Thread Tools

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#1
Old 09-06-2017, 01:56 AM

Jayde leaned back against the bed's headrest, bringing his cigarette to his lips. The sheets lay in a heap around his legs, clothes tossed around the room in a similar matter. Although sweat still clung to his torso, sliding around the Arabic quote ringing his collar bone, he looked completely and utterly unperturbed. This hotel had terrible taste in art, a single image of a stormy sea staring back at him. Printed from an oil painting maybe? It was neither impressive nor bland, like everything else in the hotel. He'd come to know all the decor very well over the months and in this room in particular. It was their usual place to meet, to play, and then to leave.

Tapping his cigarette against the ashtray pulled close on the small wood table, Jayde turned his blue-green eyes toward the man he'd come here to meet. He'd been told his eyes looked like gems, but in his sharp face with angular brows, they only looked intense rather than beautiful. He sighed, not bothering with a smile. They already cooled from their passion minutes ago, and that was about where the post coital bliss ended.

"Were you going to shower first?" He ground his cigarette out against the stained metal of the ashtray. Cold words, not those of a lover. Because without a doubt, this thing they had wasn't a relationship. Routine perhaps, but still just a number. Just a person to call when things got rough or he needed to unwind. His companion felt the same, as he'd said on the day they agreed to this. Jayde leaned his head back against the wood surface, letting his eyes slip closed for a second. "I think I'm going to smoke another cigarette before I go. I'm not feeling in a hurry, so I'll probably still be here when you get out. If you don't mind."

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#2
Old 09-06-2017, 02:17 AM

Harlan stretched his arms to the ceiling, feeling every inch of him uncoil and relax after earlier's exertions. "I'll jump in first." He enjoyed hotel nights, but wasn't overly fond of smelling like second hand smoke. The scent tended to cling to his clothes too, and he'd almost created a specific wardrobe for his assignations with Jayde.

The young man stepped over the carpeted floor and brought his clothes with him as he slipped into the hotel's small bathroom. The shower was clean, but a little dated. It still did it's job, letting warm water rain down to wash away sweat and refreshing Harlan at the same time, waking him up so he didn't need to worry about falling asleep at the wheel as he drove home.

Hair the color of the darkest chocolate spilled over his shoulders as Harlan hummed lightly under his breath. His hands froze and he frowned. "I never hum, not here." The words, spoken only for his ears, made him wonder what was going on. It was a puzzle to be sure, and one he had to figure out. Was it his latest expedition to find things for his online store?

Couldn't be that, the last week's haul hadn't been that impressive... It wasn't like his music, or his music blog, had taken off. The parachord classes had bombed, not one person had signed up. He'd been so frustrated, and had been so glad when Jayden had called him up. If the other man hadn't dialed, Harlan probably would have.

It was almost like he relied on the time they spent together, as impersonal as it was.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#3
Old 09-06-2017, 02:43 AM

Jayde listened to the sound of the shower as he smoked. Although the domestic nature of it felt foreign to him, he didn't mind it. He'd yet to move and felt little desire for it. A lot had built up in him--desire of course, but also the emotions that his life always brought him. Having a chance to sit and close his eyes, tobacco haze swirling around him, felt like such a comfort. Sometimes he missed the feel of nice beds like this. Shaking the thought away, he finished his cigarette and reached for his pants, tugging on the dark material with one hand. He said he might stay, but more often than not, he didn't. Sometimes he just left while Harlan was in the shower, not bothering to take one himself. He'd disappear into the darkness of the night with the mystery that only a pair of pleasure-seekers could manage. Only through this connection of the phone could he be reached.

Dragging a hand through his tousled hair, Jayde glanced in the small unframed mirror mounted by the bathroom door. Their activities had loosened his hair from the usual style and now it hung partially against his forehead, the longer middle hanging over the shaved sides. He would shower tonight because he needed to work still, so he left it be. His shirt lay against the arm of a chair so he collected it, neatly laying his socks over it as he dropped back onto the bed. It was a strange sign of order after the mess he'd flung the clothes down in, but he smoothed away his shirt's wrinkles nonetheless. He disliked the mess. He didn't care. Stirring the cigarette ash with a butt, he waited, idly wondering why he waited in the first place. This relationship, it was convenient. But for how much longer?

