[ The decision comes upon him suddenly, as he’s wandering back from Sheldon’s place, still feeling the bright of seeing Amaryllis (trying to keep out the misery of leaving Amaryllis, of knowing he can’t keep her with him, knowing he has to visit her and leave her every time), feeling like the world’s not the worst place and maybe Treavor isn’t ready to go back home or let the day turn chaotic and jagged with drinking. Maybe the bright feeling doesn’t have to end, because the sun’s glowing warm and he doesn’t hate it, got shades to protect his eyes, because he’s smiling a little and no one in the crowd around’s telling him to back the fuck off, no one’s telling him he looks like an asshole, and wouldn’t it be nice to maybe share this feeling with Alice?
Yeah. Yeah. And that’s exactly what he’s going to do!
It takes some time, some walking, some stopping by a shop to pick up a ‘hey just thought I’d swing by’ gift, but finally he winds up in front of Alice’s door, a bottle of Perrier in hand (which he felt kind of stupid carrying over; which in Treavor’s opinion is kind of the jester’s ghost of a drink, but if Alice is into sparkling water, then fuck it, Treavor can set aside some pride and buy the shit and even be seen with the shit), his grin returning. Yeah, this was a good idea. Yeah, maybe Alice’ll even like it, having a little company.
Maybe Alice’ll like having Treavor’s company. It’s been a… pretty nice couple of weeks, hasn’t it? The guy still hasn’t gotten sick of Treavor and Treavor’s starting to not hate going in to work, because work means hanging out with Alice, watching Alice, fixing focus on the guy and almost forgetting where they are.
Treavor would definitely, definitely like Alice’s company right now. (It feels good, being around the guy. Treavor feels almost good, being around him! It’s a feat, and Treavor tries not to question it, only really wants to curl himself into the reality of this (more-than-?-)friendliness.
He shifts his fingers against the bottle’s neck, hopes it’s an okay kind for Alice. Treavor finished his own drink on the way over, tossed the empty bottle aside (nearly pitched it into an alley because why the fuck not, then - on an impulse he does and doesn’t connect to a certain someone with a certain penchant for cleanliness - dropped it in a garbage can, instead), and didn’t even bring his flask. (He’s a little unsettled knowing he’ll have no recourse if he wants a (needs a) drink. It feels like asking for trouble, like the worst kind of unpreparedness.) (He’s a little - dimly, vaguely, almost - proud of himself for managing it, the way he’s managed not really drinking in the office, mostly managing to step out out if he needs something.)
Anyway, it’s worth flying precarious if it means seeing Alice. Who is… Probably home? Treavor hadn’t texted to ask. Treavor had decided to surprise Alice, and has been running on the blind faith that probably Alice is home right now, Treavor feels like Alice should be home, which okay isn’t stellar evidence, but it’s something! Maybe.
He could open the door and step on in. (He could open the door because Alice gave him a key, just like that. The gift of a safe space, sanctuary if he needs it. Sanctuary, because Alice is a good goddamn guy, and now Treavor keeps Alice’s key right next to Sheldon’s key, and looks at it sometimes, thinks, shit, shit, he can be safe any time now. And isn’t he a little more secure always, these days, knowing Alice is around?) He’s got a key, but it’s polite to give warning, right? Alice seems like he’s into those kinds of signals. Also, judging by Treavor’s experience, people don’t especially, especially like when anyone stumbles into their home unannounced. So Treavor knocks, adding— ]
Special delivery!
[ For a pretty, pretty special guy.
…Who doesn’t answer.
Who doesn’t come to the door, even after Treavor knocks a few more times, waits what must be the span of a whole minute.
So maybe Alice isn’t around. (A thought that starts to sink Treavor. A thought that showers chill upon his warmth.) Maybe Treavor fucked this up, showed up to no one, hoped too high—
Or, no. Because you know what? Never mind with the sad sack story. If Alice isn’t around now, Treavor’ll chill with Hope for a while and leave a note with the Perrier, or he’ll just hang around until Alice shows up. Not so bad, right? If nothing else, he’ll get to take in a little bit of Alice’s space, feels the traces of the guy in every dustless corner.
