hiii y’all !! tysm for joining our lovely lil group we have going on here. so this is my boi jay de leon, or just deli, bc he’s dumb n says it’s short for delicious. definitely a simp. if u wanna read more about this dumpster fire of a man that i’ve based off of all the pinoy boys i know slkfjds pls read below ! feel free to like this post and i’ll hit you up with a plotting sesh.
❆ ( manny jacinto, twenty-nine, muse l, cis man, he/him. ) i just saw JAY DE LEON in northmount. you know, the PHOTOGRAPHER? there they were, being their typical HEDONISTIC and FACETIOUS self. i’ve heard some say they’re AFFABLE and FREEWHEELING, but i don’t know. they sort of remind me of MONOCHROMATIC WARDROBES, HITTING SNOOZE ON YOUR ALARMS, & FANNY PACKS, but that’s just me. if you see them around, let me know, okay? and happy holidays! ( pris, 25, she/they, pst. ) ❆
fun fact - it was his birthday yesterday!!
deli is a los angeles native all the way, having grown up in historic filipinotown. to him it’s “west coast best coast” forever and always
his family, which consisted of him, his two older brothers, and a little sister, were lower middle class. they didn’t have a ton of free spending money when he was growing up but they were able to get by. both his parents emigrated from the philippines before he was born
school was never really his strong suit, at least when he was younger. he had other things he was interested in that didn’t involve studying and while his parents disciplined it was never really enough to change his behavior
his actual strong suit? dance. while studying did indeed suck, he was motivated to keep his gpa up enough to stay on the dance team in high school
it was no question that he’d go to community college first to figure things out after graduating high school, because higher education was on the map..... it was just that he got sidetracked by other things
things took a turning point, however, toward the end of his senior year when his father lost his job during the recession. both he and his dad sought out minimum wage jobs after that, & deli juggled his two part time jobs with school
though it was hard, deli buckled down and pushed through for 2 years until his brothers finally stepped up to the plate and contributed to the family financially. by sheer good will (and luck he supposed) jay transferred to a credible four university, majoring in communications with a minor in asian american studies
at uni without the pressure of responsibilities, he resumed his passion for dance in various dance teams and was active in cultural orgs
deli would look back to his time in college as the catalyst for how he first fell into the rave scene. it was a game changer. he’d always been into photography but then opportunities arose to capture events and festivals. this really helped him grow as an artist and creative, his portfolio, clientele, and even social media attention skyrocketed since
these gigs were a major part of his early twenties, as he continued with photography after graduating. while he wasn’t necessarily making bank it allowed him to help out his family again and live more comfortably than he had been
at 24, after his little sister graduated from college herself, his parents decided they wanted to go back to the homeland with it being easier to settle down and retire there. since then, jay migrated east and landed a job opportunity in nyc. it was initially for some small public relations firm but he quickly realized PR wasn’t his thing at all
where christmas town comes in!
fortunately, the universe seemed to hear him and a job opportunity in northmount fell into his lap. having been recognized for his photography, northmount’s tourism company connected with him on linkedin offering him a chance to return to the photography gig
there was a part of him that was hesitant though, bc at the time he wasn’t completely familiar with northmount and he didn’t know how he’d feel about living in a small town. but if you know deli, you know the guy is king of throwing caution to the wind.
when he visited northmount during the holiday season, he found it charming and cute. he decided then and there to accept the job, walking right into the office. why not? he said, christmas is cool
jay’s been in northmount for about 3 years now and while there was culture shock from being a city boy his entire life, the winter wonderland got him and he’s come to love it
besides that, the job was just fun. a lot of people say he doesn’t take his job seriously, but deli would say that there’s nothing wrong with laughing and being a riot as long as you meet the deadlines
work hard, party harder amirite? soft fuckbois have rights. deli is ceo of the company
if you see him on the streets say hello! - that is, if you can beat him to it. a true extrovert at heart, there’s only so many new people to meet in northmount which is why he loves when this time of year comes around. he’d be the guy to say what’s up? as if you’ve known him for a year instead of a minute and if he’s not busy (usually isn’t) he’ll offer a little street shoot
now we can get to the fun part: the subplot! listen, from what i’ve said so far you could probably assume that deli wasn’t fully thinking it through. when muse x said ayee wanna be my fake boyfriend? all he could think was it would be fun!
