Who: Will Grady (Jacob) and Luke Jäger (Quarters) What: Second meeting, and getting closer Where: Sickie’s Garage Burgers & Brews first, then a hotel - Las Vegas When: March 12, 2021 Ratings/Warnings: Medium high for sexy times Status: Complete
You had to be crazy to turn down a good hamburger. A lot of places boasted about serving the best food in Vegas but Will always did his research before going to try a new place. He analyzed reviews - good and bad -, followed up on the sources for legitimate posts and not robots. And then once he decided it was what he wanted he then thoroughly inspected every inch of the menu. He knew what he wanted to order before even getting into his car.
The drive had been fine; traffic around that time wasn’t nearly as gridlocked.
Once inside he found the aesthetic more pleasing than the pictures did justice. It had a sports bar meets dive bar aesthetic that didn't quite mirror the chain restaurant vibe. An old truck hung upside down from the ceiling, giving it a bit of rustic charm.
Will was halfway through the Blown Tire burger by that point in the evening. His left hand was curled around his mobile phone and he was browsing a few forums, while his right hand rested gently on the edge of his plate. He’d secured a seat at the bar by himself. The glass of craft brew went almost untouched, and perspiration from the glass onto the paper coaster.
Luke couldn’t stay still for too long outside of sleep, eating, and reading. Always on the hunt, he had made the trip to the City and was scoping out places. There were the franchises, the high-end places he wasn’t in the mood to clean up to the point of gaining entry, strip club buffets, and the more interesting places.
The burger place fit the bill. He could have been in a parody of Sickie’s marketing materials - biker boots, jeans with a rip in the right knee, muddy-colored t-shirt, and an aged deep brown biker’s jacket. Nestling in a booth opposite the bar, he was enjoying a Bacon Lover’s Burger and a beer. Eating a bite of his coleslaw with a plastic fork, his light blue eyes caught sight of the guy who charitably gave him some quarters at the laundromat at Searchlight.
A waffle fry would make its way into Will’s mouth. He chewed slowly, as if something on his cell phone screen really captivated him. He got through another paragraph before experiencing the sensation of being watched. Slowly, blue eyes would lift and he found himself gazing at the man he had thought of as Quarters. They hadn’t exchanged names. That was a good thing.
Will offered a nod and a bit of a smile before letting his gaze wander back to the document he was reading.
Luke offered a nod in return, smirking a little and looking down to make sure no food particles had fallen into his recently trimmed beard. He had already decided that the other man who had just now thought of as a Jacob because John, Jingleheimer, and Schmidt didn’t seem to fit. It didn’t matter what the guy’s name was really. Two ships passing in by, again.
He continued his meal - bite of a burger, bit of coleslaw, sip of beer. Luke was sure to keep a menu from the place if and when he was back and forth through Vegas. Filling meal for a decent price. The hunter continued to take a few casual glances at the other man.
Waffle fries were, in his opinion, the best types of fries. While he could appreciate the taste of a good slaw, he was a sucker for potatoes. Finally, he finished the article and set his phone down on the bar. Will began to finish the fries. A sip from the beer to wash it down and he helped himself to another glance around at the place.
He wasn’t necessarily a people watching type, mostly he didn’t care what was going on around him as long as he wasn’t in immediate danger. And then his gaze fixed on Quarters again. “Do I need to get a restraining order?” Will joked, offering a playful smile.
Finishing off his meal, Luke took a long sip from his beer. He could eat almost anything. Most of his attention was to his food, but he did watch people - always hunting but here just subtly. Too many people in this area of the city for him to go to work if he found a werewolf or vampire to take down.
When Jacob’s eyes caught him again, he smiled at the joke. “Only if you feel threatened.” Luke joked back and plopped money down on his table before getting up and walking over to the other man - beer in hand.
“Should I?” Will replied. He couldn’t help the smirk and amusement. The drink he had was warmer now, the taste a bit bitter, but he consumed it anyway. And he took the moment to finish up what was left on his plate. You didn’t waste expensive food.
