Writer, Lover, Smuggler

Cheers! My name's Charles Hilton and I'm a- well, that depends on who you are and what you need me for. Don't be afraid to ask. You never know what you may be in for. Charles is a travel writer and a smuggler. Although both jobs complement each other, he dislikes having people from one job knowing about the other. He has a perpetual hate for Sherlock Holmes. OC blog set in the Sherlock universe; may be NSFW Tag: criminalwriter FC: Alex Pettyfer

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Dinner Date || Charles

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You’re important to me.

It sounded awfully familiar, and yet it was so distant that he could barely remember. And then, memories surfaced- no, not memories. More like sensations. Warmth. Comfort. 

Home. He felt at home, for the first time in 2 years. In front of 221B Baker Street, nonetheless, and Charles finally knew it to be true: Home is where the heart is. 

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but it was incredibly difficult to pull away. And when he looked up at Erin, he was alright again. 

“We could still go dancing.” 

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As she felt Charles relaxing in her arms, Erin let out a relieved sigh. He was feeling better. Good. 

She looked into his eyes when he pulled back, smiling softly. “Are you sure?” she said, tilting her head to one side as she cupped his cheek. “Well, do you really want to go dancing right now?” she asked, a little concerned still. “I mean, we can go if you want, but you might need to rest a bit.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

He leaned into her hand, lips pressed to her palm but not exactly kissing. Suddenly his lips quivered in thought and he shook his head slightly. "Not where it's noisy, anyways," he added. 

He was quiet for a long time, thinking of something deep. "Erin," he whispered, after a while, voice nearly inaudible. "Thank you."

[criminalwriter2-blog]

<OOC: Announcement>

I made a new blog for Charles! You can find it here: x. I will use this blog mainly as a back up now, and might reply from either blog. 

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Dinner Date || Charles

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Erin’s cheeks turned a bit red when Charles stuck his tongue out, and she looked away momentarily to try and hide it. “Well, I’ll let you pay this time then. But let us at least discuss it next time,” she said smiling a little at him. 

“Yep, let’s go.” Erin nodded and got up from her chair, putting on her jacket and grabbing her bag. “Thank god it’s not raining tonight. I love walking. Everything seems so peaceful and slow, especially in this busy city.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles opened the door for Erin, letting her go through first. He held the cheesecake by the ribbon, careful not to swing it. “Isn’t this lovely,” he whispered, staring up at the stars again. “I have to admit, walking’s more fun with you.” He chuckled and sped up a little bit to avoid Erin’s reaction. 

Baker Street wasn’t too far. Charles leaned on the door and pretended to call out to nobody in particular. “I brought Erin back! Safe and still pretty! Whoo!” He looked back at her with a chuckle. “I’m already pretending to be drunk,” he said to her. 

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Erin didn’t say anything to Charles’ comment, she just blushed and hummed, letting him know that she agreed but looking away to hide her coloured cheeks. She also loved walking with him. Everything seemed more beautiful, as if she was seeing the city through different eyes. 

“Shh!” she exclaimed with a giggle, squeezing Charles’ arm a little. “You’re going to wake everyone up. I have neighbours, you know!” She chuckled again, opening her handbag and pulling out the keys. “Although it’s likely that at least one of them is awake. Anyway, come in.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles leaned on the door with a deep frown on his face. He had a very good idea who that awake neighbour was, and for some irrational, stupid reason, he started to feel jealous. "Who, the great Sherlock Holmes?" His tone was calm, if anything, but his eyes were fixated on Erin, trying to see through her. 

"I don't think he'd mind it much." 

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Dinner Date || Charles

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“Oi, don’t pretend to be ignoring me!” Erin exclaimed, laughing and nudging Charles’ leg with her foot. “I’m serious. And I won’t deny I’m your date, I promise. If your dancing skills are horrendous and I get embarrassed, I’ll just say you’re very drunk.” 

