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#101
Old 11-22-2017, 04:22 AM

For a second, Axel stopped paying attention to Fane as a group of three girls approached him, asking for a dance. He liked the face of the black-haired girl, but declined anyway since he waited for something. Ah, there. His phone buzzed in a series of spurts just as the rest of the band entered, drawing some attention, but the club's crowd, though nothing like his own entrance. "Oh give it up," he muttered as he turned back to Fane, finding that the other man had acquired a beer during his lack of attention. "And who needs a plan? That's what you're for."

As he said that, Yvonne reached them first, letting out a loud cry with her hand raised to the air. "Fane! Glad you could join us!" Settling right on his other side, she slid in close, a tiny, torn jean skirt revealing long swaths of leg between them and her heeled boots. The cropped shirt she wore hid her stomach no better. "Are you ready to get drunk?! First round's on me!" letting out another whoop, she winked at Axel, for once, more than happy to play his game. She wasn't the target after all.

Coming up after her, Lionus and Diedrik crowded behind Axel and Fane, Lionus immediately ordering a beer while Diedrik refrained, his eyes wandering over the dance floor instead. "Welcome to the regular party."

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#102
Old 11-27-2017, 10:05 PM

Fane took a small sip of his beer and tried not to let his eyes linger unpolitely on Yvonne. She was definitely attractive and with her personality ... He shook his head and waved as the other band members joined them, a grin on his face. They wanted to party? That was fine by Fane. The looser inhibitions would help him figure them all out so much faster then usual. Maybe then he would be able to help Yvonne's wish come true.

"Look guys, I hadn't planned for this at all. And I'm not much of a partier, so don't expect me to be too much fun." He looked pointedly at Axel as he said the last, though he made sure to include everyone in his half joking statement.

"Is this really a regular thing for you guys?"

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#103
Old 11-28-2017, 07:08 PM

Lionus raised an eyebrow, an all too bright grin passing over his face. "Aw come on, man. Everyone is a partier once they give it a try. Just let loose already." He clapped Fane on the back, a little harder than was necessary, not that he noticed it. The group may have felt awkward and resistant toward their new manager at the first meeting, but now they all looked relaxed and in their element. Axel especially appeared to glow in the club's atmosphere.

The bartender returning with a round of shots for each of them and Fane, Axel slid forward, taking his with a grin aimed particularly at Fane. "Yes, this is our normal and now you have to join us or else." Raising his glass for a toast, all the others picked theirs up as well. It was a strange moment almost with Axel's abrasiveness pushed aside. Instead, they were like the old days when they could make a toast as a single unity, at least for now. "To our new manager," Axel announced, barely waiting for the other's to tap their glasses together, leaning over the seated two with an intimate closeness. Then Axel knocked back his shot, his grin turning wild. "Now let's get drunk!"

Rolling his eyes, Diedrik set his empty shot glass on the bar and stepped back. "You have fun with that. I'll be dancing if anyone wants to join me." After nodding once, he turned away to let himself get lost in the crowd.

Yvonne threw her head back with laughter. "It doesn't match his personality at all does it? Hey, Die!" she called after him. "We'll join you in a minute 'kay!" After meeting Lionus' eyes, she turned her gaze back down to Fane. "Do you dance at least?"

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#104
Old 11-28-2017, 10:02 PM

"Of course I dance!" But he doubted if he had enough room to really get his groove on. The floor did look good enough to dance on... He wondered what they would all think of him one he busted out a few moves.

Putting his bottle firmly on the counter, the manager stood and tugged on his vest to make sure it fell just right before giving hte band, minus Diedrik, a confident grin. "Just give me a little bit and I'll prove to you just how well."

With that, Fane turned away and headed towards the crush of bodies moving to the beat. He convinced some people to make some space for him when he explained that he wanted to show off to some friends. They probably wanted to see what he could do too. He waited for his moment, and then ... Like someone auditiong for So You Think You Can Dance, Fane started locking his joints, popping them so that he moved so fluidly it looked like he didn't have any bones at all. It was kind of freaky and kind of cool and had more then a few people on the dance floor pulling out their phones to tape him on their phones.

