Xbhandri​:

renfarber​:

Oh, this was dangerous. He shouldn’t be looking at her like this. And she shouldn’t be looking at him like this. They were grown ass adults now, and they should know better, and they had responsibilities, and they’d broken up for a reason, because she’d done something horrible, and then he’d said some horrible things, and enough time had passed now that there shouldn’t be any feelings left of any kind, but… there were. She could tell from his eyes that there were. And anyway, Ren had always rather liked danger.

He smiled at the mention of her mother, and he joked about her ridiculous old friends, and she laughed at his dumb jokes and his smug smile and his popcorn-throwing, and what had felt dangerous a moment ago, now felt familiar and safe. Safe enough that she felt comfortable reaching up to fix some stray curls that had fallen over Leo’s eyes.

“Do you remember the night we met?” she smirked. She wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t, honestly. They were at work, and it was a particularly slow night, and nothing of interest really happened except for Ren meeting the only man she’d ever fall in love with. They’d spent the whole shift talking and laughing (and getting yelled at for talking and laughing), and sneaking booze from behind the bar. “I told you I felt like I’d known you in another life. And that nothing you could say would ever surprise me because of it. …I was a fucking weirdo back then,” she laughed, “but I still kind of believe that.”

-

The way she looked at him was almost becoming unbearable. Did she realize that she was looking at him the way she use to? Was he giving her the same adoring look that he had reserved for her all those years ago? Would the desire to stop wanting to reach towards her subside? How could he even approach her in such a way when she knew she was married and very clearly had honored that sanction far more than he did? No matter the answers, he had to behave, he had to. 

 Leo didn’t flinch or back away when Ren’s hand came to his obstructed view. He actually kind of welcomed not seeing her so clearly. It offered a bit of a shield, but she had brushed his shaggy curls away, giving him a sharp view of her stunning features once again. He’d never get over just how ethereal she appeared. And just like that, the urge to just move closer, grab her face and just kiss her took hold of him again. But thankfully she had given him another distraction.

He looked at the cute smirk upon her face as he took her question. The night they met. Arguably one of the best nights of his twenties. He would never tell her, but he even knew what phase the moon was in the sky that night; a crescent moon. He also regrettably even knew what the special was that night; a honey roasted duck. Which now he realized was probably the reason for the slow night. He kept his gaze on her as he recalled the rest of the details, the more important ones. Like how when their eyes first met, he became a stoic fool, melting into a stranger’s eyes. But then how quickly he had warmed up to her because of her charming demeanor, one that he matched up with his own. He definitely chose humour to captivate her, and he was smitten with her honesty no matter how eccentric it was. As he listened to her recalling their conversation about other lifetimes, his face had softened and there was smile shining from his eyes as well as his lips. “I think I remember it a lot better.” He gloated, of course, needing a spotlight on him being right once again. He leaned in closely, his elbow completely taking her arm rest as he did so. “Because you said, you felt like you’ve known me in a thousand other lifetimes.” The glint in his eyes still shown as he reminded her of that detail, the lighting of the movie’s glow helped ignite it brighter. “I asked if I were rich and successful in any of them and you said yes. And then like a lameass trying to shoot my shot, I asked if I got to see you naked in any of them.” His voice lowered an octave as if to keep that part intimately between them than it already was. Leo’s gaze, however, dropped down to the exposed skin at her collarbone before he forced it back up. His clutch on the popcorn bucket was unfortunately becoming obvious with the crinkling of the cardboard. 

renfarber​:

She’d thought she’d be prepared for this. She’d thought that enough time had passed (what was it, almost a decade now?), and that she’d moved on, and she was over what had happened… but she wasn’t. She was smiling, looking at him now, because he looked so much like the boy she’d loved. She was smiling, but her heart had sunk, and her brain was so focused on his face that it forgot to remind her to breathe.

“No,” she said - too loudly for the quiet, echoing theatre, “no, please don’t go. It’s a good movie… I’ve heard. I haven’t seen it, but… that’s kind of the appeal.” Of course, she didn’t need to explain that to Leo. Anyone else on Earth, maybe, but this familiar-but-distant man, standing in shock ten feet from her, giving her almost the same expression he had the last time she’d seen him… he already knew. He knew her love of new things, new experiences, new places, new people. He’d loved that about her once. And it had hurt him in the end.

When she finally remembered how to move, she made her way toward him. Slowly, gingerly, like he were a wild animal or a broken bird, and might either attack or flee if she moved too suddenly. She would deserve both, she knew, even if it had been ten years. But selfishly, she just wanted to see him.