She gasped when Charles paid for the dinner. “Charles, you really shouldn’t have paid for everything! We could have gone half and half.”

[criminalwriter2-blog]

He chuckled softly and stuck his tongue out. “You picked me up at the airport today, love. I think that’s already half and half.” Charles rubbed his hands together, signaling that the other cheesecake was about to arrive. Finally it did and he picked it up gingerly, nodding at Erin. “Leave the cheesecake at your place, try not to eat it, walk to the club, pretend to be drunk. I can do that. Let’s go?”

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Erin’s cheeks turned a bit red when Charles stuck his tongue out, and she looked away momentarily to try and hide it. “Well, I’ll let you pay this time then. But let us at least discuss it next time,” she said smiling a little at him. 

“Yep, let’s go.” Erin nodded and got up from her chair, putting on her jacket and grabbing her bag. “Thank god it’s not raining tonight. I love walking. Everything seems so peaceful and slow, especially in this busy city.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles opened the door for Erin, letting her go through first. He held the cheesecake by the ribbon, careful not to swing it. "Isn't this lovely," he whispered, staring up at the stars again. "I have to admit, walking's more fun with you." He chuckled and sped up a little bit to avoid Erin's reaction. 

Baker Street wasn't too far. Charles leaned on the door and pretended to call out to nobody in particular. "I brought Erin back! Safe and still pretty! Whoo!" He looked back at her with a chuckle. "I'm already pretending to be drunk," he said to her. 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

“You held on through everything. That’s braver than anything I could have ever done.”

Charles parted his lips to speak, but no words came from his lips. Suddenly he enveloped Clare in a tight hug, holding her close, letting her feel how shaken he was. “Don’t you dare do something like that again. I swear I’d kill myself and you’ll never get to me in time.” 

[mypastmademestronger-blog-blog]

Her heart breaks and fills with fear as she pulls back. “No. You couldn’t kill yourself. I’d never be able to live-” she broke off and looked down. “..without you.. I wouldn’t have a purpose.”

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles sucked in a deep breath and clenched his fists. He took a few deep breaths, taking his time to calm down. "I love you," he whispered, because it was hurting too much and he wasn't even sure if it was true, but it felt right to say. "Don't say things like that."

[criminalwriter2-blog]

"You held on through everything. That's braver than anything I could have ever done."

Charles parted his lips to speak, but no words came from his lips. Suddenly he enveloped Clare in a tight hug, holding her close, letting her feel how shaken he was. "Don't you dare do something like that again. I swear I'd kill myself and you'll never get to me in time." 

[tagalongsusan]

Liars || Susan & Charles

[criminalwriter2-blog]

He was feeling lighter and lighter with each passing minute, but that couldn't have been from the gin. It’s Susan. Certainly it was Susan. The way she made jokes and simply let things go, the way she grinned - reminded Charles of their first meeting, with the tea and cupcakes - the way she made it smooth and took control, it all was amazing to Charles. 

He snorted, immediately covering his mouth with his hands. “Jeez, Suse, it’s not like that.” His laugh was deep and genuine, and the smile that followed was no less charming. “Of course it’s all been treated. And not exactly animals, more like animal parts. Like… say, tusks. Very, very in demand. All the time.” 

[tagalongsusan]

Susan began to laugh, hand coming up to run through her hair.  “That’s good to hear.  The mental picture I had before was interesting to say the least.”  She smoothed a hand down her skirt and raised her eyebrows at Charles.  Well, well.  He led a far more exciting life than she had been led to believe.  And she couldn’t stop grinning.  It shocked her a bit how much she had missed talking to him.

“I used to want to travel when I was a little girl.  Always paging through the guidebooks and marking them up.”

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles hummed and gave her a knowing smile. "I never run out of interesting things to give. Although, the longer you stay in here, the better the things you can offer." He finished his drink and leaned on the bar, eyes focused on Susan, particularly her eyes. He saw himself in her eyes. Not just his reflection; he saw his old self from what seemed like an eternity ago. 