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#105
Old 11-29-2017, 10:37 PM

Yvonne whistled after Fane, clearly amused and interested by their manager's confidence. She didn't disbelieve him, but rather, felt excited by the prospect of a show. And what a show they all got. After Fane found the beat of the music, some kind of switch flipped. The person they'd known up until now vanished under the wild moves that entranced an audience almost immediately. Yvonne threw back her head with laughter. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" She grabbed Lionus' hand and pulled him onto the dance floor to join the circle forming around Fane. Moving to the beat themselves, they danced as much as watched the show, leaving Axel alone with the drinks.

Scowling, Axel made a show of how he got left behind. He didn't care for showy dance moves when people could be senselessly pressing their bodies together. However, his eyes darted to Fane every other second, interested despite himself. So that guy who said he wasn't any fun could dance like that? Even though he didn't know a thing about the other man, he still felt surprised. That didn't mean he wanted to go join the others though. He finished his first drink and ordered another, letting his eyes stray back to Fane while he waited.

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#106
Old 12-02-2017, 06:25 PM

Fane slowed after a while; his parched throat was just begging for refreshment. He waved off offers to buy him drinks and slid back into his seat beside Axel. He needed a break, and the sweat glistening on his skin proved that. As he waited for the bartender's attention, Fane shrugged off his vest, put his hat on the bar, and loosened his dress shirt by a few buttons so he could breathe easier.

Once a bartender glanced his way, Fane lifted a hand and his voice. "Water, please." He wasn't going to touch his beer again after leaving it on the counter unattended. Besides, water would be far more refreshing.

The maager took a few good shugs out of the water bottle the bartender gave him, before turning to Axel. "I'm surprised you haven't set foot on the dance floor yet."

Last edited by PapillonCameo; 12-02-2017 at 06:28 PM..

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#107
Old 12-03-2017, 09:42 PM

Axel was already almost done with his new drink when Fane returned to the bar. His other band members continued to mingle with the dance crowds which left him relatively alone with Fane, or as alone as two people got in a club. Tossing a few dark strands of hair from his eyes, Axel flashed the other man a cocky smile. "Oh, I just have no interest in competing for attention." He slid his eyes up and down Fane, savoring the beads of sweat, the few button that were now popped open. He didn't expect to, but actually, he found the image alluring. It was different from his usual fare, exciting.

After chugging the rest of his drink, he leaned across the small space between them, his grin widening. "But I think I wouldn't mind dancing with you after all. That is...if you think you can handle it." He let out a short laugh, daring the other man to agree. The kind of dance he had in mind though was nothing like what Fane just performed.

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#108
Old 12-03-2017, 10:55 PM

Fane watched Axel's eyes travel over him, noting once more their jewel tone ...but this time a spark lit there. It made him want to immediately accept Axel's invitation, to find out what it was the band's lead might have in store for him.

He couldn't say yes.

Even if they had been alone, instead of siting by a bar in a crowded club, Fane would have had to force himself to refuse. "Much as I would like to ... As your manager, it would be completely innapropriate of me to accept." Fane stared at his water after that, wishing it were actually the beer he'd abandoned earlier. At least that might have taken his mind off dancing with Axel and how exhilirating he was sure it would have been.

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#109
Old 12-05-2017, 11:46 PM

Axel scowled, dramatically showing his his distaste and disappointment that Fane didn't want to play with him. Rules, and appropriateness? Who was this guy kidding? It irritated Axel. Spinning away on his stool, he let out a huff. "Oh, whatever. If you want to do something, you should just damn well do it." Honestly, that was how he always lived his life. Maybe he should continue chasing what he wanted, whether Fane wanted to play it safe on not.

Turning back, he grinned, his eyes sharpening with a hint of deviousness. "No one has to know. We can dance real slow outside if you want, where no one is watching..." he added with his voice dropping into a purr. Now that Axel started chasing, he wanted to follow through. Because no one said no to him, not once, not ever. Axel got what he wanted, so Fane better be ready.

Last edited by Kat Dakuu; 12-06-2017 at 12:52 AM..

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#110
Old 12-06-2017, 01:13 AM

"You've been drinking." Fane hated hearing how strangled his voice sounded. He wanted to give in; attractive as Axel could be when he set his eyes on someone, it was hard to resist him.

He took a good big swig of water. Though the music pounded, Fane knew his pounding heart was what really made him want to leave the club. He wanted to go outside and get some fresh air, alone. But the moment he stood up, he knew Axel would probably follow him... Which, well would it really have been a bad thing? Axel was there, inviting Fane to dance. In that large room, filled with bodies, it was strange to feel so alone and out of step wth everyone else.

