Fic: You're one big sugar rush (I've always dreamt that I'd be your favorite) [4/14]
Title:‘You're one big sugar rush (I've always dreamt that I'd be your favorite)’ [4/14]
Author: jen_jm
Pairing: Gabe/William, Butcher/Sisky, Ryland/Vicky-T, Alex/Nate vs Alex/Tom, others minor pairings.
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word count: 80,000 total words
Warnings: Upper East Siders AU (it needed a name, didn’t it?), but this is NOT a Gossip Girl AU.
POV: third
Disclaimer: Completely not true. I doubt Gabe can actually write softwares, anyway. It’s all fiction.
Author’s Notes: title from Cash Cash’s ‘Sugar Rush’ and Cobra Starship’s ‘The scene is dead - Long live the scene’
As ever, feel free to report any mistake. Constructive criticism is welcome, feedback makes me happy!
Summary:“Can I offer you a coffee, then?” Gabe tried once again, not too hopeful, but to his surprise, the singer didn’t flip him off.
“Why?” William asked, genuinely curious about all that interest.
“Because,” Gabe just said, shrugging a little, but at the boy’s stubborn look, he gave in and smiled. “I like your voice.” - Gabe Saporta is a rich 26 years old computer nerd who lives in the Upper East Side. William Beckett is a broke 22 years old musician who works as a bartender and lives with his best friend in Brooklyn. When they meet in the subway where William is playing their worlds collide in more ways than one.
Crossposted
Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3
Chapter 4 - The one with the Pavlova cake
Alex reached the apartment door and rang the bell a few times before a very sleepy Gabe opened the door, cursing at him.
“Dude, it’s 1.30 pm,” Alex pointed out with a slightly disturbed frown.
“I have a big night planned, I have to be ready,” Gabe just said, heading for the kitchen with a loud yawn. “Shouldn’t you be at lunch with Nate?”
“I’m done with him,” Alex announced, sitting at the counter in front of his friend. He knew better than talking about relationships with his ex-boyfriend, but right in that moment Gabe was the only one he wanted to talk to.
“What?” Gabe turned around and stared at him like he’d grown two heads.
“I’m done with Nate,” Alex repeated with a slightly annoyed glare in his direction.
“Okay, I need to wake up, this dream was way better when you were still sane,” Gabe replied, reaching for fresh coffee Vicky had probably prepared for him before leaving.
“I’m not joking, I’m sick tired of running after someone who doesn’t even consider me worth a chance,” Alex spat, visibly upset about his own words.
“What are you talking about?” Gabe poured two cups of coffee, confused.
“I’m done,” Alex only said, taking a deep breath to calm down. “I’m gonna go out tonight and find someone who’s actually willing to stay in the same room as me.”
“You mean someone who will bend over for you,” Gabe corrected him and his skeptical tone earned him a glare.
“Anything it takes to forget him,” Alex admitted, then sipped from his coffee and closed his eyes.
“What did he do?” Gabe dared to ask, but Alex only shook his head. He knew that despite the appearance Alex was way more insecure than he looked and he wondered what Nate had done to force him to back off, this time.
A moment later Gabe’s cell phone rang and he quickly retrieved it from the coffee table. “It’s him,” he announced, but when Alex gave no answer, he flipped it open. “What?”
“Is Alex there?” Nate asked with a slightly urgent tone.
“Yes, drowning himself in coffee,” Gabe confirmed, keeping an eye on his friend.
“I fucked up big time, didn’t it?” Nate sighed into the phone and Gabe could almost see him pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Definitely,” Gabe admitted, trying to sound less worried. Alex turned to look at him and gestured him to get off the phone quickly.
“Should I come over?” Nate sounded almost hopeful, which made the other boy feel a little bad for him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Gabe replied with a sigh, then added, “I’m pretty sure he’ll call you once he wants to talk.”
“Okay,” Nate paused, taking a deep breath. “I’ll see you later.”
Gabe heard him hang up and did the same, a little disappointed. He walked back to the counter and looked at Alex in the eye, serious. “Are you sure about this?” When the boy nodded but didn’t say a word, Gabe squeezed his shoulder with a hand, trying to let him know he was there if he wanted to talk.
Alex addressed him a grateful look just as Gabe sat down in front of him again and started a small talk to distract him.
~~
Later that day
“Aren’t you a little overdressed?” Sisky asked as he flopped down on the couch, looking at his friend with a raised eyebrow. “Where is he taking you?”
“I have no idea, he said to dress up,” William replied with a sigh, then lowered his gaze to his clothes. He was wearing a pair of elegant black trousers, a pristine white shirt and a black jacket. “I feel like an idiot.”
“You look like you’re getting married,” Sisky corrected him, then snickered when his friend groaned. “Get out of those clothes, please. I’m begging you.”
“I need to look decent,” William objected with another annoyed sigh.
“Exactly my point,” Sisky retorted with a smirk, then hopped off the couch and went to retrieve something in William’s room. When he came back he had a pair of black jeans and a dark purple shirt in hand. “You usually wear these at Butcher’s exhibitions, they should do it.”
“Let’s try,” William conceded with an unconvinced look in the outfit’s direction, then quickly changed his clothes. Once he was done, he went to the bathroom mirror and adjusted the shirt, leaving the first two buttons undone. “Now I look like someone who deserves to live.”
“Drama queen,” Sisky yelled from the living room, then laughed. “You’re welcome, by the way,” he added as William walked back in the room, finding him on the couch again.
“I’d be lost without you,” William admitted as he leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Right in that moment the doorbell rang and Sisky immediately stood, gesturing William to get ready. “Don’t scare him off.”
“You like this guy, uh?” Sisky asked as he approached the door.
“He’s fun,” William said with a shrug, smirking. “And hot,” he added as he disappeared into his bedroom.
Sisky shook his head and opened the door, greeting Gabe with a smile. “You didn’t bring flowers,” he pointed out as the boy walked in.
“Mistake?” Gabe asked, then looked around briefly, slightly worried.
“Nope, he’s not really into that stuff,” Sisky reassured him, laughing a little. “Since I’m the well mannered in this household, can I offer you something?”
“No, thanks, I’m fine,” Gabe replied with a wide smile, then sat down on the couch. “Sisky, right?”
“Yep,” the boy confirmed with a nod, then added, “Sorry about yesterday morning, I don’t actually think you’re creepy.”
Gabe laughed at that, finally relaxing against the back of the couch. “I’m honestly touched,” he said, still amused by the other’s words. “So, have you known William for long?”
“We grew up together in Chicago,” Sisky replied with a smile and sat down as well. “We moved here five years ago, ran from home.”
“They never found you?” Gabe looked surprised to hear that, maybe a little saddened, which prompted the boy to smile again.
“They probably never even looked for us,” Sisky corrected him with a shrug, but he caught the shift in Gabe’s gaze. Before he could add anything else, though, William joined them and Sisky could feel him glare even without looking.
“Yeah, that sounds very Dickensian, doesn’t it?” William asked with a raised eyebrow. “Except that none of it is true,” he added in Gabe’s direction with a half apologetic, half annoyed smile, just as Sisky started laughing, gaining a slap on the back of the head.
“You sneaky bastard,” Gabe said as he laughed as well, standing from the couch.
“Let’s go,” William proposed, reaching for his jacket without actually putting it on. Gabe followed him to the door and waved dismissively at the still laughing Sisky as they stepped out.
“Here,” he said as he took the jacket from William’s hand and held it up for him to wear it. “You look amazing,” he added and placed a soft kiss on the boy’s jaw.
“And you can be a gentleman, after all,” William pointed out as he turned and circled Gabe’s neck with an arm. “Where are you taking me?” he asked, speaking directly on his lips.
