NaNoWriMo 2010 - True Love's Kiss [ 3a / 10 ]
His eyes caught sight of a certain someone behind the bar on the non-smoking side and he made a beeline for the bar, his gaze never wavering as he wove his way through the tables and chairs that littered the main floor. It wasn’t late enough to have the bar be that crowded so he knew that he could have a fairly private conversation with the man without getting interrupted for a while now. Technically, he could have a private conversation with this particular bartender whenever he wanted outside of work but talking to him while he was actually on the job added a certain thrill to the entire thing. It felt more like he was picking up someone from a bar than taking a life partner home.
Jason’s smile was replaced with a complete innocent look as he took a seat in his usual spot, his mind already deciding what he was going to ask for and how the game will play out tonight. Usually it was his lover who decided how it would go but tonight he was the one to decide the game. The fact that he was meeting with someone to talk about Jon meant that he would have to, early on, signal the man somehow that there would be a break in the game when the guest arrived. Otherwise, he would end up with a jealous man to deal with when he got home tonight and that was an unpleasant experience every time.
He looked up when his lover walked up to him, leaning against the counter with a smile on his handsome face and his beautiful olive green eyes lit up with mischief and amusement. “Hey there handsome,” he flirted smoothly, his blond hair looking darker in the dimmer light of the bar than Jason knew it was, “how are you doin’ tonight? Can I get you anything?” His white dress shirt made his golden tan look all the darker and the waiter knew that his handsome bartender lover was wearing his favorite dark wash, fitted jeans. As much as Jason wanted to see a sign of his ownership on this handsome creature, something that would ward off anyone who tried to so do much as touch what he knew was his, he knew that all it would do was draw unwanted attention.
Keeping in character, at least for now, he smiled and seemed to think about it. “I’m not doing too badly tonight sir. Can I get a double shot of Jack Daniels on the rocks?” He wasn’t particularly fond of that particular brand of whiskey but he knew that his lover enjoyed the taste of it on his tongue. He smirked at the flicker of lust he saw in the other’s eyes. It made him proud that he could do something as simple as drink a certain type of whiskey to bring that look to the man’s eye, even in public.
The bartender turned to get the tumbler and filled it half way with specially shaped ice cubes before he poured about four fingers worth of the whiskey and handing it to him. Jason accepted it with a smile and took a small drink before purposely licking his lips slowly. He looked away before he saw his lover’s expression to look over the bar while he contemplated the next move in their match. It was rare that he got the chance to lead this so he took it very seriously when he did. When he turned back he raised a black eyebrow and tried to sound casual. “Thank you, Mister…?”
“McCloud,” the bartender answered but leaned forward on the counter top again, this time ending up a little closer to the client than he had been last time, “but you can call me Michael or Mike. And you are?”
It was hard to ignore the purr in his voice so Jason didn’t even try. He likewise leaned forward, leaving a scant few inches between them. “They call me Jason, Michael. Jason Price.” He offered the other his hand in the form of a hand shake, knowing that the touch would linger.
Michael took his hand and shook it before placing a gentle kiss to the knuckles, his green eyes remaining locked with Jason’s blue. Jason felt his heart flutter in his chest but he kept character.”It is more than a mere pleasure to meet you, Jason,” Michael said smoothly. This was the very reason he had fallen in love with the man to begin with all those years ago and why, even now, he wore the not-legal-but-totally-binding wedding ring he had been given two years ago. Inwardly he felt a wave of sadness hit him as he realized that Jon had never known this kind of love and kindness from any of the men who slept with him.
His lover seemed to notice his change and mood and set down his hand, looking at him with genuine concern. “You seem out of it. What’s wrong, Jason?” The concern in the voice was genuine but somehow it didn’t break the character of the “random” bartender. How he managed it, Jason wasn’t sure but he was glad for it. It would at least make a decent transition into what he had been trying to insert into their conversation in vain to begin with.
Taking a large gulp of his whiskey, he tried to keep his face blank but he was sure the grimace still showed itself. It was hard to control such a thing when the body so clearly did not appreciate the action. “I’m meeting with a friend of mine,” he said, placing a certain emphasis on “friend” so Michael would know that he did indeed mean a friend and not someone he had brought along to add a little more spice to the game, “to discuss the rather violent history of a mutual friend of ours that is desperately in need of our help.”