"I'm leaving, don't follow me."

Fane slid to his feet and wove his way through the crowd until he found the doors and walked through into the relatively calm night. Crisp air made Fane take an instinctive deep breath. The sky above was devoid of stars, the city lights making them invisible to the human eye. Fane wondered if Axel would follow him out. He hadn't accepted the invitation, he'd just gone outside to clear his head.

He'd probably had too much to drink without realizing it.

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#111
Old 12-07-2017, 04:19 PM

Axel slammed his hand against the bar when Fane slipped away, but he did as told. He didn't follow. Fane...so badly didn't want him that he walked away like this? Nothing of the sort ever happened to Axel. No matter who he set his eyes on, within an hour, he could have them. It just didn't matter. So why, why couldn't he get this one, not particularly special manager of his? After grinding his teeth together, his shoulders dropped with defeat. Was he just not attractive enough?

Staring down at the bar with that thought, Axel sat for another minute. Doubts tried to creep in, but he was so used to keeping them out. What the hell was this? He invited Fane here in order to get under his skin, but something entirely opposite happened. A second passed, then Axel surged up his seat.

So what though? If Fane didn't want to dance with him, he would just find another poor soul. Someone who might be willing to do more than dance if they got steamy enough. With that conviction in his head, Axel stormed onto the dance floor, found the first available guy with muscles like a model and started to roll his hips to the music's beat. He didn't need Fane to like him. That was just a delusion of the alcohol. First and foremost, he came to clubs like this in order to lose himself so tonight, he would do just that.

Last edited by Kat Dakuu; 12-20-2017 at 04:52 AM..

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#112
Old 01-21-2018, 02:58 AM

Fane closed his eys, lifted his head to the sky, and wished his heart would calm down its mad dancing. He lifted a hand to it, as if feeling his own body's warmth would make him forget of the chance he'd had to feel Axel pressed tight against him on the dance floor, and what would most certainly have followed after. The mere though almost made him turn around and walk right back into the club.

Instead, the manager walked briskly to his car. Briefly, Fane had a thought for his hat. The thing was one of his favorites, and he'd left it behind in his rush to leave... Yet he couldn't imagine facing Axel again, not without giving in to the physicala attraction he felt for the other man. A flicker of a smile pulled at his lips. What was he, some kind of Cinderella? That would have made Axel the prince of the tale, something Fane could imagine in an odd kind of way.

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#113
Old 01-22-2018, 07:51 PM

Jayde lingered in the shadows outside of the club, a cigarette giving off a glow that alerted his hiding place. Not that he hid in reality, not in a place like this where he fit in just the same as the wild dancers inside, if for a different reason. Jayde did not dance if he could help it. He watched a few people leave the club, ignoring his own pile of cigarettes under his feet. Axel asked to meet with him and this is what he got. Typical. Turning his head toward the sky, he blew up smoke and watched it drift away before sending another text to the phone of midnight haired man who he might consider a friend.

The insistent vibration of his phone dragged Axel's attention away from his current mission. He barely even stormed onto the dance floor when the flurry of text increased. The interruptions broke his pace so that finally, just before the song ended, he spun away. "Damn it. I'll be back later for more fun, babe," Axel added a coy touch to the otherwise irritated words. He would end up waking in a mood tomorrow if it continued like this. His antsiness was through the roof, but he stalked out of the club anyway, determined to finish this messaging business a quick as possible.

Once outside, Axel stopped in the steams of lights coming from the club's entrance as he looked at his phone. Jayde? A shiver went down Axel's spine. He couldn't forgot about the meeting he'd arranged. Just liked a planned movie entrance, Jayde slid out of the shadows, leaning close to whisper in his ear. A second later, they moved toward the shadows, not completely hidden, but the perfect picture of something shady.

"So," Jayde murmured. "You wanted to talk? Go ahead."

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#114
Old 01-22-2018, 10:23 PM

Shaking his head at himself, Fane slipped into the car. He closed the door carefully, and was glad to know that he hadn't gotten any tickets. Red cars of any kind were notorious for attracting that kind of thing; that or he just had horrible luck. With a sigh, he started the engine and pulled out of his parking spot, on his way back to his apartment. From the corner of his eye, he spotted two figures ... and thought for a second that one of them just had to be Axel. But no .. it was probably just his mind playing tricks on him.

