"Probably has a gig somewhere already though, wouldn't he? Playing like that and being all violin." Apparently violin was an adjective if Xander needed it to be one. He didn't take much note of Spike writing poems. He wrote lyrics, same difference. Mostly just seemed to make girls fall all over him, which was unfair for so many reasons. Largely because girls weren't falling all over Xander, even if he was in a band.
Nicolas stopped twirling around Drusilla to let her throw herself into Spike's arms instead. Fair enough. He took out his phone and picked up the call, which just made Xander groan again. "He speaks another language too? What is that, French? I vote against him, I don't need any more help in being known as the 'funny one'."
Meanwhile Nicolas looked fairly annoyed, his French getting a bit of an enhancement with the ever helpful phrase 'go fuck yourself'. He hung up without saying goodbye and walked right up to Spike. "You said you owe me a drink? Because I need one."
"You are the funny one. But hey, don't worry, girls always love a sense of humour. Just stand by Angel, they'll think you're the funniest guy ever," Spike suggested with a smirk as he watched Nicolas rant down the phone in his silly bloody language. French? Pfft, fuck that. He winced when Angel slapped the back of his head, frowning at him and turning briefly away from Nicolas. That was when he got himself an armful of Drusilla, who was awfully playful tonight. "What? You're hardly the life of the party, mate."
"Go away, Spike," The usual line, the usual glare, Angel never changed. He did, however, give Xander a faintly reassuring pat on the back as he left the stage, guitar and amp in hand, ready to get the hell out of here. "Just stand next to Spike and you'll look like a genius."
"Oi!" Spike rolled his eyes and turned back to Nicolas, smiling playfully as he pulled Drusilla into a swift kiss and spun her about, sending her off in the direction of Angel. "Peaches is in a bad mood, go make him stop brooding and join us, would you? Gotta party. And take the comedian with you," Spike jerked his thumb in the direction of Xander before he leapt off the stage and came towards Nicolas, happy to finally steal some of his attention after that whole confusingly glorious duet they just had. "So what's up then? That poncy boyfriend of yours being a dick?"
"Oh, great. Stand with both of you and I'm the goofy nerd." Still, Xander followed behind Angel, especially since he had a lot of stuff to carry before they could just party properly. Drusilla was no help whatsoever, but she took Angel's hand and apparently that was supposed to take care of everything.
"He's always a dick. It's part of the appeal." Supposedly. Didn't seem all that appealing right now. Nicolas sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, pulling out the tie that kept it together at the back of his neck.
"He's get on well with our lead guitarist. They can get together and be dicks," Spike remarked brightly, just trying to assure him that his boyfriend wasn't the only horrible person around. There were always plenty of arseholes in the world. "It's never appealing, it's just what dicks say to make themselves look better. You can always do better than an arsehole like that, mate. Trust me."
Not that he was saying he was better or that he knew anyone better, he just thought that Nicolas could aim a little higher than someone like that bastard who attacked him... well, okay, he attacked him but he still stood by it. Total bastard. "So what do you drink then? I'm thinking of beer, if there's a good brand about here, how about you?"
"Beer's all right. Although the one I had before drank like piss, so odds are any they have in this place won't be any better." America, what else could be said? Nicolas headed for the bar with Spike, glancing at his phone and just hanging up again. He didn't feel like talking to Lestat right now, his mind was too filled with the music they had just made. "So. You changed a lot since I last saw you."
He reached out to ruffle Spike's hair, because he really wanted to. "But we make music together. Worthy music."
Spike still had half a bottle of whiskey, that was probably enough to get them both through this evening. He came to take a seat beside Nicolas, shrugging his shoulders a little and letting Nicolas ruffle his hair. He hadn't put much gel in it today, it was mostly just a bit of a chaotic mess, he was in a rush to get to this gig after recovering from one hell of a hang over and didn't have time to properly slick it back. He still batted Nicolas away, shooting him a warning look. "Oi, no one touches the hair."
