Chapter Text
Adam glanced over at the clock, leg bouncing impatiently as he held the phone up to his ear. He knew he should be paying closer attention to what Beth was saying, but it was already getting late and if he didn't leave soon he would miss his window of opportunity for his weekly Thursday night outing.
Honestly, Beth should have known better than to have called on a Thursday night. She knew Thursday was cafe night. He had told her multiple times.
It turns out Beth had completely forgotten that Thursday was cafe night. She was too wrapped up in tearful outrage, pacing her apartment with the phone pressed to her damp cheek. It had been a nice place once, when she first moved in, but now it felt empty and awkward without being able to walk over and find Adam any time she needed him. And she needed him right now, he was the only one who listened to her.
"And he said my book was terrible!" Beth yelled. "Terrible! My book! You know how much work I put into that book, Adam, you've read it! And that review was in the newspaper, thousands of people read it!"
Adam sighed, eyes darting over to the bookcase. "Your book wasn't terrible," Adam said, fingers tapping idly at the back of his phone. "But it wasn't terribly good either. The amount of work you put into it doesn't necessarily correlate to how good a book would be. Besides, I still don't understand why they had to talk. Or have jobs."
Beth flinched. She tried not to let Adam's words get to her - he was Adam, after all, he just didn't understand things like kids books - but they hurt anyway. "It's a great book," she said defensively. "And it's for children, Adam! Children love it when animals talk and have jobs and... and do real people things!"
Beth glared across the room, hot, angry tears filling her eyes. "Can't you just support me in this? You're supposed to be my friend." This was, perhaps, a bit manipulative, but Beth was feeling a bit too worked up to be reasonable at the moment. Everything seemed justified when you were having a crisis.
"I am your friend Beth," Adam said, taken slightly aback. Why would Beth think he wasn't? Because he thought her book wasn't terribly good? But if he told her it was good he'd be lying to her, and wouldn't that make him a bad friend? Lying. He wants to support her though, because she did work hard.
"I don't know what you want me to say," he said, glancing over at the clock again. "I'm really sorry that your date disliked your book. And that he felt the need to tell you it was terrible, and then write about it in the paper. That was a terrible thing to do. Especially to someone you are dating. The book isn't even bad, if it were, the publishers wouldn't have financed it. So clearly someone liked your book and thought it was great."
Beth settled a bit, soothed by Adam's words. She sighed, slumping onto the couch. "It is a terrible thing to do to a date, isn't it? God, I should just give up on men entirely. No offense," she added sheepishly.
"None taken," Adam said, wondering why she thought he'd be offended. Beth's sexual preference had nothing to do with him.
"But you're right! I got published, and I have thousands of kids reading my book! It's a wonderful book!" Beth grinned, suddenly reenergized. "In fact, I just got an idea for a sequel! And it's going to be great. You're the best, Adam. I don't know what I would do without you."
"You would probably continue to cry, and then still write another book about talking raccoons," Adam offered, leg bouncing faster. It was already eight forty. The cafe closes in twenty minutes and it would take him at least ten minutes to walk there. Thursday evening cafe night was a wash. It was disappointing that he had missed it. He had been looking forward to his tea and berry tart, but he supposed he could go tomorrow. A one day change in schedule never hurt anyone, right?
Beth sniffed a little. It was a bit harsh, but probably true. Adam was good at saying things that were true. She grabbed for her notebook. "Listen, Adam, it's really late. I appreciate you helping me, but I'm gonna write down some notes about my next book and then get to bed. You have a good night!"
“Goodnight, Beth.” Adam sighed and ended the call. He glanced at the time again and pulled out his laptop. He had enough time for an episode of Cosmos. If he had to miss Thursday evening cafe night, might as well get on with Friday evening Cosmos, at least this way he could still salvage his week.