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#4
Old 09-06-2017, 11:41 AM

Shutting the water off, Harlan dressed. He pulled on faded, ripped, jeans over his underwear and slipped a white three quarter sleeved shirt over his head. The last touch was a plaid button up shirt, left open. It was an extra layer, and he liked layers... Even if plaid wasn't his favorite kind of pattern.
He brushed his damp hair into haphazard place, it just brushed his shoulders and made him shiver a bit before he stepped out of the bathroom.

He caught himself staring at Jayde, standing right there with his hair in disarray. "So yeah, shower's free." The other man was still there. That had been unexpected. Even if Jayde said he might stay it was a hit or miss if he ever did.

"You want me to stick around so we can plan our next round?" Why did he hope Jayde said yes? Lately such odd thoughts, had started filtering through his mind. He didn't know when it had started, or when he'd started looking forward to those odd moments when he could hear Jayde's voice.

Was this meeting with Jayde why he'd been humming? Was Jayde the reason why? Harlan felt cold, dread settled in the pit of his stomach. No way!

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#5
Old 09-06-2017, 06:55 PM

Jayde turned, fixing Harlan with his eyes just for a second. "No need. We probably won't be able to meet for a while. I've got things building up at work," he murmured. Sliding from the bed with languid ease, he brushed back his hair, heading toward the shower with his clothes tucked over one arm. Tilting his head back, he leaned against the door frame for a second to talk. "I'll text you when things calm down. I'll need another break like this when the job is done." It was the closest he'd ever come to admitting he looked forward to their hook ups. And maybe he didn't truly look forward to them, but rather needed the escape. No doubt after the mess he was about to get involved in, he would want someone to drown it all away. Harlan just happened to be the best for that.

Flicking his hand in an irreverent wave that revealed the tattooed word across his fingers, he moved into the bathroom, shutting the door behind. He turned the water on almost as hot as it could go before letting himself relax. As much as he might sometimes think this relationship needed to end, he got caught up in the ease of it. He liked this, no strings. It was the only way things could work. Stepping under the hot water, Jayde steeled himself for the rest of the night. No doubt when he exited the bathroom, Harlan would already be gone. Then it would be just him and the job.

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#6
Old 09-07-2017, 01:15 AM

(sorry about the bed thing, I missed that. >.<)

As soon as Jayde was out of sight, Harlan let himself relax. Disappoitment flitted across his face. He wasn't looking forward to the separation between them. There was never any way of knowing when Jayde would next call, and when the other man talked about being the next one to make contact ... Well Harlan had never ever gone against that, no matter how he sometimes wanted to if only to hear the other man's voice, or see his words blinking on a cellphone screen.

Maybe he had it really bad for Jayde?

Shaking his head in denial, Harlan left the hotel and headed straight for his car. It wasn't the best out there, a second hand silver thing, but it did it's job and rarely ever needed to be repaired. It was good enough for Harlan. Everyday it got him home safely to his duplex, halfway across town from the hotel.

During the drive he lingered over moments of that evening, savoring them in a way he hadn't realized he was doing before.

As the young man stepped through his front door, he was already wondering when next Jayde would call or text.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#7
Old 09-07-2017, 09:54 PM

Jayde finished his shower without hurry. He needed to maintain his image from the cuff he wore in the top of one ear to the now wet necklace that he never took off. For a second, he touched the tattoo over his collar bone and whispered to himself. "Don't let the pain destroy you." After lingering for a second, he let his hand slip away again, already back to his routine. His hair didn't take much effort, just his fingers to push it back where it would dry off from his forehead. When he finished, he turned away from the mirror, offering his reflection no parting glances. He was confident, completely and totally in control.

