ssmythehq - Tumblr blog

[ssmythehq]

Gay people? You've never heard about cruising in the park before? I guess it's probably not really a thing - or at least, definitely not as much of a thing anymore, but it still very much was a thing. Nowadays we've just got the app version.

I was being facetious. Well, not about preferring to spend my time in bug-free zones, but I'm aware that, unfortunately, they're not about to go extinct anytime soon.

Does it work as well as natural deodorant "works"? If so, I'll pass.

Okay, there is so much to unpack here in...literally everything you just said. First of all, what are "your kind of people?" And do I even want to ask what the bushes have to do with anything?

Nature is just nature, there isn't going to suddenly be an absence of bugs or mosquitos, at least not anytime soon. I understand about the bug spray though. But that's just...how it is. I've started using a natural kind. It works pretty good and doesn't smell so bad either.

[ssmythehq]

Sebastian considered himself to be a wise man, someone that didn't fall for things as trivial as flattery, and yet... he was pretty sure he'd never get tired of compliments being tossed his way. He was gorgeous, and the reminder never hurt. "Just wanna make it clear, before the assumption can even start to form - I'm not a stalker. I don't even remember your stripper name, let alone know your real one, and definitely not the address of your relocation. I do, however-" he interrupted himself by gesturing towards Kurt's face with his fingers, "-remember this pretty face."

Wanting to keep the juiciest parts of one's life a secret wasn't a foreign concept to Sebastian - after all, a bit of mystery was always a good way to keep things interesting - but when it came to talents? That was another story. No one had ever called Sebastian Smythe humble, that was for sure. "Really? What a pity. Guess they don't know what they're missing out on, huh?"

If anything, though, Sebastian definitely wasn't bothered about the fact that he was privy to a bit of intel that others weren't. Both because, well, for starters, he loved being clued in, being apart of the inside joke, the dirty little secret -- and, for more nefarious purposes, it never hurt to have a bit of blackmail material tucked away, just in case. "What brings you to Bearcreek? Did you miss your favorite customer that much?"

Spending the day in the library had not initially been how Kurt intended to pass the time, but given the fact that his neighbors were trying to break some sort of sexual record - he could only assume - he really needed somewhere there was more or less guaranteed quiet for a while. There were only so many moans, groans, and 'oh my gods!' (most of which seemed fake and over-exaggerated, even to him) he could take from the woman who lived beside him before he turned into that obnoxious neighbor who bangs on the wall to get you to shut up.

He was out of reading material anyway, and since he had yet to find a niche bookstore in town he could take refuge in, his options were limited. When he was in New York, he'd have just gone down the block to the little antique book store that was hidden and nestled away in an old reclaimed bodega and found solace for a few hours of quiet there where he could lose himself for a while. Unfortunately, such gems weren't something you often see in a small town like Bearcreek so the public library was the best (and closest) option to find peace.

Until he heard a familiar voice behind him and the words 'Golden Peacock' uttered.

Spinning around on his heels, he damn near dropped the books he had gathered as he spotted the man in front of him. He couldn't for the life of him remember the other's name, but he definitely knew him. Kurt had become very familiar with him back in New York, on a physical level at least. It might have been a while since he performed at the club, but the younger man had been one of his best paying clients at the Golden Peacock; if he had been honest, though, given the fact that he'd not seen much of him since he stopped performing at the club, he never thought the man would have popped up in Bearcreek.

"Afternoon, gorgeous," he commented with a small smirk, doing his damnedest to push the nerves down and push his usual demeanor. The one the other man had once known. No one in Bearcreek knew about his past at the Peacock; hell, most people in his later life in New York hadn't known about it either. Shaking his head a bit, he offered a brief nod and a smile. "I can definitely say I haven't rocked the body glitter look in a long time, too much of a mess to deal with every night, but yeah. That would be me," he added before looking around a bit. At least no one was around that he could see. "But that's not really something I broadcast here. Small town gossip and all, you know."

[ssmythehq]

"That's what I'm here for." It absolutely wasn't, most of the time, not unless the customer met his standards. Otherwise? He had no problem in making them wait for a refill, preferring to do things on his own schedule. The best way to get Sebastian to actually do his job the way he'd been trained was to stick a good looking guy in front of him, and suddenly, it was like he was Employee of the Month. "Mm... let me guess. Something sweet? A little fruity?" A description of Blaine, a drink order, or both? "Strawberry margarita coming right up."

Not even five minutes had passed since Blaine had entered the bar, and it was already starting to become painfully clear that even in a gay bar in Allentown, his brain decided to remind him of that one time he'd visited the place with his ex instead of the countless other times that Blaine had been here. Just when he started to consider whether or not it would be better to just go home, a voice startled him out of his thoughts. He stared at the drink in front of him for a split second, then looked up at the bartender in surprise. He knew that it was pretty much in the other man's job description to flirt with his customers, and that offering a free drink might just be a way to get him to spend even more money, but that didn't mean the attention didn't feel good. "Now that's good service. Thank you very much," he said, offering Sebastian a thankful smile. "You know what? I'll let you surprise me. A cocktail of your choice, please."