in other words i present to you my texts with the lovely kae lmaooo this is all the TLDR you need
STATS
dob: nov 25
sexuality: queer
gender: cis man
sun sign: sagittarius
ascendant: gemini
moon: sagittarius
MBTI: enfp
temperament: melancholic
moral alignment: chaotic good
element: earth
enneagram: 7w6 ( “the entertainer” )
hogwarts house: gryffindor
vibes: peter pan, lil papi evangelista, klaus hargreeves
WANTED CONNECTIONS
platonic
RIDE OR DIE: charli xcx_vroom_vroom.mp3
PARTY BUDDIES: other ravers, drinkers, partiers that are always down to hang
BAD INFLUENCER: *enables u*
PLUG: his yelp reviews are 5 stars
conflicts
HATER: for some reason, deli really grinds their gears so your muse can’t stand him
FRENEMIES: self explanatory
FORMER FRIEND: self explanatory
romantic ( open to m/f/enby ) - could be former!
FUCK BUDDIES: it’s just. fun. booty calls! are! valid! he’s just Coping with this mess
FWB: we love to see it
RAVE BAE: u aint down
if u made it all the way down here, ily ty! again, feel free to dm me or like this post and i will come bother u <333 you can also reach me on d*scord ( fullhomo#9769 ). i will also be starting work in about an hour so apologies in advance for any delayed responses, i should def be on later !
adrian’s glad he can blame it on the weather for the way his face and ears are turning red. although, he’s not sure if he can blame the freezing cold snow for the warmth that’s blooming all over his body. “your man’s impeccable taste is because his parents wouldn’t let him shop anywhere below zara.” your man. huh. adrian repeats those words in his head. jay’s man. his man. it does sound nice, actually—
his grip on the passenger seat door handle tightens, hearing the words from deli and repeating it in his head, over and over. i might actually fall in love with you. i might actually fall in love with you. i might actually fall in love— adrian quickly shuts the door and makes his way to the other side of the seat so he can catch his breath for once. just what exactly are they doing, him and deli? how insane is all this, pretending to date your coworker so your parents can stop riding your ass for once? oh god, the town knows he’s already back home. there’s no way at least one person didn’t tell mom—
his thoughts are temporarily interrupted when he feels a pair of hands grab his. adrian snaps out of it for a bit and sees that his and deli’s hands are joined in a comforting hold. his breath is starting to quicken so he appreciates the comforting presence of deli. his man. despite this, the anxiety overpowers everything. “jay.” his voice is contained, as if he’s trying his hardest to sound like he’s not about to fall apart at the seams. “i’m not ready for this. i’m so fucking nervous i feel like i’m going to pass out.” adrian squeezes deli’s hands: a steady anchor in whatever metaphorical storm is going on inside his mind right now.
🤡
not once has deli heard adrian swear, so when he did, he knew: adrian was really going through it. in some horrific way, this moment felt like deja vu. he thinks back to when they first started this whole ordeal and how he was doing anything he could to lighten the mood. if only it was that easy now. nothing could have prepared him for this moment. this sobering realization about what they were doing, pretending to be boyfriends to appease adrian’s parents... and maybe adrian really couldn’t care less about him in the end, that he could live with; all he knew was that this- this thing with adrian’s family weighs heavy and this was really a huge deal for him.
for the first time, deli started to wonder and really consider how this will play out. for the first time, deli felt nervous not for himself but on adrian’s behalf. he doesn’t want to mess anything up for him. he wants to make a good impression. he wants it to go so well so that he’ll never have to witness adrian looking this way again. once again, adrian seemed to have the magic - rare - ability to make him shut up. what could he possibly say to make adrian feel better? deli held adrian’s hand firmly in his and continued to squeeze for reassurance as he thought about what to say.
“nooo don’t pass out, you’re so sexy aha,” deli tried to joke half-heartedly. though the delivery was clearly a weak one, it helped relieved at least some of the tension he was holding in his body. “i don’t blame you for being nervous. from what you’ve told me, your family seems intense but who’s to say it won’t go well! i’m charming, remember?” he nudges adrian on the shoulder. thankfully, the joke lands a bit better this time around and he’s able to offer a hopeful smile.
