Work Text:
He stared blankly into his teacup, watching the glass-like surface ripple as his server walked away. In the reflection, he could see his distorted, wobbling face; warping like it didn't know what to look like.
His eyes.
No amount of makeup could hide it. He looked tired; pale. Like a corpse dug from the dirt. Not even his crimson red eyes carried a spark of life.
His hair...
His hair was short. A standard wavy middle part. He still remembered the day he got it cut: the day before the wedding. Father was over the moon. "Finally, that rebellious fringe of yours can die with the rest of your immaturity. Now you become a true man, Daniel." His hand curled into a fist, and his lip curled into a spiteful sneer.
"You wouldn't know a true man if you saw one," he mumbled under his breath.
"Sir?"
He looked up. The server had heard him and was giving him a strange look. "Is everything alright?" she said with a faint accent. His eyes fell back to the teacup. The ripple had settled. Relaxing his fist, he reached for the small handle and raised it to his lips.
"Yes. Arigato." He took a small sip and nodded. The server bowed and walked away, tending to the few other guests in the quiet cafe. There was music playing. Quiet. Classical. Puccini, maybe. It certainly matched the aesthetic of the rest of the cafe. Clean. Minimalist. Elegant. White tile floors and black, floral chairs. Pristine tablecloths decorated with crisp napkins and antique silverware. The glass windows and door kept a solid, but pleasing barrier between the decadence and the chaos. The clouds ensured that there was no sun to blind the guests. It was everything a Von Taurus deserved.
He dared not look at the empty chair in front of him.
***
The bell rang out; a gentle, yet assertive chime as the entrance swung open. He restrained the impulse to not dart around and look, slowly rotating so as to give a dismissive passing glance instead.
It was nobody. Just some random salaryman likely grabbing a bite before work. He rolled his eyes and turned back around. Would he even come? He's already 30 minutes late. He scoffed. Typical. Just as the door was about to shut, a hand suddenly slapped against the glass. "Gomen'nasai!" shouted a voice. "Sorry, so sorry!" He recognized the voice immediately. He nearly toppled over his tea as he spun around in his seat, eyes wide with anticipation. Please be him, please be him-
And suddenly the clouds parted, letting the sun shine directly into the cafe. The pristine white cloths became bathed in soft yellow light; the silverware shined with blinding brilliance.
And for the first time in ten years, light returned to his eyes.
"No, no, I'm meeting someone- yes, I understand, but-"
"Tyler Sato."
The hostess turned around, revealing the young man she was talking to. Brown, bushy hair grown out into a ponytail; a minefield of freckles on a pale, yet lively face; a sturdy, strong build, tough enough for serious work. He was different, yet so very much the same. His eyes...
His eyes squinted as he tried to recognize the man sitting at the table. The black, almost oily purple hair; the stubble; the bangs... who...?
Recognition hit him like a truck.
"Daniel."
***
"Sake. A whole bottle, please." The server bowed and hurried off. Daniel smirked ever so slightly.
"Sake? Is it because you assume I'm paying?"
Tyler leaned back and laughed proudly, his chuckles echoing in the otherwise silent cafe. "Nahhhhh, I just like it." He paused, realizing what a ruckus he was being. "You are paying though, right? This place looks expensive."
Daniel's smile grew a bit more. "Well, you know how I like to keep hold of my money." He sipped his tea. "But I suppose I could be generous just this once."
"You haven't changed a bit," Tyler retorted. Daniel scoffed.
"You're one to talk. Ten years later and you're still wearing the same raggedy shirt."
"Hey, I thrifted this one last month! Not everybody has an iron, Von."
"I'm sure you could thrift one," he shot back. He waited for another retort, a cuss, something- but nothing came.
Tyler was dressed in a wrinkly, but still acceptable button-up shirt and dusty jeans. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing the same watch he wore back in his college days. Honestly, he looked like he had just come from a shift at the store-
Actually, that's probably what happened, he realized. Daniel was dressed- well, as he typically did. A full 3-piece, with jacket, vest, tie, and pants, all jet black save for the red Von Taurus Family crest on his lapel. A crimson gemstone with a large cursive "D" in the center, laid in gold.
Both so different, yet still the same in so many ways.
The server came with the sake. Nobody touched it.
"Why did you call, Daniel." His voice was full of doubt.
Daniel's smile fell as he thought of the words that would be most in-character. "I have a meeting with shareholders later today. I figured it would be rude to not say hello, given how close your store is."
"Is that right?" Tyler replied skeptically.
"Yes." Daniel was unwavering. "That's it."
Tyler flinched. He flinched. His hands started fidgeting and he looked askance. Daniel could see his pupils dart towards the bottle and back again. Reaching across the table, Daniel took it upon himself to open the bottle and pour it into a shot glass in front of Tyler. He then proceeded to pour a shot into his teacup. He saw Tyler's bewildered expression and winked. "It's terrible tea. God awful, in fact."
Tyler giggled and loosened up, swinging down his own shot and immediately pouring another. "So how's the family business?"
***
"So, your daughter, huh?"
"Satomi, yes. She's smart. Extremely so. Takes after her mother in a lot of ways."
"But not her father?"
"God-" Daniel coughed repeatedly, sipping from his alcoholic tea to clear his throat, "God, I hope not." He coughed again. "My father wanted me to have a son. Still does, in fact. Something about wanting a male heir."
"A Daniel Von Taurus the Fourth?"
