Written in the Stars

Copernicus Kepler Holloway Call me Copper 21 years old

[copper-holloway]

Where No One Knows Your Name

[copper-holloway]

cameroncrxss:

Copper was far too kind when it came to complimenting his apartment. It wasn’t the neatest, in fact it was covered in paint marks from either his hand prints or Sally’s paws. It was the burden he had to bear when it came to being a painter. His halls were stacked full with pictures ready to be sold and shipped off to their buyers. Some had been abandoned, some had actually been sold, it was hard to tell what Cameron was proud of compared to what he hated - in his eyes there was a distinct difference but to others? Not much difference at all. Laughing a little, he shook his head at the younger mans comment and bit down on his lower lip. “You’re a lot more than cute, but we’re only on first name terms…I’ll bring out the bigger compliments once it sounds a lot less sleazy.” He responded with a grin, moving towards him with a mug in his hand. “Do you want cream? Sugar?” He caught his gaze, kept it still for as long as he could before Copper broke it and held the mug out towards him. “Let me know…” 

“You’re welcome to come by whenever you want, utilise my…comfort, if that’s what you’re looking for. Can’t say I’d mind so much if I walked in to find an incredibly attractive man asleep on my sofa with my dog.” Though perhaps there would be better places he’d like to spot him sleeping but suggesting he take a spot on his bed might be a little too heavy handed right at this moment. But damn, whenever he looked at the man he couldn’t help but imagine what he might look like naked. It had to be beautiful, his face certainly was - therefore every inch of him could only be the same, right? “You seem to be doing a good job to me. Don’t worry, I’m not going to make you come in here and do anything you don’t want to. We’re just getting to know each other, right?”

Just relax, Copper told himself, taking a deep breath.  He felt so inadequate in this moment, and for the first time since leaving Primrose, he wished that he could be the old Copper.  But the moment the thought was in his head, Copper banished again.  The old Copper was gone for good, and there was nothing he could do to change that; he had died along with Kevin.  He looked again around Cameron’s apartment, noticing the paint and the artwork.  “Are you an artist?” he asked even though it seemed pretty clear that Cameron was.  At Cam’s compliments, Copper blushed, smiling at him.  And then - and he had no idea where this came from - Copper replied, “It’s okay to sound a little sleazy.”  It had become clear that Cameron was attracted to him, and the man wasn’t hiding it, so why should Copper?  This was new territory for him, but he was a new man too, so Copper decided to give into it.  “I’ll take some cream, and a bit of sugar too,” he told Cam.  When he took the mug, his fingers purposely brushed Cameron’s, a spark going through him again.

He didn’t miss the pause before Cameron said “comfort,” wondering if it meant what Copper thought it did, if it were in fact a double entendre.  “Comfort,” he repeated with a smirk, letting Cam know he got it.  “What man doesn’t like comfort, especially when offered by another handsome man?”  Everything was moving so fast all of a sudden, but Copper was done thinking through every little thing.  He was glad too that Cameron hadn’t asked why Copper had such little furniture.  “Maybe you just like awkward dorks?” Copper wondered, laughing a bit.  He went to sit down on Cameron’s couch, nodding at his words.  “Yeah, getting to know each other,” he echoed.  At the same time, Copper thought, I wouldn’t mind really getting to know him, and he allowed himself to shoot Cameron a smoldering look.

[copper-holloway]

Where No One Knows Your Name

[copper-holloway]

cameroncrxss:

The more he looked at Copper, the more he began to realise that he genuinely enjoyed doing so. He imagined what he might look like in the morning, dark hair a mess of curls and his thick, full lips pouting when he yawned. There was something about his voice that made his knees weak, he could feel it reverberating in his chest like he were beating a drum. It was nice, everything about him was pleasantly appealing. He looked warm, soft even, like his lap might be the perfect spot to rest your head and his large paw like hands that looked almost intimidating would be the master of some of the most delightful head rubs known to man. Cameron could feel himself getting a little too overexcited about the thought of dragging him inside to get to know. It was like he’d been left outside his door, like a gift and luckily for him, he liked men, too. He found himself looking him up and down, his eyes drinking in that tall exterior and soon his heart was a throbbing mess. Copper was his type, very much his type. Not that he had much of one, as someone who had spent his whole life sleeping with pretty much anyone that offered - but Copper? Copper was his type. From his dark hair to his green eyes and broad shoulders, he was his type. 