“Uh-uh, surprise,” Gabe muttered, then placed a soft kiss on his mouth and broke the hug, smirking. William chuckled and followed him, hooking an arm around his as they walked downstairs.
~
“I thought you said Alex wasn’t coming,” Ryland said with a frown as they entered the pub. He noticed the guy working at the bar was William’s friend, like the other night, but there was someone else with him, and that someone was chatting with Alex from across the counter.
“I thought that too,” Vicky confirmed with a glance in Nate’s direction, but the boy was already heading for a table not far. “Want to go somewhere else?”
“No,” Nate replied as he shook his head, trying to look unconcerned. “He’s a grown up and if he wants to get laid, he has every right to.”
“Yeah, but you don’t have to sit here and watch it happen,” Vicky pointed out, addressing him an apologetic smile.
“It doesn’t really make any difference, right now,” Nate objected, sitting on one of the chairs, facing away from the bar. “He was right about me, I have no right to play victim here.”
“Things will be okay between you two,” Ryland reassured him with a smile. “He just needs to get this out of his system and he’ll be back after your ass as stubborn and annoying as ever.”
Nate chuckled at that, but didn’t say as he reached for the list of cocktails, taking a brief look, then added, “Can you get me a beer? I just need to go to the bathroom.”
“Sure,” Ryland said with a nod, smiling at him.
Vicky eyed the boy as he walked into the restroom door, then moved her gaze to where Alex was still talking to the blond guy, obviously flirting. When his friend looked in her direction she saw the surprise on his face, but it was quickly covered by a smile, as he gestured the other guy to the table. When he nodded, Alex walked in their direction and reached them quickly, then sat down in one of the unoccupied chairs.
“Hey, guys, I thought you’d be at Frank’s, tonight,” he said, and sipped from his beer.Frank’s was their usual bar, not far from the Upper East Side, but still very not uptight about gay guys being friendly with each other.
“We thoughtyou’d be there,” Vicky admitted with a frown, then saw the blond guy head their way.
“I just thought I’d come see Tom, he seemed fairly interested the other night,” Alex replied with a smirk, then turned when a few seconds later the blond boy reached them. “Vicky, Ryland, this is Tom, he owns the place with that guy over there, Mike,” he added with a nod in the other bartender’s direction.
“So you’re Alex’s friends, uh?” Tom addressed them a wide smile, resting his hip against Alex’s chair. “First round is on the house, then.”
“Thanks, you don’t have to,” Vicky immediately answered, trying to sound as polite as possible.
“I want to,” Tom insisted, gesturing a waitress to come to the table. When she reached them, she took her notepad and waited for their order.
“Fine, then, I’ll have a Mai-Tai,” Vicky told her, still smiling, then turned to look at her fiancée.
“I’ll have a beer and another one for my friend,” Ryland said, throwing Alex an eloquent glance.
“I thought Gabe was on a date,” Alex pointed out, looking slightly confused, while the waitress left to bring their orders to the bar.
“He is,” Nate confirmed as he arrived at the table, smiling in his friend’s direction. Alex’s gaze hardened for a moment, but it was gone almost immediately, replaced by a relaxed expression. “Mind to introduce me?”
“Tom, this is Nate,” Alex said without a real enthusiasm, then shrugged. “Introduced.”
“Thanks,” Nate muttered, then addressed him a sarcastic smile and Tom frowned a little, but before he could say anything, Mike called him.
“Sorry, break’s over,” Tom announced as he headed for his spot behind the counter.
“I’ll go keep him company, I’ll see you later, guys,” Alex said a few seconds later, not leaving Vicky the time to voice her protest.
The waitress came back with their drinks and didn’t accept the money from them, claiming it was on the house, as Tom had said. Even though Nate didn’t throw a single glance in Alex’s direction, he didn’t touch his beer, he just ordered another one.
~
“This place looks ridiculously expensive,” William pointed out with a brief laughter as soon as the car stopped in front of a five star restaurant in Manhattan.
“Probably because it is,” Gabe replied, flinching a little. “Too much?”
“C’mon, seriously, where are you taking me?” William asked with a wholehearted laughter.
Gabe hesitated a few seconds, uncertain, then looked at him. “Actually, I do have a reservation here,” he confessed with a little smile.
“At the Seastar?” William’s eyes widened a little at that and for a moment Gabe smirked at his surprise. “It takes weeks to get a reservation, not to mention it’s disgustingly expensive.” When Gabe’s expression turned into an apologetic smile, he added, “You didn’t need to bring me here, I’m a cheap date.”
“I guess I was trying to impress you,” Gabe confessed with a sigh. “And now that I say it out loud, it sounds really stupid.”
“It does,” William glared at him for a brief moment, then chuckled and shook his head. “I appreciate the honestly, though.”
“Want to go somewhere else?” Gabe asked as the car parking guy eyed their car, waiting patiently for them to get out.
“No,” William fixed his shirt and looked at the place, not entirely convinced. “But I can’t assure you I can make it to dessert.”
Gabe laughed a little at that, but got out of the car anyway, then reached his side intentioned to open his door, but William was already out. With another smirk he gave the key to the valet and headed inside, offering William his arm.
“This is crazy,” the younger boy muttered, looking around at the finely decorated hall.
“Welcome back, Mr. Saporta,” the maître d’, Francis, greeted him with a wide smile, also addressed to William. “Anthony will show you your table for tonight,” he added as a blond waiter reached them and gestured them to follow him.
A couple of minutes later they were sitting in one of the best tables, next to a big aquarium filled with tropical fishes. Around them the tables were occupied by middle aged couples with a clear love for expensive clothes and jewelry, which made William feel a little underdressed.
“I definitely won’t make it to dessert,” William informed as he looked around, trying not to look too uncomfortable.
“Want to go somewhere else, now?” Gabe proposed with a warm smile, genuinely convinced the boy wasn’t meant to be in such a place. Which was a very good thing in his book, snobs were his worst nightmare.
“Would it be a problem?” William looked almost shy as he asked, which was something entirely new to Gabe, so it took him a few seconds to actually come up with an answer that wouldn’t force the boy back into his defensive, sarcastic attitude.
“Not for me,” Gabe replied with a nod, then took one of the menus and handed it to William. “But we could have dessert first,” he paused and saw the boy was definitely interested in the idea, but not completely convinced. “Or we could get it to go.”
“Deal,” William agreed quickly, then took a look at the list of desserts, smiling. After a few seconds, he looked up and announced, “I’ll go with the Pavlova, you?”
“Same,” Gabe decided, smiling widely at him as he gestured Anthony they were ready to order. “I’m trusting you here, I’ve never tried it.”
“Seriously? You haven’t lived if you haven’t tried this cake,” William declared, disappointed, then shook his head in a mocking way.
“May I take your order, sir?” Anthony asked with a polite tone and William became silent once again.
“We’ll just skip to dessert, thanks,” Gabe told him, then showed a highly amused smile at his surprise. “Two slices of Pavlova, to go, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Sure, sir,” Anthony replied with a confused frown, then headed for the kitchen.
“We broke about seven thousand etiquette rules with this,” William remarked, looking around with a mischievous grin. “Is it a bad thing if I find this so entertaining?”
“Nope,” Gabe said as he leaned closer, meeting the boy’s gaze. “It just makes me regret I haven’t met you sooner.”
William’s smile widened at those words and Gabe told himself to be careful not to say anything stupid, now that the boy was starting to let his guard down, showing more of himself without the attitude. A few minutes later Anthony came back with their desserts and Gabe paid for them, then lead William out of the room, never once looking back at the couples that were watching them, surprised.
“So, where d’you wanna eat this?” Gabe asked as they got in the car and he started driving away.
“D’you have a policy against sitting on the hood of the car?” William shrugged at the frown Gabe addressed him as he shook his head ‘no’. “Good, because some guys are kind of way too attached to their cars, it’s freaky.”
