Her apartment is normally absolutely silent in the morning, early sunlight breaking through the open window that faces the harbor, the distant shape of fishing boats out at sea a peaceful sight.
Today, though, she hears movement in the bedroom, and there are deliberately two coffee mugs full of coffee instead of just one.
That’s not weird. That’s polite. It’s the polite thing to do when the guy you’re sort of dating spends the night for the first time, right?
Is it dating, if their relationship up to this point has been primarily layovers at various points across the globe, a few hours here and there. Lunch once at a crappy Esthari airport bar. Hardly dates,if you ask her.
Rude emerges, and she glances up, feeling like it might have been a better choice to put on actual clothes, rather than the tank top and shorts she normally slept in. “Morning. There’s coffee. I don’t have any food in the fridge, but there might be a box of cereal somewhere if you’re hungry.”
Which is not unusual for someone who works a hundred hours a week and eats primarily whatever the cafeteria has available. Now that she thinks about it, the cereal might actually be a box of wheat crackers.
Whatever.
“Did you sleep okay?”
Pants are on. Socks on. Shirt tucked neatly inside the waistband and buttoned besides from the top two ones. He had yet to retrieve his jacket or tie –frankly he wasn’t sure where the tie had landed. Not certain of the preferred dress code nor what to say, he had tried to look as presentable as possible with what he had before leaving the bedroom.
Hoping the host can’t tell how much thought he’s put in his presentation, neither under nor overdressed. More so, he hopes she’s not disapproving. Not awkward at all.
At least Xu spoke first. Setting the tone.
Rude meets her eyes briefly before he puts his sunglasses on. The sun was up after all.
“Morning,” he replies politely, the first vocal sound from him in the morning sounding too hoarse for his own liking, “Thank you.” And he walks up with straight back to where Xu stood by the mugs. He gently takes the one he assumes is meant for him, not lifting it up yet.
“Hmm… I did.” He then clears his throat to settle his voice and to calm himself. Be confident.
Now he looks at the mug and lifts it up. “Did you?”
