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 Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:04 pm
Virell just offered a small smile. "Your hair is beautiful. You stand out in a crowd," he promised. "Don't change anything about yourself, especially not on my account." He relaxed again, feeling less and less self conscious about his apartment, his imperfections.
"You want to co-parent something with me? Ah," he seemed amused at the thought. "Well, I don't know about that. I'm not very good at sharing. If we moved in together, you'd have to decorate. Obviously."
He rested against him, seeming amused at the thought.
"...Though. If we ever moved in together, I'd want a big house. I mean, down the road a bit, when I'm a little older. I always had this dream, you know. It's a stupid dream. But. I always wanted a big house. I figured, when I was more well off, I'd foster. I'd foster, and I'd adopt. I know I seem rather selfish," and sometimes, he was, "But I'll take these years for me, when I'm still attractive and desirable, and then when I start to fade I want to give the rest of myself to that goal. I mean, I won't be too old. It'll probably be within the next ten years," he confessed.
"...But I want to open my house to kids who don't have one. I'd want to take care of them. Support them. Give them a foundation to build their lives off of. I mean. It's not easy growing up, especially when you don't have a family, or someone you can trust or ask for help? If you get too old, no one wants you. And once you turn eighteen, the state doesn't care. I mean, you get a nice grant to go to college, but what does it matter if you can't afford to live anywhere, or to feed yourself?"
He seemed a little impassioned by the topic; it seemed like he could have burst into a rant at any second; his brows were knit and he was obviously very invested in the topic, even if he typically tried to hide it.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:05 pm
Eric listened and his arm went around Virell without a second thought as the male rested against him. He was quiet for a long moment, though there was a smile on his face at the thought of Virell having a dozen children running around. They had talked about that before, about Virell adopting sixty kids and it had been a little off putting but…but now Eric almost looked forward to it.
He found himself nodding and really imagining how it would be. The laughter and the struggles…watching the children start to trust them. Designing rooms for them…
The male swallowed and nuzzled Virell gently. “…I want to foster and adopt too. I’d like that. A lot. We could really help a lot of kids, you and me. And I know I was pretty lukewarm about the subject last time but…you’re right. These kids need help…and why shouldn’t we be there to help them? If we have the means to support them and ourselves…just think about it! I could design bedrooms and play areas…between the two of us, none of them will leave this house having any sort of self-esteem issues. We’re perfect for that.”
Eric found his mind to be racing and he wasn’t quite sure how to slow it down. “Animals could help though. I’d still want a cat. But I’m fine with as many kids as you think we can save.”
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:06 pm
"Okay, okay--yes, a cat," he finally laughed, seeming both amused and curious at Eric's change of heart. It pleased him, obviously, and there were clearly thoughts playing in Virell's head that he wasn't quite voicing.
"It's not just the younger ones though. The older ones, too," he said cautiously. "I mean. They come with problems. I know that. Attitude problems, self esteem issues, problems with authority, drugs, promiscuity. Those things run rampant. It's not that they're bad kids, it's just that when you've got all those internalized emotions, they don't always manifest in healthy ways. But they're the ones that need it most."
He was quiet and then just rested his head against Eric's chest. "...Holidays would be nice. They'd always have somewhere to go. A home. We'd have a huge party, with everyone there," he murmured, eyes half lidded and a faraway look on his face as he just snuggled closer.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:08 pm
“Then we’ll do what we can for them…they’ll be our kids. We…if we can help them, it doesn’t matter what problems they come with.” Sure he said that now, it was easy to say it when he had this beauty in his arms and the scent of his shampoo was utterly causing his mind to turn to mush…but Eric was sure that he mostly believed his own words.
“We’ll have to get a lot of turkeys for thanksgiving…and hams…we’ll need a huge kitchen…at least two ovens. I guess I should start learning to cook if I’m going to make great holiday feasts…”
His chin rested atop Virell’s head and when Eric breathed in a nose full of the blonde’s hair he turned his head and sneezed, though laughed softly.
“Yeah. I want this future. Especially if we start our own agency…if we could use that to get the older kids jobs. Work experience. Even if they didn’t want to model, there are plenty of other opportunities for them to try something in a business like that.” His lips found the male’s temple and gently pressed against it.
“…You make me excited to plan for things I never would have thought of before…what’s going on in your mind though? Are you okay?”
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:09 pm
"I'm okay," Virell said instinctively, just nuzzling his face into his chest. He wasn't wearing makeup, so it was nice to think that he could just smush against Eric without worrying about smearing anything. "I was just thinking about how I have no idea how to cook so maybe we're in over our heads," he laughed.
It wasn't weird to think about a future with a man he hadn't known for too long. It was nice, to have something to daydream about, to humor himself with. To think that maybe, in some timeline, it was all going to come true. Maybe this timeline, but he wasn't so optimistic to think that he'd have a happy ending right off the bat.
Hell, he'd been so convinced things were going to be perfect, that Nick was going to end up with him, and...
...And look how that turned out.
It wasn't that Virell was avoiding him, but he was so certain that when they'd last spoken he had told Nick to text him when things were calmed down. He was so certain that they had agreed they were going to stay friends, were going to stay in contact.
