#wanted to make it not as jokey bcs its like a real issue ppl face in regards to their gender and or sexuality

[randomoranges]

drag meeting au part 38

time to start winding down

Whatever calm she had collected vanished when the doorbell rang. Kate leapt up from the couch where she had been sitting and gave the room a final one over; making sure everything was in perfect order, before walking towards the front door. She paused and looked at her own reflection in the closet door mirror and nodded at herself. She had this. She would be fine. No matter what. She was going to tell Étienne and it would be fine.

 She plastered on her brightest smile and opened the door; it was show time.

 “Happy birthday!” Étienne said the moment he’d been let in. Kate couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm as she shut the door behind him and then waited for him to hand her his coat. She grinned even more at the eternal number of layers he was wearing, but went very willingly into his warm embrace when he opened his arms for her.

 “It’s so good to see you,” He murmured in her ear as he held her close. “Missed you, my darling,” He added nuzzling the crook of her neck.

 “I missed you too, you silly thing,” She hugged him tighter still and indulged in the feeling of Étienne’s arms wrapped around her. She would never get enough of these hugs.

 “You look absolutely stunning; a real sight for sore eyes,” He told her, giving her an appreciative one over. Kate felt herself blush, but – she knew she looked good. She had chosen this specific outfit because she looked damn fine in it. It was a dark grey dress, but the material shone under the light. It was subtle, but the effect was caught whenever the light shone on her. It was the perfect dress for their night out and a classic favourite of hers. For as much as she wanted to go all out, she also needed the comfort of something familiar to help her get through her night.

 “Well, you look dashing yourself, Mister Maisonneuve,” She said as she straightened out his lilac coloured bowtie. It didn’t need to be fixed, but it gave her an excuse to put her hands on him and he didn’t seem to mind. The bowtie matched perfectly with the dark plum of Étienne’s button down shirt and she absolutely loved the colour on him.

 “Shall we step in?” She asked. Étienne nodded and started following her beyond the entrance of her house, but then stopped when he got a good view of the large interior. He whistled appreciatively and took a moment to look around.

 “Can I just say, and I promise I’ll just say it once, but, holy crap your house is huuuuuuuuge. What the actual hell?! I can finally say I actually know someone who lives in the fancy glitz as fuck area of Outremont and that person happens to be my girlfriend!” He said it with such pride that Kate felt a small pang at that. Soon, she doubted he would boast about her being his anything.

 “Hey, are you okay? Was that too much? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

 Kate quickly reeled her emotions in and smiled. Étienne couldn’t suspect anything. She walked back to him and caressed his cheek with a tender hand, “No, you didn’t do anything wrong; it’s just been a shit start to the year, is all.”

 His expression softened and he pecked her lips in a chaste kiss, “I am genuinely sorry you’ve had such a shit start to the year, but, hopefully, it’ll perk up soon.”

 “You being here has already made it loads better,” She told him and it was worth it, just to see the bright smile that illuminated his face. She hoped Étienne would always be this happy – that he would find someone that would make him smile in such an open and wonderful way.

 “And you saying such things makes me ridiculously happy,” He laughed, before he sought her lips for a proper kiss, cupping her face with his eternally paint speckled hands she was so very fond of and that she would miss terribly. She melted in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her level. She’d missed this – missed the proximity and the feel of his lips against her own. She knew that this time, for real, their shared kisses were counted and so she hoarded them away while she still could.

 “This is better in real than imagined,” She murmured when they pulled away. Étienne laughed and agreed, before stealing another kiss from her. They got lost in each other’s arms, exchanging kiss after kiss, making up for lost time, until Kate pulled back and lead Étienne to the living room, before she got carried away and forgot all about her master plan again.

 “So the renovations are done now?” Étienne asked her as he settled on the couch besides her.

