Eighth Encounter

They walked back to the area of the office at a comfortable speed. Lucas had model worthy long legs whereas Flynn had inherited his family’s short height and always had trouble keeping up with taller people. Instead of rushing on ahead, Lucas kept a pace that he could match.

“Do you live with your parents?” Flynn asked eventually after deciding that a silent walk would be too much even for him.

“I don’t, I have a flat and I wouldn’t want to live with them again,” Lucas replied. “My mother is always too curious about what I’m doing and asks too many questions.”

Flynn digested that piece of information. His parents dying suddenly when he was 10 had taken that choice away from him. He had moved out of his aunt’s house after finishing school, but she wasn’t the same as his parents and she was very strict. It wasn't really comparable to Lucas living on his own.

Flynn also lived with his family's butler who he relied on to do things like cooking and cleaning. Was he even capable of living by himself?

It was a question he wasn’t ready to ask himself. He had been happy to hear that Henry was offering to return to the Chadwick family to be his butler even though he hadn't told him that. It felt childish to admit to it. Henry probably knew he couldn’t cope without someone else there.

“You zoned out there,” Lucas commented. “...Were you thinking about your own parents?”

It seemed that Lucas had no problems guessing what was on his mind. That was dangerous in some ways.

“I was a little. I know people complain about their parents still being worried about them when they are fully grown adults, but I would just like to see them again.”

Lucas didn’t reply immediately and he wondered if he had been too personal. He did miss his parents a lot. It had been worse during his teenage years and he had been feeling extremely low when he realised he was gay. He could have really done with a pair of supportive parents.

“My parents have always been supportive of all of my choices,” Lucas said a moment later. “I know I am fortunate to have that. They asked me if you were doing fine and told me to look after you if you needed it.”

Flynn had never met the married couple behind Albury’s Confections and found himself regretting it. It would be interesting to know what Lucas’ parents were like. He would have to ask Sarah for information as she had met them a few times in his stead.

Then he digested the full meaning of what Lucas had said.

“...Do you think I need looking after?” he asked archly. “I am an adult and have been for a while.”

He didn’t really want to know the answer. He was a mess inside and Lucas had probably noticed it.

“On closer inspection, I think you do. From afar, you seem fine, but after talking to you more, I’ve noticed a few things,” Lucas informed him. “I am not going to tell anyone about this or make you do anything. You can just tell me more things about yourself as our relationship progresses.”

Lucas had noticed he was odd. That wasn’t good. It wouldn’t be long before he noticed he was gay. His breath started to come in shorter gasps and he tried his best to calm down. He couldn’t go to pieces now. 

His legs managed to keep walking normally, but that was the only part of him that was behaving. He was close to hyperventilating and his mind was in a panic.

“Flynn,” Lucas said softly and took his hand. “Don’t panic. Breathe slower and deeply.”

He followed the instructions obediently and soon his head cleared. By the time the company building was in sight, he was much calmer. He let go of Lucas’ hand quickly.

He could not be seen holding another man’s hand.

Lucas didn’t comment on it and they walked past the building and into the pastel themed coffeeshop. It was often frequented by employees of Chadwick’s Creations so Flynn had a careful look around for any familiar faces.

It seemed they were in the dead time for employee breaks as it was empty apart from them. 

“Do you have any allergies or dietary requirements?” Lucas asked.

Flynn shook his head and Lucas led him to a table right at the back. The choice was something he approved of as they couldn’t be seen from the road.

Meredith often provided him with the company gossip and it usually revolved around two members of staff being seen together at the coffee shop. Whether or not the gossip would dare to include the CEO, he didn’t know.

“As the person who provided you with a lot of sugar today, I am going to order for you,” Lucas said and walked off in the direction of the counter.

That was a point, he had consumed a lot of sugar already today. He probably did eat too much sugar in his diet. It was just something that made him slightly happier and he didn’t put any weight on. It was something he needed to stop doing though.

Flynn was aware of most of his flaws, he just was too afraid to change them.

It was a harsh circle.

Every time he felt like he had gained a little more confidence and was on his way to fighting his fears, something happened to knock him back.

He distracted himself by taking out his phone and checking if he had any emails that needed immediate attention. There wasn’t anything too pressing apart from one from Meredith asking when he was coming back to the office.

Flynn dialled her office phone so he could inform her as quickly as possible. If Meredith was left to her own devices, she tended to start gossiping with other employees instead of working.

“I will be back within the hour and I want the budgeting figures for the patisserie project ready for me,” he instructed the moment she picked up.

“I’ll get on it,” she assured him. “Make sure to eat lunch.”

“Thank you. Please call the patisserie manager and tell him to go there tomorrow afternoon to meet Lucas and myself as well,” he added.

“I’ll do that,” she replied and rang off.

Flynn put his phone back in his pocket and Lucas returned with a tray of food. He could see a bowl and two cups of tea.

“You are having soup as it’s wholesome after all of those chocolates. You like tomato soup,” he said and put the soup down in front of him.

The soup did look appetising and his stomach rumbled on cue. Maybe he couldn’t just eat chocolate all day like he had dreamed of when he was a child.

He picked up the spoon and dug in. It tasted as good as it looked and he found himself enjoying it. Then something occurred to him. It really should have occurred sooner, but he had been distracted.

“How did you know I like tomato soup?” he asked.

The only culinary conversations they had held were on the subject of sweet things and tomato soup was definitely not sweet.

Lucas’ eyes twitched and Flynn frowned. There was something suspicious there. Then it came to him.

Of course, they had apparently met before.

Given that Henry also remembered, it had definitely happened. It wasn’t a joke that Lucas had made up.

“When we met before, did I tell you something like that?” he asked.

Lucas looked amused.

“You most certainly did,” he replied. “I know your tea preferences and things like that through that meeting.”

That did nothing to sate his fully reignited curiosity. His excuses to himself weren’t working now. He did want to know all the details of their first meeting.

“So...where did we first meet?”

Lucas smirked at him and put his face in his hands. He winked at him and Flynn frowned. That wasn’t the look of someone who was about to tell him something important.

“Hmm, it’s a secret.”

Flynn pouted. Why couldn’t he know about their first meeting? Henry wouldn’t tell him and neither would Lucas. It was getting annoying.

“What will I have to do to get you to tell me?” he asked archly.

“There’s nothing,” Lucas replied immediately. “You just have to remember on your own.”

That was hardly fair given that he was missing a lot of memories from his childhood due to the trauma of his parents’ deaths. Would it even be possible for him to remember if their meeting had been in that period of time?

The human mind worked in strange ways.

He elected to not reply to Lucas and focused on eating. It would be the best to not fixate on recalling their first meeting. It would only strain his mind more than it already was. He would just have to accept that he would never remember himself and move on with his life.

“Are you finished?” Lucas asked once he had put down his spoon.

“I have,” Flynn confirmed and checked the time.

He really did need to get back to the office to return to his work. His time with Lucas felt like an oasis in the desert and now he had to leave it.

“I’m assuming you need to return to work now,” Lucas said. “Are we meeting at the same time tomorrow?” 

They had made a lot of progress together so he approved of repeating the same progress again, just with the other menu.

“Yes, I will see you at the same time tomorrow and the patisserie manager will be there later on,” he replied.

Lucas held out his hand and Flynn stared at it in confusion.

“Promise to come tomorrow?” Lucas requested.

“I will be coming tomorrow because I need to,” Flynn answered.

Lucas was still a very confusing person to work out. 

“Pinky promise?” Lucas asked.

Flynn sighed and held out his hand. They shook fingers and something about it felt very familiar.

It felt like it had happened before.