“hey–” adrian barely gets the greeting out before he is left stunned at how… dressed up deli looks. especially with the outfit he got him at sak’s. his eyes rake up and down deli’s outfit and his heart races faster. even in the cloud of anxiety he’s going through, adrian couldn’t help but admire his eye for style. the turtleneck, hidden under two perfectly layered jackets, hugs his body in all the right places. oh, who is adrian kidding? deli looks amazing. no, he looks more than amazing. stunning. handsome. hot as hell. before he could stop himself, adrian’s mind flashes back to yesterday: him straddling deli’s lap, his hands sneaking under deli’s shirt, his lips kissing down his neck, breathless moans that makes him feel like he’s levitating…
nope! not gonna go there! especially not before he’s going to be seeing his family. instead, he returns his gaze to deli’s face. “you, uh, also look great. i’m glad the outfit i chose worked out.” adrian walks over to the passenger side and opens the door for deli. it gives his mind something small to focus on and if anything, deli deserves only the best fake boyfriend that adrian could ever be, considering he’s willing to spend an entire night with his crazy ass family. while he waits for him to get seated in his car, adrian’s mind does wander for a bit. would he be a good real boyfriend for deli? maybe if they weren’t going to his family’s house yet, he would take deli to his favorite spot over at his hometown. suddenly, adrian’s cheeks warm. is that something deli would enjoy? would he even consider dating someone as awkward and emotionally stunted as adrian…?
🤡
deli couldn’t stop his smile from widening into something more like a smirk once adrian looked at him. he’s not blind. adrian was totally checking him out and deli is reveling in it. he notices the way that adrian seems to still, not too far off from the expression he wore the previous night as deli left his apartment after yet another makeout session that got his head spinning. he can’t help but wonder if they’re both thinking about the same thing but he doesn’t want to be too hopeful, after all. “my man has impeccable taste,” deli winks, shrugging his shoulders as he walks closer. yes he was laying it on thick, playing this up way more than necessary. he chuckled. “you know what they say about how money can’t buy fashion sense. that’s clearly not a problem you can relate to and now i can vouch for it!”
shit fuck. now adrian was opening the door for him. the Simp™ simps again. he can already tell christmas with the lau’s is gonna test his resolve more than ever before. adrian sure as hell was contributing to that - fuck him! ( literally. he was in a perpetual paradox of wanting to do just that and really not wanting to fall into that trap which will inevitably get his feelings hurt ). because deli’s brain is constantly rattling with thoughts, it only took about 3 seconds to process all of these thoughts at once and he responded with ease. you gotta give the mad lad some credit - he knew how to play into the more freewheeling and nonchalant side of himself when he needed to. “an old fashioned gentleman too? you really DO know how to treat a guy!! careful, i might actually fall in love with you,” he laughs as he slides into the passenger seat, desperately trying to ignore how loud his heart was pounding now because WHY DID HE SAY THAT!!?!? STUPID.
when adrian settles into the driver’s seat, he stills in a different way - frozen in place and not starting the engine. while deli hasn’t actually known adrian for more than a week, he knows: adrian is in panic mode right now. instinctually, and without fully thinking through the action, he reaches out and grabs adrian’s hand to comfort him. “hey, it’ll be okay.” at least he hoped it would be. “you ready to do this?”
it’s something about the way deli speaks to him in that softer tone of voice that leaves adrian warm all over, even during the cold winter night. the words sound foreign in his ears but at the same time they’re reassuring, and suddenly he’s not as anxious as he was earlier. the warm and fuzzy feeling combined with his increased heart rate is quickly forgotten, especially when deli is back to being a teasing little shit. “shut up, i’m trying to be nice here.” adrian lets go of deli’s hand and playfully nudges his shoulder, immediately feeling the loss in contact. since when were they holding hands? and for how long?
the ghost of deli’s hand feels so present, adrian’s itching for his fingers to curl around something again. almost instinctively, he reaches over and grabs deli’s hand again, ignoring his remark about the wonton noodle soup. “holy shit, deli, your hand is ice cold.” adrian uses his free hand to quickly rub the top of deli’s hand, trying to generate some warmth for him. “has it always been like this?”
to deli’s luck, just as he thought that he wanted to hold adrian’s hand a little longer, adrian retracted and nudged him instead. if deli didn’t care about how it would look, he would’ve pouted once he felt the loss of adrian’s warm hand. as it were, he was almost too aware of how it would look so instead, he frowned and rubbed his hands together to generate his own warmth. fortunately, the disappointment doesn’t last long as adrian blows hot air into his cupped hands and grabs his hand again.
he almost sighs in relief at the physical contact and reddens at the comment. this was only made worse by the calming sensation of adrian rubbing his hands over his. “yes-s,” he responds, teeth chattering. “i’m an LA boy! i’m still not entirely used to the freezing cold here so excuse me for being a big baby right now.” it grows quiet between them for a moment as deli sinks into the feeling of warmth. he thanks god every day that his brown skin doesn’t reveal how much he’s blushing right now because he’s positive he’d look like a tomato otherwise. “shut up, i know how this is gonna sound... but do you mind if i keep holding your hand? it feels nice.”