"And after you mark them up, you'd dream the things you'd do in each place, you imagine yourself actually there and it's so damn beautiful that it hurts, and you want to stay there forever, but you also want to move on." He looked wistful now. "But sometimes the bad things override the good things. And it seems like home is the only safe place." Charles shook his head. "Sorry, I got a little lost there."

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Dinner Date || Charles

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“Yes, that’s exactly my plan,” Erin joked, picking up her fork and looking down at the rest of the cheesecake. She bit her lip and took half of it, and pointed at the other half with the fork. “The rest is for you.” 

Her cheeks turned a bit red and she was momentarily lost for words when Charles mentioned that he liked her, so she could only let out a short giggle. “We shall see about that. You’ll surely end up having fun and thanking me for it.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles looked up at her, rather surprised that she doesn’t want more cheesecake. Pulling the cheesecake to him, he started eating and nodding, pretending to not listen to her. “Mmhm, mmhm…” 

“You’re gonna regret this,” he teased her, pointing two fingers at her. “I’m watching you. You better not deny that you’re my date.” Charles paid for the dinner and nodded at Erin, with a big grin. “Show time.”

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“Oi, don’t pretend to be ignoring me!” Erin exclaimed, laughing and nudging Charles’ leg with her foot. “I’m serious. And I won’t deny I’m your date, I promise. If your dancing skills are horrendous and I get embarrassed, I’ll just say you’re very drunk.” 

She gasped when Charles paid for the dinner. “Charles, you really shouldn’t have paid for everything! We could have gone half and half.”

[criminalwriter2-blog]

He chuckled softly and stuck his tongue out. "You picked me up at the airport today, love. I think that's already half and half." Charles rubbed his hands together, signaling that the other cheesecake was about to arrive. Finally it did and he picked it up gingerly, nodding at Erin. "Leave the cheesecake at your place, try not to eat it, walk to the club, pretend to be drunk. I can do that. Let's go?"

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Dinner Date || Charles

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Erin laughed. “Really? Then I’m definitely going to make you dance tonight. The only thing I regret is not bringing a camera.” She gave Charles a smug smile, raising an eyebrow. And don’t even think you can stop me. 

“Aww,” Erin pouted, squeezing Charles’ hand and taking another bite of the cheesecake. “The voice you just made was adorable. Don’t worry, if we hurry up and take it home quickly, it won’t melt.” She chuckled. 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles made a face. “Wait, so- we take the cheesecake home, resist the urge to ravage it then and there, and you are going to force me to dance afterwards? Erin, that is two kinds of torture in one night. In fact, I am eating more cheesecake just so I can process that.” He swallowed more cheesecake, smaller this time, making sure to leave some for Erin. 

“And if I didn’t really like you I would have said no. Let’s do it!” He downed his drink and ordered another cheesecake, looking at Erin with a giddy smile on his face. “You’re gonna owe me so bad.”

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“Yes, that’s exactly my plan,” Erin joked, picking up her fork and looking down at the rest of the cheesecake. She bit her lip and took half of it, and pointed at the other half with the fork. “The rest is for you.” 

Her cheeks turned a bit red and she was momentarily lost for words when Charles mentioned that he liked her, so she could only let out a short giggle. “We shall see about that. You’ll surely end up having fun and thanking me for it.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles looked up at her, rather surprised that she doesn't want more cheesecake. Pulling the cheesecake to him, he started eating and nodding, pretending to not listen to her. "Mmhm, mmhm..." 

"You're gonna regret this," he teased her, pointing two fingers at her. "I'm watching you. You better not deny that you're my date." Charles paid for the dinner and nodded at Erin, with a big grin. "Show time."