He didn’t feel threatened at all by the shorter man, although the way Quarter’s carried himself was with an air of confidence. The man had a bit of a swagger that Will found interesting.
“Nah,” Luke shook his head as he stopped beside Will. He finished off his beer and sat the glass on the bar. It was nice to actually feel full from a meal than the ones that had you sort of full only to be ravenous thirty minutes later.
There was something about Jacob that had Luke curious. Always looking at a cell phone wasn’t a totally unique feature, but there was a more analytical tone to his brow when he did. Something more important than the latest TikTok or Instagram scandal. A loneliness perhaps.
“So, what are you doing in this neck of Vegas?”
“Visiting a friend,” Will lied. It was half of a truth, really. His ‘friend’ was a scratch mark on the to-do list of large life goals. Now that he had found Tal, the next phase of rebuilding could begin. “You?” That was, assuming this guy wasn’t a tourist. He didn’t know how to distinguish locals from tourists unless the characteristics were so distinct.
Will motioned to the empty chair next to him. “You need another one?” He nodded at the glass that once held a beverage and then looked at Quarters again.
“Nodding.” Luke smiled. He could take that half-truth. Not that he knew it was truth or lie. All he knew as hunting and the occasional stuff in between. “Looking for something other than truck stop food.” He could be a tourist, would present himself as one if the situation called for it. But, yes, he was mainly doing low-level hunting.
Grinning, he took the seat beside Jacob. “Yeah. What are you drinking?” Luke was intrigued still by this stranger-to-stranger friendliness. He’d bite.
“Something like what?” Will inquired. He set his elbow on the countertop, his chin into his palm and turned his attention on Quarters. “Like this? I mean, sure, it’s better than truck stop food but have you had the tacos at a truck stop? They’re to die for.” And cheaper. This place came with a gimmick you paid for, the food was really spectacular though so he could give it that.
“It’s supposed to be some coffee ale,” Will murmured. He sat up, pulled the glass over and set it down next to Quarter’s. “Try it for yourself, see what you think. I promise I don’t have cooties.”
“Yeah. Mmm, I haven’t tried the tacos. But I have the burritos that look like something out of a high school cafeteria,” Luke replied and wrinkled his nose. This place had some style rather than mass produced fare. But sometimes the packaged confections and pastries at a truck stop were good.
“Really? Sounds ‘trendy’ to me,” he smirked at Jacob as he did subtle air quotes. Then he caught the other man’s eyes as the glass was offered to him. “I can always take a shot of vodka if we want to be safe.” Luke winked before picking up the glass and taking a sip from the opposite side of the container. “Mmm,” he hummed as he let the flavor run across his tongue and swallowed. “Not quite sure about that. Could be good with breakfast.”
Will wrinkled his nose. “No, these tacos are made in house, not the kind that come in plastic wrappers in the cooler.” His shoulders would shrug. Maybe he’d just gotten luckier on the cuisine hunt than Quarter’s had.
And then Will laughed a bit at the label. “Trendy. I could see that.” After the comment about breakfast was offered, he found himself taking another glance around. “Vodka to be safe then, yeah?” Will turned to the bartender and ordered them both a shot of Grey Goose. “I took you for more of the dangerous type.”
“Really? I must have missed those places.” Luke shook his head and smiled. He often stuck to certain interstates. Maybe Jacob had a better nose for it.
“Reminds me of a tiramisu-flavored drink I had a few years ago.” Then he blinked. “Oh, I am.” Luke watched Will and shook his head. Then he ordered a Deep Blue Sea. “How are you with drinks that are not amber or brown in hue?”
“Like the girly type of drinks?” He inquired. Will shrugged. “I mean, sometimes they’re too sweet but I’ll drink them if I have to.” The small glass of clear liquid would be swept gently up when the bartender set them down. He held it up and waited for Quarters. “To a new friendship.”