As expected, Harlan was no longer in the room. Which was fine since he already stopped thinking about his sometimes lover. No, lover was too kind of a word. If Jayde had something like that, he would have to quit now, but since he didn't, he headed straight out into the night toward The Lilly Lounge. The nightclub was nothing like a lily though. At the entrance, he leaned close to the doorman, whispering into his ear as he slipped something into the man's hand. Seconds later, he was ushered inside and straight to the VIP lounge. On the way there, a smile played across his face, the unmistakable smile of a predator.

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#8
Old 09-08-2017, 02:57 AM

Jayde ... Why hadn't he realized just how much his thoughts lingered on the other man? Harlan headed straight for his guitar, fingers flying over the frets as he tried running through the most difficult classic rock song he could think of. Even AC/DC wasn't working to distract him.

Since first being introduced, coming up with their arrangent months ago, everything had gone smoothly. It was so easy, uncomplicated. Picking up the phone brought some relief and excitement to an otherwise banal life, easing stress at the same time. But it seemed like something had taken root in Harlan's heart over those months, burrowing into him like roots digging through the earth.

Could it even be called something like love if he was so ignorant of who Jayde was?

Harlan found himself pulling his cellphone from his pocked, pulling up Jayde's number, and staring at it.

To text, or not to text? What would he say anyway, "Hey, there are strings now,"? No way was he writing that.

Instead Harlan wrote the truth, or a part of it anyway. "Wanted to let you know, even if you don't plan on calling for a while anyway, there's a good chance I'll be out of town next weekend." There was a huge flea market; Harlan was thinking of going to grow his inventory again.

((That okay?))

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#9
Old 09-08-2017, 09:49 PM

In the bustle of the club, the sound of Jayde's cell got lost. He wouldn't have listened to it anyway. With the whispered conversations and men dressed too nice with vacant-eyed women at their sides, dancers leaning too close, and money passing hands, he had more than enough to think about. By the time he left, the night deepened considerably and cool air shocked his skin, still moist from the overheated feel of the club. It felt wonderful and full of exhilaration despite the hour. He would not sleep until dawn light touched the sky anyway. The walking helped to clear the mess away which is why he tended to only use his feet and the subways to get around. Of course, there were other reasons too, but those were the main ones.

Harlan's message captured part of his attention. Why did he text now of all times, like he'd been thinking about Jayde immediately after their parting? It was too soon and Jayde felt uneasy about the implications. Sighing, he pressed his phone to his forehead, trying to burn out the thoughts that gathered there. Not bothering to respond to the message, he offered Harlan no encouragement. Maybe tomorrow he would meet with Axel at the recording studio for a change of pace. The lead vocalist of Obsessed with your Obsession was his childhood friend. Perhaps the blue-haired player was famous now as much for his unique sound as his wanton ways, but he could thank the man for introducing him to Harlan. After all, Axel was part of the reason that he reemerged into the world after vanishing for so long. That, and he had a job now. Tossing thoughts of Harlan aside, he reached his small apartment set across from an abandoned park. Hopefully, he could keep Harlan away before he finished up this job too.

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#10
Old 09-09-2017, 01:17 AM

((Alright, I'm gonna jump right onto that information about Axel. Hope that's fine.))

He hadn't expected a reply.

Since music hadn't helped him drown his emotions, he turned to his other option. Phone in hand again, he picked the dial-a-friend option, and this one knew Jayde, as well as Harlan himself. Would Axel even want to help him with his predicament? He hoped so... It almost didn't matter Axel said was best, Harlan would follow his advice.

If the man ever picked up, considering how busy the star was. And it was late.