LOCATION: outside deli’s house, before the lau christmas party (@delifreshroast)
Links for reference: adrian’s fit / his car
Hey. I’m outside your apartment.
as soon as he presses send, adrian steps out of the car, welcoming the bite of the cold night. while he waits for jay, he settles for pacing up and down the sidewalk where his car is parked, trying his hardest to calm his pounding heart. to say he’s nervous about tonight is an understatement; he’s pretty sure he’s about to spontaneously combust. usually, the most adrian had to do before family gatherings is brace himself for all the comments, but between bringing a “boyfriend” over and the looming fact that he’s basically done an impulsive career change that he technically hasn’t told anyone about, he’s really not looking forward to tonight.
after he realizes that he practically carved out a path from the snow he’s pacing under—a testament to his current mental state right now—adrian stops before he ends up doing something embarrassing like slip on the ice and snow. instead, he glances at the reflection of himself in the tinted window of his car, adjusting his hair and straightening out his cape so his hands have something to do. overall, at least he looks presentable? his mother is definitely going to be impressed by his coat cape thing, that’s for sure.
and when he finally has nothing else on his body he can adjust adrian turns around and leans against the car, trying to get himself to calm the fuck down and stop figeting so damn much. there’s nothing he can do except go through the motions and all he’s doing is making his nervousness worse. adrian glances out from across the street and towards the entrance of deli’s apartment, his eagerness to see him growing as each second passes.
as much as deli tries to quell the butterflies in the pit of his stomach, he can’t deny it: those little fuckers are here to stay and they won’t stop fluttering goddamn it! it was so ridiculously schoolboy of him but as he stared at himself in the mirror, in the outfit that adrian bought for him, to wear to the lau christmas party, reality began to really settle in. holy shit he’s playing the role of adrian’s boyfriend tonight. as much as it was supposed to be pretend, his physical reactions couldn’t lie. the moment his phone buzzed, deli’s chest tightened even before his eyes saw the message appear — I’m outside your apartment.
once he did see the message, deli didn’t know what took over him; he beelined toward the window and opened the curtain slightly to chance a peek at the other man. deli was thankful he gave himself this moment to steel himself, as much as he was certain he was gonna have a nosebleed any second because HOLY SHIT! he shut the curtain immediately out of undeniable gay panic, pacing around the living room for a moment, until he returns again to the windowsill to take a look. the sight of adrian adjusting his outfit and hair alone was doing something funny to his heart and nether regions. and because he can’t help but indulge himself, deli takes one last long glance at adrian walking his fine self around his front yard before he finally closes the curtains.
deli walks around his living room again to shake out the nervous energy, remembering who he is: hot and charming! he exhales the breath he’d been holding, shrugs on his coat from the coatrack, and opens the door. here, he sees adrian staring at him and the tips of his ears begin to heat up. all at the same time, he plays it cool, places an easy smile on his face, and greets his boyfriend of the evening. “hey, you look good!”
adrian: Still, that’s a lot to ask from someone. I owe you soooo much.
adrian: Thanks for clarifying though. I don’t wanna force anything on you that you don’t want to do >_<
adrian: I didn’t mind the kiss either. It was actually pretty nice.
adrian: Did you learn that from all your dates that you apparently go on a lot? Haha
iMessage 📲 baedrian 😍
deli: if u say so! i take paypal zelle venmo and cashapp
deli: lol jokes
deli: pls don’t give me money i know ur loaded but don’t feel obligated to do that at all!
deli: Loved “Thanks for clarifying though. I don’t wanna force anything on you that you don’t want to do >_<”
deli: how about this. if i feel forced or anything i’ll let u know. does that help?
deli: u know it 😜
adrian is a couple steps into the restaurant when he hears jay call out to him, his stomach dropping at the casual ‘babe’. he doesn’t have time to process it because a hand grabs his, stopping him in his tracks. he doesn’t have time to respond, because as soon as he turns around, jay bursts into an outburst of words—not just words, but compliments too? he stares, his jaw open. the lobby suddenly is quiet, with dozens of nosy people watching along and continuing in hushed whispers.