Well, that was a lie, Dru always touched it. But he tried to save it as much as he could. "Doesn't matter about the past, that wasn't me. That was just -- a different life? Something like that. I'm not who I was," He was what Dru had made him and he was very happy with that knowledge. He liked to think the new look suited him. "I'm worthy, am I? Got a lot better at writing, I'll give you that. Too bad I forgot my guitar or I would have joined in a little more."
"Maybe I'll hear you with your guitar some other time. But your voice is a great instrument." Nicolas looked at Spike, eyes once more lingering on the necklace, perhaps just a bit too long. He didn't think Spike had changed as much as he was telling him he had, because that's when he had recognized him, when he sang. Still William underneath it all, which really just made him all the more compelling. "I should have focused more on the lyrics, given it's you, but I was kind of distracted." He had to pay attention to the music itself in order to keep up after all. "I'd like to read them."
"Don't keep them written down much, I just memorise them," He didn't like sitting around writing lyrics, it took him back to being that total idiot who collided into people while writing and make a complete spazz out of himself. He really did hate that Nicolas had that kind if connection to him, it'd be much less pressure to try and not be like he used to be. No matter what Nicolas thought of it. "They're nothing special, the lyrics. I just write stuff down and Dru will tell me if it sounds any good. She always did like my work. God knows why but then she's bloody mental so that's probably why."
"If they make you sing like that, they are special." Nicolas wished he had words that wouldn't just make him sound creepy and as if he was coming on to Spike, but there probably weren't any. He just wanted to hear him sing like that again. That kind of emotion and just watch him and somehow know where the song would take them next. It was incredible, not something that could happen with just anyone. He hadn't known it could happen right now. "Dru has good taste." There, that was neutral enough.
He glanced in her direction, seeing her stand with Angel and a blonde girl that was trying to not appear jealous and Xander, who was sad he didn't get the blonde girl's attention. This was like some kind of love hexagon. At the very least.
"Dru doesn't have good taste, she likes everything that isn't simple. Hence that," Spike gestured over to that weird fucked up mess that was about normal these days actually, everyone seemed to love everyone. And Dru never seemed to mind much. "Dru does what she wants, fucks who she wants and we all just let her." Spike smiled fondly as he took another swig of his whiskey and slid it over to Nicolas so he could get at least a little buzz. With a sigh, he dropped his head in his hand and watched Nicolas with faint curiosity.
All he could think about was when he could next play with him. He hoped it was soon, he plays did play so beautifully. "We're a bit of a mess, us lot, but we like to make music and we're pretty good at it. If not a little chaotic. You should play with us some time. Never had a violinist before. We had a flute once... and a washboard. Dru finds us the strangest people sometimes."
Nicolas had no issue whatsoever getting a little buzz. Actually, going by how he drank the whiskey, he had more than a little experience with that. He smiled at Spike, trying to figure it all out. "Funny, isn't it? I used to think I'd fall in love with someone and that'd be it. Never really considered all the testing you have to do when they're out fucking others all the time." He didn't get jealous, there seemed to be little point. But sometimes he did wonder if this was really his idea of love. Of course, then Lestat would touch him and he'd forget all about these things.
"Sure." Nicolas frowned, turning one of his rings around on his finger with his thumb. Might as well be honest. "To play with you, I'd do anything."
"I know that feeling I always thought I'd find the one and she'd be my first and my only. Pfft, sod that. Dru was quite the first time and after that, there hasn't been much exclusivity between us. Mostly because she's bonkers and I don't care much these days," Spike didn't seem bothered by that, he waved his hand in dismissal, a playful smile on his face. Right now he could safely say he'd fucked almost all of his bandmates. He didn't know whether or not Darla counted in that, given she managed them, but otherwise he was four down.
"Well, you don't have to. Just come along with us for a while, you don't have to commit. Just crash with us, play a few gigs, you'll have a laugh. We can't pay you much but I'm sure we can get you enough drink to stand our company," he took another swig from the bottle and leaned back, raising an eyebrow at the other. "It'll be nice. I always did like when you played."