Daniel pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, actually. With Grandfather's passing, he's the Patriarch now. The names of the children matter a lot to him. Satomi's just lucky she's a girl. Father doesn't even think about her." He raised the teacup to drink.
"And do you?"
The teacup froze. "Do I... what?"
"Do you think about Satomi?"
Daniel gently but sternly set the cup down. "Of course I do, Tyler. She's my daughter. I just... I just leave the parenting to her mother. It's better that way."
There was another pause. The music had reached the end of it's track. Now there was just silence. The occasional clinking of spoons. The swish of the curtains. The footsteps booming outside.
Then the music started up again. Mozart. Daniel clasped his hands together.
"How's Olivia?"
***
"...and that's basically it. Spends most nights watching TV until she passes out."
"Mm. I see."
Half the sake bottle was gone now. Neither seemed to be particularly affected. "Looks like our tolerance has improved since last time we drank, huh?"
"Indeed," replied Daniel. He dug deep into his mind, trying to find any more questions to ask. Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but his impulses suddenly took charge. "Are you seeing anyone?"
Tyler was visibly taken aback. "Uh- me? I mean-"
"You're a strong, independent, compassionate man. Surely you've attracted someone after all this time."
Tyler sucked air between his teeth, wincing. "Honestly, I've been so focused on the store I haven't really had the time. Same reason why I dropped out of Bingodemia."
What?
"I didn't know you-"
"Of course you didn't, Von. You left the group chat the day after you left town." His tone had changed. It was sharper; spiteful. Like a dog who suddenly learned how to bite. "Everybody asked about you at the dance. They all wondered where you went. After you left the group chat the only one who could answer was me and Citron." His pupils looked harshly upon Daniel. "But I guess that didn't matter to you; because you don't owe anyone anything, do you?"
"Tyler-"
"No, you know what? FUCK YOU! Fuck you and- and you mind games- and your dumbass words- god, I wish I could punch you right now-" Tears brewed in the corners of his eyes.
"Tyler! Not here-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The tears finally fell. Like a river, they poured. "Do you have any idea the SHIT you put me through? How many times I tried to remember our conversations, our fights? How many times you invaded my dreams like some FUCKING PERVERT? I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF! I ALMOST JUMPED OFF A ROOF!"
Daniel's eyes went wide.
"I just- I just-" His voice quieted down. "You fucking piece of shit. I don't know if you wanted me obsessed with you, but there you go. I hop you're fucking happy." He spat.
Daniel just stared longingly. Impulse screamed at him to jump across the table; to hug him, hold him.
But he sat still.
"And every night, when Olivia is watching TV, I have to see your fuckass family at 9pm. I see Marie promoting some new clothing bullshit, or Satomi on a sitcom, or your fucking dad on the corporate news networks, but you know what? I never see you. Because you're still a coward."
Daniel swallowed. It felt like downing an egg. "I-"
"Don't you dare."
"I should go." He reached into his wallet and pulled out a card. "I'll pay for breakfast. Thank you for... for meeting me." He turned to go.
"Wait."
A hand grabbed his wrists and pulled them together. Daniel was forced to lock eyes with Tyler, seeing the tears in full force. His hands were shaking. His whole body was shaking.
"That evening... in front of the store... when you told me... all of that... were you ever going to say you fell in love with me?"
And just like that, everything exploded. The walls that had held emotions and feelings to ten years ruptured with violence, sweeping Daniel off his feet and making him float within his mind. Images flashed through his head of a life that could've been. One where he worked in the store; where he and Tyler listened to music; where they would fight over the pettiest things. His heart was beating so fast he thought it would explode out of his chest. His breathing was so heavy he didn't believe he had lungs. Who was he? Where was he? What's real? What's fake? Fiction? Fantasy? Dreams? Reality? Who where what why fake fiction real dreams all come crumbling down-
"I... hate you... so much."
"Have a drink with me."
"As if I'd ever associate with someone as poor as you, Tyler Sato."
"Damn you, Tyler."
"Fuck."
***
"Daddy!"
A child knocked on the glass door. Reality immediately snapped back for Daniel, who looked down to see his wrist still firmly in Tyler's grasp. Gasping with disgust, he reeled back, yanking his hand away. Tyler looked at him manically, eyes still wet and wide like a sad puppy. Turning to face the door, Daniel was met with the familiar site of a discreet black car, a small child, and a thin, beautiful woman with a flower in her hair.
Daniel turned back to Tyler.
Then to his daughter.
Tyler.
Satomi.
Tyler.
Marie.
Daniel curled his still trembling hand into a fist and drove it into his pocket, swallowing the rest of his feelings down like venom.
"Goodbye, Tyler. We should do this again sometime."
The light in both of their eyes were gone.
***
Tyler watched from the window as Daniel got into the car.
Daniel took one more longing glance at the cafe.
"Was it a good talk?"
There was a pause. "No, Marie. It wasn't."
"What happened?"
The tinted windows raised shut.
"A lot of reminders of who I could've been."
Marie didn't have a response.
"Did you talk to Olivia?" he asked her. She shook her head.
"Was too tired after the shoot."
The bags under her eyes were noticeable through her makeup.
"Well..."
Olivia changed channels.
Tyler rang up the next customer.
Satomi played games on her PiPhone.
Marie posted on Instagram.
Daniel ran his hair through his fingers, fixating on the section where his fringe used to be.
"There's always next time."
A lot can happen in ten years, after all.