he blinks. once. twice. no matter what, his brain couldn’t really wrap around it. did jay really think of him as everything he just mentioned? sure, he can be modest and humble at times (to a fault, really), but kind? smart? attractive??? surely, was this just for the public display? but that doesn’t explain why jay looks more embarrassed than he is his usual teasing self. before he knows it, he’s getting dragged to the hostess who, to adrian’s detriment, is the restaurant owner’s daughter and thus is an old family friend of the laus. the surprised look on her face too… oh god. right. everyone’s looking at them. fuck.
as soon as holly confirms the wait time, adrian decides to take charge this time. there was no way he was going to wait here for an hour with people that just saw his very public moment with jay. still holding his (incredibly cold) hand, adrian guides them out of the restaurant, only stopping when he’s sure no one is in earshot. “i’m sorry,” he blurts out, glancing down at his feet and kicking the snow, feeling suddenly guilty for making jay uncomfortable. “i— i overreacted. i didn’t mean to put you on the spot there.” adrian coughs, looking up at him awkwardly. “i tend to jump to conclusions a lot and it’s a whole personal thing. i’m sorry, i shouldn’t have assumed the worst.” even in the bone-chilling night, adrian’s cheeks warm. he wants to ask about the compliments and why jay said them, but he doesn’t want to seem too greedy. “can i make it up to you? i can make some wonton noodle soup at home. it’s way quicker than waiting, that’s for sure.”
if deli’s cheeks were feeling rather warm before, he was burning hot now. maybe it was from the residual feeling of mortification a moment ago or maybe it was how adrian suddenly tugs him along without a word, catching him off guard. either way, he was sure about one thing: he wasn’t simply simping this time — no, worse — he was swooning. what the hell? it goes without saying that logic has been escaping him lately but deli has a strong hunch all this had to do with how the other man is chock full of surprises and he couldn’t be more fascinated.
his heart squeezes at the sight of him now seemingly beating himself up over something he did wrong. you couldn’t make this shit up - adrian apologizing after he’s apologized. deli stands by his original comment; adrian is one of the best people he’s come to know despite the family and status he comes from. objectively it shouldn’t be a big deal, yet somehow it hits him differently ( and subsequently, hits him hard in the feels ). he sighs, shaking his head while he lets out a giggle. “see?! this is exactly what i meant. you’re proving my point exactly!” after his exclamation, he calms to a gentler tone, his voice growing softer. “adrian, you did nothing wrong. it was on me for making that vague comment so i don’t blame you for taking it the wrong way. your apology simply won’t be accepted because it’s not needed.”
he finds himself warming up on the inside too, touched that adrian was inviting him and sharing something rather personal about himself, likely a fault he’s thought deeply about. he files that piece of knowledge in a safe place in his memory for later. “gosh, i’m blushing adrian! what a charmer. you sure know how to treat a guy right,” he jokes, nudging against him with a wink, though the proof is in the pudding. he’s certainly blushing; he just hopes it isn’t so apparent this statement was a disguised half-truth. that’s right — the swooning. because on top of it all, here adrian stands being such a fucking gentleman offering to cook him dinner. suddenly, deli remembers he’s still holding adrian’s hand. the selfish part of his brain decides to not say anything for now, especially because adrian’s hand was so warm and comfortable in his. “no cap, i’m curious how bomb your wonton noodle soup is so bring it on! let’s do it!”
“ does this mean we’re using your car ?? i’m not quite sure how the walk from town square to mountainside would be on our calves. “ she admitted. a giggle escaped alongside her question. out of everyone in town, she credited jay as being the only one to truly allow her the space to goof off. after all, she was never quite a goofy person, as seen in her broadcasts. however, given that jay visibly had the energy of a small, caffeine-addicted boy, as was evident by his current excitement, you could say that sort of energy was slightly contagious. however, that smile dimmed once she realized that her coffee was still on the counter. “ oh my god. you’re a lifesaver. “ she told him, grabbing her frappuccino before the ice had a chance to melt.
“no, silly, we’re heading up to mountainside by bird scooter duhhh,” he deadpanned before breaking into another chuckle. the thought alone was so ridiculous deli had to laugh at his own joke. coupled with ariela leaning into his idea more and he was all smiles. “yeah we can take my car. you’ll have to bear with me though - it’s no private limo or lexus but my trusty toyota corolla does the job. for now, we can take a little stroll around town square first ‘cause there’s so much opportunity for dope shots around here.” deli waved his hand, a non-verbal no biggie. “ready when you are!”
