vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

The shouting earned a fearful twitch from him as he tucked his knees closer to his body, gulping down the lump of anxiety as his eyes glazed over with moisture - he couldn't trust this man, not a single word that fell from his lips. After all, how could he? Riley figured it would be best not to get on his bad side, he still wasn't sure of his intentions. The look in his eyes sent another wave of electricity through his bones - he looked pitiful, he looked angry, he looked hurt and the worst of them all, he looked infatuated with him. Despite his tantrum and resistance he still looked at him and spoke with such tenderness. The sound of his voice made him sick. He remained quiet as he watched him disappear, the creaking of the floor above him soon stopping.

A deep frown twisted his expression as he grabbed onto the ointment, inspecting the bottle closely. The seal hadn't been tampered with, and there were no holes. Drops of emotion trailed down his cheeks and quiet sniffles as he collected himself, embracing the loneliness he was left in as he flicked the thin metal flake off his fingertips and squeezed small dollops onto his abrasions, sure to get around his ankle too. The serum was thick, had a sanitary smell, and was cooling against his burning skin, the soft gauze squeezed around his palms as he wrapped it over, tucking the edge in for some extra security.

Sad eyes ghosted over the sandwich, and another wave of nausea flooded him. He couldn't fathom eating in this situation, maybe it was the fear that sank his heart and appetite down, or maybe it was just out of spite. A weak hand grabbed the can as he looked it over, scoffing with a sour sneer "Of course…" It was his favorite, why wouldn't it of been. Swallowing down what little saliva he could muster in his mouth, dry lips pressed together as he clicked his tongue against his teeth, cracking it open and tilting it back to take that first sip - the sip turned into a chug, quick to finish off the can, the carbonation felt like it was burning it's way down his torn throat - crunching it and tossing it to the side when he was done. Shifting himself down as he sunk into the mattress on top of the messy blankets, he hugged a pillow close to his body as he stared off into the wall of photos - it was haunting, every move he had made in the past few years was under tight watch, the soda dared to make its appearance once again.

What the hell was he so worried about? Everything in his life had gone perfectly up till this moment, he was doing great in school, and he excelled in his sports - he wasn't a bad person, he had done everything right! Sure, he made a mistake here and there, but who hasn't? Self-discovery was never easy, and growing into the person you were meant to be was a journey everyone had to go through, trial and error was bound to happen… Riley squeezed the pillow a little tighter, he was tired. No, that was an understatement. He was drained, defeated. He had tried everything to fight back, but everything felt hopeless. He found himself lazily looking over each photo before sleep crept through his veins like poison, but he didn't fight it… After all, he was at his whim.

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

Freezing where he sat he felt a rush of chills go up his spine, tickling the tips of every nerve that danced along his skin, he felt his cheeks tighten with a brief panicked smile - the man's voice ringing through his head 'He's alive' he thought over and over again as he looked up from his knees, hands dropping to the sides of him to grasp at the blankets underneath him, feeling his body almost relax. "I didn't... Oh...." He released a breath he didn't know he was holding as his head tipped back, feeling his eyes water with emotion. If Shane dies, then Riley goes down with him or tears off his foot in an attempt to survive this. His head snapped as he spoke up again, but this time it was different than how he had been previously speaking to him. Emotions were rising between them. He felt his throat swell as the man pleaded for his cooperation, eyes filled with terror as he swallowed down the tears, bottom lip quivering as he shook his head slowly. Everything hurt, his head was throbbing from the shouting, a mild ringing in his ears, and his eyes puffy from the tears. "What..." He croaked out "What the hell are you talking about...?!" Riley whined as he locked in on the bleeding man, eyes following the tears that rolled down his cheek almost cleansing some splatter from his cheek but staining his shirt with dots of red in the process. He felt his lips part as his focus darted between the collage of photos and then to him "I want to go home, Shane... I want to get out of your fucking basement, and I want to go back to my own fucking home! I want you to go to jail, fucking kill yourself, anything!" He threw a hand toward him as if he were pushing the option to him. "Some fucking nobody who's been stalking me since I entered that goddamn school? Knows my every fucking move down to the way I stroke my fucking cock at night...? Of course I can't calm down, you're crazy... Like actually fucking psychotic!" He crawled forward onto his hands and knees, grabbing the bandages and ointment, throwing those with aim of his already damaged head. First, the gauze "Every goddamn minute of peace and privacy I thought I had…" And then the ointment, a deep venomous scowl twisting on his lips "… It was all tainted by you! You and your sick fucking perverted shit!" Once he had run out of things to throw, he sat back in the corner and let his hands drop into his lap in defeat, staring down at the abrasions. "You kidnapped me, Shane. That's not fucking normal."

