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 Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:11 pm
The bar was not one of his usual places to go, but Auguste still made his way around Destiny City every so often just to see the way it looked at night. He loved the faint feeling of freedom it gave; the sense of liberation and excitement that pushed him further and further into his explorations of the city.
Bars were just a part of those explorations, even if they weren't always where he went on a regular basis. But Auguste had always loved the noise and atmospheres of bars; the scent of alcohol and smoke that clung to collars and the sort of people who came and sat and looked as though they wanted to talk their life away or were having the best night of their lives. Some were there to drink until they forgot; some were there to drink to remember, clicking drinks with someone else's, flashing grins across the counter.
Auguste, with his newly cut short hair, and his clean, pressed clothes consisting of a pair of sky blue leggings, a white teeshirt, and an oversized tan sweater, did not exactly fit into the bar scene. He wasn't even old enough to drink yet, his birthday not for quite a while officially - but Auguste wasn't at the bar to drink, all evidence to the contrary. He was there to look and to watch and to soak in the atmosphere.
At least until he saw who was sitting at the counter.
For a few seconds after stepping inside, Auguste just stared, his eyes wide, his heart pounding in his chest; and out of all the people whom he could have expected to see at the one place he was at this evening, this - this was not it at all.
Auguste hesitated - and then carefully made his way through the crowded bar to where the man sat, resisting the urge to reach out a hand and touch his shoulder.
"Chase? Is that you?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 8:57 am
Chase was not a drinker, not really.
Or at least he hadn't been for the last four years until that night at the club which, unfortunately, had a slightly intoxicated Chase trying to deal with the catastrophe of senshi and youma and agents all over the dancefloor. It wasn't an idea type of situation and really, he knew it wasn't in his best interest to drink much after.
But today had been a particularly stressful day.
Between making sure that the books and schedules were in order for his business and keeping up with his pack and their training, especially in this time of high tension, he was particularly wound up. A drink sounded nice and since he was in the habit of denying himself the simple pleasures, Chase figured why not?
Which left him seated among the long stretch of counter that made up the bar. In his hands was a glass of whiskey, that almost matched the color of his eyes, on the rocks. He'd been swirling liquid around absentmindedly, his thoughts a million miles from where he sat when someone came up behind him.
Immediately his shoulders tensed and his hand shot out to catch the wrist of the hand that'd touched his shoulders. Turning halfway his tight grip loosened and his hardened expression soften. "Auguste?" He blinked twice, brow crinkling as whiskey-gold eyes took in the shorter locks.
"Finally got tired of all that hair?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:42 am
His hand was stopped before it could reach Chase's shoulder, fingers curling around his wrist in a vice like grip. Auguste made a startled sound and froze, his eyes wide as he stared at him, wondering if he'd made a mistake in coming over as it was.
But then something in Chase's expression shifted and softened, and Auguste felt some of the tension in his shoulders begin to ease a little. He curled his free hand against his chest and offered Chase a small, tentative smile that bordered on shy.
"Hello," he said, and the smile widened a little. His fingers reached up, brushing the newly shorn locks.
"Ah - well, yes," Auguste admitted. "They were kind of getting in the way, and I thought - well, I thought it was time finally to get a new look. Just for - you know, a change and all. I think it looks all right, I was hoping to have it long enough to pull back."
He glanced at the drink in front of Chase, then back to Chase.
"I haven't seen you in a while," said Auguste. "How are you?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 12:12 pm
Chase was quiet, taking in Auguste's new haircut and the smile on his mouth. Auguste has a nice smile, he thought absently. His hand was warm where it was wrapped around a small wrist and he dropped it once he realize he was still holding on.
"Ah, sorry. Sneaking up on me is never a good idea," he said, wiping his palm on his jeans before grasping his small glass with both hands. Feeling like he needed to relax a little, especially since he had company, Chase brought the cup to his mouth and tipped it back. When he set it back on the counter, it'd been drained.
