Who: Justin Taylor and James When: Backdated: Saturday, February 8th. Late Afternoon Where: Baxter's Bakery What: Meeting and Talking About their Relationships Rating: Family Friendly Status: Complete
Justin was out looking for something for Billy for Valentine's Day. He'd already decided that he was taking him to dinner, he just needed to figure out which restaurant and make a reservation soon before everything was filled up. So other than deciding on the restaurant, he needed a gift. It was their first Valentine's Day and Justin wanted it to be perfect just like Christmas and New Years had been. It was times like this when Justin was a perfectionist.
James was also searching for the perfect Valentine’s gift. He wasn’t entirely sure where to start. What he really needed was coffee first, and then maybe he could think. He walked into Baxter’s Bakery and ordered one of the sparkling lattes. He did love his vanilla, inhaling the liquid when it was handed to him. He couldn’t seem to choose what he wanted to eat yet. He looked at the blonde standing next to him while he waited. “I can never decide what I want,” he grinned, dark hair falling in his eyes. “I’m supposed to be shopping for gifts and I can’t choose between blueberry, or cranberry-orange muffins, or I could go crazy with the bacon, maple doughnut.”
“I’m in the same boat actually.” Justin said, blue eyes flicking from the guy in front of him then to the muffins he had mentioned. They did look pretty good, “And I’ve had the bacon, maple doughnut. Might be one of the best doughnuts I’ve ever had.” He was pretty sure, now, that he was going to get one of those to go with his hot chocolate, “How long have you been with your significant other?” Justin usually had pretty good gaydar and it had pinged when the other guy started talking to him, so he wasn’t going to assume boy or girlfriend until he confirmed it. James looked over at the maple-bacon sugar creation. His decision was made. He ordered one, along with a tall caramel macchiato. “It’s amazing that I don’t weigh four hundred pounds from this place alone.”
He smiled at the blond, feeling the same gaydar. It was widely accepted in his industry, almost assumed when it came to male hair stylists. He was way too good with hairspray to be straight. “We met this summer. I nearly spilled a shaved ice on him, but I think it was official around Labor Day. How about you? Are you facing a similar Valentine’s dilemma?”
“I know what you mean. I could not imagine working here, because I’d eat even more than I do when i come here,” Justin smiled as the brunette spoke and nodded when he was finished, “I am. I met my boyfriend back in July, but we didn’t officially start dating until a little while later. So, this is our first Valentine’s Day and my first with an actual boyfriend in a while.” So many people complained about not having a significant other on Valentine’s Day, but Justin actually hadn’t minded being single for the last two years or so, because it meant that he could do pretty much whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted and hook up with whoever he wanted. Realizing that they hadn’t introduced themselves, Justin extended his hand to the other man, “I’m Justin Taylor.”
“Hi, I’m James Marsh,” he replied, taking the offered hand. “I’m the epic fashionista, not that you can tell right now.” He was normally in a great mood and today was no different. His eyes lit up a little, thinking of Valentine’s day. “I know. It’s our first, and I really haven’t been with anyone for that holiday.” He made a face. “It isn’t that I didn’t date. I just never really had anyone that I was serious with or anything. He is so fine though, and I really have to think of something good. That is the problem though. It’s the first. I want him to remember it without being way over the top. I can see us being together for awhile, which is the best feeling.” He was really happy. Everything in his life was going well. He had made some great contacts, had some doors opening to design, and he had a great guy.
Justin smiled as he listened to James talk about his boyfriend and nodded, “I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way about Billy. We just recently said, I love you for the first time.” It had been a really nice night and one Justin wasn’t about to forget it any time soon. “I just don’t want to do anything corny or boring.” They already went out to dinner or one of them would cook, so Justin wasn’t entirely sure how to make dinner on Valentine’s Day any different than any other day.
“I think the I love yous will happen on Valentine’s Day.” That made James very happy. they were close. He knew it was going in the right direction. “Piers had never dated a guy before. He was in the military, so it wasn’t a thing that you do, you know. I have always been interested in men, but he is very new at this.” He looked up, taking his bacon-maple doughnut that the cashier handed over. “I don’t want it to be boring either. Boring is just so very wrong.”
“I hope they do,” Justin moved up when James was finished at the counter and ordered his own drink and donut, “I’m Billy’s first boyfriend too actually.” Justin was glad that he got to be the one that Billy was experiencing all his firsts, relationshipwise, with, because Justin knew that he would treat Billy right whereas with someone else, he might have gotten taken advantage of because he was inexperienced, “Boring is very wrong. Then again, it’s rarely boring around here.” He had no idea if James was a dreamer or not, but the OC wasn’t exactly boring on the normal day, so it was possible that Justin was just referring to that fact.
