Trifecta: Pride Week, part three
Wouldn't a person know better than to stand outside someone's fan blowing in and smoke? That's what woke me up this morning. Rude.
Title: Trifecta
Chapter: Pride Week, part three
Status: WIP
Genre: Romance, Triple Slash, businessmen, jobs, friends, working
Length: 1.4 k
Summary: Ty has make nice to that annoying nosy guy
Masterlist
Ty stood behind Damien’s shoulder and tried to look intimidating. Sure the theater relied on repeat customers, but did everyone need to flirt with Damien? And no he wasn’t going next door for drinks later. He was going home with Ty and Kenneth.
Jaron walked through the crowd encouraging people to talk to the actors. How many of these people attended for free? Most probably. The house had been full and now the lobby was. Go home, people! This wasn’t a continuation of Pride. If they wanted to keep the celebration going, they could do it somewhere else.
A man held Damien’s hand for too long. Ty wrapped his arms around Damien’s waist. Damien made a witty comment and the guy let go. The guy gave the same stupid pickup lines as the one two people ago. Damien deflected. When the guy finally left, Damien put a hand on Ty chest. “Go.”
“Why?”
“I only ever get threesome offers when you’re here.”
Ty grounded his teeth.
“Go.” Damien gave him a peck then wiped Ty’s lips with his thumb. “There. Now go.”
“They’ll flirt.”
“Of course they will. But I’m going home with you. Now go.”
Ty went.
“Possessive boyfriend?” asked the next woman in line.
Sure, Ty was possessive. Damien was his boyfriend after all. How would she like having her significant other flirted with in front of her all the time?
That might be why Damien didn’t want him to show up right after the show anymore. Claimed it was bad for Ty’s blood pressure. Maybe it was. But still…
Kenneth was standing with several other people listening to Flannigan being a one man play. Flannigan so loved his theater stories.
“Ty!” Ty’s arm was seized.
Jaron.
“What?” Was there a fire? A robbery? Had Jaron’s lease been canceled?
“He’s here!”
“He?”
Jaron frowned like Ty was the idiot here. “The artist I’ve been trying to get to paint my troupe for three years. And here he is in my theater!” Jaron actually bounced. “Go. Go talk to him. Don’t let him leave!”
“Who?”
The lobby was packed. Which of these hundred or so people was he looking for? And why?
“Peregrine. He’s standing beside the Norse god.”
The guy who made Ty feel tiny was standing beside the nosy guy from this afternoon. No. Ty was not going there. But they were in the group around Flannigan. Maybe Jaron meant someone else. “Why do you want him?”
Jaron gasp. “What? He’s only the best local artist. He’s still rising. The painting themselves will be worth a fortune.”
“Can you afford that?” Mortgaging the troupe for a bit of paint slashed on canvas was stupid. And would also dig into Ty’s pockets if they folded. Jaron was one of his best clients.
“He’s eccentric. He might charge us a fortune and he might give them to us for free, but right now he won’t do it for love or money. I’ve got to figure out how to change his mind.” Jaron bit a nail, which he only did if he was really worried. He sighed. “I’ll deal with that. You just keep him here.”
“Why again?” Nothing was worth that much trouble.
“The prestige alone… Just do it.” Jaron turned away.
“And who again?”
Jaron growled and pointed. “The guy between Thor and the woman with the shaved head.”
Please, not him. “The tattoo guy?”
Jaron stopped. “I suppose he has tattoos.”
But tonight the noisy guy was covered collar bones to wrists and ankles in a tight black t-shirt and painted on black jeans.
“Just go talk to him.” Jaron pushed Ty toward the group. “I’m counting on you.”
Whatever. Ty joined the group.
“This one again.” Ty ran a finger down Kenneth’s neck.
Flannigan flipped Ty off without missing a beat. Ty grinned back. Flannigan gave the punch line.
People stepped closer to Flannigan and shook his hand. He was always an attention junky.
“Old friend?” asked the lady with the shaved head.
“Very old.” Ty mimed using a cane. Flannigan flipped him off then hugged him and thumped his back. Ty thumped back just as hard. Chloë rolled her eyes. She should really be used to this by now.
Several people asked questions about theater, which Flannigan answered with yet another story. Luckily Flannigan had turned around to do it, so the tattoo guy and his men weren’t among the audience.
Might as well get started. “I heard someone here’s a famous artist.”
The bald woman laughed. “Famous? I’m not sure about that, but you’ve got your pick of artists. Glass,” she pointed at herself and then at the people next to her, “paint, pencil, words, fabric. Choose your medium.”
