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“Excuse me, you might want to find a new dentist.”
“Huh- pardon?"
This was in absolutely no shape or form how Ted thought his day would go. He had just been making his way down the street, heading to his favourite crystal store in search of some watermelon tourmaline since it resembled his favourite melon so much, when he was stopped by a very frantic young man of which he recognized. He didn’t know the man’s name but he had seen him around a few times, enough so to know that he lived in the area.
“A new dentist?”
“Yes.”
“Um okay,” and normally Ted would have left it at that but this man was staring at him with such an intense judgmental glare. That and the fact he was holding a documents folder with his name on it. “Why do you have that? Also, who are you?”
“My name’s Aiden and this,” Aiden shook the folder in his hands around. “Was just sitting on the sidewalk so I picked it up.”
“And how exactly do you know that it’s mine?"
Aiden froze up like a kid who was caught doing something they shouldn’t have been doing from a parent.
“Um, because uh my brother.”
“Your brother?”
Ted guessed that his glare had gotten the kid to crack because the moment he spoke Aiden’s eyes went wide and he began to frantically explain everything that he knew.
“Look, my brother is the dental assistant at the place you go to alright? And I recognized you because I was there for an appointment and in the waiting room I overheard him trying to describe a patient to the secretary cause he needed to update something in your file okay? But the thing is he forgot your name and so he was just describing you to her.”
“Okay?”
“And then Betty, that’s the secretary, she said who the folder is for right? So she put it on the desk as Chris got called away for a moment and then another person came in for an appointment! But it’s really windy out so your folder got swept outside the door!”
“This story sounds made up.”
“I know! I know it sounds crazy and fake but I promise it’s not!”
“So you ran outside to grab the folder I take it?”
“Yes! And I looked up and saw you, and I need to go back in there for my appointment and to return this but I needed someone to back me up cause Betty is gonna think I stole this! And she hates my brother so I’m sure she would love to fight me on the spot! To tackle me down and all that.”
“I don’t think that’s how that works.”
“You don’t know her like I do.” Aiden shuttered and not from the cool breeze.
“Alright, let’s go then.”
Aiden perked up as he turned around to lead Ted back to the dentist.
***
Once inside Ted spent more than enough time trying to convince the secretary, Betty, of Aiden’s innocence. From the sound of things this was the first time the poor young man was actually not guilty of the crime he was being accused of.
“Look, the kid’s with me okay? He didn’t steal this folder and if you don’t believe me you can always check your security cameras.”
Betty sighed. “fine. Chris! Come on out here and give your vote on what to do with Aiden. He’s your brother after all.”
Chris, another man in his 30s, walked around the corner into view.
“You know, it would do you some good to stay out of trouble.” Chris ruffled Aiden’s hair as he walked past.
“Says you.”
Chris just raised an eyebrow in response to his brother before carrying on with what he wanted to say.
“Betty, can you bring Aiden to his room to see Cherry? I wanted to talk to Ted here about something first before his appointment.”
“Fine, but you owe me a coffee later.”
“Of course.”
Whenever Chris asked something from someone it seemed like even if they didn’t want to do it for him they would. He was just so charismatic that way, or at least Ted thought as much.
As Aiden walked away he brought Ted out of his Chris focused trance.
“You had an appointment today?”
“Yeah, I just figured I’d head to some of the shops first.”
“Oh. Well I’ll see you around I guess.”
“Uh, see you around.” Ted gave a little half wave as Aiden walked off to follow Betty.
Ted turned his gaze back to Chris who was smiling at him softly.
“You know, you have the most compelling mouth out of everyone I’ve ever met before.”
Ted blushed and tried not to show his shock at the words.
“Really?”
“Yes!” Chris moved over to where Ted’s folder was still sitting on the desk. “I love to look at your x-rays. I’ve been waiting to finally meet you in person for months! See, look how wonderful and sharp your canines are. Truly a wonder to see.”
Ted’s heart felt like it was frozen in place. Chris knew about his teeth, of course he did. He worked here.
Ted didn’t have much time to think on the subject when Betty came back and swiped the folder away from Chris’s hands.
“Shouldn’t you be bringing Ted here to his chair for his appointment?”
“Ah, yes of course. Right away. Please follow me.”
As Chris went around corners to lead Ted to his room he kept glancing back at the older man.
“Thank you for helping my brother. He’s a good kid. He just gets into some trouble at times.”
“Oh, it’s alright,” Ted said as he took a seat in the chair. “He seemed like he had good intentions.”
“Hmmm he does. At times.” Ted couldn’t see Chris’s face but he was sure the other man was smirking under his mask.
“Now, back to your teeth.”
Chris had his gloves all ready to go and started to tilt Ted’s chair back so he could see inside better. Once Ted had his sunglasses on Chris turned on the light and started to take a peek around. He spent an awfully long time running his fingers over some of Ted’s teeth, something which was starting to give Ted’s anxiety a raise.