“Mmm,” Luke shrugged back and took the shot glass of Grey Goose. He brought it up and met Jacob’s eyes. “To a new friendship.” The hunter echoed and downed the shot. Then he smirked at a thought as he firmly sat the vessel down on the bar. “You said something about me being a dangerous type.”
In kind, Will drained the little glass too once they clinked the tiny vessels together in toast. His would not descend with as much vigor as Quarters’ but the liquid burned the same on the way down. He didn’t make a face but the corner of his mouth twitched a bit. “Yeah? What about it?”
Luke felt the burn, but didn’t even twinge as he kept his eyes on Jacob’s. The hunter had practice with vodka shots from about five years before. Long story. “I’m just curious since I don’t get people saying as much.” A lie, but truth in this new-to-him town.
That part surprised him a bit. Quarters’ appearance was a bit rough; Will was certain he could’ve been coined into a biker or a gangbanger if he wanted to be. “Really? Could’ve fooled me. Maybe they need to get their eyes checked.”
It didn’t take long before the bartender brought Quarters ordered drink. Will observed it with a bit of interest and reservation. “Now I know you’re dangerous,” he laughed. “What’s in that?”
“Maybe. Lately I’ve been mistaken for either a biker-hippie or homeless.” Luke kept his eyes on Jacob. He wasn’t too far off. But usually all the layering of leather could have that effect.
“Mmm, vodka, blue curcao, passionfruit juice, grapefruit juice, and some ice.” Luke rattled off and laughed. “Mmm, yeah. Thankfully it will not turn your tongue blue. Go on, you get the first sip.”
“It won’t? That’s the best part of blue stuff,” Will teased. He offered Quarters a playfully skeptical look as the drink was pushed gently toward him. An arch of an eyebrow, the twist of his mouth. But he leaned over and took a healthy slurp from the drink. It was sweet but not too sweet - the bite of the vodka rested beneath the surface.
Will pulled back, swallowed, and laughed. “Wow. Yup. Dangerous.”
Luke watched Jacob as he teased and went to take that slurp of the drink. Sometimes he liked a bit of a playful tasting cocktail. Can’t have straight alcohol all the time, but he did like whiskey straight.
“Quite so.” He smiled and picked up the drink. Taking a good sip from the same glass, Luke enjoyed the bit of sweet and the vodka. He sat the glass down and grinned. “What’s next after here?”
Will shrugged. “Probably back to the motel,” he began, though his eyes would narrow a bit with playfulness. “Unless you were implying keeping the party going. To which I would have to say no. I have to be in bed by nine or I’m no good in the morning.” It was clearly past nine.
“Mmm, that’s terrible.” Luke played back. “Loads of partying can be done in bed. But if you can’t leave dangerously for just one night…” He sighed and took another sip from the blue drink.
“Are you trying to tempt me?” Will smirked a bit. It had been a long time since he’d slept with anyone. It was risky. That was typically why he avoided it, he couldn’t trust anyone. And Quarters was still a stranger, albeit a cute one.
It had been weeks since he’d been with anyone let alone slept with anyone. One could only wait so long between indulgences. This was for one night. Why not have some fun with someone that seemed handsome and tall? “Is it working?” Luke asked Jacob and arched an eyebrow.
“Maybe,” Will replied. He ordered two more vodka shots from the bartender for a bit more courage and decided that if they were taking the party elsewhere then the consumption of alcohol probably needed to stop until they made it where they were going. They could always stop for supplies on the way. “Have you ever been in a Tesla?”
Luke nodded and finished off the Deep Blue Sea before ordering a Scotch on the rocks. The heavy meal would help him keep a clear mind aside from the temptation he was feeling. “No, can’t say that I have. Is it one of those all-electric cars?”
Will accepted the two tiny glasses of crystal clear liquid. He nodded at Quarters. “Yeah, that’s the best part. Other than the tech.” One shot would go down, and then the other. From his wallet he pulled out enough cash to cover his food and all of their drinks. “Smooth ride. Just wait until you see it.”
