Chapter Text
As swarms of people began their Friday descent on the local bars and restaurants, an office suite loomed stories above the city buzz. Armie Hammer stood tall inside one of the glass enclosed rooms that surrounded the perimeter of the trendy, open space. Designed to promote collaboration amongst its workers, the space was sleek and boasted the wealth of its owners and clients. Armie stared outside the window, lost momentarily in his phone conversation. His reflection revealed tension in his brows and broad shoulders. He was obviously unhappy with whatever the person on the line was telling him. Swaying gently in an Egg chair, Nick Delli Santi watched his friend with concern in his eyes.
“This needs to end now Howard. Give her what she wants and wrap this shit up,” Armie said with finality. He ended the call, turned around, looked over at Nick and announced, “Let’s get out of here.”
“Drinks now! The Study,” Nick stated firmly. He wanted to take his friend’s mind off the nature of his phone call.
The men exited the meeting room, walked down a few steps into what the workers called the pit—the guts of the office where the firm’s trade occurred each business day. Armie and Nick stopped at their respective desks across from each other in the center of the pit, donned their sports jackets, ascended the steps on the other side and entered the lobby. It was the end of the work week and the lobby was quiet, except for a lingering young man, feverishly typing away on his phone.
“Timmy, what are you still doing here? It’s the beginning of the weekend. You should be out of here,” Nick asked as he walked towards the young man and placed a friendly pat on his back.
Looking up surprised, Timmy ran his hand through his curly hair, moving it away from his face and said, “Nick. Hi. Oh!” and paused, looking up at Armie. Timmy was frankly stunned into silence at the man before him—dirty blond hair, steely blue eyes, a shadow that Timmy wished he could sweep the back of his hand over, tailored navy jacket with grey slacks stretching over legs that went on for miles.
Oh, my...
“Armie, have you met Timmy? From the data team. Armie. Timmy. Armie is on the partner team. He finally relocated...we hope permanently...right Armie...from the West Coast,” Nick said as he reached out and placed a similar pat on Armie’s back, sandwiched between the older and the younger man.
“We’ll see about that,” Armie mused and reached out to shake Timmy’s hand. “Nice to meet you Timmy.” After a beat, Timmy seemed to come to his senses and returned Armie’s firm handshake.
“So, what are you still doing here?” Nick asked again, as he folded his hands across his chest.
“Aw, I was supposed to meet up with a couple of friends but now they are running way behind schedule. So it looks like I have some time to kill,” Timmy said as he considered what he would do with this newfound time.
“You should come have a drink with us down at The Study. Are you okay with that Armie?” Nick said. He liked Timmy. The kid had an interesting perspective on things and always came up with good ideas on how to present pitches to clients. Yes, Timmy would be a good distraction. Perhaps, between them, they could get Armie’s mind off his problem for a couple of hours.
“Sure,” Armie returned. Since his arrival, he had met most of his coworkers on the front end teams. This would be a good opportunity to begin meeting more people on the support teams.
“Sounds good,” said Timmy as the three men entered the elevator.
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The Study was a cozy, whimsical space with dim lighting, a stark contrast to the firm’s modern office space. Throughout the bar and restaurant, there were grand portraits of animals reading masterpieces. The men were seated comfortably in a high top booth near the bar, Armie on one side, Nick and Timmy on the other. Nick and Timmy were on their second drink each, while Armie, a bit pensive, quietly nursed his first.
Nick was sharing the story of when Timmy interviewed at the firm. “He was so nervous that day. Flushed with beads of sweat on his forehead. That hair was a mess…”
“Hey, it was windy that day,” Timmy said in his defense.
“He didn’t know that we were desperate for analysts. I had to take pity on him. Let him know that he was there to interview me as much as I was to interview him. Told him...this doesn’t work unless we’re both happy,” Nick continued and they all laughed and nodded in agreement.
“Good decision Timmy?” Nick asked.
“Definitely a good decision coming to the firm.” Timmy nodded.
A young man with cropped auburn hair wearing a business suit, tie loosened at the collar, then sauntered over to the booth. “Hey Timmy,” the young man said as he nudged Timmy’s shoulder, nodding to Armie and Nick.
“Hey! Luke. Right?” Timmy returned.
“Yeah... Listen, I didn’t get your number last time we spoke. Would really like to meet up sometime and get to know you better,” Luke said moving even closer into Timmy’s personal space. Timmy and Luke stared at each other, each clearly checking out the other.
“Sure, give me your phone.” Luke handed Timmy his phone. Timmy punched in his number and handed it back to Luke. Noticing the time, Timmy realized that he needed to leave shortly to meet his friends.
“Wow, the time. Gotta head out soon,” Timmy announced. He told Luke he would see him around, stood up and pulled out his wallet to pay for the drinks. Nick put his hand up indicating that Timmy did not need to settle anything.
As Timmy picked up his backpack and prepared to leave, Nick asked, “Timmy, didn’t know you’re gay?” Nick was not one to mince words. This directness had propelled his career, making him a very effective leader.
“Oh, yeah. I’m pan,” Timmy said and smirked.
This caught Armie’s attention. He looked at Timmy, making eye contact, really taking in the young man for the first time that evening and said, “Pan. What does that mean?”
“It means that I can fall for anyone. It doesn’t really matter how you identify.” Smirking, Timmy said goodbye, walked out The Study and entered the night, the city buzz now in full swing.
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The luxury SUV made its way across town and was approaching Nick’s apartment building. Armie and Nick were sitting in the back seat in good spirits, after having a few more drinks at The Study. Nick hoped he had achieved his objective and had finally distracted Armie. Thanks to Timmy and the pan comment he dropped on them, the two men went down memory lane. They had been friends as young boys, growing up in the same circles on the West Coast, wound up going to separate colleges, but stayed in touch throughout. After college, they worked together at Armie’s family business, until Nick decided to follow the love of his life and relocate East.
“So, you’re telling me that you never had an encounter. Not once. Never. Not even in college,” Nick insisted again.
Armie ran his fingers along his bottom lip pretending to consider. “No, I can’t say that I’ve ever had my dick in another guy’s mouth. That’s something that has never happened to me. Not in school. Not ever!” Armie insisted, incredulous that Nick did not believe him, as if this was some rite of passage that every man went through—straight or otherwise.”
“Happened with one of my college roommates. We’d just returned from partying after wrapping up finals. It just happened. Sure, that’s never happened to you? We never spoke about it. Didn’t know how to be with each other after that. It’s a shame. Until this day, the best blow job I’ve ever had. No woman I have ever been with, including my wife can compare.” Nick tapped Armie’s chest to reinforce his point, then staggered out of the SUV into the building..
“Al, let’s head home,” Armie told his driver as they made eye contact in the rear view mirror. He sat back, still tickled by his conversation with Nick. No, stuff like that did not happen to Armie. During the past few years, every arrangement he had with the women in his life was highly negotiated. So, things did not just happen, unless Armie planned for them to happen. There were usually no surprises.