'Some drunken adventure?' Oh God, did she know him. It was the kind of story that anyone who really knew Al could guess, because it had replayed itself at least twice since he had reached New York. Still, when the door opened and Noreen came in, Al looked a little nervous. He hadn't expected this - he should have, of course, but he wasn't the best when it came to thinking things through before he did them. Why yes, of course Noreen would see the entry; he'd only blocked the people he knew were a) underage or b) absolutely certain to be offended by it.
Oops. Ah, well. Too late now.
When Noreen entered, she'd find a chair already waiting for her. Al was seated too, bundled in an actual shirt and, what's more, a sweater over it. He'd pulled the sleeves down over his hands and his thumbs were making sharp impressions where they pressed into the wool
( ... )
Oh man, did she know him. Al put a hand to his forehead and slowly dragged his fingers down across his eyes. "Yeah, pretty much. If it helps, I really thought that she was... never mind, it won't help." Ugh. Al let his hand slide from his face, then slumped back in his chair. It wasn't exactly a slump of defeat, or the bad posture of a sulking man-cub, but he was clearly uncomfortable. It was there, ready to be read in the way he crossed his arms tightly over his chest.
"I kept a set of the photos from the party to remind me of the night. That's all. 'Cause she was a good girl. I liked her."
When Noreen complimented herself, Al managed a weak - but amused - smile. Of course, it didn't last long; the outstretched hand was met with a quizzical look. "What, the photos?" Alejandro asked, brow wrinkling. "You want to see them?"
Uh. That couldn't bode well. But, none the less, Al heaved himself up out of his seat and shuffled back towards his private room in the apartment he shared with Evan. "Gotta grab the album. One second." When he returned, it was with a thick brown binder full of plastic photo sleeves. He was already rifling through it, so by the time he reached Noreen and offered the object, he'd found the right page. There was a blank slot where the Compendium photo had been, and after it were a series of photos of people lounging around a pool. Photos of people taking shots. Photos of a dark-haired woman in an outfit almost as skimpy as Al's had been, doing her best model pose.
"Well, I mean, I'm not shy." Al protested, caught between residual nervousness and relief that the disapproval seemed to be passing. "And I don't still have the orange briefs. Washing machine got 'em. Well. Bleach got 'em - I sat them down on the top of the dryer and someone had forgotten to clean up a spill."
As for the photos in the Compendium? Al bit his lower lip. It took him a few long seconds to make up his mind, but he eventually nodded. "Well, okay. No awful pictures in the Compendium."
"Note to self: no more orange speedos." Al replied, with a cheeky grin. Hey. He was a flirt too, and it came as something of a second nature. Most of the time, it was out before he'd even thought about what he was saying. "Are trunks really that much better? They cling." He laughed, exhaling air through his nose, and dropped back down into his seat.
"Up to? Well, work. And there was that party-crashing thing with Murdock and Evan and... a new guy. Don't remember his name so well. I told Murdock we were crossing territorial boundaries, showing up uninvited, but he swore it would be fine. And the next thing I know? They're insisting that we agree to leg-hair removal."
"...you know, Edwina did say something about a 'pool boy.' I know she didn't mean anything by it, but..." Al trailed off and made a face. It was a wrinkled-nose, squinty-eyed face, the kind of face that most clearly said 'uh, no.' "Okay. No orange, and definitely no speedos or briefs if they make me look like a Cabana boy."
'Cause that? Was not an association Al wanted to encourage.
"Yes. Leg hair removal. I swear, if Murdock wasn't already my friend? I'd strangle him. But the girls seemed to have a good time with it, and it'll all grow back. If only I was sure that Murdock would listen to me next time I said 'don't invade their territory.' But nooooooooo, suddenly I'm un-manly and afraid." Al rolled his eyes. As for Noreen making herself comfortable on his bed? In an absolutely shocking moment of self-restraint, he didn't say anything. Not a word.
He may've smirked a little, though. Just for a second.
