Location: Saints and Sinners Party
Closed for: @lucafieraru
At some point she is hoisted to a table’s surface, and so it is there a willowy frame twists to the music’s pulse; half avoiding the solo cups that litter the surface, some already tipped over and prompting the marble slick. Lashes flutter open and familiarity blooms at the first set of features irises land on: “Luca,” its a saccharine holler, and full lips peel back to a wolfish grin as heat blooms crimson to the curve of cheeks at the sight of him, at the images that briefly muddy her thoughts: the ascent of his touch beneath a sundress, the bend of her silhouette over a counter, how she sends him off with an arrangement for his wife. Kit moves to the tables edge, palms extending to reach towards him, “dance with me!”
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perhaps slightly out of place , a crowd of youth dispersed throughout the housing cemented across the street from his own . luca could count on one hand how many times he had stepped foot in the self-proclaimed hype house as he heard it called . it was a layout similar to his own though unique in ways too , easy enough to navigate as he walked through to find the kitchen for another drink . his wife and he had lost sight of one another though there was no concerns to be had about her whereabouts ---- the same to be said about his even as he hears his name drift through the small gathering in the kitchen , the source being kit . “ little flower , ” he greets with a subtle curve of his lips upwards . a hand catches one of hers extended , no resistance in easing his way between her thighs which has become almost a second home to the man . “ a bit hard to dance sitting on a counter isn’t it ? ”
“It’s not my roommates questions I’m concerned about.” She gave the ring a cautious glance, the way it glinted like Death’s sickle catching light. She’d dealt with the fallout before, jealous spouses with so much hatred they could spare none for the person she’d slept with. In every story they would tell she was the villain, she was the evil thing that had come to their garden and tricked the first bite of the apple into an unsuspecting mouth. In every story, she was always the serpent. “Which one’s yours?” Len asked, mind made up. Caution had awarded awarded her nothing, and good or bad she’d take the more exciting route. “Does your other half stay up late with binoculars? Will they see you drop me off and steal my cat and put a funny little letter made up of cut out magazine letters on my doorstep? ‘Leave my husband alone or this raccoon gets it.’ Chilling.” Her nose wrinkled when she laughed, “I do like that cat, but I think trying to kidnap it would make it go insane. Best of luck to whoever it is you have at home.”
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luca points towards the suv parked in the lot , one of a few options of cars he has though his preferred to take out on a casual evening . he takes the keys from his pockets and unlocks it before they reach the side , taking it upon himself to open the passenger door for len before rounding the front to the driver’s side . “ she prefers watching on the security cameras , more convenient since she doesn’t have to get out of bed ----- i wouldn’t worry though , if anything she will be said she missed the opportunity to get to know you better . ” the engine comes to life with a push of the ignition button , both buckled in before he eases out of the parking space and onto the downtown streets . “ she is uh , a special cat that’s for sure . kind of grateful the other vet made it her personal mission to befriend her . not that i mind a few scratches but generally from other people and not felines , ” he says with a light laugh .
“Thought we’d catch you as a surprise.” She’d taken an Uber to work, and it had been her plan all along to steal a ride home with Luca. It was the quiet moments that she liked, ones where he hummed idly to the radio, his hand on her thigh, tapping to the beat of the song. When he was closer, she plucked the coffee mug from the top of the pile that he was toting around, “Ask her if she wants in, might be a bit of a wild night.” Humour glinted in her dark eyes, and she followed beside him towards the car. “It’s been slow, and Charlie was getting restless. I think that he might like your company more than mine, but I’m trying not to be too jealous about it.” Dilan tipped back the mug, taking a sip before her nose wrinkled at the taste of coffee grown long cold and bitter. “I might have to just be open four days a week, it feels silly to sit there doing nothing but teach Charlie tricks all day.” Her head tipped, and she laughed, “Wait, hold on. We mastered play dead today.” She put the mug back in his hands, gesturing to the dog to sit, before performing the command. Four white paws flung up in the air and she cooed in delight, passing off a treat that had been tucked away in her pocket. “Maybe we did get a lot done today, after all.”