 “Renovations?” She asked, until it clicked, “Oh, right! Yes! Well, mostly! I finally got my bedroom and living room back. Still a few things left here and there, but mostly cosmetic stuff that won’t cast me out in the living room again; I’ll give you a proper tour later, if you want.” These lies had to stop; she was clearly having issue remembering what she’d told Étienne by the looks of it.

 “Well, that’s also gonna help with your month of January being less shitty. Also, maybe this will cheer you up as well,” Étienne brought up a bag he had carried with him to the living room and took out a smaller package from it. It was wrapped with glittery paper and it had a fancy and delicate looking bow on top. “Happy birthday, Katie.” He said as he handed her the parcel.

 Kate’s cheeks pinked a little. She had not been expecting to receive a present, especially since Étienne was taking her out for dinner and he had let her know well in advance that he was paying for her – no questions asked – since it was her birthday. But – she was still tickled pink that he had gone through the trouble of gifting her something. And really – she couldn’t say she was that surprised. Étienne had a tendency of going all out when it came to spoiling her.

 She undid the wrapping and first found a lovely card that she read attentively. In it, Étienne wished her a wonderful birthday, hoped she would have a great year, hoped they’d get to celebrate her next birthday together and then concluded by reflecting that he was really glad he got to spend this day with her. Kate’s insides turned to goo, not for the first time, but she also wished Étienne hadn’t done all this for her. Not when it was all about to end.

 Still, she then moved on to the actual present.

 She removed the sheet of tissue paper and found a lovely and gorgeous watercolour print that seemed oddly familiar to her. It took her a moment, but she then recognised the view from the Mt-Royal lookout and the splendid fall foliage. She turned the print around and found a note scrawled in Étienne’s distinctive hand; “Truly a most wonderful of times with a truly a most wonderful person.”

 “This is from our date...” She said transfixed by the vivid colours and the intricate details that had been added on top of the watercolours with a pen of sorts, from the looks of it.

 “It is,” Étienne confirmed.

 “You – you painted this, didn’t you?”

 Étienne’s cheeks flushed a little, “I did – I hope you like it,” He was quick to say.

 Kate looked back to the artwork she was holding in her hands. She then noticed the signature on the bottom left corner and she couldn’t believe her boyfriend had made a painting for her. For her birthday. It must have taken him ages to do what with the many colours and the thousands of details in the leaves and the scenery.

 “I do – I, it’s lovely, really, thank you...” She kept her gaze fixed on the painting, lost in her memories of that particular date and all the other wonderful times she had spent with Étienne. From the very beginning, Étienne had been kind and patient with her. As she had gotten to know him better, she had discovered a charming and witty man with a never ending curiosity for life. She admired his sensitivity, his passion for the arts and his infatuation with jazz. She loved discovering the hidden gems of the city with him and – and he didn’t deserve this charade anymore.

 Kate’s shoulders sagged and just like the changing leaves in the painting that would eventually wither and fall off the branch to cascade to the floor, the emotional wall she had tried putting up to protect herself from what she had to do slowly crumbled. She felt her vision blur with tears that gathered and her shoulders shook lightly.

 “Katie? Sweetheart? Are you okay?” Étienne put a hand on her back and she tried to hold it together, honest, but she couldn’t anymore. She couldn’t. “What’s wrong?”

 She looked at him – at her beautiful and wonderful boyfriend – at the concern and worry on his face and her heart broke. She shook her head, at what, she couldn’t say, but she wordlessly got up from the couch and extended her hand to him. Étienne was quick to take it and got up himself, and she could see the questions building in those green eyes of his. However, she didn’t give him a chance to ask them and instead led him to the washroom.

 This ended.

 This ended now.

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#pc: montreal #pc: kk the supreme #kk the magnificent #étienne maisonneuve #au #ficlet #3 sentence fic meme thing #drag meeting au #thought long and hard on how to intro this reveal #wanted to make it not as jokey bcs its like a real issue ppl face in regards to their gender and or sexuality #the humour will be back once ed/kk is reassured his/her bf wont leave #anyways #buckle in kids