Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold

New Boy

Cece raised an eyebrow when Adam shut her down. She wasn’t used to being told no, but a part of her was impressed by how he’d managed to deflect her question so politely. “Well, I look forward to being able to buy something with your name on it. I’m intrigued now, new boy.” She shot him a cheeky grin, yanking the fire door and holding it open for him to return inside. The bar was far warmer than the stoop outside, thankfully.

When they were settled back behind the bar, Cece left Adam pouring a drink whilst she spoke briefly to the owner who had been in the office upstairs. When he asked about the new member of staff, she nodded towards where Adam was easily chatting to the small crowd of women at the bar. “Take a look for yourself. I think he’ll do fine on his own.”

#//end here? or you can go again and end?#nb

Adam nodded at Cece from across the room. She was talking to the guy who interviewed him earlier in the week He looked back to what he was doing, mixing drinks, pouring shots an accepting tips with a well practiced sincerity. Cece was impressive from what he heard and gathered from their conversation.She was also intimidating (something he was used to, he got used to ever since he met Shy). He sincerely hoped that they could be friends, he needed some in the city. If she was on his side maybe he'd get to keep this job too. When Cece made her way back behind the bar, he had to shout a little over the din. "So am I fired yet?" He asked, smirking.

Adam glanced at the clock briefly. He wasn't too far into his shift and the bar was getting busier and busier. He heard the music and sounds get a little louder, and the girls that pooled around his counter got drunker. He kept glasses full, and tabs in check, like someone who had been behind a bar for several years. He was comfortable like this, looking at the people, talking and flirting with them. He'd be exhausted by the end of his shift but he would go home to Shy and everything would be perfect. He smiled at someone as he took her empty glass, turning down her offer and flashing his ring briefly.

New Boy

Cece nodded as Adam spoke, rambling a little about his hopes, his plans. She enjoyed the long draws on her cigarette, inhaling deeply as she contemplated his question. Once it would have been easy - model until she couldn’t get any more jobs, travel the world, do whatever she needed to that lead to money and respect and designer shoes. But now - now there was Gabe and Isa and Juno, now designers were throwing money at her to go and be their ‘face’ and Cece didn’t know how to turn them down. Running her hand through her hair, she replied.

"I’m a model. That’s sometimes the day job, sometimes the dream. And I sing, too - when I went travelling, I paid my way as a backing singer. But I always wanted to model, to see my face on billboards, to have a whole closet full of designer clothes." She shrugged. "I’ve settled down a bit now though; the plan is more about getting Isa into a good school. Plans change, I guess." She stopped and watched Adam tap on his phone, finishing her cig. "What do you write? Have you got anything I can see?" Once again, Cece said the words and then almost immediately regretted them.

#shalalala #valentines gift for my gf #//ididthething

Adam nodded as she talked about plans changing. He wasn't sure he could handle changes like that. He had his dreams and he wanted Shy to follow hers. There was no way either of them were ready for a kid and Adam admired Gabe and Cece for raising one at their age. He supposed that if Isa was around five that Gabe had actually been a dad for a while, and that thought made him want alcohol in his soda. Kids and marriage were a long way off for Adam, even if he had been thinking about how soon he could be engaged.

Adam still hadn't gotten used to how bold Cece was. "No" Adam said without elaborating. He was quiet for a moment before he tucked his phone away. "I don't show my work to anyone really, I mean my poetry I send to publishers, but my prose and Journals are secret. Sometimes I read them to Shy. Otherwise, if you want to read something I'll let you know if I am ever published." He smiled and finished off his drink, tossing the cup in the recycling. He nodded towards the door. "should we head back in?" He asked.

#nb

((Sitting on the bed with a note))

Shy,

Our first Valentines day was only a date. I gave you carnations because I was worried roses were too serious for us. We had only been going on dates for ten weeks or something this time last year. I didn't know where we stood, I was so flustered.

Now we live together, we share an apartment, a bed, our lives. I know that one thing we will never have to share is each other. I am completely yours.

I am sorry I have to work tonight. I wish I could take you out to a romantic place, and eat and go for a walk. I promise I will make this up to you. When you get home, and get all of these, take a moment to name your ballerina bear, and then com down to the rum house, at least I can take a break and have a drink with you. Happy Valentines Day babe.

I love you

Your Brass Unicorn XOXO

Homecoming

Adam’s hand running lightly over the aching muscles of her calves and thighs was enough to draw a soft moan from Shy’s lips - like getting a back rub after a day spent moving heavy furniture, an uncontainable reaction. The promise of him taking care of her feet made her love him impossibly more than she had a minute earlier. “Why did someone pour a drink on you?” she asked, looking around for the ashtray that was normally on the coffee table, hoping to see the half-joint she’d left there the day before. She hadn’t eaten in hours, but she had no energy to cook, or even put food into her mouth. The herbal smoke cleared her head a little, shortly making her feel warm and buzzed as Adam probably was after his beer.

