The Shop's Open

Aidan Ross || 27 || Owner of Ross Repairs || Born May 23, 1898

[therighthandwoman]

All That Jazz || Charlotte + Aidan

[therighthandwoman]

"Surprise!" She exclaimed once he opened the door, practically yelling in his face as an uncharacteristically excited smile formed at her lips. "You need to get washed up and changed into something nice, ‘cause we’re going out, brother dear."  

True enough, Charlotte hadn’t quite figured out what exactly she was doing, though her little improvisation seemed to be moving along somewhat decently. Now, it was just a matter of actually devising a plan for the night, and, if at all possible, she hoped desperately to avoid the typical celebration of a boring old dinner at some swanky little restaurant that they’d both forget about sooner or later. N

How the hell was Aidan so good at this, at thinking of the perfect gift for another person? Even when they were kids, Charlotte could remember the bright, happy smiles that their parents bore at the sight of his wonderful little gifts and achievements, while all she received was a half-hearted mention of thanks or, more often than not, a reluctant sigh. What would he consider truly memorable? She needed more time to think, and so resorted to stalling.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Aidan, happy birthday to you!” She sang, and as the idea for the night finally popped into her head, yet another smile formed, causing her eyes to crinkle at the corners. “Alright, I know I’ve got a fucking terrible voice…but you don’t, and I know just the place to go. How do you feel about some open mic?”

[aidanross-blog]

Yeah, surprise was a good way to describe Charlotte's sudden appearance. It was so strange how she flitted out of his life one minute, and then was banging at his door the next. He remembered when it wasn't like that -- when it was more common for them to be together, rather than not. But maybe that was all apart of growing up. His little sister wasn't only his anymore, was she? There was some fella out there she would probably rather spend her time with. So he supposed he should just be thankful that he saw her at all. He started to argue that he didn't feel like going out, but was cut off by Charlotte's crooning. Her voice was far from the best, but Aidan couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. At least she'd remembered eventually. At least she'd bothered to come see him. Their relationship was different now, but it hadn't ended, and for that much he was thankful. The smile dropped a bit, though, at the mention of singing in front of other people. During her birthday she had encouraged him to do as much, but… He still wasn't sure. Yeah, he'd gotten to be a little more outgoing in recent months, but that was asking a lot. Scratching at the back of his head, "Uh… Geez, Char, I dunno about that. It's, uh, pretty sudden…"

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

For the nth time that night Lucas found himself getting lost in Aidan’s expression, wondering just how it was possible for someone to look so completely innocent while living in a world that was anything but. Lucas had been with a lot of people before, men and women, but he’d never encountered someone like Aidan.

The suggestion made Lucas laugh, the sound bright and airy. “I’m not the best dancer, unfortunately,” he replied, “but maybe we can try next time.”

The press of Aidan’s hand against his own made Lucas’ heart do a funny little beat-half-beat, and without thinking he squeezed that hand gently, not wanting to let it go. His other arm snaked around Aidan’s waist and pulled him closer, not too tightly, but enough to for their bodies to lie flush against one another.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," he said, his voice softer now, more intimate. He paused for a moment, taking in the way Aidan looked once more, before leaning forward to press a longer, more meaningful kiss to his lips. Then, their mouths still brushing together, Lucas murmured, "Don’t forget about New Orleans."

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan had a hard time imagining that Lucas was all that bad of a dancer. Actually, he had a hard time imagining Lucas being bad at anything right now. The bliss he felt had already started to blind him. Right here, right now, Lucas Park was every good thing in this world, and he refused to believe anything bad about him, even if Lucas himself admitted to it. He might've offered to show Lucas a thing or two about dancing, or told him how much he'd enjoyed their time together, but his words were stolen by that one last kiss. It was more passionate somehow -- perhaps because it would be the last they shared for the evening. But Aidan reveled in it regardless, letting those feelings of pleasure course through him recklessly. It ended far too soon, and Aidan couldn't help the small whine of discontent that he let out. He tried to cover it up, to not make himself seem so needy, but he was rather certain it didn't work. He felt Lucas' lips brushing against his, moving gracefully against his own, and he was so lost in the feel of them he almost missed what it was he'd said. Oh. Right. New Orleans. He had promised him that, hadn't he? When he'd been a little more drunk than he was now, he had said he would come with him. Perhaps that had been a larger mistake than he realized… Or maybe it was the beginning of something spectacular. Whichever, Aidan was too dazed to think deeply about it anyway. So he gave a haphazard nod and said, "Yeah. I won't forget."

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

There was something dancing around in Aidan’s eyes that made Lucas doubt himself again, just for an instant. It was clear that they both liked each other – more than either of them had expected, he was pretty sure – but Aidan still seemed so hesitant, so worried, even if he tried not to let it show. Lucas tried to remember what his first experiences with men had been like, but he’d enjoyed them too much to let concern or fear or shame sink in.