As Harlan waited, he paced around his apartment, almost resoting to bitting at his nails. Really, why had this happened to him? He'd never wanted strings with Jayde, at least not concsiously and now he was worrying about how that one informative text he'd sent. Maybe he shouldn't have sent anything at all.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#11
Old 09-11-2017, 06:13 PM

Axel answered his phone on the last ring, his breath loud in the speaker before he managed a reply. "If you're looking for a fuck, I've already got one tonight," he greeted. A little out of breath still, his voice came out hoarse, but more natural than his usual overly arrogant speech. Loud conversations sounded from behind him as well, music in the background as a couple nearby enjoyed themselves too much. He pulled his phone away after a second, actually looking at the caller ID when he didn't receive an immediate reply.

"Oh, it's just Harlan," he stated, his voice changing again to with superiority again. Most people couldn't stand that tone of his, even his own band mates at times, but those few people who managed to call him something like a friend at least knew the coy and ever fun player that he was a night. Smiling, Axel leaned forward against the leather of his couch to continue speaking. "I'm having a party at my house right now. Want to come over?"

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#12
Old 09-12-2017, 01:50 AM

Harlan though over it a second, and nodded. Of course then he realized Axel could't actually see him. "Yeah, sure. I'll come right over if you promise I'll be able to talk to you alone." Despite himself, the situation, he laughed a bit. "I'm glad to hear you're already taken for tonight, because I just got back from my meeting with Jayde."

The dark haired man let out a long sigh. "Uhm yeah ..." He shuffled awkwardly across floor, heading towards the front door again. "Actually, Jayde is who I want to talk about. Well me and how I might maybe actually be starting to like the guy too much."

Harlan hunched into himself without realizing it, and his voice was small. "I think I'm in trouble." He leaned against the wall by his shoes, staring at his choices. He could take the converse, or the leather boots. He was definitely throwing off his plaid and grabbing his leather jacket with all the band patches of the concerts he'd been too.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#13
Old 09-12-2017, 02:05 AM

Axel hummed under his breath, but his attention already started to drift back to the party around him. It was strange, considering how much he hated people. He treated them poorly, pushed them away, then pulled them close again with a coy smile to hide all his weaknesses. No matter how much he turned up his nose, he never lacked for people to fill his home when he felt self-destructive enough for it. Adding one more person wouldn't make any difference. "Sure, whatever. We can talk. It would be about Jayde wouldn't it?" he added with a snort.

A glass clinked nearby and he realized someone dumped a homemade margarita on the table next to him and got accosted almost immediately. He took the drink himself and downed it. He heard the words Harlan said but they ceased to matter deeply under the influence of the alcohol. He wanted to come and talk about Jayde, then let him. No point in talking over the phone. "Well, if that's it, I'll talk to you when you get here. And try to dress to have fun!" he exclaimed before hanging up, letting himself slide across the couch with his now empty drink. Yep, tonight was a perfect night to self-destruct. He'd just have to wait until after Harlan left.

Last edited by Kat Dakuu; 07-20-2018 at 10:33 PM..

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#14
Old 09-12-2017, 02:29 AM

Dress to have fun? Had Axel even heard him? Harlan shook his head and ended up going back to his closet and pulling out a different shirt, something with a little more flair. It was bright, colorful, and worked great with the leather vest he ended up throwing over the band concert. Add in a cool leather and metal bracelet and his converse, a shiny dragon shaped necklace, and he was good ... Though Harlan felt less then enthusiastic.

He slid into his car's front seat with butterflies in his stomack, and hoped Axel really would talk to him. Sometimes it was a bit difficult to get through to him though, one of the reason why Jayde had seemed so preferrable to Axel in the first place. Even if he went in for one night stands, for no-strings attached, he'd still wanted to be with someone who didn't jump around quite as much as Axel. The man had a talent for finding one night stands and leaving them well enough. That was why Harlan considered him a somewhat friend. He wasn't sure the rockstar had too many friends though..

He pulled into Axel's driveway, right on the edge. There were so many cars, and the house was loud. A party raged on, while Harlan squeezed past people. More then once he had to refuse a glass, shake his head when somone made a pass at him. It took him a while, but he finally found Axel on a couch. He edged close enough to be heard over the music. "Hey! You said we'd be able to talk."

