#theexxdark.starter

Alex’s hand was already fishing the lighter from his jeans pocket on his way out of the nightclub’s back exit door. He’d already had to bounce a couple of low lives early in the evening and he assumed that prospects wouldn’t improve as the hour grew later and patrons started exceeding their alcohol tolerance. A cigarette was a welcomed distraction from the predictability of it all. As he took a deep drag, he heard the door he'd just used to enter the alleyway creak open. "Make a wrong turn looking for the bathroom?" he murmured without looking.

It had been a few months since Kent had been convinced to explore the city’s bar scene with a couple of friends. The promise of free drinks and the finest men in angel wings and underwear held just enough promise to get him out there, despite his insistence that Grindr had been treating him just fine. An hour or two of drinking and dancing, at minimum, wouldn’t hurt. Who knew? Maybe he’d even meet someone cute.. someone he could take home. Or at the very least to the back room. It wasn’t longer than 30 minutes before Kent found him. The one to hold his attention from across the crowded club. When they locked eyes under the strobe lights, Kent smiled earnestly, curious if he’d come over or if he’d have to approach first.

"It's my day off.." Devrim sighed, not having to open his eyes to know that she was standing there, interrupting his hot stone massage. Is this what it feels like when he's bossing her around, he wonders briefly. Then he smirks, recalling he does get paid to do that. He surrenders, opening his bright blue eyes and looking up at her from the massage table. "Could you please be a brat somewhere else for 15 minutes?"

Gabriel knows that his student lives within walking distance of this quaint park, which happens to be across the street from his favorite coffee shop. He does have access to the student roster, after all. But that doesn't mean he has a plan in mind. At least, he's grateful it looks that way. He sips an iced coffee slowly on the bench, unbothered by the slipping of time since he doesn't teach until the next morning. Perhaps his favorite student will stroll by; perhaps they won't. In either case, he'll enjoy the warm sun on his face and the rustle of tree leaves in the gentle breeze until his coffee cup empties.

"Look, I'm happy to be your personal fuck boy and all.." Rafael expelled an uneasy sigh as he paused to consider his words carefully. He rubbed the warm base of his neck, hating to make this sound like this was some sort of breakup when it wasn't. They weren't even together, not really. Still, he hoped this wouldn't be the end. "But I really screwed myself over last term.. I can't afford to fall behind on my school work again. So.. I can't spend the night for a while."

"You're daring me, really? What.. are we twelve?" Penelope scoffed, beginning to feel backed into a corner by her companion's taunts. Sure, she was uptight at times and could be hyper-focused on school and work in equal measure, leaving little to no room for extracurriculars, but that didn't mean she was incapable of fun. "I can be fun! Watch me!" She huffed, turning on her heel with a determined swish of her ponytail to pour herself a shot of something that smelled like bad decisions. She turned back toward him and squeezed her eyes shut while she sucked the shot down. "Spontaneous enough for you?" she choked out, slamming the empty glass down, trying her best to suppress the face induced by the scorching of the alcohol sliding down her throat.

Kent couldn't help but surrender a smirk at the other's persistence that they go home together from the bar. He'd been trying to keep a straight face, even trying to seem disinterested, but how could he when the other was so god damn cute? "Easy, easy." Kent chuckled, placing his meaty palms on the other's shoulders to show him he'd gotten his attention finally. "You know.. last night was supposed to be a one time thing." He sighed. "I guess I can make an exception.. this once."