Understanding donned on Michael but his nose still wrinkled a bit in disgust. Jason had no idea why it was that his lover had such an aversion to the very mention of Jonathan but chose to ignore it for now. It was not an important matter. As it was, it was a topic that wouldn’t be discussed again for a long time assuming things went according to plan. Granted, “according to plan” meant that this man, whoever he was, could be trusted to not be another abusive bastard to Jonathan, even emotionally. His friend was very fragile.
Before Michael could make a comment on the matter, the door to the bar opened with a fairly loud jingle and when Jason turned to look over his shoulder he laughed softly when he saw the confused face of the man from the other night at the diner. He was holding the business card as if he was double checking that he was in the right place. For such a large, strong looking man, he certainly wasn’t particularly good with directions, or so it seemed. Jason took another sip of his drink and raised an eyebrow at the bartender, who had a mildly jealous look on his face. Well if he was going to sulk about it…
“Sorry I’m late,” the man said in perfectly clear American English, a little too clear American English as he took a seat next to Jason. “I had some business I had to take care of before I walked in here.” The way he unconsciously rubbed at his face made the waiter think that this guy had some kind of smoking habit or something that he didn’t want others to know about just yet. He wasn’t jittery, so it wasn’t drugs. He seemed normal.
“That’s alright,” Jason said pleasantly and motioned at Michael, “can he get you anything?” Michael frowned at him but the waiter only winked and shot him a mischievous smile, which, in their private language, meant that there was an especially good reward waiting for him later. The bartender rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything in response. It was about as much attitude as he could get away with so early in the evening anyway without someone noticing and losing any potential tips for the night. Bartenders having an attitude were only appealing when the bartenders were beautiful women apparently.
“Double bourbon, neat,” the man said with a charming smile on his face as he reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet to pay for it right away. His distraction gave Jason the chance to study him and with Michael having to step away to make the drinks, his task was made just that much easier. He had to admit that while he had not been initially sure about this one, the way he cleaned up tonight certainly did give him his confidence back. Maybe he had thought that this was a higher end bar than it was?
Either way, it hardly mattered. The guy was dressed in a pair of light blue jeans and a pair of old but clearly well worn black running shoes with a black t-shirt under a matching black blazer. Resting against his chest was the metallic shine of a pair of dog tags, though what was written on them he couldn’t tell, and with a quick glance, he noticed that the other wore no ring that promised him to another. There was no earring in his ear and his dark blond hair was cut in a short but classically styled hair cut that spoke of military service.
After Michael returned with the drink and collected his money, Jason turned to his comrade and watched him drink the liquor down quickly in one gulp before setting the glass down, upside down, on a coaster. Well, at least he knew plenty about bar etiquette. “I have to say, I’m surprised you came,” the waiter chose to admit while he continued to sip on his own alcohol, “I am a little ashamed to admit it, but I honestly thought that you were going to just walk away without hearing his story, let alone try helping.”
The man chuckled softly and leaned against the counter. “Yes well, I’m certainly not exactly taking an overly high risk by being here to begin with, so why not?” He shrugged. “Besides, I really am interested to learn more about that poor boy who seems to be caught up in something he can’t get himself out of.” He turned his eyes on Jason and the waiter could feel shivers running down his spine. As completely normal as they looked, there was just something about them that unnerved him. It was almost as if the soul inside the man wasn’t human.
“Yes well, this isn’t the first time Jonathan’s gotten himself into this kind of mess,” Jason chose to say instead and finished off his drink before likewise setting the glass upside-down on a coaster, “in fact, this is just the latest in a series of bad situations he’s managed to get himself caught in.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “It seems every time he’s managed to get himself out of that kind of life, he finds a way to get caught in another one, entirely by accident of course, because he really hasn’t learned anything.”
The new guy looked uncomfortable with the mention of it but Jason could tell that he was uncomfortable with that idea more than any actual words that were said. How exactly he knew, he wasn’t sure. Something told him that’s what it was and he knew better than to ignore his instincts on such a matter. Just as his instincts had told him that Jon’s injuries were far from accidents and that Michael was a man who was interested in more than just sex, he was fairly sure that this man wanted a little more than just a handsome face.
