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Eliott was looking forward to the office holiday party. He loved the small graphic design firm he was working for, and the boss loved these kinds of after-hours get-togethers with the team.
So he made sure to arrive early, and as he entered the beautiful venue, he only saw a handful of colleagues shattered throughout the room, chatting with a glass in their hands. Eliott accepted one too from a waiter, and walked around, greeting his co-workers and being introduced to their dates.
At the far corner, Manon was talking to a man he didn’t recognize. Manon was cool. Her mom owned the firm, and while it was no secret Hélène Demissy wanted her daughter to take over at some point, she also made sure Manon was learning the business from the bottom, and was held to exactly the same rules and expectations as everybody else.
Just as Eliott made his way towards her, the man she was with turned around to deposit their empty glasses at the bar, and Eliott froze where he stood.
Lucas.
The Lucas.
The Lucas his friends hated on principle, for breaking Eliott’s heart – although that was really not Lucas’ fault. He hadn’t known Eliott had fallen in love with him head over heels more than three years ago, when they had met at a bar and ended up at Eliott’s flat. What followed was the best sex of Eliott’s life, and Eliott waking up to an empty bed and no way of contacting Lucas.
His friends had listened to him lament the loss of the love of his life for months. Eliott had described in detail how beautiful Lucas was, and how funny and smart, and how fucking good in bed. TMI, his friends had complained when Eliott described in detail how Lucas had made him come within minutes with a particularly clever trick of his tongue.
The first days, they had thought Eliott was exaggerating. Then, for the next few weeks, they had tried to find Lucas. They had spent evening after evening at the same bar, they asked other patrons if they knew him, but all in vain. And Idriss was convinced that it was pointless anyway, because he maintained that if Eliott saw his Lucas in daylight he would realize he was not The One after all. But Eliott had remained lovelorn and heartbroken and for months, everybody had tried to get him to hook up with somebody else to get over Lucas. Eliott refused, and after nine months somebody had finally gotten irritated and all talk about any Lucas was banned for half a year after that.
And for the two years since Lucas was accepted again as a topic of conversation, the opinions differed. Idriss still thought Eliott had simply made him into some ideal dream guy, because he was unattainable. Lucille asked around for any Lucas sometimes, and if she by chance met one, she introduced him to Eliott without a lot of hope. Mireille assumed Eliott just wanted to have some more mind-blowing sex. Sofiane said Eliott used Lucas as an excuse to not find someone to settle down with, but he also claimed that was Eliott’s right. Xavier hardly believed there ever had been a Lucas. And Jeanne thought it the height of romance to be pining over a boy you had seen once, years ago.
Eliott never said a lot, and just shrugged as he looked around for spiky hair and huge blue eyes.
And here he was. Lucas. The Lucas.
Manon had spotted Eliott, and she waved him over.
“Hi, Eliott,” she said, pressing a kiss to both his cheeks.
“Hi,” Eliott replied dumbly. “Happy holidays.”
He stared at Lucas, but Lucas looked at him with a polite expression and absolutely no hint of recognition.
“Hi,” Eliott repeated again, this time facing Lucas.
“Oh, you two haven't met, have you?” Manon asked. “Eliott, this is Lucas. Lucas, my colleague Eliott.”
Lucas nodded civilly, but still nothing more. Eliott remembered Lucas screaming Eliott's name in ecstasy as Eliott came inside him.
“Eliott Demaury,” he added, and immediately mentally slapped himself. It wasn’t as if they had exchanged last names that night.
Lucas smiled a tight-lipped, well-mannered smile, and let Manon carry the conversation.
Eliott managed to hum at the right places, but he didn’t hear a word Manon said.
He had been pining over Lucas for three years, four months and eleven days – not that he was counting – and Lucas didn’t even remember him.
If his friends had thought Lucas was a bastard for breaking his heart before, there was no telling what they would do to him for the way he was now crumbling the halves into tiny shatters.