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

The blonde's heart was racing, pounding in his ears as he got closer and closer to him, his palms grew sweaty with anticipation, his eyes quivering as they looked him over, tongue quickly darting over his bottom lips that he pulled in for the brace. Slipping out the plate from under the white cushion, Riley moved up onto his knees sucking back a deep breath as he wound it back and swung with as much force as he could muster, the flat side of the white porcelain crashing against the side of his head with a loud growl of determination, there was a crack... A thud, and then silence as he knelt above his limp body, a warm streak of blood trailed down the side of his face, the medical supplies still loosely gripped in his hands. His breath quickened as a panicked smile grew on his parted lips, stunned in the moment as blood rushed through his veins and sweat ran down his back. Knuckles grew white around the weapon "Hey..." He whispered loudly as he shifted off the bed, nudging him with the chained foot "Get up...!" He nudged him harder, or rather more a light kick. Nothing. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he wound back once more with great enthusiasm, his sweaty palms throwing the plate from his grasp, flinging it to the other side of the room, a crisp shatter sound bounced off the concrete floor, the despair left him with a cold angry expression, staring in disbelief, shaking his head slowly before tensing. "The keys....!" He wasted no time scrambling to his knees, shoving his hands inside of his front pockets first. Nothing. His heart sank into his gut. Rolling the man over, he slipped his hands into the back pockets that he couldn't get enough of the night prior. Nothing. Tears welled up in his eyes once more as he rolled him onto his back once more, grabbing onto his shoulders as he shook the man roughly "Hey!" He shouted, his voice cracking "Get up...!" Shaky hands struggled to find a pulse on his skin, raising a hand back to slap him upside the face "Where are the fucking keys! Get up, fuck!" Falling back onto the bed once more, he shook his head again, tucking his knees close to his chest as he tucked himself in the corner as best he could, drawing a deep breath before he broke out in a chain of sobs, his future was more unclear than ever at this moment, the chance that he killed them both was a card on the table, one he couldn't bring himself to look at.

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

🦋 🕷️

HE’S ALRIGHT, SOMETIMES.

bottom character belongs to @cervidaeic

[vanderbrook]

"Shane! Shane…!" He called out through snarls, holding his tender ankle tightly as he watched the man disappear before his eyes, silence filling the room for the first time since this all began. The lock slide sent chills down his spine as he swallowed down whatever spit he could muster in his mouth, lips parting in dry heaving breaths as glassy eyes stared up the stairs. Looking around the room his face twisted into a wince as his eyes darted over the photo wall every nerve tingling with disgust. A moment of clarity washed over him - halting his panicked breaths as his head turned slowly to the porcelain bowl, attention flicking to the back of the water reservoir. Everything became clear to him at that moment. Pivoting his body forward on the bed, he crawled forward, biting down as he lifted the hefty backing off with a loud echo, the subtle sounds of moving water getting louder.

Grasping the thin brick between his fingers, sweat rolled down his back as the plan rolled over in his head. It was messy, but it just might work. Hide the plate under the pillow, get him to come close - it couldn't be that hard. He seemed desperate to get close to him, and he wanted him to as well. He wasn't sure where he would go from there, but he was sure he had the keys to the lock on him, it was the only hope he could cling to that could get him out of here. A dry tongue ran over his lips in a poor attempt to wet them, the acidic burn of vomit lingered in his throat and coated the back of his teeth, it's all he could smell as he sucked in deep breaths of anxiety.

He waited for what felt like an eternity, the plush pillow laid flat over his lap, the now warm porcelain pressed against his thighs as he held it down with the weight of his forearms, sore hands fidgeting together as he anxiously awaited his return, leaning his back against the cooling wall which felt… Nice on his sore back, and soon found himself dozing off into an exhausted slumber. It didn't last long, his body jolting awake as the chain slid across the door, and that unfortunate familiar face made itself clear. Shifting himself onto his knees on the bed, the plate and pillow moving stiffly with his body Riley laid his hands on the cushion exposing his raw palms, looking up into those sad doe eyes, his face draining of colour as he felt adrenaline building up in his chest.

"Please help me, Shane. I'll… Cooperate, just… Help me."

