Love is not a victory march

( ✉ → Damien ) Your lack of great college experience of margaritas and foam parties scares me.

[ sᴍs: ᴊᴏsᴇᴘʜ ]

I believe you are the only being upon this planet that actually has that knowledge, so please do try not to be afraid.

[ sᴍs: ᴊᴏsᴇᴘʜ ]

Besides, cocktails simply aren’t my drink of choice. Nor are these supposed “foam parties” an interest of mine.

Robert threw some chips out onto the table & not only did Joseph CALL his bet, but RAISED HIM ––––

There’s something THRILLING about that even if Robert hasn’t quite managed to ascertain whether or not it’s done with any INTENT or if it’s simply HARMLESS FLIRTING.  If it turns out to be the latter he’d be LYING to himself if he said he wasn’t disappointed.  ( But even if that’s the case he isn’t willing to give it up, even if he knows he should.  Not yet. )

Robert holds Joseph’s gaze, lets it linger for longer than is probably APPROPRIATE for CHURCH GROUNDS.  His hand slides across the table for his cupcake of choice, dragging it closer to himself.  

❝ Everything. ❞  He reaches for his wallet to pay for the baked good.  ❝ I like keeping my options OPEN –––– ❞

Robert takes his time with responding, just looks at him for a while. There’s something ridiculously INTENSE about it, and while Joseph refuses to look away, he can feel warmth slowly rising up the back of his neck.

A part of him does notice that he’s starting to treat on ground he shouldn’t be treading on - not because anything’s going to happen, but because it’s simply NOT APPROPRIATE. Even just to flirt with this man is not appropriate, Joseph knows that, of course he does. He knows it all. ( ALWAYS HAS. )

He’s ready to concede and break the gaze, but the other man finally moves, all without looking away. Pulls a cupcake towards him, gives an answer that could be about sweets and baked goods.

Joseph is pretty sure it ISN’T.

For a second he stares back, and then finally, finally manages to tear his gaze away and take a breath.

The gentleman flushed a little sheepishly once it became clear that Joseph was blocking him from his pursuit of cookies. Delicious, delicious cookies. Just a little snack to have during the week as a reward.

“It is no rush to pick up these fine delicacies, but I appreciate the kind gesture grandly nonetheless.” Came the honest and gentle reply. Damien’s eyes quickly fluttered over the selection before settling on a box that kept catching his eye, which he promptly picked up and placed in the cart.

His attention turned right back to his neighbor, a spark of joy in his eyes at the mention of a get-together. “My son and I would be most delighted and honoured to attend! You may expect our presence for sure.” A swift and confident nod followed. Truly the fathers on the cul-de-sac did not have a lot of time for parties, busy as they were. So to have an outing would be wonderful to catch up with everyone.

These thoughts are interrupted by Joseph, this time speaking of something rather unusual, yet still interesting. Damien shook his head. “I am afraid of my lack of knowledge on the situation, but the rumours of a new neighbor has been circulating for a few weeks, have they not? If they are now here, I hope to make their acquaintance very soon.”

To watch Damien’s bashful reaction amused Joseph, but he didn’t let it show in anything else but a smile. And, figuring it couldn’t hurt, he picked up a box of the VERY SAME cookies Damien had just taken into his own cart.

❝ You’re welcome. They’re looking pretty good, so I really don’t blame you for wanting to have them. ❞

It was just idle small talk, in the end, but Joseph didn’t MIND. He and Damien had never had the chance to grow particularly close despite finding the other man sympathetic, and their kids weren’t the same age, so besides them being neighbors, there weren’t to many connecting points between them.

But it made Joseph happy to see Damien’s HONEST DELIGHT as he accepted the invitation, and he told him so, making sure to let him know that he was looking forward to having them. Lucien always seemed to SULK about being made to attend the barbecues, but he was probably just the right age for it, so Joseph wasn’t offended at all by it. Mildly he wondered what his own kids would be like once they reached puberty but put the thought off. There was still a bit of time before that happened.

Robert has made a POINT of avoiding these situations.  Due, in part, to the fact that he doesn’t want other people to PRY into his business more than they already have.  There’s a heightened level in interest in the new neighbor –––– he can’t go grocery shopping without the stares & the whispers of people wondering about him.

The OTHER HALF of it is because of the man in front of him.  There’s an inexplicable PULL that Robert feels in the pit of his gut.  It’s one that he knows he SHOULDN’T feel, shouldn’t even ENTERTAIN.  Joseph is a married man, after all.

But then, Robert hasn’t been very successful at not giving into his VICES.

❝ Well, at least TWO of those things remain to be seen ––––– ❞  It’s a tease followed up with a smirk.  It isn’t true but there’s no harm in letting Joseph sweat it out a little.

