#i need to grab the actual quote but it was something ridiculous like tha | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

honeybeeespeaks · 4 years

Text

Room 205

gif by @pedropcl

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Part One

Word Count: 3498

Warnings: Alcohol and drug consumption, uhhh that’s it I think? Lemme know lol

Summary: Javier Peña is back in his hometown and it’s the last place he wants to be right now. Tonight he meets someone that might change his mind.

P.s. the formatting might suck cause I’m on mobile soz babes♥️

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This was, quite possibly, the last place Javier wanted to be tonight. He wasn’t the biggest fan of crowds or attention and yet here he was. At a party his old college friend Drew insisted they throw in honor of Javier’s return and success in taking down the Cali godfathers. Not to mention his new supervisory role at the Texas office. Which only meant one thing to the town. Javier Peña was back again. Drew had the decency to ask of course and Javier gave him the exact opposite of a positive response.

“No.”

Clearly that didn’t get him very far as he now stood in Drew’s living room, sipping a beer while people continuously came up to him and shared their thanks or praise. He tried to put on a good face. These were the people he grew up with after all. He was supposed to be having a good time. Right? He watched the room as others mingled with each other. It was his nature now. His guard was always a little bit up. The things he’d seen in Colombia were things out of nightmares. He’d seen a teenager get shot in the head for Christ’s sake. As much as he tried to push that image out of his head, it always came back on the bad nights. It wasn’t as bad with Cali, but there were still bodies. Javier had seen too much to come back to this life and act as if everything was normal. Like he was the same as he was before all of it. These people didn’t know him at all anymore.

His eyes stopped on a stranger in the sea of recognizable faces. He blinked a few times, squinting a bit. He knew everyone in this house. He had to know her. He looked down for a moment then up again only to meet her eye from her spot across the room. A tiny smile graced her lips after noticing how he jumped just a little bit. She kept her gaze for a few moments before moving it to the floor then back to her friend. A hand slapping down on Javier’s shoulder took his attention away from her and he let out a big breath. He had been holding his breath?

“Javi! Man it is so good to see you...” the man’s voices faded in and out of Javier’s ears. It was always the same words. “We’re all so proud of you man. You’re a hero. What you did was incredible.” His response was a broken record.

“Thank you, it’s good to see you too.” It would end there with a ‘have a good night’ unless they engaged in other conversation. Javier preferred the former.

Excusing himself and making his way to the coolers on one side of the room, he grabbed another beer and popped the top. He took a long sip before surveying the room again. Save for one or two faces, he grew up with every single one of these people. He remembered almost daily lunches with Mark and Amanda during junior year, skipping classes with Joey to get high past the football fields, breaking into the city pool with Jessica to make out and nearly being caught by the cops. He’d sprained his ankle that night hopping the fence to run. God, he was getting old.

His eyes once again found her. He made a trail down her body, clocking her little black tank top and high waisted jean shorts that hugged her in ways that made Javier stand up straighter and clear his throat. She turned her head and their eyes locked again. Shit. He looked away before she did and turned, sweeping the room for Drew. He didn’t know why it was beginning to bother him so much that he couldn’t place her. But he was determined now to know for sure. Once he spotted him, he grabbed an extra beer and made his way over. Drew turned his head to Javier as he tapped the beer bottle against his arm once. He nodded and took the beer from Javier’s hand.

“Hey....who’s that with Rosie?” He nodded his head toward Drew’s wife and the stranger across the room. “Was she a few grades below us or something?” Drew took a swig of his beer and followed Javier’s eyes.

“Oh no she showed up about a week or two ago, Rose said her name was uh...” he snapped his fingers after a moment toward Javier. “Nell. She’s a new teacher at the elementary school. Rosie invited her.”

Her name fell from Javier’s lips quietly as his eyes stayed on her for a moment. He watched as she threw her head back in laughter at something Rose said, her brunette waves falling like liquid off her shoulders.

“Hey Javi,” Drew interrupted Javier’s stare. “Don’t even try.” He laughed a little bit. “Rosie says she’s...something.” He shook his head once and took another sip of his beer. His eyebrow raised as he looked to Drew then back to Nell. Something huh?

He didn’t know how long he’d been at this house but the constant words of celebration were just about getting to him. He needed something stronger than beer, needed a cigarette, a good fuck, anything else. As he made his way toward the back door he was stopped by Drew’s hand. Fucking hell, he just needed a cigarette. Instead he was being dragged to the center of the living room where, conveniently, a group had gathered around the two of them. Drew held up his cup and shushed everybody. Oh god, here we go.

“Ladies and gentlemen! I’d like to thank you for being here tonight to celebrate our brother Javi’s homecoming.” A small cheer was let out amongst the crowd before the speech continued. Drew slung an arm around Javier’s shoulders as he spoke. The words were, no surprise, the same as they had been all night. He tried his best to not cringe when his ear caught the word ‘hero.’ He spotted Nell in the crowd and watched as she widened her eyes sarcastically with a smirk before sipping her drink. Her eyes met his for the third time that night and she hid her giggle with her hand as Drew continued to sing Javier’s praises. She shook her head lightly before sipping her drink again and moving her eyes to the ground. Javier’s mouth formed into a smile as he watched her. He was glad someone else thought this was as absolutely ridiculous as he did.

Once the crowd cheered one last time and everybody drank to Javier, he slipped out of Drew’s grip and made his way to the back door. He slid the glass door open and slipped through before closing it behind him. Nell watched him and waited a few moments before excusing herself from the group she was with and following his trail out the back door. She was met with the back of him, his arms leaning on the railing of the deck. She watched as an orange glow appeared in front of him followed by a trail of smoke floating above his head. She made sure to make her presence known by closing the sliding door a little louder than normal and he stood up straight, glancing over his shoulder. He stopped before he turned around fully to face her. She walked over to the spot next to him, leaning her back against the railing. An eyebrow was raised at her as he pulled out his pack of cigarettes and held it open to her. She shook her head lightly and he shrugged, sliding the pack into his back pocket. He turned back and rested his weight on his elbows, looking out toward the empty field behind the house. Neither of them spoke for a moment.