The bartender slid over and asked if he wanted another, to which Chase nodded. Why not? He thought, glancing over at Auguste and gesturing to the seat beside him. "Want anything?" It hadn't occurred to him that Auguste might not be of legal drinking age.
"Oh, it looks good by the way. Your hair," he said absently, waving a hand at it. "Work's been killer," he stated as a way of avoiding what exactly kept him busy. "I'm fine. How are you?" His responses were shorter, more clip than he intended but stress lined his spine and it was hard to keep from thinking of everything on his mind.
"No, the shorter bob suits you," he said, staring probably too intently at the way the short cut framed Auguste's face.
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 1:05 pm
A part of him regretted the loss of Chase's hand, though he tried not to think about that, or the warmth of those fingers around his wrist. Auguste stepped a little closer, hesitantly, wrapping his fingers together against his chest.
"I'll try to remember that for next time," he said with a small laugh, and slid into the offered seat, hands dropping into his lap. He perched on the stool and felt his stomach fluttering, Auguste trying to ignore that as well. "Oh, um," he said, glancing over at the bartender. "Just - just water is fine for me. Or, um, a soda."
He didn't have a fake ID on him, which meant no drinks. Auguste felt his cheeks heat unexpectedly at the comment, and he tucked a stray lock of hair behind one of his ears.
"Thank you," he said with a smile, though it faltered slightly at the clipped answer. He pushed it aside, Chase's intense stare making him feel a little - something, thought he couldn't quite figure out what that something was, exactly.
"I've been well, just dancing. I'm sorry I haven't been by the coffee shop lately," he added, because it had been a whirlwind of performances with little time for anything else. "I've missed going there."
And you, he thought, but he didn't say it.
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 1:56 pm
Once again Chase shifted, legs spreading just enough so that his knee pressed against Auguste's. It wasn't an intentional touch, but he didn't move away from it either as the bartender provided him with a new glass of whiskey and coke for his companion. Carefully, he pushed the soda towards the boy.
Chase didn't bother to tell the bartender that they'd both go on his tab, it was implied by the slight wave of his hand that sent the man away.
Propping his arm against the stretch of counter, Chase made sure that Auguste had his undivided attention, taking in the slight flush of cheeks in the low lighting. He was perpetually marveled at the dusting of freckles across his companion's nose.
"You don't need to apologize, I don't expect patron's lives to revolve around the shop." Chase himself was hardly there, often only to remind his employees that he still around or if he needed to do paperwork or reprimands. "I haven't really been there myself," he admitted, reaching for his drink and swirling the straw around. "I probably would have missed you anyway."
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 6:29 pm
He was thinking too much about everything; about the press of Chase's leg against his own, of the casual slide of a drink in his direction, about the curt answers to the questions about how Chase had been doing. Auguste wrapped fingers around the cold glass and drew it towards himself, taking a small sip, the chill of the drink helping ease him somewhat.
Chase was looking at him again, turned in his direction. The attention made the flush deepen a little on Auguste's face, and the word patron made his heart wilt a little, for some reason, but he pushed it aside. Auguste offered Chase another small smile, a little laugh escaping him.
"Well, it's a safe haven, of sorts," he said ruefully. "It's a very warm and comfortable place, I really do wish I could come by more often. Hopefully now that our season is over at the studio, I can start doing weekly visits again or something."
Auguste's eyes flickered towards Chase, following the movement of his hand as he stirred his drink.
"Well," he said, "It's more fun with you there, anyway."
He shifted a little on his seat, then asked, "So what brings you here, tonight? Are you exploring like I am, or were you just taking a break?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2016 12:13 pm
"My employees contribute to that much more than I do I'm afraid," Chase offered, with an almost self-deprecating laugh. He caught the straws between his index and middle finger so they were still and to the side when he lifted the glass and took a sip. This time, he didn't down the drink and instead sit it back down and released it completely.
Again, he wiped his palms on his jeans but left them there, fingers tapping against his knees.