Harlan was dressed in what he considered comfortable club attire. He had on a graphic tee with an awesome saying, jeans with worn out knees, and converse sneakers. For once, he thought he could understand Axel just a little bit, the reason why he was always out and partying. There was something about just throwing yourself into a crowd of strangers, dancing with them to the beat of any song that came across the speakers, that made it a bit easier to forget that your life wasn't perfect, that something was missing.

But the crush of bodies, the flashing lights ... Harlan couldn't bear it for too long without needing to go outside again. He'd waited to long to get in, and now there he was slinking out again only an hour later. Instead of heading out the front, where all the lines were, the young man asked for another way out. The bartender waved him towards the side of the building. "But you might not be able to get back in, once you go out."

"I might be all danced out, so that's fine." The brunette thanked the bartender as he left. Once past the maze of people and outside, he took in the night air like a starving man ... And then he noticed them. Axel and Jayde. Cautiously, he sneaked closer. Harlan really didn't want to interrupt those two. Axel might have been a friend, but he could be volatile sometimes, and Jayde ... Well that morning had been something different, and this chance encounter was even more exceptional. Who would have thought they would all end up at the same club?

Last edited by PapillonCameo; 01-22-2018 at 11:00 PM..

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#115
Old 01-26-2018, 08:40 PM

Axel scowled, not the least bit happy with the answer he just received for his questions. "I'm sorry, what? I don't care if the package will get me into trouble. I want to know what's in it!" he hissed back. Jayde just looked at him with a nonchalant hip leaned against the building's wall. Although he leaned into the shadows, a light from above still threw sharp beams across his cheekbones. Despite the passion on Axel's face, his looked as closed off as usual.

"You don't want to know. Look, I'm glad you're worried and all, but it isn't something you should be concerned with. The package was just...insurance. In case things go south for me." The simple words made Axel throw up his hands with a groan.

"Worried!?" he scoffed, but his level of agitation made Jayde's words seem more true. "Jayden Nair, I've known you since you started getting into fights on the school yard. Just what sort of BS are you into right now!?" Axel dropped his arms to his side, wanting a smoke despite usually only leaning on cigarette's after a show. Maybe he should blame it on the tobacco smell in the air between them or the now quite dead butt tossed to the ground when he first confronted Jayde.

Stepping back, the tattooed man blended further into the shadows. "Sorry, but there's nothing that I can tell you. If you care at all about human life..." Jayde shook his head, knowing far too much of his real self was showing through. It was getting hard though with Axel in his face. He knew he shouldn't have agreed to the meeting, but he wanted to see the other man and he wanted to make sure everyone remained safe. "Look, just pretend you never saw me tonight. Forget that name, forget everything. I don't want you getting involved.”

Axel sneered as he stepped back. “Well, fuck you! I’ll do what I want to do!” Storming away, Jayde was left standing in the shadows, not sure what to do.

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#116
Old 02-06-2020, 02:41 PM

Harlan stepped forward without really thinking about it, and once he stood before Jayde ... Oh he felt so nervous! It had been so long since he'd seen the other man outside of their usual setting. In fact, Harlan was pretty sure the only time they hadn't been in a hotel room had been their very first meeting. He didn't even know what to say, and thought maybe he should have run after Axel instead.

"Jayde ... what's going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?" Harlan wanted nothing more then to step forward and grab hold of Jayde so the tattooed man couldn't escape, couldn't leave. He also wanted to run away before destroying whatever he had with Jayde. But, surely that was already too late. Hadn't Jayde pushed him away with ease that morning? They weren't even friends, they weren't anything at all!

"I swear, if there's anything you need ... God, I'd do anything for you." Harlan's voice broke. When he realized what he'd said and all it implied, his face filled with horror and sorrow. He stumbled back. "No, forget i said that! Please ..."

******************************

Fane found himself leaping from the car to follow Axel. They were in a dark and dangerous back alley, probably one with faulty cameras, if something happened it would probably be days before anyone found out what had happened. "Axel," yelled Fane as he tried to catch up to the other man. If he managed to, he planned on grabbing the musician's arm. What had gotten the musician so upset?

(Fane post is short. >.< )

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#117
Old 02-07-2020, 03:57 AM

Jayde's hands clenched into fists as he watched the only person he could maybe consider a friend storm away. It left anxiety ripping down his spine, then anger quickly following on its heels. Because how dare Axel act like he was the one most torn up over all of this? Like even he didn't understand what kind of person Jayde truly was. Like he was dangerous. Hadn't Jayde come here in good faith when he could just as easily have denied Axel his request? Maybe he should have. It was because of mistakes like this that he pushed everyone out of his life. They made everything else far too complicated for him, even the act of protecting them.