“This isn’t really your thing is it?” Nell spoke, gesturing vaguely toward the house. “All the attention.” A sharp chuckle escaped him before he pulled from his cigarette, exhaling toward the sky. His head dipped before he turned to look at her.

“God, it’s that obvious huh?”

“No. You’re doing pretty well actually.” she spoke with a light giggle. “I grew up with performers though so, I can tell when someone’s faking. I do have to say though, you don’t look like a hero.” He breathed out a laugh and shook his head.

“Wow, thank you. Your vote of confidence is overwhelming.” he pulled from his cigarette again. She laughed a little, shaking her head.

“That’s not what I meant. ‘Heroes’ are proud.” She used air quotes when she used the word. “You’re not proud.” Her smile had fallen but her gaze kept on his face. Almost admiring him. He stiffened slightly at her words and shot her a glance before swallowing hard. He looked back out to the empty field, taking another drag. She nodded a few times before fixing her gaze to the back of the house. Exhaling, he turned his head, letting his eyes wander down her body and back up as she leaned against the porch. He stood straight up as he put out the butt on the railing.

“Javier Peña.” he offered his hand for her to shake. Her head lazily rolled to look at him and she huffed out a short laugh.

“I know who you are, Agent.” she gave a devilish smirk before taking his hand and shaking it once. “Nell James.”

“Right..sorry..” he chuckled a little before letting her hand go. He ran his hands over his face and groaned softly. “Oh I’m getting tired of this. The shit that happened there, things I saw...things I did...” A sad chuckle escaped him as he turned and rested his elbows on the railing again. His sad smile fell and his voice reduced itself to a near whisper. “Nothing close to a cause for celebration.” She looked to the ground for a moment before turning to match his position. Her head fell back slightly and her eyes fixed themselves on the night sky. Silence fell upon them again. It wasn’t at all an awkward silence and truthfully, Javier appreciated it. Everything had been so busy, so loud for so long now. He couldn’t help but find peace in moments like these. Nell spoke softly, as if she’d disturb the universe if she spoke any louder.

“It’ll fade. The adoration, the noise. The memories...” She paused and Javier swallowed hard. “Like everything does, it’ll take time. But time isn’t the thief people think. It gives before it takes. Really, a gift.” She turned her head to look at him and gave him a soft smile before pushing off the railing. He didn’t speak, just watched her as she began down the stairs that led off the porch, into the empty field. She continued further as she met the beginning edge of the tall grass. She turned and looked at him, a playful smile laid on her lips. “You coming?”

Javier stood up straight, his mouth opening to speak before he shut it instead. He looked back toward the party then to her once more. He couldn’t help but smile at how she looked. The light from the moon illuminated the field, turning her into some kind of deity. He swallowed the rest of the beer before putting it down on the railing with a thud.

“Yeah.” he gave a nod as he followed her path down the stairs. She looked to the ground with a smile as he made his way over to her, her gaze trailing back up to the night sky as they began their trek into the field.

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“I grew up sort of everywhere.” She shrugged, looking ahead of them. “Parents were musicians, actors, dancers, jugglers...” she giggled a little bit, shaking her head. “Whatever type of performance you can think of, my parents did it for money. So we traveled my entire life. Lived in an old school bus, mom homeschooled me. Gave me my passion for teaching.” she smiled fondly at the thought, glancing down to the ground. “My parents retired when I was in my early early 20’s. Got a house and everything. I could hardly believe it. I couldn’t have a life like that yet so they let me have the bus.” she shrugged and glanced at him. Javier’s smile was warm. He watched her as she spoke, noting how her eyes lit up when talking about her childhood. They’d been walking for nearly 15 minutes and for the first time in however long Javier could remember, he hadn’t stopped smiling. “What about you? Obviously you’re from here.” her arm waved in the direction of the house. “But why come back to Texas if you wanted to get away so badly?”

“My dad.” he answered with almost no thought. “After Cali...” he shook his head and sighed. “Let’s just say I needed a break. Dad needed help on the ranch,” he shrugged. “Seemed like a good fit. Then they offered me the position in the Texas office. It saved me from being out of a job and let me have the time with my dad, so I accepted. Yours sounds like quite the life though.” he shook his head, stopping in his stride. He looked up at the stars. “How’d you end up in a place like this?”

“I like it here.” She smiled small, stopping to meet him and following his gaze to admire the sky. “It’s quiet, slow..” she let her eyes fall to his face. “The teaching thing here kind of just fell into my lap so I made my way here from a gig in Ohio.” Javier’s gaze met hers as she continued to speak. “Rosie’s been trying to get me to mingle since I got here.” She shook her head with a laugh. “Hence my presence at your lovely celebration.” she half curtsied and he chuckled, shaking his head once.

“Is it too much to tell you I’m grateful?”

“Oh not at all. Most people are.” She shot him a wink before she slipped her hand into her shorts pocket and pulled out a lighter and a joint. She held it between her lips as she lit it, pulling slowly as she slid her lighter back into her shorts. Javier stared at her with wide eyes, quickly calming as he continued to watch her. A smirk danced along his lips, his gaze flickering down her body then back up, his hands coming to rest on his hips.

“Hm, bold.” he nodded in her direction. She took a long hit then eyed him with a wicked smirk.

“Are you going to arrest me Agent Peña?” She exhaled the smoke to the side of them and raised an eyebrow before turning to walk ahead of him. He watched how her hips moved, his eyes falling to her ass. He sucked in a sharp breath at how the too short shorts shaped it. His head fell as he let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head.

“Oh christ.” he spoke under his breath, moving quickly to catch up with her. Something was an understatement to describe this girl. She made him feel like he was in his early 20s again. His heart was beating just a little too fast. He was intrigued, to say the least. She stopped walking again once he’d caught up. She took a couple of puffs, exhaling slowly toward the sky. Her eyes drifted up, locking onto the stars. They found constellations as her high settled in. Suddenly, he grabbed the joint from her hand and her head snapped toward him. Panic in her eyes until he smiled at her. “I won’t tell if you won’t.” He raised both eyebrows at her before bringing the joint to his lips, making her eyes go wide for a moment. She bit down on her bottom lip, trying to hide a smile as he pulled a long hit. He held it in for a second before he coughed, a hand coming to his knee, exhaling as ungracefully as he could. A loud giggle escaped her as he coughed a bit more, holding the joint out for her to take.

