~Thursday 28th March 2013~
"I'll see you later, Edee, don't stay here all night," Hailee called as she shrugged on her coat and slung her bag over her shoulder. Eden looked up from the booth he was cleaning, flashing Hailee a tired smile.
"I don't think Mal would let me, he's hell-bent on getting home so we can have dinner," Hailee laughed, waving goodbye to Eden and leaving through the front door.
Eden returned to scrubbing the table of the booth he was working on, counting down the ones he still had to clean. He put his headphone back in, humming along with the upbeat song he was listening to, swaying his hips a little. He didn't have his music as loud as he usually would, knowing Malcolm was in the back office looking over the inventory like he often did when he picked Eden up from work.
With it being pretty late at night, the darkness of the evening worked in their favour. For one, paparazzi usually didn't stay on the job so late, and if there were any sort of pictures they would be too low quality for anyone to make a serious accusation. Eden would love for Malcolm to drive him to work, or maybe come by a little earlier and have coffee, but he would simply have to wait.
As one song ended, Eden just about caught the little bell jingling, indicating someone had opened the front door. He sat up, pulling out his headphones, his eyes landing on the man lingering by the door, looking around the diner with a warm smile on his lips. He had a familiar look to Eden, but the boy wasn't sure what it was that he recognised.
The man had short salt and pepper hair that sat in a mop of loose curls atop his head. He was clean-shaven, with rich hazel eyes that were like two little pools of honey. He was casual-looking, like he should be wearing a sweater and some jeans, not a pretty expensive suit. Eden wondered if it cost the same and Malcolm's did, though he doubted anyone could top the costs his boyfriend was willing to spend on a nice suit.
"We're closed, sir, we open at eight tomorrow morning," Eden stood up from his place kneeling on the seat of the booth, wiping his damp hands on a dry rag that had been resting on the table, catching the attention of the man. His smile grew a little when his eyes trained on Eden, his hands not moving from the pockets of his slacks.
"Oh, I'm aware, I was just looking for Eden Moir, I heard he's the owner here," Eden frowned sceptically, stopping dead in his tracks, wishing he had just remained by the booth that was much further away from the man.
"Why are you looking for him?" Eden glanced toward the counter briefly, wondering if he could scramble over it quick enough to get to the back office if the man decided to pounce. It all depended on his speed really, if not, he hoped he had time to scream.
"Personal reasons. I had hoped I might catch him here tonight but don't worry about it. You wouldn't happen to have his number, would you?" Eden hesitated for a moment, before walking past the man and around the counter, dropping the rag he had into the bucket of soapy water in the corner.
"I don't think that's really my place to do so," Eden actually flinched when the man chuckled, having never felt so tense, not for a few weeks anyway.
"It's only his number, come on, please? I promise you I'm not some creep trying to hurt him," Eden remained silent, wiping down the counter, looking to the back office every so often, "OK, I understand I might come across as a little bizarre, appearing out of the blue late at night asking for a colleague's number but it's really important. Will you at least give him mine?" the man picked up one of the notepads stacked by the cash register and took a pen from his breast pocket, leaning on the counter whilst he scrawled down something on the paper.
"Edee? You ready to go, bunny?" Eden grimaced when Malcolm's voice rang out in the room, the man's eyes instantly snapping up to meet his. Instead of some sinister sneer appearing on the man's face, he simply chuckled briefly, righting his posture and tearing out the paper he had written on.
"I knew it was you from the minute I walked in the door, you're a good liar, Eden. I assume Archie taught you how to hold your heart rate steady," Eden frowned, taking a few steps back, relief washing over him when he felt Malcolm's chest against his back, instantly gripping the man's hand.
"And you are?" Malcolm took control of the situation, using that dry, professional tone that Eden was sure made everyone tremble. The man smiled warmly, looking from Eden to Malcolm, his expression never faltering.
