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 Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 12:18 am
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As Duke glanced up, he suddenly noticed that he could see an awful lot of Lay's shapely legs. Flushing slightly, he kept his focus on Lay's face, more than a little distracted. "Well, then, it's a date. I mean. It's a plan. That I'll play for you." Wow, he was great at this, wasn't he? A little distracted by how cute Lay looked when he was hiding behind his knees, Duke gulped. "So. Dancing, was it?" It seemed like Lay didn't have a huge long list, but then again, he didn't need one.
Enjoying life wasn't about filling it to the brim with activities, after all. It was about treasuring the moments, however small, where you experienced joy. Those moments could be fleeting, or few and far between, but living them was what mattered. Remembering them when times got tough, when things weren't exactly as you'd hoped. Ah, Duke had plenty of experience when it came to this. "You'll have to show me some moves sometime." Fair was fair, after all.
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 9:04 am
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At this point, there was little Duke could think of beyond those bar top dances. It was... definitely an image he was going to struggle to get out of his head. As for what type of performances Lay used to do... Duke didn't really have guesses. Oh, he wondered. He definitely wondered, but nothing concrete. "I'm glad you have something you enjoy so much," he said, although it sounded to him that it was as much a side hustle or a way to increase his tips as it was anything else. Hobbies could pay the bills, under the right circumstances.
"Maybe when you show me those moves I'll come up with some guesses. For now... I don't mind the mystery." In fact, he sort of liked not knowing. It made the whole thing a little exciting. "Consider yourself forgiven in advance. I love working behind the bar. I think you already know that, though." He'd been at it for a long time. Duke grinned, knowing that he'd enjoy seeing Lay dance, anyway.
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 7:23 pm
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Duke swallowed. Hard. He knew very well that there was no way that was what Lay meant. Still, he found himself thinking some things that did not bear repeating in polite company. It was debatable whether his current company would care, however. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, a slight rumble in his voice. It was deeper than Lay's by a good amount, and while he could not be called a bass, he certainly was a baritone. A baritone who was thinking thoughts he probably should not be.
"Yes, I have a spare toothbrush. It's in my medicine cabinet. I don't mind showing you where everything is, but we should probably put a towel in the bathroom for you." As he spoke, he got to his feet and went to the hall closet, where all of his towels were kept. "I'll leave it on the hook on the back of the bathroom door." He did so, and returned to sit back down for a moment. "Are you feeling ready for bed?" he asked, aware that it was getting quite late.
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 9:43 pm
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Lay’s hair rose at Duke’s voice, he steeled himself. Eyeing him as he went, trying really really hard to behave. He was doing so well, he thought, since entering the apartment. He hadn’t realized he was gripping his shirt. Duke’s shirt. Until he returned but a moment later. Unclenching his hands, he folded his arms behind him. “Yeah, soon, probably. I’m gonna go…you know…” He made a toothbrushing gesture. Feeling silly doing that. “Brush.”
He was glad he didn’t scurry off. Managing to make it to the bathroom, finding the brush right where Duke said. He stared at himself for a minute. ’What are you doing?’ asking his reflection. He huffed, and got to it, taking care of his teeth and then rinsing off his face. More so to perk himself back up, to just…go to bed? Yes. To sleep. He dried off, tucked loose strands of hair that had gotten wet behind his ears and stepped back out to go sit once more. “Hey. Thanks again for letting me stay and everything else.”
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 10:13 pm
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It was just as Duke feared. Lay was every bit as adorable as he seemed, and there was precious little that Duke could do to keep himself behaving properly. So, he sat on his hands and thought about deep, cool lakes. Lakes that weren't a pretty shade of teal, and oh hell, there he was again. Back right where he'd started. "You're welcome," he said, when Lay returned. ... Sonnova gun, Lay was going to be showering in his bathroom. What was he problem? Why was he so... hyper focused on that?
"It's the least I could do, after all the fun we had back at the 'Bin." He pulled a decorative pillow into his lap as an afterthought, realizing he was in a bit of trouble. "So, you ready for bed? Should I get out of your hair?" Damn, damn, damn. He was kind of failing at this one.