“No problem with me, it’s Vicky’s car, anyway,” Gabe replied as he turned left in a trafficked street. “I don’t have one, I like taking the subway.”
“Really?” William arched an eyebrow at him, skeptical and amused at the same time.
“Hey, we met there, remember?” Gabe laughed out loud, trying to pinch him on the arm.
“How could I forget? It was three days ago,” William replied, relaxing against the seat, while his hands kept their desserts balanced on his legs.
~
“Guess what,” Tom said as he rested both his elbows on the counter, right in front of Alex.
“Your shift is over?” Alex tried, sounding maybe a little too hopeful to his own ears. Tom, though, didn’t seem to mind and just nodded. “Wanna go somewhere?”
“My place?” Tom proposed, and tilted his head to the side, trying to read his reaction.
“Well, you surely don’t waste any time,” Alex remarked with a smirk, returning his glance. “And yes, your place is perfect.”
“I’ll be back in a minute,” Tom announced as he walked away, probably going to change his clothes.
Alex nodded even though the boy was already gone, then turned to glance at his friends. He decided not to go warn them, mostly because he didn’t want to throw the whole Tom thing in Nate’s face once again, he wasn’t that much of a bastard. He texted Ryland he was leaving and before he even received a reply, Tom was back and they were heading out.
Ryland read the message and turned to glance at the door in time to see them leave, but he said nothing. When he looked back and saw Nate finish his second beer - he’d refused to drink the first one - in one long sip, he realized he didn’t need to.
“You should tell him how you feel,” Vicky suggested with a careful tone, looking at her friend. “I mean, okay, maybe you messed up, but he’ll listen to you.”
“You know Alex, he’s a stubborn idiot,” Nate objected and shook his head. “He won’t listen.”
“Look, you can try,” Vicky insisted, addressing him a little smile. “It’s not like it can go any worse, right?” she paused and saw him nod in acknowledgement, then added, “And if it doesn’t work out with him, you’ll meet someone else.”
“Right,” Nate muttered, then pushed the empty bottle away and took a deep breath, trying to push the bad feelings away. “I need another beer.”
Ryland chuckled and stopped the waitress once again, gaining a grateful smile from his friend.
~
“I never thought I’d say it, but this might be the perfect date,” William declared as they finished eating their cakes, sitting on the warm hood of the SUV. They were in parked in front of a diner, not exactly romantic, but still they had enough light and Gabe had gone inside to get them two sodas. “I mean, desserts for dinner? Genius.”
Gabe laughed a little at that, then looked at him and used his thumb to wipe a trace of cream from William’s cheek and some sugar from the tip of his nose. “You’re a mess,” he said with a wide smile.
“I know how to enjoy cake,” William replied, then turned his head and kissed him; without Gabe noticing, he dug his finger in the remaining of his cake, then deliberately dragged it across the boy’s cheek. “You should learn too.”
“I’m pretty sure I will,” Gabe reassured him, laughing out loud, but when he brought his hand up to clean himself, William stopped him and used his lips to catch most of the cream. Once there were just traces left, he used the towel, leaving him clean.
“Couldn’t let you waste it,” William explained with a sly smirk, them resumed eating.
“This makes me wonder what you’d be able to do in bed with a can of whipped cream,” Gabe pointed out, still amused about the whole thing.
“I’ll be more than happy to show you,” William promised with a natural tone as he finished his cake, then looked up at him. “But please, don’t sing Cash Cash to me in bed again, not until you’re dressed.”
“Promise,” Gabe said as he laughed again and looked down at his cake, realizing he’d eaten only half of it. “You can have mine too, if you want,” he offered with a nod, then quickly added, “I mean, if you’re not grossed out.”
“Dude, I’ve had sex with you, I have no problem with your cake,” William replied with an highly confused smile. “Are you sure you don’t want it anymore?”
“Not used to this much sugar, yet,” Gabe admitted as he handed William his cake, then lay down on the hood, resting his head on the windshield. “Are you sure you haven’t had too much?”
“It’s Pavlova, there’s no such thing as too much,” the boy corrected him, shifting a little so he could look at him. “Wanna go get something not sugary to eat?”
“Nah, I’m fine,” Gabe replied, then just watched him devour the remaining of the cake, a bit confused. “How can you eat all that sugar and be so thin at the same time?”
“It’s called metabolism,” William said with a shrug, not really giving it much thought. “My parents never let me eat candies as a kid, so I guess I’m trying to compensate.”
“And about that, what’s your story?” Gabe asked, taking advantage of the fact William had mentioned his parents. “None of what Sisky said was true?”
“Well, we did grow up in Chicago, but both our families moved here four years ago, right after high school,” the boy explained and Gabe was relieved he wasn’t bothered by the question. “We moved in our own apartment a couple of months later,” he paused, mouthing a big piece of cake, then asked, “What about you?”
“Uneventful childhood, good family, went to college and now I’m a nerd who chooses inappropriate restaurants for his dates,” Gabe answered, still looking at him.
“You’re less boring than that,” William declared, finishing the dessert. “And you didn’t mention the fact that you’re from the upper class,” he added as he lay down as well, facing him.
“I’m not,” Gabe corrected him, smiling. “My grandparents emigrated from Uruguay, my parents used to work in a diner like this in New Jersey,” he paused, catching the surprise and confusion in the boy’s gaze. “I made the money with my job, that’s why I don’t like that snob world.” He leaned closer and smiled widely, the added, “And I’m glad you don’t like it either.”
“See, you’re not boring at all,” William remarked, then closed the distance between them and kissed him for a few seconds, feeling him smile against his mouth. When he leaned back again, he threw a glance around and spotted a trash can not far, then hopped down the hood and threw the empty boxes away. “What now?”
“Well, we could have a drink at your friend’s pub,” Gabe proposed as he sat up, shrugging.
“Yeah, sounds good to me,” William agreed with a nod and a smile as they both got back in the car.
~
“Hey, look who’s there,” Nate suddenly said, gesturing towards the door with a surprised smirk. Vicky and Ryland looked in that direction just as Gabe saw them, then spotted William enter right beside him and frowned a little. Before they could wave at him, they saw him say something to William, then they both headed their way.
“Guys, I didn’t think to find you here,” Gabe greeted them with a warning glance in Vicky’s direction. “This is William, William these are Nate, Ryland and Vicky,” he added as they exchanged handshakes.
“The infamous Vicky,” William said as he kissed the back of her hand, playful, which prompted her to smile widely.
“Why am I not surprised she’s the one he already heard about?” Ryland rolled his eyes, but his lips curved up anyway.
“Be right back, I’ll go find another chair,” Gabe said as he realized there was only one empty seat and all the tables around them were full.
“No need,” William said and gestured him to sit down. When Gabe did, not without some confusion, William sat in his lap, gaining a surprised laughter from him. “Too heavy?”
“You’re kidding, right? You’re a feather,” Gabe answered as Nate called the waitress so they could order.
“Good answer,” William approved with a satisfied nod and let him circle his waist with an arm, relaxing a little.
“Shouldn’t you two be on a date?” Ryland asked as soon as they finished ordering.
“We are,” William confirmed, resting his hand on Gabe’s arm. “We just had the best dinner I’ve had in a long while.”
“You went to the Seastar, right?” Vicky sipped at her drink as she waited for an answer, but the smirk on the boys faces confused him. “What?”
“Well, actually we didn’t exactly eat there,” Gabe confessed, finding the thing oddly amusing for some reason. “We only got dessert to go.”
Vicky laughed at that, while both Ryland and Nate just frowned, surprised. Their drinks arrived and William stopped Gabe as he was reaching for his wallet.