[tagalongsusan]

Liars || Susan & Charles

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles looked back at her with a surprisingly pleasant smile, as if they were meeting just that very day, in that very moment, in that very bar. They were, in a twisted sort of way. “Would you? I’ll send you my next work then.” He let the drink slosh around in the glass, watching it as he realized that he had just hinted that he’d like to keep in touch with her beyond whatever they were doing at that moment. 

“Other things.” He didn’t look up from his drink. “It’s … great, in a way. It ties in with my writing work. Next week, for example, I’ll be in Australia and I might be smuggling some animals.” He scowled slightly at the last word. “Dead ones.” 

[tagalongsusan]

She smiled at him and nodded.  “I would like that.”  Her eyes twinkling a bit, she gave him a silly grin.  “Think I could maybe get a signed copy?  I’d like to think the author and I are friends.”  The thought warmed her.  They could be friends and it certainly didn’t hurt that she didn’t have to tiptoe around the darker side of her profession with him.  Thoughts of their last meeting kept popping up in her head unbidden.  Friends…right.

Susan pulled a face at his last remark and took a sip of her drink.  She looked up at him quickly and leaned in.  “The smuggling part isn’t what’s bothering me.  But why dead animals?  Yuck.  Sounds unsanitary if you ask me.”

[criminalwriter2-blog]

He was feeling lighter and lighter with each passing minute, but that couldn't have been from the gin. It's Susan. Certainly it was Susan. The way she made jokes and simply let things go, the way she grinned - reminded Charles of their first meeting, with the tea and cupcakes - the way she made it smooth and took control, it all was amazing to Charles. 

He snorted, immediately covering his mouth with his hands. "Jeez, Suse, it's not like that." His laugh was deep and genuine, and the smile that followed was no less charming. "Of course it's all been treated. And not exactly animals, more like animal parts. Like... say, tusks. Very, very in demand. All the time." 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Her heart ached for Charles as she lead him over to the bed. She laid with him and ran her fingers through his hair. “It’s okay, my love… You’ve been so brave.” she murmured, pressing her lips to his forehead.

Charles forced himself to stand, kicking his shoes off (new, lovely leather just...

[mypastmademestronger-blog-blog]

Writer, Lover, Smuggler: Her heart ached for Charles as she lead him over to the bed. She laid...

Clare watches quietly from the bed, sadness filling her heart at his bruises and cuts. She stands slowly and touches his face gently. "You're so brave."

[criminalwriter2-blog]

"Brave?" Charles's expression turned into one of heart-crushing disappointment and pain. "Brave, Clare? I almost watched you die, and I couldn't have done anything about it! In what world is that brave?" 

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Dinner Date || Charles

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles glared at Erin (a fake glare, of course) and took an even larger slice. God, he loved that cheesecake. It was his muse. “I’m serious! My dancing skills are inversely proportional to the deliciousness of this cheesecake.” Charles looked around, knowing for a fact that the cheesecake could indeed be taken away. 

“I think so, but- it could melt.” His voice turned to one of a sad child’s. “We don’t want a melty cheesecake.”

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Erin laughed. “Really? Then I’m definitely going to make you dance tonight. The only thing I regret is not bringing a camera.” She gave Charles a smug smile, raising an eyebrow. And don’t even think you can stop me. 

“Aww,” Erin pouted, squeezing Charles’ hand and taking another bite of the cheesecake. “The voice you just made was adorable. Don’t worry, if we hurry up and take it home quickly, it won’t melt.” She chuckled. 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles made a face. "Wait, so- we take the cheesecake home, resist the urge to ravage it then and there, and you are going to force me to dance afterwards? Erin, that is two kinds of torture in one night. In fact, I am eating more cheesecake just so I can process that." He swallowed more cheesecake, smaller this time, making sure to leave some for Erin. 

"And if I didn't really like you I would have said no. Let's do it!" He downed his drink and ordered another cheesecake, looking at Erin with a giddy smile on his face. "You're gonna owe me so bad."

