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 Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:40 am
Maybe a little late, watching and feeling Tolliver's tension, Hitch thought of a much better way to try and combat some of his nerves. He took Tolliver's hand gently by the wrist with his other hand. He carefully switched the hands he was holding and tried to do it fast, before his lover could get it in his head that he didn't want to be touching at all. (Because if he'd been on the other end, he probably would've assumed the same ******** thing.)
So he flashed Tolliver a warm, lopsided smile as he took his now free hand and slung it loosely over his lover's shoulders, tugging him closer as he toyed with his fingers. "I hope they've got bourbon, " he declared loudly over the din of the music. Different from a concert, yes, but similar enough that he felt comfortable engulfed in it. "Or you're gonna have to help me pick somethin' else to try."
Luckily for him, when they got to the bar, sure enough they had what Hitch wanted - he ordered for both of them, a rather playful glint in his eyes as he teased, "I promise not to ********' blow chunks this time." He was trying hard to keep Tolliver engaged and grounded; he needed him to have fun tonight.
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:02 am
For the smallest of seconds, Tolliver did think that Hitch was trying to say that either his grip was too tight or he was uncomfortable with holding hands in public. But then Hitch's arm was warm and secure around his shoulders, and Tolliver, a little startled, felt some of the tension ease. He curled himself closer towards his lover on instinct, still a little anxious, but Hitch seemed to have a knack for knowing what to do to help with that.
"I like bourbon the best," he said, blushing a little, because it reminded him of their first re-meeting, and how Hitch had said he would go with whatever Tolliver went with. He caught the playful look in his eyes and the flush deepened slightly, but it managed to pull a tiny smile onto Tolliver's face.
"I like you when you're not throwing up in my bathroom," he said, and then, a little flustered, he added quickly, "N-not that I disliked you, but, erm, I just mean to say that..."
His expression softened a little.
"I'm glad that...that you didn't leave that morning," said Tolliver, and the bartender had slid them their drinks with a disinterested nod, already moving onto the next group of people that had come laughing and cheering up to him. Tolliver reached for his own glass, wrapping his free fingers around it gratefully.
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 7:10 pm
"Me too, " and Hitch tried so hard to resist the urge, but he couldn't totally, and so he leaned in and whispered loudly in Tolliver's ear, trying to be heard over the music, "Especially the taste of it on ********' your lips, babe." You know, just in case they weren't reminiscing hard enough about that first time.
He was laughing hard, hard enough that it made his sides ache. "Well, <********>, I hope you do. I like to think I'm a little more charmin' when I'm not blowin' chunks in a bathroom, " he teased, bumping him gently with his hip and leaning over to kiss his temple.
When Tolli said that though, with such a soft look in his eyes - Hitch softened too, his eyes growing darker as he looked at him. "Tolli." He didn't want to get too serious; tonight was supposed to be fun. But he had to say it. "I'm so ********' sorry again for - I was such a ********' a*****e to you. Seriously. I know we're way past that but, " he took a deep breath. "I was so ********' far out of line. I'm ********' lucky you ever wanted me around after that. - so - thanks, and I'm really, really sorry again, really."
When he had the bourbon in his hand, the first thing he did was take a sip of his bourbon. God that burn was so ******** good. He wished he could indulge in it more, really - maybe he should ask Tolli to come along and pick some up for his place. Some nice nights spent with a few drinks and a very cute lover to share them with was a pretty ******** appealing thought.
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 7:21 pm
He was blushing furiously, Tolliver averting his eyes, but he had to admit that he had been thinking sort of along the same lines. That hadn't been his first kiss, but it had been his first kiss with a man, and it had tasted of bourbon and cigarettes and it had been hard and desperate - and Tolliver wouldn't have had it any other way. He'd been terrified at the time, and he was still a little scared now, but things had worked out, somehow.
"You are charming," Tolliver murmured, and he felt his lashes flutter as Hitch leaned closer, lips against his temple. He managed to raise his gaze and Tolliver felt something in his chest unwind into something a lot more softer and sweeter, something adoring. A small smile found its way onto his face, and Tolliver leaned over and, ignoring the nervous twisting of his stomach, kissed Hitch gently. His fingers rose to press against the side of his face, and his face was red when he pulled away, Tolliver reaching for his glass to hide his embarrassment.
"I wanted you even when you were yelling at me," he said, lifting the drink to his lips. "You were - I mean, I couldn't...you were still hot."
