WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU?

open to: ㅤf/nb! | open to non-mutuals based on: ㅤㅤcharlie is an inexperienced baby gay who after being tortured by comphet for years, she is finally accepting who she is and has started dating your muse

"you aren't going to disappoint me. i know that this is new, and i know that you're trying," she paused, reaching between them to carefully thread her fingers through the others. jules gave an encouraging squeeze, hoping that it'd pull her girlfriend's gaze upward. "there's no pressure here, char. i'm patient and it means a lot that you're here, that you're... that you're trying to figure this all out with me." even if charlie changed her mind about them, jules wasn't going anywhere. not unless the other asked her to, and even then, she'd be hard pressed to walk away. "what can i do? how do i make this easier?"

she laughed again – ashley was a piece of work, for sure, but they’d left her behind. and neva had sully all to herself. “is that so?” she asked with a curiously curved eyebrow and an equally curved mouth. she was giddy with the knowledge that he’d been eager to get her all alone. he definitely had the chance of leaving with her, especially if he kept this up. charming, handsome, well-dressed, attentive. god, he was checking off all of the boxes as they popped up. “let’s not lie, then… i enjoy it, too.” she winked at him and smoothed out a minute wrinkle in his shirt just for an excuse to touch him, however innocently, before letting her hand fall back to her side.

she had no idea, honestly, that he owned the bar, just got the vibe that he spent a lot of time there given the way people reacted to him, the way he talked about it. she figured it was his spot, which meant, if she showed up again, she might see him again. and that was enticing. “i’m not young enough to leave it up to fate.” she confessed with a breathy little laugh. “how would we guarantee that, arlo?”

arlo felt something knock loose in his chest when she laughed. the sound was sweet as it echoed between his ears and all he could think was that he wanted it on repeat. "can you blame me?" her friends had been nice, but the buzzing bar and his desire to get to know her hadn't quite added up the way he wanted. the confirmation that she liked it too caused the curve on his mouth to deepen. he felt warmth rush to his face when she winked at him, felt it double the moment her hand was on him again, brushing at soft cotton. "happy to hear that." his gaze dipped to her hand for a beat and he willed it to raise again, to touch him in any way that she wanted.

age hadn't crossed his mind, but her joke had him exhaling a smooth breath of amused air. he couldn't remember the last time someone had made him nervous, but she did. "i could take you back to my place. we could have a few drinks, get to know one another a bit better, and see where it goes," he trailed off, not wanting to assume they'd cross any lines, but willing it into the universe anyway. "that way the only thing we're leaving up to fate is if you think i'm worth calling after."

the question didn’t confuse him or catch him off-guard. in fact, it seemed entirely in character for his ex-husband, and espiridion responded, at first, with nothing more than a frown. “of course, i would tell you.” he answered honestly. and, truthfully, tonight hadn’t been the issue. it was the other shit, the shit ale apologized for right after asking for reassurance. dion pursed his lips, arms folded. “me, too.” because he was sorry for everyone involved. it wasn’t like it was something major, just a qualifier for the spelling bee – which isandro had advanced from – but he’d wanted his father there, and alejandro had let him down. again.

dion would always be there, no matter what, isandro could count on that, but he couldn’t replace ale. and he didn’t want to, either. he just wanted what they had agreed to. “the wine is making you confess your feelings? maybe you should have more.” he teased, arching a brow. “what’s going on, ale?”

he wondered if their boy had just gotten used to his absence. at least he had one father would show up every single time. it wasn't anything to proud of, the expectation he'd set for everyone around him. were either of them even surprised at this point? or was the real surprise him actually showing up on occassion?

a quiet hum of amused defeat rolled off his tongue at the other's counter. leave it to dion to cut any tension in half with his effortless charm. "i do have other bottles," he exhaled, his voice quiet. he was scared of being too honest, because what if something slipped out that he couldn't take back? that would change the steady ground they'd finally found themselves standing on together? "i've been thinking a lot lately and i guess it's just... catching up to me." he pulled in a steadying breath and dared to meet the warm gaze of the man he'd never really let go of. "i don't want to him down anymore," he paused, his heart kicking harder beneath his ribs, "i don't want to let you down either."

“loud in there.” she quipped back, searching his face. he was really remarkably handsome with the type of bone structure that took pages to describe, and his eyes… weren’t they just so lovely? she was enamored by him, perhaps too easily, and she stepped a little closer even as his hand fell away, like to make sure anyone walking by wouldn’t mistake this for a chance encounter. they were too close for that, too intimately inclined toward one another. a mutual interest, the burning flame of something curious.

“they are nice. for the most part. we all have our moments.” her eyes glimmered. she wanted to know him, never mind talking about the ladies she’d just left behind. neva waved off his apology. “i think i’m where i want to be.” she said, making sure to hold his gaze to drive the point home. her brows rose slightly when he said her name – god, it was delectable, the way it sounded rolling off his lips like it belonged there. “i like it. 10/10, would definitely come again. especially if i run the risk of bumping into you again.” with that, she lilted forward, poked him playfully in the chest, her grin lopsided if a little mischievous.