“Drinks are on me,” he explained and patted Gabe’s leg. “Tell Mike to put them in my name, please,” he told the waitress, smiling.
“Sure thing, Bill,” she replied and walked to another table.
“You know the owner?” Nate asked, suddenly curious about that familiarity.
“Mike? Yeah, we’re long time friends,” William confirmed as he reached for his glass. “You met him?”
“Not really,” Ryland admitted, then glanced at Nate and added, “What about the other owner?”
“You met Tom,” William stated, not too thrilled about that. “I’ve known him for a while too, but we don’t really talk to each other anymore, why?”
Ryland just shrugged, trying to play the ‘just curious’ card, but Nate took a long sip from his fresh beer and said, “Our friend just left with him.”
William’s expression hardened a little and he tensed, much to Gabe’s confusion, then he shook his head and drank from his glass. Catching his clear discomfort, Gabe changed the subject, telling his friends about Sisky’s prank and feeling the boy relax a little.
~
“What time is Bill coming home?” Butcher asked as he flopped down on the couch next to Sisky.
“I’m pretty positive he won’t be home until morning,” the other boy answered, keeping his eyes on the TV screen.
“Is he gonna sleep with that guy every time they go out?”
“You saw him, he’s hot,” Sisky said with a shrug, but finally looked at him. “And I’m not sure Bill is looking for something other than sex, right now.”
“This isn’t gonna end well.” Butcher sighed and circled his boyfriend’s shoulders with an arm. “What if things don’t go as he planned them? What if he really likes this guy?”
“I don’t know, maybe he’s ready for another relationship,” Sisky suggested, but he didn’t sound convincing at all. “Gabe looks like a good guy, the kind of good guy Bill could use in his life.”
“You told him that runaway story, didn’t you?” Butcher rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help laughing at the sly smirk on the boy’s lips.
“I tried, but Bill heard me and ruined it.”
“You’re so bad,” Butcher commented with another loud laughter, pulling him closer. “Was he buying it?”
“Totally,” Sisky snickered and turned his head towards the TV. “I’ll have to come up with something else, now.”
“What about you leave the poor guy alone?” Butcher suggested with a chuckle, unbelieving. “He already has a handful of William to deal with, and I mean that literally.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Sisky admitted and turned to face him, disappointed. “How am I gonna have fun, then?”
“You could come to LA with me,” Butcher proposed, smiling widely at the shock on his boyfriend’s face. “I’ve been requested to present my best five works for an exhibition.”
“When?” Sisky rose to his knees, excited and still taken aback.
“I got the call this morning, I accepted,” the painter explained as he tugged him closer with a finger hooked in his left pocket. “And now I’m asking you to come with me, it’s just a week.”
“Of course I’m coming with you,” Sisky immediately said, climbing in his lap. “It’s amazing news!” he added and as soon as he got a positive nod from his boyfriend, he kissed him, not giving him a chance to say anything else. “When are we leaving?” he asked when he finally pulled back, a little breathless.
“Two days?” Butcher flinched a little as he said it, but much to his surprise, Sisky just nodded, thoughtful. “They didn’t give me much notice.”
“It doesn’t matter, we can make it,” the boy answered, then reached for the remote and turned off the TV. “But first we need to celebrate, right?”
“Why that doesn’t surprise me?” Butcher laughed a little, but pulled him closer anyway.
“Are you complaining?” Sisky glared at him, trying to get free from his grip, but all the answer he got was another eager kiss from his boyfriend. And it was really enough for him.
~
“I like your friends,” William declared as they got into the car. They’d left the bar not long after finishing their drinks, gaining a knowing smirk from Vicky.
“I like Sisky too, when he doesn’t try to have me buy some heartwrenching, made up story,” Gabe replied as he started driving down the street.
“Never mind that, he has fun in weird ways all the time,” William reassured him with a brief laughter, then turned to glance at him. “What’s next on your plan?”
“I gave up my plan when we ordered dinner,” Gabe admitted, glancing at him for a moment with a smirk. “I was actually thinking that we could go at my place.”
“I like that.” William nodded and relaxed against the seat. “Besides, I’m curious to see where you live.”
“Why’s that?” Gabe asked with a slightly worried tone, which amused the boy even more.
“Well, you’re obviously rich, but you don’t like the upper class,” William started, keeping count on his fingers. “You like expensive food, but not the expensive restaurant; you like taking the subway, but you took me out on a date with your best friend’s SUV,” he paused, glancing at him with a little smile. “Either you’re a hypocrite or a very complicated guy.”
“And my house will tell you which one?” Gabe laughed a little, throwing him a quick glance.
“Definitely,” William declared with a determined nod.
Gabe just shook his head and kept driving in silence, obviously thinking about the boy’s words. It took him a couple of minutes before he spoke again; he stopped at a red light and turned to look at William.
“I don’t think I’m a hypocrite,” Gabe announced, then pursed his lips for a few seconds. “Just because I’m not a snob, it doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the good, innocuous sides of this world.”
William thought about it for a few seconds and, as the car resumed moving, he said, “Makes sense to me, but I still want to see your house. It’s only fair.”
“It’s in the Upper East Side,” Gabe informed with a wide grin, then laughed when he saw William roll his eyes.
They arrived at Gabe’s building ten minutes later and once they parked and walked in - welcomed by the night doorman -, they went straight for the elevator. Gabe noticed the boy was barely holding back a laughter and frowned, curious.
“What?”
“You don’t bring many people home, do you?” William tried to repress a wide smirk and failed, so he bit on his lower lip. At Gabe’s suspicious look he added, “The doorman, he looked rather surprised.”
“He’s new,” Gabe replied as he narrowed his eyes and pushed William against the wall, just as the doors closed. “What? You think I’m that bad at picking up guys?” he asked against the boy’s lips.
“Nah, you’re alright,” William said, then closed the distance between them, smiling in the kiss. When the doors reopened, he pulled back and glanced at the deserted hallway. “Top storey?”
“What’s wrong with that?” Gabe took the boy’s hand in his own and headed for the apartment door, fishing out his keys from his pocket.
“I thought you were acrophobic,” William pointed out as they walked in.
“Well,” Gabe started as he turned on the lights and locked the door after William. “My house doesn’t move at 35 miles per hour at 200 feet from the ground,” he added as he lead his guest into the big open space kitchen and living room. “I guess that’s why it doesn’t bother me.”
“Good point,” William admitted with a brief laughter, then he walked to the window, fascinated. “The view is amazing.”
Gabe reached him and circled his waist with an arm, looking at him. “It is,” he admitted, not moving his eyes from William. The boy noticed that and turned to look at him; Gabe saw the surprise in his gaze at the compliment and cleared his throat. “Want something to drink?”
“No,” William said and faced him with his body as well, pressing closer as a smile grew on his lips. He circled Gabe’s neck with both arms, then suddenly jumped up, bringing his legs around the boy’s waist. He laughed and supported William with both his arms, looking up at him.
“What d’you want, then?” Gabe asked as he walked them away from the windows.
“I want you to kiss me,” William whispered as he leaned down to brush his mouth against Gabe’s. “And I want you to fuck me,” he added, then bit on the boy’s lower lip.
“I think we can arrange that,” Gabe muttered back as he headed for the bedroom, not bothering to turn off the lights in the living room.
~~
A/N: oh, right, did I mention that Tom isn’t good news in William’s book? I guess I’m saying it now. *grins* And I know how absurd the idea of Mike Carden and Tom Conrad owning a pub together is, but hey, it’s a fanfiction, I’ve made up worse things.
I also know that I didn’t give you much of Tom here, but he’ll definitely have more space from next chapter, I just needed to introduce him here. Next chapter will also feature a brief appearance from some guys you might know, but I’m telling you now, they won’t stick around.
