Sorry about the slow update, I had a teeny tiny bit of writer's block! :')
- Sian
Ezra's next shift was a quieter one. Tom spent most of his time standing behind the bar, staring at him as discretely as he could. Now that he knew Ezra's tragic past, Tom's heart bled for him, despite it happening over a hundred years ago.
"You are one loved up man," Cal said, eating scampi fries and throwing a few to a dog sitting at a nearby table. "You can barely take your eyes off him."
So much for being discrete.
Ezra glanced over, not meaning to listen, but listening all the same. They smiled at each other, and Tom forced his gaze to his best friend. "Where's Harper tonight?"
Cal shrugged.
"Everything okay between you both?"
"Yes . . . I think." Cal smiled and drummed against the bar.
"You think?"
"Her opinions of demons are changing. We've been arguing on and off for a week."
"What's she saying?"
"That they should be banned from the pub."
Tom raised his brows. He liked Harper because she was nice to everyone and made his best friend happy. "I thought she had the same opinion as us."
"She did, and that's why she's my girlfriend. I wouldn't have even dated her if she had an issue with demons. I guess she's just worried for me because of the fighting in here. She's probably just concerned about our safety after that big fight here last week."
"I hope that's all it is," Tom mumbled, wondering what reaction he would get when he and Ezra decided to put a label on their relationship.
Cal patted the back of Tom's hand. "I support you and Ez. I would never keep anyone in my life who didn't."
Ezra's expression was soft, clearly trying not to listen.
"Thanks Cal. That means a lot to both of us."
Cal beamed and changed the subject by complaining about the lack of dogs in the pub.
Towards the end of his shift, when the pub was mainly empty, Tom took a break outside with Ezra. The beer garden was dark, but the front door was open, casting them in a soft yellow glow. Tom sat close to stay warm. "I know the job can get boring just standing there."
"I'm getting paid to just stand there. I don't mind." Ezra looked down, staring at the way Tom leaned into him. "I'm sure it'll be less boring on weekends."
"Trust me, it will." Tom leaned into him a little more, and Ezra put his arm around his shoulders, the way he had hoped he would. He went even further by planting a soft kiss onto Tom's temple, so Tom tilted his head up and Ezra kissed his lips too.
Ezra relaxed into him, and the kiss left a small smile on Tom's lips. "Come on then, let's finish this shift."
They headed inside, and Tom didn't notice the stares until he was back behind the bar. He first caught one of Finn's friends whispering in his ear and pointing to Tom. Then his friend whispered to the person next to him, and they whispered to the person next to them.
The whispering carried on until everyone in the pub was glancing over at Tom with a mixture of disgust and surprise, leaning together to talk quietly.
Tom looked at Ezra who nodded once, as if to say yes, they saw us kiss. Tom knew it would happen in the coming weeks, but now that the atmosphere had shifted to something very uncomfortable, he realised that he wasn't quite ready for it.
Finn was the first to approach the bar, handing Tom an empty glass. He drummed against the bar, hesitantly rocking on his feet. "You and that demon there . . . "
"Yes?" Tom said, crossing his arms.
"Are you like . . . "
Tom sighed. "Spit it out, Finn."
"Look, my friend saw you together outside. What are you doing, Tom? I'm not homophobic! No, no, I'm not that. But a demon? Really?"
"If you have a problem with it, there's the door."
"But Tom, you can't seriously be dating a demon."
"I can, and I am. Keep your opinions of it to yourself." Tom pulled out a John Smith's glass. "Do you want another pint?"
Finn glanced back to his friend and shrugged before giving Tom three-pound coins. "Just as long as you're ready for the scrutiny lad. People won't be kind about this."
"I don't care."
Finn nodded slowly, staring at Tom for longer than usual. "You remind me so much of your grandad. He was a brave man too."
Finn stumbled away. Tom braced himself when others got up for another pint. Some left, muttering something about it being unnatural, others stopped speaking to him and motioned to what drink they wanted, and some stayed in their seats to glare from afar.
When Moira entered the pub to help with last orders, she noticed Tom's tense demeaner.
"Are you alright? Did I miss a demon fight?"
Tom shook his head to say no. "Can I finish early?"
Moira nodded but grabbed his wrist. "What's wrong?"
Tom trailed his gaze around the remaining faces in the pub. "Ask them. They seem to think my business is their business."
Suddenly furious that locals were making him feel so uncomfortable, Tom decided to take control. "Ez is finishing early too," he muttered, storming around the bar, and stopping in front of the demon.