“Long time since you last got high, Agent?” she couldn’t suppress her giggle as she went to inhale again. He coughed once more and shook his head a few times slowly. He lifted his head and pointed a finger at her.

“Hush over there. Or I’ll have you arrested.” he shot her a wink that made her blush and turn away. God that was so cheesy. What effect did this man have on her?

“I would love to see you try.”

He gave her a wicked grin before he glanced down at his watch and cursed under his breath. “Fuck, It’s getting late. We oughta head back.” She nodded as she exhaled another hit she’d taken, holding the joint out for him. He laughed and shook his head. “Generous girl, but I think I should stick to one.”

“Suit yourself.” she shrugged and took another hit, letting out a small sound of satisfaction as she exhaled that made Javier’s breath hitch in his throat. He swallowed thickly, trying to make his mind go anywhere else other than to the thought of how she’d look writhing beneath him. He stood up a bit straighter, attempting to cover up the bulge that was now making itself obvious in his tight blue jeans. She eyed him as she blew smoke to the sky and couldn’t help the smirk that formed on her mouth. His eyes stayed on her as she brought a finger to her mouth. His lips parted slightly as he watched her run her tongue along the pad of her index finger. She pressed the wet digit to the joint, extinguishing the light. Her eyes met his with a cheeky grin. He blinked once and let out a breathy chuckle, trying to snap himself out of this. Shaking his head, he held out his hand toward her.

“Let’s go.” He nodded his head back toward the house. She let out a giggle that made Javier feel warm and she walked over to him, slapping his open hand playfully before beginning to walk ahead of him. He watched her as she moved ahead, a glance thrown back at him after a moment.

“Hey, you said it, let’s go old man.” She called back with a wink and laughed again as she continued to walk

“Loquita.” He shook his head and breathed with a smile before jogging to catch up with her.

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As they stepped inside, Javier let out a sigh of relief. A lot of people had left since the mini escape he’d made with Nell and people were continuing to leave. Nell had separated from him as soon as they walked inside to find Rosie. She needed to reassure her she hadn’t been taken against her own will. Nell had only known Rosie for a few weeks but she knew that’s exactly the conclusion she’d jump to. Javier gave a few more thank yous and goodbyes as people came up to him on their way out the door. He found Nell amongst the remaining party members and watched her as she now made her rounds, passing goodbyes to people she’d met throughout the night. She’d landed back with Drew and Rosie, hugs and words exchanged before he saw her turn and make her way back over to him.

“And where’s the traveler off to now?” he questioned with a sly smile. She shook her head and giggled at him.

“Just to where I keep my stuff for right now.” she rolled her eyes playfully. He went to speak but instead blinked in surprise when she grabbed his hand. She turned it over and began writing something on his palm in blue ink, earning a cheesy smile from Javier. “I don’t really sleep...and I have a feeling you don’t much either.” she shrugged when she finished writing, looking at him as she capped her pen. “If you wanna talk...or whatever. I’ll be up.” she smiled before dropping his hand. “See you around, Javier.” she gave a smile and turned away. He brought the inked hand up to his face and read the name of the motel outloud, a smile forming on his face. He looked up when he realized that was all she wrote. He moved quickly out the front door to see her getting on the bus she’d described earlier in the night.

“Nell! You never wrote what number!” he called after her, holding up his hand to show her. She turned back in surprise and a giggle escaped her, shaking her head lightly. She called back to him before closing the doors.

“Room 205!” Javier watched as the bus pulled away and he looked down at the scribble on his hand again. He let out a light laugh, shaking his head to himself.

“Okay..” he breathed. “Room 205.”

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@coredrive @stevieharrrr @pascalplease @keeper0fthestars

Feedback is always appreciated🙊♥️

#oookay here it finally is #🤗#i really really REALLY love this #i hope you do too♥️#room 205 #javier peña fanfic #javier peña x oc #javier peña fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #oc #javier peña #narcos

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thiswasinevitableid · 4 years

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70 for sternclay, nsfw please :)

70: you’re planning my best friend’s wedding which we find out the day after you drunkenly hit on me at a bar and I reject you.

“God I hope this guy isn’t a jerk.” Dani plays with her hair as Aubrey fidgets with her phone.

“Hey, if he is, you’ve got me as back-up.” Barclay pats her shoulder reassuringly, “plus, like, you two are the brides. You’re the bosses of the wedding.”

“If we really were the bosses, we wouldn’t be working with a wedding planner in the first place.” Aubrey grumbles.

There’s a knock on the door and Barclay stands, “I’ll get it, you two finish mentally bracing yourselves.”

He opens the door to find a tall, dark haired man with bright blues and a well-cut suit staring at him. Their expressions morph to shock and recognition at the same instant.

“Hi, hic, big guy, what’s your name?” The man’s blue eyes are noticeable even in the dim light of the bar.

“Barclay.” He turns on his stool, giving the man a once over that he can’t help but notice.

“You, hic, here, hic, with anyone?”

“Nope.”

“Want to, hic, be?”

The man is clearly built under his v-neck t-shirt, and Barclay would dearly love to get a closer look at his ass. Trouble is, his ass is having a hard time staying balanced in that chair.

“Sorry, blue eyes, not tonight.”

The man slinks away before Barclay can even ask if he wants him to call him a ride.

“I’m looking for Aubrey Little’s residence?”

“You found it. She and Dani are in here.” He ushers blue-eyes inside, doesn’t envy him the look of suspicion he gets from both women.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Little and Ms. Coulice, I’m Joseph Stern, and I’m here to help your wedding go off without a hitch.”

“Great. Let’s get this over with. Honey, can you go get the notes AH Dr. Harris Bonkers put that down!” Aubrey dives off the chair, grabbing a phone charger from the jaws of the ten pound white rabbit.

As one bride opens up her laptop and the other re-cages a disgruntled small mammal, Stern turns to him.

“And, um, how do you know the brides to be?”

“Dani’s been my best friend since middle school, so I’m her man of honor and helping with the wedding planning.”