Cameron stepped aside so that he could open his apartment to the younger man and let him take the first steps. “Yes, it’s cute.” He reassured him, a crooked smile on his lips as he tried to deny the fact that he was already endeared by this man. He watched him as he walked, his eyes fixated on Copper’s every move like a hawk. He was so…big. Cameron never usually went for men that were bigger than himself but somehow, right now, he found himself wanting to be held by such a tall, strong and handsome creature. To be strung up on his bed and used to his very limit by him didn’t sound so bad right about now. Sally, his dog, came to join the two of them. She did not jump, though it was very clear in the wag of her tail that she wanted to but she remained as calm as possible as she sniffed at Copper, vying for his attention. “That’s Sally, be careful, she has a habit of blackmailing you into giving her belly rubs.” The older man chuckled as he stepped around them to enter the kitchen and turn on his coffee machine.

Copper didn’t know what was going on anymore.  One minute, he’d been heading to the library, and now he was standing in the hallway of his apartment building flirting with a guy for the first time, like really flirting and not just subtly doing so with guys like Kevin.  With them, Copper hadn’t been sure if they were into it, so he had to take it slow, not wanting to push them away and freak them out.  But this was different because Copper was sure that Cameron was flirting back, so it took the uncertainty and fear away, at least somewhat.  But Copper was realizing he was not good at overt flirting.  He was awkward, face flushing and heart racing as he tried to stammer replies that wouldn’t make Cameron think he was weird or whatever.  “Well...what guy doesn’t like hearing that, especially from a guy who’s cute himself?” Copper asked, thinking that, while not the smoothest thing to say, it could have been worse.  Then Cameron was stepping aside, welcoming Copper in without actually asking - he knew it was coming.  And Copper...didn’t know what he wanted.  What would he do if Cameron actually asked him?

All of Copper’s nervousness was temporarily banished when a dog came rushing out of the apartment - Copper loved dogs.  Kneeling down instantly, Copper told Cameron, “She wouldn’t haven’t to blackmail me because I’d give her all the belly rubs she’d ever want.”  He was so excited to be petting Sally that Copper didn’t even realize he’d walked into Cameron’s apartment, not at first.  Eventually though he stood and looked around, realizing where he was.  But Cameron didn’t seem to mind, heading into his kitchen, so Copper closed the door, heart pounding harder than ever.  “Your apartment is identical to mine,” Copper commented, looking around.  “Well, except for the fact that yours has furniture.  Mine’s got almost none, so yours is much more inviting and comfy looking.”  He stood there near the door, wringing his hands and trying not to be nervous.  “I’m usually better at this socializing thing,” he said finally, “at least I used to be before...”  He trailed off, not addressing the “before” part of his statement.

[taurusmanips-blog]

↳Matthew Daddario & Jack Falahee

[copper-holloway]

Cam and Sally

[copper-holloway]

Where No One Knows Your Name

[copper-holloway]

cameroncrxss:

Copper was by far one of the cutest creatures Cameron had ever met. There had been a time in his life, many years ago where he had thought that happiness wasn’t possible. He thought that he’d end up alone. He couldn’t see himself in a steady relationship, nor could he seem himself wanting one. He slept with people when an opportunity came, didn’t even take much notice of what was happening as long as they were male. Once or twice he’d even found himself hooking up with women in his drunk stupor. Though gay, it appeared he did not care when he was drunk and a blowjob was on offer. Even now, even in New York - Cameron had not thought about relationships. Looking at Copper, he thought perhaps he might want to overlook that rule. He had no problem with holding his hand, in fact, he revelled in the way Copper’s cheeks began to glow a bright shade of pink in his presence. “You don’t need to apologise. Actually, I think it’s incredibly cute.” He wasn’t one to beat around the bush when it came to attraction. Looking at Copper, he saw a man he wanted, a man he was more than happy to put himself on the rejection line for. Though, with the way he was being stared at, he found it highly unlikely that Copper would turn to him and say that he was straight. And even if he did, Cameron could see that it would not be much of a trial to get him into bed. “Why would I want to avoid you? I’m hoping we run into each other like this a lot more in the future - I was just about to go and get some supplies but I find myself wanting to ask you in for a cup of coffee. Were you about to go somewhere important?” Paint could be bought tomorrow, he told himself, not wanting to let this one slip through his fingers. Not when he was already so close to the door.