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#15
Old 09-12-2017, 02:58 AM

Somewhere in the waiting for Harlan--or at least the waiting for something even if he didn't remember what--Axel continued to drink. A man like him with as much experience, he could drink an entire night away and still keep his head. It just helped make it easier to deal with his own proximity to people. A half second ago, some girl had been sitting on his lap, but that already ended when a voice cleared away his haze. "Harlan," Axel hummed, pulling himself up to grin at the other man. As per his advice, it did seem that Harlan dressed somewhat fitting for a party. Mostly it just amused Axel to see the other man dress like that because he said so. Grabbing his wrist, Axel used him to pull himself to his feet. He didn't let go though.

Sliding close as much for effect as to speak over the din, he murmured to Harlan. "You said you wanted to talk about Jayde? That bastard's always coming and going like a freakin' enigma. I don't know why you chose him over me," Axel huffed, something a dose heavier than bitterness coloring his voice for just a second. Jayde was his friend and had been for a long time, but that long connection was sometimes the only thing that kept Axel from hating him. Grabbing two drinks with one hand, he led Harlan to another corner of the home where less people gathered. "Well?"

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#16
Old 09-12-2017, 03:21 AM

Harlan rolled his eyes at Axel's behaviour and let himself be pulled along. There was really nothing for it. He needed someone to talk to, someone who knew Jayde and who could give him advice ... Though all of a sudden Harlan was having second thoughs. Was it really the best idea to seek relationship advice from Axel, who was notorious for his one night stands, his playboy attitude?

Once they were someplace where they could actually hear their voices, Harlan relaxed a bit. Still, he kept fidgeting with his bracelet. "I think maybe I've started liking Jayde more then I should. I mean, I keep wanting to ..." He shook his head. "I want to know more about him and spend actual time with him instead of just jumping into the sack."

Frustration slipped trough and his eyes flashed as he lifted them to Axel's face. "Because of him I can't even play my guitar, it just doesn't distract me! I just keeping thinking about him all the time." He put emphasis on his last words.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#17
Old 09-12-2017, 03:27 PM

Axel stared at Harlan, taken aback by his words. Even if Harlan started to say these things over the phone and implied it with his actions, the sheer thought of someone liking Jayde shocked him to the core. He could understand if someone fell in love with a person like him who was awesome in every way, or at least, tried to make himself look that way. Jayde though? Besides his body, the guy didn't have a thing worth noting. It made Axel feel better to insult the other man, but he really did consider the words true. Shaking his head, he finally managed to speak.

"I feel sorry for you. That's about the worst news I've heard this month," he snorted, before reconsidering. "Well, you were never a threat to my fame with that weak way you play guitar, so I'll help you out so you can play again." Axel eyed Harlan, knowing just by the way he spoke that his words were completely true. After a second, Axel sighed and dropped back to lean against the wall, revealing his taut abs from beneath a too short shirt. He handed one of the drinks to Harlan, then gulped his down in one go. "Let me tell you something about Jayde."

Closing his eyes, Axel slipped into his story. "You know that we grew up together. That guy was already a punk back then, but on the right side of things. He learned things about me that few people have and he accepts them. That's probably why we're still friends. He stopped hanging out with us in the senior year of high school though, like some kind of phantom. Then poof, he just vanishes. Didn't even attend graduation." Axel opened his eyes again, looking right at Harlan. "That was eight years ago. Three months back, he just randomly showed up again after all that time, acting like a different person. If you want to know about who that guy is, tough luck. His job? Where he lives? You fell in love with the wrong guy if you're expecting something back. Because I don't know damn shit about who he is now."

Last edited by Kat Dakuu; 07-20-2018 at 10:48 PM..

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#18
Old 09-13-2017, 01:19 AM

Harlan took the bottle and fought hard not to throw the thing right at Axel's arrogant head. White knuckled, he forced himself to breathe, to remain calm. It wouldn't do for him to lose his temper. He'd been in too much trouble before because of it, and repeating the experience was the last thing Harlan wanted, no matter the situation.