“I see. Oh, thank you Ms. Coulice.”

“Dani is fine.” Dani returns to her spot in the loveseat while Stern sits down in a nearby chair with her laptop. He reads for several moments without comment, Aubrey trading worried looks wh Barclay and Dani as he does.

“Are these the specific venues you have in mind, or just examples of the type of location you’d like?”

“Mostly examples.”

“Got it. Would you mind sending me these files? That way I can have them as reference when I’m looking into possible venues.”

“You’re not gonna, like, try to talk us into the Yacht Club or something?”

Stern looks at Aubrey with a warm, polite smile, “Ms. Little--Aubrey--, your father may have retained me, but my job is to make the wedding as close to what you want as possible. I’m not here to undermine you.”

“O-kay” Aubrey still sounds wary, but she and Dani relax as Stern goes over his planning approach with them and works out a tentative schedule of meetings. When he’s done, Barclay offers to walk him to the door.

Just as he steps outside, he turns, “I, um, I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention our exchange last night to either of them. Or to Mr. Little. It’s not a habit of mine, I just had a bit too much, um, liquid courage.”

“You got it. Kinda feeling like I dodged a bullet myself.”

“Oh?” A dark eyebrow arches playfully.

“Rather not sleep with the enemy.”

“Wh-did you miss the part where I said I was here to help them?”

“Nope, but you and I both know it’s a lie. You’re here because Aubrey’s dad has a bug up his butt about this wedding causing a scandal or not being fancy enough or some bullshit, so he called you in to make sure it stays bland.” He sighs, “Look, Mr. Stern, I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but Dani is like a sister and Aubrey is one of my best friends; I’m here to make sure the wedding is actually what they want.”

Stern pinches the bridge of his nose, “is there anything I can to convince you I’m not trying to make them miserable?”

“Yeah. Quit.”

“Not a chance.” Is the immediate reply.

“Well, there’s your answer then.” With that, he shuts the door. There’s a frustrated huff on the other side, and then footsteps fading away.

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Stern sighs, checks his appearance in the front window as he waits for Dani or Aubrey to open the door. He’s been working with them two weeks now, and while both women (and Dr Harris Bonkers) have warmed up to him some, Barclay remains polite but distant the times they’ve crossed paths. Lord almighty Stern can’t believe he almost slept with him.

Yes, the man looks like his wet dreams made flesh and yes, Stern would like to ride him like a show-horse, but what a nightmare it would have made this whole assignment. Even if Barclay’s reasons insult him, he’s glad they’ve settled on keeping their distance.

Maybe this more casual look will help the other man see he’s not some stuffed suit out to ruin his friend’s wedding.

“Oh, you’re early.” Barclay opens the door with his usual pleasant but cool expression.

“No, I’m not. It’s three.”

“Wait, shit really?” Barclay pulls out his phone as they walk inside, “damn, I must’ve lost track of time when I was cooking. Oh. Uh.” He looks at Stern, apologetic, “and I have a text from Aubrey saying she and Dani had a change of plans and won’t be here until seven.”

“That’s not great, but it’s workable. I can leave and come back.”

“Don’t you live kinda far--uh, huh, she says for us to just test out the menu together and leave her and Dani some for dinner.”

“I guess we can manage tha--why are there ingredients and pots everywhere?”

“Because...I’m…Cooking?” Barclay glances sideways at him.

“What happened to the entire conversation about caterers? When did they change? What’s-”

“Hold on.” Barclay raises one hand, voice calm and deep, soothing over Stern’s rising worries like waves over hot skin, “think you’re mixed up; we’re trying out the food for the rehearsal dinner today. The one I’m cooking. Not the reception.”

“Oh thank the lord.” Stern slumps forward on the counter, “I thought I was about to have a whole day of calling disgruntled employees to tell them to nevermind about a quote.”

“Nope. Now have a seat, look like you’re gonna pass out on Dani’s floor. You want something to drink? We got water, beer, iced tea…”

“Water’s fine, thank you.” He tracks Barclay through the kitchen as he retrieves a glass from an upper cabinet, shirt riding up to show a patch of a dark, fuzzy belly that Stern instantly wants to feel pressed against him as it’s owner pins him to the nearest flat surface.

Cooking seems to relax the other man enough that he actually chats with Stern, rather than keeping their conversation focused on the wedding. Stern learns he’s a personal chef and cookbook editor, though his original background was in baking.

“Okay man, I gotta know” Barclay stirs something cardamom scented over the stove, “what’s with the shirt?”

“It’s from the radio station that first broadcast the story of the Michigan Dogman.”

“The what?”

“The Michigan Dogman, it’s a cryptid, um, nevermind” he curses himself for choosing casual clothes, “it’s niche and nerdy, you don’t want to hear about it.”

“Wrong, now you gotta tell me everything.” Barclay grins at him over his shoulder.

So he does, gradually at first in case Barclay regrets pushing this geekery button and needs to change the conversation, but the other man simply listens, really listens, as he cooks while Stern talks about his journey to the radio station and his talk with the DJ who accidentally started a legend.

They keep talking as they eat, swapping travel stories and book recommendations, Barclay laughing when Stern shares some of the more ridiculous requests he’s gotten while working as a wedding planner.

When Aubrey and Dani arrive home, they take one look at him and Barclay, stopped mid-anecdote and smiling at each other, and trade a surprised glance.

All Stern can think is you and me both.

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The planning goes more smoothly after that night, Barclay beginning to trust Stern more and more. Stern also learns that he trusts Barclay’s judgement , and the other man is invaluable in helping him narrow down options to present to the brides, both of whom are overall pleased with his work.

He’s particularly proud of his find for the wedding venue. The Madonna Inn is perfect, brightly colored and fancy but still just a bit kitschy, like the locations Dani originally showed him. Both brides were overjoyed, which is why all four of them came down for the weekend to make preparations and start scoping out vendors for the food and flowers. Dani and Aubrey went back up to the city Sunday night, but he and Barclay are staying at the inn the rest of the week, Stern in hopes of having everything scheduled and coordinated and Barclay there in case he needs a second set of eyes (he’s working on a new cookbook and his clients are traveling, so taking the week down the coast is no trouble).

