it's brutal out here

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“I’m not upset. I’m angry. Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn’t mean everyone else does.” he sighs a little bit. “The night was going so well.” Lie. “And I was doing so well avoiding you the whole time.” Another pause. “Maybe I’m just tired of you finding humor in ways to embarrass me. Do you only have one function and that’s to be a dick? Too bad the retail job you have doesn’t offer new personalities as a bonus. Maybe you wouldn’t have had to lug your sorry ass back to Lima in that case out of failure.”

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“Hey, at least I had a life outside of Lima, unlike you who’s been here the entire time staying stagnant in your career.” He rolled his eyes. “Plus, I’m not sure why you think your little bartending gig puts you above me. Newsflash, food service and retail are at the same level of awful. Plus I practically manage the place, and all you do is serve drinks to the alcoholics of Lima, Ohio.” Milo was on a full rant now, nothing could stop him. “Maybe I’m not heading anywhere in life, but you’re on that same boat babe. That’s just a fact.”

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“Yeah, Trash.” Stevie confirmed his words with a nod of his head. He couldn’t believe he was so frustrated that he was crying right now. Get it together, Evans. “You made me feel like the scum beneath your shoes when we were talking. I was just trying to be nice and have a good time and offer you a good time in the making. You’re not better than any of us, Milo. You’re still… you’re from Lima. And you’re pissed because I’m just better and logically out of your league. Don’t fake your pity for me to make yourself feel better.” He was spewing words that probably were slurred. This was certainly what he was trying to avoid.

🌟

Milo furrowed his brows at the sight of tears, why was Stevie so upset? He put a hand over his mouth, trying to hold back laughter. He didn’t find Stevie’s cries funny, Milo wasn’t that cruel, he was just very uncomfortable when anyone cried, and his only response was to laugh. “Jesus, this is sad, why are you even crying right now?” Milo didn’t know how to handle tears that weren’t faked on stage. “This is really embarrassing for you I’m so sorry.”

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Normally Stevie was far more composed then this. He rarely would let other people get the best of him. But the young man was feeling tears burning the back of his eyes and he was seeing red. “You’re fucking trash, Milo.” he snaps out, shoving the boy back away from him. “We know you normally like to get fucked but you don’t have to keep a stick up your ass so often.” He didn’t even know why Milo bothered him so much. The pompous attitude reminded him of everything that Stevie hated about the elitist people. Milo wasn’t better. He sucked just as much as everyone in Lima. “The bar at Scandals and my best friend aren’t protecting you tonight, Milo.”

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“Trash?” Milo laughed before getting pushed. He just barely caught himself on the wall. He wasn’t the most coordinated tonight. “There’s a stick up my ass? Wow that’s very creative, you’re very smart.” Milo pursed his lips, and smiled, his face almost snake-like. Fucking with Stevie was fun for Milo, just seeing him get upset over the little things he did brought Milo great entertainment. “I’m so scared, oh no.” Milo said sarcastically. “No but really, what do you even think you’re going to do. You don’t scare me.”

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Stevie rolls his eyes immediately when he feels Milo’s hand grip his bicep and he sighs a little bit. “You had your chance,” he bites out. He was definitely not having a good time, and Milo really fucked up his confidence when they last spoke. It didn’t help that Milo was always at Scandals fucking around with him. “You wouldn’t want to sink so low right.” he is trying very hard to keep his composure, but the alcohol in his system and just… everything was not working well. “Don’t you have someone else to fuck with?”

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“Ouch, someone’s grouchy tonight.” Milo fake frowned sarcastically putting a hand to his chest. “It’s kinda cute to see you all mad, you remind me of a cute little dog trying be angry but all you hear are these cute little yips. Adorable.” Milo laughed stumbling as he did, almost falling over. He wanted to see how far he could push Stevie especially now that he wasn’t working. “No, you’re actually the only person on my list of people to fuck with.”

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We’ll have to become hiking buddies, it’d be nice to have some company whilst taking in all that fresh air Lima has to offer. Just let me know whenever you’re up for one and I’ll check if I’m free.

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Um, yes I would love that. We’ll have to get food after too because I’m always starving after a good workout.