“Before I continue, you mind telling me your name?” he said a moment later, turning to face the man directly and offering his hand for a handshake, “I’m pretty sure you at least saw mine that night, regardless if you remember it or not. It’s only fair that I know your name too if I am going to share such personal information about a close friend with you tonight.” Normally this would go against every protective fiber in his being but he had done nothing for his friend for far too long. This man was Jon’s best chance for freedom.
The man turned and took Jason’s offered hand, shaking it with a smile on his plump, pink lips. “My name’s David,” he said, his accent slipping just a little but it was only noticeable if one was actually listening for it, “and, if I remember right, you’re Jason. It’s a pleasure to formally meet you. I must say that the circumstances of our meeting are more than a little unorthodox but I suppose that the cause is good enough to excuse such a breach of social norms.” Jason raised an eyebrow at his choice of words but chose not to comment about them. Yeah, this guy was distinctly not a native born American.
He shook his head and looked at the table for a moment. “I think you’re right in that respect. I’ve known Jon for a long time and but even after all these years I can’t help but feel as if we’re no closer than co-workers half the time. I don’t know what he thinks of me but I know a lot more about him than I’m sure he would be comfortable with me knowing.” He chuckled bitterly. “All it took was a little perfectly legal research at the public library.”
David said nothing but turned his glass over again, reaching into his pocket for another bill to pay for the next drink when Michael was going to bring it. Jason appreciated the lack of interruption. What he was going to tell this man was something he had had to keep hidden from everyone, including his lover, for so long that it had been starting to crush him under its weight. Finally he would be able to let it out without fear of someone judging him for having done nothing and, if anything, there was a chance this man would do what he couldn’t with the information he had.
Taking a deep breath Jason fiddled with his upside down glass and thought long and hard about where he was going to start the story. It was hard to choose a point of origin. Jonathan hadn’t exactly had the most abnormal childhood, even if his teenage years were absolute hell. It was during those vulnerable years that he learned the absolute violence he now accepted as a normal part of the relationship and hence why he so easily accepted it now. While the medical records weren’t readily available, Jason had more than one nurse friend willing to look up the information from him. With that in mind, maybe, just maybe, the best place to start would be at the very beginning. At least then, it would explain a thing or two.
Part 3b --->
Jason’s smile was replaced with a complete innocent look as he took a seat in his usual spot, his mind already deciding what he was going to ask for and how the game will play out tonight. Usually it was his lover who decided how it would go but tonight he was the one to decide the game. The fact that he was meeting with someone to talk about Jon meant that he would have to, early on, signal the man somehow that there would be a break in the game when the guest arrived. Otherwise, he would end up with a jealous man to deal with when he got home tonight and that was an unpleasant experience every time.
He looked up when his lover walked up to him, leaning against the counter with a smile on his handsome face and his beautiful olive green eyes lit up with mischief and amusement. “Hey there handsome,” he flirted smoothly, his blond hair looking darker in the dimmer light of the bar than Jason knew it was, “how are you doin’ tonight? Can I get you anything?” His white dress shirt made his golden tan look all the darker and the waiter knew that his handsome bartender lover was wearing his favorite dark wash, fitted jeans. As much as Jason wanted to see a sign of his ownership on this handsome creature, something that would ward off anyone who tried to so do much as touch what he knew was his, he knew that all it would do was draw unwanted attention.
Keeping in character, at least for now, he smiled and seemed to think about it. “I’m not doing too badly tonight sir. Can I get a double shot of Jack Daniels on the rocks?” He wasn’t particularly fond of that particular brand of whiskey but he knew that his lover enjoyed the taste of it on his tongue. He smirked at the flicker of lust he saw in the other’s eyes. It made him proud that he could do something as simple as drink a certain type of whiskey to bring that look to the man’s eye, even in public.
The bartender turned to get the tumbler and filled it half way with specially shaped ice cubes before he poured about four fingers worth of the whiskey and handing it to him. Jason accepted it with a smile and took a small drink before purposely licking his lips slowly. He looked away before he saw his lover’s expression to look over the bar while he contemplated the next move in their match. It was rare that he got the chance to lead this so he took it very seriously when he did. When he turned back he raised a black eyebrow and tried to sound casual. “Thank you, Mister…?”