"Don't think your company is that hard to stand. And I'm always drunk anyway." Well, not always, but there was a certain tendency towards it. "Although what are you saying. Coming along where? Crash? Because, y'know, seeing how you haven't yet made me break up with my boyfriend, I can't actually just up and leave town whenever I feel like it."
He entertained himself with watching Spike and thinking about kissing him. His lips just looked inviting, hardly his fault. Not as if he was planning on actually acting on it, but it was a nice way of passing time. He wanted to hear him sing again and he wanted to cut him off with a kiss. That would go down well, he was sure. "Or crash wherever, for that matter." He paused, bit his lower lip and then just shook his head with a breathy laugh. "Fuck, you're gorgeous."
"Nah, we live here. Good old California. We have a place not far from here, it's a loft with a few rooms. You can take the couch. I'd offer you my room but I share with Dru and you'd probably wake up with her naked and trying to do you. Which is all well and good but it'd piss Angel off and it's a cloudy area consent wise," Spike reasoned with a small shrug, knowing that not everyone minded Dru's wake up calls but Spike and Angel, who didn't exactly appreciate people using their girl. "You don't have to dump anyone but you'd be around long enough to play with us again. We're up tomorrow for a proper gig, you know? Stage and everything. We're opening for some poxy band, should be fun."
At the compliment, Spike swiftly turned his head and knocked back some of his whiskey, trying to hide how increasingly red his face was getting. "Fuck off, am not. I'm bleeding handsome, I don't do gorgeous. Ponces do gorgeous." Shaking his head, he turned to Nicolas with a cocky smirk, ignoring the heat he could feel on his face. So he hadn't totally buried William... give it time. "Yeah, well, I am that. And you're not so bad yourself either, mate."
"I have a room with Lestat and he'd probably be all too happy to do Dru and I don't see that making anyone but those two happy." Spike clearly wasn't Lestat's biggest fan, that much was obvious. "But I can play a proper gig with you. You're singing. I'll be there." He saw little need to hide his interest in Spike's talent or in Spike's anything for that matter. Nicolas hadn't ever been one to hold back with things like that. He'd kissed Lestat minutes into their first real conversation and if he had had these thoughts about William back then, he highly doubted Drusilla would have been his first.
"Ponces do gorgeous?" He couldn't help but repeat that in a mocking voice. "Oh, I do gorgeous. I love doing gorgeous. And you are bleeding handsome and bloody gorgeous."
"Lestat can stay the fuck away from my house or he'll be in some serious danger. Especially if he slept with Dru. You don't want to piss Angel off, trust me. Or Lestat might mysteriously disappear like the last lead vocalist of this band," Spike hoped that made it perfectly clear how unwelcome Lestat was. He might have felt bad about it but he didn't feel like Nicolas really needed Lestat, he wasn't someone essential, maybe Spike could convince him of that. He already found Spike hot enough, all he had to do was sway him. "I'm singing tomorrow so you better bloody be there to accompany me. Fancy something a bit new to liven up our sound."
Rolling his eyes, Spike gently kicked Nicolas under the table, not willing to ruse to his bait. "You're taken, love. Remember? You won't be doing much that's gorgeous, especially with a boyfriend like yours. He's not bad, I'll give him that but he's got nothing on me," Smugly, he winked at Nicolas and pulled out his cigarette packet, plucking one free. He offered it out to Nicolas, returning the favour from a long time ago. "Aren't you proud? Finally learned to smoke. Only took me nearly eight years."
"Just tell me where to go to hear you sing and I'll be there to be with you. We sound... We sound good together." Nicolas never really described his own music as good. Hell, he preferred not to comment on how he sounded at all. But this was different. Had been different. Some time had passed now and he could still feel himself alive with it. It was the kind of music that was meant to end only to have passionate sex instead, but he supposed that wouldn't be happening.
"You're taken too, far as I know, so don't put it all on me." He took one of the cigarettes and laughed as he patted himself down for his lighter. "I was a bad influence, eh? Some things don't change." But other things had changed a lot.
