and bad mistakes i've made a few

“Stop, you’re gonna make a girl blush.”  After everything that happened in New York, Leo gave up on the idea of finding Prince Charming.  And  yet, here he was right before him.  At times, it felt too good to be true when he spent time with Taurus who always made him feel so valued and adored.  Sometimes, it actually scared him how hard he was falling for the werewolf.  “You’re too good to me.”  He insisted.  Although that was just something you said, Leo actually meant those words.  Taurus was absolutely too good for him, the man was kind, sweet and had all these admirable qualities that Leo often lacked.

As he smirked at Taurus, he gently placed a hand at the side of his face.  “You’re perfect,” he told the other male as he gazed into the man’s dark hues.  “Thanks for putting up with a brat like myself,” he commented before leaning in to kiss the man softly.  “Shall we head out soon, I know Dusk won’t mind and right now I kind of just want to spend the night in your arms.”

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        “Only make you more youthful to see that glow,” Taurus insisted, excited to see Leo threatening something like that. He didn’t know much about Leo’s past, didn’t know much about Leo’s friends or his family beyond basic snippets from around town but he did have to imagine the way that Leo liked to enjoy himself meant that people could be cruel, either running or turning the man into something he didn’t want to be. Taurus hoped he wasn’t coming across like he was doing either. “You’re too good to me,” he reciprocated with ease.

The dirty blonde nearly made a half attempt joke, but kept his mouth shut as he got lost in the man’s dark eyes.  Right now, all he could focus on was they were finally going to have their first date.  And finally, he could not contain his excitement anymore as he leaned in to kiss the other man.  As their lips parted, Leo nodded.  “Yeah, why do you sound so surprised?”  And then the man tested him and could instantly see his disgust at the notion of hot dogs and a tire fire.  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he commented as he gently swatted the man’s chest.

When Taurus started softly kissing along him, he softly moaned and as his teeth pressed gently on his neck, Leo nearly lost his balance as his knees weakened.  “Really, you don’t have to do all that.  I just want to be with you,” he said.  And he actually meant those words.  Yes, it would be amazing for Taurus to do everything he listed.  But at the end of the day, all Leo truly wanted was to be wrapped up in the werewolf’s arms and make passionate love all night.

“But definitely wear something that will match what I’m wearing, which is leaning towards blue cause it makes my eyes pop.  And somewhere that has cloth table covers.”

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         “I’m twice your age,” he joked when Leo asked why there was a surprise to him that he would be honoured. Obviously he was not twice Leo’s age and he wouldn’t ever be close to that but he loved feeding the man’s ego, loved the way that it made him light up to illuminate that Leo was this pretty young thing Taurus was infatuated with. “I think I really should be retaining that I am honoured.”

          His own laugh came out in a heavy laugh from his stomach. “All that?” he chuckled. It wasn’t that he assumed Leo uninterested in him, only invested in nice and beautiful things, but rather that he didn’t assume being with him would be memorable or deserving of Leo. It wasn’t wrong to say you deserved more, especially if all you were asking for was effort. “I will put in as much energy into our date as you are deserving of,” he assured Leo, feeling the man’s kiss at his throat and wrapping an arm around his shoulders to hold him close.

There was that flutter in his heart that made Leo all giddy at the idea of going on a date with the werewolf.  Unbeknownst to Taurus, Leo may have been bragging about the older man to a few friends of his.  But it was hard for Leo to contain anything inside, he always was someone who wore his heart on his sleeve.  “Wow, first date in years.  I guess I should be honored.”

With those words, Leo captured the other male’s lips in a fiery kiss.  There was no denying the chemistry between them and just how happy Taurus made Leo.  Feeling the man’s touch, he softly smiled as he stared into the man’s dark eyes.  “I don’t know, I’m not super high maintenance so nothing to worry about.”  It was an absolute lie, but Leo was trying to appear that he was worthy of dating and wouldn’t be a pain in the ass.

.