“Glass?” Ty let the conversation drift. He was an artist in his own way and liked to listen to other people talk about their creations. Besides the woman had obviously come with the nosy guy and this way Ty didn’t have to talk to him to keep him from leaving.
“Who told you there was an artist here?” asked the Hispanic man-Emil, the bald woman, Zan, had said.
“The director is having hysterics over some artist.”
“Some artist?”
The nosy guy-Peregrine-crossed his arms. “I don’t do advertisements.”
Ty shrugged. “I’m not asking you to. Jaron probably can’t afford it anyway.”
Kenneth gave Ty a weird look. Did he know what Jaron had asked Ty to do? Okay, Jaron was a friend and what helped him might also line Ty’s wallet and if nothing else maybe Jaron could convince Damien he could work fewer days a week so he’d be home nights. Kenneth was missing him.
“I just don’t see why a couple of portraits would be advertising. What have you got against advertising anyway?”
“Kurt here,” Peregrine took Thor’s hand, “is in advertising. One in the family is enough.”
Kurt grinned down. Maybe an inside joke.
“Do you even do portraits?”
Peregrine grinned. “I do everything.”
“Except advertising.”
“Except advertising. Still life, landscapes, portraits, what have you. Who would these portraits be of? I was under the impression he wanted something he could use as a poster.”
Ty hadn’t asked. “He wants more than one. I thought it was just the actors. In costume, out? I don’t know. Or maybe a scene from a play, but I think he really wants to own something you’ve done.”
Peregrine frowned. Not the flattery loving type then.
Damien wrapped Ty’s arm around his waist. Ty pulled him closer. Damien was out of costume and makeup. Was it that late already?
“You were on stage.”
Damien grinned. “I was. Thank you for the sketch earlier.”
“You’re welcome.” Peregrine narrowed his eyes. “Are you someone I’d be painting?”
Damien looked up at Ty.
“Jaron wants to show off.”
Kenneth chuckled. Jaron loved garish clothing and his every entrance was a performance according to Kenneth. Ty knew enough theater types, heck he was one, that all that was normal.
“With art?”
“Some portraits hanging in the lobby. Or maybe fake posters or something. But Peregrine’s said no.” Ty shrugged. It was time they started heading home.
“Wait.” Peregrine cocked his head. “I’d go for portraits. What’s his budget?”
“I have no idea. Goodbye.”
Jaron was on his own. Ty didn’t want Damien sitting for Peregrine. Why hadn’t he thought of that sooner? He was not going to let his boyfriend spend hours alone with that nosy guy.
“But…” Damien stopped walking.
“If you want your portrait done we can find someone else to do it.”
“And why is that?” Kenneth rubbed Ty’s arm. “I looked him up today and he doesn’t do bad painting. I was thinking of asking how much one of all of us would be.”
“No.”
“No?” Damien raised his eyebrows. “I don’t see what you have against him. He was just being nice.”
“Nice? He got you alone and asked you uncomfortable questions. How is that nice?”
“Excuse me,” said Emil. “But finding the truth is part of what makes Peregrine who he is. In art and in life.”
Jaron was talking rapidly to Peregrine. No. This wasn’t going to happen.
“Besides,” Emil smiled. “I’ll be right in the next room.”
“Ty didn’t think Peregrine was going to do anything.” Kenneth waved his hands. “Just listening to people flirting with Damien puts Ty in a bad mood.”
“Princess.”
Who was Peregrine calling…?
Peregrine touched Emil’s arm. “Princess, we are going to a coffee shop to discuss details.”
Emil’s grin was bright. “Thank you.”
Peregrine turned to Ty. “You guys are welcome too. Since Damien’s sitting, he should have some say in the results.”
Damien grinned. “Great idea.”
“Kurt is going to meet us there. He’s bringing my portfolio. For you three, I was thinking the Viking, the druid and the Roman slave.”
What?
Emil giggled. “That isn’t even a real story.”
Peregrine laughed. “It was, my love. Remember.”
Emil blushed.
Another inside joke?
“Kenneth, what do you say?” Damien’s eyes were bright.
“We can go. None of us have work in the morning.”
For once.
“Don’t worry.” Peregrine waved a hand. “It won’t take long. I’ve got plans for my pretty princess tonight. Zan, Autumn? You coming?”
Deciding who was going, which coffee shops were still open, which of those they wanted to go to, and how each person was getting there took over a half hour. Then Ty had a stranger sitting beside him in the back seat. He couldn’t just ask Kenneth to go home instead.
Kurt had arrived before them. One portfolio was just photos of painting of the three of them. Ty as Perseus? Or Persephone?