[tagalongsusan]

Liars || Susan & Charles

[criminalwriter2-blog]

 Charles raised his glass just after her and took a sip of the drink. His eyes darted everywhere, as he was used to doing in all public places. Before it ruins us. His eyes returned to Susan, trying to make sense of what she was feeling and thinking about. In a way, it made him sad to think of it all. But in the current situation they were in, there was no time to be sad. 

“The writing. The… other activity only happened after I got lost in China and, well, things went upward from there.” Upward. Lovely word. 

[tagalongsusan]

Susan leaned in and let her elbow rest on the bar.  He was turning out to be far more interesting than she had ever imagined.  She smiled at him and raised an eyebrow.  “I wouldn't mind reading some of it.  Your work, I mean?”

The unspoken questions were caught in the back of her throat as she pondered how far she wanted to dig with him.  Because right now, it was taking all her will not to jump in with both feet and inquire about just what had happened in China.  How long had he been doing this?  What toll had it taken on him?

“You can talk to me, you know, if you want.  About the..other things.  I don’t mind.”

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles looked back at her with a surprisingly pleasant smile, as if they were meeting just that very day, in that very moment, in that very bar. They were, in a twisted sort of way. "Would you? I'll send you my next work then." He let the drink slosh around in the glass, watching it as he realized that he had just hinted that he'd like to keep in touch with her beyond whatever they were doing at that moment. 

"Other things." He didn't look up from his drink. "It's ... great, in a way. It ties in with my writing work. Next week, for example, I'll be in Australia and I might be smuggling some animals." He scowled slightly at the last word. "Dead ones." 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Her heart ached for Charles as she lead him over to the bed. She laid with him and ran her fingers through his hair. "It's okay, my love... You've been so brave." she murmured, pressing her lips to his forehead.

Charles forced himself to stand, kicking his shoes off (new, lovely leather just three weeks ago), picking them up and throwing them in a big black trash bag. His socks followed, and then his shirt (caked with blood and drenched in sweat). He wasn't stripping, no; more like tearing away, desperate to get out of those damn clothes. He didn't even think about Clare being there. All he wanted was to be out of it and forget it all, trembling slightly in anger.

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Dinner Date || Charles

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Erin’s eyes widened a bit. “Wow. I think I’m too scared to do that.” She shook her head and looked down, shy. “I prefer to take walks in the early morning, at dawn. The city looks beautiful.” 

“Good, we can go for a drink then. But I’m warning you,” she said, pointing her fork at Charles, “if there is music and we don’t dance, I will be disappointed. So I hope you can dance. Well, I actually don’t care. If you cannot dance it will be more interesting.” A melodious laugh escaped her lips and her shoulders shook at the thought. “Anyway, let’s try this delicious-looking cheesecake.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles hummed in response. He hated the sunrise. He hated sun’s rays shining through his bedroom window, interrupting his writing streak, or forcing him to go home and stash all the drugs again. The only time he ever loved the sunrise was that one time in Florida, after a long jog with his father. His breath hitched as the memories surfaced. 

“Oh God no,” he said with wide eyes, suddenly alerted to the present. “I cannot dance for my life. Two left feet. You will be deny that you are my date once I get on the dancefloor.” He laughed and stabbed the cheesecake with his fork, quickly slipping it into his mouth and looking at Erin as if he was challenging her. You’ll run out of cheesecake if you don’t act fast. 

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Erin glanced down at the cake and took a little piece with her fork, returning the challenging look. “Hm,” she smirked. “You better stop trying to convince me. You’re making me want to see you dancing even more.” She chuckled melodiously.

She tasted the cheesecake and hummed happily, her eyebrows raising in surpise. “Oh my God, this is delicious. How have I been able to survive without it?” she exclaimed. “Charles, we definitely have to come back. Or wait, do they have cheesecake takeaway? It would be awesome if they did.” They both laughed, and Erin thought that it was probably the best night she had in years.