          “I don’t know about honoured,” Taurus chuckled, one hand still playing with the blonde of Leo’s hair. The other man was so much more beautiful than he was, and, in Taurus’ mind, held so much more depth of person and character. Leo might not have been walking around as he did in his home but he seemed quite aware of who he was, where Taurus sometimes felt quite lost in it. His family had so many specific expectations Taurus was more inclined to work on the pack than to work on himself.

          Taurus kissed Leo back happily, once more parting his lips to let Leo taste his tongue. He really wished he’d been handed that minty vodka by now... “Oh, you’re not? You’re a very low maintenance kind of guy? Because if that’s the case, you know, we could just get some hot dogs from a street vendor in the city and then go and watch a tire fire together?” Taurus joked, quickly kissing Leo’s cheek, hand covered in it’s rings holding the other side of Leo’s face as he did, kiss moving from his cheek to his jaw and then his neck where he playfully bit before, finally, pulling away. 

All the fae could do was slightly blush as he rolled his eyes at his man’s words.  As they headed up towards the bar, he looked over at Taurus and the werewolf’s drink order and shook his head, finding it all too amusing.  As Taurus’s fingers reached up, Leo squeezed his bottom lip between his teeth and hearing this wasn’t a date, his expression suddenly turned and he thought everything was about to fall now.  Yet, when he continued Leo quickly perked up.  “You want to take me out on a date?”  There was a hint of excitement and surprise in the question.  For whatever reason, Leo just assumed he was just some easy lay for the man.

Unable to stop himself, Leo leaned in and reconnected their lips in a fiery kiss.  “Yes,” he nodded.  Some part of him hoped he wasn’t coming off as overly eager, but he felt connected with Taurus lately.  At first, it was just fucking and he quite enjoyed the man.  But lately, with Taurus staying over and the two cuddling, feelings were developing.

.

          Taurus felt the edge of his lip pull into his cheek, waiting for the bartender to return with their drinks. Part of him had expected Leo to insist he was merely company, that Taurus was too old or perhaps more that Leo just didn’t know enough about him to warrant such forward remarks but Leo’s excitement allowed for some of his own. “I most definitely want to take you out, though, I haven’t been on a date in...years, so hopefully I still have a magic touch for it, anything I should reme-”

“Oh?  I do?  Well, aren’t you sweet?”  No matter how kind Taurus was towards Leo, the fae still found it hard to wrap his mind around the werewolf’s words.  After years of not being enough, told repeatedly how worthless he was and so much more, Leo was waiting for these to drop.  As he pushed through his insecurities, he wrapped his arms around the man and brushed his lips against his and was pleasantly surprised when Taurus deepened the kiss.  “Drinks are always good handsome.”

Leo reached for the man’s hand and led him through the people towards the bar counter.  “Hey Danny, may I please have a cosmo and whatever he is having?”  Leo motioned towards Taurus.  While they waited for their drinks, Leo leaned against Taurus wanting that closeness.  “Thanks for coming, it is really nice to see you and all.”  Some part of Leo wanted to ask Taurus what all of this was between them?  Neither one has defined their relationship and Leo was nervous if he tried that the other man might just walk away.

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         “I’m probably in the long list of people who told you,” he stated without a hint of flattery, it simply was. Taurus kind of figured that, of the pair of them, Leo was younger, more handsome, definitely had a certain sort of wealth Taurus was not accustomed to and he knew everyone in town, his name seemed to mean something in a way Taurus knew his own didn’t.

“That’s a valid point,” Marco concedes.  Although he is far from well-versed in the inner-workings of Werewolf society, it’s fairly common knowledge that the species can be prone to territorialism.  That it has the potential to lead to skirmishes and other unsavory interactions is to be expected.  “It’s probably wiser not to, when you put it like that.”