There’s a cupcake with a tower of icing as bright pink as Joseph’s polo that he’s been eyeing since he sidled up to the table but he lets his tinted sunglasses slip down his nose, peering at Joseph over the top of the frames.  ❝ You’re the expert.  What do you recommend? ❞ 

The comment makes Joseph’s eyebrows rise and the corners of his mouth twitch at the same time. He’s not a 100% sure which out of those three Robert considers a given at this point in time, and he’s pretty sure that’s EXACTLY how the other man intends it to be.

Joseph finds that he doesn’t really mind.

❝ I can recommend them all, since they’re all GOOD, ❞ he replies, tipping his head subtly to the side, finally able to really catch Robert’s eyes for the first time since he arrived here, over the rims of his sunglasses.  ❝ And I don’t know about your TASTES yet, so I’m afraid a more personal recommendation has to wait until I do. ❞

It’s a prompt that’s as INNOCENT as it could be interpreted as something with a double meaning, Joseph is well aware. It’s always subtle, but it comes INSTINCTIVELY to him, ever since the time he spent on the road. And it’s not even a deliberate thing, not anymore.

you love hoodies. you love shorts. dogs are better than cats. it’s hilarious when people get hurt. shopping is torture. sad movies suck. you own a car racing game. you played with hot wheels cars as a kid. at some point in time you wanted to be a firefighter. you owned a ds, ps2, n64, or sega. you used to be obsessed with power rangers. you have watched sports on tv. gory movies are cool. you go to your dad(s) for advice. you own like a trillion baseball caps. you used to collect hockey or baseball cards. baggy sweats are cool to wear. it’s kinda weird to have sleepovers with a bunch of people. green, black, red, BLUE, or silver are one of your favorite colors. you love to go crazy and not care what people think. sports are fun. you talk with food in your mouth. you sleep with your socks on at night. you have fished at least once.

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE

you love to shop. you wear eyeliner. you wear the color pink. you go to your mom to talk. you consider cheerleading a sport. you hate wearing the color black. you like going to the mall. you like getting manicures and/or pedicures. you like wearing jewelry. you cried watching the notebook. dresses are a big part of your wardrobe. shopping is one of your favorite hobbies. you don’t like the movie star wars. you are/were in gymnastics. it takes you around one hour to shower, get dressed, and make-up. you smile a lot more than you should. you have more than 10 pairs of shoes. you care about what you look like. you like wearing dresses when you can. you like wearing high heel shoes. you used to play with dolls as little kid. you like putting make-up on others. you like being the star of everything.

APPEARANCE

i am shorter than 5’5”. i have scars. i tan easily. i wish my hair was a different color. i have friends who have never seen my natural hair color. i have a tattoo. i am self-conscious about my appearance. i’ve had/have braces. i’ve been told i’m attractive by a complete stranger. i have more than two piercings. i have/had piercings in places besides my ears. i have freckles. i have freckles that aren’t on my face. usually bruised. i paint my nails. i don’t leave my hair natural. i have a tooth gap. i have facial hair. i have burn marks. my birthmark is usually visible. i smile with my teeth. i have longer legs. i have a longer torso. i have broad shoulders. i am more muscular for my size.

EXPERIENCES

i’ve gotten lost in my city. i’ve seen a shooting star. i’ve wished on a shooting star. i’ve seen a meteor shower. i’ve gone out in public in my pajamas. i’ve pushed all the buttons on an elevator. i’ve kicked a guy where it hurts. i’ve been to a casino. i’ve been skydiving. i’ve gone skinny-dipping. i’ve drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour. i’ve crashed a car. i’ve been skiing. i’ve been in a musical. i’ve caught a snowflake or snow on my tongue. i’ve seen the northern lights. i’ve sat on a rooftop at night. i’ve played a prank on someone. i’ve ridden in a taxi. i’ve seen the rocky horror picture show. i’ve eaten sushi. i’ve been snowboarding.

HONESTY/CRIME

i’ve done something i promised someone else i wouldn’t. i’ve done something i promised myself i wouldn’t. i’ve snuck out. i’ve lied to my parents about where i am. i’ve cheated while playing a game. i’ve ran a red light. i’ve witnessed a crime. i’ve been in a fist fight. i’ve been arrested.

DEATH AND SUICIDE

i’m afraid of dying. i hate funerals. i’ve seen someone/something dying. someone close to me has attempted/committed suicide. i’ve written a eulogy for myself. i think about death a lot. i’m afraid of someone close to me dying. i’ve had pets die. i’ve had suicidal thoughts. death doesn’t bother me.

RANDOM

i can sing well. i’ve stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant. i open up to others easily. i watch the news. i don’t kill bugs. i sing in the shower. i am a morning person. i paid for a cell phone ring tone. i am a sports fanatic. i twirl my hair. i care about grammar. i have “?”’s in my screen name. i’ve copied more than 30 cds in a day. i bake well. my favorite color is either white, yellow, pink, red, BLUE, black, purple, or orange. i would wear pajamas to school. i like martha stewart. i know how to shoot a gun. i laugh at my own jokes. i eat fast food weekly. i’ve not turned anything in and still got an a in a certain class. i can’t sleep if there is a spider/cockroach in the room. i am ticklish. i love white chocolate. i bite my nails. i’m good at remembering faces. i’m good at remembering names. i’m good at remembering dates. i honestly have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life.

