#!miles

Jared made his way to the diner just a bit earlier than 7:00, intending on grabbing a booth and waiting for the younger man to join him. He felt for anyone that moved to a new town. He'd moved all the way from Boston to California for school and as great as it had turned out, it hadn't been easy at first. He smiled at the server as she came over and ordered a coke, scrolling through his email as he waited for Miles to arrive.

Miles made sure the door to the record store was locked up tight before he left. The last thing he wanted was for his boss to get angry at him this early in his employment, and he took being trusted with the keys to the store very seriously. Satisfied everything was as it should be, the submissive stretched and headed towards the diner. The weather was nice, but a bit brisk, so he zipped up his hoodie as he continued to walk. It only took him a few minutes to get there. Miles checked to see if Jared was waiting for him outside, but when he didn't see the man, he went inside. Craning his neck slightly, he found the man sitting at a booth, looking at his phone. "Isn't there some sort of social rule about phone use at restaurants?" he mused with a small grin as he sat opposite.

Jared looked up at the voice, tucking his phone back into his pocket. "If there is, apparently, we live in a city full of rebels," he said, gesturing around the room to the scores of other people using their phones. "However, it is put away and now you have my full attention whether you want it or not." A smirk played at Jared's lips as he grabbed a menu from the back of the table and handed it to the younger man. "You found it with no problems, then?"

Miles rolled his eyes a bit at the sight of nearly half the other diners poking away at their phones. "I could understand it if they were alone, but most of them are with people," he groused. "Though, then again, maybe they're Googling something to support an argument?" he offered as an alternative to his view. "Thank you," he said in response to Jared putting his phone away, and in being giving the menu. "No problems at all. Once I saw the lit up 'diner' sign, I just walked towards it," he admitted with a laugh. "The record store I work at is just a few streets down."

Jared chuckled at the comment. "You are giving them far more credit than I would," he said, leaning back in his seat and taking a sip of his coke. He already knew what he wanted so he didn't need to peruse the menu. He ate here a couple times a week usually. "I suppose a giant neon sign is a good indicator of where to go, yes. It's been awhile since I was there but I've always been fond of that store. Are you enjoying working there so far?"

Miles shrugged and flipped the menu over in his hands a couple of times. "I like to give people the benefit of the doubt when I can," he admitted, finally settling on a section of the menu to focus on. The waitress stopped over to take his drink order, and he smiled at her, asking for a root beer. "You've been to the record store before?" he wondered. "So far, yeah! I get to jam out to whatever music I want the whole day. I could be working at far worse places," he said brightly. "What is it you do for a living?" he asked, making conversation.

Jared watched the submissive flip the menu and wondered if he ever sat still. Somehow, he doubted it. "I have," he said. "It's a great store." Miles' enthusiasm for his job brought a smile to his face. "Ah, what I wouldn't give to be able to jam out to whatever I wanted at work. It would make the day fly by I'm sure." He took another sip of his drink before answering. "I work for a non-profit children's charity. We support community centers, scholarships, and technology for children living in poverty." He didn't add that he was the CEO and that it was a charity named after his own family. That made it sound like an obligation when it was something that he really did have a passion for. "It's rewarding."

Miles smiled again when the waitress brought over his drink. She left to give him a few more minutes to decide on what he wanted. "Is it okay if I let the owner know your opinion on the store?" he asked. "It certainly does," he agreed. He took a moment to pick out exactly what he wanted, finally picking something no one could get wrong. When he heard what Jared did for a living, he couldn't help the pleased 'aww' that left him. "It's sweet that you're willing to do that kind of work," he said. "I can imagine it's rewarding, but do you honestly enjoy it, is the real question?" he prodded.

Jared "Sure, glad to let the owner know what I think," he shrugged. He chuckled at the pleased reaction at his job. This is why he didn't say off the bat it was his family's charity. "I do. It is...a very good reason to get up in the morning." He hesitated only for a moment before spilling the truth. "I can honestly say, that I would do it even if it wasn't named after my family." The server saved him from further comment. He gestured to Miles to give his order before he gave his own.

Miles gave a little drum riff with his hands on the table when he was given permission to tell his boss. While the man didn't smile a lot, he had a feeling he'd get a little kick at hearing how good of a reputation his store had. He raised his brows a bit at learning it was Jared's family's charity. "That's even cooler! That your family has that kind of willingness to help," he commented. "Sorry," he said to the waitress, not having realized she was there just then. "Just a simply cheese burger with bacon, and healthy heap of fries please," he said, shooing her a grin.