Forcing himself to relax, he plastered a false smile on his face. "Well I don't see how we're so different, since you don't know a thing about one of the very few friends you have."

Harlan took a step forward and considered spitting at the floor in front of Axel's feet. "And you're pretty close to losing one of the other ones right now, with that attitude of yours. Yeah, I may not know your secrets. I may not be as talented as you, and I may not have your past, whatever it is ... But I still trusted you enough to come here asking for your help, confiding in you, making myself vulnerable in front of you and you just basically threw it all in my face."

Alright, so he hadn't been able to stop himself. It felt right at the moment, to feel his blood boiling and let his thoughts spew forth ... Harlan just hoped he didn't regret it later.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#19
Old 09-13-2017, 01:37 AM

Axel stepped back, his arrogant grin faltering. He looked like he might run back into the party, might actually run away. After a second though, he forced his cocky little smirk back to his face like a protective shield. "Don't throw this back at me," he sneered. "I'm only telling you these things because you asked. Jayde is dangerous!" Hissing between his teeth, he whirled back toward the other room and took two steps before turning back again. Clearly, Harlan's angry words got to him more than he wanted them too.

"And you know what, maybe I don't care if you want to fall in love with the kind of person who vanishes off the face of the earth for half his life, or if you don't want to be my friend. I don't need guys like you anyway. I'm famous aren't I?" Axel threw out with a wild laugh. "My advice is don't fall in love, but if you don't want to listen to that, then fine." He turned away again, finally returning to the party that was still in full swing despite the late hour. He found the nearest unopened bottle of beer and chugged, wanting to drown out this memory sooner rather than later. And here he was thinking that Harlan might make this party more sufferable. He needed another bed partner now.

Last edited by Kat Dakuu; 07-20-2018 at 10:50 PM..

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#20
Old 09-13-2017, 02:06 AM

Harlan slammed the bottle onto the nearest flat surface, and glanced at it to make sure the thing hadn't broken before storming off. He kept thinking that he had been in the right, though after he finally left the party behind and slammed into his car he realized he couldn't exactly take Axel at face value. Maybe the guy had actually been worried, maybe he cared more then he showed and he meant the exact opposite of those last thrown out words.

After a while, long enough to make sure he had cooled down, Harlan pulled out his phone and started texting. "Axel I didn't really mean I didn't want to be your friend. I regret even mentioning it. Thank you for worrying about me, even if the way you showed it came across the wrong way. After thinking about it I know you were just trying to stop me from getting hurt, but I'm the kind of guy who sticks around people even when they try to push me away."

Harlan found himself smiling. His anger wasn't entirely forgotten, but his want to make sure he and Axel were still friends over rode that. ":P I stick around you, don't I?"

Axel had done one good thing though, for the moment Jayde had been completely ejected from Harlan's thoughts.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#21
Old 09-13-2017, 10:32 PM

Axel went straight back to drinking, knowing that Harlan already left. And really, he didn't know why this was any of his business since he didn't ask to be anyone's advice giver. What did he know about people? He'd never been in a stable relationship in his entire life. Somewhere in the middle of it all, he noticed new text messages, but even after reading them, he couldn't quite cool the insanity that was building up inside of himself. He thought he responded too, something along the lines of 'Go away,' but by this point, he wasn't even sure anymore. By the time the night ended, he was more of a mess than usual, spurred on by his own shitty emotions. At least he didn't need to be at the recording studio until noon. Lionus, yeah, he'd just force the band's drummer to come get him and everything would be okay. In the end, he passed out in his bathroom, somewhere near the morning hours.

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#22
Old 09-14-2017, 01:04 AM

A few black letters blinked up at Harlan from his cell phone when he picked it up the next morning after a less then restful sleep. He sighed and headed to his car after throwing on a really casual outfit. He felt obligated to check on Axel, just in case something had gone horribly wrong during the night after they'd spoken. Sure, things had gotten heated, but that didn't mean Harlan had decided to abandon whatever tenuous friendship they had.