Then he took a huge swallow of his drink, cheeks burning along with his throat.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 1:53 am
"Not even half as charmin' as you are, " Hitch quipped back with a lopsided smile, even knowing that Tolliver wasn't going to believe him. Seriously though, he didn't think he'd ever met a more charming person in all his life. For one thing, the accent. Then there was the way he smiled and bit his lip when he was embarrassed. The little delicious bits of praise he weedled in to their talks, just enough where it didn't feel like he was just saying it to say it. Maybe it was the honeymoon phase talking, but there wasn't a single goddamn thing about Tolliver he didn't find charming.
Those kisses never got old, either - the warm of Tolliver's lips on his own were just as warm and welcoming as ever, and the alcohol's hot path down to his stomach had emboldened him. He almost wished they weren't where they were when his lover pulled away, but... there was a reason they were here, and the other stuff could wait for ********>, it didn't help at all when Tolliver said that though. Hitch's cheeks burned a little too, because even with his lover's increasing boldness, he didn't usually come right out and call him 'hot'. "You keep that talk up, we're never gonna make it to the dance floor, " he teased, a lopsided smirk on his lips as he pressed his lips to his lover's cheek, then added, "You're one to talk. You're all kinds of hot when you get worked up, y'know. Shut me the ******** up."
He took another long swig of his drink and it didn't take him long to start feeling it - his grin was a little bolder as he maybe too quickly polished off the glass, but he didn't really care. He started idly tapping his foot to the beat of the music, not to hurry Tolli along or anything, he was just more relaxed and it was another little extension of his drumming with his hands full of a glass and Tolli. "Babe, babe. Look at that guy, " he leaned in to mumble in his lover's ear, his breath hot as he snickered with barely restrained laughter. "No pants guy. The ********> How long do you think it'll take for someone to catch him?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:34 am
Hitch was right; he didn't believe him when he said he wasn't as charming as Tolliver, because Tolliver did not think of himself as charming at all, just awkward and uncertain and consistently flustered. Hitch, on the other hand, was smooth and confident, and he had a way of speaking that brought easy blushes to Tolliver's cheeks (not that it was that hard to make him blush, his face was simply too open).
Like he was doing right now, face aflame at the teasing, and Tolliver lifted his hand briefly to touch Hitch's cheek as his own was kissed, fingers trailing against his jaw. He tried not to look as though he was stupidly pleased by all the compliments, mostly because he didn't believe them, but he certainly did love to hear Hitch talk to him that way.
He took another sip of his glass, drinking it less quickly than Hitch was, which he hoped wasn't a problem. Hitch was leaning against him, lips against his ear, and Tolliver squirmed a little, but he let out a little laugh, unexpectedly becoming more at ease already. "Someone must have paid the bouncer," he murmured in amusement, and he was blushing again, because said pantsless man was right in front of them. Tolliver watched him wind his way through the throngs of people, dodging security, but his gaze had refocused to the floor, where he saw Hitch tapping his foot. Tolliver glanced at his own legs, and he bit his lip, anxiety pulsing, but Hitch had brought him here for a reason, and he wanted to make him happy...
"Do you..." Tolliver dragged in a breath, trying to steady himself as he set down his glass and reached behind him for one of Hitch's hands.
"....do you want to dance?"
A pause, and then -
"W...with me," Tolliver clarified, embarrassed, in case that wasn't obvious.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 3:31 pm
Even that small caress, fingertips brushing across his cheek, made Hitch feel so intensely wanted and cared for. Yeah, he was here to take care of Tolliver tonight, but that was part of why. With these tiny little gestures, Tolliver didn't know it but he was batting demons away. Tiny little nasty monsters with gnarled claws that desperately wanted to cut him back down again into doubt, insecurity, worse than that. Maybe it was a little drastic to say something like his lover saved his life, he hadn't been in mortal danger or anything like that, but - if they were talking a life worth living, then yeah, he'd ******** saved it.
Really, Tolliver could have taken all the time he wanted to and it would've been fine with Hitch. His ultimate definition of a fun night would just be to get his lover to leave the ******** apartment with him for a few hours to try and help him shake this funk - which wouldn't really be that easy and he knew that, but everything had to start somewhere, right?
Hitch snickered, nuzzling eagerly into Tolliver's hair. "I promise, no pants time wasn't part of my deal - " With all the bribes that ******** bouncer had gotten tonight, he could probably go right on ahead and take a tropical ******** vacation.