It’s all for now, let me know what you think. And remember, if you want the soundtrack, just tell me in the comment and I’ll provide it.
JM
Author: jen_jm
Pairing: Gabe/William, Butcher/Sisky, Ryland/Vicky-T, Alex/Nate vs Alex/Tom, others minor pairings.
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word count: 80,000 total words
Warnings: Upper East Siders AU (it needed a name, didn’t it?), but this is NOT a Gossip Girl AU.
POV: third
Disclaimer: Completely not true. I doubt Gabe can actually write softwares, anyway. It’s all fiction.
Author’s Notes: title from Cash Cash’s ‘Sugar Rush’ and Cobra Starship’s ‘The scene is dead - Long live the scene’
As ever, feel free to report any mistake. Constructive criticism is welcome, feedback makes me happy!
Summary:“Can I offer you a coffee, then?” Gabe tried once again, not too hopeful, but to his surprise, the singer didn’t flip him off.
“Why?” William asked, genuinely curious about all that interest.
“Because,” Gabe just said, shrugging a little, but at the boy’s stubborn look, he gave in and smiled. “I like your voice.” - Gabe Saporta is a rich 26 years old computer nerd who lives in the Upper East Side. William Beckett is a broke 22 years old musician who works as a bartender and lives with his best friend in Brooklyn. When they meet in the subway where William is playing their worlds collide in more ways than one.
Crossposted
Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3
Chapter 4 - The one with the Pavlova cake
Alex reached the apartment door and rang the bell a few times before a very sleepy Gabe opened the door, cursing at him.
“Dude, it’s 1.30 pm,” Alex pointed out with a slightly disturbed frown.
“I have a big night planned, I have to be ready,” Gabe just said, heading for the kitchen with a loud yawn. “Shouldn’t you be at lunch with Nate?”
“I’m done with him,” Alex announced, sitting at the counter in front of his friend. He knew better than talking about relationships with his ex-boyfriend, but right in that moment Gabe was the only one he wanted to talk to.
“What?” Gabe turned around and stared at him like he’d grown two heads.
“I’m done with Nate,” Alex repeated with a slightly annoyed glare in his direction.
“Okay, I need to wake up, this dream was way better when you were still sane,” Gabe replied, reaching for fresh coffee Vicky had probably prepared for him before leaving.
“I’m not joking, I’m sick tired of running after someone who doesn’t even consider me worth a chance,” Alex spat, visibly upset about his own words.
“What are you talking about?” Gabe poured two cups of coffee, confused.
“I’m done,” Alex only said, taking a deep breath to calm down. “I’m gonna go out tonight and find someone who’s actually willing to stay in the same room as me.”
“You mean someone who will bend over for you,” Gabe corrected him and his skeptical tone earned him a glare.
“Anything it takes to forget him,” Alex admitted, then sipped from his coffee and closed his eyes.
“What did he do?” Gabe dared to ask, but Alex only shook his head. He knew that despite the appearance Alex was way more insecure than he looked and he wondered what Nate had done to force him to back off, this time.
A moment later Gabe’s cell phone rang and he quickly retrieved it from the coffee table. “It’s him,” he announced, but when Alex gave no answer, he flipped it open. “What?”
“Is Alex there?” Nate asked with a slightly urgent tone.
“Yes, drowning himself in coffee,” Gabe confirmed, keeping an eye on his friend.
“I fucked up big time, didn’t it?” Nate sighed into the phone and Gabe could almost see him pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Definitely,” Gabe admitted, trying to sound less worried. Alex turned to look at him and gestured him to get off the phone quickly.
“Should I come over?” Nate sounded almost hopeful, which made the other boy feel a little bad for him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Gabe replied with a sigh, then added, “I’m pretty sure he’ll call you once he wants to talk.”
“Okay,” Nate paused, taking a deep breath. “I’ll see you later.”
Gabe heard him hang up and did the same, a little disappointed. He walked back to the counter and looked at Alex in the eye, serious. “Are you sure about this?” When the boy nodded but didn’t say a word, Gabe squeezed his shoulder with a hand, trying to let him know he was there if he wanted to talk.
Alex addressed him a grateful look just as Gabe sat down in front of him again and started a small talk to distract him.
~~
Later that day
“Aren’t you a little overdressed?” Sisky asked as he flopped down on the couch, looking at his friend with a raised eyebrow. “Where is he taking you?”
“I have no idea, he said to dress up,” William replied with a sigh, then lowered his gaze to his clothes. He was wearing a pair of elegant black trousers, a pristine white shirt and a black jacket. “I feel like an idiot.”
“You look like you’re getting married,” Sisky corrected him, then snickered when his friend groaned. “Get out of those clothes, please. I’m begging you.”
“I need to look decent,” William objected with another annoyed sigh.
“Exactly my point,” Sisky retorted with a smirk, then hopped off the couch and went to retrieve something in William’s room. When he came back he had a pair of black jeans and a dark purple shirt in hand. “You usually wear these at Butcher’s exhibitions, they should do it.”
“Let’s try,” William conceded with an unconvinced look in the outfit’s direction, then quickly changed his clothes. Once he was done, he went to the bathroom mirror and adjusted the shirt, leaving the first two buttons undone. “Now I look like someone who deserves to live.”
“Drama queen,” Sisky yelled from the living room, then laughed. “You’re welcome, by the way,” he added as William walked back in the room, finding him on the couch again.
“I’d be lost without you,” William admitted as he leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Right in that moment the doorbell rang and Sisky immediately stood, gesturing William to get ready. “Don’t scare him off.”
“You like this guy, uh?” Sisky asked as he approached the door.
“He’s fun,” William said with a shrug, smirking. “And hot,” he added as he disappeared into his bedroom.
Sisky shook his head and opened the door, greeting Gabe with a smile. “You didn’t bring flowers,” he pointed out as the boy walked in.
“Mistake?” Gabe asked, then looked around briefly, slightly worried.
“Nope, he’s not really into that stuff,” Sisky reassured him, laughing a little. “Since I’m the well mannered in this household, can I offer you something?”
“No, thanks, I’m fine,” Gabe replied with a wide smile, then sat down on the couch. “Sisky, right?”
“Yep,” the boy confirmed with a nod, then added, “Sorry about yesterday morning, I don’t actually think you’re creepy.”
Gabe laughed at that, finally relaxing against the back of the couch. “I’m honestly touched,” he said, still amused by the other’s words. “So, have you known William for long?”
“We grew up together in Chicago,” Sisky replied with a smile and sat down as well. “We moved here five years ago, ran from home.”
“They never found you?” Gabe looked surprised to hear that, maybe a little saddened, which prompted the boy to smile again.
“They probably never even looked for us,” Sisky corrected him with a shrug, but he caught the shift in Gabe’s gaze. Before he could add anything else, though, William joined them and Sisky could feel him glare even without looking.
“Yeah, that sounds very Dickensian, doesn’t it?” William asked with a raised eyebrow. “Except that none of it is true,” he added in Gabe’s direction with a half apologetic, half annoyed smile, just as Sisky started laughing, gaining a slap on the back of the head.
“You sneaky bastard,” Gabe said as he laughed as well, standing from the couch.
“Let’s go,” William proposed, reaching for his jacket without actually putting it on. Gabe followed him to the door and waved dismissively at the still laughing Sisky as they stepped out.
“Here,” he said as he took the jacket from William’s hand and held it up for him to wear it. “You look amazing,” he added and placed a soft kiss on the boy’s jaw.
“And you can be a gentleman, after all,” William pointed out as he turned and circled Gabe’s neck with an arm. “Where are you taking me?” he asked, speaking directly on his lips.
“Uh-uh, surprise,” Gabe muttered, then placed a soft kiss on his mouth and broke the hug, smirking. William chuckled and followed him, hooking an arm around his as they walked downstairs.