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“ ah , that’s only because he has other dogs to play with at the clinic . his bedside manner is top notch , makes all the other dogs feel comfortably . ” it’s as if charlie can understand the praise , a proud hop in his step as they reach luca’s car in the parking lot . he turns towards dilan with curiosity at the mention of a new trick , laughter ringing as he watches the dog collapse onto his back with his tongue hanging outside of his mouth . “ impressive , very impressive –––– but i shouldn’t expect anything less from either of you . ” he shakes his head with another laugh while unlocking the car , moving to the passanger side to open the door for dilan and then the back door for charlie to jump in . once his own belongings are secure on the floor of the car he proceeds closing doors , moving around to the driver’s side . “ summer means tourism picks up so i have a feeling four days may turn into five and six . have you looked into hiring a couple more employees to help out ? ”
Len tugged down the fabric of her skirt over her bare legs, sweat pricked skin cooling as sea-air pushed around dark corners. Her throat felt bruised as she swallowed, her mouth twisted into a lipstick-smeared contented smile as she steadied herself against the brick. His wedding ring flashed like torch light when he pushed a lock of his own dampened hair from his face, and she eyed it warily. He wouldn’t be the first married man she’d found herself entangled similarly with, and likely wouldn’t be the last Loneliness is undignified in its wanting. It feels no shame in the magnitude of its desire, or its all consuming nature. Loneliness, the clear-cutter of forests. Besides, she reasoned, reaching to kiss him one more time, pressing him close until there was nothing between them but that shared, secret sin, for a half-breath I can feel loved, and what is so wrong with that? Pulling away, Len stepped toward the blue light of the flickering street lamps, reaching for her phone. “I’m calling an Uber. You wanna share?”
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“ 𝐈 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄 you home , it’s not as if it is out of the way . ” luca makes the offer as he makes himself decent , a tug of his zipper upwards and a hand brushing through his hair to neaten what she disheveled . there’s a satisfaction coursing through him , one only offered through physical intimacy ––––– not something he lacks in his life but welcomed regardless . he reaches into his back pocket to pull of his car keys , fingers slipping through the ring as he spins them once before capturing them against his palm . there’s no hiding the wedding ring they clink against but len hasn’t asked so he doesn’t divulge through there is nothing to be kept secret . “ i can drop you off around the block if you don’t want your roommates asking questions , ” he jests with a smile .
The surprise is there on Laurie’s face, an “o” on his lips before it twists cruel, just another taunt to the vet, brazen with knowledge. “Oh? Why? Does it bother you?” He doesn’t back away, staring his once-friend down close with eyes dark and drunk. “That was the man I knew. Good reliable Lu. Respectable man, quick as a whip. Fucking honorable.” He whistles inward than spits to the side, eyes never breaking off Luca. “She was worth more than this. A year and change and you’ve gone and replaced her.” And three years where you left me behind. Betrayal burns up his throat like acid, but he swallows instead, patching the wound so it festers unseen.
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“ 𝐈 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍’𝐓 –––– ” luca catches himself as his tone rises , a habit from working in the clinic . so often he has come across people who don’t deserve to have animals as companions but he has to keep his cool . and the same goes for now despite the anger bubbling up at laurie’s accusation . “ you sit there passing judgement on me without knowing what i went through , how i grieved ari when she died ––––– and you don’t know anything about my life now . ” partially his own fault , after all luca cut off ties with anything and anyone that would remind him of ariella . until he realized it was doing nothing to help him move on . his pride isn’t so large he can’t admit his own mistakes but the verbal attack negates any rational thinking as he glares at laurie . “ quit acting as if you’re better than me , as if the way you grieved meant you cared about her more . ”
Somehow, foolishly, he’d forgotten the early days. He’d forgotten the doctor knew how to wield his own worded daggers, forgotten the way they’d bit at each others heels before Ariella had set them right. The sting of it burns and he chases it with whiskey, eyes hollowed flames that follow his gesture. “Not really one for empty promises, myself. Feel like giving me lessons?” His tongue whistles against his teeth as he downs his glass and gives a terse few shakes of his head. “Is it typically deemed a scene to let an old friend know how you’re feeling?” The world feels bitter on his tongue, his jaw clenched tight as he leans in towards the vet. “If you want a scene, Lu,” his tone drops lower, deeper in his chest. “I can give you one.”