"We did. If I had known before, I'd have shown you. Who knows maybe you could have some motivation to stick around," He didn't hold it against Nicolas, he had to leave, he was being kicked out and all for never bothering with classes and he had very little reason to try, he supposed. William had hardly been a prize to aim for, he was an awkward kid who little sex appeal. He didn't quite come into his own until he hit twenty one. He really wasted his teen years.
"I'm not taken. What me and Dru have isn't exactly a relationship. She was my first and I'll always be there for her but the way she is and the way she acts, it's not much beyond what it is. She's not my girlfriend, she's just my ... princess," He laughed at that, unable to help himself. She was beautiful, she was sweet but she was never loyal. But Spike loved her with all his heart. "Nah, not that bad. I didn't take it up again until I met those losers. I suppose they're a bigger bad influence. You were probably my only positive one."
"You were shy." Nicolas remembered that much. Also that he'd been quite cute, but since that was more in the puppy dog and less the irresistible way, he decided not to get into that. "But we had some good times. Shocking you with my music. Think the first time you thought I might be an agent of hell or something, judging by the look on your face." Yeah, he really had been adorable.
Nicolas smiled. "I'm not surprised you ended up with a princess." More surprised at his own prince, but what could he help it? He hadn't been able to resist Lestat, not for a moment. He still wasn't. "But you can be proud of yourself. I haven't wanted to have anyone that badly since I met him." No, Nicolas saw no reason to hide that attraction. Not as if he really planned to act on it.
"Yeah, well, had no life experience. I was nothing. Less than nothing," He was pathetic until he found Dru, thank God he had found her. He had horrible images of himself still being the same old loser, trying to romance pretty girls by awkwardly floating near them using weirdly big words to try and interest them. He never had any kind of game, not until he decided to be Spike. "I liked it though just never had much time for music, you know. School work and all. When my mom, you know, croaked and all, first thing I did was go get me a CD player and some decent music."
He supposed losing her was the wake up call he'd needed to stop focusing on his work and his poetry and just do what he bloody well liked. Like listen to music and get pissed. Though that took a while to perfected as well. With a smirk, he leaned forward, struggling to hide his own pride at finally being able to get his first crush to like him. Maybe not love him but hey, he could at least get a fuck out of this. "I'm better than him. You ever want a go on a real man, just say. I'm always ready."
"I'm sorry about your mother." Nicolas didn't even know if his parents were alive, he never planned on contacting him again, but he remembered William bringing his mother up more than once. She'd obviously meant a lot to him, even if right now he talked as if it hadn't been a big deal. He reached out to put a hand on Spike's arm, which might have been a mistake. Just a bit too aware of how he felt.
"Nah." Maybe he should say more than that, but he didn't think he could even explain it properly to himself. But he wouldn't just give in to that desire. He'd stroked his ego enough for one day. "Just wanted to let you know you grew up well."
"Doesn't matter," Spike shrugged, not wanting to seem bothered. It had been a truly horrible moment for him but he found that if he pretended it didn't matter, it oddly didn't. Denial was beautiful. He looked down at the hand on his arm, remembering the first time Nicolas had touched him way back when in the music room, the way he'd gone bright red and stammered, knowing with such dread and uncertainty that he wanted Nicolas. And knowing it'd never happen.
And, apparently, it never would. Nicki was taken and he didn't seem that interested in cheating, no matter what he might have claimed. With a slightly meaningless smile, he moved away from the hand. "I know, I did a good job ageing. Like a good whiskey. Now, are you coming to crash with us or are you going home? Cause we're going to have to motor before Peaches gets stroppy with me."
Nicolas glanced down at his phone and shrugged. "Might as well. I don't have a ride." There was a good reason he'd told Lestat to go fuck himself, mostly having to do with him being a selfish bastard. A selfish bastard who might keep secrets from him and that thought hurt too much to really entertain for too long. "Can we play where you're staying?" Yes, it was all he really cared about. Because he might not be able to fuck Spike, but playing with him might almost be the better thing.
