Unmasked

The last time Matt wore a tuxedo was his junior prom, and back then, it was a very cheap rental and not a stupid expensive tux from a designer with a name he couldn't pronounce. The outfit made him look like he owned a gold mine, which only made it more painfully aware to him that he wasn't anywhere near as rich and successful as the people around him, and likely never would be. Even his date was way out of his league, and even though he knew Audrey would never dump him because of his lack of money or status, he couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of his head that he was an embarrassment to her.

He'd practiced his most winning smile for when she introduced him to her colleagues, avoiding the topic of jobs as best he could. He'd never been to such a glittering event before, and it felt like an entirely new world to him. Little appetizers were passed around on silver platters, and the open bar offered exquisite looking drinks that went above and beyond Matt's knowledge of cheap beer and boxed wine. Audrey handed him a glass of champagne, put gently put a hand over his to signal that he shouldn't drink too much right away.

"The golden rule is to make this last as long as possible," she told him. "So no one questions whether or not you're having a good time, but you're sound of kind enough to know what you're saying to people. Also, if someone makes a joke, laugh at it whether or not you understand it."

"You mean the 'I'm a rich white man that owns the world' kind of laugh?" Matt asked. "Ha. Ha ha ha."

Audrey cracked a smile, bumping him lightly. "Come on, they're not cartoon characters."

"They're not, but I sure feel like one," he mumbled.

"Relax, Matt. You look great," she reassured him.

She gave him a bright smile that he couldn't help but return. He tried his best not to down his drink, but managed to sneak to the open bar and take a secret vodka shot when Audrey wasn’t looking, to calm his nerves a little bit. He took every chance he got to glance at himself in every reflective surface, making sure he looked presentable in his “upper 1%” costume and his usual raggedness wasn’t starting to show. He felt he was easier to recognize as Cryogen than when he was dressed like this.

However, he didn’t complain, for Audrey’s sake. She seemed to be having a good time, easily conversing with the other guests at the gala like she’d been friends with them for ages. They all seemed to be happy to see her in return, and clearly she was a positive influence in her company and in the medical world. Matt stayed quiet for the most part, perfectly happy with just being an accessory on her arm.

Once they moved away from the little group they were talking to, Matt let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He plucked an appetizer from a passing waiter’s tray, but stopped and eyed it suspiciously.

“What the hell is this supposed to be?” he frowned.

“It’s a caprese skewer,” she said, as if it were obvious.

“It’s some gooey white thing, a baby tomato, and a leaf stuck to a toothpick,” he said.

“Fresh mozzarella, a cherry tomato, and basil, drizzled with balsamic glaze,” she corrected.

“It’s stupid,” he grumbled. “Audrey, I’m 6’3” and I weigh 190 pounds. And all this place can offer me is a zesty leaf on a stick?”

“I know,” she said, laughing softly. “If it makes you feel better, we can grab some takeout on the way home. Do you think you can manage without starving to death until then?”

“Fine, but I get to choose where we go this time,” he agreed. “You always get to choose.”

“Deal,” she grinned, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

She was wiping lipstick off his face when Matt noticed someone heading in their direction, and Audrey got the signal when he plastered that rehearsed smile back on his face. The man was relatively younger than most of the other doctors around the gala, perhaps somewhere in his early thirties, and looked pretty much how Matt would have expected a male Melanie to look. He was tall with striking green eyes and perfectly groomed hair, and he held himself with the sort of confidence that Matt could never even imagine having. He found himself automatically standing straighter when the man approached, giving Audrey a charming smile. She returned it, but it didn’t look quite as genuine as when she was talking to the others. It was quite obvious that this man had his sights set on Audrey, and Matt doubted he was the sort of man who liked getting what he wanted.

“Well if it isn’t Audrey North, in all of her glittering brilliance. It’s always a pleasure to see you,” he said.

“Hello, Trent,” she said, though her voice was a bit duller than normal.

Trent glanced past her at Matt, eyeing him up and down before looking back at Audrey.

“Care to introduce me to your friend?” he asked.

“Right,” she said, pulling Matt forward a bit by the arm. “Matt, this is Trent Rathbone. He’s one of our top surgeons in the ER. Trent, this is Matthew Carter. He’s my boyfriend.”

Matt couldn’t help but notice a slight change in her tone, compared to how she’d introduced him to others. It was a little bit harder, and almost like she was trying to shove him into Trent’s face, but since Trent was a “top surgeon”, it was hard to put Matt anywhere on his level. It almost hurt a little bit, to go back to feeling like a disappointment like earlier.

“Boyfriend?” Trent repeated, brows shooting up in surprise as he looked at Matt again. “Well, look at that. This guy managed to snatch you up, huh?”

“He didn’t snatch me in any way,” Audrey said calmly. “We’ve been together for a little over a month now.”

“Oh, not too long, then,” Trent said. “Are you in the medical field as well, Matt?”

“No,” Matt said, trying to end it there, but seeing that Trent was waiting for a further explanation. “I’m actually between jobs at the moment.”

Trent cracked a half smile. Unlike everyone else, he’d seen right through the lie. He considered Matt to be easy to take down, and in a world where physical combat wasn’t an option, he was helpless. It was already taking every bit of his self-control not to turn anything to ice from anxiety, so he probably looked even more vulnerable with how exhausted he was. Some of the tension eased when another couple of people noticed and greeted Trent, treating him like the king he so obviously knew he was. Matt was able to go quiet again as they sucked Audrey and Trent into business conversation, but he noticed Trent looking over at him every now and then. Eventually, he couldn’t take the heavy feeling of the room, leaning over to speak quietly to Audrey.

“I’m going to step outside for a minute,” he whispered. “It must be champagne. I won’t be more than a few minutes. I’ll find you.”

“Oh, okay,” she whispered back. “Are you okay? You don’t want me to come with you?”

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “I’ll be back in five. Promise.”

She gave him a slight smile and nodded, turning back to the conversation as Matt slipped away. He moved away from the gala to a quiet terrace, with a balcony that looked over the streets below. There were a couple other people out there, having a smoke and a quiet conversation. The smell of the cigarettes got to Matt, and he felt himself tense up again. He’d been off smoking for a long time, but it was sounding too sweet to resist at that moment. As the others put out their own cigarettes and popped a few mints before heading back towards the party, Matt stopped them.

“Do you mind if I bum one of those? Mine must have been in my pocket at the coat check,” he lied.

They agreed, giving him a cigarette and a lighter before heading back inside. That first drag felt both relieving and regretful. At that moment, mostly relieving. He’d regret it more later on. He sighed and leaned forward on the balcony, blankly staring out at the city. Just one cigarette in a time of need wouldn’t hurt.