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles glared at Erin (a fake glare, of course) and took an even larger slice. God, he loved that cheesecake. It was his muse. "I'm serious! My dancing skills are inversely proportional to the deliciousness of this cheesecake." Charles looked around, knowing for a fact that the cheesecake could indeed be taken away. 

"I think so, but- it could melt." His voice turned to one of a sad child's. "We don't want a melty cheesecake."

[tagalongsusan]

Liars || Susan & Charles

[criminalwriter2-blog]

“Rum and coke it is.” Charles turned to the bartender and made the order for Susan. He sat on the stool, still quite face-level with Susan, and grinned at her like he was a kid with a new toy. 

It gave him a certain sort of thrill to be talking about his real profession to somebody like Susan- somebody he met through his other job. At surface level, yes, he was Charles Hilton the travel writer. Deeper, however, he was Charles the dealer and smuggler. And while these things came hand in hand, they were two entirely separate lives that Charles had to live. Susan must have been the first to know about both. 

Another exception he made just for her. 

“It’s wonderful, but don’t be fooled. It’s a toxic world, out there.” 

[tagalongsusan]

She tilted her head to consider him.  “Yes, it is.  So we might as well have fun before it ruins us, right?”  Susan raised her glass to him before taking a sip of her drink.  That was the understatement of the century.  Part of her already felt ruined inside.  Seeing things on a daily basis that forced you to check any normal emotional reaction at the door.  It changed you.  It had probably changed him too.

She smiled softly at him.  “So did the writing come first or the..other activity?” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles raised his glass just after her and took a sip of the drink. His eyes darted everywhere, as he was used to doing in all public places. Before it ruins us. His eyes returned to Susan, trying to make sense of what she was feeling and thinking about. In a way, it made him sad to think of it all. But in the current situation they were in, there was no time to be sad. 

"The writing. The... other activity only happened after I got lost in China and, well, things went upward from there." Upward. Lovely word. 

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Dinner Date || Charles

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Erin shrugged. “You don’t have to thank me for that. I thought it would be nice to surprise you,” she explained with a smile. 

Her cheeks turned even redder at Charles’ question. “Well, as you probably know, I don’t go out much. Or at least I haven’t gone out a lot lately, so I don’t know, um… we could have a drink somewhere, maybe?” she offered. 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles noticed Erin’s blush, and he couldn’t help but bite his lip in amusement. “Don’t you? Why not? Sometimes, at night, I just walk all over London.” True, but not entirely. Charles liked to do his drug dealing at night. “A drink would be nice, yes. Something light, after all this good food. Yumyumyum.” 

His face lit up as the cheesecake arrived. It was a little round cheesecake, just right for two. “I always order this. Never had anybody to split it with, he added, with a small smile.

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Erin’s eyes widened a bit. “Wow. I think I’m too scared to do that.” She shook her head and looked down, shy. “I prefer to take walks in the early morning, at dawn. The city looks beautiful.” 

“Good, we can go for a drink then. But I’m warning you,” she said, pointing her fork at Charles, “if there is music and we don’t dance, I will be disappointed. So I hope you can dance. Well, I actually don’t care. If you cannot dance it will be more interesting.” A melodious laugh escaped her lips and her shoulders shook at the thought. “Anyway, let’s try this delicious-looking cheesecake.” 

[criminalwriter2-blog]

Charles hummed in response. He hated the sunrise. He hated sun's rays shining through his bedroom window, interrupting his writing streak, or forcing him to go home and stash all the drugs again. The only time he ever loved the sunrise was that one time in Florida, after a long jog with his father. His breath hitched as the memories surfaced. 

"Oh God no," he said with wide eyes, suddenly alerted to the present. "I cannot dance for my life. Two left feet. You will be deny that you are my date once I get on the dancefloor." He laughed and stabbed the cheesecake with his fork, quickly slipping it into his mouth and looking at Erin as if he was challenging her. You'll run out of cheesecake if you don't act fast.