~
“I thought you said Alex wasn’t coming,” Ryland said with a frown as they entered the pub. He noticed the guy working at the bar was William’s friend, like the other night, but there was someone else with him, and that someone was chatting with Alex from across the counter.
“I thought that too,” Vicky confirmed with a glance in Nate’s direction, but the boy was already heading for a table not far. “Want to go somewhere else?”
“No,” Nate replied as he shook his head, trying to look unconcerned. “He’s a grown up and if he wants to get laid, he has every right to.”
“Yeah, but you don’t have to sit here and watch it happen,” Vicky pointed out, addressing him an apologetic smile.
“It doesn’t really make any difference, right now,” Nate objected, sitting on one of the chairs, facing away from the bar. “He was right about me, I have no right to play victim here.”
“Things will be okay between you two,” Ryland reassured him with a smile. “He just needs to get this out of his system and he’ll be back after your ass as stubborn and annoying as ever.”
Nate chuckled at that, but didn’t say as he reached for the list of cocktails, taking a brief look, then added, “Can you get me a beer? I just need to go to the bathroom.”
“Sure,” Ryland said with a nod, smiling at him.
Vicky eyed the boy as he walked into the restroom door, then moved her gaze to where Alex was still talking to the blond guy, obviously flirting. When his friend looked in her direction she saw the surprise on his face, but it was quickly covered by a smile, as he gestured the other guy to the table. When he nodded, Alex walked in their direction and reached them quickly, then sat down in one of the unoccupied chairs.
“Hey, guys, I thought you’d be at Frank’s, tonight,” he said, and sipped from his beer.Frank’s was their usual bar, not far from the Upper East Side, but still very not uptight about gay guys being friendly with each other.
“We thoughtyou’d be there,” Vicky admitted with a frown, then saw the blond guy head their way.
“I just thought I’d come see Tom, he seemed fairly interested the other night,” Alex replied with a smirk, then turned when a few seconds later the blond boy reached them. “Vicky, Ryland, this is Tom, he owns the place with that guy over there, Mike,” he added with a nod in the other bartender’s direction.
“So you’re Alex’s friends, uh?” Tom addressed them a wide smile, resting his hip against Alex’s chair. “First round is on the house, then.”
“Thanks, you don’t have to,” Vicky immediately answered, trying to sound as polite as possible.
“I want to,” Tom insisted, gesturing a waitress to come to the table. When she reached them, she took her notepad and waited for their order.
“Fine, then, I’ll have a Mai-Tai,” Vicky told her, still smiling, then turned to look at her fiancée.
“I’ll have a beer and another one for my friend,” Ryland said, throwing Alex an eloquent glance.
“I thought Gabe was on a date,” Alex pointed out, looking slightly confused, while the waitress left to bring their orders to the bar.
“He is,” Nate confirmed as he arrived at the table, smiling in his friend’s direction. Alex’s gaze hardened for a moment, but it was gone almost immediately, replaced by a relaxed expression. “Mind to introduce me?”
“Tom, this is Nate,” Alex said without a real enthusiasm, then shrugged. “Introduced.”
“Thanks,” Nate muttered, then addressed him a sarcastic smile and Tom frowned a little, but before he could say anything, Mike called him.
“Sorry, break’s over,” Tom announced as he headed for his spot behind the counter.
“I’ll go keep him company, I’ll see you later, guys,” Alex said a few seconds later, not leaving Vicky the time to voice her protest.
The waitress came back with their drinks and didn’t accept the money from them, claiming it was on the house, as Tom had said. Even though Nate didn’t throw a single glance in Alex’s direction, he didn’t touch his beer, he just ordered another one.
~
“This place looks ridiculously expensive,” William pointed out with a brief laughter as soon as the car stopped in front of a five star restaurant in Manhattan.
“Probably because it is,” Gabe replied, flinching a little. “Too much?”
“C’mon, seriously, where are you taking me?” William asked with a wholehearted laughter.
Gabe hesitated a few seconds, uncertain, then looked at him. “Actually, I do have a reservation here,” he confessed with a little smile.
“At the Seastar?” William’s eyes widened a little at that and for a moment Gabe smirked at his surprise. “It takes weeks to get a reservation, not to mention it’s disgustingly expensive.” When Gabe’s expression turned into an apologetic smile, he added, “You didn’t need to bring me here, I’m a cheap date.”
“I guess I was trying to impress you,” Gabe confessed with a sigh. “And now that I say it out loud, it sounds really stupid.”
“It does,” William glared at him for a brief moment, then chuckled and shook his head. “I appreciate the honestly, though.”
“Want to go somewhere else?” Gabe asked as the car parking guy eyed their car, waiting patiently for them to get out.
“No,” William fixed his shirt and looked at the place, not entirely convinced. “But I can’t assure you I can make it to dessert.”
Gabe laughed a little at that, but got out of the car anyway, then reached his side intentioned to open his door, but William was already out. With another smirk he gave the key to the valet and headed inside, offering William his arm.
“This is crazy,” the younger boy muttered, looking around at the finely decorated hall.
“Welcome back, Mr. Saporta,” the maître d’, Francis, greeted him with a wide smile, also addressed to William. “Anthony will show you your table for tonight,” he added as a blond waiter reached them and gestured them to follow him.
A couple of minutes later they were sitting in one of the best tables, next to a big aquarium filled with tropical fishes. Around them the tables were occupied by middle aged couples with a clear love for expensive clothes and jewelry, which made William feel a little underdressed.
“I definitely won’t make it to dessert,” William informed as he looked around, trying not to look too uncomfortable.
“Want to go somewhere else, now?” Gabe proposed with a warm smile, genuinely convinced the boy wasn’t meant to be in such a place. Which was a very good thing in his book, snobs were his worst nightmare.
“Would it be a problem?” William looked almost shy as he asked, which was something entirely new to Gabe, so it took him a few seconds to actually come up with an answer that wouldn’t force the boy back into his defensive, sarcastic attitude.
“Not for me,” Gabe replied with a nod, then took one of the menus and handed it to William. “But we could have dessert first,” he paused and saw the boy was definitely interested in the idea, but not completely convinced. “Or we could get it to go.”
“Deal,” William agreed quickly, then took a look at the list of desserts, smiling. After a few seconds, he looked up and announced, “I’ll go with the Pavlova, you?”
“Same,” Gabe decided, smiling widely at him as he gestured Anthony they were ready to order. “I’m trusting you here, I’ve never tried it.”
“Seriously? You haven’t lived if you haven’t tried this cake,” William declared, disappointed, then shook his head in a mocking way.
“May I take your order, sir?” Anthony asked with a polite tone and William became silent once again.
“We’ll just skip to dessert, thanks,” Gabe told him, then showed a highly amused smile at his surprise. “Two slices of Pavlova, to go, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Sure, sir,” Anthony replied with a confused frown, then headed for the kitchen.
“We broke about seven thousand etiquette rules with this,” William remarked, looking around with a mischievous grin. “Is it a bad thing if I find this so entertaining?”
“Nope,” Gabe said as he leaned closer, meeting the boy’s gaze. “It just makes me regret I haven’t met you sooner.”
William’s smile widened at those words and Gabe told himself to be careful not to say anything stupid, now that the boy was starting to let his guard down, showing more of himself without the attitude. A few minutes later Anthony came back with their desserts and Gabe paid for them, then lead William out of the room, never once looking back at the couples that were watching them, surprised.
“So, where d’you wanna eat this?” Gabe asked as they got in the car and he started driving away.
“D’you have a policy against sitting on the hood of the car?” William shrugged at the frown Gabe addressed him as he shook his head ‘no’. “Good, because some guys are kind of way too attached to their cars, it’s freaky.”