TAGGED BY:

Robert has to side step some young kids who go whizzing past him at a run, their fingers painted with colorful icing from cupcakes they must have been eating.  The lot is entirely TOO FULL of kids & teenagers & harried parents from the community.

He’s beginning to RETHINK his decision to venture into the bake sale when he hears Joseph’s greeting.

The distance between him & Joseph’s table full of treats diminishes ( slowly, because he doesn’t want to seem OVEREAGER ) & he shrugs his shoulders casually at the question even if one side of his mouth kicks up into an amused smile.  He peers down at the assorted display of baked goods spread out across the table.  Every single one of them looks homemade & delicious.

His defiance against trying one of the pastries may finally crumble.

❝ Guess I wanted to see what all the FUSS was about ––––– ❞

Joseph can’t help being amused by the non-committal, casual shrug he receives from Robert. EVERYTHING the other man does seems to be supposed to carry an air of casualness, though Joseph has the suspicion that it’s mostly some sort of a defense mechanism. Maybe against having to COMMIT to anything too fast, but he’ll have to keep watching Robert to confirm that suspicion.

( It’s way too easy to watch Robert every time they see each other, even to be overly aware of his presence when he’s just in the house next to theirs. Joseph knows why, OF COURSE, and there’s always a small sting of GUILT stirring in his gut. Though, he reasons with himself, there’s nothing to be guilty about. )

The twitching of the corners of Robert’s mouth, in any case, indicate that he doesn’t so much mind being right here right now, and it kicks Joseph’s heart rate up a little.

TREACHEROUS THING.

“Good day!” Damien happily replied to Crish, the embarrassed look on his face now replaced by an amused smile of the most genuine variety. He nodded in the boy’s direction before returning attention to his father.

While Joseph and himself hadn’t had many direct conversations one-on-one, Damien found his neighbor a kind man, even if they seemed very much opposites of one another. Given the amount of time spent with Mary at the animal shelter, he was well aware the two were having marital problems. Not that he knew the exact issues, nor would he ask about them, as it was rude and uncivilized to inquire on such personal matters. Since he knew it was none of his business, he had no reason to treat Joseph any differently.

“Indeed. A lovely afternoon to restock the kitchen and prepare for the coming week.” The gentleman glanced again at the cookies. “And such beautiful weather outdoors lately. Perfect temperatures for a stroll or picnic.”

It made Joseph smile to see Damien’s genuine reaction to his young son’s greeting. He was good with kids, Joseph knew, gentle and patient and ALWAYS taking them seriously.

Taking kids seriously no matter what, he had found, was one of the MOST IMPORTANT things about them.

Joseph didn’t miss the way Damien glanced at the cookies, and it reminded him to move.  ❝ Oh, I’m in your way, I’m sorry. ❞ He pushed his cart aside to make room for his neighbor, easily falling in beside him.

❝ And you’re right, it’s been really inviting. I was thinking about having everyone over for a barbecue next Saturday, so if you’re free, you and Lucien are welcome to join as always. ❞

closed starter // @cupcakedcd

One of the things he’s noticed about the new neighborhood is the penchant for get-togethers.  They seem to happen with a startling frequency & Robert doesn’t quite get it.  Does everyone REALLY like each other so much that they want to spend THAT MUCH time together?

The backyard barbecues, the bake sales –––– they aren’t really his thing.  But one thing that’s become OBVIOUS about all of those things is that his neighbor is always involved in one way or another.  & he’s intrigued by his neighbor.  ( Even if he knows he shouldn’t be. )

There’s a bake sale happening at the church.  He peers through his tinted sunglasses at the people buying brownies & cupcakes & whatever else they’re selling.  Robert’s not entirely convinced he won’t BURST INTO FLAMES if he sets foot on the property, but –––––

Joseph is standing behind one of those tables, so Robert decides to RISK IT.

❝ Here you go, one blueberry cupcake. I hope you’ll like it! ❞ Joseph hands the pastry over to Emma, one of the teenage girls that comes to quite a few of the youth events he organizes. The girl takes them and thanks him with her usual shy smile, and she says goodbye with a  ❝ See you on Wednesday, Mr. Christiansen! ❞ which will probably never fail to make him a little PROUD.

But before Joseph’s thoughts can stray to the bi-weekly, casual get-togethers he set up for teenagers about two years ago where they do whatever they feel like and whatever the kids want or need — from cooking to watching a movie to playing board games or just talking, sometimes privately — his gaze falls onto a figure further down the lawn who looks so OUT OF PLACE that Joseph lets out a soft laugh.

Robert’s sunglasses are hiding his eyes from view but his DUBIOUS expression is hard to miss as he slowly weaves between the other people from the community, his black leather jacket and jeans a stark CONTRAST to most of the other people ( with the exception of a couple of teenagers ).