“hmmmmm,” max said, looking jay up and down as she dragged out the syllable. “hm. well, if you say so. i dunno if i buy it. but i don’t think you should write yourself off just ‘cause he’s all rich - not if you don’t want to, at least. hey, sugar daddy, right?” she wiggled her eyes suggestively, then broke off into laughter. “kidding, i’m kidding!” she clarified quickly. “but maybe this is your opportunity to learn more about him, right? who knows, maybe you guys will totally hit it off,” she suggested. at the mention of ariela, max audibly groaned. “let’s just say i’m totally jealous of the relationship you have with your coworker,” she remarked, skating in a dizzy little circle around jay. “she’s so - ugh! i’m losing it, jay, honestly. it’d be one thing to just be on assignment with her, that i could totally handle, right? but it’s the fact that i’m, like, never free of her. i mean, she’s in my broadcasts, my hotel room, my bed. like, who did i royally piss off in a past life to deserve this?” she complained.
“true true,” deli relented. “i guess it isn’t really about the money really. the laus just seem... intimidating. like unrealistically high expectations and everything according to adrian.” he skidded to a stop and snickered, considering the thought seriously for just a moment. “yeah, maybe i can get some nice fits out of this sugar daddy. lord knows my closet needs all the help it can get if i’m supposed to go to all these fancy parties.” one had to appreciate the humor in their polar opposite coworker dilemmas. here deli was talking about how he got himself into a pretend relationship with his coworker, who no one had to know he was hella down bad for. meanwhile, he knew for a fact that max and ariela have some mad tension to work through before they inevitably kiss and make up. oh he was so excited to turn the tables now. “look, i know ariela can be a bit much at first. believe me, i totally thought the same when we first met but you’d be surprised if you give her a chance. she’s pretty cool once you actually get to know her. you know like a cat? there may be claws and she can be a little feisty but give it time and patience and you’ll feel the love.”
adrian: Yes, a date. You have to help me out though. I haven’t been on one in a while.
adrian: As sad as that sounds lol
adrian: I’m pretty sure we already “exposed” ourselves earlier already. I already know that people are talking.
adrian: Well, first of all I owe you for letting me pose as my “boyfie” in front of my parents
adrian: Secondly, for letting me kiss you. I feel like I should have asked first before I went in for it. I’m sorry :(
adrian: And thirdly for being super nice about all this and not thinking I’m a complete weirdo and a creep. Well maybe you DO think that which you have every right to.
adrian: You’ve been very considerate lately and I wholeheartedly appreciate it.
iMessage 📲 baedrian 😍
deli: it doesn’t sound sad
deli: guess it’s a good thing dates are kinda my forte huh? 😉
deli: well yeah it sounded like u were dealing with a lot and it’s not like i had any holiday plans. i don’t see why not
deli: omg stop why are u apologizing
deli: i was the one who brought it up in the first place remember?????
deli: if you’re worried about consent or whatever trust me u had it! besides i didn’t mind kissing u lol
deli: oh…
deli: really adrian it’s nbd
‘have you seen you? … it’s a good thing you’re so modest.’ adrian frowns, quickly glancing towards deli– who, for some odd reason, is laughing. he isn’t sure if he’s laughing at him or with him, but with the way adrian himself isn’t reacting, he’s sure it’s the former. all of a sudden, he feels defensive. “um, what is that supposed to mean?” he starts glancing downwards at his body, feeling stomach churning. is deli trying to make fun of adrian?
“i tend not to notice those kinds of things. i’d rather just focus on my work.” adrian lifts his film camera and takes a couple of photos of their walk to the restaurant, trying to ignore the uneasiness bubbling inside of him. he tries to laugh along with deli’s quips, but the last part of that sentence catches him off-guard. sure adrian knows he can be a bit weird and aloof but it hurts that even someone like deli wouldn’t expect a friendship with him. adrian lives to disappoint, he guesses. “we’re here.” he gestures to the italian restaurant, frowning when he sees a small crowd of people waiting outside. “oh no… dinner rush.” he glanced over at deli with a grimace. “i forgot how busy everything gets once the tourists are here. should we see how long the wait is?” and because he’s petty, adrian marches towards the entrance a couple paces further than deli, even though they’re supposed to come as a couple.
