@hardlydead

[outerfringe]

[One day David simply stops appearing by the fire with the rest of them, and Jeff does his very best to be relieved for him. There are only two real possible reasons for that, right? Either he'd actually died for real, or he'd managed to find a way back home- and either way, it meant that he was out of this place. Jeff tries to be happy for him, and for the most part, he is.

He doesn't think about David at all the first day after he wakes up on the cold floor of the Ormond resort, back stiff and jacket crusted with frost. Instead he's too busy finding his way back to town, organizing arrangements to make it home. His apartment key no longer works, he recognizes none of his neighbors, but his bank account was still somehow in alright standing.

Jeff finds a new place. He does not find a new dog.

He feels weird about creating a Facebook account just to check for David, but he does it anyway. When that comes up fruitless, he thinks a lot about the conversations the two of them had while tucked close together in the dark. Wonders if David would even want to be found by someone like him, to be faced with a reminder of the time they'd spent doing everything they could to simply survive.

Jeff tries to paint but can't seem to pull himself out of severe blacks and reds. Tries to catch up on the music he'd missed from the bands he'd loved but it fails to soothe him the way it had before. He considers a therapist, and then decides that he'd be locked away the second he was candid enough for someone to actually help him.

So he packs some things, books a flight. Finds himself at his fifth seedy pub in three days without much hope - except this time when he says he's looking for David King, the big guy by the bar makes a point of sizing him up. Jeff sets his shoulders, frowns and promises that he's an old friend, but it doesn't seem to affect much the scowl on the guy's face. He says something (that Jeff completely misses, he can barely understand a goddamn thing when people here are drunk and loud), but seems to indicate for him to wait.

Which he does. He parks on a stool with a drink, assumes his most unapproachable aura, and waits. He doesn't know who he's expecting to appear, but it's not David.

There's not a chance it would actually be that simple.]

Comments

[hardlydead]

[ if jeff hadn't said such a similar thing earlier, david might catch on to what jeff's trying to work himself up to. unfortunately, even with the dialed up intensity of that kiss, it gets filtered away in favour of concern when david pulls back just enough to look at him. assuming he must still be out of sorts after the museum. ]

Yeah-- Course. You okay?

[outerfringe]

[It's partially that Jeff just isn't that forward of a guy to begin with, but the fact also remains that David himself confessed before to having limited experience with other men. He doesn't want to push past any boundaries.

But he's sick of letting himself miss opportunities, too.]

Kind of down, actually. [His eyes cut back to to meet David's, extremely solemn.] You might need to take your shirt off to fix it. Sorry.

[hardlydead]

[ oh. ]

[ david ducks his head, shoulders trembling in a moment of silent laughter, but he does his best to match that faux-seriousness when he looks back up to meet jeff's eyes. ]

Course, whatever you need.

[ any immediate apprehension he has is easily soothed by how silly this is, at least. he steps back just enough to pull his shirt off and toss it in the vague direction of the sofa. ]

Let's get you laying down, yeah?

[outerfringe]

[Jeff seems quietly pleased with himself following David's laughter, and he raises a hand to cradle his cheek while he chases down another kiss. He's still trying to be careful of boundaries here, but this one is a little more overtly hungry.

He had missed him, okay.]

That mean I get to see your room?

[hardlydead]

[ he's thought about this a lot truthfully, and never once did he imagine he'd actually get to have jeff here in his flat, practically having to stop himself from just grabbing him by the front of his shirt to haul him to his bedroom. ]

[ david's also a lot more forward than jeff, not so worried about the relative lack of experience which maybe says something about how comfortable and safe he feels with jeff, or maybe it's just that he has very little capacity to think that much all of a sudden, who can say. but he chooses to put his hands on jeff's hips to pull him as close as physically possible. ]

Yeah. That's what that means.

[outerfringe]

[Jeff seems happy to close that remaining space between them, and god doesn't it still just feel nice to have a little actual privacy with David here?]

I don't have to.

[Gently, even though he knows David wouldn't lie about his interest. Jeff is reaching up to touch his chest now, just skimming his fingertips admiringly against bare skin.]

[hardlydead]

Jeff.

[ that's it, just his name. david raises his eyebrows pointedly too. sure, if jeff wanted to back off of his own accord david would be fine, but he super doesn't need him to slow it down for his benefit here. ]

[outerfringe]

David.