Today has been a work day, but Stern is taking tomorrow off basically because no one has time to meet with him. So after a late afternoon spent lounging on the beach, the two of them go out for a leisurely dinner. On a whim, Stern lets Barclay select and order his meal for him. He doesn’t mean for it to be flirtatious at first, he just trusts Barclay’s culinary instincts and is tired of making decisions. But one look at Barclay’s face, his widening pupils and sudden blush, tell Stern all he needs to know.

“You gonna be good and eat whatever I give you?” Barclay murmurs, so low he’s almost inaudible under the clank of silverware and hum of conversation.

“Of course.” Stern puts on his sweetest smile, shores up his defenses against the self-doubt curling up his spine. He’s not fast enough, and so orders another cocktail.

Halfway through the meal, he notices Barclay watching him, and another piece clicks into place; the cook keeps eyeing his lips and throat as he eats, often shifts in his chair if Stern makes a delighted noise after a bite. When dessert comes, the accidental sounds are replaced by deliberate ones and he luxuriates as he eats his tiramisu, licking the fork to be sure not a drop of cream is wasted.

Barclay asks for the check, and two more slices of cake to-go, without ever taking his eyes off of Stern. He’s feeling confident, and a bit wobbly, as Barclay drives them back to the Inn, taking the larger man’s hand and pulling him towards one of the beds before he can even get the lights on.

A large, gentle hand on his shoulder, “no can do, blue eyes.”

“But I, hic, we, hic-” the world goes sideways as Baclay unlinks their hands.

“Go get some sleep, Joe.”

He changes while Barclay’s in the bathroom, huddles under the covers and faces the window so the other man can’t see him burning top to bottom with shame.

Things get worse in the morning; he’s awoken by a phone call saying the florist has an open slot to meet with him in an hour and so he throws on the nearest nice clothes and dashes out the door. That meeting is followed by a phone call from Mr. Little who is none to pleased with the location choice and Stern spends forty-five minutes convincing him that the Inn is perfectly tasteful and also it’s what the brides want and that counts for a great deal wouldn’t you agree?

His nerves are firing full-strength when he gets back to the room. Barclay, freshly showered and clothed, looks up at him from the bed where he’s thumbing through Cooks Illustrated, reading glasses perched on his nose.

“Rough morning?”

“ Yes.”

He shuts the magazine “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“No.”

“Do you wanna talk about last night?”

“Also no.”

“Well, I do.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. You simply aren’t interested in me that way and I’ve made an ass of myself twice by misreading the situation.”

“You’re wrong. You’re my type, blue eyes-”

“Clearly not, since-”

“-When you’re sober.” Barclay sits all the way up, “which is why I wanna know why you only flirt with me when you’re so drunk neither of us can try anything.”

“Because...because approaching people like that makes me nervous. I’m already under enough stress as it, running block for Aubrey and Dani against Mr. Little without getting myself fired, and the thought of trying to flirt, it’s, everything starts going wrong, it will all go wrong and-” the panic is back, his composure leaving him and taking whatever respect Barclay had for him with it.

“Joe, breathe.”

“Breathing is not the issue here!”

Barclay stands, face calm, and walks over to him. Instead of stepping in front of him, he circles behind, and a hand rests at the base of Stern’s neck.

“Let’s try that again. Inhale, blue eyes, a nice long one.”

Stern complies, Barclay’s voice carrying no threats but leaving no room for protest.

“Breathe out, count to four while you do.”

Stern exhales, nerves diverting energy from panic to desire, Barclays fingers on his skin and dominant baritone in his ear.

“Good boy. Do it again.”

Stern takes another deep breath, then another, over and over as Barclay leads him to the bed and slips off his jacket, followed by his shoes and socks.

“That’s it Joe, you’re doing so good.” He sits beside him on the bed, stroking his hair and Stern follows his touch, “what do you need? What helps when this happens?”

“Something to, to focus on, until I calm down. Just not work related or too complicated.”

“Hmmm” a thumb brushes over his lips, then down his chin, “I got a few things in mind, but they’re pretty damn dirty. Should we try something else?”

“No, please, I, I want that, want, want to be good for you like that.”

“Okay blue eyes, we can do that. You gotta promise me you’ll say ‘stop’ if something doesn’t feel good, okay?”

He nods, heart shaking his ribs, and Barclay leans and kisses him once, tenderly, before laying back on the bed, hands resting beneath his head.

“Get my dick out, yeah, there we go, good boy, I want you to use your mouth, can you, OH, ohhhhyeah.” His cock bumps Stern’s cheek as his hips tilt, a response to Stern lapping teasingly at the base. He drags his tongue all the way up the shaft, takes the head into his mouth, doing his damndest to lock eyes with Barclay the whole time.

“Babe, fuck, that’s it, oh fuck you look good like that, knew you’d look good with my dick in your mouth, been thinking about it since that first night.”

Stern whimpers, hungry for more and pushes his head down. Having Barclay’s cock in his mouth forces him to keep his breathing measured, and so he savors it, senses filling with salt and skin and lingering hints of soap.

“That’s it babe, nice and slow, we got all day. Long as I get to cum sometime before noon I’m happy.”

Stern rolls his tongue over the tip as he pulls off, switches to kisses and licks as he slowly jerks him off. Occasionally he skates up, nudging Barclay’s shirt with his nose--his hands uninterested in leaving his cock--so he can leave deep, longing kisses across his stomach and hips. Every movement elicits a groan or a sigh, every kiss and suck earns him praise. It’s only when his hands are slick with pre-cum and his own saliva that Barclay bucks his hips more intently, growling when Stern takes him back into his mouth.

“Shit you’re good at this, not, fuck, not surprised, look like you would be, like all you need is for me to take care of you and you’ll open that fucking perfect mouth whenever I ask FUCK, oh you like that, don’t you babe? Fuck, shit, like the idea of taking what I give you?”

He whines, rubbing his thighs together as Barclay’s cock bumps the back of his mouth.

“You got three seconds to decide how you wanna take this.”

Stern locks eyes with him again, and dips down the barest bit more. Barclay’s hands tangle in his hair as he groans “good boy” and cums, bitter and warm, down Stern’s throat.