“Tell me about it,” he said, taking the sugar fix to a table. “I just don’t really know what he would like to do. It’s a first, so I have to make it interesting, and fun, but my version of interesting and fun can be things like a crazy, spiked hair style. He doesn’t really drink, and neither do I, and clubs are not his thing, and he really doesn’t like loud or obnoxious things, but is a night in of cooking and spoiling enough?” He wanted something a little bigger than that, that really made a statement without Piers being uncomfortable.
“I can see how it would be difficult to think of something with those restrictions.” Justin said, following James after paying for his own fix. They’d just met, but considering they were still in the middle of a conversation, Justin thought it was alright to join James at the table, “Billy has only been clubbing with me, so he’s still new to the whole clubbing scene. I don’t think clubbing is the right thing for Valentine’s Day though.” He took a sip of his drink, “Why is Valentine’s Day so hard to plan for?”
“I have no idea. I want to do it. I’m thinking of a nice dinner, but I barely got through Thanksgiving and Christmas with my best friend. I was worried we were going to have a Charlie Brown dinner, not that I would be all that upset. It’s cute. Piers is adorable though,” he continued, a light look flickering across his face. His boyfriend was definitely something to look at, and he was a very sweet guy. His dreams were a little on the scary side. “I do say no to the clubbing. That’s like the Lonely Hearts Club of hook ups. We don’t even need that. I could do pasta, but I worry that it will turn into paste.” A few extra minutes went from delicious to goo, and that would not be good. Of course, he could always buy extra.
“I hope this gets easier each year.” Justin was optimistic that him and Billy would have many more Valentine’s Days after this one where ideas would come easier to him, “I’m probably going to send him flowers for sure at least.” He knew that Billy would like that for sure. “Maybe I’ll put in an order for cupcakes or something from here too.” Justin had tried the cupcakes at Baxters before and they were really good and he was sure that Billy would like those too.
“Cupcakes sound good. Piers isn’t too much of a health nut not to go for that,” he grinned. The idea of him drenched in frosting was also way too appealing. “Everyone likes flowers, right, even though he’s kind of a guys guy, so to speak.” James would love flowers. He wondered if he had some coming. He would take them home or to the salon, show them off. “Do you think it will last for years and years?” He didn’t know how to even begin to think of a long term future, although he didn’t rule it out. It was just heart breaking if it didn’t happen.
“I do love him. Love’s funny that way,” he admitted with a shy smile. Just hearing it out loud added color to his cheeks.
Justin smiled and shrugged his shoulders a bit, “I don’t know, but I hope so.” He couldn’t imagine his life without Billy now. It was silly and almost like his dream self with Brian, but he wasn’t naive enough to think that there wasn’t the possibility that he and Billy could break up at some point, but he was optimistic.
“I never thought I would think in years,” he grinned. James had a certain effervescence about him. He was a light hearted guy, quick with jokes and an easy smile. That had always been his personality - a very awkward charm. “I go from project to project and hope for the best, but thinking years down the road is a big thing. I know I want that.” His relationship had built up slowly, but it was going so very well now. He didn’t want to be anywhere else. “I just have to find the right way to show him that I’m here to stay, you know.”
“I’ve always thought in years as far as work goes.” Justin knew that working in the art department of tv shows and movies was iffy. Some shows lasted years, but sometimes they only lasted a season or two, so he was selective when it came to what he did. “When it comes to relationships though, it’s been a long time since I’ve actually been in one, so I’ve never thought that far ahead, but Billy is different. I know that I want to be with Billy for as long as possible. So I know exactly what you mean.”
James also had another matter on his mind. “When do you think it is time to think about living with someone. I spend a lot of my time there, probably half the time at least. I don’t want to feel like I’m in the way, but he doesn’t act like I am. I have stuff over there. It’s just - I don’t know. I think it’s too soon, but I think it will work, and I’ve never done anything like that, and I really like waking up with him.” He took a bite of the maple, bacon doughnut, which nearly made him sigh. It was so good. He could literally live on those, even if they weren’t exactly healthy.
Justin shrugged, “I’m probably not the best person to ask. If I had it my way I’d ask Billy to move in with me now, but I don’t know if that would be moving too fast. Plus, he only just moved into his apartment.” That was something he might bring up to Billy someone in the near future, but not quite yet. “But waking up next to Billy is one of my favorite ways to start the day.” Justin was grinning as his phone buzzed in his pocket. Taking it out, he saw it was the man in charge of the art show he was taking part in, “I’ve actually got to take this.”
James nodded as he took the phone call and continued to eat his doughnut. He smiled quietly. It might be too soon, but he was awfully happy to talk to someone in that same position. Justin seemed to have a few more ideas than he did, and that was helpful, but all the questions were there as well. They were both hoping that new relationships lasted for a very long time. He checked his watch, realizing he only had about 20 minutes to get back to the salon. He finished the doughnut, putting the garbage in the trash. He waved to the cashier, and at Justin, and stepped out into the sunlight.