“You know,” Chris started again as he turned to grab some different equipment. “I’ve heard what they say about you.”
If it weren’t for the fact that Chris was using two fingers to hold Ted’s mouth open for him still he might have been able to respond, if he could think of what to say in response of course. Maybe that’s why Chris was still gently holding them there. Chris must have felt Ted’s breathing shift when his anxiety spiked because he looked back towards Ted briefly and removed the last of his fingers.
“They say you have sharp teeth.”
“Oh please,” Ted thought. “Please don’t let it come to this.” He knew that if Chris called him a vampire he would have to run. He would need to get out of town without a trace and move somewhere else. To start again as someone new. He would never get his crystal here, or to see the gorgeous face in front of him again.
He hated starting over and he had been in this town for years without issue, he had been coming to this establishment for over six years without an issue but whispers couldn’t be avoided he supposed.
“I was intrigued. I started sneaking glimpses at your file and now that I’ve seen you in person I believe I finally know what to think about you and your fascinating mouth. Such interesting teeth and even more captivating fangs.”
“Please, if you’re going to tell the media just- just please let me go first. I won’t tell anyone and you won’t be seeing me again!”
“Wha- no no hey, it’s okay; look at me, alright?”
Chris immediately turned the light off and lifted Ted’s chair so he was sitting upright.
“Shh, just big breaths now, everything is okay. You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Wha- what? You aren’t?”
Ted felt a bit silly for letting his anxiety spike so badly but he couldn’t help it. He had a bit of a crush on Chris and had thought he was charming for years despite the fact they had never spoken. His dream cutie was right there at his side, a man who seemed to be around Ted’s age, and now Ted was crying in front of him.
Chris sat down on his little stool and positioned himself next to Ted. The man then grabbed one of Ted’s hands and started rubbing gentle little circles into it to sooth his senses. Ted hadn’t noticed when Chris had taken off his gloves.
“I’m not going to report you for being different, okay?"
“Thank you.” Ted tried not to cry any further which only made his voice whimper and sound tight in the process.
The two men sat in silence for a few seconds before Chris spoke up.
“I’m sorry to have worried you like that. I was just so very intrigued and I got carried away.”
“You actually like my teeth?”
“I do.”
“Um, may I ask why?”
Chris blushed in response.
“From a medical standpoint you are an incredible specimen.”
“And aside from that?”
“I uh,” Chris let go of Ted’s hand and stood up again, still with the same gentle, although red, expression on his face. “I can’t legally say that. Not while on shift and especially not while I’m looking after you here.”
Ted understood what he meant perfectly.
“Well, I guess your brother was right then,” Chris looked a bit shocked and didn’t seem to catch on to where Ted was going with this. “I really do need to find a new dentist.”
“Hmm, I guess he’s right. Would you like me to call in another dental assistant then? I’ve already seen your file so unfortunately I don’t know if they would let you stay here just without me getting involved if we were to get together.”
Chris paused and as he realized what he had just said.
“Oh, I am so-”
“It’s okay! I uh, I’d like for us to get to know one another more too.”
“And as pleased as I am to hear that this feels kind of wrong for us to be talking about now.”
“After today I’ll transfer to a new location for my appointments.”
Chris smiled as he prepared to go find another worker to handle Ted.
“And I’m sure Betty will be just thrilled to deal with that. I’ll go give her some advance notice now.”
“Wait! I don’t know when I’ll see you again.”
Chris looked back at Ted. He looked as if he was going to lose something and his fingers were stretched out in his lap because of it. It actually made Chris feel a bit guilty. This poor man had been through so much today as is and now it looked like he thought his heart was going to be broken on top of it.
Ted didn’t know how much of what Chris was saying was true. He was sure that it all was but his anxiety was already on the fritz that day and if Chris walked out now without even leaving his number Ted thought he would cry. To go through all of this, to find a handsome and kind man who not only wasn’t judgmental towards his fangs but was attracted to them instead, and to just lose it all. He thought his heart couldn’t take it.
“Please-”
Ted hadn’t had the chance to say anything else before Chris took the few steps back to where he was seated as he pulled his mask to the side, leaned down, and left him a gentle and warm kiss to his upper cheek, right on the cheekbone.
“There,” Chris said softly as he held Ted’s face with one hand. “Does that help at all?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Ted felt like he was out of air and he wanted more of what Chris had to give him. He truly was a beautiful man.
As Chris fixed his mask while he turned towards the room entrance once again he gave Ted the clarification that he had been looking for.
“I’ll let Aiden know to wait for you to finish your appointment before he goes. He can give you my number then, okay?”
“Okay, yes please. Thank you, Chris.”
“I’ll see you around, Ted.”
With that Chris left Ted to wait for the next dental assistant to come for him.
He truly couldn’t wait for this appointment to end.