The warlock nods, not feeling qualified to argue one way or another about the merits of private personal training or what constitutes an exceptional provider versus simply an adequate one.  Taurus is the expert where that’s concerned, and Marco is content to take his word on it.  “I daresay a pack of wolves running wild through the streets of New York City would hardly make sixth page news,” he jokes, “But I think I get what you mean.  It’s quiet here in Wolford.  I suppose that’s the appeal.”

Joining Taurus as they make their way back into the store, Marco continues to retrace their steps until they’re back in the aisle where it all started.  There’s a disgruntled looking store employee finishing the cleanup of the spilled powder, and he shoots the two of them a dirty look.  Marco casually pulls out his wallet and slips the young man a folded hundred-dollar bill before giving him a pat on the shoulder and continuing on to fetch the basket he had stashed on the shelf earlier.  “It was nice meeting you, Taurus.  I’ll see you around, yeah?”  

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          “Guess I don’t know city life that well,” he smiled, not having ever appealed to him. Perhaps the pack could have found a way to go unnoticed but he’d need someone more educated on it than he was. “Yeah, plus we’re pretty close to a city, so if we need anything it’s easy enough to head it. Benefits of small town like with access to more,” Taurus added.

LOCATION: Derry’s Pub WHO: @taurusleads​

Once he finished his texts with the man he had been crushing on, Leo went out to mingle with different people at the graduation party.  As he chatted away, slipping in some much needed gossip here and there he kept an eye out on the door, excited to see his gym rat…well soon to be his if he has it his way.  “Gurl, don’t you know it.”  He giggled with one of his friends.  “Honey, he is single.  You should go flirt with him, you never know.  Plus look at those biceps, I would love for him to lift me up and toss me onto a bed.”  The fae stated as his blue eyes shifted towards the eldest Bolton.  “Just not right,” he shook his head as they both swooned over Danny Boy.

At least that was until Taurus stole all of Leo’s attention the moment he walked into the place.  “Excuse me, I think my prince is here.”  Before the other woman could say anything, Leo had already disappeared and was heading towards the handsome older gentleman.  “Not too shabby,” he commented as he placed his arms around the man’s neck so he could kiss him.  “Glad to see you could make it.”

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        It was a good thing the place was loud, Taurus would have stepped in with far more authority if he’d heard Leo discussing wanting someone other than himself to throw him down into the bed - even if they were as handsome as Danny Bolton was. As it was though the place seemed busy with regulars as well as those in better attired that had obviously come for whatever sort of event this was.

[ TEXT ]: Derry’s Pub [ TEXT ]: Of course I do, that sounds like fun. [ TEXT ]: Wow, it is starting to sound like we are actually dating.

[TEXT]: It works, plus I love to see you in a leather jacket. [TEXT]: No worries, I am all yours.

[TEXT]: It is just a get together in celebration of a friend, something casual should work but still look presentable. [TEXT]: If you want to be daddy.

[TEXT]: Well this party would include other people, but afterwards we could have our own party. [TEXT]: Send me pics and I’ll help you choose. 

[TEXT]: Hey hot stuff! [TEXT]: You wanna come to a party?

@taurusleads

There are times when Marco feels like he was raised on another planet, and as he tries to visualize the ‘shitbox’ car that Taurus describes, he realizes this is one of those times.  “Oh…” He breathes with a nod to signify his understanding, despite not quite grasping the notion at all.  “I suppose it might be too much to hope that in this modern age the packs could establish a database or something, to map out territories…” the alchemist muses aloud.  “…Of course, what do I know?  Maybe there is one,” he adds with a shrug.

“You must be pretty good at it if your clients have been so keen to stick with you,” Marco observes.  Although an avid runner, he’s never been much of a gym rat, truth be told.  These days, however, the notion of having a healthy outlet to keep his mind off of other things has become ever more appealing.  He has to laugh at the other man’s assessment of his profession.  “My work is a lot of things, hermano, but ‘fancy’ isn’t one of them, I assure you.”  Traditional medicine, to a far greater extent than alchemical research, is distinctly not glamorous.  “Well, no, Wolford probably isn’t the ideal spot for specialized practice,” Marco admits, “But there’s always a demand for internal medicine in a broader sense.  Honestly, I needed a change from the whole big city thing, anyhow.”  

