RP: Saturday Night

[dylan_rogers]

Date: Saturday, March 19, 2011
Characters: Dylan Rogers, Josh Moore
Location: Serenity, elsewhere
Status: Private
Summary: Dylan and Josh go out.
Completion: incomplete

Comments

[josh_moore]

Josh finished his rounds and stopped by his apartment to shower and change. He'd gone running on the track earlier, but he hadn't wanted to go upstairs until he was done for the day. Dylan was going to be waiting for him, and Josh was pretty excited about tonight. It was going to be their first date, since they'd pretty much done things backwards. They'd already had sex and cared about each other enough to do the monogamy thing, but they hadn't actually gone on a date yet. Hell, Dylan still wasn't even that comfortable being with Josh in a relationship kind of way around other people, so Josh hadn't wanted to push for a date.

It was time to try it, though. If this was going to really work between them, they both had to compromise sometimes. Josh couldn't keep giving and giving and trying to be everything Dylan needed if it meant never getting anything in return except great sex. Sex with Dylan was amazing, without a doubt, but Josh was greedy and he wanted it all. The dating and cuddling and being together in public without feeling like it was some dirty secret. He knew Dylan didn't think of him that way, knew it was a hell of a lot for Dylan to accept and come to terms with, but he also knew that Dylan needed support along with a bit of guidance, so the dating would hopefully give the latter.

For their first date, Josh had decided to keep it simple. They'd go to dinner, and then get a drink at a bar, maybe do a little dancing. Nothing too serious, and, really, nothing they hadn't done dozens of times before. It'd just be as a couple now instead of just as friends. When he got downstairs, he saw Dylan waiting for him and smiled. Dylan looked gorgeous, and Josh saw several people checking him out, not that Dylan ever noticed.

"Hope you haven't been waiting long," he said, walking up to Dylan and smiling.

[dylan_rogers]

Dylan smiled when he spotted Josh. "Nah, not at all." Dylan knew this was a date, which was weird, but he was going to try. He knew it only had to be weird if he made it that way, and was determined not to let that happen. At least, not on account of his own stupidity.

"You look good," he said, meaning it. Even when Josh didn't look as he did now, toned and hot, Dylan had always seen him as attractive. Well, not in the way he did now, but in the way he could recognize an attractive guy. He'd always assumed it meant he was comfortable with himself, but maybe it hadn't been all that innocent.

"You hungry?" he asked after a minute of just staring at his boyfriend. Sure, it was new, but it was pretty awesome, too. "How was the run?"

[josh_moore]

"New shirt. The salesgirl said it brings out the color of my eyes. I told her my boyfriend might appreciate that." Josh posed for a moment and fluttered his eyelashes. He really wanted to lean in and kiss Dylan hello, but there were people around and he didn't want to start things off on the wrong foot, so he'd save that for when they had privacy.

"The run was good. I needed to work off a little energy." He smiled. "And, yeah, I could definitely eat. I was going to make us reservations somewhere, but I couldn't decide where. Steak? Seafood? Italian? Anything sound good?"

[dylan_rogers]

Dylan raised an eyebrow playfully when he mentioned the salesgirl. "Sounds like you set her straight. Which is good. Very good." He eventually looked away from Josh, knowing that Josh probably would be cool with Dylan leaning in for a hello kiss, but not wanting to blur the lines when he was technically at work.

"Yeah. The only thing that gets me about swimming is the whole being alone with your head thing. A little music would have gone a long way." Maybe someone would invent waterproof wireless headphones if they hadn't already. Now that would be killer.

Dylan was usually happy to eat just about anything, but for some reason Italian sounded especially good. "Italian sounds good, but I could do something healthier, too. You know how I feel about carbs..." Dylan waggled his eyebrows and nodded to the door. "Shall we?"

[josh_moore]

"The reason I like swimming is because it lets me be alone in my head," Josh teased. "I like running when I want to hear music. How was class today? I've noticed all your classes are staying pretty full. Probably has something to do with the hunky teacher."