Still, just because he didn’t entirely understand didn’t mean he was going to be a jerk about it.

“One more for the road?”

Lucas tried not to let the disappointment get to him. There would be plenty of chances for them to get to know each other better; why mess that up now by being too greedy? Still, Lucas found himself not wanting to leave. He wanted to stay and kiss Aidan and talk to Aidan and just be around Aidan. The other man reminded him so much of a newly-blooming flower that Lucas felt he should stay and make sure it bloomed fully.

But, again, he wasn’t a jerk. He knew how to take a hint.  That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to enjoy the little time they had left together, though.

Setting his own cup down, Lucas nodded and slid off of the couch, getting to his feet. Leaning down, he extended a hand to Aidan and gave him a playful grin. “C’mere,” he said, his voice gentle but just a little commanding – a light push to get Aidan a bit farther out of his comfort zone.

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan was confused. He'd all but readied himself for another one of Lucas' sweet kisses. His eyes were already halfway shut. But when Lucas, instead, rose to his feet and held out his hand to him, he couldn't hide the confused expression that settled across his face. What else did he have in store for him? Was his parting gift going to be more than a kiss? Aidan told himself a kiss would do him just fine, but oh, he'd love to imagine the two of them doing much more. A slight blush worked its way onto his face. Which, really, was quite ridiculous now, wasn't it? He'd kissed the guy, no more reason to be embarrassed. But he couldn't help himself as he placed his hand in Lucas' and rising to his feet. Something about this felt so much more important than it was. "What, you gonna take me for a spin around the room?" he asked with a nervous chuckle. It wasn't what he'd asked for, but Aidan certainly wouldn't be opposed…so long as that spin ended with Lucas' lips finding his.

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

The press of Aidan’s hand against his arm told Lucas all he needed to know: the other man was clearly enjoying this just as much as him, and was clearly just as reluctant to let it end. Lucas generally prided himself on his patience and attention to detail when it came to the romantic arts, but for a reason he didn’t quite understand Aidan was turning him back into the boy he’d been before he’d gone to France, before he’d learned all of these things.

When Aidan pulled away Lucas made a soft noise of his own, but he was glad for the air. An awkward, sincere grin tugged at his lips and he replied breathlessly, “Yeah, I - it’s okay. Me too.” The words didn’t make much sense, but considering how little of his brain was still focused on coherency and how much was distracted by Aidan’s lips and face and voice, Lucas was pretty happy with what he’d managed to say.

As much as he wanted to go back in, to start up where they’d left off, Lucas knew he should take a moment to see how Aidan was doing. After all, considering how hesitant the other man had been all night, Lucas could easily overstep his boundaries and mess up everything. So, after staying quiet for a moment longer, he said quietly, “You’re really good at this.”

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan knew he would regret this later. He knew that long after Lucas was gone, after the adrenaline wore off, that he would regret this. He had thought himself shameful before, but now he would be both shameful and unapologetic. He liked kissing Lucas -- no, he loved kissing Lucas. He was fairly certain it was one of his new favorite things. But he could at least somewhat forgive his transgressions, as he never acted upon them… Until now. The excitement hadn't faded, not just yet, but Aidan knew it was soon to come. He needed to cling to this moment, make it last for as long as he could. Because as soon as it was over, he was right back to square one. He offered Lucas a small smile, though his eyes couldn't quite meet his. "I just uh… I just did what felt right, I guess." What felt right. This shouldn't feel right to him. No, stop. We're not thinking about this now. We're enjoying this moment. Worry comes later. Disappointment comes later. "You uh…you were good too. I…" He wanted to tell him how much he wanted him, how much he wanted more. But that would just be a tease for both of them. Much as they had crossed the line tonight, Aidan couldn't allow himself to go that far. But one more kiss couldn't hurt. Setting his now cold cup of coffee on the table, he finally managed to meet Lucas' eyes. "One more for the road?"

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

There was the tiniest moment of stillness between them and in that moment Lucas wondered if he’d gone and ruined everything - but then Aidan was returning the kiss, was kissing him more, and all of Lucas’ doubts vanished instantly. He couldn’t help but smile faintly against the other man’s lips, relief and excitement flooding through him.

But then Aidan seemed to tense up, to get worried, and those doubts returned, making Lucas wonder if perhaps it was too much, if maybe Aidan would take back everything. He found himself grasping Aidan’s elbow with his free hand, his fingers curled into the fabric, not tight enough to hurt but still there, still tugging gently, wishing that he would stay.