He was the 'other woman', as it were. He knew that socially, he wasn't supposed to make the first move. He had to wait for Nick to initiate interaction, or else he was being clingy, needy. Being a homewrecker.
Only, Nick hadn't texted him, and it had been...
His heart clenched and his stomach twisted.
It had been too long. And now, it felt like that relationship had been thrown away as well.
His list of friends, of important people, had dwindled so low that he could count them all on one hand if he bothered to try, but it was too depressing to think about so he just pressed a little closer to Eric and pretended like no one else mattered.
He sighed heavily, too heavily for everything to really be okay, and maybe he knew that. He tried to cover it with a quick kiss to Eric's neck--a distraction, well placed and passionate. "...It's a really sweet thought, Eric. I really hope we get to do it. You know, I volunteer, to help underprivileged kids? Kids from broken families, or with no families," he said; he knew Eric didn't know, it was just another thing he never talked about. "...If you ever get lonely or miss your family, you should consider that. There's a lot of kids who really need some positive influences in their life, and I was just thinking that you make me feel so good. So I know people like you are just what they need, too."
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:10 pm
Eric hesitated, his eyes on Virell and a hint of worry causing him to frown. Clearly there was something going on in the blonde’s head and his arms tightened around Virell. Even if he couldn’t see or fix what was going on in his head, he could be there. And sometimes just being there was good enough.
Quietly he smiled softly and kissed Virell’s cheek.
“Can I go with you the next time you go? I’d like to meet the children and of course I’d like to spend more time with you. I enjoy being with you, Virell…and when you tell me things like this…when you open up, I don’t know. It makes me feel really wonderful. Like I’ve done something right and I get to learn something new…I know it sounds utterly stupid…but you just…don’t seem like you’re ever eager to let people know the real you…I mean…”
He drew away and tilted up Virell’s chin, looking into his eyes. “…The you without the makeup you put on against the world. I just…get excited to see what happens next. We’ve hardly started dating but…every time I see you is such a wonderful adventure, and I love it.”
Just like he loved the kiss on his neck, and to see the blonde’s smile.
…And Eric would do whatever he had to in order to make sure he saw it more often.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:14 pm
Virell blinked, perhaps a bit surprised, but a very earnest laugh fell from his lips; he smiled, not a fake smile, not one that he might make for a shoot or to win someone over, but a genuine one.
A soft one, where he didn't care if the corners of his eyes wrinkled, or if his face wasn't perfectly symmetrical.
He just looked at Eric for a moment longer and shook his head.
"You say such silly things. But I like them."
Eric was smart, but he wasn't some mastermind, at least from what Virell could gather. Maybe it was because Eric had seen him at his worst, because their first meeting should have resulted in Eric thinking terribly of him, but...
Despite it all, he had always been working to be nice.
"I suppose you're right about that. I don't open up much," he confessed softly. "I'm afraid of people not liking me. They can like the fake me, that's not the real me. But if they get to know me, me, and don't like me..."
He shrugged. "...My ego is very fragile. But. I don't want to wear a mask for the person I love, not anymore. I want to be me. I want to come home for the rest of my life and take off the makeup, stop pretending, and have someone who just likes me. And, I don't know." He pressed close. "...We haven't been dating for long, that's true, but. I just can't help but think maybe that person could be you. So. I guess I started opening up a little more. Testing the waters, you know. Just in case."
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 3:18 pm
Just in case.
The words sounded like an answer to his prayers and for a moment, Eric couldn’t quite think of anything worthwhile to say in response.
Finally though he gave a soft smile and nodded, letting go of the male’s chin and simply wrapping his arms around him, holding him gently. “Then do it. I don’t need a mask…and I don’t want one. I like you just the way that you are. Each new part of you that you show me utterly thrills me…so please. I don’t want you to stop. I want to see all of you and love all of you. You make me more excited for the future than anything else has…though…”
He gave a sudden grin, capturing the male’s lips lightly for a moment and then pulling away, though taking the blonde’s hand a moment later. “I am excited for the immediate future too…I am starving. Why don’t we eat, my Virell.”
It seemed like a good idea regardless of the fact that his stomach had chosen that moment to give a loud gurgle. He couldn’t expect Virell to keep being mushy for too long…after all…it wasn’t set it stone.
It was still just in case…
But. It was as good as a sure thing in Eric’s mind.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:05 pm
Virell couldn't help the earnest little smile that dawned on his face as he searched Eric's eyes for any sign of deception, any sign that he should be wary of his words.
He didn't find any.
Even when Eric's stomach growl, it didn't ruin the mood for him. He just looked at him and smiled for a long moment before he nodded. "I'm looking forward to all of it," he said, almost wistfully.
The spell lingered for a few seconds but he finally drew his gaze away from Eric's, smile on his face. "We can eat. I think it's been a while for me, too. I don't have much, but." He smiled again. "...But you can come over any time you like. We can do this any time you want. No matter what time. No matter what I'm wearing, no matter what I'm doing. You're welcome here at any time."
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