He reached up, clasping hands around the back of his neck. He tugged until their lips touched, kissing in front of the locals. Tom was smiling before they pulled apart. But Ezra anxiously glanced around, blushing deeply. They held each other's hand and left the pub with their heads high, but Tom still apologised for making Ezra the centre of attention.
"It's okay," Ezra said quietly, following him around the back of the pub. "I'm glad you're not questioning your decision to be with me. But like that guy said, people won't be kind about this."
"I know. My parents and Cal are okay with it. I don't need acceptance from anyone else."
Declan was still up and watching TV when they entered the living room. Tom told him to help Moira lock up and mentioned that locals were being difficult. Declan left immediately. If Tom finished his shift early, he knew something was wrong.
They shut themselves in Tom's room and laid together, silently watching a film with their thoughts in the past. Tom fell asleep against Ezra, and woke in the early hours when Ezra had to help an angel with soul stripper duties.
Tom fell asleep the moment he was gone and woke up again alone.
He woke up late, so his parents were already up, and Gerry had already gone to work, and his sister was already out with his niece. They hadn't spoken a word since their argument. Tom knew she was avoiding him to give him space, but he was starting to miss her company.
"Morning sweetheart," Moira said, putting down the iron to hug him tightly.
Declan quickly dried his hands from washing the dishes to join their hug. "We heard what the locals had to say about you and Ez yesterday. If they think we'll be letting them back in then they can think again."
"Well at this rate, Finn will be the only local left." Tom felt guilty for driving all their customers away. "They can think what they want, but as long as they keep it to themselves, I'm not bothered if they drink here or not."
"Take the day off today-"
"No. I want to work through it."
"At least start a little later?" Moira suggested. "Is Ez still asleep?"
"An angel called on him in the night. He's not back yet."
"Is Cal working?"
Tom nodded. Though he decided to meet up with him for lunch.
Walking through the village at midday was incredibly awkward. News travelled fast, and by then, everyone had heard that Thomas O'Connell was dating a soul stripper demon. There was a mixture of gossip about him dating a man, and him dating a demon.
Still, he walked with good posture and didn't give anyone the satisfaction of a glare.
The sandwich shop where Cal worked was a tiny strip tucked away at the end of the main shopping street. The bell rung above his head as he stepped in. Everyone double glanced at him. The only person to greet him with a smile was his best friend.
"Tom!" Cal yelled. "Perfect timing, I'm on my lunch in five minutes."
"I'll get us lunch then," Tom said, standing in the line, ignoring the way the person in front turned to stare.
As he waited, the shop owner hurried out from the kitchen area, frantically searching the faces. "You!" he boomed, pointing at Tom. "O'Connell, you're banned."
"What?" Tom said in unison with Cal.
"I'm sorry, but you have to leave."
"Why?" Tom asked.
"Bad for business. Demons aren't allowed, and neither are you."
"He's done nothing wrong!" Cal argued, earning him a stern finger.
"Stay out of this and get back to work."
"No. He's my best friend. I won't let you ban him for no reason."
An old woman in the queue scoffed. "It's not for no reason lad. He's dating a demon. He shouldn't expect to be treated the same."
Tom wanted to shrink, to be so small that nobody noticed him. He fought back tears and crossed his arms. "Why are demons banned from a sandwich shop?"
"Just because."
"That's not good enough!" he yelled. "Me and my family are the ones who deal with their fights. Most of the time it's humans who start them. You should all be ashamed of yourself for the way you treat them. I bet half of you have never even spoken to a demon, yet you're the first ban their rights."
"Leave Tom, before you embarrass yourself further," the owner said, motioning for the door.
But before Tom could argue until he was blue in the face, Cal ripped off his apron, and threw it at his boss. "I quit. Go fuck yourself, especially you!" he pointed at the old lady. "Like Tom said, you should all be ashamed!" He stormed around the counter, wrapped an arm around Tom's shoulder and pulled him from the shop.
Tom brushed away his tears, but it was no use, they were falling too fast.
Cal kept walking until they were at the base of the hill. "Go up sit up at the top. I'll get us food from this food van."
Tom left without a word, climbing fast until his lungs burned and his tears were ice cold against his face. He wanted to summon Ezra, to cry into him and complain about the judgement, but Ezra had been dealing with it for over one hundred years.
Tom then knew that he had to pull himself together. Ezra could live with it, and face his fears by working in a pub where everyone hated him.
Tom could live with it too. At least he could say that he chased the one thing his heart wanted and wasn't weakened by the hatred of the masses.
As he reached the top of the hill and looked down on farmer Joel's field of sheep, he realised that the locals weren't so different from the animals. They blindly followed each other's opinions as if they were in a flock of their own.
Tom then closed his eyes with the sun on his face, feeling a little better.