"Mitchell Moir, Eden's dad," Eden suddenly felt weak at the knees, his eyes widening and his breath catching in his throat. His grip on Malcolm's hand tightened, hoping that his boyfriend would be his lifeline and keep him on his feet whilst his head spun and his legs threatened to give out.
"Do you have any sort of proof of that?" Eden was so thankful for Malcolm asking all the right questions, since he was having trouble simply remembering his own name in that moment.
"Yeah, I have my driver's license," the man chuckled, pulling out his wallet and sliding a card across the counter to Malcolm, "I suppose I should have brought my passport and a written reference too?" Eden barely paid attention to the man's joke, staring intently at the card in Malcolm's hand. Judging by that, and the sudden similarities popping out at Eden from the man's appearance, he actually could be the boy's father.
"Maybe we should sit down and talk this through?" Malcolm suggested but Eden was more concerned that he couldn't catch his breath. He hadn't had a panic attack in centuries, and he didn't have his big brother to calm him down, he had no idea what to do. Pulling his hand from Malcolm's, Eden ran into the back office, closing the door behind him and leaning against it, trying to control his hyperventilating.
"Edee?" the boy was well aware Malcolm could have been right behind him, and quickly flicked the lock closed. Malcolm may help him with most things but, right in that moment, he didn't need the man to take his breath away like he usually did. Eden was starting to see spots in his vision, his chest aching from the heaving breaths he was taking.
"Five things..." he wheezed, his eyes darting around the room for him to list five things he could see, almost sobbing in frustration when his mind couldn't stay still long enough to actually pick those things out. There were too many items in the room for him to take in.
"Edee, open the door, bunny. It's just me," Eden covered his ears, trying to block out Malcolm's voice, sliding down the door into a sitting position with his knees up against his chest. He was no longer hyperventilating, in fact, he simply wasn't breathing at all anymore.
Clutching at his throat and squeezing his eyes closed, Eden reached up the door, fumbling around in an effort to draw back the deadbolt. He couldn't cope on his own, couldn't fix the problem he had made. He should have known really, he had never been able to stop a panic attack alone before, Archer always had to be there with him. With his fingers going numb, Eden's arm dropped down limply at his side and a choked sob drifted out over his parted lips.
"Edee, please," Eden could hear a quiet jingling from above him, like the noise of metal scuffling against wood, but didn't care to focus in on it. Being so oxygen-starved, he was beginning to feel awfully tired, the panic ebbing away to a crushing fatigue.
Eden remembered his first panic attack had felt much like this. It wasn't long, and Archer had been passed out on the couch, so he was no help. Eden ended up collapsing, never having been told how long he was out for, but waking with an aching head from hitting it off the countertop. At least sat down he wouldn't have such an extensive fall.
Suddenly, Eden felt the door behind him move, hearing heavy footsteps on the hardwood floor and feeling a pair of strong arms scoop him up. Eden tried to clutch onto the fabric of Malcolm's shirt but couldn't quite bring himself to, he was far too tired. He was barely aware of how much they moved, but found himself sat with his chest pressed to Malcolm's and his head resting in the crook of the man's neck.
"Don't run away from me like that, bunny," Malcolm whispered, his hand having slipped under Eden's shirt to splay over the boy's bare skin. His fingers were cold, and it felt amazing on Eden's burning flesh, grounding the boy rather quickly but not doing much for his sudden fatigue.
"Sorry," Eden murmured drowsily, pressing a few slow, uncoordinated, kisses to Malcolm's neck.
"You don't need to apologise, bunny, just don't disappear like that and lock me out. You had a panic attack, you could have been really hurt," Malcolm shifted a little under Eden, producing a small black leather pouch and untying the string around the neck of it, "stick out your tongue."
"What is it?" Eden didn't have the energy to protest, opening his mouth and pushing out his tongue.
"Something to wake you up," Malcolm poured a tiny amount of the red powder onto Eden's tongue, the corners of his mouth twitching up when the boy's eyes widened suddenly. Whatever it was, it was burning. Eden leapt up off Malcolm's lap, abruptly very alert, scrambling over to the desk and downing the dregs of the half-full glass of water sat on the coaster there.