_____
Entering the cafe, Adam had decided that he doesn't like Friday evening cafe night at all. For starters there were too many people there. On top of that, his favorite barista, Melissa, didn't work Fridays. Instead his tea was prepared by someone named Brian and he didn't even bother to fold his napkin into the shape of a star.
Finding an empty table was an endeavor, but he finally found a spot to settle down at. Pulling out his book, he was about to take a sip of his tea when a stranger took the seat across from him.
"They say you and I only have ten minutes, but I can already tell we're going to need longer, gorgeous."
Speed Dating was just the latest in a long line of bad ideas. There would be no going back to Bucharest, after all, nor to Gabi, and Nigel had been informed by Darko that it was time to 'stop moping around like a pussy and move on.'
There'd been clubbing, of course. That had been fun, and had gotten him laid, but it didn't typically lend itself to anything more long term. Next, he'd tried the opera. A big mistake. Nigel had liked the opera more for Gabi than the actual theater, and he certainly didn't like the sort of two-faced socialites that hung around during intermission.
So, speed dating.
He'd been given his instructions, and some paper to write down phone numbers, and the lady in charge had just pointed him towards his first table. His only table, if Nigel had anything to say about it, because the boy at the table was the most beautiful thing Nigel had seen since coming to this country. Big, bright eyes, neatly combed wavy hair that looked like it would curl properly after a good roll in the sheets. Nigel was hooked, immediately, intensely.
Lowering the cup Adam blinked back at the man before him. As far as men went, Adam would say that the description of gorgeous fit him better. Adam appreciated the juxtaposition of his look. There was refinement written all over this man. In the way he dressed, the way his hair fell perfectly just above his eye, the way held himself, gracefully. And yet, the roughness of his features, the flex of his muscles under the crisp shirt which accentuated every line, the tattoo dancing on his neck, it made him feel dangerous . He shivered at that thought, dangerous , and attempted to suppress his arousal.
"The cafe closes at nine," Adam said taking a look at his watch, "you have approximately two hours before you'd have to leave."
Nigel made a face. Two hours bouncing around from table to table when he could stay right here with this angel? No thank you. "Well, I'll just stay right here until nine, then," he decided, folding up his sheet of paper. There was only one number he was going to need tonight.
"You may, but I will most likely be leaving at eight thirty."
"So," Nigel said, leaning back in his seat and taking in a full, lengthy look of the other man, "What's your name, gorgeous? Or should I just keep calling you that?"
"My name is Adam, but you may call me gorgeous if you like," he said, picking up his book and settling back into his chair.
Nigel couldn't help but laugh. "Alright then, gorgeous," He said with a wink that was clearly going unnoticed because of the book. Nigel had been told he could be all manner of unsavory things, but he was sure he hadn't done or said anything offensive this time.
Adam nodded absently, and took a sip of his tea, wrinkling his nose disapprovingly. It wasn't bad per say, but it also wasn't his usual cup of tea. Brian was a little heavy handed on the honey and didn't seep the leaves for as long as Melissa does. He was never going to come back on a Friday.
"Do you need a better drink?" Nigel offered, noticing the face Adam made. "I could get you something new, and we could chat for a bit instead of letting the timers boss us around."
"Oh, it's alright," Adam replied, not bothering to look up from the book. "It's not bad, it's just that I like the way Melissa makes the tea more. This is just slightly too sweet and not strong enough. I can't have too much caffeine this late otherwise I won't sleep well. Although I was planning to stargaze tonight. Jupiter is in opposition tonight so it would be a good night to get a detailed view."
Nigel had never felt quite so off-kilter on a date before, even one as short as this was meant to be. Nigel was not a particularly vain man, but he knew he was attractive, and generally people enjoyed being flirted with. This Adam seemed to hardly care that Nigel was there at all. Somehow, it only intensified Nigel's desire to attract his attention. He latched on to the topic, nodding along as if he heard about Jupiter on every date. "It's a nice night," Nigel agreed, "Perfect to see planets and... stars. Do you like the stars, gorgeous?"