"Italian it is. We can go to Sardines, and, just for you, I'm not going to pay any attention to calories or food content. I'm going to eat whatever sounds good," he promised. It wouldn't be a very good date if he focused on the food instead of his companion, anyway. "Let's go, babe. I want to see my boyfriend's face by candlelight."

[dylan_rogers]

"Class is kicking my ass, that's how it is," Dylan said with a small groan. "I have to show everyone how tough I am, you know." Dylan grinned as they headed to the car.

"Ah, shucks," Dylan teased, batting his eyes. "For little old me?" He bumped Josh's shoulder, giving him the opportunity to through an arm around him. Dylan gave him a squeeze and then let his hand fall to hold Josh's. It didn't take any effort, and often Dylan had no idea he was doing it until he found himself walking very much as a couple with Josh.

Once they reached the car, Dylan opened the door for Josh, holding it as he got in and then closing it behind him. If they were going on a date, Dylan was going to be a gentleman. Weird or not.

[josh_moore]

Josh arched a brow when Dylan opened the door for him. He got into the car and smiled slightly. He leaned over and kissed Dylan lightly once he was settled into the driver's seat. Reaching up, he stroked his thumb along the curve of Dylan's jaw before nibbling on his bottom lip. God, he loved Dylan's mouth.

"So, first date. I thought we'd keep it simple with dinner and then decide what to do after that. You okay with this? Going out like this, I mean." He wanted their relationship to not only happen at their houses, but he also didn't want to make Dylan uncomfortable.

[dylan_rogers]

Dylan smiled after Josh kissed him, reaching out and giving his thigh a squeeze. The urges were getting easier to ignore, though they were very much still around. The classes had help, though. And, the knowledge that this wasn't just screwing around. That helped, too.

"I guess I should have brought chocolate. Or," he said, smiling and glancing at Josh, "health bars."

Dylan nodded. "Yeah. It's good. I'm ready." He started the car and backed up carefully. "I want to work. It to work. You're the most important," Dylan stopped and headed out onto the street. "Yeah. It's important. And I'm ready." He knew Josh could figure out he meant after this long, even if he wasn't the best with words.

[josh_moore]

"Make it a fruit smoothie, and you might get past first base," Josh said. "Just no flowers. I don't need anything fancy like that." He leaned in for another quick kiss. "Not that you have to worry about making it past first base. You'll get a home run tonight, I'm sure."

He smiled and leaned back in his seat. "I'm glad," he admitted. "That you're ready. It's going to be okay, Dyl. We'll have dinner and maybe go for a drink after or do something else date-y."

He stared openly at Dylan as they made the drive to Sardine's Italian restaurant. "You're gorgeous, you know? I fell for you because of the man you are, smart and funny and so kind, but I can definitely appreciate your outer beauty, too. I love your mouth especially. And your eyes. And your hands." He grinned. "But that's not appropriate first date talk, so I suppose I should mention the weather or work, hmm?"

[dylan_rogers]

"Baseball metaphors. Nice touch," Dylan teased.

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'm not scared." It was true, really. Dylan had been thinking a lot about things, about his childhood, and about his parents and their faith. One of his biggest fears in 'going public' with Josh had been their reaction. He'd come to terms, more or less, with how they would react, but he wanted to make sure he was the one to tell them.

While they hadn't been overly well off in Austin, Dylan's parents did run one of the bigger churches for most of his life. That meant traveling throughout the state to different conferences, and meeting people all around. Several of their family friends in Dallas were patients of him, and Dylan ran into people he knew fairly often. He wasn't embarrassed. Not at all. But he didn't want his parents finding out he was dating his best friend from anyone but him.

"Well, I have some really inappropriate first date talk for you. I'm going to tell my parents. About us." Dylan looked over. "Well, my mom. And then she can tell my dad." Dylan had called his mom today to let her know he was busy for today and tonight, but told her he would call tomorrow. It didn't mean that would come up, but he wanted to hear Josh's reaction to the idea.

[josh_moore]

Josh looked at Dylan in surprise when he mentioned his plan to tell his mom about them. "That isn't inappropriate," he murmured, reaching over to take Dylan's hand and squeezed. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?"