"It's good that you think so though, if you feel that way then others must too. Good for business." And he enjoyed seeing Auguste stop by the shop, with his flushed skin and shy smiles. "You should stop by though," he agreed absently. Chase did enjoy conversing with regulars whenever he was working there, if only because there was a semblance of what his life had been like before.
He didn't regret his choices, but sometimes he missed just being Chase.
"I don't really 'explore'," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. "Bars aren't my scene usually, this is only the second time I've been to one in a couple of years." The last time had been the club. "Whiskey sounded nice. Did you find something worth exploring?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2016 8:54 pm
He glanced down at Chase's drink, wondering how much he'd had before he'd gotten there; there had already been an empty glass when he'd walked in, so this was at least his second, but it could have been more, even if Chase didn't seem intoxicated.
He seemed - something. Auguste just wasn't sure what.
Good for business, he'd said. He was still just another patron after all, though Auguste was forcefully pushing the negative thoughts aside, ignoring the sense of disappointment curling in his stomach. "It's probably my favorite place to go outside of the studio," he said, smiling. "There's just something homey about it."
He took a sip of his drink, the icy chill of soda fizzing pleasantly in his mouth. Auguste rested both arms on the counter and a slight frown tugged at his lips as he looked sideways at Chase. His hands wrapped around his glass, the moisture from condensation seeping into his palms.
"I did tonight," he said lightly, but the tone had taken on a worried note, slightly hesitant. "Exploring the city keeps me occupied when I don't patrol."
After a moment, he asked tentatively, "Are you...okay? You seem a little..."
But he trailed off, because he couldn't definitively say exactly what Chase was or wasn't.
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:55 pm
There had been only one drink besides the one that Auguste had seen Chase drown.
He'd been a the bar for about twenty minutes, idly sipping at his whiskey as he sat and tried not to think about things that were out of his control. It was difficult, because Chase always had a firm grasp on control on the things that revolved around him.
He liked to think he was skillful at things like chess and strategy.
But this was out of his control and, in truth, he didn't know if he would want to stop the domino's from falling even if he knew how.
Auguste's word choice drew Chase's attention immediately and he frowned. "Patrol? Patrol for what?" His teeth clenched together just enough that he had to remind himself to relax. The statement meant nothing, though the general beneath his skin said, how can you be sure?
"I'm fine, just have too many work related things on my mind." It was dismissive and it was clear by his posture and tone that he wouldn't accept any prying on the matter. "Where are your friends?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:37 pm
Auguste let out a laugh.
"I meant for my studio," he said with a smile. "I sometimes go out with my dance studio to patrol for new places to dance or to make sure that all of us get home safely, since we have such late rehearsals most of the time. We usually go in pairs to escort each other, unless I run off to the coffee shop first."
His eyes were twinkling a little with amusement and gentle teasing, but he could tell from the muscle tensing in Chase's jaw that he was perhaps not in the best mood this evening. Auguste felt his heart sinking a little; maybe this hadn't been a good idea after all. Clearly he didn't want the company.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to - pry, forgive me."
Auguste leaned back a little in his chair, wondering how best to extract himself from this without seeming rude. Chase was having a rough time and he didn't want to discuss it, which meant that Auguste should leave him alone.
"My friends?" Auguste repeated, brows furrowing, and he gave a shrug of slender shoulders. "Out, I think. I'm not sure, exactly."
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:09 pm
"That's an odd way of putting it," Chase commented absently, turning his gaze towards his drink which he lifted and sipped at. He licked his lips in the aftermath, setting the drink back down in the ring of water left by condensation.
"I see that I'm - the shop is a priority for you," he teased, offering a slightly warmer smile even if slight exhaustion still remained evident in his face. Chase had never been much of a sleeper, but his insomnia flared more and more these days. It didn't help that there was an unruly pet he had to keep disciplining over and over again.
And that his bed was perpetually used by other people.
"I'm sorry, don't be offended I haven't been sleeping well." An understatement but an easier explanation and without too much thought, Chase had come to rest his hand just above Auguste's knee. He felt a little warmer than he usually did and Chase attributed it to the two glasses of whiskey in his system. He was always nicer, flirtier when he was mildly inebriated. "I like it better when you wear those sweaters," he declared, frowning at the shirt Auguste was wearing now.