"Oh yes, very much so," Adam said putting the book down. "Did you know there are only about six thousand or so stars visible to the naked eye? That is a startling low number, considering the fact that the Milky Way alone is estimated to contain between one and four billion stars. Most of them are too far away to be seen without a telescope and those we can see all reside within a thousand light years or so. The closest star to us is Proxima Centauri, which is about is four point two four light-years away. That's about twenty five trillion miles or forty trillion kilometers away."
Nigel grinned, more at ease now that he'd hit a successful topic. Adam did indeed like space, quite possibly more than Nigel had ever liked anything. He looked very ready to ramble off even more space facts. Nigel would take it; Adam looked particularly gorgeous when he was excited. "I didn't know that," Nigel said honestly, "Any of that. I guess the distance explains why they're so small. Space is a lot more empty than I thought it was. Are you some sort of... I don't know the word, space scientist?"
"Astronomer," Adam provided with a smile, "and no, I'm not an astronomer. I'm an electrical engineer. Although, I am currently working on the satellite guidance systems for the Hooker telescope up at Mount Wilson. The Hooker telescope was the world's largest telescope from nineteen seventeen to nineteen forty-nine. It boasts a hundred inch reflector, which forever altered our understanding of the size and nature of the universe. In fact, it was used in the early nineteen twenties by Edwin Hubble to definitively prove that the Andromeda nebula was external to the Milky Way galaxy and that the universe was still expanding."
Nigel went over the words in his head. Several of them were a bit out of his reach, but he thought he got the gist of it. He wasn't quite sure what an 'Andromeda nebula' was, but generally, the idea seemed to be that space was really big and getting bigger. Nigel could follow that. "That's really interesting," He said, and for once it wasn't a line. "So you-"
"Time's up." The man who had interrupted Nigel was about four inches shorter than him, and not half as pretty. Nigel glowered at him. "Time's been up," The man added, as if that was likely to make Nigel move faster."
Adam frowned, his brow furrowing, wondering why they were being interrupted. He had been enjoying his conversation.
"I've decided I'm not playing anymore," Nigel said, shoving his piece of paper into the man's chest, "Here, you can have my sheet."
Adam's brow furrowed further as he looked between the two men in confusion. "What do you mean time's up?" He asked looking at his watch again. "The cafe doesn't close for another hour and forty minutes."
"You're fine, Adam," Nigel assured him.
"Indeed he is," The new man said with a leer that Nigel found entirely inappropriate (though he had given Adam the same look earlier). The man pulled up a chair from a neighboring table and sat down much closer to Adam than Nigel would have liked him to be. "Speed dating rules say ten minutes per table, so you can just take your leave and I'll get to know this handsome man."
"Speed dating?" Adam asked, squirming uncomfortably at the proximity of the newcomer. "I'm sorry, but I'm not here for speed dating, or any sort of dating, I'm just here for tea and this berry tart."
"Well, you're here on speed dating night," the newcomer said with a laugh, "so you might as well participate."
"He said he didn't want to," Nigel said in a low tone, "So why don't you leave the man to his dessert?"
"You didn't," the man said, but as he spoke, Nigel rose from his seat and rolled up his sleeves. Nigel was well aware of what he looked like, with old scars and older tattoos, and a snarl on his lips. He looked vicious, more than a little bit dangerous, and it had served him well.
Nigel hauled the man up out of his chair with a firm grip on his shoulder. "Get lost," He said, shoving the man towards the nearest empty table.
Adam watched the interaction with wide eyes, arousal thrumming through his veins. He had never had someone come to his defense before, although he hadn't exactly said he didn't want to participate, because quite honestly he had been enjoying the company of the man with the dancing tattoo. If speed dating meant talking to this man all night, Adam was certainly willing to try.