[Look, he can do the name thing too!! And he is, even if he's gently trying to back David up towards the door he'd indicated as his bedroom.]

[hardlydead]

[ david shakes his head and gives jeff a quick kiss, but other than that he refuses to acknowledge how fond he is of jeff when he's being a little shit. ]

C'mon.

[ this is more important anyway. he turns so he can see where he's going and reaches for jeff to pull him along to the bedroom. ]

[outerfringe]

Proper tourguide. I like it.

[David turns, and Jeff is just going to reach for his hand as he follows him. It feels a little juvenile, maybe a little childish, but he doesn't care. He's just craving connection.]

[hardlydead]

[ david snorts and rolls his eyes, even if it can't be seen, but he gives jeff's hand a small squeeze as he takes him through to the bedroom. ]

[ said bedroom is more of the same, really. lacking in much character, ikea furniture, a pile of clothes on a chair because who can really be bothered to pack away their laundry life's way too short. gym bag thrown wherever on the floor. unmade king (hahaha) sized bed. he probably would've tidied up a bit if he'd known this was on the agenda, but that's the last thing on his mind right now. ]

[outerfringe]

I like it. Looks comfortable.

[Jeff gives his hand a little squeeze, looking around with an open and sincere curiosity. It's like a little peek into David's personality, and he likes it.]

Jock.

[hardlydead]

[ david laughs softly as he turns to face jeff. ]

That's me.

[outerfringe]

[Jeff remains crowded close, suddenly more interested in David than the surroundings.]

Oh. Uh. The situps helped. My back, I mean.

[hardlydead]

[ he raises an eyebrow with a little smirk, slipping his arms around jeff's waist. ]

Guess that's about to come in real handy for you.

[ get it it's a sex joke ]

[outerfringe]

[He

doesn't get it.

He's a little distracted! Mostly by kissing David again, just pressing close enough to seek physical contact. His brow is slightly furrowed when the kiss ends, but he doesn't go far.]

-- we're hitting the gym?

[hardlydead]

Because-- [ david lets out a small, slightly surprised laugh. ] For sex.

[ ... ]

That is why we're in here, right?

[outerfringe]

[His own laugh in turn is equally surprised.]

I mean, yeah. I just don't - do you usually do situps?

[No, he gets it, he's just trying to dismiss the awkwardness his own confusion has introduced. Another kiss, and he's nudging him toward the bed.]

[hardlydead]

I usually save them for after.

[ david meets that kiss with a smile and backs up toward the bed, suddenly a little... apprehensive isn't the right word, but something about the reality of the situation comes slamming into him. not in a bad way, but it's overwhelming for a second. he licks his lips when he looks down at the bed, hesitating before he actually gets on the bed. desperately hoping jeff hasn't noticed. ]

[outerfringe]

Yeah.

[Jeff is watching David so intently there's no way to miss it. He keeps close, reaching up to hold the back of his neck, expression quietly intent.]

Hey. It's been - a really long time. It's probably - it's gonna be short. Bad.

[He's just trying to break some tension.]

[hardlydead]

[ he appreciates the contact, and the words. it's not just the nervousness on its own, but it's caught him by surprise too. it's been a long time since he was nervous about this, but then again it's also been a long time since he was with anyone he was actually attracted to or cared about. or, you know. a man. ]

[ david sits on the bed, looking up at jeff, and reaches for his hand to gently pull him down with. ]

I guess you can have a do over. If you want.

[outerfringe]

[Jeff eases himself down onto the bed. He's a little surprised by how much trust he has in David - not that he thinks it's undeserved, but just because few things are rarely this easy for him. This certain.

God, he's got it bad.

Every motion of his is gentle, even as he shifts to kiss David again, to bully him down so he can pin him affectionately to the sheets.]

Yeah? I don't deserve you.

[hardlydead]

[ david lifts a hand to jeff's face, resting there through the kiss and as jeff gets him to lay back. he's never been great about leaving himself in somebody else's hands, not really in any capacity, and there's an urge to push back a little that he has to fight. ]

[ this is fine. safe. he can trust jeff. ]

Maybe. [ david smirks up at him ] But you've got me anyway.

[outerfringe]

Yeah.

[There's no smirk on his own face, just quiet, intense thought as he watches him.]

You've got me, too.

[hardlydead]

I know.

[ the smirk falls away under that gaze, and david's own turns a little uncertain. he swallows, trying to guess what's going through jeff's head and coming up with nothing. ]