And then, just as he wished it, it seemed to come true, because Aidan was doing something Lucas hadn’t expected, and oh Aidan was much better at this than he ever would have thought, and without realizing it Lucas was letting out a quiet sound halfway between a gasp and moan and his fingers were sliding up Aidan’s neck and into his hair and he was deepening the kiss, his tongue flickering forward to meet the other man’s. He had held himself back partially out of self-restraint but mostly out of respect for Aidan, but now it seemed that he wanted it just as much as Lucas did and that self-restraint was quickly disappearing.

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan let out a gasp, a sound of unadulterated need as he felt fingers come to rest at the back of his head. It was all so…overwhelming. Yeah, that was the word for it, overwhelming. It was like in that moment that nothing existed, save for Lucas, his touch the only thing keep Aidan firmly locked in reality. It was like a dream, kissing those lips and just letting himself enjoy it all for once. Just once… He opened his mouth to Lucas, letting his tongue slide in just enough to tease. Oh God, it was so good, better than anything. Better than a cigarette after a long day at work, better than your favorite meal, better than… He couldn't think of the right words to describe it. He wasn't the writer, was he? He rested a hand on Lucas' forearm, his heart hammering against his chest as he let his fingers tick upward. His skin was soft, perfect… He could feel the flexing of every tendon beneath his palm. Aidan held on tight to him, afraid to let go of this feeling, afraid to let go of him. 'Please,' he thought. 'Please never let this end. This is all I ever wanted -- just this, right here.' But they could not kiss forever. Already Aidan felt himself starting to run out of air, probably due in large part to how excited he was getting. With a reluctant whine, he pulled back, his face unabashedly red. He let himself catch his breath for a few moments before he even tried to speak. "I, um… I'm sorry…" he said, his gaze shyly meeting Lucas'. "I uh… I couldn't breathe…"

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

God, did this kid understand what he was doing? He didn’t strike Lucas as a cruel person, but the way he was biting his lip and looking up from beneath those big, dark eyelashes was just too much. Even the faint press of Aidan’s hand against his own made Lucas’ heart beat more quickly. He felt like a teenager all over again, new to the ways of romance, acting based on impulse rather than experience.

What was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t really form coherent words at this point; he was too distracted by the longing that was etched so clearly onto Aidan’s face. Faintly, Lucas tried to think back to when he’d signed up for this, tried to remember the decision he’d made to let things play out naturally - but hell, if this wasn’t natural, what was? He couldn’t ignore the tension between them, the way Aidan seemed to be drawn towards him and vice versa. There was nothing for it, really. Lucas was tired of thinking, tired of waiting. He’d given Aidan more than enough chances to cut things short. The last brief thought that flitted through Lucas’ mind before he leaned forward was a faint wondering whether Aidan had ever kissed someone, and then the gap had closed and he had pressed their lips together, his eyelids sliding halfway shut and his fingers tightening imperceptibly against the other man’s skin. Everything seemed to be silent, save for the rushing of the blood in his ears and the pounding of his heart.

[aidanross-blog]

Yes, Aidan had kissed someone before, but never like this. Every kiss Aidan had before this paled in comparison. Hell, it was an insult to Lucas to even dignify whatever those had been as kisses because none of them had ever felt this right. It had taken him off-guard at first, but only a little. He had known that Lucas and himself were heading in this direction. As soon as Lucas put his hand on his neck, some part of him knew what was going to happen. But he was still surprised, mostly by himself. The fact that he'd allowed it, that he'd wanted it so badly that he let it happen. After all these years of pining, he'd finally let himself fall and God, it was perfect. Lucas' lips pressed sweetly against his own, Aidan thought that he would be happy enough just dying here. His heart thudding against his chest, his face heating up in embarrassment and excitement, he couldn't imagine anything else that could make him feel just so much. He wanted more, and Lucas probably did too. Though he knew he would probably be terrible at this, he couldn't just sit here all night, much as he might've liked to. So he tilted his head a bit, fitting their mouths together in a much more comfortable way. From those few kisses he had experienced, Aidan knew where he should be going from here, but he was a bit hesitant. What if he did something that Lucas found off-putting? What if he embarrassed himself? What if he did something that made Lucas never want to see him again? He was growing tense the more he thought this over, to the point where he knew Lucas must be able to feel it. He knew he should pull away, maybe explain himself to the other man, but he didn't want to give up this feeling for anything… So he sucked Lucas' lower lip into his mouth, his teeth grazing against his skin. It was a desperate, wordless request, one that begged him for so much more. But just whatever more was, Aidan hadn't the foggiest idea. He needed Lucas to teach him, to guide him… If only he was up for the task.

[therighthandwoman]

All That Jazz || Charlotte + Aidan

"Ah, fucking dammit!" Charlotte practically yelled out into the open space of her new, albeit temporary, residence. Staring in front of her was a page in her ledger, her brother’s birthdate circled and underlined, and, perhaps most importantly, recognized a full week late. Beginning to panic, she flung her cigarette into the little ashtray, checking to make sure her eyes hadn’t tricked her or the summer heat of the early evening hadn’t gotten to her head. 