“McCloud,” the bartender answered but leaned forward on the counter top again, this time ending up a little closer to the client than he had been last time, “but you can call me Michael or Mike. And you are?”
It was hard to ignore the purr in his voice so Jason didn’t even try. He likewise leaned forward, leaving a scant few inches between them. “They call me Jason, Michael. Jason Price.” He offered the other his hand in the form of a hand shake, knowing that the touch would linger.
Michael took his hand and shook it before placing a gentle kiss to the knuckles, his green eyes remaining locked with Jason’s blue. Jason felt his heart flutter in his chest but he kept character.”It is more than a mere pleasure to meet you, Jason,” Michael said smoothly. This was the very reason he had fallen in love with the man to begin with all those years ago and why, even now, he wore the not-legal-but-totally-binding wedding ring he had been given two years ago. Inwardly he felt a wave of sadness hit him as he realized that Jon had never known this kind of love and kindness from any of the men who slept with him.
His lover seemed to notice his change and mood and set down his hand, looking at him with genuine concern. “You seem out of it. What’s wrong, Jason?” The concern in the voice was genuine but somehow it didn’t break the character of the “random” bartender. How he managed it, Jason wasn’t sure but he was glad for it. It would at least make a decent transition into what he had been trying to insert into their conversation in vain to begin with.
Taking a large gulp of his whiskey, he tried to keep his face blank but he was sure the grimace still showed itself. It was hard to control such a thing when the body so clearly did not appreciate the action. “I’m meeting with a friend of mine,” he said, placing a certain emphasis on “friend” so Michael would know that he did indeed mean a friend and not someone he had brought along to add a little more spice to the game, “to discuss the rather violent history of a mutual friend of ours that is desperately in need of our help.”
Understanding donned on Michael but his nose still wrinkled a bit in disgust. Jason had no idea why it was that his lover had such an aversion to the very mention of Jonathan but chose to ignore it for now. It was not an important matter. As it was, it was a topic that wouldn’t be discussed again for a long time assuming things went according to plan. Granted, “according to plan” meant that this man, whoever he was, could be trusted to not be another abusive bastard to Jonathan, even emotionally. His friend was very fragile.
Before Michael could make a comment on the matter, the door to the bar opened with a fairly loud jingle and when Jason turned to look over his shoulder he laughed softly when he saw the confused face of the man from the other night at the diner. He was holding the business card as if he was double checking that he was in the right place. For such a large, strong looking man, he certainly wasn’t particularly good with directions, or so it seemed. Jason took another sip of his drink and raised an eyebrow at the bartender, who had a mildly jealous look on his face. Well if he was going to sulk about it…
“Sorry I’m late,” the man said in perfectly clear American English, a little too clear American English as he took a seat next to Jason. “I had some business I had to take care of before I walked in here.” The way he unconsciously rubbed at his face made the waiter think that this guy had some kind of smoking habit or something that he didn’t want others to know about just yet. He wasn’t jittery, so it wasn’t drugs. He seemed normal.
“That’s alright,” Jason said pleasantly and motioned at Michael, “can he get you anything?” Michael frowned at him but the waiter only winked and shot him a mischievous smile, which, in their private language, meant that there was an especially good reward waiting for him later. The bartender rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything in response. It was about as much attitude as he could get away with so early in the evening anyway without someone noticing and losing any potential tips for the night. Bartenders having an attitude were only appealing when the bartenders were beautiful women apparently.
“Double bourbon, neat,” the man said with a charming smile on his face as he reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet to pay for it right away. His distraction gave Jason the chance to study him and with Michael having to step away to make the drinks, his task was made just that much easier. He had to admit that while he had not been initially sure about this one, the way he cleaned up tonight certainly did give him his confidence back. Maybe he had thought that this was a higher end bar than it was?
