InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "It's so fluffy I could DIE!"

Bryce Dustan (_bryced) wrote in finnigans_rpg,
@ 2015-07-04 23:04:00

Entry tags:

character: bryce dunstan, character: tristan travers

Who: Bryce and Tristan
What: An interesting encounter
Where: Wingbeat to start
When: Saturday, July 4th
Rating: TBD, but maybe NSFW due to possible sexual activity

Bryce had spent the majority of the day out in Muggle London at one of the parades, trailing after his sisters while making sure his daughter hadn't wandered off into the crowd to follow someone who'd caught her eye. Sophie had been exhausted after all the excited, and he'd left her with his older sister and her girlfriend, asleep in the guest room at their house still in her dress. After a cup of coffee and a promise to not even try to pick her up until lunch time tomorrow, and Bryce was making his way towards Wingbeat.

It had been a number of years since he'd been to club, but he figured not too much could have changed in that time. Getting inside didn't prove to be any trouble, and he walked sedately towards the window marked for the cloak room, shrugging off the sweatshirt he'd thrown on against the slight evening air chill. His own t-shirt seemed rather tame in comparison to some of the outfits he was seeing in the crowd. Seeing the rainbow-colored head behind the window brought a smile to his face, and re-solidified his thoughts that he'd made the right choice in coming to this club for the evening.

"Nice hair," Bryce said with a grin to the man behind the counter, hoping his tone came across as the compliment it was intended to be.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

_bryced
2015-07-19 05:12 pm UTC (link)

He took a small mental note of the soft smile that appeared on Tristan's face when Bryce mentioned Sophie - that could only be a good thing, he thought, and a part of him hoped that the obvious fondness his daughter had for the man went both ways. But that was a conversation for another time, so he filed the observation away in the back of his mind with all the other little things he'd noticed about Tristan over the course of their acquaintance.

Hearing Tristan laugh made Bryce smile again - his face was going to hurt in the morning if this kept up, but that was a small price to pay - and he chuckled as he agreed, "It does tend to get everywhere and stay there until the end of time. I'm still finding some in my kitchen from one Sophie's art experiments a few months ago." Even with magic, he hadn't been able to get all of that mess cleaned in a timely fashion, though he couldn't be sure if that was due to his own admittedly not-so-grasp on spells or the inherent nature of glitter itself. And that line of thinking kept him from wondering where else Tristan might have gotten glitter unexpectedly and how he'd be able to help get rid of it, because mentally undressing someone who was sitting right in front of him was bad form.

Bryce listened intently as Tristan spoke, all his attention focused on the other man. This, just the simple pleasure of being in his company and hearing him talk, had been the entire reason for his venture back from the bar, and he didn't plan on wasting a moment of it. Rather than touch on any of the points that might lead to a less than pleasant discussion, he commented, "There certainly are a lot of colors, and pretty much anyone is willing to explain all the differences in the flags strewn around or what they mean. And especially in a place like this, some people are more comfortable with expressing themselves, so there's a bit more open approaches. At least, in my experience." He shrugged once he finished speaking, and wondered if he was rambling too much, or if anything he'd said just made sense.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

alliterative
2015-07-19 11:03 pm UTC (link)

For the most part, Tristan could just imagine Bryce finding glitter in his kitchen from something his daughter had done that involved glitter, and the thought brought a little smile to his face. Glitter was a force to be reckoned with, and, from what he understood, so were four year olds. That combination had to be deadly, at least when it came to things like messes and cleaning them up. They got everywhere, and they were impossible to control to keep from getting into everything. But they were still fun.

He was glad that Bryce didn't want to touch on anything that could lead down a negative path, though Tristan doubted he would have wanted to anyway. That's not why people came to clubs, after all. And this was supposed to be a celebration. He did, however, quirk a brow at something Bryce said. "Does that mean you attend clubs that are open to the LGBTQ crowds a lot in order to feel more comfortable expressing yourself, or do you know a lot of people who do," he asked, honestly curious. It had occurred to him that Bryce could consider himself part of this community just as easily as he could have considered himself an ally (after all, a shirt could mean just about anything, including that he supported gay pride). Hell, he could have been there to meet up with a friend or even someone who was more than a friend, though the fact that he came back to the cloakroom to talk to him told Tristan either he was here on his own or any potential meet ups were blown off.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_bryced
2015-07-20 02:25 am UTC (link)

