A cool blue gaze dropped down to look at his watch as the man hurried along the traffic on the street. He’d spent most of his morning in meeting after meeting. He had discussion after discussion with him still left standing confused. The man handling his permit with the magical zoning committee was starting to wear Terrence down. It had taken him a long time to get to where he was. Of course, as always his choice of work wasn’t the standard for his family. He barely made the cut to be an Abercrombie and his father had seemed rather determined for him to marry the heir to the family name. The pressure for those expectations weighed as heavy on him as the stress of his very first architectural project. The difference being that in his work he didn’t feel less than, he didn’t feel the odd man out. No, in his work he was respected for what he had to offer not compared so harshly to the other men around him.
He could – should – have stayed in Paris. Coming back had been a mistake if the man had ever made any. Of course his father was disappointed that Farren didn’t up with Terrence, even after the Abercrombie heir made sure to tell him how much she loved and cared for him. She wasted no time telling him of the pain he had caused by going to Paris and never forgot to remind him of how much he disgraced and disappointed the family name. He considered himself lucky now that he thought on it that she had moved on, or rather, had been pushed in another direction. Had he loved her? Of course, at times it felt he had been
made to love her and her alone but the man soon realized that she had strung him along as a just in case that never mattered.
So, he dived into his work. Pushing all his energy into becoming an architect, the best he could be. He didn’t need their praise or their permission to be himself and he could stop finally pretending as if he needed to marry someone he knew he didn’t want to. Once more he looked down at his watch before opening the door to the small café he’d found as he sought out lunch some weeks back. Long legs carried him over to an empty table where he took a moment to spread out his plans before sitting. “Can I just have a cup of coffee for now.” He gave a smile as the waitress nodded and turned to bring his drink. He was restoring a magical artifacts museum and he had to admit as his very first project the man worried about falling short. A hand rose to push through the blond locks of his hair as his eyes scanned over the plans before him. “Thank you.” Came the soft acknowledgement that his coffee was sitting next to his forearm on the table. “Question before you leave..” He looked up at her, lips curving up into a smile, “granite or marble..” She looked thoughtful before glancing at his papers and giving a soft marble before turning to leave.
Hmm, the man thought as he stared down considering this choice more now that another person had chosen it. Lifting his glass to his lips he took a sip and frowned. No sugar, great. Glass back on the table he looked under his papers before looking at the tables near him. He stood to walk over to an occupied table, clearing his throat. “Would I be able to use your sugar? Promise not to use it all and to bring it back," he gave a chuckle before giving more explanation, “I forgot to ask when I ordered my coffee.” Suddenly he felt as if he was forgetting something important. He vaguely remembered he had to give an interview about his plans to restore the museum but the man couldn’t remember exactly when that was. “Don’t you hate when you feel like your forgetting something?” His head shook as shifted to reach out for a sheet of notes but there was nothing there to put this feeling to be. Long days were the worse.
@Perdita Bloom