Would it have been better if she just ignored the fact that his birthday passed completely? After all, such a thing certainly wouldn’t have been the first time, but Aidan didn’t really deserve it, certainly not after what he had done for her on herown birthday. She stared long and hard at the ledger again, a pestering reminder of what a shitty sister she had been in the past and apparently always would be.

It wasn’t too late, which meant that a nice dinner at some restaurant downtown was possible, as insultingly small as a peace offering as that seemed. The taxi ride was going by quicker than expected, and Charlotte still had just about nothing to show for herself, and certainly nothing to show Aidan for his own birthday. The expletives passed from her head to her mouth, dreading the moment when she’d actually have to walk up the stairs to knock on his door and feebly try and set things right.

The wait was long enough, and when she finally got to his door, the words starting to spill out before she had the chance to process everything. “Aidan, I’m really sorry that I forgot your birthday and that I’m an awful sister and everything…” Charlotte rested her forehead on the wood of the door, groaning loudly. To top things off, she didn’t even know if he was going to be home, or if he was out with better company than the likes of his lousy sister. Christ, she really had forgotten everything, hadn’t she? 

Of course, he hadn’t really said anything by way of what he wanted for his birthday, and even if he had, Charlotte probably would have forgotten all about it anyway. “Fuck, fuck, fuck…” She muttered, wracking her brains for anything she might’ve promised him in the past, suddenly wishing that he was anywhere but home, having a decent time with people who could actually prove that they cared about him.

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan's birthday had come and gone with little consequence. He'd spent the greater part of that day working, and the last little bit of it gazing out at the stars. It wasn't anything special, but it had been nice. He didn't need a whole bunch to be happy. Still, he would've wished that his sister had at least dropped by… He was just getting off work when Charlotte appeared at his doorstep. Still dirty and dressed in his coveralls, he was admittedly surprised to see her. He knew that she'd forgotten his birthday -- wasn't like it was the first time -- but he hadn't expected her to try and remedy her mistake either. So he had to admit he was a bit surprised to find her standing there, but he wasn't unhappy about it either. "Char?" he said as he opened up the door, looking rather confused. "What are you doing here?"

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

When Aidan looked away Lucas felt a strange hollowness begin to fill up inside of him. He’d never felt anything like it - it wasn’t quite disappointment, but it had that same sort of distant pain attached to it. Had he gone and ruined everything? Why did he suddenly care so much about what Aidan thought of him?

But then the other man was speaking again and the hollowness began to disappear. In its place came something else, something equally foreign, a sort of nervous tension that made Lucas shift on the couch a little. He felt antsy and frustrated, and although he knew he needed to be patient with Aidan he was having trouble not jumping ahead.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice quiet, before adding, "Aidan," the word drifting form his tongue as though he was exploring it anew. It was a nice name. A simple name. Was it really alright to drag that name away from where it was comfortable? Was he being selfish?

All of the thoughts swirling around inside of Lucas’ head only served to make him more anxious, and on a sudden impulse he reached out to brush his fingertips gingerly against the side of Aidan’s neck, just beneath his ear. The touch was cautious but eager nonetheless, and Lucas found he couldn’t take his eyes off of the other man’s face. It felt as though electricity was thrumming through his entire body.

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan had never really thought his name was anything special until he'd heard Lucas all but whisper it to him. It gave him chills really -- and God, that touch? Aidan would be thinking about it for way longer than he would ever admit. It was gentle, but held the promise of so much more. Or maybe that was just Aidan's imagination getting away from him. But just from that briefest of touches, he could imagine all the ways that Lucas would touch him. From his neck, to his chest and lower still… He was breathing a bit heavier now and, Jesus, could he embarrass himself any more? The guy had barely given him more than a tap on the shoulder and he was ready to fall on his knees and… And do what? It's not like Aidan had any experience with this sort of thing. He had only let himself daydream about it a handful of times, and out of that handful of times he'd never seen anything from which he could use as a reference. It was just the idea of doing what he'd so longed for that inevitably overwhelmed him. He'd never had the need to know anything more…till now. How was he supposed to respond? He didn't want to kiss him… Well, he did want to kiss him, but he didn't want to kiss him just because he'd touched his neck. That seemed ridiculous, even to him. But he wanted to reciprocate, wanted to show Lucas that he wasn't adverse to his touches. He bit his lower lip as he reached out, running his fingers shyly over the back of Lucas' hand. He let his palm rest atop of his, looking up at the other tentatively. "Yeah?"

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

The way Aidan’s cheeks darkened didn’t go unnoticed, but Lucas chose not to say anything about it. Hell, his own cheeks must have been pink as roses, considering how he was reacting inwardly to Aidan’s apparent attraction - or whatever it was that was making the mechanic’s skin such a pretty colour.

Clearing his throat a little to sweep away those thoughts, Lucas nodded and gave the other man a wry smile - though it wasn’t insincere. Bring Aidan one of his books. That would be nice. Almost as nice as sitting together like this, curled up with one another, discussing the details of his next story - ah, but there were those thoughts again. Pleasant but distracting. He was getting too far ahead of himself.

But then Aidan was speaking again, and Lucas found himself getting lost in the other man’s voice, his tone strangely comforting with its unique, lilting quality. The writer inside of Lucas couldn’t help but weave words together, crafting sentences and paragraphs to describe just how beautiful Aidan looked like this, his eyes sparkling like the stars he was remembering.

Lucas didn’t realize that Aidan had stopped speaking until a silence had stretched out between them for a few seconds too long. Nodding his head jerkily, he replied, “Oh, uh, yeah. Well…” Collecting his thoughts, he paused for a moment before continuing, “I don’t know. I think I’d enjoy stargazing more if I had someone like you to show them to.”

The words came out before really realized how they might sound, and he went quiet again, lips parted ever so slightly as though he wished he could take that silly sentence back. What on earth was wrong with him? It seemed that Aidan had turned him into some kind of poet.

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan's heart lurched a bit at Lucas' words as he prayed that he wasn't nearly as red as he knew he must've been. What the heck was he supposed to say to something like that? Something so earnest? So blatant? His gut reaction was to be genuine, to tell Lucas how much he would love that. But as much as he'd let go for one evening, to outright tell the guy just what he was feeling… It was a little bit too much too fast. But he didn't want to give him the impression that the idea disgusted him or anything. So he took a sip of coffee before he forced himself to answer. "I uh…wouldn't want to put you out," he answered. "Ya know, if staring at stars all night ain't your thing." He stared down at the contents of his mug, hoping that they held the answers on how to approach this situation. They didn't, of course, but it was easier than staring directly into Lucas' face -- his stupid, handsome face… "But uh…it does sound nice though. Stargazing, I mean… With you. Maybe uh… Maybe when we're in New Orleans, yeah?"

[princeofventure]

Cancellation || Aidan & Gabriel

[princeofventure]

"Me? Apologize?" Gabriel scoffed loudly, leaning back to cross his arms. And just exactly what had he done besides be truthful? One should never apologize for being honest, and in this day and age it was a hot commodity.

"I’ll no sooner apologize to her than you admitting your own fault. You gentry folk can’t seem to handle a little bit of forward honesty. If you don’t want to date her then out and tell her you’re not interested."

He paused for a bite of pie.

"Worst case scenario is her wee little feelings will be hurt and she’ll give up. Just tell her you want to be friends, is that such a monumental thing? I’ve blown off waves of ladies."

For anyone in the surrounding area that could hear, they were likely scathing. Gabriel was well known to be an egotistical prick without provocation.

[aidanross-blog]

Yeah, Aidan didn't really peg Gabriel as the sort of guy who apologized. He didn't peg Gabriel for being a decent guy, really. But that wasn't an excuse for such bad behavior. Aidan would've loved to teach the guy some manners, but he didn't look like the sort who would listen. And resorting to physical violence had never been his style. If Aidan even had a style. Whatever Gabriel was saying might have been right, but Aidan was just about tired of listening to the way he said it. He looked down his nose at everyone, himself included, and Aidan had gotten his fill. "Yeah, I'm sure you have," Aidan said with a sneer to that last comment and rose from his seat. "I didn't ask for your advice, and you don't have the right to butt your nose in where it doesn't belong. So enjoy your pie. I don't think I'm really all that hungry anymore." Aidan started to storm out the door, but stopped at the register to cancel his order first. He knew they must've been close to finishing it, but he just didn't have an appetite anymore. God, what a jerk. As he walked outside, Aidan sent up a silent prayer that Gabriel never set foot in his shop.

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

As soon as they got inside, Aidan seemed to almost sprint over to the kitchen. At first Lucas felt worried; was this too much? Did Aidan not actually enjoy his company as much as he thought? But then his worries eased, because he could feel a strange nervousness bubbling away inside of him, and he knew that Aidan must be feeling it as well.

While he waited for the coffee Lucas stepped inside, surveying the room slowly. He had always had an eye for detail, and now his mind was flooded with images of Aidan’s life, things that told a million stories without ever saying a word. The photographs of people who Lucas guessed were family members, the small models of cars arranged carefully on a shelf, the neatly-arranged furniture – Lucas could imagine so much abotu Aidan just by taking a look around.