***
The party had been mostly a blur, and Eliott wanted to go home. Whatever he did, wherever he went, whoever he talked to, Lucas was always there, in his peripheral view, smiling at Manon. He’d been hiding out by the kitchen door for the past twenty minutes, wishing Hélène to hurry up and give her speech already so he could leave. He was in a foul mood – nothing like discovering the guy you’ve been hung up about for three years doesn’t even remember you to sour your festive spirit.
He was texting the group chat with his friends, telling them he was all over Lucas.
At that point, Manon dashed by, back to the hall after a bathroom stop, and she smiled brightly at Eliott.
And that really did it.
“Your date left you alone, Manon?” he asked, though it was more a snarl, judging by the way Manon startled.
“Oh, no,” she laughed when she had recovered from Eliott’s outburst, “he’s over there, talking to my mom. She doesn’t get to see him very often, so it’s good they get a chance to catch up.”
Eliott looked over to where Manon was gesturing, and he noticed Lucas was indeed talking animatedly to Hélène. So that was why she hadn’t done her speech yet.
Manon was watching the two of them too, with soft eyes, and Eliott hated it.
So Lucas just left Eliott's bed without any explanation, and now here he was being the perfect son-in-law, charming the pants of his girlfriend’s mom.
Manon’s words caught up with him. Hélène didn’t get to see Lucas very often? It was good that they got some time to talk?
Well, Eliott hadn’t gotten to see Lucas very often either, but Lucas didn’t give him the light of day.
Maybe Lucas was just an asshole. Maybe Eliott had gotten a lucky break there. Maybe his friends were right.
Only, that didn’t help his anger in the least.
“I see,” he gritted out. “Do you know what type of guy he even is, Manon? Maybe you shouldn’t be so fast to introduce him to your family.”
“Huh?” Manon seemed taken aback. “What?”
“Oh, I get it, pretty guy, pleasant, good manners, the perfect boyfriend to bring home, right? But appearances might deceive. Ever think about that?”
Manon’s eyes were wide and she opened her mouth, but Eliott was on a roll.
“Did you know your polite, friendly date fucks men, too? Huh?”
“Too?” Manon interjected, bewildered. It was a weird thing to reply, but Eliott didn’t pay attention to it.
“Are you even sure he’s into you?” Eliott supposed Lucas could be bi, they hadn’t labelled themselves, but he seemed to remember a rainbow pin on a jacket. “Or is he just trying to weasel himself into the company? Being nice to your mom and all that?”
“Eliott!” she called out, her mouth pinched in disappointment, a hand lifted to stop the flow of words spilling out of Eliott. “Lucas isn’t even my –”
That was the exact moment Hélène chose to call everybody’s attention, having walked up to the stage while Eliott was ranting. Manon looked over at him in exasperation, and then slipped away while Hélène was going over the great year the firm had had, thanking all contributors to the success.
Eliott was only half listening, while he followed Manon who hurried back to Lucas. He saw her whispering frantically to Lucas, and Lucas’ reactions were – interesting.
His eyes went wide, his cheeks went pale first and flushed after a few seconds, and he swivelled his head to stare right at Eliott.
From this distance, Eliott couldn’t make out the emotions in Lucas’ eyes, but his lips were clasped tightly and he balled his hand into a fist.
Aha, Eliott thought. Don’t like to be exposed, do you? Don’t like to have your nifty little plan to seduce the heiress soiled, do you? Well, nothing you don’t deserve.
Some small voice inside him said Lucas hadn't done anything wrong, but Eliott ignored it. Lucas had forgotten about him. That was bad enough.
A smirk crossed his face, as Lucas stared at him. Then Manon pulled at Lucas' sleeve, and there was more whispering, and then –
Then Manon hugged Lucas tight, and she said something else, and then she glared at Eliott over Lucas’ shoulder.
Shit.
This was not what was supposed to happen. Manon was supposed to dump Lucas right there and then, and Lucas was supposed to slink out of Eliott's life forever, and Eliott was supposed to be happy knowing he ruined Lucas’ plans as efficiently as Lucas had ruined all Eliott’s dreams.
