Swift as a Coursing River | Ongoing

19. Clear air

Sabine and Jules organise a local LGBT movie night in December. Vincent told him there was also an LGBT movie festival in Leuven in November, but the dates didn't fit into his schedule. This movie night is just in an upstairs room of a community centre, with a beamer and a white screen, and folding chairs that have clearly seen a lot of use.

Edwin finds Vincent standing on a table to solve a problem with the beamer. His sweater and shirt have ridden up and Edwin can see his bellybutton, before he turns away his gaze. Vincent has made him a prude, when he never used to bat an eye at men walking around half-naked on the beach or at the swimming pool.

"Can I help?"

Vincent looks down. "If you can fix the beamer, go for it, darling." He jumps from the table instead of using the chair, and leans on Edwin's shoulder for balance.

Edwin does fix the beamer. "Thanks, sweetheart!" Vincent blows him a kiss. Edwin's cheeks burn, but it's almost a constant when he's around Vincent. At least he's coming in from the cold, so that'll hide his blush. It's just Vincent's usual demeanour, he reminds himself. Not a sign Vincent is attracted to him.

Vincent leaves the rest of the start-up to Sabine and Jules, so they pick their seats while other people filter in. Edwin struggles to get comfortable on the hard plastic and keeps shifting.

"Should have brought pillows," Vincent says. "I suggested we'd just throw a bunch of blankets and pillows on the ground, keep it cosy and seasonal, but I was told that wouldn't be accessible for older or disabled people." His mouth curls up. "So if you can't sit still, I can only offer my lap, darling."

"No thanks," Edwin replies while he looks straight ahead. Vincent is only joking. Caroline is wrong. "You wouldn't see anything."

"If that's your only objection, you don't need to worry." Vincent laughs. "The real queer movie experience is to cuddle up close and pine away for your straight best friend. I've already seen everything anyway."

"You know what we're watching?"

"I have an in with the organisers, sweetheart. Of course I do. I always know everything."

"And you know it," Edwin says, but it sounds more reproachful than teasing.

Vincent pulls back his face. "Something wrong?"

"No," Edwin replies automatically. "Well, not wrong. This is maybe not the moment." He shoots a meaningful look around the room, where people are chatting, hugging, laughing. The seats next to them are still empty, but it won't be long.

Vincent checks his watch, the one he personally customised. Edwin knows it's easily the most expensive thing he wears. "You've got fifteen minutes, sugar. You want to throw it out or sit with it until after the movie?"

"I don't think fifteen minutes will be enough."

"That serious? Now you got me curious. Are you breaking up with me?" Vincent clutches his heart. Edwin shakes his head and smiles, but it's half-hearted. "Alright, then you've got ten minutes to forget because I need you to pay attention and enjoy."

At that, Edwin chuckles more genuinely. "It's not going to be another Disney marathon with quiz, is it?"

"You're safe this time, friend of Dorothy! I will only test your enjoyment."

Edwin lets out an inelegant noise of laughter and relaxes. "Will you make me sing Somewhere over the rainbow? Or your anthem?"

"Who knows. But I think I'll save that for karaoke at Bonaparte."

Somehow, with a few jokes, Vincent has turned Edwin's mood back to what it was when he entered. Vincent's humour can be edgy, flirty and over the top, but something has clicked since September and now his jokes hit a sweet spot inside Edwin more often than not. There's a rush in knowing how to interpret and navigate Vincent's performance, in turning into it and letting it flow over him, to flush him clean.