He grins, looking Taurus over as the other man fidgets with his replacement sweater.  “Crisis averted, yeah?  We should probably get back inside before the stock-boy finds our baskets.”

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       It actually didn’t seem like a bad idea, but lots of things that sounded like a good idea in theory were not all that great in practice. “Well, then you do have the danger of people you don’t want knowing your location suddenly knowing it,” Taurus figured was the most obvious reason. “It’s nice to be able to tell people who I am now but I don’t think I’d feel safe with just anyone knowing where my pack and I will be on the full moon, you know?” he mused.

       “Not everyone does, we all have our own styles that fit different people’s needs,” Taurus shrugged, not wanting to come off like he was some kind of amazing trainer when it generally wasn’t as simple as that. When the man said his own work wasn’t fancy though he offered a gentle laugh because it sure sounded fancy to him. “Makes sense, person I couldn’t do it but that has a whole lot more to do with the full moon than much else, you wouldn’t want a whole bunch of wolves running around the streets of New York.”

Was she nervous? 

No, try growing up with nothing but brothers. This is nothing but a cake walk for her, those moves were just her stretching her legs. Getting her muscles ready for what was to happen. A bit of a neck roll and then she started off doing the combos the instructor wanted them to do.

Two rights one left, one left one right, two rights, two lefts.

Gen kept it up, her lips parted so she could breathe better. Her wolf was loving it, maybe a bit too much. Having to blink away the shift in her eyes. She gave him a smirk. “Can you keep up?” A Challenging smirk adorned her face.

           Taurus chuckled a little as she practiced the moves on her own, still holding the bottle in his hand before taking another sip at her challenging smirk. “Come on, grab some water so you look a little more normal,” he suggested, dusting some of the condensation off one of his hands. It was interesting that once he had stepped away for the short break the instructor had given she was a bit more confident about doing the moves but still wanted to tell him that she was ready to go, but Taurus didn’t see bringing that up as kind so instead moved on. “Did you bring some with you? I think they offer free bottles at the counter.”

“That’s the spirit,” he liked to think positive, even though sometimes it could be really hard, he tried his best to remain positive, and think that better days would come, “Exactly, next time someone says you’re short, just use that excuse,” he had really tall friends, and every time that they teased him about his height, he said that it wasn’t his fault they were giants. He never truly got upset over the jokes though, they were just being playful.

“Crossed fingers are very powerful,”

        “Perfect excuse, I’m never short, everything is just too tall,” he chuckled, with the item in his basket he started to head back down the aisle. “Nice meeting you man, good luck with the rest of your shopping, hopefully nothing spills on you,” Taurus commented, running fingers through his beard with some powder falling out of it.

          “Powerful for sure,” he stated, showing off a pair of crossed fingers before disappearing into the next aisle. 

The fact the other man wanted to stay was a bit terrifying, it meant there could be something more than just fucking.  And although the thought of Taurus gave him butterflies, it also scared him a lot.  When he returned with the wine and after handing over the glass to Taurus, he took a long sip from his own glass.  “Well, I lived in New York and worked on Wall Street as an investment broker.  A bit hard to do in a small town in bum fuck Tennessee.”  He responded.  “I still do investments for myself, I kind of have to at the moment.”  He explained to Taurus.

As he sat up against the headboard, drinking his wine he looked over at the werewolf.  “Do you like what you do?  I mean, it certainly works out for you.”  The fae’s eyes looked him up and down as he licked his lips.  “Or is there something else you would rather be doing?”

        “Sounds sort of like you wish you were back in New York,” Taurus said, not exactly disappointment in his tone but certainly something that implied he hoped that wasn’t true. Obviously with what Taurus was, living somewhere like New York just wasn’t an option unless he was inclined for getting hurt or hurting other people and he wasn’t. “You have to? Presumably to maintain the home or...?”