But as Hélène was finishing up her speech, Lucas started for Eliott with big, determined steps, and Eliott was powerless to do anything about it, short of turning around and running with his tail between his legs.
So that is what he did, ignoring the buzzing from his phone in his pocket.
***
Lucas overtook him by the bathrooms.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Lucas hissed, grabbing him by his wrist and twisting it painfully until Eliott turned towards him.
Well. Flight didn’t work, so no other option than fight.
“I wasn’t going to let you play with Manon’s heart, you asshole. I realize that you don’t understand that some people have one of those, being such a selfish bastard, but she doesn’t deserve you using her.”
“I am using Manon? And how the fuck am I doing that?”
“Oh, don’t pretend to be all innocent! You know all too well what you’re doing.” For a moment, Lucas seemed as confused as Manon had been earlier, but Eliott remembered what he witnessed. “I saw it with my own eyes. Buttering up to your girlfriend’s mom to get into her good graces, trying to take over the company!”
“My… what?”
Lucas stared at him, and Eliott faltered slightly.
“Your girlfriend. Manon.”
It stayed silent for a long beat, and then Lucas’ face hardened.
“I don’t know what you’re playing at here, but I have no girlfriend. You know fucking well I am not into girls.”
It was the first time Lucas acknowledged their night together, and it threw Eliott for a loop. So Lucas did remember?
“But – Manon –”
“Not that it is any of your business,” Lucas snapped, “but Manon is my friend. We’ve known each other for years. Her boyfriend couldn’t make it so she asked me to step in, knowing I would like a chance to talk to Hélène. I don’t think I could butter up to her, as you put it, even if I wanted. She’s caught me and Manon sneaking in after curfew more times than I can count, she’s laundered sheets I vomited on when I was too drunk to remember after my dad’s second wedding, and she’s known I’m gay for almost as long as Manon does.” Eliott had trouble keeping up. Lucas wasn’t Manon’s boyfriend? “So what I would like to know is why Manon is suddenly telling me you are spouting all sorts of stuff about me? Why are you telling her I fuck men as if it is some nasty secret? She wanted to go to talk to Hélène about an official warning to you for discriminatory remarks, but I stopped her. For now. You’d better make sure you convince her next Monday you’re not homophobic.”
Eliott spluttered as he tried to sort through all this new information.
“No thank you?” Lucas asked cynically. “Shouldn’t have expected you to be a decent human being, I guess,” he added, under his breath, as he turned around.
“Wait!” Eliott called, and Lucas stopped and glanced at Eliott over his shoulder.
“Uh, thanks,” he murmured, and Lucas raised an eyebrow. “I, uh, I’m not homophobic.”
It was a stupid thing to say, and Lucas’ eyebrow agreed as it rose even higher.
“Yeah, I kinda figured. You were a bit too enthusiastic to fuck my ass to be homophobic. Though why on earth you said that to Manon I don’t know. No –” he held his hands up when Eliott tried to interrupt, “– I don’t want to know. You’re in the closet, fine, just don’t drag the rest of us down, okay? At least it explains why you wanted to keep that night a secret.”
He walked away again, and this time Eliott ran after him.
“What do you mean?” he said, overtaking Lucas and blocking his path. “I’m not. Closeted, I mean. I guess it just never came up with Manon. And what about keeping things secret? You – you remember?”
“Of course I do,” Lucas retorted. “Why wouldn’t I? You think I go home with men every other night and I simply can’t remember them all or something?”
“No, no,” Eliott hastily replied when Lucas’ eyes flashed in anger. “Just, earlier, when Manon, uh, introduced us, you, uh…”
“I thought that’s what you wanted,” Lucas said, carefully schooling his voice and his features. “You made that pretty clear that morning.”