[ssmythehq]

Boy: *hands me diamond ring* will you marry me Me: *puts diamond ring on* na

[ssmythehq]

"He knows I'm worth the wait." Something that Dave, for whatever reason, didn't seem to agree on. Did the guy not have eyes? Was he a eunuch? It made no sense to him, and every time he was rejected by the other man, it made him that much more determined to win over his affection - something he wasn't even entirely sure he actually wanted, other than for the sake of simply getting to say he won. "Anyone with half a brain can see that."

Dave blinked in confusion for a moment. He wasn't purposefully attempting to have an attitude. In fact, he was trying not to have one, being at work and all. "I'm not giving you an attitude," Dave pushed off the counter and backed up half a step. "Sorry, we don't take feedback. Don't you have date to get back to?" Tilting his head toward the person hanging around alone off to the side, staring at the pair, Dave gave Sebastian a little smirk. "Unless he ditches, waiting for you to finish harassing the owner of the local bowling alley?"

[ssmythehq]

Fair enough. I think it's pretty self-explanatory anyway.

Have people gotten so bored of trying to create fucked up new breeds of dogs, that they've moved on to baked goods? Wish I could say I was surprised. As someone who spent time living in France, where the croissant was already perfected, I think I'm going to have to pass on that one, thanks.

Kids in movies? Is that where your knowledge on children comes from? Let me guess... you weren't exactly popular growing up, were you?

I guess. Depends on who's cooking it, and where you are. Around here, getting a good meal isn't as easy as I would have hoped, but I guess that's to be expected. My tastes are a bit higher than the average person.

And we're moving on! I'm not asking for details on the name or how you got it, don't think I wanna know.

Wait, for real? You've never had a cronut? Wow, I mean, I know they're not like "trendy" anymore but you've gotta try them at least once! It's like if a croissant and a donut had a baby -- cronut!

A home-cooked meal is a home-cooked meal no matter who made it! At least you got that rather than the kids in movies who eat like just take-out. I like going out to eat too, but nothing beats a home-cooked meal.

[ssmythehq]

Ah, yes, everyone's favorite ice cream flavor - orange. The one that everyone's just clamoring to order. All the boys and girls are fighting for that last scoop of orange ice cream.

Tell you what, though, make it a sherbet, and I'm in. ...Even if you're not wrong about the mildew smell. Maybe instead of cash, I'll give my tip in the form of a nice bar of soap.

I just went by that God-awful half-abandoned ice cream store on Hickory Street and they're finally serving the Wilde Golden Orange flavour. You're welcome for that, frankly, it's the only thing that's gonna keep this place afloat, but what else is new? I didn't have any of course, because I never trust ice cream served by someone who perpetually smells like mildew no matter how many well-meaning car fresheners you leave in their store, but if the smell of a wrinkled old lady who survives on a diet of canned beans and diabetes candy doesn't freak you out, grab a scoop. Lord knows y'all have absolutely nothing else to do.

[ssmythehq]

Any number of bugs above zero is far too many for me, sorry. Give me a call when nature fixes that problem. I don't care so much if they exist, just as long as we don't have to interact. And making myself sticky to avoid them is not a solution. If they invent a bug spray that doesn't make me feel just as miserable as the bites I'm trying to avoid, let me know, yeah? Until then... you're on your own, pal.

That's not entirely true. I'm just not the nature walk type. Besides, historically? My kind of people don't go to the park for walks? We're known for doing our best work in the bushes.

Depends on the time of day; they tend to be a little more active in the evening and early morning before it gets too warm. And of course, they're worse around bodies of water generally. But, you know you can use some bug spray and hope for the best?

Something tells me you don't spend a lot of time outdoors, do you?

[ssmythehq]

Something tells me your words would come across far sweeter than my own. Not a bad thing, especially for a card devoted to my mom, but... I think the message would lose it's meaning the second she realized I had a ghost writer.

Well, that's certainly a much gentler way of putting it than I would have. Any chance you're interested in becoming my personal translator? Take all my bitchy thoughts, put them into nice ones?

I think so too. Most moms are exceptionally good at noticing things like that. What they say about... Oh. Right.

Why, thank you. And for what it's worth, I can assure you that throwing random facts about holidays or other mundane things is not a habit of mine.

Oh God, no. No, definitely not. I'm not saying you should give her all the juicy details, but telling her that you feel like you're not quite ready yet to settle down and that you're still, well, exploring your options wouldn't hurt, right? And you're very welcome.

[ssmythehq]

open to: @starringblaine location: Cheeky's Gay Bar - Allentown

"It's on the house." Had he been chastised on more than one occasion for giving out free drinks to the customers he thought were cute? Sure. But that wasn't going to stop him from continuing to do so. After all, in his own opinion - an opinion he was certain his boss shared - his own cute self was bringing in far more profits than were taken away by the occasional free libation or two. "Anything else I can get for you, stud?"