The lights went down, and the projector came on, and they were still standing, staring, closer now but still unsure of each other. “Will you stay?” Ren whispered.

-

Her loud protest to him leaving echoed tremendously. It stopped him in his slow attempt to leave. And quite honestly it warmed him up a bit. It was a good surprise to know that she wanted him to stay and enjoy the film. He hadn’t seen it either, but he couldn’t find himself to speak up as he was grew overwhelmed and overstimulated by everything. He was at a crossroads of what to do. He knew had this meeting been less than the decade that passed he’d already be out the door. Hell, maybe even popcorn in her hair.

Leo’s feet stepped back once she began her approach towards him. He had only stopped when he remembered his drink on the ground. He was stuck between making a mess or allowing her closer. He went with the latter. It did offer him a chance to look at her better. Her hair was in braids, he’d never seen it styled like that before. He also noticed her tattoo collection had grown. When his own collection had diminished.

But it was different now. He was different. He had love coming at him from multiple hearts. Love that he had desperately wanted from just one heart, years ago. Hers. Did he still feel that way now? With his heart strings being pull down by someone on his phone and with broken vows he pretended to keep with his wife? The lights turning down and glow of the hazy film lit the room. It shown upon her face in such a familiar way. He would usually stare at her in this light to watch her reaction when they shared this pastime. He blinked and answered her wordlessly, by sitting back down in his seat. His eyes never moved off of her. He just kept looking at her with an air of anticipation. It took him a bit too long to let it go and turn his head to the screen. He began to become too aware of his own breathing as he felt the side of body she was at heat up. He parted his lips to say something but quickly closed it to focus on the film. But just a moment later, he did once again.

closed starter: @blakemadden​ location: subway station

Leo craned his neck to hear the muffled yet echoed sound of the announcement of the train’s stop. In doing so, it brought his gaze up and straight at a face he thought he knew, but onto a shape, he didn’t. So Leo looked away not fully believing it to be Blake. No, he had just seen her. Another train stop was chimed out loud. Brought he his eyes back to the woman again, she does seriously look like Blake.. Leo’s legs began to beeline to her. The whites of Leo’s eyes get wider and wider as she shape of Blake’s belly appears as if it’s growing with every step he took. He looked downright frightened seeing how her clothes stretched upon a rounded belly. 

giselesilvas​:

She could hear the shoes scuffing around the stall as the guy froze, and it was hilarious seeing, well, not seeing technically, how no matter how old people got, men in her own personal experience, they still froze and fumbled when caught in an indecent position. Like a kid with his hand in a cookie jar. When she finally caught sight of the guy responsible for the ladies’ room now being a giant capsule, Gisele didn’t lose any time to look him over quickly. He looked… Good. Older than her but not by much. Nicely groomed, his hands looked delicat- Married? Her eyes went straight to his wedding band. One would imagine he’d come in here with his wife, get high and then fool around in the bathroom a bit, away from prying eyes. But… Maybe his wife wasn’t here. And now she started to see the real fun in this encounter.

Gisele caught his eye again and smirked as she saw him looking down at her chest and then come back up. Where do you want me?  Fuck, he’s in it as well. “Well, I’d have you sitting back on that couch if it were up to me, but then we’d still be in the same position” Red lips turned up with a smile, her tongue running over her teeth with a mischievous look on her face. “I thought you’d never offer” She joked, hand over her chest in an exaggerated dramatic flare, reaching out to grab it and once she did, she replaced the joint in his hand with her free one, shaking it gently “Gisele”

-

Leo’s brows shot up at her response but he easily settled back into his smugness. she was bold and matched his energy like it were breathing. She certainly had her handle on his attention now. Is she flirting with me? he thought, though he was sure his shiny wedding band was a good determent. it usually was. but wedding band or not didn’t keep him from openly leering at her. her skin looked so soft and she had a face that could stop a man in his tracks. and quite frankly, she did cause him to freeze up. he returned her smile with the crooked one of his own and let her take the joint of his offering hand. 

“Gisele,” he repeated, testing her name on his tongue, as he wrapped his hand around hers. “Leo—Leo Davis.” he said returning the handshake and introducing himself. He let go of her hand gently and rested it back at his side. Where his hand flexed slightly at the interaction. He hadn’t had a charged physical attraction to anyone that wasn’t his wife lately. Unfortunately, those moments with his wife were becoming less frequent. And he’s never laid on finger on his secret valentine that was confined to his phone. This was different for him for sure, especially while intoxicated with a cross of weed and alcohol. his favorite mix. 