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 11:05 pm
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Lay did kind of, but also not. Would it be weird if he said he could stay, even if it was just so he wasn’t alone. Ah but, he couldn’t make him sit there either. Maybe just for a bit, until he slept? Ah he felt like a child. Though he’d be just in the next room, that’s…fine. None of that was really it though, and what was with the pillow? Was he nervous too like he had been, was, or…. He may have stared a little too long. “No, you don’t have to go right now.”
He did manage to at least get somewhat comfortable at a corner of the daybed, half sitting, half laying, legs out to the side. “It is your place. You can be wherever you want.” Again. Mind going the other direction. He wasn’t sure he could sleep at the moment. Focusing on anything, well anything else. That rug is nice.
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2023 10:11 am
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Lay spoke, and Duke waged an internal war with himself. There was nothing that would please him more, at this current moment, than remaining where he was. And yet, he knew that his self control was diminishing by the moment. Lay probably didn't realize just how alluring that he was. "Maybe I should get ready for bed too," he said, aware that if he didn't get moving, he might never do so. And besides which, he needed to brush his teeth as well.
"You do seem exhausted. It won't take me long to get ready... if you still want to hang out. But we can go to bed as well." Whatever he could do to make Lay comfortable, he wanted to do. Never mind that he himself was quite uncomfortable at the moment. That really was not that important. Not when he had manners and reasons to keep them.
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2023 11:38 am
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"All right," Duke said, getting to his feet once Lay's eyes were closed. "I'll be right back, then." He went to his bedroom first and changed clothes. Maybe by spending a little bit of time away from the beautiful bartender he'd manage to get himself back under control. He made relatively short work of getting out of his clothes and into his pajamas, then ducked into the bathroom to follow Lay's example. Grabbing his own toothbrush, he quickly brushed his teeth, then flossed and even gargled some mouthwash.
If he was going to be around a cute fae, he needed to be prepared. He thought really hard about taking a cold shower, but settled for washing his face with ice cold water. He shivered, but could not regret doing it. In a slightly better state to meet with company, he lumbered back into the living room. "All set," he said, and settled back into the chair once more. "You look sleepy. Want to be tucked in?" he asked, only slightly teasing.
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2023 12:19 pm
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Lay had only barely opened his eyes, refocusing sleepily on his host. Oh. His eyes widened at the peak of skin from an open robe. Oh no. He couldn’t figure out where to look to not gawk at him. So, he stupidly looked at the ceiling. Using an arm to cover his face, he felt hot. Should have just gone to bed. He had wondered the whole night about what was under his shirt, and he honestly didn’t see entirely trying to hide that fact he even did and reacted.
Realizing Duke had asked him a question that he immediately didn’t hear at first. A little frantic more than he meant to be, which was at all. He clumsily got under the covers pulling it up over his face and answered. “No no, you don’t need to do that.” He laughed a bit forcefully. Calm down, you look like an idiot. Trying to talk himself down, folding the blanket down to emerge rather than talk to him through the covers again. He couldn’t stop staring at the ceiling, at least he faced the ceiling but the side-eye he couldn’t stop.
He squeezed his eyes shut to gather himself, rolling back to his side with a sigh, All that being somewhat sudden and quick. “I should sleep.” He wasn’t tired anymore, at least he would need a minute to try.
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2023 2:53 pm
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Feeling a little flustered and as though he'd done something wrong, Duke recoiled slightly. "All right, then. No worries. I'll let you get some rest." He couldn't fathom what he'd done to get such a strong reaction, but maybe Lay was just exhausted. He gave a little shrug. "I'll see you tomorrow then." If he'd done something to offend Lay, maybe that offer of tucking him in, then he'd apologize tomorrow. Still, he felt a bit silly, hurrying to get ready for bed, only to be sort of rushed off. But it was okay. Lay was his guest. Whatever made him comfortable was what he wanted to do.
It was only as he left that he noticed his rob was open. Even with the pajama pants on, he felt the breeze and took note that he'd failed to tie up the robe. Ah. He was used to being alone, and hardly noticed it hadn't tied properly. Well. He hadn't meant to expose his chest like that, not that he was ashamed of it, exactly. But he slipped quietly out of the room and to his own bedroom, feeling a little silly and very embarrassed. It seemed bound to be a long night.
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