Call/RP: Well hey

[caleb_young]

Date: September 16, 2011
Characters: Caleb Young, Will Butler
Location: Caleb's place, wherever Will is
Status: Private
Summary: Caleb follows up.
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[caleb_young]

Caleb's mouth worked silently for a few seconds, unable to form a quick reply. "Uh," he said around a laugh. It wasn't easy to make him speechless, but Will had managed it. "Good to know. You better not be all talk, though. A man less secure than myself would already have a complex by now."

"You know, I'm not sure? I kinda inherited him with my house. Vet tells me he's more than likely a mutt, but I love him. We're a team these days, sharing this big old farmhouse." He looked around the room, proud that it was at least well furnished now. He'd been slowly working on things here and there, but when he'd moved in, he'd been sleeping on an air mattress for the longest time. " I'm busy a lot, but he's low maintenance. As long as I have time to sit outside with him most days, he's good. And I'm just teasing. Will rolls off the tongue better anyway."

He listened to Will explain about his kids and his ex. He didn't have much to offer on that score, had hopped around too much to get entangled in anything like that. It was almost foreign to him, for better or worse. "Sounds complicated," he admitted, "I kinda admire you for being able to juggle all that." He nodded and smiled a bit sheepishly, even though Will couldn't see it.

"Yeah, well. Would've called sooner, but I was busy watching porn. I do need to take a day off soon though, I reckon." He tinged his voice with suggestion. "Any ideas for leisure activities?"

[will_butler]

"If you were insecure, there's a good chance we wouldn't be talking anyway," Will said matter-of-factly. "I'm attracted to confidence and a man who's comfortable in his own skin. Besides, why play games? This is who I am, and, if you're interested, I'd rather it be in me than some role I've played in film or some act I've put up. That's just pointless."

He laughed. "Complicate's one word for it. Confusing might be another. I mean, Lilah's dated in the past, but the guys never hung around when they found out about the kids or about me being part of their lives. Of course, they lived with me back in LA, so it's not like I was being weirdly intrusive. I like the new guy, though. I think he'll probably stick around a while."

"See, darlin', you're lying to me. You said you'd only watched one so far. Couldn't be too busy with just one little ol' film," he teased, drawling like he was back home and hadn't left the trailer yet. "I can think of plenty activities I'd like to do with you, leisurely or not. Depends on where the boundaries going to fall as to what I might suggest, of course. If you're looking for a new friend, I'd say a basketball game, get some burgers after. If you're looking for something else, steaks at my place and maybe a little naked skin. Just a little. It'd be the first date, after all."

[caleb_young]

"Wasn't complaining," Caleb said, though he was impressed with everything he heard. It was refreshing. "Just took me kinda off-guard. Turns out I'm into people with a little confidence, myself, and I'm not a fan of games. Makes my head spin, and not in the good way."

Caleb snorted. "Well, I was trying to come up with a better word than confusing, but that one just about fits. It's good you're in a relationship with the guy, though, and with your ex, for that matter. Must make things a lot easier on the kids," he added, thinking of his conversation with Gabe yesterday. "Haven't been so good at that, myself."

His lips curved. "Would I lie to you?" Truthfully, he'd really only watched part of the one, but he was enjoying himself. "Can't say I haven't entertained a few scenarios myself. Since you're offering so generously and since I haven't cooked more than scrambled eggs in about seven years, why don't I go out to your place, try those steaks, and we can play the rest by ear?" He had no problem considering it a date either, though for the moment, he was still kinda feeling the man out. So to speak. And he could admit that he didn't quite want to relegate himself to the friend zone with this guy.

[will_butler]

"I'm friends with all my exes. Not the one night stands, but any of them that I liked well enough to have more than a night with," Will said. "I've never really been that big on games and being someone I'm not. If I'm not in the front of the camera, I'm pretty much a what you see is what you get kind of guy. Not that there isn't a little mystery, too, but nothing bad."

"Connor and Chloe are the most important thing. Lilah and I had already ended things and become friends by the time she found out about them. It just seemed natural to continue that friendship and be parents, even when we weren't sleeping together anymore. I think it's helped the kids, but I guess we won't really know until they're older."

Will smiled. "I don't know yet, but my gut tells me that you're not a liar, so I'll trust it this time." He nodded even though Caleb wasn't there to see him. "That sounds like a plan. I'd suggest steaks at my place next weekend, but I don't know your work schedule or when you're free. Would next weekend work?"

[caleb_young]

"I'm friends with one of my exes--best friends actually," Caleb said, thinking of Josh, who wasn't quite an ex, but he could never figure out the right words to use for that stuff, "but it's only ever worked the once." Excepting Audrey, he supposed, but they'd been friends before during and after they'd hooked up, and had settled out almost like it'd never happened, unlike with Josh, whom he'd caught real feelings for, for a while. "It was sorta complicated, on my end anyway. Not a huge fan of complicated."

He nodded. "Well, for what it's worth, I can't see how a kid could go wrong with parents as thoughtful as you two seem. Not all parents are, believe me."

"They say you should always go with your gut," he said easily, then frowned a bit as he thought about next weekend. He didn't have anything on the books beyond work, and he should really... No, damn it. He wasn't going in. "Know what, how about next Friday?"

[will_butler]

It sounded like there was a story there, especially with Caleb not being a fan of complicated. Will knew that not everyone was as open as he was about personal stuff, so he didn't ask any questions. Yet. Depending on where this thing went between them, if anywhere, he might end up wanting to know if Caleb did complicated now.

"Lilah and I are awesome parents, if I do say so myself. Connor and Chloe can't complain, but they did just become teenagers last month, so we'll see how the next few years go." Will wasn't looking forward to teen drama, so he hoped they'd be lucky enough to avoid that period. "And next Friday sounds perfect. We'll say seven? I'll text you directions to the ranch later. After I take a shower and get dressed."