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

This isn't real, none of this was real. Kneeling over till his forehead touched the smooth cotton sheets, he blinked out thick streams of tears that dotted the navy blue beneath him, swallowing down a thick lump that clogged his throat, his angry breath churned into jittery breaths as he loudly sobbed, half of the words going in through one ear and out the other as he grasped his head, coughing into his scattered emotion, dry heaving from his dry mauled throat. Sucking back air as his back rose and fell with fear, everything hurt, his ankle was chaffed and rubbed raw, and the ligaments that held him together felt sore from yanking and thrashing, an endless ringing bounced around in his brain from his shouting. Placing his hands on the bed as it slipped from his blonde locks, fingertips grasped at the sheet's, puffy chewed lips, quivering and shinning from the slob of his sobs, his bloodshot eyes stared at him in disbelief - he felt like he was speed running the stages of grief. Shaking his head, his lips mouthed the words 'no' repeatedly as the man rambled before him. "No... No! I'm not...? I'm not your fucking boyfriend! You're fucking sick!" He spat words of venom at him "You're a sick perverted fucking creep! And when I get out of here, first I'm going to beat the fucking shit out of you, then I'm calling the fucking cops on you! Fucking disgusting freak...!" He snarled through clenched teeth, his hands shaking, skin raw from yanking. His mind flashed to his teammates, on Saturday they would always meet up for a game, nothing serious, not for practice but for fun. They were probably wondering where he was about now, waves of nausea hit him as his mouth doubled with saliva as the overwhelming urge to vomit overcame him, rolling on to his back on the bed he rested one hand on his stomach and the other over his mouth, the sobbing filling the empty words between the two as he squeezed his eyes shut.

The subtle buzzing of a phone on the floor snapped him from the overwhelming wave of emotions, his voice falling silent as he listened to the silent sound, his head slowly turning to look Shane in his eyes - that had to be his friend's. It had to be no later than one in the afternoon, he'd been out for twelve or so hours. Brows knit together as his lips pressed together in a fine line as tears dared to flow once again, only to break out in a dry sob, his voice low and quiet, quivering with desperation "Please just let me go…"

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

His mouth remained agape as angry, wet eyes looked around at his sickening expression, his chest heaved with anxious breaths, shaking his head slowly "You... You're not my fucking boyfriend, I don't have a fucking boyfriend!" he mumbled into his palms as they slipped over his face to wipe away any tears, fingers sliding back into his hair as his nails raked across his scalp, shifting to rest his palms on to the floor, rolling on to his stomach. Swallowing down the slimy lump in his throat, the blonde shoved himself onto his feet, hands holding on to his knees as they dared to buckle under him.

Peeking through the loose strands that covered his face, shaking his head once more, a confused scowl forming deep lines of dissatisfaction on his nose and cheeks, all airways begging for air from his breakdown "You sound fucking... No, you're fucking insane, I don't even fucking know who you are!" He shouted, lunging himself and his right arm as best he could in a poor attempt to grab at him, body pivoting with the chains force, coming just feet with horrors beyond his comprehension. He felt his face drain of all colour, his voice cutting short with silent terror, pressing a loosely closed his over his mouth as he looked over months...? No, years worth of photos.

A zoomed-in photo, so blurry and shitty lay dead smack in the middle of the web - his first lacrosse game in high school. He still had black hair back then. His eyes couldn't focus, there was so much to take in - there was everything in here. Photos of him sitting in class, hanging out with friends, sneaky angles of him walking through his apartment, going on his morning jog, a few photos of him with hookups he never heard back from, there was even the odd photo of Shane sitting behind him in fast food joints or standing behind him in line, the one that stood out to him the most was a photo taken from inside of the truck. His body felt hot as beads of sweat rolled down his back, chills ripping through him in the cold room as his head slowly turned. It was him, it was always him. Taking a few steps back with hesitance till the back of his knees hit the bedframe knocking him back, the fear in his sinking heart overwhelming the pain of whacking his skull off the wall as a whimpering cry of disgust laced the tone of his voice "Y..You..." The same red truck around the corner of his apartment that he ran by every morning, the other man in the gym late at night who never seemed interested in working out, the man he cracked jokes of being the 'boogeyman' from what he chalked up to be a surreal dream, the ghostly feeling of his hand being held in the dead of night sending electricity through his arm. "I don't..." His breath quickened as his loud shouting echoed off the cold walls buried under the earth as he tugged against the chain till the delicate skin around his nailbeds began to bleed against the chaffing and rubbing of the chain tied to his fate. Coming to a halt, he looked over his shoulder with reddened puffy eyes, like a feral animal locked in a cage.