fuck. deli fucked up. he really fucked up. he wasn’t sure what he did exactly but there was no use in denying it — adrian was upset now and it was all his fault. fuck. they were having a good time; he was delighted at the progress he was making in getting the other man to warm up and open up to him but then he had to go and ruin it with his stupid mouth. at adrian’s outburst, he grew still. he opened his mouth to speak but for once had nothing to say. before he could even respond, adrian was already ahead of him, definitively trying to downplay the gloomy energy that suddenly hovered between them. the gates were closed and he was being given the cold shoulder, so cold that it felt more bristling than the weather. it made deli feel uneasy.
now normally deli would be cracking more jokes and he would’ve pushed adrian more but something about this moment was different. he could feel it and so he gave adrian the space. it made his throat lock up as he wracked his brain, desperately trying to figure out when it went wrong. all he could think of was his comment about… oh shit! it was his stupid vague response he gave when he didn’t want it to be apparent how much he was truly down bad for him, wasn’t it? like a car battery jump starting, deli was suddenly moved to action. his brain was on a 2 second delay as he processed what adrian was saying about dinner rush and was then moving faster away from him. in the spur of a moment, deli chased after and caught him — caught his hand, warmer than his — right as they stepped into the restaurant waiting area.
“wait wait hey - adrian, babe, wait!” deli started, not really caring about his volume in favor of how he really needed to clear this up right now, his dignity be damned. one would think deli had just ran a marathon by the way he was out of breath and almost tripping over his own words in his fervor. “i’m sorry if what i said came off badly earlier. you’re kind, smart, attractive and you’re so humble about it. it’s like, illegal how genuinely good of a person you are so that’s why i said it’s cool that you’re so modest about everything. i meant it as a compliment,” he finished, trying to ignore how hot his cheeks were feeling all of a sudden and how silent the waiting area just got. he cleared his throat and attempted to redirect the overwhelming feeling of embarrassment bubbling up inside of him. “right, let’s check on that wait time yeah?” he dragged adrian along and walked up to the hostess with a small smile, who clearly saw the whole ordeal, only to be met with an answer of an hour long wait.
adrian steps outside of their work building, taking a deep breath of cold air. he extends his arms in the air, stretching his back out from the hours of meetings he and deli had to deal with. it’s not like he hated his job, but he didn’t move back to northmount to go to meetings that could have been an email. by the time work ended, adrian was itching to get out of there.
“wait what?” adrian turns around, seeing deli bundled up, a complete contrast to his embrace of the cold weather. “melissa was watching us?” he’s not blind. he knows people in northmount talk, especially when there’s a grand display of romance right outside basically every shop in the town center. so adrian wasn’t surprised when he noticed some glances his and deli’s way during every meeting. he just wasn’t expecting practically everyone. “huh. i’m kind of curious, too. i’ve never been so… gawked at before.” as deli nudges his arm, a coworker walks past them, waving goodbye at them with a knowing look on their face. that, combined with deli just dropping the pet name, catches adrian by surprise. “huh? oh right! yeah. italian restaurant. plans and stuff. shall we? it’s just down that road.” he starts walking in the direction of the restaurant, pulling out his camera just in case. “has anyone at work asked about us?” adrian then asks after a couple of moments. “i figured you’re, uh, more familiar with them all since you’ve been here longer.”
deli stared at adrian like he was growing three heads and snorted. “you’re kidding right? have you seen you? i find that hard to believe.” i’ve never been so gawked at before. who even was this guy? it should be illegal for someone as attractive as adrian to be so humble about it at the same time. it’s one thing if he was being bashful so that his ego could be stroked even more but no— no, adrian genuinely didn’t have a clue. how could he not know his very presence was worthy of being gawked at? it was hilarious, really. this guy was rich, handsome, smart, creative, and unpretentious. some people really do have it all. “you know, it’s a good thing you’re so modest.“ deli intentionally didn’t elaborate further. he was compelled to say it so he did but he wasn’t stupid; he’s not about to make a fool out of himself and make his steadily growing crush apparent.
deli chuckled. ”literally everyone was watching us. you didn’t notice?” it was hard not to. deli watched adrian pull out his camera and mentally acknowledged it was a good idea. if he wasn’t too busy warming up his freezing cold hands, he would’ve followed adrian’s lead and whipped out his own camera. as they walked toward the restaurant, deli was satisfied with silently watching adrian in the meantime. “yeah no, i wasn’t asked. thank god i wasn’t put into the hot seat before we could fully hash out the details,” he smiled wryly. “nah, i think they haven’t asked because they don’t know how to - bet! i could see it on their faces. adrian and deli together? ha i don’t blame them. i wouldn’t see that coming either.”