Then, one of Tolliver's hands were on his own, and when he was speaking, Hitch could guess where he was going with it before the words ever left his mouth. A vibrant, toothy smile crept across Hitch's face at the soft little request, and he chuckled softly, bringing the hand to his mouth and brushing his fingers across the knuckles. "Wouldn't wanna dance with anyone else, babe. - that's a 'yes', if that wasn't totally ********' clear, " and he winked at him.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 3:40 pm
He was trying to relax, but it was difficult. It wasn't so much the crowds of people around him that bothered him, although that was a minor stress factor. Rather, it was the combination of remembering that awful time with Fritz, his pathetic leg, and all the reminders that he no longer could do many of the things that he once had. And he wanted to be able to have a good night out with Hitch, wanted to see him smile, to make him happy, to see that flush of pleasure across his cheeks.
He felt a blush touch his cheeks as Hitch kissed his hand. "R-right," said Tolliver, and swallowed hard, glancing nervously at the dance floor. Again, he wondered if it was possible to even do it, but the thought of dancing with Hitch - with his lover - was both important to him and a wonderful, freeing idea.
Tolliver stepped shyly closer to Hitch, taking both of his hands in his own.
"L...lead the way," he said softly, and there was a small smile on his face, faint, but still there. "I'll follow your, erm, lead."
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 3:58 pm
Hitch smiled back at him as he gently squeezed both of his hands, and thought in the back of his head that this would seriously be the ideal time for the Beauty and the Beast song to come blaring over the loudspeakers. Like, it wouldn't, but it'd be pretty ******** fitting, right? Not like he said it because then Tolliver would say some sweet line about how Hitch was no beast and it'd be so achingly touching that his joke would end up totally wasted and even if that was okay, they should probably just try and stick to dancing, right?
(But he did tuck that line away in his back pocket for maybe someday, maybe.)
Really though, he knew how important this might be - and he took it seriously. So when the next song started and it was a slower one, he took that as his cue to lead his lover onto the dance floor, coaxing him closer as he started to move to the rhythm of the music. There were plenty of other people there, but he never once took his eyes off of Tolliver, watching him intently with a lopsided, encouraging smile.
'You can do this baby.'
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:19 pm
Tolliver gripped Hitch's hands tightly, probably a little too tightly, anxiety flooding his chest; but obediently he followed him out onto the dance floor, shuffling his feet, and his leg was all right for now, not aching yet. It would inevitably start to throb if he was on it for too long, but for now, he was determined to make this right.
He laced their fingers together and then looked up at Hitch, and tried not to show just how breathless with adoration he was, Tolliver flushing.
"Okay," he said, and he sounded scared, and looked it, but there was still that stubborn glint that indicated he had little intention of walking away anytime soon. Tolliver shifted a little closer to Hitch, away from a particularly enthusiastic girl with pink hair, and took a breath.
"Okay," he said again. "I'm - I think I'm ready."
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 5:43 pm
Tolliver could go on ahead and squeeze as hard as he wanted to - it wouldn't bother Hitch even if he took the hands clean off. Yeah it'd make work a little trickier, but hey. Maybe he could go ahead and make a career out of playing the drums with his mouth or something.
Hitch didn't bother to hide it; his adoration showed clear as day in everything from the look in his eyes to his stance, his hips angled towards Tolliver and his fingers squeezing his lover's gently in between his own. He'd never really been this outwardly affectionate with any person before, especially not publicly, man or woman - and the alcohol probably helped, no, it definitely helped to take the heat of any other stares off of him. (Although he did shoot the pink haired girl a nasty look; he didn't abide by anyone that made his lover fidget.)
If Tolliver had just looked terrified and nothing else, Hitch didn't think he would have pushed it - but he saw that determined light in his eyes, and he felt himself falling a little deeper. He absolutely adored that about him, that quiet, reserved resolve he carried. It'd be easy to miss if he didn't know him, but he did, and it was like a ******** beacon.
There was no more need for words after that; dancing and sex really weren't that different, were they? They had the chemistry already, and Hitch already knew a lot of the things Tolliver's body could and couldn't handle. Maybe it showed a little when they danced together, swaying and moving with Hitch never taking his eyes off of him; he wanted to push him in ways that were fun for him, that he could do, not ways that were impossible.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:03 pm
Hitch's face, the look in his eyes, the way he held his hands - all of it was simply a way that made Tolliver more at ease, and he could feel the stiffness in his shoulders starting to ease, little by little. He couldn't have asked for someone better to guide him through this.