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

An exhausted, drained burble of drowsiness leaked from his throat as twitching fingers grasped at the sheets below him, heavy breaths heaving in and out from his nose as his body struggled to wake. Sucking in a hard breath as his stomach twisted and contorted sending shock waves of nausea through his system. Riley's eyes snapped open as he scrambled to get up on his hands and knees, hazy half-awake eyes staring at the familiar bed set 'I'm gonna puke... I'm gon-' those words echoed in his mind as his lips squeezed together, his cheeks filling with a thin lining of saliva, his body preparing for the worst. Eyes locking onto the toilet before him, he scrambled forward, weak hands grasping the edge of the porcelain as he hunched over - all hairs were standing on edge as his forearms dotted with goosebumps, hurling nothing but some liquid and bile that burned through him, lips parting as he groaned loudly in anxiety, hands shaking as he tightened his grip - coughing out choked sobs into the bowl, throat aching from his cries of discomfort and acid as his cheeks fell wet with tears. Reaching a weak hand up, fingers pressed down on the metal sending the green sludge down the pipes. Staring blankly into the swirling water, the gears in his mind turned - slow and rusty from the drugs as his eyes darted around the angles of the tank, down the side till it was met with a cold painted concrete floor. Lips parted as his jaw shook with disorientation "Ah..." A whimper of fear came first, feeling chills of terror run up his spine as he fell back onto the bed, scampering backward till his body was pressed against the wall. This wasn't his room, this wasn't his house. Pulling his knees into his chest, arms wrapped around his shins as he tried to recall any memories from the prior night, his train of thought disturbed by another breath, a soft snore came from a chair that looked just out of his reach. Him, it was him. His cozy appearance ignited a fire in his stomach as desperate hands reached down to feel the weight clinging to his ankle - his first attempt was to wrap his hands around the chain, exhaling a heavy breath as he loosened his weakened muscles in preparation before giving a strong pull, pupils dilated as he faced away from the light. His teeth grit together as he stifled any hard breaths. Again and again, he yanked, he pulled and tugged till the soft callouses on his hands were raw and the metals rough edges cut into the soft unscathed skin, feeling tears bring at his eyes in frustration, throwing himself with desperation off the edge of the bed as he pulled on the floor, twisting to his stomach as he jerked his knee forward, the cuff sliding and chaffing against his skin and yanking the bones protected by delicate joints. Rolling onto his back, desperate hands reached behind his knee as he wiggled, twisted, and pivoted his foot in a tragic attempt to free himself... Nothing. Hopeless. Pressing his lips together as the bottom one shook with fear and anger, smacking his head into the ground a few times in pace with an angry fist, fingers tangled into his own hair as his breath quickened in pace, fingers grasping at the root. Voice subsequently fell into a fit of angry cries, shouts, and screams as he thrashed against his restraint in one final shot at escaping, a deep scowl plastering itself on his lips as he reached forward grasping at the pillow, twisting his core to whip it at his captor "You fucking asshole!" He shouted as tears flowed with anger "I don't want to die, I don't..." He whined and squalled with a blubber of sobs "I don't want to die!" He pleaded again, his breath quickening as his volume rose "You're fucking sick! You're fucking disgusting! Sick in the fucking head, I'll fucking kill you!" He shouted at him, grasping the floor before thrashing, the sound of metal hitting concrete echoed through the room with his angry sniveling, hands moving up to hold his throbbing head, another wave of nausea daring to creep up on him again.

