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 Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:07 am
"That's nothing to be ashamed of," Chase commented as they rounded the corner. "At least you know how to cook." He certainly didn't. It wasn't that he was unable to, he probably would be decent if he took the time to try but it had never been something he needed to do.
Why cook for yourself if someone else could do it for you?
"Didn't have to cook for myself in boarding school, have never had to cook at home, and I don't remember many times when my mother cooked herself so," he shrugged. "It's part of the privilege I guess," he added in a matter-of-fact manner.
And Chase there wasn't inherently anything wrong with that, as long as the person wasn't haughty and full of themselves then it didn't matter where they came from. "Backgrounds don't define who you are. What you do with yourself as a result of them does." His smile slipped and his expression went stony, gold eyes hardening briefly.
"I probably wouldn't turn you down if you did." They'd reached their destination and Chase was pulling the door open and gesturing for Auguste to step inside. "But don't feel obligated."
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 6:43 am
He couldn't point out that the reason he was ashamed was because of his upbringing, less so his inability to make more than cereal; but Auguste pushed it aside, instead giving a little laugh as he said, a little ruefully, "My parents were not cookers either, unless it involved making a cup of coffee in the morning"
And even then it had usually been brought to them by the maid.
It seemed as though, however, that his upbringing was not so easily pushed aside. Chase's voice cut through Auguste's attempts at blocking it, his lips parting slightly in shock, his steps faltering briefly as he stared at him, heart pounding fast.
Backgrounds don't define who you are. What you do with yourself as a result of them does.
Yet mine still comes back to me, Auguste thought, trying to ignore the flush to his cheeks, hastily attempting to not show weight of these words on him. He flashed Chase a shy smile from beneath his lowered lashes as he stepped inside, moving up to where the hostess stood at her little stand.
"Two, please," he said, before casting a look over his shoulder at Chase. "Is there any kind of food you don't like?"
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 11:24 am
Chase was perceptive, noticed the way Auguste faltered in his steps immediately and while one brow arched slightly, he said nothing. Instead, he watched the boy walk to the hostess stand, tell the woman how many they had then peek shyly over his shoulder at Chase.
Chase looked thoughtful when he stepped away from the door, letting it swing shut behind him as he came to stand behind Auguste, a hand pressing against the small of the dancer's back when he leaned forward, lips close enough to his ear that Auguste would likely feel his breath on the shell of it.
"No, I'm not picky," he answered, lips twisting into a wry smile as he straightened both mouth and hand leaving the close proximity when he began to follow the woman who led them to their table. Why he'd decided to move so close for that one sentence was unclear and he didn't seem to need to expand on that.
Once at their table, Chase's lanky frame slid into his seat and he let whiskey-gold trace the soft planes of Auguste's face. "If you're seeking to do or make things for me, you'll have to figure out what I like on your own. No hints Auguste."
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 4:05 pm
He was all too aware of Chase's presence behind him; of the hand that pressed into the small of his back, of the lips that felt a little too close to his ear, sending rivulets of warmth spreading across Auguste's face. His stomach gave an anxious flutter - anxious, and something else, something he couldn't quite name.
Anticipation? No, that wasn't quite it. And by the time Auguste had started to relax, Chase's hand slipped away, and he exhaled a breath, trying not to think of the way his ear and back seemed to tingle from the contact of the man now walking with him to their table.
Auguste slid into his seat, flushed and pleased and hardly daring to believe that he was here, at dinner, with Chase, and not at the cafe. He reached for his napkin, carefully unrolling it, and gave him a briefly startled look that turned into an amused one, eyes crinkling.
"Trial by error, right?" he said, laughing as he spread his napkin across his lap; an unconscious gesture, it seemed. "Okay, fine, I'll try and learn what it is you like and dislike."
Auguste's eyes were twinkling as he picked up the menu. "It'll be a little bit of a game."
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Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 9:49 pm
Chase, as always, was watching and took notice of the way Auguste's cheeks flushed. The boy couldn't seem to hide even the slightest of emotions and, could he feel things properly, it would be endearing. As it were, only the slightest tilt of his head showed that Chase had noticed at all.
"I'm a simple man Auguste, there's not much to learn," he replied after a thoughtful pause.
It was a half-truth because, as Chase, there was little to learn about him. He liked shrimp and sweets, owned Just Add Coffee and once worked for a technology tycoon that he often refused to name or talk about. As his alter-ego, the persona that was more him than Chase could ever be again, however there was a startling amount to learn.
But Auguste would never see that side of him, that Chase was certain off.
Another long minute of what would appear to be intense staring, Chase looked way, unraveling his silverware and arranging the napkin on his lap and the forks and knife carefully on the table. "Order whatever you want, price is of little consequence," he reminded then let the conversation fall flat as he skimmed the menu.
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 8:19 pm
Auguste, in counterpart to the relaxed stoicism of Chase, had difficulties in hiding his emotions. Everything was usually on his sleeve, which made lying or being deceitful next to impossible for someone like him. Auguste's brand of honesty was straightforward and entirely without guile.