However, as he turned to leave, the last face he wanted to see rushed out in front of him. Jayde felt his breath catch in his throat. "Har...lan?" It didn't even occur to him that such a meeting could happen here. He found his eyes darting over the other man's attire and worried face for any sign that this was something other than a chance meeting. Harlan wasn't that type, but habits. He had his habits. And then there were the worried words spilling from the other man's mouth, leaving Jayde at a rare loss for what to do.

"Harlan," he repeated, stepping back, his hand coming up reflexively to clench around the chain hanging from his neck. "What are you doing here?" He looked around again before dragging them both fully into the shadows. "Didn't I tell you that we couldn't meet up? And you-?!" Harlan what? The words were sinking in though and they left Jayde with a strong sense of dread. Did Harlan have particular feelings for him...?

~~~

"Fuck! Fuckfuckfuck!" Axel hissed into the dark, his mind spinning so fast that he thought he would get dizzy from it. He didn't walk with any goal in mind, but he didn't get far either when someone called out his name. Fane. "You? I thought you left?" he gasped and spun, only realizing too late how close they were. The second the other man's hand closed around his arm, a shock of revulsion went through him. "Don't touch me!"

Axel wrenched his arm away and then promptly threw up on the ground, sinking to his knees after. Fuck. As if this night wasn't going bad enough already. Now there was no way he'd even get away from Fane.

Last edited by Kat Dakuu; 02-07-2020 at 03:59 AM..

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#118
Old 02-07-2020, 05:17 AM

Terrific. Just terrific. Harlan clenched his lips together as Jayde repeated his name, and tried his best to keep himself together. Maybe he could still save face, pretend like he didn't feel a rush every time the other man spoke his name, touched him. Hidden by the shadows as they were, he hoped the darkness also hid his expression ... Even if his eyes had slowly made their way to the ground.

"I didn't come here looking for you. Heck, I didn't even know Axel would be here!" Taking a deep breath, Harlan forced himself to finally let his real emotions show. "To be honest, I came here to hook up with someone so I could get you out of my system, out of my head. It was the only thing I could think of that might help me stay detached, take a step back from these things I've realized I've been starting to feel." He reached out to try and wrap a hand around one of Jayde's as he continued to speak. It seemed like once he'd begun, he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "When we started this, I knew it was no strings, and I'm doing whatever I can to keep it that way... I'll hook up with as many people as it takes, wrap myself up in my music, anything to make sure I don't put any pressure on you."

Now Harlan forced himself to look into the gemstone eyes he admired so much. "I swear, this i the only time I'll ever say this, act like this... I don't want to lose what time we do have together, and I'll never ask for more than that, Jayde." He knew he sounded desperate, emotional. It was just so impossible to keep it all inside!

Harlan moved forward and tilted his head to brush his lips agrainst Jayde's with the very lightest of touches. He didn't linger over it, but sighed when he stapped back. He hoped he hid the turmoil he felt deep enough that Jayde wouldn't be able to see, and yet the dark haired man was so observant, Harlan was afraid he failed miserably.

______

Fane was shocked by Axel's reaction, but made no comment as he crouched down beside the singer. Though the manager wanted to rub comforting circles across the singer's back, he forced himself not to. Instead, the blond man reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a handkerchief... And a breath mint, of all things.He held both out so that Axel could take them if he wanted. "Hey now, what's going on? What can I do to help? If you need a drive home, I'll bring you over. It's no trouble, and if you want company, I'll stick around." , said Fane gently.

He felt guilty for having rejected Axel's advances, now that he saw the band member there on the ground, so miserable seeming. "I'll even take you up on that offer to dance?" Fane then rememberted Axel's vehement words from only moments before. "That is, if you would give me permission to touch you."

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#119
Old 02-07-2020, 08:18 PM

Jayde struggled but finally pushed his emotions under the surface where he knew they needed to stay. Why did Harlan have to ruffle his usual calm? He never expected it, never thought a man like that would come to feel so special. They didn't even know each other. Reaching for his nearly empty cigarette box, he lit another and tilted his head back to the sky, deciding to focus on that fact for now.

"I'm sure you're just mistaken because we've been meeting up so frequently. If you had picked a different partner from the start, I'm sure you'd feel the same." Jayde's heart clenched at the idea even though he was very sure his own feelings hadn't been compromised. Still, he was fond of Harlan in a way that made him irritated at the thought of the other man coming here to find different sex partners. He should feel happy over such a thing and he certainly didn't think all this time that he had been the only one. But maybe it was different to hear it said to his face.

