(I know my characters can sometimes be kinda narrow minded, but that’s usually when I’m low on inspiration and cant come up with much- XDDD, or, in Cyrin’s case, using all his free time to keep his fam in a house and with food)
Arthur beamed at him. "Great! Wanna start Monday? I have the contract all written up, just gotta fill in your name and your salary!" He was clearly happy about a chance to help his friend.
He stilled, and his face fell a bit, as he considered Cyrin's completely unenthusiastic response.
"Or whenever you want to, I guess…"
Cyrin sighs, “Yeah. Sure.” He leans back, “I’m just. . . That kind of job isn’t what I’m interested in. But I can certainly try it.” He laughs softly, “I’ll try anything once.”
He smiles at Arthur, “I just. . . Don’t want to mess up.”
Arthur waved his hands again, frowning just slightly. "Cyrin, you're missing the point. Let me lay it out clearly for you." He leaned forward. "My building is relatively new and recently renovated. I only have a few tenants. I've had 1 complaint in the last several months. I'm paying you to handle that, and make sure a couple of reminder emails get sent in a month." He made hard eye contact. "You're barely going to have to do anything, and I'm going to take care of you and your family. In fact, I'm only having you sign the contract because you wouldn't take the money otherwise. This is to help you! It's not about how 'well' you do the job, or if you like it or not. This is a chance, an opportunity. I care about you, a lot, and I'm trying to help you!"
His frustration bled through a little bit. Cyrin had shown him some level of affection the other night, but had been completely frosty otherwise. It was beginning to drive him crazy.
Which you like, a little bit… admit it…
Cyrin sighs, “Look, I’m sorry if I’m upsetting you, but I just. . .” He shifts slightly, shaking his head, “Sorry. . .” He mutters, his demeanor softening slightly.
He looks at Arthur, reaching out with his hand slightly, “I’m just not used to help. I never really know how to handle it when it’s offered.”
Cyrin looked sad, or frustrated, or something, and Arthur's frustrated expression turned sympathetic.
He reached across the table, slowly, and rested his hand on top of the one Cyrin had reached out with. He kept the contact light, not wanting to force anything.
"Well… handle it by letting me help you. You deserve it, Cyrin. You've carried so much for so long, you're strong and independent, and I'm not trying to squelch that, but… I want to do for you. To give you things you've not had. I want good for you, Cyrin." His voice had gone more quiet, earnest, gentle, but persuasive.
Cyrin looks at their hands, then back to Arthur’s face. He relaxes slightly, sighing softly. He hesitantly and light rubs his thumb over the back of Arthur’s hand, “Yeah. . . I know. I’m trying. I’ll take the job. . .” He smiles slightly at Arthur.
Cyrin was trying his best, but help was not something he was used to. He was used to no one wanting to help him, but the feeling of someone wanting to help him. He could get used to it.
Arthur smiled at him, his smile only growing as Cyrin stroked the back of his hand with his thumb. He gave the smallest squeeze, trying not to push Cyrin, but indicating he was happy with the contact.
He nodded happily when Cyrin accepted the job. "Good. And you gotta know, it's kinda selfish on my part…" He flushed slightly, glancing at their hands. "If you're not working so much, maybe I'll see you more… maybe we can explore some more hobbies together…"
Cyrin smiles, “I’d love that. And it’s not selfish. It’s perfectly acceptable to be selfish sometimes. Even I am sometimes. Very, very rarely, but I am.” He laughs softly. “It almost never happens.”
He keeps moving his thumb, going quiet and just enjoying the moment.
Arthur chuckled. "Unless it's decision making. Which you're ironically selfish about not doing. But so am I, so it's fine. We'll work on it."
He did his best not stare, but when he'd looked up and found Cyrin smiling at him, it was a bit difficult.
He also did his best not to move, not wanting to shatter the moment.
Cyrin laughs, “That’s besides the point. And I suppose we will. . .”
Cyrin fell quiet again, looking at Arthur. Enjoying the moment and, if he was honest with himself, afraid to let it end.
(That’s all I got and all I can come up with, lol)
Arthur stayed, before sighing eventually. "We should, uh… we should probably go." They'd both finished their food a while ago, and while the burger joint was booming with business, they were getting looks from the servers.
He didn't move his hand though, just stood and picked up his tray with the other hand. He maintained the contact, holding Cyrin's hand lightly, hoping the dancer would let him keep this up.
Cyrin smiles and nods, “Yeah, we should.” He stands, picking up his own trash. He doesn’t drop Arthur’s hand, managing to hold onto his soda and trash.
He looks at Arthur for a moment before starting to walk towards the trash cans, lightly pulling on his arm slightly.
Arthur couldn't suppress his smile as Cyrin didn't pull away. They walked, hand in hand, first to the trash cans, then out to the car, where Arthur finally had to let go as they got in opposite sides.
Once inside, though, he laid his hand palm-up on the center console, offering it if Cyrin wanted.
"You headed back to the apartments, or over to your parent's place for the evening?"
Cyrin gets into the car, smiling and takes Arthur’s hand again, pulling his phon out off his pocket, looking at it, “Uh. . . I guess the apartments. I’ve got nothing from my parents. I did ask my dad if he needed any help but he said no earlier.” He looks at Arthur, smiling at him.
(prod)
Arthur visibly had to suppress the urge to beam at Cyrin when the dancer took his hand again in the car. He managed a more normal smile, his eyes bright, and nodded. "The apartments it is, then."
They got going, and Arthur handed Cyrin his phone. "Wanna DJ for us? What do you like to listen to?"
Cyrin smiled and nodded, "Yeah, sure." He takes Arthur's phone and finds a song, playing it. The song that played through the car was Control by Halsey.
"Umm. . . I like almost anything, really. Not crazy about k-pop, though."
Arthur looked shocked for just a second. "No to K-pop? WHat kind of dancer are you?" He grinned and gave a small laugh then, making it clear he was joking. "Yeah, the stuff is too… I don't know… too melodramatic for me, I guess. Most of the music I like is pretty chill."
He wasn't driving slowly, but he did take the long way around, the 'scenic' route.
"Favorite artist?"
Cyrin thinks for a moment, "That is a hard one, Arthur. . ." He sighs, "I don't know, I like Queen, but also this artist, Halsey. I also like the Chainsmokers. As well as Metalica and I Prevail." He laughs, "I don't really have one favorite. It depends on my mood. You?"
(I feel like I spelled Metalica wrong-)
(2 L's, i think. according to google, anyway ;)
(Yeah- XD)
Arthur squeezed his hand gently. "Oh, same. Some of my favorites though are HAUSER, Geoff Castellucci, Avi Kaplan, Peter Hollens… guys like that. Pretty chill."
He thought for a moment. "Do you have a favorite food? Did I ask you that already?"
Cyrin shakes his head, "Uh. . . Food? Its. . . Food-" He laughs, clearly joking, "Again, depends what I'm in the mood for, but usually anything with cow."
Arthur laughed, but not unkindly. "I guess that's fair. Whatever you can get your hands on, right? But cow is a good start. So, obviously, beef, like burgers or a beef hotdog or whatever, and maybe steak? What about cow tongue or other stuff like that?" He grinned at Cyrin, trying to elicit a reaction.
The conversatino went on like this all the way back to the apartment. Music and getting to know each other. And Arthur was happy with that. It felt like they'd made real progress by the time they pulled into his parking space by the apartment building.