Bryce wasn't exactly caught off guard by the question, but it did take him a moment to figure out the best way to answer. In his defense, he was a little distracted by memorizing the exact arch of Tristan's eyebrow, which took up some of his mental capacity. He shrugged as he said, "A little bit of both. I'd like to think I'm pretty comfortable with myself most of them time, but it is nice to be around people who understand the terms without having to explain them every time. Not that I mind explaining." Absentmindedly, he ran a hand through his hair and then added, "But I've also been dragged along to more places than I can count by any number of friends, and my sister has her regular spots that she sometimes wants company at." Looking over at Tristan, smiling slightly at seeing the colors shift in his hair, he said, "I hope I haven't made you uncomfortable."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

alliterative
2015-07-20 02:46 am UTC (link)

Tristan nodded as he listened, thinking Bryce both explained a few things and didn't explain anything at all. He did receive some answers, though he wasn't sure what the other questions were that they answered. And it didn't answer the question about why Bryce was here, but he started to think that maybe it wasn't to subtly check up on him. Or, at least, maybe not entirely. He still couldn't completely shake that suspicion, though he let it fall from the forefront of his mind as he said, "No, you didn't. Sorry if that was a rude or inappropriate or uncomfortable question." That definitely wasn't his intent.

"I was just curious," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "I've know other gay people and people who identify as bisexual and so forth, but I don't really talk to a lot of them." Or anyone, but he thought admitting that was a bit too honest. He fidgeted a little with the cuff of his red flannel shirt. "So I am sorry if it crossed a line or anything."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_bryced
2015-07-21 12:19 pm UTC (link)

"Not at all. A little curiosity never hurt anyone, right?" Bryce replied. Smiling softly at Tristan's grin, he opened his mouth to say something in response when he was jostled from behind. Looking over his shoulder, he could see two giggling witches leaning on one another, though for actual support or some other reason, he couldn't quite tell. But he did notice the claim tickets in their hands, and moved out of their way, offering them both a polite smile when they looked his way.

The time it took for Tristan to take care of the witches in question - to do his job, jeez, and didn't that make Bryce feel like a bit of an idiot - was a welcome if short respite from the conversation. Not because he didn't want to continue, but because he was grateful for the moment to get a hold of himself. He knew himself well enough to know that sometimes he come across a little too strong, and now that he had a moment to think about it, he was worried that might be happening here.

Once the women left, Bryce returned his attention to Tristan, smiling softly again as he said, "I hope I'm not keeping you from anything. I'd hate to be a bother."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

alliterative
2015-07-22 05:24 pm UTC (link)

Tristan would have probably argued, in a good natured kind of way, that curiosity could actually hurt quite a lot when he caught sight of the witches approaching the cloakroom. He stood and took their tickets with a friendly smile, deciding not to think too much about the fact that he remembered them coming in separately earlier that night. There was no point to it as he picked up their garments from among all the others, glad for his own systems. It didn't take him long at all to match the claim tickets, handing each girl the appropriate cloak.

"Have a great night," he said to them with another smile, watching them leave. When they were gone, he looked back at Bryce.

You're not, though," he paused to look at his watch, "it's nearly closing time, so there's likely to be a rush of sorts soon." As he finished, another few club goers came out into the hall, though these few continued toward the exit, clearly having not checked anything. "I'm not going to kick you out or anything, but you might get bumped about. However, I imagine you can handle it," he said, his voice joking, even if he did suspect Bryce was physically fit enough to handle himself in a crowd. Not that he'd been looking, of course.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_bryced
2015-07-24 12:06 pm UTC (link)

Bryce couldn't help himself from laughing briefly at the comment about being able to handle himself in a crowd. "I think I'd be fine," he agreed, still smiling slightly. "But I wouldn't want to be in the way or cause any distractions." As much as he didn't want to, it was probably time to take his leave. And the thought of heading back home already, which was empty and missing the sounds of Sophie muttering to herself in her sleep, was somewhat bleak. He doubted he'd be able to fall asleep anytime soon anyway, and to be honest, he had been looking forward to spending a little more time with Tristan.

Offering Tristan another smile, and hoping it didn't show any of his reluctance to leave, Bryce said, "I suppose I'll be heading out then." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the sounds of another group leaving came towards them, and a few moments later there were half a dozen witches and wizards jostling for space in front of the counter Tristan was standing behind. Raising one hand in a farewell, Bryce slipped out behind the small crowd and made his way into the cool night air. After a moment of consideration, his feet started moving in the direction of The Leaky Cauldron, since he'd have to go through there anyway once he was ready to go home, even if he wasn't ready yet.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

alliterative
2015-07-24 07:47 pm UTC (link)

Tristan wasn't entirely sure what to make of Bryce leaving -- he knew, logically, the man could go home, get some sleep, or go off and do what he wanted. He knew, logically, it made sense to not hang around and risk getting bumped around even if Bryce could handle himself in a crowd -- but he gave a small smile and raised his hand to say good-bye before he turned his attention to the group stopping in front of the cloakroom to claim their garments. He gave them a smile, took their claim tickets, and fetched their cloaks and coats. He repeated this process multiple times as various groups of people filed out, letting the repetition fill his mind. Step-by-step, focusing on each step to keep from letting his mind wander. It helped that after the last patrons filed out he had several other things to do before he could home. Including, it seemed, taking care of a jumper someone forgot.