There was just...something about this guy.  Copper couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was like a spark shot through them the moment he first laid his eyes on Cameron.  And it hadn't gone away either, zapping between them as their eyes remained lock on each other.  And then Cameron called Copper cute, and suddenly he felt like he was melting, in the best possible way (if melting could even be a good thing; if it could, this would be what it felt like, Copper was sure of it).  Smiling, his face still burning, Copper replied "If you're trying to make me blush even more than I already was, well, mission accomplished."  He gestured to his face, as if this weren't obvious already.  Shaking his head, Copper bit his lower lip, a nervous tick he'd picked up since Kevin had died, so much so that it was soon a deep red.  Then he ran his tongue over it, all the while staring at Cameron.  The thought of Kevin brought back memories, and at first these made him smile because they were the happy memories.  Copper thought of how Kevin used to be when it was just them.  So often when they were out with friends, Kevin adopted this sort of persona, kind of the prototypical, popular jock.  But alone, Copper had seen what he thought was the real Kevin, and in these moments, Copper had fallen in love with him.  He had helped Copper find himself, even if he hadn't realized it, but now Copper felt lost.  Now he felt like he was adrift in space or something, floating freely with no end in sight, alone.  And worse still, Copper thought that was how it should be, thought he deserved it for how he treated Kevin on their last night together before it happened.  That was why he had left Primrose, or part of the reason at least, but now Copper felt someone pulling him back to earth, and that someone was Cameron.  It didn't make any sense given that they had just met, but somehow in this moment, Copper felt like broken, less shattered.

He doesn't even know me, Copper thought, and though this was meant to snap him back to reality, to remind him that he shouldn't be feeling this way, it instead uplifted him just a little.  Cameron didn't know Copper, didn't know what he had lost, what he had left behind, why he was running.  He didn't see Copper as broken, and in his presence, Copper didn't feel like he was, not as much as he usually did either.  His smile growing, Copper said to Cameron, "Well since I live across the hall from you now, chances are that we're going to run into each other again.  Probably sometimes literally...I'm not the most graceful person.  I have this theory that my feet aren't big enough, like not proportional to my height, and so I trip over them and have trouble keeping my balance sometimes, I guess.  I don't have any scientific data to back that up though, it's just a theory."  Stopping himself, Copper recognized, "And now I'm rambling.  Hopefully you think that's cute too."  And Copper really did hope that Cameron thought so.  He realized then he was still holding Cameron's hand, and he finally released him; Copper found that he missed Cameron's hand the second he let go.  "To answer your question," Copper went on, "I was just going to head to the library to get a library card.  It'll be my first.  That can wait though...I could go for some coffee."  Even if Copper had been headed somewhere important, he would have changed his plans for Cameron.

[copper-holloway]

Where No One Knows Your Name

[copper-holloway]

cameroncrxss:

He hadn’t thought of his hometown in so long. It had been many months since he’d thought of where he had come from. He’d run away so effortlessly. Forgetting the whispers, the pity, the judgemental stares. He was no longer Cameron Cross the tragic orphan sent to live with his wealthy grandparents. He was Cameron Cross the artist, a man based in New York that sold artwork to real buyers. Actual people wanted his work. It was phenomenal. He finally felt alive, like it was his time to actually do something good with his life. He’d gone so long with a bottle in hand, letting the years blur by. They say that you start dying at the age of 25 but for Cameron it hadn’t been true. He’d started dying the moment he had his first lick of liquor. Even through school he’d turn up half wasted, but by then he’d become a master at hiding the fact that he was well and truly fucked. It had become him, it was who he was. If he wasn’t drunk then people were more confused than to when he wasn’t. In and out of rehab, he’d been. Money his grandparents had splashed out on, trying to get him fixed. If they weren’t so stinking rich he’d feel bad for them for doing so but at the time, he figured it had been all they could do to help. At least they had tried, which was more than Cameron had ever done at that stage. But he needed out, the town was rancid, it was torturing him by the day - he had to see that same street they died on at least once a week and every time it would send his head spinning.

