Pleasantries: A Coalesce Short (1/2)

Aether’s Apartment

Atlanta, GA

United States of America

June 2016

It had been two months since Mathieu had come back to Atlanta. 

He and Aether were still on rocky terms; she treated him civilly, at least, but he could still see the pain in her eye whenever she had to look at him. She regarded him carefully, setting out a hot cup of coffee for him in the mornings and greeting him whenever she came home from work, but that was about it. At nights he would try to reach out to her in bed, but Aether would curl even further into herself, try to avoid any contact initiated by him. 

He hated it. Mathieu hated the coldness between them; it felt less like a relationship and more like some kind of acquaintanceship with them sharing a bed for two. Reaching out towards Aether ended up with her even moving further away. She had built walls to keep him out. As much as he wanted to call her out on it, deep down he knew that she wasn’t at fault. Not at all. It was something that Jin-ho advised him as well when he told the Korean what had happened a few days after; shaking his head, Jin-ho only told him to give it time. 

“You’re lucky that she decided to take you back.” He closed his eyes. Mathieu tried to avoid the dark circles under them. “Let her heal, Mathieu. See where things go from that point onwards.” 

Lately, however, Aether seemed to be reaching out on her own. She had stopped leaving much earlier than usual, staying in the kitchen and drinking her coffee while reading the news. His usual mug would be next to her. They wouldn’t exchange words, but Aether’s expression wouldn’t be as closed-off, not as cold as in the beginning. 

There was that, at least. Maybe Jin-ho was right; all Aether needed was time. 

But there was something else he didn’t consider—another factor that he didn’t quite realise until just a few days back. 

Mathieu had just gotten back to the apartment after spending the day at Kang Ent.; Jin-ho had been working hard to get the company back together after disappearing from the city for a few months. He knew that he’d be home alone a bit longer than usual—Aether had told him earlier that she’d be staying much later to finish a couple of overdue reports here and there. 

He didn’t expect for someone to be watching him a few doors down. 

The redhead released a quiet curse in French upon reaching into his pockets. He couldn’t find the keys, so he spent a few minutes outside searching for them until finally reaching into his back pocket and finding them there. Just as he slid the key into the door’s keyhole, there was a quiet voice that came from a couple of feet away; a voice that rang clear in the dark of the apartment’s hall. 

“So you really are staying with her, aren’t you?” Mathieu tensed; tried to open the door but found himself stuck, a little frozen. The sound of footsteps came closer. “I’m a little surprised. I thought Aether was just saying that so you could save face.” 

He couldn’t ignore the other, couldn't just enter the apartment without acknowledging the other. Who knows what he'd do to him. 

“…Tadashi.” 

“It’s good to see you again.” Mathieu glanced behind him; Tadashi Sato stood there with his arms at his sides, a smile on his face. To any other person, it would seem like a completely normal exchange. But Mathieu knew that it wasn’t the time for pleasantries—not at all. “Aether’s still at work.” 

“I know. She said that she’d be coming home late.” Turning around, Mathieu chose to face the other. Tadashi stood there in his work attire, looking like he had just gotten back himself. He looked a little weary from work, as HQ's agents would at the end of a day. Despite that, he did his best to look upbeat, some sort of optimistic for the ones who looked up to him (such as the rest of Squad A). 

The smile was still there and his eyes seemed to be gentle, but he wasn’t an idiot. Not at all. 

And neither was Tadashi. 

The temperature dropped. Tension followed, seeming to increase with every second that passed. Mathieu merely looked at the other, not breaking eye contact or making an effort to leave the conversation. Tadashi wanted something. He wouldn’t be talking to Mathieu for no reason at all; he had some kind of motive that Mathieu felt bordered more on threatening than anything else—

“We should catch up sometime soon.” 

“What?” Mathieu’s face showed shock and cold gathered in his gut, but Tadashi didn’t seem to notice, only smiling a bit more as he offered—no, ordered. It wasn’t a suggestion, not something that Mathieu could easily refuse. 

It was a demand wrapped in a warm smile and pseudo-concern. 

Fuck. 

“Catch up,” Tadashi repeated calmly. He raised a brow. “Unless there’s a problem?” 

Mathieu could have refused, could have said that he was booked for the next couple of weeks. But Tadashi wouldn’t believe him, would most likely ask Aether if he was actually busy or if he was actually freer in the evenings. And knowing Aether, she’d tell the truth with surprise in her eyes. 

Or he could lie to both of them. 

But I’m done lying.

Swallowing the nervousness that had gathered in his throat, Mathieu forced a smile and shook his head. “There’s no problem, actually. I’d like that.” 

“Perfect—”

“Tad? Mathieu?” The two males blinked and turned their head to the new voice; Aether was standing a couple of feet away, eyes wide and eyeing them with some sort of suspicion and growing curiosity. Her bag was hanging off one arm, and her hair was tied up; she still looked neat despite going on overtime. “What are you two doing?”

“Aether!” Whatever coldness that had been there was gone instantly; Tadashi gave her a warmer, bigger smile and casually set a hand on Mathieu’s shoulder. The latter tensed again. “I’m just catching up with Mathieu here. I was actually wondering if I could steal him away maybe tonight or the night after. Wanted to catch up with him, see, ask what he’s been up to as of late.” Aether frowned a little and Mathieu opened his mouth to speak, but flinched when the Korean’s grip on him tightened considerably. 

“Of course I’m okay with that, it’s just—is Mathieu okay?” Her eyes flickered to his and for a moment he considered mouthing a ‘no’; but he forced a grin and made himself chuckle despite feeling like he’d lose all sensation in his shoulder. 

“I’m okay with it, ché—Aether. I already agreed, didn’t I, Tadashi?” He looked at the other man with a raised brow, and Tadashi turned his eyes to Mathieu’s. 

False happiness. 

“I’ll course the details through Aether. It was nice seeing you.” Another tight squeeze—Mathieu stopped himself from cussing—and Tadashi’s hand was off. “And you, Aether, get some rest. You’ve been working the entire day.” 

“I will, Tad.” She stepped forward to hug him, Mathieu watching as Tadashi gave a tired smile and hugged back. It seemed innocent, seemed sweet—

But without Aether being able to see, Tadashi’s expression dropped and he gave Mathieu the coldest, most withering expression. Mathieu looked away instantly, feeling shame lick at his limbs and his stomach twist uneasily. He knew, of course, why he had earned that look. 

Of course. It’s all for Aether. 

“—night, Aether.” The two pulled away from each other and he ruffled her hair before leaving; Aether waved and turned her attention to Mathieu, a bit of a concerned look in her green eyes. 

“Hey, are you okay? You seem a little shaken—”

“Of course I’m okay,” Mathieu heard himself reply. Again sticking the grin on his face, he opened the door and stepped aside. “Come on.” She nodded and stepped in, though the look in her eyes didn’t fade at all; Mathieu forced himself to keep grinning, assuring her that it was alright and that he genuinely wanted to converse with Tadashi. 

On the inside, he knew he was fucked. 

Tadashi didn’t invite him for banter over coffee. 

It was the exact opposite.