"Yeah but be prepared to have Angel yelling at us if we go past 2am. The big poof like his beauty sleep." Holding out his hand, he got to his feet and stubbed out his cigarette, picking up what was left at his bottle and downed what remained so he didn't have to lug it around with him. "We can play, I got a few new songs going and Dru always loves a show." He turned his head, trying to track down where she was. He had to assemble the gang and get them all home without incident. Not always an easy thing to pull off. "Come on then, let's get somewhere a little nicer."
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Date: 2015-10-04 03:04 pm (UTC)Nicolas stopped twirling around Drusilla to let her throw herself into Spike's arms instead. Fair enough. He took out his phone and picked up the call, which just made Xander groan again. "He speaks another language too? What is that, French? I vote against him, I don't need any more help in being known as the 'funny one'."
Meanwhile Nicolas looked fairly annoyed, his French getting a bit of an enhancement with the ever helpful phrase 'go fuck yourself'. He hung up without saying goodbye and walked right up to Spike. "You said you owe me a drink? Because I need one."
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Date: 2015-10-04 05:29 pm (UTC)"Go away, Spike," The usual line, the usual glare, Angel never changed. He did, however, give Xander a faintly reassuring pat on the back as he left the stage, guitar and amp in hand, ready to get the hell out of here. "Just stand next to Spike and you'll look like a genius."
"Oi!" Spike rolled his eyes and turned back to Nicolas, smiling playfully as he pulled Drusilla into a swift kiss and spun her about, sending her off in the direction of Angel. "Peaches is in a bad mood, go make him stop brooding and join us, would you? Gotta party. And take the comedian with you," Spike jerked his thumb in the direction of Xander before he leapt off the stage and came towards Nicolas, happy to finally steal some of his attention after that whole confusingly glorious duet they just had. "So what's up then? That poncy boyfriend of yours being a dick?"
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Date: 2015-10-04 05:35 pm (UTC)"He's always a dick. It's part of the appeal." Supposedly. Didn't seem all that appealing right now. Nicolas sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, pulling out the tie that kept it together at the back of his neck.
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Date: 2015-10-04 05:47 pm (UTC)Not that he was saying he was better or that he knew anyone better, he just thought that Nicolas could aim a little higher than someone like that bastard who attacked him... well, okay, he attacked him but he still stood by it. Total bastard. "So what do you drink then? I'm thinking of beer, if there's a good brand about here, how about you?"
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Date: 2015-10-04 05:54 pm (UTC)He reached out to ruffle Spike's hair, because he really wanted to. "But we make music together. Worthy music."
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Date: 2015-10-04 06:06 pm (UTC)Well, that was a lie, Dru always touched it. But he tried to save it as much as he could. "Doesn't matter about the past, that wasn't me. That was just -- a different life? Something like that. I'm not who I was," He was what Dru had made him and he was very happy with that knowledge. He liked to think the new look suited him. "I'm worthy, am I? Got a lot better at writing, I'll give you that. Too bad I forgot my guitar or I would have joined in a little more."
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Date: 2015-10-04 06:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-04 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-04 06:30 pm (UTC)He glanced in her direction, seeing her stand with Angel and a blonde girl that was trying to not appear jealous and Xander, who was sad he didn't get the blonde girl's attention. This was like some kind of love hexagon. At the very least.
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Date: 2015-10-04 06:35 pm (UTC)All he could think about was when he could next play with him. He hoped it was soon, he plays did play so beautifully. "We're a bit of a mess, us lot, but we like to make music and we're pretty good at it. If not a little chaotic. You should play with us some time. Never had a violinist before. We had a flute once... and a washboard. Dru finds us the strangest people sometimes."
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Date: 2015-10-04 06:46 pm (UTC)"Sure." Nicolas frowned, turning one of his rings around on his finger with his thumb. Might as well be honest. "To play with you, I'd do anything."
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Date: 2015-10-04 06:59 pm (UTC)"Well, you don't have to. Just come along with us for a while, you don't have to commit. Just crash with us, play a few gigs, you'll have a laugh. We can't pay you much but I'm sure we can get you enough drink to stand our company," he took another swig from the bottle and leaned back, raising an eyebrow at the other. "It'll be nice. I always did like when you played."