Maybe this painting thing wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Title: Trifecta
Chapter: Pride Week, part three
Status: WIP
Genre: Romance, Triple Slash, businessmen, jobs, friends, working
Length: 1.4 k
Summary: Ty has make nice to that annoying nosy guy
Masterlist
Ty stood behind Damien’s shoulder and tried to look intimidating. Sure the theater relied on repeat customers, but did everyone need to flirt with Damien? And no he wasn’t going next door for drinks later. He was going home with Ty and Kenneth.
Jaron walked through the crowd encouraging people to talk to the actors. How many of these people attended for free? Most probably. The house had been full and now the lobby was. Go home, people! This wasn’t a continuation of Pride. If they wanted to keep the celebration going, they could do it somewhere else.
A man held Damien’s hand for too long. Ty wrapped his arms around Damien’s waist. Damien made a witty comment and the guy let go. The guy gave the same stupid pickup lines as the one two people ago. Damien deflected. When the guy finally left, Damien put a hand on Ty chest. “Go.”
“Why?”
“I only ever get threesome offers when you’re here.”
Ty grounded his teeth.
“Go.” Damien gave him a peck then wiped Ty’s lips with his thumb. “There. Now go.”
“They’ll flirt.”
“Of course they will. But I’m going home with you. Now go.”
Ty went.
“Possessive boyfriend?” asked the next woman in line.
Sure, Ty was possessive. Damien was his boyfriend after all. How would she like having her significant other flirted with in front of her all the time?
That might be why Damien didn’t want him to show up right after the show anymore. Claimed it was bad for Ty’s blood pressure. Maybe it was. But still…
Kenneth was standing with several other people listening to Flannigan being a one man play. Flannigan so loved his theater stories.
“Ty!” Ty’s arm was seized.
Jaron.
“What?” Was there a fire? A robbery? Had Jaron’s lease been canceled?
“He’s here!”
“He?”
Jaron frowned like Ty was the idiot here. “The artist I’ve been trying to get to paint my troupe for three years. And here he is in my theater!” Jaron actually bounced. “Go. Go talk to him. Don’t let him leave!”
“Who?”
The lobby was packed. Which of these hundred or so people was he looking for? And why?
“Peregrine. He’s standing beside the Norse god.”
The guy who made Ty feel tiny was standing beside the nosy guy from this afternoon. No. Ty was not going there. But they were in the group around Flannigan. Maybe Jaron meant someone else. “Why do you want him?”
Jaron gasp. “What? He’s only the best local artist. He’s still rising. The painting themselves will be worth a fortune.”
“Can you afford that?” Mortgaging the troupe for a bit of paint slashed on canvas was stupid. And would also dig into Ty’s pockets if they folded. Jaron was one of his best clients.
“He’s eccentric. He might charge us a fortune and he might give them to us for free, but right now he won’t do it for love or money. I’ve got to figure out how to change his mind.” Jaron bit a nail, which he only did if he was really worried. He sighed. “I’ll deal with that. You just keep him here.”
“Why again?” Nothing was worth that much trouble.
“The prestige alone… Just do it.” Jaron turned away.
“And who again?”
Jaron growled and pointed. “The guy between Thor and the woman with the shaved head.”
Please, not him. “The tattoo guy?”
Jaron stopped. “I suppose he has tattoos.”
But tonight the noisy guy was covered collar bones to wrists and ankles in a tight black t-shirt and painted on black jeans.
“Just go talk to him.” Jaron pushed Ty toward the group. “I’m counting on you.”
Whatever. Ty joined the group.
“This one again.” Ty ran a finger down Kenneth’s neck.
Flannigan flipped Ty off without missing a beat. Ty grinned back. Flannigan gave the punch line.
People stepped closer to Flannigan and shook his hand. He was always an attention junky.
“Old friend?” asked the lady with the shaved head.
“Very old.” Ty mimed using a cane. Flannigan flipped him off then hugged him and thumped his back. Ty thumped back just as hard. Chloë rolled her eyes. She should really be used to this by now.
Several people asked questions about theater, which Flannigan answered with yet another story. Luckily Flannigan had turned around to do it, so the tattoo guy and his men weren’t among the audience.
Might as well get started. “I heard someone here’s a famous artist.”
The bald woman laughed. “Famous? I’m not sure about that, but you’ve got your pick of artists. Glass,” she pointed at herself and then at the people next to her, “paint, pencil, words, fabric. Choose your medium.”