He watched Chase for a moment, head tilted, and thought, No, you're not that simple. I don't know what you want but I also want to know more about you.
And he understood even less the intensity with which Chase looked at him sometimes.
The menu was in English, though with smaller French names beneath each of the entrees. Auguste kept glancing over at Chase, wondering about the price, as he always would, and finally decided on something simple: lamb in red wine sauce and a side of French onion soup.
He laid his menu down and said, "What are you going to get, Chase?"
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 8:32 pm
While Chase was familiar enough with French food, he wasn't enough to pick something decisively like Auguste appeared to. It'd been months, if not at least a year or longer, since he'd been to France and even then - it'd been all business. He never had to select something because it'd be picked for him.
Which had been fine, almost preferred, because when it came to food, the man wasn't picky.
When it came to people however, he had higher standards. He didn't have much free time between running a business, staying in shape, and handling other duties to spend on anyone that wasn't at least interesting.
It was with careful consideration that Chase came to his answer. "Why don't you order for me, test out your guessing skills."
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 9:56 am
He smoothed idle fingers along the glossy menu. It wasn't a large place; the selection of food was simple, limited to one side of the single page menu, with the back side a neat selection of drinks and desserts, as well as a few children's possibilities.
Auguste felt his cheeks pink a little at the question, a little smile on his face.
"All right, then," he said with a laugh, eyes crinkling as he scanned the list of choices once more. "But if I get you something you truly hate, then I'll have to get you something else."
The waitress swung by their table, and Auguste looked up, glanced a little shyly at Chase, then spoke to the waitress.
"Agneau avec du vin rouge et la soupe à l'oignon pour moi," he said, as she scribbled down his choices with a nod of understanding. "Et..."
Auguste glanced at Chase again, then said, "Et daube provençale pour lui, s'il vous plait."
It was, to put it simply, a braised beef dish with vegetables, garlic and wine, and hopefully something that Chase would like.
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Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 6:48 pm
"I'm not worried about it," he responded just as the waitress arrived. It was unclear if he meant that he wasn't worried because he trusted Auguste's judgement or because he wasn't picky in the slightest. It didn't matter in the end, because the meals were ordered in french that Chase mostly understood.
He'd always been better at understanding than practical application.
Still, he didn't say anything to give that away and took the moment where Auguste was ordering to let his gaze sweep across those soft freckled features, to take in the flush of the boy's cheek as he glanced shyly at Chase.
How odd it was, to the older man, to see someone who's emotions were worn so clearly on their face. Such a contrast to him and those he kept close.
He only looked away when the waitress left, eyes watching her walk away. "I think you'd be surprised at what I like." A sharp grin was tossed Auguste's way.
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 7:54 pm
Being with Chase was a mixture of comfort and nerves all at once, though the latter was mostly because Auguste was still, after all this time, not certain of how he was being viewed by the other. But he was pushing that aside now, because the company was more than welcome, and it felt...nice to be around him.
Auguste handed over the menus back to the waitress as she disappeared to put in their orders, and he folded his hands into his lap again, toying with the hem of his napkin. He caught the sharp grin that was directed his way and felt the flush to his cheeks deepen as a laugh escaped him, startled and amused all at once.
"I like learning," he said, and smiled. "It's a new experience, getting to know someone, and you're a little bit of a mystery, Mr. Black," Auguste added, in a somewhat teasing voice, his eyes twinkling.
"The barista with the pink and black hair. What do you do when you're not at the shop?" Auguste asked, reaching for his water.
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 7:52 am
Chase wouldn't have offered to take Auguste to dinner for his birthday had he not found some part of the boy intriguing. Perhaps it was the easy way emotions blossomed against freckled skin, how few things were secretive when pushed just so. Chase had spent a lifetime learning how to portray himself in a manner that suited the occasion but Auguste - he seemed to be incapable of being anything but himself and that was fascinating.
"Anything can be a new experience or a learning experience if you look at it as such." There was bound to be a thousand firsts. The first time meeting someone, the first spar, the first spar with experience under a person's belt, etc. The possibilities were endless. "Ah, it's merely because I do not wear myself on my sleeve like some." He wondered what it would be like to trace the prominent freckles, brought about by the blush, with his fingers as he spoke.
"You'll learn that I'm always working." A half-truth, but he wouldn't explain too much. "There's much to care for when running a business." An easy lie, though he did deal with far too much paperwork in all aspects of his life. "I care for my mother, make sure her health is stable." Sending her away had proved to be one of the wisest decisions he'd made. "I spend a fair amount of time at the gym." Training was something he put a lot of emphasis on, even if his appearance didn't lend to truth of how much strength he truly possessed.
"I'd rather not talk much more of myself though," he admitted, lacing fingers together and leaning forward to prop his elbows on the table. "I'd rather hear about you."
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 11:45 am
"True," said Auguste, with another laugh. "There's much to learn, and much to experience, and it's easy to think of everything as a first if you haven't done much - and, well..." He gave a little shrug, not embarrassed, but bashful once more, a hint of shyness. "I led a very sheltered life in France, so things are quite different here."