“No problem with me, it’s Vicky’s car, anyway,” Gabe replied as he turned left in a trafficked street. “I don’t have one, I like taking the subway.”
“Really?” William arched an eyebrow at him, skeptical and amused at the same time.
“Hey, we met there, remember?” Gabe laughed out loud, trying to pinch him on the arm.
“How could I forget? It was three days ago,” William replied, relaxing against the seat, while his hands kept their desserts balanced on his legs.
~
“Guess what,” Tom said as he rested both his elbows on the counter, right in front of Alex.
“Your shift is over?” Alex tried, sounding maybe a little too hopeful to his own ears. Tom, though, didn’t seem to mind and just nodded. “Wanna go somewhere?”
“My place?” Tom proposed, and tilted his head to the side, trying to read his reaction.
“Well, you surely don’t waste any time,” Alex remarked with a smirk, returning his glance. “And yes, your place is perfect.”
“I’ll be back in a minute,” Tom announced as he walked away, probably going to change his clothes.
Alex nodded even though the boy was already gone, then turned to glance at his friends. He decided not to go warn them, mostly because he didn’t want to throw the whole Tom thing in Nate’s face once again, he wasn’t that much of a bastard. He texted Ryland he was leaving and before he even received a reply, Tom was back and they were heading out.
Ryland read the message and turned to glance at the door in time to see them leave, but he said nothing. When he looked back and saw Nate finish his second beer - he’d refused to drink the first one - in one long sip, he realized he didn’t need to.
“You should tell him how you feel,” Vicky suggested with a careful tone, looking at her friend. “I mean, okay, maybe you messed up, but he’ll listen to you.”
“You know Alex, he’s a stubborn idiot,” Nate objected and shook his head. “He won’t listen.”
“Look, you can try,” Vicky insisted, addressing him a little smile. “It’s not like it can go any worse, right?” she paused and saw him nod in acknowledgement, then added, “And if it doesn’t work out with him, you’ll meet someone else.”
“Right,” Nate muttered, then pushed the empty bottle away and took a deep breath, trying to push the bad feelings away. “I need another beer.”
Ryland chuckled and stopped the waitress once again, gaining a grateful smile from his friend.
~
“I never thought I’d say it, but this might be the perfect date,” William declared as they finished eating their cakes, sitting on the warm hood of the SUV. They were in parked in front of a diner, not exactly romantic, but still they had enough light and Gabe had gone inside to get them two sodas. “I mean, desserts for dinner? Genius.”
Gabe laughed a little at that, then looked at him and used his thumb to wipe a trace of cream from William’s cheek and some sugar from the tip of his nose. “You’re a mess,” he said with a wide smile.
“I know how to enjoy cake,” William replied, then turned his head and kissed him; without Gabe noticing, he dug his finger in the remaining of his cake, then deliberately dragged it across the boy’s cheek. “You should learn too.”
“I’m pretty sure I will,” Gabe reassured him, laughing out loud, but when he brought his hand up to clean himself, William stopped him and used his lips to catch most of the cream. Once there were just traces left, he used the towel, leaving him clean.
“Couldn’t let you waste it,” William explained with a sly smirk, them resumed eating.
“This makes me wonder what you’d be able to do in bed with a can of whipped cream,” Gabe pointed out, still amused about the whole thing.
“I’ll be more than happy to show you,” William promised with a natural tone as he finished his cake, then looked up at him. “But please, don’t sing Cash Cash to me in bed again, not until you’re dressed.”
“Promise,” Gabe said as he laughed again and looked down at his cake, realizing he’d eaten only half of it. “You can have mine too, if you want,” he offered with a nod, then quickly added, “I mean, if you’re not grossed out.”
“Dude, I’ve had sex with you, I have no problem with your cake,” William replied with an highly confused smile. “Are you sure you don’t want it anymore?”
“Not used to this much sugar, yet,” Gabe admitted as he handed William his cake, then lay down on the hood, resting his head on the windshield. “Are you sure you haven’t had too much?”
“It’s Pavlova, there’s no such thing as too much,” the boy corrected him, shifting a little so he could look at him. “Wanna go get something not sugary to eat?”
“Nah, I’m fine,” Gabe replied, then just watched him devour the remaining of the cake, a bit confused. “How can you eat all that sugar and be so thin at the same time?”
“It’s called metabolism,” William said with a shrug, not really giving it much thought. “My parents never let me eat candies as a kid, so I guess I’m trying to compensate.”
“And about that, what’s your story?” Gabe asked, taking advantage of the fact William had mentioned his parents. “None of what Sisky said was true?”
“Well, we did grow up in Chicago, but both our families moved here four years ago, right after high school,” the boy explained and Gabe was relieved he wasn’t bothered by the question. “We moved in our own apartment a couple of months later,” he paused, mouthing a big piece of cake, then asked, “What about you?”
“Uneventful childhood, good family, went to college and now I’m a nerd who chooses inappropriate restaurants for his dates,” Gabe answered, still looking at him.
“You’re less boring than that,” William declared, finishing the dessert. “And you didn’t mention the fact that you’re from the upper class,” he added as he lay down as well, facing him.
“I’m not,” Gabe corrected him, smiling. “My grandparents emigrated from Uruguay, my parents used to work in a diner like this in New Jersey,” he paused, catching the surprise and confusion in the boy’s gaze. “I made the money with my job, that’s why I don’t like that snob world.” He leaned closer and smiled widely, the added, “And I’m glad you don’t like it either.”
“See, you’re not boring at all,” William remarked, then closed the distance between them and kissed him for a few seconds, feeling him smile against his mouth. When he leaned back again, he threw a glance around and spotted a trash can not far, then hopped down the hood and threw the empty boxes away. “What now?”
“Well, we could have a drink at your friend’s pub,” Gabe proposed as he sat up, shrugging.
“Yeah, sounds good to me,” William agreed with a nod and a smile as they both got back in the car.
~
“Hey, look who’s there,” Nate suddenly said, gesturing towards the door with a surprised smirk. Vicky and Ryland looked in that direction just as Gabe saw them, then spotted William enter right beside him and frowned a little. Before they could wave at him, they saw him say something to William, then they both headed their way.
“Guys, I didn’t think to find you here,” Gabe greeted them with a warning glance in Vicky’s direction. “This is William, William these are Nate, Ryland and Vicky,” he added as they exchanged handshakes.
“The infamous Vicky,” William said as he kissed the back of her hand, playful, which prompted her to smile widely.
“Why am I not surprised she’s the one he already heard about?” Ryland rolled his eyes, but his lips curved up anyway.
“Be right back, I’ll go find another chair,” Gabe said as he realized there was only one empty seat and all the tables around them were full.
“No need,” William said and gestured him to sit down. When Gabe did, not without some confusion, William sat in his lap, gaining a surprised laughter from him. “Too heavy?”
“You’re kidding, right? You’re a feather,” Gabe answered as Nate called the waitress so they could order.
“Good answer,” William approved with a satisfied nod and let him circle his waist with an arm, relaxing a little.
“Shouldn’t you two be on a date?” Ryland asked as soon as they finished ordering.
“We are,” William confirmed, resting his hand on Gabe’s arm. “We just had the best dinner I’ve had in a long while.”
“You went to the Seastar, right?” Vicky sipped at her drink as she waited for an answer, but the smirk on the boys faces confused him. “What?”
“Well, actually we didn’t exactly eat there,” Gabe confessed, finding the thing oddly amusing for some reason. “We only got dessert to go.”
Vicky laughed at that, while both Ryland and Nate just frowned, surprised. Their drinks arrived and William stopped Gabe as he was reaching for his wallet.
“Drinks are on me,” he explained and patted Gabe’s leg. “Tell Mike to put them in my name, please,” he told the waitress, smiling.
