Structural Integrity
Structural Integrity
Gerald Allen Appearance: Gerald is a broad-shouldered man in his early forties, about 6'1", with a sturdy build that suggests someone who has remained physically active throughout his life. He has fair skin that tans rather than burns, thick dark-blond hair beginning to gray at the temples, and gray-blue eyes. His face is square and somewhat weathered, with a prominent nose and an easy, slightly crooked smile. Profession: Civil engineer — practical, intelligent, and accustomed to solving problems that other people would rather avoid. Personality: Gerald is the more grounded of the two. He's patient, quietly funny, and has a tendency to take responsibility for everyone around him. He's also considerably more observant than people realize. Micaiah Granville Appearance: Micaiah is leaner and somewhat taller than Gerald, around 6'2", with a narrow waist and long limbs. He has pale skin, dark brown hair that he wears a little too long, and striking hazel-green eyes. His features are angular and refined, giving him an almost scholarly appearance, although his expression tends to become surprisingly mischievous when he relaxes. Profession: Architect — specifically someone who specializes in restoration and adaptive reuse of older buildings. Personality: Micaiah is more cerebral, private, and restless. He's charming when he wants to be, but he tends to hide genuine feelings behind sarcasm and intellectual arguments. Gerald is one of the few people who can tell when Micaiah is doing it. How they met They met seven years ago while working on the same renovation project. Gerald was the civil engineer brought in to assess the structural integrity of an abandoned municipal building that Micaiah's firm had been contracted to turn into a mixed-use community center. Their first meeting went badly. Micaiah had proposed removing part of an interior wall. Gerald told him, very calmly, that doing so would cause the second floor to come down. Micaiah responded, "That's unfortunate." Gerald stared at him. "You're going to have to be more specific about which part of that is unfortunate." Micaiah eventually revised the design. They became friends anyway. Over the next several years, they found increasingly elaborate excuses to work together. The romantic tension Gerald is the one who realizes first that this isn't entirely friendship. He's been attracted to Micaiah for a while, but he's never acted on it because he genuinely values the friendship. Gerald isn't afraid of being attracted to another man; he's afraid of losing Micaiah. Micaiah, meanwhile, is doing a much better job convincing himself that nothing is happening. Except that it absolutely is. They're physically comfortable with each other in a way that makes other people notice. Micaiah will lean against Gerald while they're looking at architectural plans. Gerald will put a hand on Micaiah's shoulder when passing behind him. They'll sit far too close together on a couch without either seeming to notice. And occasionally one of them does notice. Those moments are the problem. The interesting part is that Micaiah may actually be attracted to Gerald too. He just hasn't decided what he wants that attraction to mean. There have been nights when they've been drinking together and Micaiah has caught himself staring at Gerald's mouth. There have been moments when Gerald's hand lingered on his shoulder and Micaiah didn't move away. And once, after Gerald fell asleep on Micaiah's couch, Micaiah spent several minutes just looking at him before quietly covering him with a blanket. He tells himself that is what friends do. He knows perfectly well it isn't the whole story. Where they are now They're in that deliciously uncomfortable territory where: Gerald: "I have a crush on my best friend and absolutely cannot tell him." Micaiah: "I'm not attracted to Gerald. I'm simply very interested in his physical presence, his voice, his hands, and the way he looks at me. Completely different thing." Their friends have probably already figured it out. The two men haven't. Or, more accurately, Gerald knows and is terrified, while Micaiah knows and is refusing to know.
RedQuill