He was still wearing his paint clothes when he exited his apartment. Blue paint had dried in his dark hair, a smudge of grey was staining the front of his shirt. There were splatters all over him, clearly he was an enthusiastic painter. He was bright eyed from the lengthy nap he had taken earlier. His schedule was sporadic. He had no one to answer to but his dog. As long as he sold paintings, he had an income. He had friends, few people he’d met around the city. Sex came and went, found on an app which lead to Cameron’s discovery that the modern world was wonderful. He had never done anytihng like this in the tiny town he’d grown up in. He really was, alive. When he turned, he was taken aback by the sight of the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. He had a face and a body that Cameron desired to paint. Both canvas and skin. Outstretching his hand, he smiled. “You must be the newbie….I’m Cameron.”

This had never happened to Copper before.  Standing there in the hallway, he was literally speechless, which wasn’t something he had thought could happen.  Even when the man held out his hand to shake, Copper didn’t immediately respond.  Just a couple seconds went by in silence, but it was a beat too long, so Copper felt awkward when he finally took the man’s hand.  As soon as their skin touched, Copper felt heat rush through him, and for just a few seconds, all his sad feelings were banished.  For the first time since Kevin had died - maybe even before - Copper felt light.  No longer did he feel weighted down; no longer did he feel like he might collapse under his grief.  Copper could get used to that feeling, but in this present moment he was suddenly brought back down when he realized that he hadn’t yet introduced himself.  All he was doing was standing in the hallway essentially holding a stranger’s hand.  “I’m Copper,” he said quietly - and finally - face burning scarlet.  “Sorry, I’m not normally this awkward,” he promised, not sure if that was actually true.  “You just caught me off-guard.”  For just a second, his eyes looked this man - Cameron - up and down, hoping he wasn’t too obvious about it.  Yeah, this guy definitely did it for Copper.  For much of his life, Copper had fought conflicting feelings.  The societal norm was heterosexuality, and Copper had tried to fit into the mold for a long time.  But his feelings for Kevin had complicated that notion, and after years of feeling conflicted, Copper had come to a realization:  he was not straight, not even a little bit.  Copper was gay, he knew that now, and especially when he thought about all his childhood crushes on male celebrities (not that he had known they were crushes at the time), like Hugh Jackman and Tobey Maguire (he had a thing for muscular superheroes, it seemed).  And Cameron was further confirmation of that fact because Copper couldn’t help but be in awe of his beauty.  “I just moved in,” Copper went on, mostly because he felt like he needed to say something.  Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck, eyes downcast.  “You’re probably going to avoid me from now on,” he muttered, feeling like he’d ruined this encounter.

[copper-holloway]

Where No One Knows Your Name

It wasn’t much, but it was more than Copper had come to the city with.  When he’d left his home in Primrose, South Carolina, Copper had had one goal in mind:  get as far away as he could from that city.  He’d lost too much there - his best friend and the man he loved, who happened to be the same person.  Moreover, Copper had lost himself, and so he’d taken all of the money he’d saved over the years and left with barely a goodbye.  Alas, coming from a rich family didn’t mean he often had to save his money, so he had very little in the way of funds (determined not to touch his trust fund because that would mean at least part of him was Primrose Copper).  For the first few nights in the city, Copper had stayed at a homeless shelter, which was a big change from what he was used to, but that was okay because he didn’t want anything to remind him of who he used to be.  If he wasn’t Primrose Copper, he could deal with it.  Here he wasn’t the broken boy drowning in grief.  Here he was nobody, and that was how Copper wanted it to be.  Now though he stood in the doorway of his new apartment, which was barely larger than his bedroom had been back home.  Someone at the shelter had helped him find both this place and a job as a waiter, which was going to be an adjustment because Copper had never worked before.  But these were challenges he craved because by focusing on them, he could forget what he was running from.

The apartment came furnished according to the ad, but what that meant was a couch and a mattress, and Copper had no money for furniture.  But that was okay because he wasn’t planning on spending much time here anyway.  For instance, now he was headed to the library to get a library card, where he’d spend the day reading (he didn’t start work until tomorrow).  As Copper walked out the door, he saw the door to the apartment across the hall open as well, and he didn’t have time to close his own door to hide how barren his apartment was before the was face to face with an amazingly handsome man.  Copper’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of him, and he didn’t speak for a few seconds, just staring.