He drove back to Axel's house. The driveway was much emptier then it had been the night before, thankfully, and there was no one obvious out to see Harlan ignore the front door and head straight for the back one. He banged on it, open handed. "Hey Axel, get your fricking butt down here! I need to make sure you're still breathing!"

So what if the neighbours head? They probably heard yelling from Axel's house often enough, especially after one of the rock star's crazy parties.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#23
Old 09-14-2017, 02:59 AM

Axel woke up where he'd fallen asleep, his head pillowed against the edge of the tub and the crook of his arm. Shirt feeling sticky against his body and dark hair spilling against the porcelain white, he wondered what woke him. He felt both hung over and ripped open and raw, all of his carefully maintained masks cleaned away. The feeling shocked him far more than the uncomfortable chill of the tile floor. Compared to what could have happened after losing control so completely, this didn't feel that bad. He'd done worse, though not often.

Finally, the sound that woke him registered again, pulling Axel fully out of the lull he'd been sitting in. Harlan stood outside his door, pounding on it and yelling. Wincing, Axel curled in on himself for a second before dragging himself to his feet. He did not want to deal with another human being right now, especially a concerned one. Harlan would zero in on this rubbed raw self of his in an instant. And yet, Axel couldn't turn him away either. He told himself it was because Harlan might alert the neighbors and even more eyes would make him want to claw his skin, lock himself in the bathroom and puke. He told himself that as he approached the door.

"I'm alive!" he groaned through it, falling against the wood surface in order to catch his breath instead of opening it so Harlan could look at him. Because how could he interact face to face. Closing his eyes, he managed to ground out words with almost as much snap as usual, but still tinged with a desperateness. "Just leave me alone, okay."

PapillonCameo
(^・o・^)ノ”
2350.99
PapillonCameo is offline
 
#24
Old 09-14-2017, 03:22 AM

Premature relief washed through him when Harlan finally heard Axel's very recognizable voice. But he had to see the guy. There really was no way of knowing how Axel was really faring otherwise. Harlan slammed his open palm against the door again. "I'm not leaving til you open this door and I see your face, man."

He hesitated a moment, thinking over his next words carefully. "Something seems off ..."

Harlan thought about the person who was supposedly there to take care of the band, their manager. What a horrible job that person was doing! He couldn't believe how out of hand things were getting.
Maybe it was time that he did something about it. Harlan didn't want to have to worry over Axel like he had when he'd turned his phone on and seen that text.

It would have been so easy to dismiss, and yet it had sent alarm bells ringing inside his head.

Meddling was the last thing he ever wanted to do, but just this once Harlan decided to make an exception. He would call that practical manager acquaintance of his and hope that the blonde would be accepted by the band.

Kat Dakuu
hyperactive catdemon

Penpal
61386.02
Kat Dakuu is offline
 
#25
Old 09-14-2017, 03:56 AM

Axel frowned, feeling a shiver go through his body at Harlan's words. Why, why wouldn't he go away? Everyone else did so easily when he asked it. Didn't they know he wasn't actually a composed and arrogant rock star? He was an anxious amateur masquerading at stability. "Go away, Harlan!" he snapped again, taking a deep breath so he could put some power behind his words. He felt the emotions that plagued him so much as a child start to creep in again. Was this really all because he hated the songs he'd written so much, that spurred him on to party, or because of Harlan's words last night?

Pulling back from the door, he considered opening it just so he could make Harlan go away quicker, but he decided against it in the end. He really couldn't deal with Harlan right now. "Can't you just listen when I tell you things? I'm no good with people. I have work later so it's not like I'm going to die." Just feel like that might save him some of the worry. Damn, he really did suck at this people thing. Just for different reasons depending on the time of day. "You just want to feel like less of a useless dick by acting all cool next to me. Well guess what? Even when I'm hung over you're too fuckin' far from that to try!"

 


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

 
Forum Jump

no new posts