"I shouldn't flirt with straight men, the girlfriend took it badly." He smiled and kept his hands on her, rubbing her legs and her back, alternating. His leg where she was sitting was starting to go numb but he didn't mind, it was hard to mind when it was Shy. He watched her finish most of the joint, before leaning in and kissing her cheek, tipping her face towards his and kissing her lips a moment later. He could taste her lip chap, and the smoke on her lips, but he could also taste something undeniably Shy and it made him feel warm inside. "Feeling better?" He asked brushing a stray hair away. Her hair was still up in that ballerina bun, so he reached up and pulled a few hair pins out carefully, watching her hair fall and frame her face.

Homecoming

Shy pulled her knees up, settling against Adam’s chest, her smile becoming more relaxed as he tended to her hands. Sometimes, just lately, she came home with a knot of anxiousness in her chest, wondering if he was going to be cool with her because she’d forgotten to call or stayed in the studio hours longer than she’d intended. She was glad tonight didn’t have to be one of those nights, and she thought Adam probably was, too. “It was alright,” she said. “Good, actually. We’ve got most of the Act One choreography down, just a few things at the end that need work. My feet hurt.” She laughed, softly, but it was an understatement. Her toes were cut up and bandaged under her socks. “How was yours?” she asked in return, nuzzling into the side of Adam’s neck.

Adam let go of her hands when they were mostly warm, and ran a hand down her leg and back up it. He learned the hard way that Shy's feet suffered, especially at the beginning of a new show. He knew better than to try and massage them. He rubbed her ankles briefly. "I'll help bandage them in the morning if you want me to" He said rubbing her back with his other hand. This was easy, just being with Shy and relaxing, talking about their day. "Short shift at the bar, I had a drink dumped on me around ten, Luckily I got off twenty minutes later. Otherwise I've just been hanging, doing my writing thing" He leaned in close to Shy. Tonight he refused to think about how hard things have been. Tomorrow would be date afternoon and evening, and they would be okay. "You said you needed to relax tonight?" He said still smiling, voice low, as he ran his hand over her legs.

Homecoming

Shy felt a twinge of something resembling sadness when Adam didn’t stand up to greet her, enthusiastically, like he had every night during their first few weeks of living together. She forced the feeling back, though, swallowing it and returning his smile as she dropped her heavy bag down by the door, removing her coat and hat, stepping out of her boots before joining him on the couch. She knew her hands were freezing, so she was careful not to touch skin as she crawled into his lap, draping her arms around his shoulders and kissing him firmly. “I missed you,” she declared, before he could say anything else.

"I missed you too, I always do." Adam smiled, kissing her again. It was nice that she was home, that she was here with him, that they didn't have to think about anything or anyone else for a few hours. He pulled her arms off his shoulders, and smiled at her, wrapping his hands around hers. They were cold but they wouldn't be for long. "You forgot your gloves?" He asked, still smiling. He rubbed her hands between his, warming them up slowly. "How was your day?" He asked, looking at her as he blew hot air on her hands, keeping them closed in his.

Homecoming

Shy hated that they didn’t own a car, sometimes, particularly when she was on a bus after midnight, riding across the city alone, hoping she didn’t miss her stop like the last time and have to backtrack four blocks. Her dance partner, Jesse, had offered her a ride, but he lived close to the studio. Shy hadn’t wanted him to go out of his way. He’d insisted on the next time. Except the closer she got to home, the less she thought about the complicated moves they were trying to nail, the more she thought about her boyfriend, who was so patient with her lately. More than she knew she would be if their positions were reversed. She would remind him just how much she appreciated him tonight. She didn’t miss her stop, rubbing her hands together as she rode the elevator up to their floor, bemoaning the fact she’d forgotten her gloves.

Adam was sitting on the couch, journal in his lap. He was finishing off a beer, hoping that Shy would make it through the door soon, otherwise he really would get in the shower and go to bed without her. He had spent the time since he had talked to her writing in his journal, he was annoyed that they didn't spend much time together anymore, that she was never home and he ended up going to bed alone more often than he had in a long time. As usual he put it all on the page, hoping to leave it there. He knew that Shy was following her dream and that he shouldn't be jealous of her dance partner-even if he did see and touch Shy more often than Adam did anymore. He heard Shy's keys as she opened the door, but he just sat up on the couch, closing the book he was writing in and finished off his bottle. He set everything down on the coffee table and tipped his head back to look at her. "Hey babe, welcome home" He said smiling at her and holding a hand out, reaching for her.