His thoughts were cut short, though, when the other man returned with their coffee. Taking it, he slid onto the couch as directed, a warm light playing in his eyes. There was still a hint of awkwardness, but Lucas felt comfortable and happy. He could only hope that Aidan felt the same.

“It’s alright,” he replied, taking a sip of the hot liquid. “I don’t have to get up too early tomorrow.” He wanted to add that he didn’t mind losing sleep over in order to make sure that Aidan got home okay, but he kept that particular thought inside for the time being.

The mention of cream and sugar made him blink, and he realized that he hadn’t even thought about it. “It’s alright,” he repeated, shaking his head and giving Aidan a smile. “I usually drink mine black, too. Helps me write.”

He went quiet for a moment, glancing around again, before saying, “You’ve got a nice place here.” It felt silly and trite, but Lucas meant it. Aidan’s place wasn’t large, but it felt like a home. It was nicer than Lucas’ cramped little attic, anyway.

[aidanross-blog]

Well, at least he wouldn't be keeping him from anything important. Lucas seemed more comfortable in his home than he did, and Aidan had to admit that put him at ease. That Lucas didn't feel uncomfortable in his home meant a lot. Maybe it meant he'd come back sometime… Aidan didn't think he'd blushed this much since he was a kid. But the way his faced warmed at that thought made it obvious just what was happening. Thankfully, the darkness kept his embarrassment largely hidden, and the rest could be blamed on the alcohol. After taking a drink from his own mug, he said, "Yeah, you're a writer. Almost forgot. You should lemme read one of your books some time. Maybe bring one the next time we see each other." He gave a little lopsided smile at that. There would be a next time. He would see Lucas again. It didn't have to end tonight. It should end tonight, but it didn't have to. Looking around his apartment, Aidan gave a bit of a shrug. "It's alright. It ain't the Ritz or anything, but it's the location that sold me on it," he said with a chuckle. "Got a pretty nice view too, but only when you look up." After another drink of coffee, he continued. "I used to try and stare at the stars when I was kid, but it wasn't always easy, since we grew up in the city. But here, on a really clear night, it's like you can see every single one of 'em… It's pretty amazing." Aidan stopped himself then, realizing that he must sound completely foolish. "Well, it's probably not that amazing to someone whose done as much traveling as you. Probably pretty underwhelming actually…"

[lucaspark]

a lucas/aidan fanmix

Tracklisting:

1. A Whole New World - Lea Solanga & Brad Kane | 2. Love Recipe - Clazziquai | 3. Gypsy - Lady Gaga | 4. Tell Me How Long - Caro Emerald | 5. Romanticise - Chela | 6. Drove Me Wild - Tegan & Sara | 7. LoveGame - Lady Gaga | 8.  What Makes You Beautiful - Megan Nicole | 9. Legacy (Save My Life) - Nicky Romero x Krewella | 10. Something About Us - Daft Punk | 11. All This and Heaven Too - Florence + the Machine

{ listen here }

[princeofventure]

Cancellation || Aidan & Gabriel

[princeofventure]

"And you shouldn’t lead young ladies astray when you’re clearly not interested."

It didn’t take much for Gabriel to see that Aidan was of a particular ilk, hell, he himself was cut of the same queer cloth. A viper’s smile tugged his lips hard as he folded his hands, looking at the patron’s that looked at him and giving them laced venom. While the uppity waitress was sure to spit in his eggs or burn his food he didn’t much care, she wasn’t getting a tip of his hard earned money nor was she getting Aidan. Bringing another bite of pie to his lips, he offered up a quirked brow to the other man, waiting for his reply.

[aidanross-blog]

"I…" Aidan wouldn't say he was flabbergasted, but he was pretty damn close. Where did this guy get off interfering in his life? He certainly hadn't asked him to say those things to Glenda, or to assume his feelings towards the woman. Sure, he wasn't interested in her in a romantic sense, but he still liked her. She was friendly and funny and Aidan would've liked to get to know her better, maybe be friends someday. But it didn't look like that was happening now. He struggled with his words, unsure of just what to say in response to such behavior. Never had he met such a rude person, and that included Charlotte. "I wasn't leading her anywhere. I… I don't know where you get off, pal, but you had no business talking to her like that. You should apologize."

[princeofventure]

Cancellation || Aidan & Gabriel

[princeofventure]

He smiled inwardly, knowing that he could make the young man so uncomfortable with just a start. Even still he must be truly naive to not know of the power play families of the city. Twirling his fork a bit, he gave a nod, “Mechanic you say? Well that sounds like a lucrative business venture. Can’t say I know much about the workings of a car, but I can certainly tell you about different ones I’ve had.”