.
𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 –––– the rest of their group oblivious as they focus on the scantily clad women dancing on stage . luca can understand somewhat where it comes from but also there is confusion . was he not allowed to move on ? to find a semblance of peace after losing the woman he loved ? it’s personal for laurie , that much he can tell , and luca is prepared to walk away until the nickname slips past the other man’s lips . he hasn’t heard it in some time , not even dilan is allowed to call him that . “ don’t call me that , you know damn well why . ” luca leans forward as well , eyes narrowing as his own tone shifts . “ what the hell is your problem ? ”
The rage that swelled up in his belly would have been strange years before. Luca was a man Laurie had idolized, or as much as he idled any man. The job, the wife, the love- it was such a perfect paragon of an all-american that he’d been forced to appreciate through his envy. But his wife was dead - or rather his old wife was dead. Laurie grit his teeth and nodded at Luca, his eyes sharp as knives where he sat beside at the bar. “You looking for wife number three?” he answered back, gesturing to the dancers and ignoring his question. “Seems like a poor place to drink for a newlywed.”
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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐅 laurie’s hostility is crushing and clear in the direction their interaction seems to be going . luca cocks his head to the side as eyes drift towards the dancers on stage before glancing towards the man beside him once more . “ not really but maybe we can help you find that first one you seem trouble locking down , ” he offers in return with a subtle tilt of his glass toward’s laurie . he doesn’t blame him for the hostility considering after ariella’s funeral luca disappeared from any connections he made through her , and now arriving in what was her hometown with a new wife years later . but it seems there is no room for explanation and so he chooses to give back what’s given to him . “ you’ve never had a bachelor party so let me give you some insight , causing a scene is usually frowned upon . ”
Len’s pupils were as wide as pennies when they parted and her eyes opened once more, the green traded for pitch-black, swallowed up in desire. There’s a buzzing under her skin, a current made live by cocktails and his lips against hers. What she craves cannot be satisfied with a kiss before a bartender and a room full of ogling strangers, and she bites down on her lip at the need for it. Her mouth, now pink, is close to him again, this time ghosting the space next to his ear with a curved edge like a sickle. “Take me someplace else,” she murmurs into it, her voice husky and on the verge of a quiet whine.
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𝐍𝐎 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 need to be shared , the intent between them clear as luca laces fingers with len’s to lead the way outside . perhaps a car is more practical , suggesting they go back to her place –––– but luca opts for neither as he walks a short way down the sidewalk until they reach the entrance way to the alley . in a moment he has len pressed against the brick , exterior wall , one hand pressed against the delicate side of her neck as fingers apply pressure all the while their lips meet to pick up where they left off inside . easily luca guides a hand lower to catch underneath the curves of her ass , guiding her leg around his waist to keep her pinned between him and the wall .
for: @lucafieraru
location: outside of costa veterinary clinic
She had closed Nomad’s early, shuttering the door and flipping the open sign around in a single, deft motion. Things were slow as tourist season began, the slow trickle of curious visitors into the shop dried up at around three and she’d spent the last half hour of the work day cleaning up before she reached for Charlie’s lead and made the short journey to the veterinary clinic. Luca would be leaving soon, and the little white dog treaded happily beside her, tail whipping against a bare ankle when they both caught sight of him, balancing papers, his coffee cup and other various items while he tried to lock the door. Dilan stood there, unhelpful and grinning, one hand on her hip before Luca finally turned and she canted her head. “You’re cute, can I get your number?”