His hands flop onto the bed, allowing Stern to sit up.

“Did...was I good?”

“So fucking good.” Barclay thwacks a hand dramatically onto his forehead to wipe it, “do you want to keep going? Or do you want to stop?”

“I want” Stern presses his hand against his cock, as if this will help rather than make him wetter, “please, can we keep going?”

“Yeah” Barclay sits up, kisses each cheek, “pants and underwear off, leave the shirt and tie.”

By the time Stern is appropriately undressed, Barclay is back on the bed with the to-go box and a plastic fork. He reclines on the pillows, box on his upper chest, “come straddle me, knees about here” he pats the bed near his waist. Stern scoots up into position, Barclay licking his lips as he does.

“Good boy. Now, you’re gonna show me how you get off, so I can know just what to do tonight to make you cry into the mattress.”

“Fuck.” Stern gasps, fingers already rapidly stroking his dick.

“Mmmm, look at how slick you are. Think that deserves a reward.” He spears a piece of cake, “open.”

Stern opens his mouth, leaning forward so Barclay can more easily feed him.

“You do like being spoiled. I can work with that.” Barclay rumbles, pleased, when Sterns fingers work frantically after a second bite.

“Please, Barclay, I want to kiss you, please say I can kiss you.”

“Not until you finish.”

“The, the cake or myself.”

“Yourself, blue eyes.”

He’s panting now, sweat soaking through his shirt, and slowing his hand and hips to take the bites Barclay offers. When he cums it doubles him over, and as he’s bracing his hands on the headboard, trying not to collapse on his partner, Barclay moves everything aside and cups his face, gently guiding him down to kiss him. They stay like that as Stern slowly explores his mouth, tastes leftover cake and laughs when a coppery beard scratches his neck. And when he begins to drop, breath shallow and fingers shaking, Barclay rolls them onto their sides, holds him close. Tells him over and over that he’s proud of him, that he did so well, that he’s right here and he’ll take care of him, give him whatever he wants.

“Honestly, breakfast sounds better than anything else right now.” Stern mumbles against his chest.

“I’ll order us some. You still need me to dom you, or are you ready to start calling the shots again?”

“I don’t call all the shots.”

“Just most of ‘em. Don’t tell anyone, but I kinda like that about you. You’re good at what you do.” Barclay kisses his forehead.

“I...I think I’d like to rinse off while you order breakfast.”

Barclay offers one more kiss before they roll out of bed, has Stern’s robe waiting for him when he gets out of the shower and brings him the room service tray as soon as it’s delivered. They lounge together on Stern’s bed, watching the Inn come to life as the afternoon draws near. From here, they can even see the spot where their friends will get married.

“The ceremony is gonna be perfect.”

“As perfect as I can manage, yes.”

“You got a date for it yet?”

“No.”

“You want one?” Barclay smiles at him, the sunlight making him look as if he stepped out of a daydream and into Stern’s bed.

“Depends; would that date be you?”

“Yep.” Barclay kisses his shoulder.

“Well then,” Stern grins, tips his chin up for a coffee-flavored kiss, “there’s your answer.’

#meet ugly #sternclay #agent stern/barclay #prompt fills

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gwydionae · 6 years

Text

How to Break Paultin Seppa in One Storm or Less

(...this is ridiculously long. It is an actual, literal essay. If anyone somehow reads all of this then cheers! Critique and discussion welcome - I am running on so little sleep right now, I’m only kinda sure this all makes sense. XD)

"I honestly have no idea what guides you or spurs you." - Evelyn to Paultin, ep 93

I find Paultin to be a very intriguing character. He is a man who chooses his words carefully and prefers to show his true colors through his actions. But episode 93 brought out a side we really hadn’t seen before, and suddenly those carefully chosen words were a lot more revealing than they’ve ever been for those willing to really think about them and compare them to some of his more recent actions. In the past, he had a very self-centered attitude. It’s not that he didn’t care about anyone else at all, but his own self worth was simply far more important. But over the course of the campaign, that has been changing, and that couldn’t have been more evident than in episode 93. So just what is guiding our drunken bard’s actions of late, how has Evelyn not noticed, and why should all of this be a point of concern?

Quote A: "It wasn't about [the mandolin]. It's about something now... I'm not even sure if... that's even the right decision anymore." - Paultin to Evelyn, ep 93

The above quote is very cryptic. Paultin is vague, clearly not wanting to bare his soul completely, and instead of answering Evelyn’s question about what it means, he avoids it in favor of offering up a confession about how he finds he can’t bring himself to leave the Crew. This is something Evelyn is glad to hear, and thus she is distracted and the point gets dropped. But I think the answer can be found in the episode itself, and it ties directly into his current mindset and motivations.

There is a specific confession that he makes to Evelyn that I’m going to use as the foundation of most everything I’m going to bring up, and that is where he tells Evelyn at the end of the episode that he "felt like [he] was ready to get rid of the last reminiscing pains of [his] past and embrace what felt like a new family." His use of the word “family” here is what is most important. He has barely used the term “friends” to describe the Crew up to this point, and suddenly we hear him use a much more intimate descriptor. To consider a group of people you have no blood relations to as your “family” would imply a very close bond. He may not be able to put his finger on why, but these are people he wants to be around, and his actions of late do reflect that.

The obvious example is the sacrificing of the mandolin. He tells us exactly why he thought it was time to part with it in plain language, something he doesn’t do often. But it makes sense that he would spell this out specifically as Evelyn seemed really hung up on it. She couldn’t see it for what it really was: a way for him to continue on with his new family. Yes, it was a way of cutting ties with his past, but as he said in Quote A, it wasn’t about the mandolin and what it represented. It was about keeping all of them safe, because you can’t keep traveling with people if you’re all dead. That is his current motivation: keeping him and his party safe.

But then what does the second half of Quote A mean? He gave up his mandolin to protect everyone, but now he is regretting it. Why? The obvious assumption is that he’s upset because it was wasted, an unnecessary sacrifice since Diath and Strix ultimately offered up the bomb anyway. But I think it goes beyond that, and a very specific incident during the storm highlights this perfectly.