He blew out a long, unsteady stream of smoke. "I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I don't think it's a good idea to get close to me. You have no idea who I am. Don't you think that's strange. I could be a killer or the worst kind of scum of the earth," he added with an extra bit, his eyes blazing bright. "Do you really want to stay by someone like that?"

~~

Humiliation coursed through Axel's veins. How long had it been since a mere touch caused him to throw up? He'd grown to thrive on touches. But now, he'd been too out of sorts, angry, and anxious and just a bit hurt. It reminded him of high school all over again. "It's too late to make amends now!" Axel shook his head and finally scrunched back, sitting with his back against the alley wall. It made him feel small, but the coolness of the concrete soothed his heated skin. Ah really, and Fane just looked at him with concern. Didn't he get it now? Axel was refuse barely held together and breathing. He wasn't worth that concern.

"Are you disillusioned," he managed after another second, a bitter grin matching the cold look in his eyes. "The world-famous rock star, puking his guts out because someone pushed him away and then someone got too close. It's pathetic right? You shouldn't look at me like that and just pack your bags and high-tail it while you can." Axel bit back a manic laugh. "Or are you under some kind of impression that you can fix me?"

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#120
Old 02-07-2020, 10:50 PM

Harlan waved Jayde's first concern away, as if shooing it out of existence. "You're not the first one I've had an arrangement with, and I didn't feel like this." The young man was glad to find himself calming down, now that the very worst had happened and he hadn't been immediately and irrevocably locked out of Jayde's life.

"We may both have done our best to hide our lives from each other, but there are still so many things that bleed through. Take your smiles, for example. When you're amused about something I've said, or how I've acted, you have this way of only half smiling, like you don't want to show how you're feeling but it still bleeds through." Hayden smiled at that point. "And it's things like those smiles that make me think that you have to be a good person at heart, no matter what might be going on in your life. I mean ... You warned me not to go to that club this morning; you were worried about me." After all that, the brunette felt more sure of himself, and much steadier.

¬¬¬

Fane stayed still while the dark haired man settled against the wall. He reminded himself that he had to stay calm, or the whole situation would get messier than it already was. Even the smell of puke had to be ignored, even if on a regular day Fane would have been gagging by then already.

"I'm here to support you, not change you, Axel." The manager moved to settle down beside Axel, and lay his arms against his knees. "So I want to know what you need right now." His eyes moved to the rock star's face, and a bit of humour made it's way into Fane's expression. "Come on, you're telling me the famous rock star doesn't have any crazy demands?"

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#121
Old 02-09-2020, 04:59 PM

Jayde's breath caught in his throat, only pushed out because of the smoke coursing through his lungs. He hadn't been aware that he smiled at all. But even something as small as that had charmed the other man? He supposed...that the calm innocence that Harlan always instilled in him after their meetings had managed to seep under his own skin as well. He just didn't think he'd let enough of himself shine through to where Harlan could see it.

"Even so..." He shook his head. "I won't lie and say I'm not worried or trying to protect you. These have all been my own selfish desires though. My desire to be with someone. My desire to protect them. However, that doesn't change any of the facts. You don't know me and it's impossible for you to. If we continue to meet up, won't you just end up in pain?"

~~

Axel dragged in a deep breath. Okay, that was a bad idea. It smelled like death in the alley and it was a wonder that no one poked their head in to see what was going on. Or maybe this just wasn't the kind of club people did that at, too concerned with their own selves. Axel wasn't sure that made him feel better or not about his situation. He stared at Fane, then finally cracked the smallest of smiles.

"Sorry, no crazy demands. I just want you to stop talking so cheesy and take me home." Despite his words, his tone was soft and not at all harsh or arrogant like it usually was. It hadn't even been a poor attempt at sounding like himself and Axel found that it was fine. At least right now, it was fine to sound real.

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#122
Old 02-09-2020, 11:36 PM

