napkin over on his lap. "Tell me about yourself. I can't imagine how someone gets into this- he gestures to Adrian's attire. "Line of work,"

Adrian bites his lip, unsure of how much to tell him. He's already feeling vulnerable bad is starting to sweat profusely - under all that hair and a top hat it's bound to happen. "Well I originally wanted to be a funeral director," he begins at normal pace. "Then I realised I had to pay for embalming school and I was already too poor to afford that and nobody was hiring so my friend told me he could get me a job overnight and I agreed, and it turned out to be this and I went on a date for pay with a man named John in his apartment who was really weird about the whole thing and we went on a bus and he kept asking about my scars and-"

"Woah there," the Phantom chuckles, raising his hands to stop Adrian. "You're talking too fast, I can't keep up!"

Adrian does that. One of his safety behaviours when he feels threatened, talk and talk and talk fast in unrelenting prose without pauses. He always does it in his facade too, but because he seems confident people just think it's a monologue. "I- S-Sorry. I don't... I ended up... I..."

"Take your time," The Phantom reaches over the table, squeezing Adrian's hand. It makes him feel tingly, not in a scared way but in an intrigued way. What an interesting man is the Phantom. The two hours have passed, Adrian is billing him for this extra time. "Go ahead,"

"A-And I had to... give him..." Adrian gulps harshly, tears springing in his eyes from this utter embarrassment and freeing nerves. "A-And...And..." 

"Hmm," the Phantom grins. "C'mon, say it. C'mon now," 

"And I tugged 'im off for a tenner," Adrian admits a bit too loud, clamping his hands over his mouth. 

"There we go," The Phantom smiles, before he bursts out laughing. In a good way. He finds Adrian so endearingly cute he just can't help himself! "Well that's quite a story,"

"H-How do you get into... the line of work you can afford this?" Adrian asks, back to his timid self and gesturing sloppily at the grandeur of the restaurant.

"I built a highly successful confectionary company and sold it to the Europeans for a billion,"

"Wow," Adrian can't help himself, the Phantom is his first billionaire client, unless he was exaggerating. But this restaurant suggests he wasn't. "S-So are you Willy Wonka?" Adrian cracks a grin.

"Oh my God you're so awkward," The Phantom snorts. "But yeah, in a way. I'm just as secretive," he places a slender finger to his lips trying to be conspiratorial and fucking nailing it. This guy could nail anything he wanted including Adrian if given half the chance. He leans back in his chair, staring out the window at the street below. They decide to people watch, laughing at and pointing out the absolute fashion atrocities of the London elites.

"L-Look at that one," Adrian points to a man dressed in a blend of reds, browns and yellow/ orange ocre colours with a pink and white striped ribbon tie and granny glasses. The Phantom makes a facial expression like said man just spat on his tea.

"Ohhhhh no," he groans. "Ring ring, the fashion police are here and you're under arrest hun!" It makes Adrian laugh, but he still contains himself. He hates his laugh, it's too loud. And he's sweating too much. His legs bounce under the table. Has he been having an anxiety attack this whole time? No time to question as the Phantom folds up his napkin and places it on the table.