Tolliver slipped his fingers through Hitch's, linking them determinedly together, and slowly he started to move - and as they danced, one thing became very apparent: Hitch was a natural at this. The way he swayed from side to side, how he shifted his feet, which way he turned; everything was done with a grace and finesse that Tolliver hadn't seen before, and he found himself utterly at awe at it, taken aback - and completely and one hundred percent smitten with Logan Hitchcock.
At some point in time, Tolliver hesitantly inched his fingers away from Hitch's and slid them slowly up his arms to hold on, to step a little closer. He was still a little stiff, still tense, but it was becoming easier to lose himself to the music, which had always been special to him.
And then, shyly, his gaze lifted to meet Hitch's, Tolliver biting his lip, and he still looked anxious, but his eyes were no longer on his feet.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:32 pm
If anyone ever asked Hitch, he'd probably snicker like they'd cracked the worst kind of joke and insist that he was mediocre, or a good dancer at best. Nothing special. But years setting the rhythm for various bands, the times he spent at concerts, the times he spent swaying and thrashing in his room when no one was ever looking - it'd carved out a man that was more than capable of keeping a beat and moving to the music he loved. But that's how Hitch worked. He knew he wasn't the best (and he'd never be best at anything), and in his mind, that meant he couldn't be great. It was an all-or-nothing mentality, and it was a dangerous one to have.
But right now, in this moment, he felt pretty great about it - watching as the moments ticked by and Tolliver slowly came out of his shell, loosening up and slipping closer to him still, and finally looking up at him while worrying his lip between his teeth in that way that drove Hitch totally crazy for him.
Hitch's smile greeted him, his eyes half-lidded as he purred a sweet little, "Hey there baby, " and he chuckled softly, deep enough that it was almost lost to the music. Even if it had been, his eyes glinted with it, slight smile lines snaking across his face. "I love this." The two of them, they excelled at saying much bigger things in many fewer words, didn't they?
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:42 pm
It didn't matter that Hitch was rough around the edges; to Tolliver, it was the most incredible thing, to be watching him move like this. Granted, he'd been subjected to Hitch's rhythm and sway numerous times, in different ways, but there was something about seeing him like this, out in the open, so at ease with himself, that made it almost dizzying to watch.
Tolliver subconsciously had shifted closer, the grin and the low purr easing him more into a state of relaxation.
"Hi," he said softly, a little too softly, but he was close enough now that it might have been heard. His blush deepened, and Tolliver slid his hands up to rest on the sides of Hitch's arms now, unintentionally encouraging Hitch's arms to rest somewhere on his hips or waist or elsewhere.
"M-me too," he said, and it was true, his heart clambering in his chest at the mere mention of the word. "I...I love it too."
And other things. And other things he was too terrified to name, Tolliver staring at Hitch and hoping that he understood how he felt without saying it; that he would be able to see the clear adoration in his eyes as he swayed awkwardly from side to side, clinging onto his lover.
His fingers curled in the sleeves of Hitch's shirt, and someone jostled into them, startling Tolliver out of his reverie.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:28 pm
He took advantage of the invitation, sliding his hands down over Tolliver's clothed chest, along his sides, and finally they settled at his hips, squeezing them gently once. Mostly as reassurance, but he'd be lying if he said that was ever all it was. The curve of hipbones beneath his fingers was always tantalizing to him - all of Tolliver was, really. His hips were just some of his favorites.
Yes, Hitch understood what Tolliver meant - his cheeks burned faintly with alcohol and more than that, almost like he was glowing with the pleasure he felt in that moment. There couldn't have been a more perfect - anything. That's how life was with Tolliver though. Each moment he wished would last an eternity, another came along and he wished for the same thing again. He didn't think he'd ever stop wishing; even if he felt a little more secure in their relationship now, he still clung to each moment like it was his last.
Which was why when someone interrupted it - he got real pissed real ******** fast. It was like a switch went off; everything in him went from soft and gentle to fierce and protective. "Watch where the ******** you're goin' you ********' flamin' piece of horseshit!" he snarled, though his hands were still gentle as he coaxed Tolliver away from them. Probably an overreaction; actually, no, that was definitely an overreaction. It was a ******** club after all. Hitch wanted to cringe, but didn't, although his eyes betrayed the surge of embarrassment that swept in after the fact. "You okay babe?"
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