The conversation was briefly interupted as Aidan’s waitress came back over to check on Gabriel, surprised to see the two men together. He could see the other man balk at her presence and decided to just sour the girl’s day. Gabriel threw on his most rich and laivacious smile, leaning a bit toward Aidan over the table, “Oh darling, you’re wasting your time with this one. My sister would be out for your head if she caught you flirting with some dive dame.” Gabriel knew full well it would set alight some kind of scene, but it would free up Aidan completely for him.

[aidanross-blog]

The longer that Aidan listened to Gabriel speak, the more certain he was about his feelings towards him. He did not like this guy. It was the self-important air he carried himself with, the way he almost seemed to look down his nose at Aidan. And he really didn't like the way he referred to the shop as a "venture." The shop wasn't just a source of income for Aidan, it was a source of pride, and to hear the other man make it sound like something so small was… He couldn't remember the last time he'd disliked someone so much. When his usual waitress came over to chat, he meant to kindly inquire about the food and end the conversation there. But it seemed his new companion had very different ideas than his own. A ferocious blush worked its way across Aidan's face as Gabriel spoke. Just where did he get off coming up with some sort of story about him? And how dare he be so rude to a woman who had been nothing but polite to him? Sure, her advances were unwanted but there was no need to call her names. He started to say something to Gabriel, to apologize to the waitress, but he didn't get the chance. At least, not before his waitress said, "You got alotta nerve, fella. You don't insult the woman who brings you your food. Never know what kind of surprises I'll sneak in." The waitress cut her eyes at Aidan, giving him a look of utter contempt, before she stormed back into the kitchen. Aidan found he suddenly wasn't very hungry. As silence fell between them, and the curious eyes of the other restaurant patrons rested on their table, Aidan focused his anger on Gabriel. "What's the big idea? I don't know your sister. Heck, I barely know you. "Glenda's a nice girl. You shouldn't have treated her like that."

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

As much as Lucas was enjoying their time together, he wouldn’t have expected – hoped? – Aidan to suggest doing it again. Maybe it was just the alcohol, but Lucas found himself wishing that Aidan really did like him enough by now to actually, genuinely want to get to know him better. Even though Lucas had gone into this voluntarily, he hadn’t expected to like Aidan’s company so much.

Before he could nod in agreement, though, Aidan had gone a step further and invited him in. Something strange twisted around inside of Lucas’ chest, and for a moment he was silent – more out of surprise than anything. When the initial shock faded, Lucas had to bite his tongue to stop himself form blurting out a far too eager “yes!”. Instead, he nodded a little, swallowed, and finally replied, “Coffee would be great.”

About a dozen thoughts were flying through his mind, making it difficult to concentrate on any particular one, but they all shared the same concept: he was getting closer to Aidan, Aidan was letting him in, what if coffee meant more than coffee? what if it didn’t? What did he actually want to happen? Lucas hadn’t expected things to go so well, and now that they were he was realizing that he wasn’t entirely mentally prepared. Aidan didn’t seem like the kind of guy to go for it on the first date, but then again maybe he had a hidden side to him that Lucas just hadn’t seen yet. In any case, he followed Aidan inside, letting the other man lead the way. He’d wait for whatever was going to happen. Yes, that seemed like the best idea.

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan enjoyed Lucas' company far more than he could ever admit aloud. What wasn't there to like about the guy? He was charming, more than anyone Aidan had ever had the pleasure of meeting. While he hadn't been the debonair sort of guy he'd imagined Rory would try to force onto him, he'd more than succeeded in catching his attention. Oh God, Rory… There would be no living with him after this. The guy had all but forced him into this, and as soon as he realized that Aidan had actually enjoyed himself… He could already hear the "I told you so" echoing in his ears. But he needn't worry about Rory, at least not now, not when Lucas had been kind enough to put up with him for a little bit longer. He'd seemed a little hesitant at first, like he didn't really want to come up, but in the end he accepted his offer. Aidan would never admit how happy that made him. As far as Aidan was concerned, coming up for a cup of coffee actually meant coming up for a cup of coffee. He didn't have the confidence for anything more. So after unlocking the door to his apartment and letting himself and Lucas inside, he immediately headed for the kitchen. Yes, best to put as much distance between himself and Lucas as possible. Clearly he couldn't be trusted to make good decisions, at least not now. It also gave him an excuse to keep quiet for a little while. Wasn't exactly polite to talk to someone when you had your back to them, after all. But it didn't take long to make a cup of coffee, and eventually Aidan would have to say something. But all the things he wanted to say were massively inappropriate, so he settled for silence, for as long as he could hold onto it. He didn't speak again till heading back into the living room. Extending a steaming mug of coffee to the other man, he gestured for him to take a seat on the couch, before doing the same. "I, uh, don't mean to keep you out so late," Aidan said quietly before taking a sip of his own coffee. "Oh! I didn't even ask. Did you want cream or sugar? I usually just drink my coffee black, so…"

[princeofventure]

Cancellation || Aidan & Gabriel

[princeofventure]

Gabriel almost gave a start when Aidan said he’d not heard of the Rothschild family. Of course any bit of composure he had was lost as he gave the young man an almost blank stare.

