@ambivalent-auguries
The night was hot. Unbearably warm. Especially in a city like this. In a box apartment with a small window AC unit, Augustus spent most of his nights spread out on his mattress, shirtless, with a cool water bottle pressed to his forehead. He thought of his mother back home in Japan. It’d been a year since he finally got the nerve to leave and train. He left with a suitcase and a dream.
Isn’t that how most stories go?
Well, Augustus’ story won’t be any more exciting than the next guy. His advantage -- the sword he wielded -- was his talent. But even in a city swarming with talent, he was a shimmer in the distance. Seen, but not nearly at his full potential. He had years to go, thousands of hours of training, and one fell swoop before being entirely shattered.
This is the story of how the Great Wave shatters.
He wasn’t one for romance. He’d dabbled in dates, a few blind ones, and watched the ooey-gooey romcoms his roommates put on. He’d mingled in hook-up culture and was unfortunately... still alive in that realm of the social circle.
Which lead him here. He’d finally caved and opened the God forsaken app in his phone only to land on a man who had a handful of years above him. However, it seemed like it didn’t phase him or anyone else he had vaguely mentioned it to. Augustus dressed up -- not anything fancy, but a decent short-sleeved button down and a nice pair of jeans. He kept the first few buttons open, a line of a silver necklace trailing down from the curve of his collarbone and into the dip of his chest.
And dear God, he was nervous. Not like ... about to go on stage during opening night, nervous, but more along the lines of uncertainty. He hovered at the entrance of the location they agreed on, ensuring himself that it wasn’t too late to turn back. He could blame it on a head cold or a late night practice. Anything.
His feet led him to a spot at the bar, mind an absolute blur, a determined expression written across his face. “I half expected this to be a shitty dive bar based on name alone,” Augustus spoke up, eyes fixed on the selection of illuminated bottles mounted on a fine dark wood rather than the man he posted himself next to. He didn’t dare steal a glance. Not yet. He slipped into the seat, hand carding through the ash blond hair that crowned his head. It fell like satin, voluminous layers slipping through pale fingers as pink lips pursed and then relaxed into a small, polite smile.
“Are you throwing out the grand gestures for first impressions only?” the words fell, warm and dewy. Violet orbs slowly slid over, chin tipping up as his hand dropped from his hair and on to the bar top in front of him. “Or is this your default for all first dates?”