"What the fuck is it?!" Eden hissed viciously, scowling at his boyfriend who had dissolved into laughter.
"Crushed chillies, it woke you up, didn't it? Not everything I have on me has to be enchanted and magical," Malcolm was finding the situation far too funny and Eden let his emotions get the best of him. He disappeared into the kitchen, filling the glass with cold water and returning to the back office. Malcolm was still sat on the couch, looking smugger than Eden would have liked. The boy was merely bringing him back down to earth. Where he should be.
"I have some-" Malcolm's sentence was cut off with a gasp when Eden tipped the water over his head. With a flash of anger flickering through the man's eyes, Eden thought he might have gone too far, until Malcolm began to laugh once again.
"You're lucky I love you," Malcolm muttered playfully, rising from the couch and pulling Eden into a very sodden hug, ignoring the boy's protests and whines. Eden squirmed in Malcolm's grip but the man was just too strong for him and he gave in quickly, returning the hug despite the cold water seeping in through his shirt.
"You scared me," Malcolm admitted in a quiet voice, cupping Eden's cheek and caressing his skin with a gentle touch, "you looked so out of it. You never told me you have panic attacks."
"I don't," Eden almost melted into the man's touch, never wanting it to end, "I used to but Archie was always there to help me. I haven't had one for years," Malcolm's eyes were darkened with worry, the concern always managing to make him look ten years old than he physically was.
"He's your father, Edee, he isn't going to hurt you. I wouldn't let him," Eden's bottom lip caught between his teeth, the image of the man who claimed to be his father having slipped his mind.
"I don't know if I want to talk to him," Eden admitted sheepishly, "he's never been interested in me before, why now?" Malcolm smiled reassuringly, leaning down to kiss Eden. It wasn't long, nor was it lust-filled. It was short and sweet, relieving the knots that had tied up Eden's stomach and leaving butterflies in there instead. God, that man was perfect.
"I think that's a question you should ask him. I'll be right there with you, you can squeeze my hand if you want me to take over so you can have a few minutes to process anything. Or if you really really aren't up for it tonight, I'll take his number and we can maybe do something another time," although tempted by the latter option, he knew he couldn't avoid his father forever. Eden had always wanted him in his life, he couldn't run away now that he had the opportunity. Eden reached up, dragging his fingers through Malcolm's damp hair, pushing it out of his face into a more acceptable style.
Eden was silent as he and Malcolm walked together, hand in hand, back into the main diner, finding Mitchell perched at the counter, looking down at his phone with a concerned frown. Eden took a moment to look at the man with a more open mind, as he had done when he had first entered the diner. He wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed it before, but the similarities with Archer were striking. The sharp features, dark eyes and, of course, the curled hair that two of the three Moir children had been blessed with.
"I was beginning to think you had run off," Mitchell wore a nervous smile when he looked up, slipping his phone into the breast pocket of his suit.
"We just needed a minute, it's a lot to comprehend," Malcolm wore a warm smile, rubbing his thumb over the backs of Eden's knuckles, bringing him back down to earth.
"Do you want something to drink?" Eden asked politely, unintentionally using that voice he often did when at work, maybe it was just the environment rubbing off on his psyche.
"No, thank you," Mitchell said with a brief chuckle, "it's very polite of you to ask though," Malcolm took charge once again, suggesting the three move their conversation to one of the nearby booths, trapping Eden between himself and the window. Sneaky.
"I don't mean to come across rude but, may I ask who you are?"
"Malcolm Reed, Eden's lawyer," Malcolm extended his hand to Mitchell, whereas Eden just grimaced at the twinge of sorrow that pierced his heart when his lover ignored their relationship. It was probably for the best, although it looked like Mitchell had already noticed their entwined hands resting together under the table.
"Why are you here?" Eden asked bluntly, wanting to draw the attention away from his and Malcolm's relationship. He wasn't ready to tell the man about it just yet, wasn't sure whether he could trust him.