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𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐘 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐘 kept luca at the clinic almost an hour past closing , his caffeine high gone as the clock ticks towards dinner time . he already dismissed the rest of the staff , opting to lock up himself so that they could all get home at a decent time . between his bag , a reusable coffee mug and a stack of papers it’s a miracle he manages to get the front door closed , all to see his wife standing there having chosen to help whatsoever . luca shakes his head with a laugh before shrugging his shoulders . “ i’ll have to ask my wife first but she is pretty open minded . ” luca closes the distance between them to press a chaste kiss against her lips , a coo offered towards charlie before he walks to the last car left in the parking lot . “ did you finish early at the store today ? ”
for ––––– @laurence-mercer
location ––––– mermaid lounge
𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒 –––––– a town like costa , not the smallest and yet they could go weeks without seeing one another . but it’s a mutual friend’s bachelor party that finds luca and laurie amongst the same group at the mermaid lounge with scantily clad women dancing on the stage in front of them . in his trip to the bar and back , someone had taken his seat leaving the only one open beside laurie and luca coughs slightly as he takes it upon himself to have a seat . “ laurie , ” he greets polietly before helping himself to a drink from his rocks glass . “ how’ve you been ? ”
“I’m very agreeable to helping out,” Len murmured, her voice low and husky, “you’re so lucky to have met me.” She set her drink down, the beads of condensation that clung to the glass sticking to her fingertips, transferring to the stern line of his jaw as she reach out to cup it. Her head titled, bee-stung lips parted. She paused moments before kissing him, eyes heavy lidded and smiling— it’d be a lacking kiss, with that wolf-eating-a-star grin. The bar felt intimate suddenly, the world summed up to two people on bar stools inches apart. It’s been awhile since I let myself get into trouble. “Are you sure?” Len asks, and she almost laughs, daring him forward.
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𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 –––– not completely subtle as len’s hand finds a home against the sharp edge of his jaw with clear intention . there is a breath of hesitation between them , a wedding ring sitting comfortably on his left hand that now rests against the edge of her hip as the distance between them diminishes . perhaps she asks because she noticed , or maybe because they are relatively strangers despite the proximity of their homes . either way luca gives his answer with a closing of inches between her lips , another hand finding its place against the side of her neck to guide her closer . there is no hesitation on his part , only reassurance of the desire between them being mutual . it a spectacle for anyone else at bar but none of them matter , attention devoted to the lingering taste of liquor on their lips .
𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄: luca fieraru
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑/𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐒: male , he/him
𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇: august 13 , 1985
𝐀𝐆𝐄: 35
𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍: constanta , romania
𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐀: two years
𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃: port royale
𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍: veterinarian @ costa veteriary clinic
𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌: sebastian stan
𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 ( tw: death , car crash )
grew up in romania where he lived until he was ten years old . his family moved to seattle after his dad was offered a job with a software development company .
luca’s father wanted him to get into the software development business but he had an interest in animals and decided to pursue a career as a veterinarian . he studied at washington state university and it’s where he met his wife , ariella .
after graduating from school , they got married and remained in seattle where both of them worked as veterinarians . often times they would go and visit their respective hometowns in romania and california . they were a happy couple , young and in love , trying to live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment together .
sadly they were hit by a drunk driver on their way home from a dinner date one evening , with ariella not surviving the crash . luca was devastated after the loss of his wife and took a three month sabbatical from work to return to romania to grieve . he spent the following three years buried in his work , finding ways to keep himself busy otherwise so that he wouldn’t focus on the loss in his life .
it was during a trip with friends that luca met dilan , a beautiful woman trapped in a stale marriage . maybe it was a thrill luca had long since felt but he became involved with her , the two having an affair until dilan divorced her husband . not long after that they found themselves in vegas and in the spur of the moment got married . they were best friends , never exclusive with one another , but dilan was everything luca could want in a partner .
soon after their marriage , luca came across a job opening for a veterinarian in costa del sol , the city his first wife was from . it was a place that he loved , one he thought dilan would love too and so the newlyweds made their way to california to start their life together along with their new dog , charlie .
𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘
it’s been two years since moving to costa del sol . luca works as a veterinarian at the costa animal clinic , a job he enjoys very much . he spends his time volunteering at the local animal shelter and often fosters animals at home with his wife , dilan . the two continue to have an open marriage with a foundation of trust and honestly in place .
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘
luca is the type of person to help when someone is in need , whether that be stalled on the side of the road or a neighbor in need of a cup of sugar . he never hesitates to stop when spotting a stray animal or breaking up a bar fight if it looks like it’s getting out of hand . luca is also one to never say no to trying new things , seeking out adventure and memorable experiences .
though a professional , luca’s organizational skills have room for improvement . his office at the clinic is what he likes to call organized chaos ( despite not being able to find things sometimes ) and it is safe to say he loses his car keys at least once a week . luca is the type to take control of a situation if no one is stepping up but he also is fine with following along .
𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒
𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 ––– luca has worked at costa animal clinic for two years and an easy connection for our muses to have is their pet being one of luca’s patients . this is a good jumping off point for long-term friendships or acquaintances .
𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐒 ––– dependable friends who are capable of dragging luca away from his work to have a few drinks at the bar .
𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀'𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 ––– luca’s deceased wife was a native to costa so a possible connection is a friend of hers who he knows too .
𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐊-𝐔𝐏𝐒 –––– luca has an open marriage with his wife . he identifies as bisexual so this is open to any and all . he does love his wife and is not looking to date but rather enjoy the company of other people .
where: luca’s home - the front door
when: wednesday, 6:30
who: closed for @lucafieraru
Since Ari had passed this had become something of a habit for Lo - or as much of a habit as something inherently random could be. If their texts chain had gone lax, if things were too quiet, or if Laurie had just grown bored he would stop by, takeout in hand, inviting himself over for dinner. Tonight, his peace offering was from Anchor - takeaway gourmet burgers and truffle fries. When the door opened, he held the bag up with the smile.
“Looks fancy but it’s really just me cheaping out.” It’s all he gives as greeting and it’s lazy, holding the takeaway out like a gift from god. “I’m confident you’ll like the contents but, if not, there is always rum to save the day.”
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𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 had a rocky start ––––– more so on luca’s part and the history between laurence and his wife . but it was the other male who luca found solace in after her passing , someone who could understand ( even if just a sliver ) of the pain he felt . and so this had become a norm between them , dinner and drinks without making plans beforehand . it was the best way to catch luca before he could give the excuse of too much work to take time away .
“ how couldn’t i like anything from that five start establishment ? best restaurant in town according to the review i left on trip advisor , ” luca says with a smile as he steps aside for the other to come in . he motions at charlie to settle down as the dog wiggles in place , excitement all consuming at having company over . “ here , i’ll take this and you handle the rum . ” luca takes the food from him into the kitchen , setting it down on the island trusting laurence remembers his way around the small bar area against the wall . “ how’ve you been ? ”
“Alone,” he said, resting his chin in his arms. The room spun as he set his head down, but if he shut his eyes, he didn’t mind it so much. “There was a thing I had to do today and then one thing lead to the next and here I am,” he said, peaking out from one eye, just enough to watch Luca glide across the foreign kitchen. “Are you making them from scratch? My mom used to do that too,” he said, and with the thought, curled his hand and dug his nails into his palm, though he feels nothing, too numb with the liquor that coursed through his veins. “How come you forgot to eat?”
.
“ 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐎 , ” luca comments . and she still does when he makes his way to seattle for a weekend to visit his parents , spoiled with his mother’s home-cooked meals that even with the most practice he cannot recreate . “ ah you know , i was watching a few webinars on a new procedure , thought about redoing the deck out back so made a list of what i was going to need ––––– time just slipped away from me . ” luca finishes the batter in minutes , setting it outside to grab the non-stick spray . with a spritz on the warm waffle maker , he adds a glob of batter and closes the press so that the first one can start cooking . “ is the thing you had to do today what sent you out to drink alone ? ” luca doesn’t want to assume there’s something bothering oz but from his own experience nights drinking alone have a less than cheerful reason . “ we can talk about it if you want . ”
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