Hunter Clarington

Now’s a good time for a swim, I think. Anyone care to join me?

White underwear is a good look for you. 

...Hi. 

Similarities don’t stem from simply being brothers, Clarington. You can be related to someone and still be two totally different people.

I’m aware. I was just teasing. 

Would you look at that? He and I are more alike than I even thought.

It’s almost like you’re brothers. 

I can’t speak for Bas but my life motto is: the only opinion of me that holds any value is my own.

Actually that sounds a lot like him as well- shockingly enough. 

No, Hunter. You don’t get to decide what he could have done, or that he should have walked away. He wanted to be heard and he had a right to be heard, especially when you were refusing to listen to him. Sure, he said some bad things too, but you were the instigator. You started this with the guilt trips comment and therefore, I don’t have room to feel sorry for you in this situation. And I want to be sorry about that, because I care about you, but I can’t be sorry about it either.

“Oh really? That i just- Wow. Long family history, I guess. I don’t know much past what my grandmother has told me, and even then, they are tales of the Philippines and growing up there. But to know your family made history… That’s cool!” Blaine said, watching as Hunter repaired his own glass. He was a little jittery to try it. “Good thing you aren’t by yourself. No more sadness!” Blaine said, smiling wide. He them smirked as Hunter asked about the blunts rolled in the bag. In all honesty, no idea. But I have smoked a few and they are just fine. They were outside my door one day when I was really upset. Saved me from a night of crying.” he said, reaching in the bag and pulling out out. “So… you want to try?”

“That’s what you get when you’re a legacy, B. A whole bunch of done up oil paintings of some grim looking guys expecting you to go into politics.” He said easily, shrugging. Nate had frankly hated the expectations his family  had, so it was’nt too hard to take them on himself. ‘Thank god. No more sadness.” Hunter added with a little amused smirk playing on his lips, even if it was’nt as bright as his usual ones. “Outside your door when you were crying? Huh. Guess the gods around here are merciful after all.” He hummed as he reached over to pluck out the rolled up blunt from the others hand. ‘And your acting like I’ve never done pot before. I was in the military, remember? I’ve done this before.” He mused as he held it out for Blaine’s lighter. 

Right. You can’t really shame someone that doesn’t care what people think about him.

I feel like that’s the Smythe motto. I don’t really believe it with Sebastian, let alone you but sure. Let’s go with that. 

I also never accused you of having any control over him– at least in a way outside of what you two do of your own freewill. All I did was make a comment and state a fact. …I’ve also accepted the consequences for the mistakes that I’ve made, Hunter. Such as dropping off the face of the earth and keeping him at a distance. I know doing that sort of thing hurt him, but we’ve worked that out. I’d like to think him coming to me, when he wanted to go somewhere, is a sign that I’ve done something right where he’s concerned lately.

I was’nt trying to-.. shame you about your lack of contact in the early days of being here Christen. I was just explaining my logic. The two of you spending time together is for the best. And anything I can do to encourage or help that happen, I will. I adore both of you. So...it’s good. And you’ve done a lot right if he’s curled up against you. That sort of tends to be a big clue. 

Blaine nodded at Hunter explained the rules of drinking properly. His cheeks brightened in color, hoping he didn’t seem to embarrassed to not know a lot on that subject. “Was he a brewer? Or maybe was an investor in a company or to? Or maybe he just likes good scotch, I don’t exactly know,” Blaine said with a soft giggle. “Never ha that, either. I never had the motivation to drink till… Well now, so consider yourself lucky, Mr Clarington,” Blaine teased. His eyebrows went up and down a moment, before he dropped the paper bag on the counter. “Go ahead, look inside, and if the answer is yes, I have a cute lighter,” he said, pulling that out as well; it was shaped like a bow tie, and he waved it in the air like a flag.

“My father was a congressman actually. Sort of a whole family legacy of political figures. Pretty sure we have some great, great something that fought against slavery.’ He said with a little shrug as he took another little sip of his drink before lowering it and plucking up the bottle to pour Blaine a glass before reaching into the ice bucket to drop a few cubes  into the glass. “Well, now you do because I’m drinking and it’s amazingly sad to drink by yourself.’ He added with a little smile as be slid the glass over to the other boy. The bag on the table counter peaked his interest and he pulled it towards him before peering inside. “Where, exactly, did you get those?”

It better not be. As far as I knew Sebastian was the one who decided where he spent time, not you. We’ve been pretty content in our own little world, and it’s not as though you couldn’t have messaged him– or me if you were that concerned. Then again, you did just say you thought he’d gone to spend time with your brother over his own, so I guess I’m not entirely surprised you didn’t come to me in regards to his whereabouts.

I never claimed to have any control over what he does and does’nt do? No idea where that rumor came from. And it’s just that, you drop off the face of the earth sometimes Christien. It’s something Sebastian struggled with for a while. So my brother was only a few notches above you in terms of likely hood candidates for where he was. 

No to make a too finer point on this because hey, I don’t want more drama when I’m already drunk  but the stories comment was because he called me obssessed and possessive of his boyfriend. I don’t like being painted like some sort of villain in a trashy 16th century bodice ripper.  And I tried to do the responsible thing of shutting down that conversation more than once.  Every interaction with Jude has lead to that same place. I didn't really want a lecture today which was my first point. 

Blaine stepped carefully inside, watching another glass get poured. Blaine wondered how my were poured before he had arrived. He licked his lips, coming and sitting next to him, smiling softly at Hunter. “Never tried. Is it one you drink slowly or down quickly, like a shot?” he asked, wanting to make a conversation that was casual before going deeper into the issue at hand. “What is your favorite drink?” he asked. It did make sense is to ask questions with someone he had such a close connection with, it was a way to show he cared. “I brought something of mine, if you are interested. Something to make you feel better,” Blaine hinted, his smile a little brighter.

He’s wanted to spend time with me. Is that a problem, Clarington?

Why would that be an problem? I know how much he wants to spend more time with you. I’’m not surprised here’s there. Just that I didn't get a message about it till now. Honestly I thought he might have gone exploring with Nate. 

ICE & SMOKE || BLUNTER

Hunter was more than a little frustrated with certain things and the drama with Jude was only adding to the whole situation.  He’d tried to back out of that conversation more than once yet some he’d gotten sucked in. There’s a little glance up at the knock to bar door and Blaine appeared at it. There’s a little tilt of his head in greeting as he finished pouring himself yet another glass of scotch. “Well hello there..” He said back, his own smile not quite meeting his eyes as he fixed the cap back over the bottle of scotch before putting back on the bar.  “Scotch, actually. It’s nice. Got this woody aftertaste.” The ice ratted in the glass as he picked it up, swirling it as he dropped his elbows against the bar. 

No idea where your brother is, not that I put much of an effort into keeping tabs on your doppelganger, but my brother is here with me.

Oh.