[ssmythehq]

"Forgive me for having standards." When it came to his food, at least. Other parts of his life? Quality didn't seem to always be quite as important to him. "Besides, I haven't had a hangover since I was fourteen." Whether or not that was entirely accurate, he wasn't quite sure, but a bit of exaggeration to prove a point had never hurt anyone, had it? "It's not my disposition they're after, sweetheart. I can't help it if someone got their hopes up, can I? What am I supposed to do? Be less charming and handsome? Not gonna happen. Rejection is just a part of life. ...Well, for some people."

Shrugging a bit, Cassie reached over and grabbed some of the discarded, cold fries from Sebastian's plate. "What? Are ye tellin' me you've never eaten cold fries before? Not even when ye were hung over? Sometimes fries can be just as delicious cold as hot," she commented before popping the cold things into her mouth and frowning a bit. "...aye, okay ye have a point." Grabbing her Coke she took a long gulp from it and set it back down. "Ye very well may have some sort of line cook with a grudge against ye back there," she laughed. "Would it surprise ye if ye did, though? With your bright and shiny disposition?"

[ssmythehq]

"Mmhm." Tucking the money he was given in return into his wallet, Sebastian followed Dave's gaze, before turning his attention back towards the man before him. "Personable, huh? I'm assuming you mean with everyone but me? Or are all your customers subjected to this kind of attitude?" Did he have a date to get back to? Sure. But he could spare a few minutes to get into an argument over, well, nothing, really. It had been awhile since he'd had a proper nemesis, and Dave had managed to scratch that itch for him. "Do you take customer feedback? Because I have plenty."

Dave turned to make change, shaking his head subtly. Dropping the change into Sebastian's hand, he glanced over to where a couple of his teenage employees were helping a large family get set up. "I have employees, yes. But a good manager steps in to help when he's needed," Dave braced his hands flat on the counter and leaned forward. "If you haven't noticed, this is a local joint, not corporate. I like to be personable."

@ssmythehq

[ssmythehq]

Fair enough. Something tells me she'd figure it out anyway. Even in a letter, I doubt our tones would match. ...Big shoes, huh? You know what they say about those.

It could be, but I think in this case, you're cute enough to make it endearing, rather than annoying. It's a thin line, and a pretty face is usually the determining factor.

You're saying I should be honest with my mother about my preferred dating style? Should I show her my Grindr DMs, too? I think some things are best kept under the covers, Blaine.

Figuring out the intention behind her questions isn't a bad idea, though. I'll try that, thanks.

Sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no. You raised the bar a little too high when you mentioned being her favourite child. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.

I suppose I am. I hope that's not a bad thing? My ex had this National Today calendar, which inevitably led to me remembering some of the most random holidays.

Exactly. And if that doesn't work, you will at least find out why exactly she keeps bringing it up, which might make it a little easier to avoid the subject. Although I still think that simply being honest with her might be the best approach here.

[ssmythehq]

What's the bug situation like on those trails? I don't mind a walk with a view, but my answer is pretty much entirely dependent on whether or not I'm going to spend the stroll swatting flies away from my face.

The best part about summer is how beautiful our local state park can get! If anybody's looking for a trail walking partner, I promise I won't hassle you too much when I'm off duty. Just looking to get some more time out on the trails; Gran isn't always able to make it out for long walks like she used to, unfortunately.

[ssmythehq]

I wasn't referring to the viewfinder in your camera.

Okay, dude. What?

I do plenty of self-reflection.

[ssmythehq]

Sounds like a solid plan. Any chance you want to take a stab at writing out a heartfelt note for me? Get my inheritance boosted a little? Kidding. ...Unless...

You know the date of National Mimosa Day off the top of your head? You're just full of fun facts, aren't you?

I'm not a hundred percent certain, but it wouldn't shock me. Either way, the question could potentially work as a solid detour, steering away from having to give her any actual details on my current dating life, so... I'll keep it in mind.

Okay, yes, that definitely changes things. You win this one. In that case, I'd say send her a nice card, her favourite flowers and/or a small gift and tell her you'll take her to a place you both love next time you visit Chicago. I'm not sure about the whole favourite child thing, but I'm certain she'd really appreciate it. And then you can have as many mimosas as you like and bring whoever you want. Or you could just go by yourself, of course. Oh, and did you know it's National Mimosa Day on the 16th? Another perfect day to enjoy them.

Are you sure that that is what she is trying to tell you? Not that there's anything wrong with being a trophy husband if that's what you want, of course, but maybe you should just ask her next time she brings it up, just to make sure you're both on the same page.

[ssmythehq]

open to: @lottiexevans location: Green Valley Grocery

"Are you seeing this? Cool Ranch flavored popcorn?" Incredulously, Sebastian poked the bag with his finger, as if expecting it to simply disappear at the touch. When it didn't, he turned his attention to Lottie, eyes widening as part of his dramatic display, really only half-joking. "Please tell me I'm not the only one that thinks that's insane, right? What is the world coming to? Was there some sort of incident that I just completely missed the news of? Something that removed people's taste buds?"