Jared truly hadn't expected that reaction. He smiled at Miles, for once grateful that someone didn't question his commitment to his job. "Thank you, darling. I am quite proud of it and them." He waited for Miles to order before adding his own. "I'll have the same and add a chocolate malt as well." He smiled and tucked the menus back in their place. "So, what's your gut telling you about Hope Springs so far?"

Miles had no reason to think Jared wasn't dedicated to his work. It wasn't exactly an easy job in the first place, even if he was doing it purely out of self-interest. Watching his mother coordinate some of her gigs with the charities she liked, he'd learned that that type of thing could be a struggle at the best of times. He preened, not minding the nickname. "You're welcome," he answered back. "Damn! There are malts here too?" he asked. The submissive hummed a little as he considered his answer. "It's telling me there are a lot of decent people in it. And that I should stay a while. Pretty much what my gut was telling me before."

Jared chuckled at the exclamation. "They are delicious. You should get one." He twirled the straw in his drink. "It sounds like your gut is very well-informed. I'm not sure we discussed and if we have my apologies, but where are you from?" He was curious about the younger man and what brought him here.

Miles just shrugged. "Maybe next time," he decided. The submissive had to be careful about his spending for a little while longer. The generous amount of cash his parents had given him for his cross-country trip was running thin, and he only got paid every other week. "It's hard to pick a specific city I'm from really. I usually just go with New York since that's where my mom recorded all her albums," he said. "But we've stayed... in Nashville, Miami, LA, Seattle for a little, Dallas. Dad finally convinced Mom to settle in a tiny little town in upstate New York, but I went a bit crazy there."

Jared "Miles, I invited you to dinner, I hope you don't think you will actually be paying for your own meal. I'm a tad old-fashioned that way." Also, he could afford it and moving across country on your own was costly. "Ah, you have a famous parent then? I can relate, somewhat. Though mine is a different kind of famous. My Dad is a US senator...I'm from Boston, originally," he explained. "I traveled a lot with him for political things but I'm sure it didn't compare to actually living different places." It was strange how easy it was to find things in common with people when you started to get to know them. "But now I know where you get your love of music. I fortunately didn't pick up my father's love of politics."

Miles winced at being found out so easily. "I didn't want to assume..." he mumbled. He liked that the Dominant was 'a tad old-fashioned' though. But the last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of that. "Still. Next time?" he offered again, not wanting to appear greedy. "She was famous for a while, I suppose. Her music's considered a bit old these days though," he said with a chuckle. "Really? You're not a Red Sox fan, are you?" he asked with teasingly narrowed eye. He sipped on his soda as he listened. "Politics sounds like a pain."

Jared didn't want Miles to be uncomfortable in the least, so he acquiesced. "Next time," he nodded, realizing belatedly what Miles had indicated. "Good to know there will be a next time," he said, smirking. He couldn't resist the tease. "Old isn't necessarily a bad thing. What's old today may indeed be new again tomorrow." He grinned at the mention of his favorite team. "Why? Is that going to prohibit a next time? Because I very much am. It's probably the one thing I miss about Boston, aside from my sister." He chuckled and sipped his soda again. "Politics are a pain and yet a necessary evil at times. My father is one of the good ones. I'm thankful for that. But it's definitely not my calling. Is music yours? Do you see yourself doing something in the industry or are you a musician as well?"

Miles gave the man a thankful smile. His smile shifted into a grin. "You've been nice to me so far. Why wouldn't there be a next time?" he said, shooting back a little tease of his own. The skeptical look he had as Jared answered his question about the sports team deepened into a playful frown. "How dare you be a Red Sox fan. It's totally a deal breaker," he said, trying and failing to appear serious over the matter. "Well, at least I know we'll be arguing about baseball once the season starts," he added with a laugh. Miles' expression softened when he heard the man was missing his sister. "You have sister?" he asked, wanting to know more. He hummed as he tried to muse over how to answer. "I do play a couple of instruments, but it's more of a hobby than anything. Something to keep my hands occupied, you know? I'm more of a behind the scenes guy when it comes to music. If a piece of equipment breaks, I can probably fix it."