Opening the door, Treavor takes another try at alerting Alice, just in case the guy was asleep or listening to probably some news podcast or something, not bothering to muffle the noise of his voice. ]
for alice
Yeah. Yeah. And that’s exactly what he’s going to do!
It takes some time, some walking, some stopping by a shop to pick up a ‘hey just thought I’d swing by’ gift, but finally he winds up in front of Alice’s door, a bottle of Perrier in hand (which he felt kind of stupid carrying over; which in Treavor’s opinion is kind of the jester’s ghost of a drink, but if Alice is into sparkling water, then fuck it, Treavor can set aside some pride and buy the shit and even be seen with the shit), his grin returning. Yeah, this was a good idea. Yeah, maybe Alice’ll even like it, having a little company.
Maybe Alice’ll like having Treavor’s company. It’s been a… pretty nice couple of weeks, hasn’t it? The guy still hasn’t gotten sick of Treavor and Treavor’s starting to not hate going in to work, because work means hanging out with Alice, watching Alice, fixing focus on the guy and almost forgetting where they are.
Treavor would definitely, definitely like Alice’s company right now. (It feels good, being around the guy. Treavor feels almost good, being around him! It’s a feat, and Treavor tries not to question it, only really wants to curl himself into the reality of this (more-than-?-)friendliness.
He shifts his fingers against the bottle’s neck, hopes it’s an okay kind for Alice. Treavor finished his own drink on the way over, tossed the empty bottle aside (nearly pitched it into an alley because why the fuck not, then - on an impulse he does and doesn’t connect to a certain someone with a certain penchant for cleanliness - dropped it in a garbage can, instead), and didn’t even bring his flask. (He’s a little unsettled knowing he’ll have no recourse if he wants a (needs a) drink. It feels like asking for trouble, like the worst kind of unpreparedness.) (He’s a little - dimly, vaguely, almost - proud of himself for managing it, the way he’s managed not really drinking in the office, mostly managing to step out out if he needs something.)
Anyway, it’s worth flying precarious if it means seeing Alice. Who is… Probably home? Treavor hadn’t texted to ask. Treavor had decided to surprise Alice, and has been running on the blind faith that probably Alice is home right now, Treavor feels like Alice should be home, which okay isn’t stellar evidence, but it’s something! Maybe.
He could open the door and step on in. (He could open the door because Alice gave him a key, just like that. The gift of a safe space, sanctuary if he needs it. Sanctuary, because Alice is a good goddamn guy, and now Treavor keeps Alice’s key right next to Sheldon’s key, and looks at it sometimes, thinks, shit, shit, he can be safe any time now. And isn’t he a little more secure always, these days, knowing Alice is around?) He’s got a key, but it’s polite to give warning, right? Alice seems like he’s into those kinds of signals. Also, judging by Treavor’s experience, people don’t especially, especially like when anyone stumbles into their home unannounced. So Treavor knocks, adding— ]
Special delivery!
[ For a pretty, pretty special guy.
…Who doesn’t answer.
Who doesn’t come to the door, even after Treavor knocks a few more times, waits what must be the span of a whole minute.
So maybe Alice isn’t around. (A thought that starts to sink Treavor. A thought that showers chill upon his warmth.) Maybe Treavor fucked this up, showed up to no one, hoped too high—
Or, no. Because you know what? Never mind with the sad sack story. If Alice isn’t around now, Treavor’ll chill with Hope for a while and leave a note with the Perrier, or he’ll just hang around until Alice shows up. Not so bad, right? If nothing else, he’ll get to take in a little bit of Alice’s space, feels the traces of the guy in every dustless corner.
Opening the door, Treavor takes another try at alerting Alice, just in case the guy was asleep or listening to probably some news podcast or something, not bothering to muffle the noise of his voice. ]
Alice? Hope?
Hey, anyone home?