"Thank you," Adam said, straightening out the plates, his eyes fixated on the man's now exposed forearms. He hadn't noticed it before, but the man has very nice hands, and even nicer forearms. As he stared, he couldn't help but wonder what those hands would feel like, trailing all over his body, pinching at him, scratching him, marking him. He had half a mind to comment on it, considering the man was here looking for a date, but remembered Beth's reaction to his admittance to sexual arousal and suppressed the thought. Instead, he moved to cut into his tart, ensuring the berries weren’t falling before offering the man half.
"Would you like half of my tart? They make them very good here. The crust is not too dry like some places and the custard is not too tart. It’s not overtly sweet either, and the lemon really shines through. I particularly like this one over the strawberry one because of the lemon. The dark chocolate tart is good too, but a little too rich for my liking. I haven’t tried a lot of the cakes, but they look good. I’m always tempted to, but I like the tarts, they have fruit in them."
Nigel settled back into his chair with a huff. The other man was still glaring at him, but he didn't look inclined to wander back over. Nigel instead turned his attention back towards Adam, offering him an encouraging smile as he spoke. Adam was a wonder, that was certain. Nigel wondered if he was nervous, or if he always rambled like this. Nigel would take either, there was something about his voice that made him a delight to listen to, and though he did not look Nigel in the eyes, his own eyes lit up when he spoke.
"You've got opinions on everything, don't you, gorgeous?" Nigel said, accepting the offered half of the tart. He took a bite and gave Adam a wink. "I like a man who knows what he wants. You're right, this is delicious. I'll have to come here more often, especially now that I know you'll be around."
"I usually only come on Thursday evenings. I've found that Thursdays are the best nights to come. I can't come in the mornings because of work, and I dislike coming on the weekends because there are too many people. Wednesday nights I go to trivia with my coworkers, and the local theater usually unveils new plays on Tuesdays, so I like to keep Tuesday nights free."
Adam took a bite of his tart, looking around the room at all the full tables and people rotating around them. "I never came on a Friday before. Fridays I save for my rewatches of the Cosmos, but my friend Beth called last night, and she was pretty upset, so I had to make alternate plans. Thursdays are definitely the best nights to come. Melissa works Thursdays and she makes my tea correctly. But if you like your tea sweeter and less seeped, perhaps you wouldn't mind Brian. I won’t be back on a Friday though. There are too many people here and I didn't realize they hosted speed dating, which I still didn't sign up for and don't quite understand."
Nigel had half a mind to settle his chin on his hand and just drink Adam in. Gabi had not been nearly as chatty, her words chosen very carefully. Adam, in contrast, seemed to voice every single thought that came into his head. It was refreshing. Nigel suspected he'd never have to guess what Adam was thinking.
"You've got a variety of interests," Nigel said. Good. It was easier to woo someone if you had a lot more angles to come from. "I like my tea plain, as it happens. Harder to fuck up that way. I'd be willing to try Melissa's tea on a Thursday, though, if it comes with the pleasure of your company. I'm finding that Speed Dating isn't really my style. Takes more than ten minutes to really know a person, don't you think? And if you don't like crowds, you probably don't want to talk to a dozen people in an hour."
"That sounds terrible. Why would anyone sign up to talk to a dozen strangers for ten minutes at a time? Ten minutes is not long enough to get to know anyone, are they going solely on attraction and first impressions?" Adam paused. This man had sat down in front of him, called him gorgeous and declared he'd need more than ten minutes. "Did you sit down solely because of attraction?"
Nigel could not help a hint of shame creeping up over him. His face felt warm, all the way down to the back of his neck. "Well, some of us get a bit..." The word he was looking for was 'desperate.' Nigel wisely chose to skip over that one. "Bored. It's enough time to get a phone number and maybe a second chance to talk." Nigel's fist clenched in his lap, and for once it was he who glanced away and avoided eye contact.