When Strix first goes overboard and Paultin is the only one free from his bonds on the ship, he instantly uses Locate Creature on her as if he had a plan. But when he hears she is about 500 feet away and underwater, Nate freezes. If I had to guess, I’d think he was maybe planning to use Animate Object on the rope to reach down and grab her, but that’s way too far for that. So he scans over his list of abilities and spells… and he comes up with nothing. He can’t think of a way that Paultin can save Strix given the circumstances. And so he has Evelyn break out of her ropes. Why?

Because she can fly.

Paultin can’t get to Strix as he is now, but just hours earlier he had a mandolin that he could use to cast Fly on himself. But he gave that up. And now instead of being able to protect a member of his new family, he has to endanger Evelyn as well. If his motivation is to keep everyone safe, this goes directly against that. But what about when he tells her he’s “not one to throw [his] life away?” Am I maybe overthinking this and he simply doesn’t want to risk his own life?

I believe there is solid evidence to support that this is not the case. In episode 86, when only he and Diath were left alive or conscious, he took it upon himself to fly up and face the balhannoth alone. In 87, when they stumbled across who they thought was Acerarak, he charged ahead of Diath and Strix, even offering to shadow him with Mislead while the others waited behind until he had a better idea of what was going on. In 90, he turns invisible when guards come down on them, but rather than using it to escape, he breaks it once he is aware of the situation in order to try and talk with their accuser to get his party members free and ultimately gets himself captured as well.

There is even a situation just prior to Strix falling overboard in 93 that, when viewed through Paultin’s relatively newfound protector instincts, comes across much differently than what actually happened in game. When she got free of her ropes to cast Counterspell, Nate wanted to use Animate Object. The assumption was that he was going to do it to free himself, but what if his plan was to use it on Strix’s ropes? This would keep her tethered and safe while still allowing her to cast a spell he thought could save all of them. It would also explain his reluctance toward using Dimension Door, a lower level spell and one he has a lot more familiarity with. And note that when he did use Dimension Door, he transported himself directly next to her, and when the wave came, Nate was upset because he was “going to do something,” and I don’t think it was a celebratory high five. I think he wanted to, now that his hands were free, tie them both down. It’s why he popped up directly next to her, so he could save them both at the same time. This is all speculation on my part, but considering that we now know he thinks of them as family and wants to protect them even if he has to risk his own safety, it makes sense.

So getting back to Quote A, I think we have found our answer: he was questioning whether sacrificing the mandolin was the right decision because even though it could have saved them at the time, that meant he didn’t have it when he needed it. If he had held on to it, he could have left Evelyn tied up on the ship while he flew out to find and save Strix. One less person would have been put in harm’s way, and as we know, Evelyn was the one who ultimately took the biggest beating and even fell unconscious. She was saved, but what if those merfolk hadn’t shown up? No doubt Evelyn rather excitedly recounted her tale to all of them once they were safe; just think about how this news would affect Paultin, knowing that he was the one who put her in that situation because he had ditched his mandolin mere hours earlier.

The one who had told her to stop rushing into things and dying all the time had sent her “into the fire” to die because he had gotten rid of the tool that could have prevented it.

It’s honestly no wonder Paultin seemed so depressed by the end of the episode. He had talked a big game, acted like he had all the answers, and then by jumping to conclusions - Counterspelling the giants - and being “self-righteous” - not trusting Evelyn to handle the dragon turtle and discarding his mandolin - he had nearly gotten them all killed. He is not solely to blame, of course, but the juxtaposition of what he had just scolded everyone else for and his own actions is not something I think went unnoticed by him.

Quote B: “Why are you even here to begin with?” - Evelyn to Paultin, ep 93

And this is where Evelyn directly comes into play. Her asking Quote B to Paultin, while very harsh, is not entirely unwarranted. If you think about the examples I gave that prove that Paultin’s current motivations are keeping everyone safe, these either occur after this question was asked (their talk at the end of 93) or while Evelyn was dead (86, 87, and 90) or simply due to her not being privy to Paultin’s thought process (during the storm in 93). Think of a lot of the interactions she has had with Paultin recently, though.

In episode 92, he claims that he wants to give up the mandolin because he doesn’t want to die, and he offers it in a very agitated and angry way. It doesn’t seem like it’s something he wants to do. Earlier in that same episode, when he found her after being attacked in the bathhouse, he didn’t even bother to ask what happened or if she was ok, just bluntly telling her to make it outside as soon as she could. In 84 after being freed from the ring’s control, he completely ignored her, and the first words he says to any of his party are an accusing “what did you do” to Strix. And in 73, she asks him why he decided to come with them in the first place, and he says that it was “a coin toss” and that “unknown seemed more interesting than boring.” Add on top of that his disappearing acts in 69 and 65 and “Grung high” during the Yabanug fight in 68 (due to Nate’s absence, but still notable) when the Crew could have really used his help, and Evelyn does have a lot of evidence pointing toward Paultin not really caring about anyone but himself. And you don’t need to travel with a party that gets you killed if that’s what you care about, hence her question.

There is one big problem with Quote B, though, and that’s the discussion Evelyn had with Paultin in the Shadowfell in episode 85. During the conversation, Paultin openly admitted that he never “really felt like a contributing fourth,” but when he saw the Ring of Winter, his thoughts were, “That’s it! That’s how I can contribute. That’s how I can become the fourth piece.” In the end he realizes he had made a mistake, but the point is that he openly admitted to wanting to help the Crew. A truly selfish person wouldn’t do that. They would have wanted the ring for its power and not felt guilty about it nearly backfiring on him. But instead he not only openly admits he was wrong, he apologizes and says that he wants to make it up to them. For Paultin who keeps feelings and emotions so close to his chest, this is akin to holding up a bright, neon sign that flashes “I CARE ABOUT ALL OF YOU.”

But Evelyn doesn’t pick up on any of this. She is too focused on her own problem to read between the lines and realize that he is admitting that he cares about the rest of the party. To be fair, Paultin had brushed off what he had overheard her praying about right before this, and it was clearly weighing on her. My speculation would be that it was a topic he simply wasn’t ready to discuss openly yet, but that still doesn’t mean that Evelyn would be ok just ignoring it. So I don’t blame her for being so single-minded in this instance. But the point is that Paultin had already given her - and her alone - solid, verbal evidence that he is sticking around because he cares, and still she is the one to ask him Quote B. He knows that Evelyn listened, but she hadn’t actually heard a word he said.