"yeah, i was uh, getting that." one of her friends, ashley, he believed? she'd given him a look that made him wonder if she was happy for her friend, or if she was eager for his attention. either way, all that mattered to him was the woman standing before him now. "me too. feels nice out," he trailed off, his eyes staying on hers, "and i'd be lying if i said i didn't enjoy it just being the two of us." he wasn't arrogant enough to think he'd leave with her, but he was confident enough to think that maybe it was an option.

her compliments, laid on thick, pulled a chuckle from low in his belly. did he confess to being the owner? he figured it didn't matter. then again, nothing mattered after he felt the teasing force of her finger against his chiseled chest. "what if i told you that i'd like that? and... crazy thing..." he exhaled, his smile stretching wider, "there might be a way we can guarantee that. unless you'd rather leave it up to chance?" he watched her, his brows raised, smile warm and inviting, and all for her.

truth be told , billie felt like they could be themselves with griffin - considering that he wouldn't judge them for whatever they talked about , even if most of it consisted their job , it felt like they found someone they could depend on &&. vice versa , in fact . sure , billie had considered themselves to be reclusive , introverted - at most , hating people , but in his presence ? it felt the exact opposite , like they could be around him &&. they'd feel better about themselves , their worries about their parents wanting them to be what they wanted billie to be , on who they wanted billie to date : all gone with griffin in their life . deep down , billie was grateful for him in their life , seeing how he made things easier - everything about their relationship , friendship [ . . . ] it wasn't something for billie to take for granted , in fact . plus , they knew of familial frustrations , that was another thing they could actually bond over , among other situations that placed a hold in their lives , but for now , billie was going to enjoy the moment for what it was , let their own set of trepidation settle down for the time being , at least , in his residence .

after their long hours of working &&. lying to get home , billie ached to see him , as if they haven't hung out previously , but this was different - in a sense , the actual thought of coming home to him after a long day of being in corporate america [ . . . ] it definitely placed feelings in their head , confusing ones , at least . ones that they couldn't entirely process at the moment , however , they weren't completely against the idea of doing anything that remotely included him .

billy wasn't like them. not once had they ever judged him during his lows, just like they never expected anything of him during his highs. simply put, they accepted him as he was. nothing more, nothing less. just like he accepted them. they were without a doubt his best friend, the person he called to when shit got tough and the tunnel got dark and the light was nowhere to be found. they were the person he called on good days too.

"i'm just fuckin' with you, b. it's all good." unlike his own failure to function, he knew that billy had a real job to attend to, real responsibility and shit that he'd yet to wrap his mind around. while he laid around on their couch, they were busy checking off boxes and making sure shit was in order for their boss. "yeah, but the couch is way more comfy," he teased, deep blues shifting from the bedroom door and over to them, a wide grin on his mouth.

the upward curve stayed there as they spoke. "if you set it up for me, i'll show. i wouldn't fuck that up," he assured, because in true griffin fashion, he always found a way to fuck something up. "i'll show, i'll even wear a fuckin' polo or whatever nice shirt people wear to interviews," he added, hoping to lighten the moment a bit. "i swear, b."

𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅𝐄: close.

𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅𝐄: closer.

𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅𝐄: keep going.

elicia leaned into the other woman with that grin still on full display. “you’ll be great, what do you mean, jules?” she asked. she wanted to turn this night on its head, make it a 180. julianny deserved to end it on the best note, whatever that meant.

with the casual confidence of someone who belonged there, elicia let her arm fall over julianny’s shoulders. the other woman getting closer was a clue that elicia was headed in the right direction, and that delighted her thoroughly. she could feel the heat pooling in her, expanding throughout her limbs – a combination of desire and the high, the alcohol in her veins. “you’re a good girl, and i like that about you. my little sweetie.” she tweaked the other woman’s jaw, taking note of the way jules’s eyes remained glued to her lips. she ran her tongue over them and drew closer still, there was hardly a breath of space between them. “i like talking to you, too, but maybe there’s something even better we could be doing?”

the woman didn't shy away when the other leaned closer. if anything, she leaned an inch closer too. "thanks." the gratitude was barely above a whisper, but she meant it more than anything.

she hadn't shown up to find comfort outside of her boyfriend's touch. she'd needed a safe place to land and elicia had always been that. yet, as the woman's arm draped over her shoulders, jules leaned into her more, certain that there was nowhere else she'd rather be. "i'm not all good," she quietly and innocently argued. maybe she wasn't a troublemaker, but she wasn't the definition of perfect either.

the woman's gaze shifted from the brunette's mouth and to her eyes for a beat. she knew the implication of the question, and she knew she should've made a joke and pulled back to lighten the air that grew hot and heavy between them. instead, her eyes fluttered back to the other's mouth, the way her bottom lip glistened from where her tongue had trailed over it. carefully, jules leaned forward, her lips brushing softly against the others, like she needed reassure that she hadn't gotten it wrong.