"There's no way of knowing how the future will turn out, and ... I have a hard time giving up on anyone, just ask Axel!" Harlan smiled. "So even if you say it's impossible for me to know you, I won't give up, Jayde." Hope fluttered in his heart, that maybe there was a chance of letting the feelings he'd realized he harbored might be able to grow. Harlan was surprised to find himself wanting to grab his guitar and strum a few chords, maybe write those lyrics he'd always struggled so much with.

¬¬¬¬

Fane pushed himself to his feet, and chuckled a bit. It was an almost reflexive way to hide his relief. For a few seconds, he'd been terrified Axel wouldn't respond, or do .... something he didn't want to even contemplate. "Alright, no more cheesiness."

Bending towards Axel, he offered the other man a hand. Fane's hand was callused from his work on his motorcycle, and persistent grease lingered at the edges of his fingernails. "But I'll need your address to get you home." Whether Axel accepted his help up, or not, Fane intended to guide him to his red car parked none too far away. The wheels poked halfway out the parking spot, and it was a wonder no one had slapped a ticket across the windshield yet.

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#123
Old 02-11-2020, 12:43 AM

It was a bad idea. Jayde knew it even as he felt himself get worn down. It was this damn fondness inside of his heart. He would caste it out if he thought that wouldn't turn him into a monster. So many moments he needed to embrace that side of himself, but he longed to feel his heart tug like this just to prove he was still a good person. Closing his eyes, he breathed once, twice, then made up his mind.

"Then don't give up. It seems like I can't stop you anyway," he added with a small quirk of his lips, humor shining through despite how dire this might make things. "Just don't expect this to change how often we can meet up."

~~

Axel grabbed Fane's hand, not even hesitating this time. He couldn't say if it was the other man's words or if his unease had just passed, but the touch didn't make him uncomfortable and he almost didn't mind letting Fane see so much of his weaker side. Perhaps that regret would hit later, but now he felt almost comfortable. "I can give it to you," Axel murmured. Once on his feet, he pulled back his hand, using it to smooth out his clothing. "All my managers have ended up with my address at some point anyway."

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#124
Old 02-12-2020, 12:38 AM

"But, I expect this to change at least some of what we do when we meet, at least a little ..." Harlan could hardly contain his excitement, and knew he probably had the silliest smile on his face as he contemplated what the future might hold. "I mean, I have lots of fun, don't get me wrong! But sometimes I wish we would just ... spend time together, watching a movie, or something."

Harlan finished lamely, and with some uncertainty. His eyes gravitated towards the ground, then darted back to Jayde. There was no way of knowing what to expect. Asking for what was basically a date, was perhaps too much, too soon.

___

Fane led Axel to his car, and motioned for the other man to take a seat. The manager was surprised to see a gentle smile on his face when he glanced in the driver side mirror. He shook his head at that, but could only think that the trust Axel had shown him was the cause. The rock star obviously had issues he worked very hard to keep hidden from the public eye, and Fane made a silent vow to himself that he would do his utmost to help the dark haired man to keep things that way, so long as he wished.

Everyone had a right to their privacy, and though he was Axel's manager, Fane felt honored that the other man wanted to give him the address of his home. Because of all these thoughts, the blond remained silent through the drive, and spoke only when he'd reached the address Axel had given him.
"That's a very nice place you have."

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#125
Old 02-13-2020, 01:44 AM

Jayde couldn't believe that Harlan was outright asking him on a date. Well, not outright, but he might as well have been. Like with so many other things, Jayde found himself getting pulled along at the other man's pace, unable to really say no to him. He shook his head and snubbed out the cigarette. "We'll see. As long as I get to pick when and where we meet up. Whether it's a cafe or a hotel makes no difference to me." After all, his time with Harlan had always been about staving off his loneliness more than anything else.

~~

With his eyes trained out the window and his fist clenched in the tight material of his pants, Axel managed to pass the car ride in silence. He didn't know if Fane just didn't want to talk to him anymore or if he concentrated on the directions, but Axel felt relieved for it. The time let him cauterize some of his frazzled nerves. Not heal them--he never did that--but he could at least smooth things over so that no one could see what went on inside of him.

"Hm?" Axel mumbled as he pulled his foot down from off the dash, only then realizing that they'd stopped in front of his place. Oh, right. He scoffed to hide his surprise at their sudden arrival. "What? Did you expect anything else? I'm practically famous for throwing parties at this address!"

After sliding out of the car, he leaned back over the door to grin at Fane. "So...thanks for the ride?"

 


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