“Glass?” Ty let the conversation drift. He was an artist in his own way and liked to listen to other people talk about their creations. Besides the woman had obviously come with the nosy guy and this way Ty didn’t have to talk to him to keep him from leaving.
“Who told you there was an artist here?” asked the Hispanic man-Emil, the bald woman, Zan, had said.
“The director is having hysterics over some artist.”
“Some artist?”
The nosy guy-Peregrine-crossed his arms. “I don’t do advertisements.”
Ty shrugged. “I’m not asking you to. Jaron probably can’t afford it anyway.”
Kenneth gave Ty a weird look. Did he know what Jaron had asked Ty to do? Okay, Jaron was a friend and what helped him might also line Ty’s wallet and if nothing else maybe Jaron could convince Damien he could work fewer days a week so he’d be home nights. Kenneth was missing him.
“I just don’t see why a couple of portraits would be advertising. What have you got against advertising anyway?”
“Kurt here,” Peregrine took Thor’s hand, “is in advertising. One in the family is enough.”
Kurt grinned down. Maybe an inside joke.
“Do you even do portraits?”
Peregrine grinned. “I do everything.”
“Except advertising.”
“Except advertising. Still life, landscapes, portraits, what have you. Who would these portraits be of? I was under the impression he wanted something he could use as a poster.”
Ty hadn’t asked. “He wants more than one. I thought it was just the actors. In costume, out? I don’t know. Or maybe a scene from a play, but I think he really wants to own something you’ve done.”
Peregrine frowned. Not the flattery loving type then.
Damien wrapped Ty’s arm around his waist. Ty pulled him closer. Damien was out of costume and makeup. Was it that late already?
“You were on stage.”
Damien grinned. “I was. Thank you for the sketch earlier.”
“You’re welcome.” Peregrine narrowed his eyes. “Are you someone I’d be painting?”
Damien looked up at Ty.
“Jaron wants to show off.”
Kenneth chuckled. Jaron loved garish clothing and his every entrance was a performance according to Kenneth. Ty knew enough theater types, heck he was one, that all that was normal.
“With art?”
“Some portraits hanging in the lobby. Or maybe fake posters or something. But Peregrine’s said no.” Ty shrugged. It was time they started heading home.
“Wait.” Peregrine cocked his head. “I’d go for portraits. What’s his budget?”
“I have no idea. Goodbye.”
Jaron was on his own. Ty didn’t want Damien sitting for Peregrine. Why hadn’t he thought of that sooner? He was not going to let his boyfriend spend hours alone with that nosy guy.
“But…” Damien stopped walking.
“If you want your portrait done we can find someone else to do it.”
“And why is that?” Kenneth rubbed Ty’s arm. “I looked him up today and he doesn’t do bad painting. I was thinking of asking how much one of all of us would be.”
“No.”
“No?” Damien raised his eyebrows. “I don’t see what you have against him. He was just being nice.”
“Nice? He got you alone and asked you uncomfortable questions. How is that nice?”
“Excuse me,” said Emil. “But finding the truth is part of what makes Peregrine who he is. In art and in life.”
Jaron was talking rapidly to Peregrine. No. This wasn’t going to happen.
“Besides,” Emil smiled. “I’ll be right in the next room.”
“Ty didn’t think Peregrine was going to do anything.” Kenneth waved his hands. “Just listening to people flirting with Damien puts Ty in a bad mood.”
“Princess.”
Who was Peregrine calling…?
Peregrine touched Emil’s arm. “Princess, we are going to a coffee shop to discuss details.”
Emil’s grin was bright. “Thank you.”
Peregrine turned to Ty. “You guys are welcome too. Since Damien’s sitting, he should have some say in the results.”
Damien grinned. “Great idea.”
“Kurt is going to meet us there. He’s bringing my portfolio. For you three, I was thinking the Viking, the druid and the Roman slave.”
What?
Emil giggled. “That isn’t even a real story.”
Peregrine laughed. “It was, my love. Remember.”
Emil blushed.
Another inside joke?
“Kenneth, what do you say?” Damien’s eyes were bright.
“We can go. None of us have work in the morning.”
For once.
“Don’t worry.” Peregrine waved a hand. “It won’t take long. I’ve got plans for my pretty princess tonight. Zan, Autumn? You coming?”
Deciding who was going, which coffee shops were still open, which of those they wanted to go to, and how each person was getting there took over a half hour. Then Ty had a stranger sitting beside him in the back seat. He couldn’t just ask Kenneth to go home instead.
Kurt had arrived before them. One portfolio was just photos of painting of the three of them. Ty as Perseus? Or Persephone?
Maybe this painting thing wasn’t such a bad idea after all.