Leo had stopped in at Scandals to check the place out on a Wednesday, figuring, perhaps not correctly, that it would be a little less busy.  The atmosphere was about how they’d imagined it would be and while different from Rosalita’s, Leo found themselves enjoying it.  They had dry martini in hand when they heard their name, last name specifically, being called by Milo McCarthy.   At first Leo looked around, wondering if Milo had spotted another Clarington; Hunter, Harry, or even Hope.  

“Me?” Leo asked, genuinely curious, but still they took a couple of steps towards Milo.  When it was clear that Milo was in fact calling them, they grinned.  “So what’s Trouble up to tonight?”

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“Yes you, you’re the only Clarington here.” He patted the stool next to him indicating that Milo wanted them to sit down, and maybe have a drink or two and have a conversation. “Trouble?” Milo laughed, they weren’t wrong, Milo was trouble, always has been. “Well I’m here, just got off work. Thankfully I’m getting a lot more opening shifts, mostly because the girl who usually opens for us just kinda quit on the spot.” Milo shrugged, the store had always been like that. When he worked there in high school a lot of people did it then too, must have just been the nature of retail. “Let me get you a drink. Whatever you want.”

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Stevie was already very drunk. He didn’t even know what possessed him to drink as much as he did. Maybe he took his brother’s words of enjoying himself a little too… well. Literally. He already embarrassed himself in front of Aaron, making a mental note to himself that trying to kiss his best friend when drunk was not the way to go. He was spending time by himself now, nursing another beer while trying to not make even more of an idiot of himself. That was until he heard words and felt a playful punch against his arm. “Can I help you, Milo?” he mutters quietly, eyes narrowing, words slurring. “I was doing so well avoiding you tonight.”

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“Aw, come on I just wanted to say hi.” Milo smiled sipping off the top of his drink. “Plus I couldn’t help but notice those arms from across the way.” He gave the other man’s arm a squeeze. Milo knew he was being an asshole, but that was the only way he knew how to get the attention he wanted. Being drunk didn’t contribute to him being more of an asshole, he just didn’t know how to go about it in a clever way. “Just give me a chance baby, let me show you how New Yorkers roll.”

WHEN: Friday night August 13th, 2021

WHERE: Lily-Jane’s party

If it weren’t for the free booze, and the fact that Lily-Jane was hosting Milo probably would’ve skipped the party and made his way to Scandals. Celebrating his brother’s birth wasn’t exactly his idea of a great time. Milo had been taking full advantage of the free drinks downing one right after the other. He was minding his own business until he spotted a muscular boy across the room. He made his way over to him clearly drunk, he gave the other a light playful punch on the arm, “Hey, I thought I would see you here. Aren’t you the cutest.”

WHEN: Wednesday Night, August 11th, 2021

WHERE: Scandals

It wasn’t unusual for Milo to have a random weekday off from work. The mall was typically slow, especially on Wednesday nights. He wasn’t needed to close up the store or to help clean up messes, it was a free day. He slept too late to do anything during the day, so a night at Scandals sounded appealing to the young man. After making himself look nice he was right out the door.

The bar wasn’t super busy, it was the middle of the week after all. Milo didn’t mind though, this just meant he could flirt even more with the bartenders. He was a couple drinks in when he saw a familiar face. Leo Clarington, Milo thought they were very easy on the eyes, but he has yet to say anything. He waved down the other. “Clarington, get your ass over here.”

Ah I agree, I love hiking and it never feels as much of a workout like it really is, so it’s a win win situation. It’s nice to take in all the nature around too.

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I would have to agree, plus I can never say no to some fresh air.

Wow, do you seriously think in literalism only? I can see why you’re stuck back here.

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Wow that really hurts coming from you. I’m not sure I’ll ever recover.

Exactly, a never-was. You got nowhere, dude, and you literally have nothing but a piss poor attitude to show for it. I feel bad for the people who had to, and have to deal with you.

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Mmm, not a piss poor attitude, just a good sense of humor, and I’m honest.  

📣

Oh my mistake. Let me call up mom and dad and curse them for genetics. Sometimes I wonder if you were adopted. 

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Unfortunately, I am not adopted. I already investigated that when I was 14. Calling mom and dad would be unrealistic anyways, they would never pick up. 

📣

I hate that nickname, Milo. I guess it’s better than what Mads and I were called in school but… we defs aren’t as attached at the hip as we used to be.

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Okay well if you don’t want to be compared to The Shining twins maybe you shouldn’t have been born a twin. If I were going to be a twin I would’ve just absorbed them in utero.