Jared couldn't help letting his smirk widen, he shrugged at Miles' response. "Time will tell. You never know, my niceness may be hiding a nefarious side." He chuckled at the playful frown. "Please tell, darling. Not the Yankees? Anyone but the Yankees." He suddenly was looking forward to Baseball season beginning. "I do. Her name is Melinda and she is nearly exactly 11 months younger than me. My parents wasted no time." He smiled fondly at the thought of his sister. Not really a baby sister. They were more like twins. "Someday I will convince her to join me out here." He nodded at the explanation. "So, a technical wizard. Impressive. Are you in school?"

Miles raised his brows in surprise. "A nefarious side, huh? Now I'm all curious," he said with a chuckle. His jaw dropped at the insinuation he was a Yankees fan. "How dare you!" he exclaimed, teasingly playing as if he was horribly offended. "I, good sir, am a proud Mets fan," he finally declared. He burst out laughing after wards. "Melinda's a nice name. Is she a Dom like you?" he asked. He winced a little at the question about school. "No. School and I didn't agree with each other. I barely got my GED," he explained, though he wasn't all that proud of how difficult doing that had been.

Jared gave the submissive a devilish smirk. "Indeed." He let the comment hang in the air. He couldn't help but laugh at the incredulous expression on Miles' face. "Oh well, then you are forgiven. If you were a Yankee's fan, I would have had to end our association immediately." Miles' laughter was infectious. It would be extremely difficult to be in a bad mood around the young man. "No, Melinda is a submissive," he said. His expression turned more serious as the subject changed and he caught Miles' wince at the question. "I see, well school isn't for everyone. I do agree with that. Though, I will say, it is different when you are learning something you are passionate about instead of the things you are forced to remember in high school."

Miles knowingly chuckled in return. He exaggerated his relieved sigh, given in response to Jared not wanting to dissolve their acquaintanceship just yet. "I wouldn't be caught dead in Yankee stripes," he assured. It was fun to find out they had baseball in common. At the very least, they disliked the same team. "You two are close?" he asked. Then smiled at the waitress as she brought their food. Politely, he waited for the Dominant to start eating first before he began on his fries. "True. I'm just terrible at learning anything from books or lectures. I'm a hands-on kind of guy," he said, wiggling his fingers to emphasize his words.

Jared "Good man," he nodded solemnly at Miles' comment about not being caught dead, grin still hovering at his lips. "Melinda and I are very close. Like twins, really." While still smiling, it was a bit bittersweet. He wished they lived in the same city still. His attention turn to their food and he noted that Miles waited for him to eat first. Such a respectful gesture. "Hands-on, hmm? I tend to prefer hands on myself." His grin betrayed the other meaning behind his words. "I think most people learn best from doing, wouldn't you agree?"

Miles smiled when Jared began to eat. "Do you two get to see each other very often?" he wondered, popping a french fry into his mouth. He could hear the wistfulness in the other man's tone when he talked about his sister. It wouldn't make sense in Miles' world if the two didn't talk as often as possible. As the subject shifted into something more flirtatious, the submissive tried to hide a knowing smile of his own by raising his brows. "I don't know about most people. I just know what works best for me," he said.

Jared "Not as often as I would like. Mostly holidays and the occasional visit and mostly if I go back to Boston. She rarely comes out here." He wasn't sure why, really. Except that she was still heavily involved with their father's political career. "But we talk several times a week. So, that's good." Jared would eventually talk his sister into moving away from their parents and out to the west coast. "Fair enough," he said, his own flirtatious smile firmly in place. "So besides working on equipment. What else do you enjoy doing with your hands?"

Miles cocked his head to one side as the Dominant explained. "Does she not like Hope Springs or... is she just busy and not able to get away often?" he asked as gently as he could. He knew family could be a sensitive topic for a lot of people, after all. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Jared during their date. To shift things away from a potentially heavy subject, Miles asked, "How's your food?" At Jared's suggestive question, he could feel a flush creep up the back of his neck and up to his ears. And he couldn't help but to laugh. "Do you want me to go into detail, sir?" he asked, his own tone low and nearly salacious.

Jared "She is just very close to our parents and spends a lot of time working with our Father. Especially when it comes campaign time." He didn't mind the question. He understood why Melinda loved Boston and didn't begrudge her that at all. He was grateful for the shift in conversation, though. If only because he didn't want to dwell on heavier topics while getting to know someone. "It's perfect as always. Are you enjoying." He couldn't help but let his smirk return to his face at the last response. "Hmm. I'm tempted to ask for as many details as you'd like to give. But we are in public. I wouldn't turn down highlights, however."