adrian: Yes we did!!! The banging pesto alfredo. Lol
adrian: It’s really “banging” I promise.
adrian: :)
adrian: After work sounds good. It’s not too far of a walk.
adrian: Wait. What do you mean you owe me? If anything I owe you for at least three things.
iMessage 📲 baedrian 😍
deli: then it’s a date!
deli: officially? lol
deli: i totally exposed us so i owe you for that first off
deli: at least three things? like what?
deli: sounds fake
LOCATION: en route to italian restaurant | deli & adrian ( @adrianslau )
the plan was to link up after work but deli was hoping he could still talk adrian’s ear off before then. as it turned out, work consisted of boring back to back meetings and it was such a drag. he much preferred the “out in the field” days where he could focus on his craft ( and admittedly, slack off a bit more ). on the other hand, today might’ve been the exception. although they couldn’t really talk, he still lingered next to adrian. the two photographers were being looked at more frequently by their other co-workers, so he thought: why not play up their little act and give the people what they want?
after they were dismissed and clocked out, he nodded up at adrian and motioned for him to follow him outside. deli stepped out into the freezing winter air and placed his hands into his coat pocket filled with hand warmers. the LA boy in him was coming out strong. “melissa was totally watching us,” deli said once adrian joined him, referring to the head of communications, their boss of all people. at the same time, he somewhat expected it from the short blonde woman who always loved whispering about light office drama. “they all were. is it bad i kinda want to know what they’re saying?” he turned to look at adrian then, nudging him on the arm. “soooo babe, how about that pesto alfredo?”
“ i will tell you what, you can pay me $50 as a makeshift friend discount. “ she said with a smile. this kind of generosity made her proud of herself, but it was also she was happy to do for someone who didn’t want to bite her head off, for a change. “ are we doing it here ?? i believe we would have to pay someone for that, which i’m fine contributing to, as well. “
how could he say no to a discount? “deal!” deli was really excited now and it showed through the way he was practically vibrating with energy at the spot. he even threw in a little fist pump into the air. “thanks ariela, you’re a real one!” he glanced around at the coffee shop that was growing busier by the minute. “nah, we can go all over and start heading out. consider this a northmount tour rolled into one. did you wanna grab you coffee first before we do?”
as deli began to explain, max turned to him with her face set and serious, completely wrapped up in the conversation. as his wink, she raised her eyebrows, leaning forward as though she could glean more information by simple searching his face for answers. she nodded, as if to say go on, listening carefully. as he continued, a grin grew on her face, her own excitement clear. and when he said he was sorry to burst ‘our bubbles,’ yeah, that was telling - he totally had a thing for adrian, or so max had internally decided in the past few seconds. “well, okay, wait - ” she stopped him ( though he’d already finished speaking ), “i mean, listen, that might not be true. be my boyfriend for the holidays, but only because my parents are annoying? i’m no mind reader, but i feel like he wouldn’t have gotten that idea in his head if it weren’t at least a little appealing to him for real, right? it’s not like it’s his first time dealing with his family, yeah? so getting to hang with you must have some extra benefits, because he picked you, and not anyone else. maybe that counts for something,” she urged him to consider it. the whole thing felt delightfully cliche to max; “you know, if you guys become a thing, this would make a great story for channel 1,” she teased. “very christmasy and feel-good, which is kind of our specialty this month.”
deli sighed. he definitely let the our bubbles slip and he hoped max wouldn’t notice. she was a newscaster after all. shit. he rolled his eyes and shook his head, falling into more laughter ( although it was a more nervous one underneath the surface this time ). “i appreciate what you’re trying to do friend but it’s really not what you think. i’m just the co-worker. i happened to be there when he was sweating over his family drama. you should’ve seen him! people do things when they’re in a panic right? besides, he has an insane amount of money i don’t come anywhere close to and it’s impossible to get through to him anyway. i feel like i hardly know anything about him. yeah maybe i dunno...” deli didn’t realize how much that still upset him until he heard himself voice that aloud. why was adrian making him act like this? he’s normally good about keeping his cool; what made adrian lau so special? deli didn’t appreciate the direction he was taking the conversation in, so he changed course. “puh-lease, you’re kidding. i doubt any of this is newsworthy. but speaking of channel 1 - how is your great story with the wonderful ariela diaz going?” he pried.
