Vivian was smiling as he accepted the napkin, though his heart leaped into his throat as Tristan spoke, unable to tear his eyes away from the other man's. They had both danced around what this really was, never going past the kind of conversation old schoolmates might have after several years apart. But things between them had never been so simple, and Vivian couldn't deny that that was exactly what this had been. What this was. And he had to admit to himself too that Tristan had thought the same the last time they had seen each other too, and that Vivian had stomped all over him. There was still a way out without hurting Tristan this time - he could act as though this had been nothing but a friendly catch up, pretend their history had never happened and escape whatever this was. But he still remembered the hollow ache he had felt after their last encounter, the months it had taken to get back on something resembling an even keel. He wondered how long it had taken Tristan. "Thank you too." He said, before his thoughts could go further down that spiral. "For giving me one." There was nothing more to be danced around. This was what it was, a step towards something new, and Vivian knew better now than to pretend otherwise to himself or anyone else.