After Diath apologizes for not listening to him during the bomb incident in episode 92, Paultin says “you listen to me” to Simon, but it’s possible he could be thinking of instances such as the above mentioned scene with Evelyn as well. Whether that’s true or not, it’s clear he wants to be heard and taken seriously. But even after his harsh warning about jumping into things at the beginning of 93, when the storm hits, Strix still instantly puts herself in harm’s way by Misty Stepping out of her ropes. All you have to do is watch and listen to Nate’s reaction to this - a long, loud sigh - to know what he’s thinking: she didn’t hear a word he said earlier about not being reckless. Nothing has changed. Still no one is listening.

But then he messes up. His plan is flawed and puts everyone in danger as was discussed above. And how does he react to this? By not saying a word for six days. Why should they listen to him when he makes the same mistakes he calls them out on, after all. Combine that with Paultin’s motivation of wanting to keep everyone safe, the fact that he scolded everyone else and then fell prey to his own words, and Evelyn - the only one he had opened up to about why he wanted the Ring of Winter - questioning why he was still with them, and it’s not hard to see why he’s choosing to stay silent by the end of 93.

But there is still one more thing weighing him down, and it’s directly addressed in Quote C:

Quote C: "The problem is, none of you are survivors. And it's getting - it's so much. It's getting to be way too much." - Paultin to the Crew, ep 93

What, exactly, does he mean when he says they aren’t “survivors?” Strix has proven that she could survive by herself for fifty years, so it can’t be “survivors” in the sense of “someone who can survive on their own.” But think about what he says before and after this:

“...I’m really just getting so sick of everyone just being, like, ‘No, me! No, me! Let me do it!’ It’s like - this is why every other day we borderline die.”

“There’s other ways to solve problems than just, like, ‘Oh, let me jump into the fire!’”

“You say, like, “Oh, I care about ma friends [...]” and yet you’re still just like, ‘Oh, well, ya know, I’ll still just go and get myself killed.’”

This is what Paultin means by them not being “survivors” - they don’t care about themselves. Diath, Strix, and Evelyn all want to keep everyone else safe, but they aren’t selfish enough to care about what happens to them, to care if they themselves survive. This is what he means when he tells Evelyn to “stop thinking about yourself by thinking about yourself.” He is saying that she should stop thinking so much about what she wants and think a bit more about her own well-being. This is his very cryptic way of giving her a similar message to what Zaress gave her in the afterlife: it’s ok to be a little selfish. He’s not referring to things like wanting power like he did with the ring, he is simply saying that they shouldn’t be so quick to throw their lives away.

Paultin wants to keep his party safe, including himself. He has proven this. This is his current motivation. But the rest of the Crew are different. They are only concerned with keeping everyone in the party aside from themselves safe. And as evidenced by his emotional blow up over the issue in 93, this is what is ultimately starting to push Paultin to his breaking point. While three of his friends are working to keep three people safe, he is the only one protecting all four. And that is a big job with a lot of responsibility - responsibility he, frankly, is not fully equipped to bear, and I think he knows this. He is trying so hard, but as we saw during the storm, doing that by himself proved only that he knows no other way to do that than by mimicking the ones around him whose self-destructive behavior he disapproves of so much. And it leaves him questioning his actions (“Maybe I should have just held onto [the mandolin].”), his motives (“I'm not even sure if... that's even the right decision anymore.”), and his future (“I can’t bring myself to leave, and I don’t know how to feel about that.”).

This is what he means by “it’s getting to be way too much.” The pressure and anxiety was already getting to him before the storm, and everything that happened in 93 only made it worse. He admitted before the storm that their constant self-sacrificing was “a toxicity [he didn’t] want in [his] life,” and the events during said storm only proved that he couldn’t handle it nor, apparently, change their mind about the issue. If he was being pushed to an uncharacteristic emotional reaction before the storm, just think of how hard all of this must have hit him afterwards.

Everyone risking their lives recklessly. His words constantly falling on deaf ears. Not listening to his own advice and putting everyone in danger as a result.

Completely failing in every way, in his every attempt, to do what he cares about most: protect his new family.

This is his current motivation. This is what has been driving him for a while now. And in one day, everything - short of dying - that could beat that down from all possible angles and leave him broken and defeated did so. Everything is likely beyond “too much” at this point, and if he weren’t currently stuck on a boat, I think there’s every possibility that someone like Paultin who isn’t used to caring about anyone but himself could step away. For someone like him, the easiest way to make it not hurt so much is to remove that “toxicity” from his life. With most things, he copes by drinking until he is numb to such feelings, and as he’s “drinking more than usual,” that is obviously the route he is currently trying to go to deal with everything. But if that doesn’t seem to be working for him and nothing else changes in regards to the issue before they reach Waterdeep, it is entirely possible the Crew could find themselves one person short. Maybe this is why it takes Paultin so long to respond when at the very end of their conversation Evelyn says that she’s glad he hasn’t left yet. Maybe he knows that such an option is more on the table than it’s been in a very long time.

Now, this is, first and foremost, a D&D show put on for entertainment. We have seen in the past that both Chris and the cast are willing to bend a few things to make sure that the cast member’s characters don’t stay separated for very long - Anna’s recent separation ties with Nate’s stint in Ravenloft in season 1 at about five episodes for each before they are reunited - so there is a very real possibility that no matter what happens, Paultin’s not going anywhere, and if he does, it wouldn’t be for long. But speaking strictly from a character perspective, Paultin leaving a group that he’s constantly watching be reckless and die without being able to help them overcome that wouldn’t surprise me. I love that his concern for his friends - his family - is what is currently guiding him. Now I can only hope that the rest of the characters come to realize that and see the negative effect their unnecessarily self-sacrificing actions are having on one of their own before it’s too late.

#dice camera action #waffle crew #paultin seppa #wafflecrew #i had a lot of thoughts ok #now to sleep...#i'm so tired you guys #gwy writes a literal essay

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