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

Eyes flicked down to the lingering fingertips, lips pressing into a fine line at the odd change of tone, exhaling a short breath from his nose. Something about this didn't feel right, he chalked it up to the glow and adrenaline that followed your first time, a longer sigh followed as he wrapped a mutual arm around his body pulling him in close once more as he followed in pursuit. Sitting down on the now semi-clean sheets, he set the cup down on the small nightstand. Arms rested on his knees as he stared down to the floor to better collect himself, turning his head to throw him a grateful smile, the familiar cup fitting perfectly in the nook of his hand. The cups were small, and could maybe hold a few ounces of liquid at best. Reminded him of the whisky cups he got from Walmart, not that he was big on drinking at home, they were just cheap and looked nice... He lost them about a year ago, spacing out at the glistening water wondering what happened to them. Raising his eyebrows as he shrugged off the thought, he raised the glass to his dry lips, swigging back two large gulps before wiping his mouth with his left arm, dots of water lining the soft fine hairs that wrapped around the limb, finishing it off with a smack of the lips as he pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth, his face contorting in confusion - it tasted strange, it was... Salty? No, that wasn't the right word... It was bitter, the taste numbed in his throat. Another repeated tongue smack popped in his mouth as he set the cup back on the table with a shaky hand, raising his left foot on the ball of his soles, the heel shaking left and right as he felt his heart rate increase. Looking over to Shane, he swallowed down the dry feeling that scratched his throat, eyes reflecting those of an animal caught in a trap as his mind filled with a hot, thick fog, lips parting to speak as he rose onto his feet "I... I need to go, I need..." His hands rested on his knees as his vision of the floor bounced back and forth, his head dipping down, feeling like the weight of the world rested on his back, his hands shook with fear and anger as his breath quickened, squinting as he looked up to the stranger, he winced in pain - the lights, they were so bright it burned. Exhaling with a heavy breath, a shout of frustration bubbled out of his throat "You... You did... Something..." Pushing himself upright with a shove to his thighs, he shoved an accusing finger to his face "Stay the fuck away from me... Get the fuck!-" Riley clenched his teeth together as he mustered up a weak shove, nearly tipping himself with him. Breath shook as he felt his eyes become damp with emotion, he stumbled back till his shoulders brushed the wall, hand haphazardly grasping at the door frame as his knees began to buckle under him - the door, he could see the street lights dripping through the glass of the front door, it was right there if he could just get outside, he could get away. His chest filled with lead, his knuckles whitening against the old wood of the house, an exasperated breath shook as he sucked in for what he knew could be his last few conscious breaths, dry lips parted as his grip loosened, dull blue eyes peered over his shoulder as the man melted into the background, a pathetic whimpered "Help me..." Was all he could bring himself to muster before slipping out of consciousness.

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

The breaking of silence admittedly earned a short jump from the blonde as he fixed his empty, set satisfied gaze over to Shane. Leaning his head back against the headboard he found himself looking over his features as he mindlessly chewed on his bottom lip, feeling all his muscles slowly relaxing from the heat of the moment, nodding his head before shaking it once, patting the top of Shane’s thigh before sliding himself out of the bed, one arm bending behind his head, the other stretching upwards as he squeezed his shoulder blades close together, a not so subtle groan of bliss as he embraced the warmth that flowed through his body. “Yeah, sounds great! I’m just going to go clean up a bit—“ He paused, turning to face him before pointing directly at him “You should too, cause y’know… Your ass is full of cum, just a suggestion.” He huffed out a laugh, throwing him a half-crooked smile and waving him off with a hand before he grabbed his clothing from the corner of the room, walking through the half-memorized hall till he reached the washroom, shutting the door behind him. Letting out a heavy sigh as the flood gates opened, resting his forehead against his arm as he stared at the hairs on his arm, near the end he swore he was going to shoot another liquid into him, after a quick couple shakes, he wet a small clean hand towel as he rubbed it over his bits “Hey… Not a bad one out there…” He mumbled to himself as he tossed the cloth into a small bin, stepping back into his underwear and pants, turning the sink back on to fill his hands with water, splashing it over his face to clear his skin of the salty sweat, and to refresh his mind, feeling himself wake up fully from the trance he felt creeping up on him. Hands rested on the counter as he rotated his head, flexing once in the mirror as he admired himself, a cocky move for sure but he was positive he earned it. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he turned around as he half sat on the edge of the sink, opening up his app to his most recent message — Shane. Tapping on the oh-so-familiar three dots, his thumb hovered over the button, sending his account off to the dark. Eyes flicked to the time in the top left, cheeks puffing out in a heavy breath. Yeah, too late to walk back, especially down that bar road. He chewed his lip as he thought of his car, eyes squeezing shut… Yeah, it should be okay till this morning. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he pulled on his shirt, taking one final glance in the mirror, looks like he was spending another short night in. Opening the door at the perfectly wrong time, bumping into Shane as a small splash of water hit the white cotton “Woah!” He called out, hands scrambling to catch the glass, a miracle it stayed mostly full. “Haha… Gotta watch where you’re going… Hey, so…” He cleared his throat “You cool if I stay here tonight? It’s getting late, you know how it is. If you’re up for it, could be a follow up sooner than you think?” He half jokingly suggested, shrugging at him with an inviting look in his eyes, arms crossing over one another as he leaned against the door frame, eyes flicking to the direction of the bedroom waiting for him to take the lead.