He knew the comment about wearing everything on his sleeve was at least in part directed at him, and Auguste smiled, fingers absently smoothing along the glass work of his water cup. "I'm sure there's a lot to deal with, all the finances, the ordering, inventory, things like that," he said, with a little nod. He remembered what Chase had said about his mother being sick, and his expression softened a little at the mention of her.
Something akin to a blush flickered across Auguste's face at talk of the gym, his eyes inadvertently shifting down to Chase's chest and then back up again hastily. He had a brief, fleeting memory of the nightclub, of his shirt clinging to him in the hot air and tried very hard to push that out of his mind.
"What about me?" Auguste said, laughing again. "I dance, which you already knew. And I love just...wandering around the city. Which sound a little silly, I'm sure, but I've always loved visiting the stores and just seeing the people. Oh, and pool," he added, grinning. "I used to play pool and billiards when I was in France, though there's not many places to do that around here."
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 2:12 pm
A smirk formed on his lips when he caught the not-so-subtle drift of Auguste's eyes across his chest. It had been expected, most were often curious about the muscle he kept hidden beneath his clothing choice. Chase had never been the biggest fan of wearing overly tight fitting shirts but -
Beneath them were defined muscle both on his abdomen and his back.
He knew that his frame was appealing, especially when he was weight lifting or doing anything that showcased how muscular he truly was. He'd caught enough people staring in the gym mirrors, he'd just never cared enough to pursue anything or respond to the poor attempts at flirting.
"Ballroom," he said, though he couldn't remember if he knew because Auguste told him or because he'd read it. "You're an only child, french is your...preferred language? Sheltered - Does that make you naive?" Curious connections. "I'm sure there are plenty of places, it's a matter of finding the right one."
He'd played pool back in the day when he frequented bars with Jack or Tommy. Those days had long since passed however. He hardly drank these days and he was inclined to keep from drinking after it'd impaired his judgment the night the club had been attacked. "Why did you move out here, alone?" A pause and what appeared to be hesitation, brief and flickering, "What of your roommate and...Colin?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:28 pm
He was still trying very hard to push aside the curiosity of what lay beneath Chase's shirt; it wasn't exactly anything defining, but he had said he worked out, and that Auguste had no doubt of. It was not - it was not - a good idea to wonder more.
A smile tugged at his lips, Auguste grateful for the change of subject. "Yes, ballroom," he said, pleased Chase had remembered. "And a bit of modern, recently, with ballet influences, though I never took ballet. An only child, yes, and French...well, sometimes preferred," he added, with a small, shy laugh. "I like both English and French, not many people speak French here."
He was still absently smoothing fingers along the water glass, his cheeks heating. "...perhaps a little naive, yes," Auguste said quietly, glancing away, shame filling his voice. "I wasn't...ever exposed to anything growing up, so I'm not always aware of how things are supposed to be."
His parents, after all, had not cared enough to teach him. Auguste pushed thoughts of them aside and refocused on Chase, on his questions.
"Oh," he said, and that had to do with his parents as well, but Auguste had never been good at hiding his emotions, or lying or anything. So the truth came out, because it was all he knew.
"I wanted to get away from my parents," he said, with a rueful twist of his lips in what might have been a smile. "They weren't - really parents. Not good ones, at least. I thought maybe if I could live on my own, away from that house I grew up in, that I would have a better life. I picked Destiny City because I saw it on the news one day, and it was random."
Auguste gave a half shrug, his sweater shifting. "I'm old enough to live on my own, legally an adult, so I changed my name, and well..."
He smiled, "Here we are. Nadia I met quite by accident, on the street one day outside a pet store. I was thinking of buying a dog, and she was friendly and we got to talking and she said she was looking for a roommate. A few weeks later, I moved in. I met Colin through her and her boyfriend, they're best friends, the three of them, and Nadia and Colin dance together at their ballet company."
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:59 am
Had Chase known what Auguste was thinking, he would have laughed and found reason to make him wonder more. As it were however, the conversation shifted and he listened with mild interest, fingers toying with the cloth napkin sitting on the table before him.
"I'm sure there are plenty of people that know french, you just need to find the right one." He'd been tempted to say it all in french but he was still far too rusty. Besides, he'd rather listen to someone else speak it than himself. He'd always been better at understand than using it. "You live and you learn," Chase stated, something dark creeping into his voice and expression
"There are better cities to run away from your parents to," Chase commented, frowning as he thought of his father and how when he'd run he'd simply hidden in the city. It'd gone so well until he ******** up and got himself seriously injured and Vanessa had called his parents.
He'd never quite forgiven her for it, even if he'd apologized for the way he lashed out because, if she hadn't, then Samuel would still be alive and his mother wouldn't be sick.
Oh, guilt was a vicious creature.
He blinked once, when Auguste continued and spoke of his name and his friends. "Ah, here I was thinking you were jail-bait," he teased, albeit halfheartedly. "Well, people you meet by chance tend to be the best ones." He couldn't help but think of Kaia, of Regan and Katrina. Prissy. Laurelite and Iris.
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