"Yeah, alright," Nigel said, embarrassed, "You see right through me, darling. I did sit down at first because I thought you were the best looking guy I'd seen all year. But I stayed because you're interesting,. You're excitable and know what you like. Those are good qualities. Attractive qualities."
"Thank you. I find you very attractive as well." Adam brushed the few stray crumbs from his fingertips and staked the empty plates. "Especially your hands. I like the way your veins popped when you were manhandling that other man. It excited me, sexually."
Nigel stopped breathing for a moment. There was a laugh bubbling up in his chest, more relieved than anything else, but he knew that laughing at a potential lover was a good way to end up alone at the end of the night. He glanced down at his arms. He'd kept up with his workout routine, even without the roughhousing he used to do for work, he still retained his muscle mass. He grinned up at Adam. "Well, since we're being honest, you've excited me sexually since the moment I saw you. And I'm happy to manhandle anyone you like." Anyone . Adam was tall, but Nigel was pretty sure he could still lift him easily.
"Oh," Adam said, shifting in his seat as he imagined those hands manhandling him against a wall. "Well, sunset isn't until eight thirty, and peak visibility for Jupiter isn’t until closer to ten, if you were still interested in viewing it. We have roughly an hour until sunset, if you like, my place is less than ten minutes away."
Nigel leaned forward, his grin widening. Speed Dating was the best decision he'd ever made. He made a show of checking his watch. "Well, would you look at that. Plenty of time for a house tour." Nigel stood, stretching slightly, and then held out a hand for Adam. "Why don't you show me the way, gorgeous?"
"Okay," Adam said, following the man to a stand, taking a moment to slip his book back into his bag before slinging it onto his shoulder. Picking up the dirty dishes, he placed them in the man's outstretched hand before wiping the crumbs off the table with a napkin.
Nigel looked down at his hands then back up at Adam. Well. Okay then.
"The bus box is next to the counter," Adam said, when the man shoved no intention of moving.
"I'll just clean this up, shall I?" He dumped the trash and plates where they belonged, dusting off his hands with a slight grimace. He had a smile back in place by the time he returned to Adam, though. It was hard not to smile. He was going home with an absolutely gorgeous (if, admittedly, slightly odd) man, and if he was lucky, he'd impress him enough for a round two. "I can carry that for you," Nigel said, gesturing towards the bag.
"No thank you," Adam said, adjusting his grip on his bag. He was not about to hand over his book, wallet, house keys, observatory keys, and the Apollo 11 CSM model he had just picked up (even if it was only fifteen dollars), to some man he just met, who's name he didn't even know. Then again he did just invite the man over to his house, but picking up strangers for sex was normal, handing over his things to one when not threatened by bodily harm was not.
All of Nigel's best attempts were being shot down. He was a bit amazed that they were going home together at all, at this point. "You know, you're not like anyone I've ever met," he said, which was hopefully a compliment. Unusual, beautiful. Everything he liked in a partner. Nigel was falling hard and fast.
Adam's footing faltered and he came to a stop. "I..." he stammered, flicking his fingers with his thumb, staring intently at the black splotch of ink on the man's neck.
He had thought that their conversation was going well. That he had been behaving normally. He had gone out, sat down in a crowded space at an unfamiliar time. He had been calm, collected, didn't have a panic attack or make any highly inappropriate comments, or so he thought. It was all going so well. He had picked up a stranger, and they were going to go back to his place and have sex, it was normal. Perfectly normal, but then he must have done something, said something, and now the stranger knew he was different . Dumb Adam. Stupid Adam. He should have known it couldn't have been this easy to pass for normal .
Nigel hesitated next to Adam, watching the expression on his face change. Not a compliment, then. Nigel mentally berated himself. Gabi always said he was too vulgar, too rude.
"I have this thing," Adam finally forced out, a sense of dread washing over him as he started to stim faster, "Asperger's."