Do you live under a rock? is what he wanted to ask him, but instead just shook his head and dismissed it altogether. He let Aidan’s question hang in the air like a lead weight, eating a few more bites of pie before he took the time to answer.

"I’m an entrepreneur of sorts if you will. My family has a lot of money but I choose to make my own and make my own name. And what of you? You certainly don’t work here as a busboy."

[aidanross-blog]

Gabriel looked…almost disgusted that he didn't know of his family. Jeez, it wasn't like he was the mayor. Aidan had once had the pleasure of meeting the mayor, and this guy sure as heck wasn't him. So what was it that they'd done that made them so important? What had they done to merit such a reputation that any passerby on the streets of Chicago should know the Rothschild name? Or maybe Gabriel was just full of himself. Honestly, that seemed like the more logical explanation, at this point in their conversation. The other man didn't answer him immediately, and Aidan felt a bit at a loss for what to do with himself as silence fell. He looked around for his waitress again. If he was looking for her as a respite, that couldn't have been a good sign. He wanted to talk to her about as much as he wanted a tooth pulled. When Gabriel finally spoke to him again, he let another smile cross his face. Work. He could talk about work for hours. And it seemed that he and Gabriel had something in common, at least as far as work went. "Well, that's pretty admirable. Takes a lot to start up your own business, even if your parents have the money to support ya. What sort of business is it that ya have? I'm a mechanic, myself. Been running my own shop for a couple years now. Used to be my dad's place, but I'm in charge now. It's pretty swell."

[aidanross-blog]

Love Game || Aidan & Lucas

[lucaspark]

Lucas shrugged a little, his lips widening into a happy little smile. Pulling some bills from his wallet, he pressed them onto the counter and replied warmly, “All the more reason to make sure you get home safe.” Looking back up at the other man, he felt something funny wriggling around his gut – something that he couldn’t quite attribute to the alcohol.

“Better get going,” he said, half to himself, before escorting Aidan out into the cool night air. The night felt good against his flushed skin, and as they made their way over the pavement and towards Aidan’s house, Lucas felt a strange contentment wash over him. As they walked and talked Lucas became more and more sure that he really would like to see Aidan again, and he was really looking forward to showing him around New Orleans. It was hard not to jump ahead and thing of all the places they could go and the things they could eat.

Still, Lucas knew that, even though Aidan had agreed to go, he was still hesitant, still too likely to get spooked and change his mind. So Lucas kept his thoughts to himself, and instead they chatted about work and the weather and things like that – nothing too terribly important, but nice to discuss all the same.

After a while they arrived at Aidan’s place, and it was only then that Lucas really took a good look around. The area wasn’t fancy or anything, but it was nice – sort of quaint. It seemed to suit Aidan: homey and earthy, familar and warm. Lucas could easily imagine Aidan growing up here, running up and down these streets, memorizing it without even trying. It felt nice – nice in a way that Lucas didn’t quite understand.

“This it it, right?” he asked, snapping himself out of his thoughts as he turned back to Aidan. He felt hesitant, though he knew that feeling was probably a mistake. He didn’t want to leave yet; he didn’t want the night to be over. He wanted to talk to Aidan until he ran out of things to say.

[aidanross-blog]

Aidan had never been so disappointed to see his own home, and he knew Lucas was to blame for that. In the span of an evening, he'd become…familiar with the guy, to the point where he would rather forgo sleep and waste time talking about everything and nothing with him. Aidan refused to admit that he was infatuated. He had let loose quite a bit this evening, but that was just going too far. To admit that the smile on his face or the blush on his cheeks or even the fluttering sensation in his gut was a result of Lucas' attention was just too much. Maybe in another life, in another place, he could admit it. But not here, not now. With a weak smile, Aidan nodded. "Yeah, this is the place. Thanks for walking me." And now it was time to end this evening, wasn't it? It couldn't be put off any longer. His lips curling downwards into a small frown, he searched for the right words to say. "Uh…I had fun tonight. It was uh…good. We should do it again." The words had left his lips before he could stop them. Of course, he was going to see Lucas again, if the man managed to keep him to his word about New Orleans. But another…whatever it was the two of them had gone on this evening? He hadn't expected that. He hadn't expected that he'd offer. Aidan wanted to shut himself up before he made things any worse, tell Lucas goodnight and head off to bed. But that lingering want was powerful, and all it wanted was for Lucas to stay. So instead of giving the send-off he was hoping for, he asked, "You, uh, wanna come up for coffee?" He cleared his throat a little, that awkwardness starting to settle in again. "Feels weird just kickin' ya out."