Miles gave an understanding hum, but left it at that. "Is it campaign time for him?" he asked, trying to keep things vague even though he was curious. "Of course!" he said brightly in answer to Jared's question. To emphasize his words, he grinned right before he took a big bite of his burger. "So good!" he moaned out, chuckling at the end. He quirked a brow. "The highlights, huh? Well... I'm a pretty tactile guy, and I've been told a time or two that I give good back massages," he said.

Jared "It's always campaign time," Jared said a bit ruefully. "But no, the actual mid-term elections aren't until 2018." The grin Miles sported lit up his face. Jared had to admit it would be hard to see this boy sad after seeing how buoyant he was normally. "I'm glad you like. See, the diner is amazing." He took another sip of his coke. "A time or two? Do you have references, darling? Some way for me to verify the veracity of your words?"

Miles sent Jared a sympathetic look. He could only imagine what being apart from a sibling could feel like. Especially if they were as close as the Dominant said they were. The mood lightened considerably at his antics. "Yeah, it's pretty good," he agreed. "I'll have to try something other than the burgers when I come next time. Variety is the spice of life after all, right?" he said happily. Miles bit his lip to hide a grin. "No references on the west coast unfortunately," he admitted. "I could always just give you a massage sometimes to prove myself," he offered with a playful shrug.

Jared was glad that the submissive understood; the sympathetic look told him that. "Definitely the spice of life and I can honestly say that I've never had anything hear that I didn't love." When Miles bit his lip, he had the distinct urge to do so himself. "I may have to take you on that, darling. If only to give you a west coast reference."

Miles munched on his burger for a while longer as Jared spoke. Before finishing, he pulled one of the pieces of bacon out and laid it aside on his plate. The submissive couldn't help the grin, and he felt that flush climb up the back of his neck again at the nickname. "You've called me that a couple of times now. Why?" he asked out of pure curiosity. "And if you really want one, all you need to do is ask," he said with a pleased smile.

Jared couldn't help but grin a little at the question. It seemed odd that he'd be asked. "Why?" he smiled. "Probably because I want to. It just suits some people. Do you not like it?" He had a habit of using affectionate terms with likable people. It tended to make them more comfortable not less. "I think I just may at that."

Miles wiped his mouth after popping the last ketchup slathered French fry in his mouth. After, he pushed his plate to the side and leaned his chin in the palm of his hand as he waited for Jared's answer. "I like it," he assured the other with a fond smile. "I just wanted to know why you used it for me. Do you use the same nickname for everyone? Or are they tailored?" he wondered. As he asked his question, he swirled his straw in his drink, unable to keep his hands still, like always. His smile turned mischievous at Jared's declaration. "Now, I suppose the question is when? Do you want one now? Or next time?"

Jared "I suppose I used it for other people as well. It varies. Once I get to know someone better I get more creative," he said, grin still playing at his lips. "To ensure there is a next time, I'm going to say next time. Sound good?"

Miles gave a nod. "So, if we keep getting along so well, you'll give me one that's more geared towards me?" he wondered, just needing a crystal-clear explanation. He reminded himself not to look forward to that moment just to be on the safe side. But part of him still did. The submissive smiled happily at the guarantee. "Sounds fantastic to me, sir," he said, emphasizing the statement by liking that remaining salt off of his finger. After a moment's pause, he asked, "Is there where we say our goodbyes until that next time?"

Jared nodded. "Exactly." Given Miles' personality it would be amusing to find a nickname to suit the young man. He gave the submissive a brilliant smile at the enthusiastic reply. He would definitely be looking forward to a next time. He wondered if Miles knew exactly what he was doing when he licked his finger. "No goodbyes, just a see you later."

Miles was oddly happy to hear that. Nicknames were an intimacy he wasn't quite used to, but he did want to experience how one felt. The submissive gave the man another smile. "That works for me," he said, grinning. Finishing with his food completely, he set his plate on the edge of the table to make it easier for the waitress or busboy to pick it up.

Jared returned the submissive's grin, happy that he'd asked him out and that it seemed to have turned out even better than expected. He placed his plate to the side as well and sipped the rest of his milkshake. "Good, then it is definitely a see you later." Jared received the bill for their meal and rose to pay for it. "Walk you out?"

Miles shot a friendly smile at the waitress again when she dropped off the check. And gave Jared and appreciative one for picking it up, before standing to follow. He nodded, "I'd like that." He waited by the door as the Dominant paid, waving his goodbyes to the staff who'd helped them. When Jared came over, he held the door and gestured for the other man to head out first. "Thank you for this," he said again. "I had a really good time."