"You don't have to do it yet." Josh sighed because he knew that there was a good chance Dylan's parents wouldn't react favorably, and the idea of Dylan being forced to make a choice bothered him. "I'm not pressuring you into it, okay? I wanted to date so I could share my happiness without feeling like I had to hide how I feel about you. But I know what talking to your parents could mean. I don't want you to get hurt."

[dylan_rogers]

"I don't feel pressure from you, and I know that's not why you want to go out. I'm just tired of not being honest with my mom when I talk to her."

He squeezed Josh's hand in return. "To me, faith is all about acceptance and love. If my parents can't accept who I am, then I don't really have much to say to them." Dylan knew it wasn't going to be quite that simple, but he truly believed that if his parents were the Christians they claimed to be, they would love him for who he was and not what they wanted him to be.

"I love my parents, but I love being with you. It may take me awhile to fully come to terms with who I am, but I'm not going to let the fear of my parents never speaking to me again slow me down."

[josh_moore]

"I'm sorry that this has put you into a position where you've had to lie to your mom," Josh said. "I support you, okay? If you're ready to tell them, I'll be here for you after. Whether you need hugs, a drink, or cuddles, you come to me after talking to her."

He reached over to touch Dylan's face. "That's how faith is to you, babe, but a whole lot of people see it differently. They think people like us should be stoned just because we fell in love with each other. They think we're sinners, that we're going to hell, that we don't deserve to live. I hate that you're going to have to deal with that side of your faith, not from your parents hopefully but from others who wrap themselves up in religion as if that gives them justification for hate."

They pulled into the parking lot of Sardines, and he waited until the car was off before he leaned over to give Dylan a very thorough kiss, nibbling on his lips as he pulled back. "I love you, Dylan Rogers."

[dylan_rogers]

"It's been my choice to avoid the truth with my parents. So there's no need to feel sorry for me or to feel guilty." Dylan didn't think Josh was feeling that way, but if he was it needed to stop immediately. He didn't need to carry that guilt or whatever around with him.

Dylan nodded. "I know. And that's not likely to change. But there are plenty of churches around that are more than just tolerant. Plenty of denominations that are accepting and believe that people love who they love, regardless of their gender." Dylan had done a little research, actually, hoping that if nothing else he could appeal to his father's practical side. Then again, he didn't feel like it was his responsibility to convince him, either.

Dylan returned the kiss happily, running his hand up the side of Josh's face. When he pulled away and spoke,
though, Dylan froze.

He felt the same way. Absolutely. But he'd never said it before. Never meant it before. He took a deep breath and pulled Josh's forehead to his own. "It's..." he swallowed and took a deep breath. "Me too." he whispered. Pulling away from Josh, he cleared hid throat and said more clearly, "love you too."

[josh_moore]

"Dude, I wasn't feeling sorry for you or guilty. Just sorry you're having to deal with all that on top of the relationship thing. It sucks that shit like this even has to be an issue," Josh said, squeezing Dylan's hand. "But it isn't us, you or me, that has to feel guilty cause we haven't done anything wrong."

Josh listened and smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. I might not go to church, but I know how important your faith is to you. I know it means a lot, so it's good there's places you can go that'll welcome you despite our relationship."

When he felt Dylan freeze, Josh realized what he'd said. He hadn't really meant to blurt it out like that. He'd said it before, telling Dylan he loved him, but not in this way, not in a romantic it means a hell of a lot kind of way. Fuck. He'd probably screwed up, moving so fast and saying it so easily. He could feel Dylan's fingers on the side of his face, and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when Dylan whispered.

"Yeah?" Josh sighed and closed his eyes. "So much, babe."

[dylan_rogers]

"Yeah. I don't know that I have any interest in running outnto church anytime soon, but the option is good." Dylan's relationship with god and church was complicated, and not something he was ready to revisit in a formal setting.

Dylan touched Josh's face again, trying to get home to open his eyes. "Yeah." He leaned in for another kiss, taking a moment to enjoy it.

Dylan vaguely heard someone whistle outside the car, but he couldn't be bothered to care. Pulling back, he pressed one final kiss to Josh's mouth and pulled back. "I suppose we should eat."