“Wow,” Luke blinked as he took his glass of whiskey and began to drink it down. “Where do you charge that sort of thing on long road trips?” The hunter wasn’t that much of a gearhead. But logistics, always logistics. “Does it fly?” he joked as he smoothly finished off his drink with an eagerness that wasn’t too loud.
A snort. “There are places in the city to charge, and I try to be good about planning ahead.” Not everyone was equipped to fuel the vehicle but enough people drove them now that the issue wasn’t enough of a deterrent. “It should fly, for all of the stuff it can do.”
Will slipped out of the chair. He was tall, well built. Motioning for Quarters to follow, he turned and headed toward the door and then out into the dark parking lot,
“Good to know.” He smirked at Jacob’s being able to plan ahead. Luke wasn’t one to be in the know or circles regarding electric cars. His not-so-new truck was good enough for him. “I hope it doesn’t have some sort of artificial intelligence or something.”
The hunter looked Jacob up and down, couldn’t really help with that sort of display. Luke cleared his throat and stood before following the other man out of the establishment and into the parking lot.
He couldn’t help but notice Jacob’s ass. Blinking, Luke lengthened his walking stride to catch up alongside him.
“You worried about being tracked?” Will inquired, teasing. Anyone who had a cell phone could be tracked - AI vehicles were the least or everyone’s problems in that aspect. They reached the Tesla before too long. “Did you want to follow me or…?” He didn’t mind a guest, but he wanted Quarters to be comfortable.
The lights flashed as he hit the button on the fob to unlock the doors.
“No, no...just the whole auto-driving part.” Luke snorted. He had watched too many D rated movies in hotel rooms about crazy cars that took their owners off a cliff. No thanks. “I can follow along. I don’t need my truck towed.” He was trying his best not to seem creepy. And his truck was his home these days.
“Nice looking though.”
Will could respect that. “Okay. Hope you can keep up,” he challenged playfully. With a nod he moved around the car, got in and started the Tesla up. He did wait for Quarters though, knowing this city could be hard to navigate if you were new. Thankfully the large screen had a good GPS.
And then finally they were on the road heading toward the motel. The drive was simple enough. The vodka was beginning to creep up on him by the time the Tesla eased into the parking lot.
He found a place and then turned the car off. A second to gather his courage and Will slipped out of the car, waiting for Quarters before they made for the door. And with a swipe of the key card the barrier would vanish. “After you,” Will murmured, motioning for Quarters to go in first.
Luke let out a laugh as he playfully jogged over to his nearby dark-colored truck. He got in and started it up, ready to follow Jacob.
As they drove, the hunter slipped some items from a small bag from under his passenger seat into his jacket pockets. The Scotch had loosened him up a little more. The vodka would follow soon.
Slipping into a spot a few over from Jacob’s Tesla, Luke got out of his truck and gently walked over to the other man. He was giving Jacob every opportunity as an out. He wouldn’t be offended. “Thanks,” he smiled and stepped inside.
He took a few more steps and turned around to face his host.
Will stepped in behind Quarters, catching the light with an elbow to the switch by the door. He eased the door shut behind himself and looked down at his new guest. Any words trying to come to mind would be stifled as he leaned in to press his mouth against Quarters’. He drew back to assess if that was okay. Maybe the vibe had even wrong. Was he over analyzing?
Luke was mildly caught off guard as Jcaob leaned in and kissed him. It was good. “...I thought I’d be one to go first.” He smiled, still letting there be humor. He leaned in, tip-toeing slightly and pressed his mouth against Jacob’s. If there was more of a push, a deepening, Luke was going to make it more fun.
“You need to be quicker,” Will murmured into the kiss. His arms would sweep down, drawing the other man close. Fingers curled into fabric, he breathed out through his nose. He let the kiss go as deeply as Quarters wanted to take it, them being new to each other and all. What could one night hurt, right? And besides, that kiss felt so good.