He tried to behave his gaze because even though he believed he could be found attractive to anyone, he didn’t want to act on it if he was wrong. No, he didn’t want to act on it because it’d be wrong to do so, because he was lawfully bound. He rubbed his free hands on his pants at the tops of his thighs before smoothing out the velvet. “So, since you can’t have me on the couch, where’s that vent?” He questioned, tearing his eyes from her curves that so intimately spoke to him. He craned his neck up to see the chandelier lighting fixture but none were the exhaust she mentioned. He looked at her again for an answer. But he honestly, didn’t care if he smoked out the restroom. He’d happily continue to get absolutely loaded on the couch. But now it was lady’s choice. 

starter for: @oliverbrowncnn​ where: the soleil 

Leo was relaxed to say the least. His diluted drink was half way finished, the sweet spot for him as he could finish the next half in one go. He was enjoying Oliver’s rare company. Even if the mentions of Oliver’s successes fanned the flames of his own jealousy. It was still good to catch up when they could. There had been a comfortable lull in their conversation, and most of that was drawn by Leo’s absent gaze. 

Leo didn’t know what suddenly came over him. Was it the lounge music playing? The dimmed lighting? Or the percentage amount of alcohol that was in his slender frame? He squirmed in his seat as his thoughts began to race with his heart beat.

Say it, say it, say it. Say it to someone other than your favorite bartender, you coward! “I’m in couples’ therapy.” He blurred out, the recognition that he said it hit him like a rubber band, snapping him into reality. He even looked surprised as he looked at Oliver. Leo regretted impulsively opening that door, kicking it down was more like it. “We’re— we’re in couples’ therapy.” He corrected and adjusted the collar of his maroon dress shirt. 

Is there anyone out there? Cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe

vale-x​:

closed starter to @le0davis​ location: the dive bar on 9th street — manhattan

     SOMETIMES HE just needed to get away from the high life. Especially with how many stressors had been piling up on him lately, Lucifer had been turning to cheap thrills to escape the things that had been waking him up in the middle of the night. Those thrills were found easily at his nightclub, but there was only so much disco trap music he could tolerate before it just started giving him a headache. Some dingy, nobody bar far away from the Upper East Side was a suitable alternative. At least it was today. The man wanted nothing to do with appearances today. He wanted to blend into the background, and find peace in doing so. 

     Get Lucifer Vale drunk or high enough and the limits of what trouble he would get up to became non-existent. Tonight, apparently, that was atrociously slurring through NSYNC lyrics with another patron, arm slung lazily around the other man’s shoulder as they swayed in very non-rhythm to the music.  “Every little thing I do! Never seems enough for you!” he bellowed, as if the lyrics really meant something to him in that moment. He tapered off, pausing to try to peak at the lyrics scrolling at the screen, because he forgot them, and then quickly chimed back in, off-key and laughing. “Guess what! It’s gonna BE ME!” 

-

 Leo, Leo, Leo. The man had had so much on his plate, yet it was due to his own gluttony. He fed himself full of the sin: lust. This caused there to be only room for his other vice. Alcohol and lots of it. he may have met a boundary he hadn’t pushed before tonight. going with the flow with a new face in the bar. now here he was drunk singing and dancing with the devil of New York. “You got no choice BABE, but to move on, and you know, there ain’t no time to waaaste...” Leo did the run and said the lyrics without having to look at the monitor. Turns out even blasted, his inner love for throwbacks still had him on key. Did he believe he was carrying this song like J.C. did back in the year 2000? maybe. though he was slurring as much as his duet partner. “....baby when you finally, get to love somebody, guess what! it’s gonna BE MAY!” he sang out, feeling like he was some real stage and not some dinky small platform. he happily continue swaying to the snythnized beat that was begging for better choreography than what the two were giving. which was just two men huddled under each other’s arms. 

but it suddenly wasn’t enough for Leo, who was feeling more and more like the little boy who had first seen the music video at one of his foster homes. leo over confidently flipped his wrists down with his arms up, micmicking a marionette. he took two steps to the right, away from his partner, to only fall off of the platform entirely. the echoing thud of the mic hitting the ground followed by the blump of leo’s body falling onto the carperted floor. then came leo’s wheezing laughter as he was met with a sudden view of the dive bar’s ceiling. he lulled his head to side to find the blurry face he shared the stage with. 

text; leo ⇄ xav

xav: im sitting down

xav: wait let me take a drink first

xav: okay im ready

leo: there's no way to ease into this so I'm just gonna come out and say it

...

leo: I'm a dad

leo: I have a daughter with Blake