"I know. I read that and went '...POOL BOY?' but I didn't want to say anything, 'cause mouthing off to Edwina kind of feels like kicking a puppy. The puppy didn't mean to chew up your favorite shoes. It was just teething, you know?" Al raked his fingers through his hair and smiled. And then the insistence that he stop smirking made it worse - the lopsided smile became a grin.
"Okay, okay." Al held his hands up, defensively, and dropped onto the bed next to Noreen. "So there was leg hair removal and then costuming. They had some... I don't know, lingere-themed thing going, I really didn't understand it. There were a lot of feathers and corsets, it looked completely uncomfortable. I probably would've taken off if the other guys hadn't been there, but I didn't want to leave 'em."
Most of the time, Al deserved a good slapping. He was really lucky to escape unscathed most of the time.
"Some girls Murdock knows. Uh. Bianca, and the other woman was named Cassia?" Al paused, thoughtfully, but whatever he was about to say was interrupted by Noreen's examination of his (now hair-free) leg. "Yeah, we were drinking. And there was more liquor at the party. We dressed up - Murdock tried to talk his way out of it, of course."
Oops. Ah, well. Too late now.
When Noreen entered, she'd find a chair already waiting for her. Al was seated too, bundled in an actual shirt and, what's more, a sweater over it. He'd pulled the sleeves down over his hands and his thumbs were making sharp impressions where they pressed into the wool ( ... )
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( ... )
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"I kept a set of the photos from the party to remind me of the night. That's all. 'Cause she was a good girl. I liked her."
Reply
( ... )
Reply
Uh. That couldn't bode well. But, none the less, Al heaved himself up out of his seat and shuffled back towards his private room in the apartment he shared with Evan. "Gotta grab the album. One second." When he returned, it was with a thick brown binder full of plastic photo sleeves. He was already rifling through it, so by the time he reached Noreen and offered the object, he'd found the right page. There was a blank slot where the Compendium photo had been, and after it were a series of photos of people lounging around a pool. Photos of people taking shots. Photos of a dark-haired woman in an outfit almost as skimpy as Al's had been, doing her best model pose.
Reply
( ... )
Reply
As for the photos in the Compendium? Al bit his lower lip. It took him a few long seconds to make up his mind, but he eventually nodded. "Well, okay. No awful pictures in the Compendium."
Reply
( ... )
Reply
"Up to? Well, work. And there was that party-crashing thing with Murdock and Evan and... a new guy. Don't remember his name so well. I told Murdock we were crossing territorial boundaries, showing up uninvited, but he swore it would be fine. And the next thing I know? They're insisting that we agree to leg-hair removal."
Reply
( ... )
Reply
'Cause that? Was not an association Al wanted to encourage.
"Yes. Leg hair removal. I swear, if Murdock wasn't already my friend? I'd strangle him. But the girls seemed to have a good time with it, and it'll all grow back. If only I was sure that Murdock would listen to me next time I said 'don't invade their territory.' But nooooooooo, suddenly I'm un-manly and afraid." Al rolled his eyes. As for Noreen making herself comfortable on his bed? In an absolutely shocking moment of self-restraint, he didn't say anything. Not a word.
He may've smirked a little, though. Just for a second.
Reply
( ... )
Reply
"Okay, okay." Al held his hands up, defensively, and dropped onto the bed next to Noreen. "So there was leg hair removal and then costuming. They had some... I don't know, lingere-themed thing going, I really didn't understand it. There were a lot of feathers and corsets, it looked completely uncomfortable. I probably would've taken off if the other guys hadn't been there, but I didn't want to leave 'em."
Reply
( ... )
Reply
"Some girls Murdock knows. Uh. Bianca, and the other woman was named Cassia?" Al paused, thoughtfully, but whatever he was about to say was interrupted by Noreen's examination of his (now hair-free) leg. "Yeah, we were drinking. And there was more liquor at the party. We dressed up - Murdock tried to talk his way out of it, of course."
Reply
( ... )
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