@shanes-collection

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

Toned arms draped over his shoulders loosely as he took a moment to soak in the attention, pressing their foreheads together as his lips parted - shaken breath following after the pleased sigh, pressing his lips together as he rolled his hips into Shane’s careful hand itching for more, a short laugh as he shook his head “Nah… Don’t rush it, just keep going… Just like that, just a little longer…” Eager hands slid off the back of his neck and over his chest, pressing his lips into a focused line as he felt over every ridge and curve his body had to offer.

His skin was warm and inviting, and he fit just right in his grasp - like the two were made to be together. “Squeeze it a little tighter— yeah… Just like that—“ He huffed out a heavy breath as a blind hand scampered over the sheets till his fingertips landed on a smooth plastic bottle. Placing a hand on the back of his head he pulled him into a deep kiss, Shane’s teeth knocking his lip with the force earning a shocked whimper but not letting it deter him from his mission, nipping at his bottom lip softly in response before slipping his tongue against his to get a taste of the pink muscle, whining into his mouth as they exchanged breaths, hands scampering to lower themselves, blindly squirting a thick dollop of clear lube onto his fingertips, his last two fingers edged him apart as adventurous fingers felt and poked around till he found their place. Breaking the kiss as he rested his chin on his shoulder to focus, he placed a soft kiss to the nook of his neck, mumbling into his skin a low “Alright… Deep breaths…” And with that, he slipped in the first finger, working it in and out of his body with enthusiastic care.

His hips worked forward in the same pace as his hand, easing in a second finger as he felt his body grow comfortable, his tip leaking into his palm as his breathing quickened.

With desperate touches and eager nips and kisses to his skin, never hesitating to leave him with a few marks - much like a souvenir of his presence, he pulled his fingers from his body wiping it on his thigh in a haphazardly attempt to clean his hand, his own dick aching with excitement, desperate to fill him up, he pivoted his body on his knees till he found a comfortable position behind him, one hand resting on Shane’s hip, the other resting midway up the shaft as he rubbed the clear goo over his length, rubbing the tip up and down as he felt him up over and over again. Looking to the back of his head, the hand on his hip slid up his body till it firmly pressed against his chest, pulling their bodies close together, lining up the oozing tip to his hole, exhaling a shaky breath, he closed his eyes biting down on his shoulder as he pushed inside his body at a steady pace — whimpering into his skin, the guiding hand moved around his body till his fingers wrapped around Shane’s cock, inner palm pushing on the base, forcing his hips back further on his body till the two fit together like two lost puzzle pieces, eyes cracking open in a heavy daze, his walls tingling every one of his senses. Releasing his bite with a heavy gasp, he found himself spacing out till the two adjusted to the sensation.

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

'Welcome home!' The phrase replayed in his mind once more as he let out a huff of air, closing his eyes for a moment as he took in the scent of the stranger's home - it was nice, smelled clean and visually it wasn't half bad either, not that he could judge anything here, it looked just as good as about any young adults place, a little empty in some spots but it reminded him of his own place, so that was comforting in a way. Turning to face him he kicked off his shoes by the front entrance, stepped off the small rug, and grabbed both of his hands to pull him closer to his own body, right hand reaching up to hold his face between softly calloused fingers, other resting on the bottom of his spine. As he ghosted his lips over his - expressing his eagerness the hand on his back reached over the back pocket of Shane's jeans. Couldn't say he wasn't pleased with the night so far, free drinks were a bonus that he was used to providing, so it was nice to have the favor returned to him. His eagerness was appealing, of course, there was always the pressure of being someone's first but he was sure he could deliver a good time. That isn't what he was inherently worried about, he knew what came with a first time even with the agreement of it being a mutual one-time thing, someone always wanted more out of it. Swallowing the lump in his throat as he let Shane guide him through the house till they reached his room, it was cluttered in a clean way - it felt human. On instinct, Riley shut the door behind him with his foot. With an exhilarated exhale, his hands were reaching down to grab at the bottom of his white cotton tee, pulling it up his body and over his head to expose his warm-toned skin, a small wave of goosebumps from being exposed to the air washed over him, tossing the item into a corner of the room that he would search for later before slipping out in the night, sure it would be a bit of a walk back to the bar, but he didn't mind if it meant avoiding the early morning emotions of departing from a name he would likely end up blocking. "If you want to slow down or stop, you gotta say something... Alright? I'm not a mind reader and I don't want to end up being a shit experience that gets shared at therapy or something, alright?" He huffed out a laugh "We're gonna take this nice and easy..." His hands found their rightful place on his hips, traveling up his shirt and over his body, fingertips absorbing every muscle under the peachy skin, soft lips pressed against his neck as he nestled past his two-toned locks as he dusted the skin with love, making a trail up his jaw, just under his ear before departing to pull his shirt off, tossing the green tank top in the same direction as his own clothing, pulling his body back in close, their chests pressing up against one another as their lips made contact, every move from Riley filled with a greedy sense of self-fulfillment, hands cupping his cheeks as he backed them towards the bed.

