Unexpected Work Encounters

The Meeting

"It looks perfect!" cried Danielle, grinning widely and eyeing the screen intently.

"You're very welcome," Aaron said politely to her, saving the changes to her email signature. To him, it didn't seem like a big deal really. However, he understood the importance of image at a firm like this. They had every big business in the city as a client, so it wouldn't be acceptable to do anything less than impress everyone.

Aaron stood, slipping out from behind her chair and allowing her to sit back down. He smiled at her again as he moved around to the wall of her cubicle, so he could see her face as she settled gently into her seat, sliding her fingers along the back of her legs to smooth her skirt with the motion. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Danielle?" he intoned.

"Nope, that's it! Thanks Aaron!" she said brightly, turning to acknowledge him for a moment before turning away. He was still smiling when he turned away from her desk, beginning to walk down between the long, loud rows of the paralegal pool. Typing and talking on phones filled his ears, but his long, thin legs carried him quickly between them.

Aaron liked walking through the office when it was busy. Even though he tended to spend his time at home, alone and in his own quiet space, the sound and energy of people was infectious. It almost made him feel giddy, to think about all the activity going on around him, and to be a part of it. He was so lost in listening to the people around him that, when he finally walked out of the last row of cubicles and into the wider walkway near the front of the office, he didn't realize someone was coming around the corner.

The collision was instant and hard, Aaron's sight frame smacking into a slightly larger, definitely taller one. He let out a pathetic yelp, like a dog whose tail had been stepped on, and reached outward as he tried to stop his backward momentum. There was no hope, however, and his gangly frame fell and he landed on his ass with a hard thud, his wrists hitting a moment later and, thankfully, preventing his head from hitting the solid maple floor.

"Are you alright?" Aaron heard a voice say. His vision blurred a little and he winced from the pain in his tailbone. Still not paying attention to the person he'd run into, he nodded his head slightly, surveying the damage. His left wrist, the weaker of the two, was tender from where it hit the floor, and there was definitely a throbbing near his backside. He'd survive.

"Yeah, I'm alr...," he replied, finally lifting his eyes to see who he had bumped into. And on seeing him, the entire world seemed to stop. He couldn't finish his sentence as his jaw fell open slightly at the sight.

The man who was standing over him, holding out his hand, looked like a model. He had longish blond hair, perfectly straight, hanging down to just above his shoulders. The hair on the sides of his head was buzzed short. He wasn't overly broad, but had a good build, and the most brilliant green eyes Aaron had ever seen on someone. He swallowed hard, his jaw pulling shut with an audible click, as he did his best to not look childish. "I'm alright, thank you," he finished, forgetting he was still sitting on the floor.

The taller stranger chuckled slightly, the sound a medium baritone. As Aaron continued to observe him, he realized that the guy looked completely out of place here. Everyone else was in crisp designer suits and skirts from people whose names that he couldn't even pronounce. This guy was wearing a hoodie that brushed against his hair when he bent over toward Aaron again, and a pair of faded jeans with holes at the knees. Aaron tried to stop his eyes from wandering over the other man, but couldn't. At least, couldn't until the guy cleared his throat and waved a hand in front of his face. "Hey, you sure you're okay?" the man asked, slight concern lacing his tone.

Now the recovery was faster. The initial daze of falling over and the flash of instant attraction to the man looming over him faded, and he nodded and spoke more clearly, as if he'd just cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. I'm really sorry for running into you," he said, reaching for the stranger's hand.

"It's alright," came the reply, accompanied by a smile, as the taller man hoisted Aaron to his feet. The momentum carried him a bit further forward than intended, but he stopped before embarrassing himself any further. "I wasn't watching where I was going either."

There was a long pause as Aaron looked back into those emerald eyes. He felt heat on his cheeks and one corner of his mouth curled up, before he looked away. "I should have been more careful," he muttered more to himself.

"No problem!" the guy said brightly. Their hands had parted only a few moments ago, but once again Aaron found the other man's extended toward his own. "I'm Eric, by the way," he added.

Aaron took Eric's hand and shook it, trying to remember to be firm but not overly forceful. Handshakes always made him nervous. He always felt self-conscious about touching another person, even if it was considered socially acceptable. He also always had to count in his head to make sure he let go in a reasonable amount of time. "I'm Aaron. I'm new to the IT department," he responded.

"Nice to meet you," Eric responded, smiling. Aaron had managed to meet his eyes again, but made sure not to hold them too long. That was another thing he was always getting wrong. He either held eye contact for too long or avoided it because it made him uncomfortable. "Though, perhaps next time we won't literally run into one another," the taller man said with a laugh.

Aaron chuckled, but it was forced. His face still felt heated from embarrassment. "I hope not," he said, in what he hoped was a casual voice.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work. See you around," Eric said, before taking a step to one side and walking past Aaron, heading toward the attorney's offices along the far wall of the building. Aaron stood, rooted to the spot, staring after Eric for several long moments.

When Eric had finally disappeared out of view, Aaron shook his head as if it would make something clearer to him, and he shrugged to himself. Turning back toward the IT office, he started walking, smiling half-heartedly and chuckling to himself. "That is the most beautiful man I have ever met," he whispered to himself, before trying to get Eric out of his head so he could get back to work.