His clothing was different than the dance attire Chase usually got to see him in.
"Yeah, the friends you always talk so fondly about, I'm beginning to think you made them up so someone doesn't get the wrong idea..."
Oh, what was he implying?
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:08 pm
The shop - and Chase - was a priority for him, though Auguste wasn't sure how much he wanted to say that. Chase's smile was a little bit less stiff than it had been a few seconds earlier, but it still wasn't a smile that invited warmth and encouragement.
Auguste gave a shake of his head, his newly short hair flipping against his cheeks in an unfamiliar way that he was still trying to get used to. "I wasn't offended," he said quickly, holding up his hands before letting them fall back into his lap again. It was perfectly true; offended wasn't really the word that Auguste would have used to describe how he was feeling at the moment, though he didn't know what other word there was, exactly.
Something in his chest ached, or maybe that was just him overreacting.
"I'm sorry you haven't been sleeping well," said Auguste quietly, and then froze, because Chase had shifted, his hand on his leg and warmth was radiating out from where his palm was. His heart seemed to stutter to a stop in his chest.
"Oh," he said, and the faintest hint of pink was on his cheeks, Auguste's lips quirking up into a small smile. "Thank - thank you, I um. I mean, I didn't come from dance rehearsal, so I'm just wearing what I usually wear around the house."
Chase's comment made his eyebrows raise, confusion twisting inside of Auguste's head.
"No, I - " he said, and then stopped, his face pinking further. "I didn't make them up, I..."
He shifted slightly, Auguste's gaze tracing the dark circles beneath Chase's eyes.
"Do you want to go for a walk?" he asked, "It's cooler outside, it's very nice. Fresh air might help because of your lack of sleep."
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Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 2:00 pm
Chase waved his hand to brush aside Auguste's apology. "It's fine, it's nothing new." The man had been suffering from insomnia since he was eighteen, working on minimal sleep had become a skill he was quite talented in. "It's just - I'm probably not good company right now." He sounded a little dejected with the admission but there was no reason to pretend that Chase could be half as charming with how cranky the lack of sleep made him.
It didn't help that his wolf had been particularly difficult to handle lately either.
Chase didn't comment further when Auguste explained the reasoning behind his outfit choice, instead shrugged and hummed lowly. There was nothing that could be said or done about his opinion on the matter, the too-big sweaters were simply better. He himself was dressed in something a little more formal than his usual attire at the shop. When he wasn't working behind the counter he wore a collared button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and dark jeans. Sometimes, he wore a vest but tonight was not one of those nights.
"Sure," he teased, winking at Auguste as he drew his hand away and signaled for the bartender to return where he paid his tab and left a sizable tip. "A walk huh? Are you sure you're not trying to get me alone so you can take advantage of me in my mildly intoxicated state?" But he didn't say no and all signs, from the way he was putting his wallet away to how he slid off his seat and offered Auguste his hand, said, sure.
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Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 6:19 pm
Maybe he wasn't good company, but Auguste had never found Chase as anything less than pleasant to be around. Even if now he was clearly not wanting to talk to anyone, he couldn't quite help the pull that drew him towards Chase, Auguste absently tugging at the sleeve of his sweater. He wasn't dressed as a barista today, but the shirt was rolled up to his elbows, and it looked good on him.
Auguste thought there were probably few things that did not look good on Chase Black.
The wink and the comment made him flush a little as Auguste slid off of the bar stool.
"That's not why," he admonished, but the corners of his lips had quirked up in a small smile. "Fresh air is nice, and it's easier to talk when you're walking. Besides, it's beautiful outside, it's finally getting into the nicer weather."
It took him a moment to realize that Chase was holding his hand out. Auguste stared at it, his heart beating too fast, and then, tentatively, he reached out and slid his own against Chase's; a loose grasp used to tug Chase towards the door and outside.
"See?" he said, as they stepped out. "It's nice."
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