Either way, it hardly mattered. The guy was dressed in a pair of light blue jeans and a pair of old but clearly well worn black running shoes with a black t-shirt under a matching black blazer. Resting against his chest was the metallic shine of a pair of dog tags, though what was written on them he couldn’t tell, and with a quick glance, he noticed that the other wore no ring that promised him to another. There was no earring in his ear and his dark blond hair was cut in a short but classically styled hair cut that spoke of military service.
After Michael returned with the drink and collected his money, Jason turned to his comrade and watched him drink the liquor down quickly in one gulp before setting the glass down, upside down, on a coaster. Well, at least he knew plenty about bar etiquette. “I have to say, I’m surprised you came,” the waiter chose to admit while he continued to sip on his own alcohol, “I am a little ashamed to admit it, but I honestly thought that you were going to just walk away without hearing his story, let alone try helping.”
The man chuckled softly and leaned against the counter. “Yes well, I’m certainly not exactly taking an overly high risk by being here to begin with, so why not?” He shrugged. “Besides, I really am interested to learn more about that poor boy who seems to be caught up in something he can’t get himself out of.” He turned his eyes on Jason and the waiter could feel shivers running down his spine. As completely normal as they looked, there was just something about them that unnerved him. It was almost as if the soul inside the man wasn’t human.
“Yes well, this isn’t the first time Jonathan’s gotten himself into this kind of mess,” Jason chose to say instead and finished off his drink before likewise setting the glass upside-down on a coaster, “in fact, this is just the latest in a series of bad situations he’s managed to get himself caught in.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “It seems every time he’s managed to get himself out of that kind of life, he finds a way to get caught in another one, entirely by accident of course, because he really hasn’t learned anything.”
The new guy looked uncomfortable with the mention of it but Jason could tell that he was uncomfortable with that idea more than any actual words that were said. How exactly he knew, he wasn’t sure. Something told him that’s what it was and he knew better than to ignore his instincts on such a matter. Just as his instincts had told him that Jon’s injuries were far from accidents and that Michael was a man who was interested in more than just sex, he was fairly sure that this man wanted a little more than just a handsome face.
“Before I continue, you mind telling me your name?” he said a moment later, turning to face the man directly and offering his hand for a handshake, “I’m pretty sure you at least saw mine that night, regardless if you remember it or not. It’s only fair that I know your name too if I am going to share such personal information about a close friend with you tonight.” Normally this would go against every protective fiber in his being but he had done nothing for his friend for far too long. This man was Jon’s best chance for freedom.
The man turned and took Jason’s offered hand, shaking it with a smile on his plump, pink lips. “My name’s David,” he said, his accent slipping just a little but it was only noticeable if one was actually listening for it, “and, if I remember right, you’re Jason. It’s a pleasure to formally meet you. I must say that the circumstances of our meeting are more than a little unorthodox but I suppose that the cause is good enough to excuse such a breach of social norms.” Jason raised an eyebrow at his choice of words but chose not to comment about them. Yeah, this guy was distinctly not a native born American.
He shook his head and looked at the table for a moment. “I think you’re right in that respect. I’ve known Jon for a long time and but even after all these years I can’t help but feel as if we’re no closer than co-workers half the time. I don’t know what he thinks of me but I know a lot more about him than I’m sure he would be comfortable with me knowing.” He chuckled bitterly. “All it took was a little perfectly legal research at the public library.”
David said nothing but turned his glass over again, reaching into his pocket for another bill to pay for the next drink when Michael was going to bring it. Jason appreciated the lack of interruption. What he was going to tell this man was something he had had to keep hidden from everyone, including his lover, for so long that it had been starting to crush him under its weight. Finally he would be able to let it out without fear of someone judging him for having done nothing and, if anything, there was a chance this man would do what he couldn’t with the information he had.
Taking a deep breath Jason fiddled with his upside down glass and thought long and hard about where he was going to start the story. It was hard to choose a point of origin. Jonathan hadn’t exactly had the most abnormal childhood, even if his teenage years were absolute hell. It was during those vulnerable years that he learned the absolute violence he now accepted as a normal part of the relationship and hence why he so easily accepted it now. While the medical records weren’t readily available, Jason had more than one nurse friend willing to look up the information from him. With that in mind, maybe, just maybe, the best place to start would be at the very beginning. At least then, it would explain a thing or two.
Part 3b --->