Luke groaned into the kiss. His hands went to Jacob’s shirt and waist band as he dropped his jaw a little to press his tongue into the other man’s mouth. Still an out. But it would be disappointing if it ended now, One night and more good feelings. The hunter stepped Will backward against the closed door, breathing through his nose. Then he spoke against Jacob’s lips as he slipped his tongue back into his own mouth, “Too fast for you?”
Will found himself being pressed backward against the door and he welcomed the stability. His head swam a bit from the alcohol. He wasn’t a heavy drinker, usually sticking to beer and even then only one or two. So right now he was feeling a bit of extra confidence.
“I’m not sure you could keep up,” Will retorted, softly. His eyes opened slowly and he offered the shorter man a playful look. Then his fingers began to work away the layers Quarters wore, the leather and denim, any fabric that could be peeled from skin.
It had been a while, but Luke was excited, turned out by the possibility of this one night. And he was prepared. A hand went to unfasten Jacob’s pants as he kept his mind stable.
He laughed and smirked at him as their eyes met. The hunter helped the other man work away the layers, pausing to grab a couple things out of his jacket pocket and slip them into the front pockets of Jacob’s pants - two condom packets and a travel-size tube of lubricant. Four layers would be stripped away - Luke slipping his arms out of each garment until his chest was bare with scars evident.
“Do you get cold easily or something?” Will inquired, curious. He was only clad in a tee shirt and jeans, rarely donning more than that unless it was just that cold or wet outside. Colorado taught you what cold was.
He didn’t comment on the scars. Will simply ran his fingers over the blemished skin. Then he drew the other man up against him, tucking his hands beneath the back of Quarters’ thighs. Another series of small kisses, each with more heat than the last, and he whisked his new friend off toward the bed. They could get more even as far as clothes once they both were settled.
“Sometimes, and good for keeping things and withstanding some weapons.” No need to lie there. But sometimes he could sound like he was joking. Luke knew the cold of Colorado, Minnesota, even southern Canada.
Luke sighed at Jacob's fingers touching his skin. Then he wrapped his arms around the other man’s shoulders as he was picked up. The kisses were returned, trying not to nip at Jacob. He could feel the heat building. “Sweeping me off my feet,” he laughed.
~
With the alcohol and exhilarating romp, Luke looked over at Jacob. The heat was still in the air. But this was one night, a good one since he didn’t gauge the other man so careful. Some people were just ‘instant gratification’. Rolling over, Luke breathed as contemplating getting up to shower, get dressed, and disappear out the door.
Will had escaped into a small absence of sleep. He shifted, exhaling deeply, as an arm slipped around Quarters frame. The end of his nose nuzzled against Quarters’ hair. He inhaled. Eyes opened a little bit, “If you need to split don’t let me keep you.”
Luke exhaled at Jacob’s arm slipping around him and that nose nuzzling. The tension in his shoulders of him preparing to get up had left. “I don’t need to go anywhere.” He whispered and slowly turned back over, slipping under that arm to face Jacob.
That was good enough for him. They would part ways in the morning. Maybe. For now, he tucked the smaller man close and held on. Will had forgotten what it was like to have someone to hold onto, to be physical and lose yourself in a moment. But so much laid on the line. He pressed a kiss into Quarters’ hair and ran his palm across the curve of the other man’s back.
He’d stay the whole night at least. Luke curled his arms around Jacob as he tucked him close. That holding on made him think for a moment that the other man needed this. He himself wanted it and would not deny Jacob’s need. His own lips brushed against the other man’s cheek before he rested his head against a shoulder.
Will closed his eyes, nuzzled in and got comfortable again. Those arms around him made him feel oddly secure. How did you feel safe in the embrace of a man whose name you didn’t even know? Sleep wanted to take him again and he would let it.
Luke felt safe and comfortable in this bed in the arms of a stranger, one he had sex with not too long before after running into him for the second time. Strange. Slowly stroking Jacob’s back, sleep pulled at him and he let his eyes close.