@shanes-collection

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

His eyes lit up a little at the mention of his first time, and the same smug smile returned to his lips as he leaned back crossing his arms over his chest, head nodding a few times in acknowledgment, lips pressing into a thin line before reaching out to his drink, sipping it back fast he could without gagging on the burning sensation tickling his throat. Eyes flicked down at his fidgety behavior, he didn't think much of it - really, the dude was only a year older than him, first time meeting up with someone no... First time bringing someone back home for more than just a friendly visit - he expected him to be on edge. Exhaling a heavy breath before he tipped the remainder of the liquid into his mouth, hand raising to his mouth in a loose fist as he swallowed it down, finishing with a sigh before he set the glass down on the inner side of the table as he listened to him ramble. "Yeah, yeah...Your place works fine, don't gotta explain yourself too much." Sliding out of the booth, reaching out to grab Shane's hand closest to the edge to help ease him out of his seat. Pulling him up, he found himself inches away from his face, able to feel the soft puffs of breath hit his face. Riley's hand didn't hesitate to find its rightful place on his hip, guiding them through the bar's floor, letting go of him once they reached the exit - slipping out the singular small glass panel. The cool air of the night ran over his skin, and alone could almost put him in the right mood. He was a bit giddy himself as he turned to look at Shane. He wasn't lying, his eyes were soft, nice skin, and he looked ordinary in the best way. Something about him looked vaguely familiar, but it wasn't something he could put his finger on. The city wasn't too big, it could have been anywhere! The gym, maybe he worked at the Starbucks near his house, even just passing him on his morning jog. It wasn't important to him, but it was something small that tickled the back of his mind. "Alright, lead the way..."

@shanes-collection

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

Looking over his facial expression, dark brows knit together as he focused on his half of the conversation, the gentle look in his soft brown eyes - a huff of air shoved from his nose as he shrugged his shoulders loosely, leaning back in his seat with one arm slinging over the back of the booth, fingertips playing with the polyester of the cushion, waving both hands briefly for dramatic effect "oh yeah, if there's any trouble I'm sure you'd rough them up for me, wouldn't you?" The blonde snorted before shaking his head.

"Not a weird question, I think. I don't know, you didn't put up a bitch fit or beat around the bush when I asked for a face pic, you sent first - pretty cute too…" He took another sip from the small glass, feeling the ice cube hit his nose. Setting it back down on the table, he wiped the water the ice kissed him with, letting out a short sigh. "You had some enthusiasm too, I like that in someone. Saw something you liked and went for it - look you don't have to be so nervous okay? Is this your first time meeting up with someone? Don't worry, I'm not a creep or anything!" He held up his hands in defense, throwing him a playful smile before reaching out and placing his hand over his, rubbing the back with his thumb before pulling back his hand. "Look, just so we're on the same page - I'm not looking for anything serious, though… Y'know, I'm never gonna say no if someone wants more, y'know?" He shrugged a little coy, his tone laced with confidence. "I was thinking after a few drinks we head back to my place?" He jerked his thumb behind him in the direction of where he had parked " I can drive, I don't plan on drinking too much."