"Well, that's a pretty long story actually," Mitchell unbuttoned his jacket and shifted a little, resting his hands openly on the table, "I suppose I'll start at the beginning," Mitchell paused for a moment, looking as though he was collecting his thoughts, "I was in love with your mother when I met her, we never married but I loved her. I was so happy when she got pregnant, I had always wanted children so it was perfect. Archie was an easy baby, easy enough anyway, for two first-time parents. Everything seemed amazing, apart from Corinne's increased paranoia.
"I don't wish to paint your mother in a bad way, but when she got pregnant with you, it was like she became a different person. She was near psychotic. She thought every woman was flirting with me, that I was having affairs, any excuse to start an argument she could think of. After nine months of the abuse, I couldn't take it anymore. I had stayed with her throughout the pregnancy for her sake but, a few days after you were born, I split with her.
"I didn't want to give you up, or your brother, I wanted partial custody. Trouble was, that wasn't a thing back when you were a child. The mother had every right over the children, and there wasn't exactly much of a court system I could go to. I tried my best to come see you boys whenever possible but it was difficult with Corinne.
"She wouldn't let me take either of you out of her sight, and anytime she was around me it was just a constant bombardment of her trying to get me to stay. I put up with it for a few years, which you were probably too young to even begin to remember, but after she tried to drug me, I-" Mitchell sighed heavily, guilt darkening his features, "I gave up. I moved away, didn't leave any contact details and that was it. Looking back, it's the worst mistake of my life, and I would understand if you didn't believe me. It isn't your everyday deadbeat dad story," Eden remained silent for a moment, absorbing everything Mitchell had just confessed, squeezing Malcolm's hand gently to indicate he wanted him to continue the conversation for him.
"I think it makes a lot of sense," Malcolm commented, wearing his own scowl, "Corinne hasn't exactly been the best mother to Eden and Audrey recently," Mitchell's eyebrows raised, clearly he was a little taken aback by Malcolm siding with him, "she's an alcoholic and she hit Eden a few weeks ago."
"Mal!" Eden hissed, heat flaring in his cheeks almost as quick as the anger rising in Mitchell's dark eyes.
"She what?" Mitchell choked out, his fiery eyes training on Eden.
"It's not a big deal," Eden murmured, averting his own gaze to his hands, "doesn't even matter anyway, it's not like I actually talk to her anymore. She was just drunk, it doesn't happen often," Eden knew he'd slipped up when his head was tilted back forcefully by Malcolm, ensuring their eyes met, making him almost crack under his intense gaze.
"What the fuck do you mean 'often'?" the boy didn't dare respond, tears welling in his eyes, "Eden, has she hit you before?" Malcolm's expression softened when a tear streaked down the boy's face and he swiftly tugged him onto his lap, holding him tight and rubbing his back, "I'm sorry," he whispered, his sincerity as genuine as always, "I didn't mean to scare you, bunny."
"It's fine," Eden mumbled, sniffling and wiping away the few tears that fell, returning his attention to Mitchell, "you still haven't told me why you're here. I'm really tired and I just want to go home, could we make this quick?" Mitchell's face was awash with guilt but Eden didn't have the energy to assure the man that he wasn't the cause of his tears.
"I wanted to invite you to dinner at my house. I want to be in your life Eden, and Audrey's too, but I knew I would have to figure everything out with you first. I want you to meet my new wife and... and your half-brothers," Eden wouldn't care to admit it but his heart jumped at the thought of him having more brothers. They wouldn't be enough to replace Archer, nobody would ever be able to replace him, but the mere concept almost brought a smile to Eden's face. Almost.
"Only if I can bring Mal," Mitchell cocked an eyebrow, a knowing smile curving his lips, and Eden linked his fingers in with Malcolm's, feeling the man drop a chaste kiss to the top of his head.
"Your lawyer?" Eden felt the corners of his mouth lift up ever so slightly, he finally understood where he and his siblings had gotten their sarcasm from.
"My boyfriend."