“Sure thing, Bill,” she replied and walked to another table.
“You know the owner?” Nate asked, suddenly curious about that familiarity.
“Mike? Yeah, we’re long time friends,” William confirmed as he reached for his glass. “You met him?”
“Not really,” Ryland admitted, then glanced at Nate and added, “What about the other owner?”
“You met Tom,” William stated, not too thrilled about that. “I’ve known him for a while too, but we don’t really talk to each other anymore, why?”
Ryland just shrugged, trying to play the ‘just curious’ card, but Nate took a long sip from his fresh beer and said, “Our friend just left with him.”
William’s expression hardened a little and he tensed, much to Gabe’s confusion, then he shook his head and drank from his glass. Catching his clear discomfort, Gabe changed the subject, telling his friends about Sisky’s prank and feeling the boy relax a little.
~
“What time is Bill coming home?” Butcher asked as he flopped down on the couch next to Sisky.
“I’m pretty positive he won’t be home until morning,” the other boy answered, keeping his eyes on the TV screen.
“Is he gonna sleep with that guy every time they go out?”
“You saw him, he’s hot,” Sisky said with a shrug, but finally looked at him. “And I’m not sure Bill is looking for something other than sex, right now.”
“This isn’t gonna end well.” Butcher sighed and circled his boyfriend’s shoulders with an arm. “What if things don’t go as he planned them? What if he really likes this guy?”
“I don’t know, maybe he’s ready for another relationship,” Sisky suggested, but he didn’t sound convincing at all. “Gabe looks like a good guy, the kind of good guy Bill could use in his life.”
“You told him that runaway story, didn’t you?” Butcher rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help laughing at the sly smirk on the boy’s lips.
“I tried, but Bill heard me and ruined it.”
“You’re so bad,” Butcher commented with another loud laughter, pulling him closer. “Was he buying it?”
“Totally,” Sisky snickered and turned his head towards the TV. “I’ll have to come up with something else, now.”
“What about you leave the poor guy alone?” Butcher suggested with a chuckle, unbelieving. “He already has a handful of William to deal with, and I mean that literally.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Sisky admitted and turned to face him, disappointed. “How am I gonna have fun, then?”
“You could come to LA with me,” Butcher proposed, smiling widely at the shock on his boyfriend’s face. “I’ve been requested to present my best five works for an exhibition.”
“When?” Sisky rose to his knees, excited and still taken aback.
“I got the call this morning, I accepted,” the painter explained as he tugged him closer with a finger hooked in his left pocket. “And now I’m asking you to come with me, it’s just a week.”
“Of course I’m coming with you,” Sisky immediately said, climbing in his lap. “It’s amazing news!” he added and as soon as he got a positive nod from his boyfriend, he kissed him, not giving him a chance to say anything else. “When are we leaving?” he asked when he finally pulled back, a little breathless.
“Two days?” Butcher flinched a little as he said it, but much to his surprise, Sisky just nodded, thoughtful. “They didn’t give me much notice.”
“It doesn’t matter, we can make it,” the boy answered, then reached for the remote and turned off the TV. “But first we need to celebrate, right?”
“Why that doesn’t surprise me?” Butcher laughed a little, but pulled him closer anyway.
“Are you complaining?” Sisky glared at him, trying to get free from his grip, but all the answer he got was another eager kiss from his boyfriend. And it was really enough for him.
~
“I like your friends,” William declared as they got into the car. They’d left the bar not long after finishing their drinks, gaining a knowing smirk from Vicky.
“I like Sisky too, when he doesn’t try to have me buy some heartwrenching, made up story,” Gabe replied as he started driving down the street.
“Never mind that, he has fun in weird ways all the time,” William reassured him with a brief laughter, then turned to glance at him. “What’s next on your plan?”
“I gave up my plan when we ordered dinner,” Gabe admitted, glancing at him for a moment with a smirk. “I was actually thinking that we could go at my place.”
“I like that.” William nodded and relaxed against the seat. “Besides, I’m curious to see where you live.”
“Why’s that?” Gabe asked with a slightly worried tone, which amused the boy even more.
“Well, you’re obviously rich, but you don’t like the upper class,” William started, keeping count on his fingers. “You like expensive food, but not the expensive restaurant; you like taking the subway, but you took me out on a date with your best friend’s SUV,” he paused, glancing at him with a little smile. “Either you’re a hypocrite or a very complicated guy.”
“And my house will tell you which one?” Gabe laughed a little, throwing him a quick glance.
“Definitely,” William declared with a determined nod.
Gabe just shook his head and kept driving in silence, obviously thinking about the boy’s words. It took him a couple of minutes before he spoke again; he stopped at a red light and turned to look at William.
“I don’t think I’m a hypocrite,” Gabe announced, then pursed his lips for a few seconds. “Just because I’m not a snob, it doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the good, innocuous sides of this world.”
William thought about it for a few seconds and, as the car resumed moving, he said, “Makes sense to me, but I still want to see your house. It’s only fair.”
“It’s in the Upper East Side,” Gabe informed with a wide grin, then laughed when he saw William roll his eyes.
They arrived at Gabe’s building ten minutes later and once they parked and walked in - welcomed by the night doorman -, they went straight for the elevator. Gabe noticed the boy was barely holding back a laughter and frowned, curious.
“What?”
“You don’t bring many people home, do you?” William tried to repress a wide smirk and failed, so he bit on his lower lip. At Gabe’s suspicious look he added, “The doorman, he looked rather surprised.”
“He’s new,” Gabe replied as he narrowed his eyes and pushed William against the wall, just as the doors closed. “What? You think I’m that bad at picking up guys?” he asked against the boy’s lips.
“Nah, you’re alright,” William said, then closed the distance between them, smiling in the kiss. When the doors reopened, he pulled back and glanced at the deserted hallway. “Top storey?”
“What’s wrong with that?” Gabe took the boy’s hand in his own and headed for the apartment door, fishing out his keys from his pocket.
“I thought you were acrophobic,” William pointed out as they walked in.
“Well,” Gabe started as he turned on the lights and locked the door after William. “My house doesn’t move at 35 miles per hour at 200 feet from the ground,” he added as he lead his guest into the big open space kitchen and living room. “I guess that’s why it doesn’t bother me.”
“Good point,” William admitted with a brief laughter, then he walked to the window, fascinated. “The view is amazing.”
Gabe reached him and circled his waist with an arm, looking at him. “It is,” he admitted, not moving his eyes from William. The boy noticed that and turned to look at him; Gabe saw the surprise in his gaze at the compliment and cleared his throat. “Want something to drink?”
“No,” William said and faced him with his body as well, pressing closer as a smile grew on his lips. He circled Gabe’s neck with both arms, then suddenly jumped up, bringing his legs around the boy’s waist. He laughed and supported William with both his arms, looking up at him.
“What d’you want, then?” Gabe asked as he walked them away from the windows.
“I want you to kiss me,” William whispered as he leaned down to brush his mouth against Gabe’s. “And I want you to fuck me,” he added, then bit on the boy’s lower lip.
“I think we can arrange that,” Gabe muttered back as he headed for the bedroom, not bothering to turn off the lights in the living room.
~~
A/N: oh, right, did I mention that Tom isn’t good news in William’s book? I guess I’m saying it now. *grins* And I know how absurd the idea of Mike Carden and Tom Conrad owning a pub together is, but hey, it’s a fanfiction, I’ve made up worse things.
I also know that I didn’t give you much of Tom here, but he’ll definitely have more space from next chapter, I just needed to introduce him here. Next chapter will also feature a brief appearance from some guys you might know, but I’m telling you now, they won’t stick around.
It’s all for now, let me know what you think. And remember, if you want the soundtrack, just tell me in the comment and I’ll provide it.
JM