@shanes-collection

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

Sitting in the driver's side of his car, he sank into the lightly cracked leather seats as his knuckles whitened around the wheel, looking at himself in the rearview window he lightly shook his wheel as he sucked in a deep breath, letting go with a smug smile as he pushed his hair back out of his face, right hand reaching over to his bag to spray himself twice - once on each shoulder, nodding once in confidence before he stepped out, locking it behind him. Looking around at the semi-busy streets of a Saturday night, blue eyes reflecting the lights of the signs as he looked around - there it was. Pulling out his phone he checked the time, and then to the app. '20 meters away - yeah he's here alright' he thought to himself. Pushing open the doors to the new bar, the sound of moderately loud music filled his ears and the dim environment was invigorating. Eyes scanned around the room till he spotted the two-toned hair sitting alone, a man with two drinks and an anxious look in his eyes - that had to be him. Looking around the room to reaffirm there was nobody here he knew, he was quick to slide to the other side of the booth with confidence, shoulders squared and a bold look on his face. Clearing his throat, his eyebrows raised as he took another audible breath. "Hey...! You're uh, you're Shane right?" he pondered, sliding the full glass towards himself, doing a brief inspection of the thin red liquid, raising it to his lips to take a sip, clearing his throat in surprise at the familiar taste "This a vodka cranberry...? These are fuckin great, man. Good taste..." He took another sip, raising the glass with a nod of praise. "So, you ever been here before? I got a little lost on the way, weird part of town."

@shanes-collection

Shane sat at the booth alone, his hands anxiously tapping at the table as he waited, picking up his phone from the table to check the time. 8:10. He set it down and glanced towards the door, still closed, no one new in the bar. Riley was supposed to be here for 8:00, he was here at 7:30 ashamedly. Panicking and leaving early once the date was set into motion, unable to contain his excitement, it had to be perfect for him. He hadn't been to this bar before, and he knew Riley hadn't either, it was more of a quiet place that you had to know, to know, but a perfect medium distance for Riley to drive to, not to far for him to offer another bar, not too close for him to know it well.

His Cranberry Vodka sat in front of him half gone already from anxiously sipping it, the minutes eating away at him waiting for him to walk through the door. He had to pace himself with the drinking, he couldn't get to many drinks in before he got here, that could ruin things, remember it has to be perfect. His hand reached into the pocket of his pants, feeling the loose pills sitting in them, running over the plan in his head, once more as his mind raced, it was finally time to actually speak to him, face to face! He almost still couldn't believe Riley agreed to meet up with him, he had been so worried he wouldn't like how he looked, or just flat out reject him, but he actually said yes! It felt like fate to him. His eyes shifted to the full glass of Cranberry Vodka in front of the booth where he would hopefully soon be sitting, close enough for him to see every little detail about him, see his individual strands of hair and even maybe smell him a little, he absolutely couldn't wait, he felt like a kid the night before Christmas, patiently waiting for his present to arrive wrapped in a neat and tidy little bow.

@vanderbrook

[vanderbrook]

VANDERCROIX

Another victorious local game meant another celebration amongst the tight-knit group of friends. They drove slowly down the rural road, the occasional street light kissing the interior with a warm glow. Loud music nearly overpowered the group shouting voices as Riley called out a light-hearted demand "Alright alright, everyone shut your mouths!" His right hand pinched the volume knob on the dash, cranking it down as a heavy sigh heaved from his lips, sinking into his seat as his eyes remained on the dotted yellow line to his left, pressing his lips together as quick eyes flicked down to the phone in his lap, one kilometer away from the new destination. "So… What is this place? I don't think I've ever been here… Sounds like some old fuckin fart bar, real cozy lookin' in there." He snorted as his fingers tapped on the cushioning that wrapped itself around the wheel, raising his eyebrows for extra emotion to follow his impertinent tone, one hand flowing over the other as he hugged the curve, his friend shoving his shoulder with a short laugh "Hey, hey… Look, I told you I knew a place, you gotta just trust me on this one. It's not a club or anything, but it's not a dive either just - give it a shot, alright?" Closing his eyes for a moment as he straightened out on the road, a soft breath of amusement slipped as his smile grew "Yeah I know, just fuckin' with you. Which one of you didn't want to drink tonight?" Curious eyes peeked in his rearview mirror as the car grew quiet, devious expressions were mirrored between the hivemind of men. The car erupted into another series of laughter, finishing with a deep sigh "Alright, we cruizin' and boozin' tonight!" An excited hand shoved back at his friend, making a sharp pull to the left as he pulled in, the group slamming the doors behind them as they walked in through the front door. Looking around at the amber glow that filled the room, moderate chatter filled the cozy space. A downward smile formed on his lips as he took in the sights and the smells, yeah… This was one of those classic bars, pretty close to what his friend described to him - didn't hate it, it just wasn't his usual go-to kind of vibe. In a way, this was a nice change of pace compared to over-the-top, loud base music that would leave him with his ears ringing by the end of their devilry. Head cranked up at the twists and turns of the horns that felt like the cherry on top, he nodded his head a few times, briefly remembering the times that his father would take him on hunting trips as a little kid.