Cyrin sighs, “Look, I’m sorry if I’m upsetting you, but I just. . .” He shifts slightly, shaking his head, “Sorry. . .” He mutters, his demeanor softening slightly.
He looks at Arthur, reaching out with his hand slightly, “I’m just not used to help. I never really know how to handle it when it’s offered.”
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Cyrin looked sad, or frustrated, or something, and Arthur's frustrated expression turned sympathetic.
He reached across the table, slowly, and rested his hand on top of the one Cyrin had reached out with. He kept the contact light, not wanting to force anything.
"Well… handle it by letting me help you. You deserve it, Cyrin. You've carried so much for so long, you're strong and independent, and I'm not trying to squelch that, but… I want to do for you. To give you things you've not had. I want good for you, Cyrin." His voice had gone more quiet, earnest, gentle, but persuasive.
Cyrin looks at their hands, then back to Arthur’s face. He relaxes slightly, sighing softly. He hesitantly and light rubs his thumb over the back of Arthur’s hand, “Yeah. . . I know. I’m trying. I’ll take the job. . .” He smiles slightly at Arthur.
Cyrin was trying his best, but help was not something he was used to. He was used to no one wanting to help him, but the feeling of someone wanting to help him. He could get used to it.
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Arthur smiled at him, his smile only growing as Cyrin stroked the back of his hand with his thumb. He gave the smallest squeeze, trying not to push Cyrin, but indicating he was happy with the contact.
He nodded happily when Cyrin accepted the job. "Good. And you gotta know, it's kinda selfish on my part…" He flushed slightly, glancing at their hands. "If you're not working so much, maybe I'll see you more… maybe we can explore some more hobbies together…"
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Arthur chuckled. "Unless it's decision making. Which you're ironically selfish about not doing. But so am I, so it's fine. We'll work on it."
He did his best not stare, but when he'd looked up and found Cyrin smiling at him, it was a bit difficult.
He also did his best not to move, not wanting to shatter the moment.
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Arthur stayed, before sighing eventually. "We should, uh… we should probably go." They'd both finished their food a while ago, and while the burger joint was booming with business, they were getting looks from the servers.
He didn't move his hand though, just stood and picked up his tray with the other hand. He maintained the contact, holding Cyrin's hand lightly, hoping the dancer would let him keep this up.
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Arthur couldn't suppress his smile as Cyrin didn't pull away. They walked, hand in hand, first to the trash cans, then out to the car, where Arthur finally had to let go as they got in opposite sides.
Once inside, though, he laid his hand palm-up on the center console, offering it if Cyrin wanted.
"You headed back to the apartments, or over to your parent's place for the evening?"
Cyrin gets into the car, smiling and takes Arthur’s hand again, pulling his phon out off his pocket, looking at it, “Uh. . . I guess the apartments. I’ve got nothing from my parents. I did ask my dad if he needed any help but he said no earlier.” He looks at Arthur, smiling at him.
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Arthur visibly had to suppress the urge to beam at Cyrin when the dancer took his hand again in the car. He managed a more normal smile, his eyes bright, and nodded. "The apartments it is, then."
They got going, and Arthur handed Cyrin his phone. "Wanna DJ for us? What do you like to listen to?"
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Arthur looked shocked for just a second. "No to K-pop? WHat kind of dancer are you?" He grinned and gave a small laugh then, making it clear he was joking. "Yeah, the stuff is too… I don't know… too melodramatic for me, I guess. Most of the music I like is pretty chill."
He wasn't driving slowly, but he did take the long way around, the 'scenic' route.
"Favorite artist?"
Cyrin thinks for a moment, "That is a hard one, Arthur. . ." He sighs, "I don't know, I like Queen, but also this artist, Halsey. I also like the Chainsmokers. As well as Metalica and I Prevail." He laughs, "I don't really have one favorite. It depends on my mood. You?"
(I feel like I spelled Metalica wrong-)
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(2 L's, i think. according to google, anyway ;)
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Arthur squeezed his hand gently. "Oh, same. Some of my favorites though are HAUSER, Geoff Castellucci, Avi Kaplan, Peter Hollens… guys like that. Pretty chill."
He thought for a moment. "Do you have a favorite food? Did I ask you that already?"
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Arthur laughed, but not unkindly. "I guess that's fair. Whatever you can get your hands on, right? But cow is a good start. So, obviously, beef, like burgers or a beef hotdog or whatever, and maybe steak? What about cow tongue or other stuff like that?" He grinned at Cyrin, trying to elicit a reaction.
The conversatino went on like this all the way back to the apartment. Music and getting to know each other. And Arthur was happy with that. It felt like they'd made real progress by the time they pulled into his parking space by the apartment building.
Cyrin made a disgusted face, “Okay, I take it back, not anything with cow. Steak, burgers, not a hot dg fan, pork ribs. . . Meat. I like meat.” He laughs softly, grinning at Arthur.
He leans back in the seat, rubbing his thumb along the back of Arthur’s hand, quiet for a moment. Contemplating.
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Arthur started to get out of the car once they got there, but Cyrin ran his thumb across the back of his hand, and was quiet for a moment, so Arthur froze. He stayed where he was, looking at Cyrin.
"Whatcha thinkin' about?" he asked quietly, squeezing Cyrin's hand lightly in response.
Cyri n blinked and looked at Arthur, smiling, "Oh, I was debating something for the apartment." He hums.
"With the living room high enough, I can have my own studio and still have space for other things. I'm trying to decide what I want in it. It may just be a studio, but for my dancing and drawing."
He lets go or Arthur's hand after a moment and gets out of the car, "Or, I can get a TV and a couch and put it in there. There's a lot of things I can do with the space."
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Arthur nodded at him, looking just slightly disappointed as Cyrin let go. "There's quite a lot of space, and you've got that second bedroom. It's big enough to act as a smaller studio for your drawing, or as literally anything else you like. The space is yours." He smiled as they headed inside.
"And now, if you decide to add some kind of a loft with the high ceilings in the living room, you're the guy who sets that up. Kinda means I won't have any idea what your apartment looks like." He grinned at Cyrin.
"And if you're looking for a tv and a couch… feel free to use mine. I could just… I mean, you're the building manager… I could just give you a key. Come on in whenever you like."
Cyrin nods, smiling slightly at Arthur. He hesitates, and then takes his hand agian, "Well, okay. . . Um-" He rubs the back of his neck with his free hand, "My own TV would still be useful. So, I'll probably still get one. And a nice comfy couch would be nice after I've been practicing for a while, so I mean, these are still things I need to think about."
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Arthur's smile widened a bit as Cyrin took his hand again. "I'm not trying to dissuade you from all that, just offering. Most of the bigger stores where you could get all that stuff are closed by now, but… tomorrow maybe?"
In the door, up the elevator, stop at Cyrin's floor. Arthur didn't want him to let go though, but didn't move to get off or anything.
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Arthur read the expression in Cyrin's eyes, hoping it was what it looked like, and slowly raised the hand he was still holding into their line of view. His eyes turned gentle, their usual intense gaze ratcheted down a bit, as he looked at their clasped hands.
"Can I, uh… can I assume this means I might see you tomorrow?" He was trying to ask what this meant for them. He was fine with it, he just didn't know exactly what Cyrin was thinking about the whole situation.