“What? I didn’t – you just left without a word and I –”
“Don’t even try,” Lucas snapped. “I woke up and asked you about breakfast, and you couldn’t even do me the courtesy of looking at me while you mumbled some stuff about ‘just one night’ and ‘never see you again’. It was pretty clear, Eliott.”
His name on Lucas’ lips took him back to the last time Lucas had said it, or, well, screamed it was more accurate, while he was fucking Eliott under the shower before they tumbled back into bed, exhausted from three rounds of mind-blowing sex. He shook his head to clear those memories while he tried to unravel what Lucas was saying.
“I never said that! I woke up and you were gone!”
Lucas’ eyes narrowed.
“Are you calling me a liar?”
“No, it’s just – I never – maybe I was talking in my sleep – I swear, Lucas, I woke up and you were gone and I was heartbroken!”
That seemed to knock the fight out of Lucas.
“Heart- heartbroken? That’s a big word.”
“But a true one,” Eliott retorted. “I’ve been looking for you for three years.”
Lucas stood still, only his fingers fidgeting with his belt, his eyes darting all over Eliott’s face.
“Oh,” he finally uttered, not looking Eliott in the eye.
“And then I finally see you again and you don’t even seem to remember me. I was pretty upset.”
“Oh,” Lucas mumbled again, and then, “So that’s why you talked shit about me to Manon?”
“I thought you were with her. I was jealous. As well as upset.”
“Oh.”
It took a while, Lucas clearly working through some stuff, maybe trying to remember which were the exact words he heard Eliott say that morning.
“Well, I am not,” he said after a few long minutes. “With Manon.”
“Yeah,” Eliott replied, and a silence fell again. Eliott didn’t know where to go from here, until he became aware of his phone, still buzzing non-stop in his pocket, and inspiration struck.
“Here,” he said, unlocking the device and holding it out to Lucas. “See for yourself.”
He would be embarrassed as he read the messages upside down while Lucas scrolled through them, if they weren't proving his point. His friends hadn’t held back – “No way! You found him? Your Lucas?” and “Lucas? The Lucas? The one from the best sex you ever had?” and “After more than three years of pining you finally see the man of your dreams and suddenly you are over him?” and “Eli, you can’t be hopelessly in love with someone for three years, waxing poetic about how wonderful he is every other day, and then just text us you’re over him. Details, please!”.
Lucas stopped scrolling and handed Eliott back his phone.
“Best sex ever?” Lucas asked.
Eliott shrugged, but nodded.
“Three years of pining? Hopelessly in love?”
“Told you I was heartbroken.”
Lucas bit his lip.
“But you are over me?”
“That was when I thought you were with –”
“Manon,” Lucas cut in. “But I told you I’m not with her.”
“You did,” Eliott said breathlessly. “Maybe I will need to revisit that last bit. The over you bit.”
“But not the in love bit? Or the best sex bit?”
Lucas took a small step closer.
“I don’t think so,” Eliott said, mimicking Lucas and ending up brushing his arms against Lucas’.
Lucas didn’t step back. His teeth were still worrying his bottom lip, and Eliott wanted – wanted – wanted everything.
“Maybe…”
His voice faltered, but Lucas looked up at him with something of a smirk on his face.
“Maybe?” he asked, and Eliott collected all the courage within him to speak again.
“Maybe you could come with me. Make sure I wasn’t mistaken about those bits. Stay for breakfast this time. Stay forever if you want.”
Lucas stayed silent, running a hand through his hair as he looked thoughtfully at Eliott.
Eliott’s phone buzzed in his hand, and they both looked as a message appeared on the screen. “Eliott, what is going on? Is Lucas…”
“Coming with you,” Lucas said. “Lucas is coming with you.”
Eliott grinned and turned off his phone before putting it away. He held out his hand, and Lucas gingerly grabbed it.
“Come on, then,” Eliott said.
Lucas smiled at him, and Eliott grinned back, like an idiot, but it didn’t matter anymore. He felt the past three years of longing fall away. He found Lucas again, and he was not about to mess up his second chance to have a one-night stand turn into a one-life stand.