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Date: 2015-10-04 07:15 pm (UTC)He entertained himself with watching Spike and thinking about kissing him. His lips just looked inviting, hardly his fault. Not as if he was planning on actually acting on it, but it was a nice way of passing time. He wanted to hear him sing again and he wanted to cut him off with a kiss. That would go down well, he was sure. "Or crash wherever, for that matter." He paused, bit his lower lip and then just shook his head with a breathy laugh. "Fuck, you're gorgeous."
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Date: 2015-10-04 07:36 pm (UTC)At the compliment, Spike swiftly turned his head and knocked back some of his whiskey, trying to hide how increasingly red his face was getting. "Fuck off, am not. I'm bleeding handsome, I don't do gorgeous. Ponces do gorgeous." Shaking his head, he turned to Nicolas with a cocky smirk, ignoring the heat he could feel on his face. So he hadn't totally buried William... give it time. "Yeah, well, I am that. And you're not so bad yourself either, mate."
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Date: 2015-10-04 07:43 pm (UTC)"Ponces do gorgeous?" He couldn't help but repeat that in a mocking voice. "Oh, I do gorgeous. I love doing gorgeous. And you are bleeding handsome and bloody gorgeous."
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Date: 2015-10-04 07:53 pm (UTC)Rolling his eyes, Spike gently kicked Nicolas under the table, not willing to ruse to his bait. "You're taken, love. Remember? You won't be doing much that's gorgeous, especially with a boyfriend like yours. He's not bad, I'll give him that but he's got nothing on me," Smugly, he winked at Nicolas and pulled out his cigarette packet, plucking one free. He offered it out to Nicolas, returning the favour from a long time ago. "Aren't you proud? Finally learned to smoke. Only took me nearly eight years."
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Date: 2015-10-04 08:01 pm (UTC)"You're taken too, far as I know, so don't put it all on me." He took one of the cigarettes and laughed as he patted himself down for his lighter. "I was a bad influence, eh? Some things don't change." But other things had changed a lot.
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Date: 2015-10-04 08:12 pm (UTC)"I'm not taken. What me and Dru have isn't exactly a relationship. She was my first and I'll always be there for her but the way she is and the way she acts, it's not much beyond what it is. She's not my girlfriend, she's just my ... princess," He laughed at that, unable to help himself. She was beautiful, she was sweet but she was never loyal. But Spike loved her with all his heart. "Nah, not that bad. I didn't take it up again until I met those losers. I suppose they're a bigger bad influence. You were probably my only positive one."
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Date: 2015-10-04 08:19 pm (UTC)Nicolas smiled. "I'm not surprised you ended up with a princess." More surprised at his own prince, but what could he help it? He hadn't been able to resist Lestat, not for a moment. He still wasn't. "But you can be proud of yourself. I haven't wanted to have anyone that badly since I met him." No, Nicolas saw no reason to hide that attraction. Not as if he really planned to act on it.
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Date: 2015-10-04 08:24 pm (UTC)He supposed losing her was the wake up call he'd needed to stop focusing on his work and his poetry and just do what he bloody well liked. Like listen to music and get pissed. Though that took a while to perfected as well. With a smirk, he leaned forward, struggling to hide his own pride at finally being able to get his first crush to like him. Maybe not love him but hey, he could at least get a fuck out of this. "I'm better than him. You ever want a go on a real man, just say. I'm always ready."
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Date: 2015-10-04 08:31 pm (UTC)"Nah." Maybe he should say more than that, but he didn't think he could even explain it properly to himself. But he wouldn't just give in to that desire. He'd stroked his ego enough for one day. "Just wanted to let you know you grew up well."
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Date: 2015-10-04 08:37 pm (UTC)And, apparently, it never would. Nicki was taken and he didn't seem that interested in cheating, no matter what he might have claimed. With a slightly meaningless smile, he moved away from the hand. "I know, I did a good job ageing. Like a good whiskey. Now, are you coming to crash with us or are you going home? Cause we're going to have to motor before Peaches gets stroppy with me."
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Date: 2015-10-04 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-04 08:49 pm (UTC)