"That's on the... what's it in English, the Autism spectrum, right?" Nigel shrugged, hands in his pockets. His eyes flickered down to Adam's fingers and he frowned. "You know it's alright, don't you darling?" He said, his voice as gentle as he could make it. "I've known a few guys like that, it's not a problem. I wouldn't have said anything if I'd known it would upset you."
"Yes," Adam said, hands stilling as he narrowed his eyes. "Of course I know it's alright. I know that I might think a little differently than NT's, but that doesn't make me intrinsically different . It doesn't make me slower or emotionally inept, it doesn't make me a child ."
Adam took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around himself the way Harlan had taught him. He didn't want to have an attack right now. It shouldn't bother him as much as it was. This man wasn't trying to upset him, he had said so himself. He had been nice. Understanding. He found him excitable, but also found that attractive.
Adam glanced nervously up at the man, not quite making eye contact, but eyes lingering close. He understood that although he knew that it was perfectly alright be too slightly different, NT's usually didn't. He was not an idiot and knew that even Beth, who had cared about him, saw him as different. Defective. Something that needed to be fixed. At the end of the day, he was terrified that this man, who he had admittedly just met, who's name he didn't even know, would also feel the same way.
Adam couldn't explain it, but he wanted, no, needed this man to be different. "Is it alright with you? Me having Asperger's?"
Nigel sighed, shoving his hands awkwardly into his pockets. "I always seem to say the wrong thing," He muttered, more to himself than to Adam.
Gabi had been right about him.
He bit his lip, staring back at Adam, as much as Adam's gaze would allow. "I was trying to say it was fine with me," Nigel explained, "I don't have a problem with it, because there's nothing wrong. I didn't mean to make you feel..." Nigel sighed.
"You think it's normal?" Adam stared wide eyed at the man, completely flabbergasted.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Nigel asked, shaking his head. "Or as normal as any of us get, anyway. Let's start over," Nigel said, holding out a hand for Adam to shake. When in doubt, turn on the charm.
"Hi, I'm Nigel. I occasionally say fucking stupid things, but I would very much like to go home with you tonight."
Adam smiled at took the offered hand, relishing the feel of it enveloping his. Nigel's hand was large and warm, and the heat of it seeped into his own, traveling up his arm and down his spine. "I'm sorry I misinterpreted your words, I'm not very good with people. But I would like it very much if you'd still come home with me."
Nigel laughed softly, using his grip on Adam's hand to pull him in. "Don't you worry about it, gorgeous, I'm a real fuck up with most people."
Perhaps it was rude to be so forward on the street, but in a couple of minutes they were going to be a lot closer, so Nigel felt no guilt at all about pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Adam's mouth. Not quite the fantasies he'd been indulging in since he saw those lips, but enough to tie him over for the rest of the walk.
Adam turned his head slightly, capturing Nigel's mouth in a proper kiss as he pressed into him. Shifting slightly, he released the grip he had on his bag and wrapped his free arm around Nigel's waist, pulling him even closer so that every inch of their bodies were touching.
The apartment wasn't far, but if Adam could have his way he'd take Nigel right here, up against the side of some stranger's car, but he rather not be arrested for public indecency. It felt good to not have to worry about moving too fast. To know that Nigel wanted this as badly as he did.
Nigel let out a soft groan, reaching up to cup Adam's jaw in his hand. They were nearly matched in height, and it meant they pressed together in all sorts of interesting ways. If Nigel was not careful, his pants were not loose enough to hide anything obscene. Then again, Nigel didn't really give a fuck about being careful. He nipped lightly at Adam's lower lip, letting his hand slide back to finally run through those soft curls, kept so neat right up until Nigel got his fingers into them. "If we don't get moving," He whispered against Adam's lips, "I might not be able to wait until your apartment."
"Yes, yes, apartment," Adam gasped breathlessly, licking his lips, chasing the taste of berry tart, stale cigarettes, and Nigel . Reluctantly, he took a step back and turn to walk swiftly down the street, half dragging Nigel behind him.