It only took a second for Tristan to realise that the forgotten jumper belonged to Bryce. He reached out for it and paused, wondering if he should take it with him or set it aside. Bryce could come back for it tomorrow. Or he could forget about it, and Tristan could return it to him Wednesday when he saw him at the Ministry of Magic. He wasn't entirely sure which would be better, but he ultimately decided to take it with him. He took it off the hanger and draped it over one arm, deciding he could owl it to him tomorrow morning (or in a few hours, really) or just have Titus drop it off for him (sure that Titus could figure out where he lived).

Stepping out into Monument Alley, he debated a moment on if he should walk home or Apparate home. He wasn't sure which would be better, but he did find himself a bit restless. That decided that. He'd walk, at least until a point where he decided otherwise (or he found himself at home). He headed in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron and the rest of London, subconsciously reaching to make sure his wand was still in his pocket. He didn't expect trouble, exactly, but he also didn't trust anyone he might meet on the streets at such a late hour (and, admittedly, his hair only provided so much by way of a disguise).

A familiar figure in the Leaky Cauldron caught his eye, and he stopped, halfway to the door that lead out onto Charing Cross Road. Although he didn't want to disturb Bryce drinking his tea, he did want to make sure the other man got his jumper back. He twisted on the balls of his feet, changing direction to weave around a few tables until he got to Bryce's.

"You forgot something," he said, taking a few seconds to fold the jumper neatly on the table. "I was going to owl it to you in the morning, but I thought this might be better. And it saves you time from going back to the club to find it not there and thinking it was stolen or something." He scooted it a little closer with a small smile, hoping he wasn't interrupting and figuring he'd excuse himself shortly.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_bryced
2015-07-29 01:45 am UTC (link)

Lost in his own head as he was - though what he had been thinking about, exactly, he would be hard pressed to say - Bryce was momentarily startled by the sound of someone speaking to him. Looking up, he grinned when he recognized Tristan, though he was a little confused to see the man standing there. It took him a few seconds to process what had been said to him, and when it did, he could feel something small and warm curl in his gut at the thought that Tristan had taken the time to consider that. He had to think that it wasn't something the other man would do for just anyone, and the hope of being in some way special kicked-started a small group of butterflies in his stomach.

"Thank you," Bryce answered with a soft smile, reaching out to take the fabric and accidentally brushing his fingers over Tristan's as he did so. The contact made him freeze for a moment, and he blushed when he realized that he'd frozen. Withdrawing a little quicker than necessary, a thought occurred to him, and before he could think the better of it, he asked, "Can I get you a cup of tea as a token of my appreciation?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

alliterative
2015-07-30 02:53 am UTC (link)

It was strange, but Tristan liked that Bryce had blushed after brushing against his fingers. He wasn't sure why he'd blushed, but it made him feel a bit better about his own blushing. And it was also interesting that he'd had such an ability, even if he'd not really done anything at all to illicit the reaction to Bryce. Maybe he was still a little inebriated, or maybe he was just embarrassed that he'd forgotten his jumper, he reasoned to himself as he shook his head a little to clear his thoughts.

"Oh, uhm, alright," Tristan said as he took his hand back. Then he pulled out his chair and sat down, motioning to a very sleepy looking employee near the bar. When the man came over, he smiled and quickly ordered a simple honey and lemon tea, making a mental note to set out a few sickles for him. Given the hour, he didn't have to wander off to fetch another cup of tea. He could have just as easily kicked Tristan (and even Bryce) out.

"Thank you," he said to Bryce and gave him a smile. "For the cup of tea that he's bringing." He laughed a little, clasping his hands in his lap.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_bryced
2015-08-07 02:55 am UTC (link)

Bryce grinned widely at the seemingly easy agreement his offer had resulted in, chuckling lightly along with the younger man. "Thank you for having tea with me," he said, inordinately pleased at the fact that Tristan had sat down without hesitation.

Not wanting there to be a silence - awkward or not though it may have been - Bryce asked, "Is it strange, leaving so late to go home to bed?" He was genuinely curious, since his own schedule was set by the small human being he was responsible for, and didn't leave much room for changes to their usual timetables. Tonight, obviously, was an exception, one that was throwing him off more than just a little. Tomorrow would probably not be pleasant - aside from the possibility of a hangover, he was so accustomed to rising when Sophie did that his body would most likely expect to be awake again in a few short hours. "It feels like a ridiculous time to be awake," he commented. "Or I'm just getting old."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -