dreamlikenewyork | "It's raining men. Hallelujah, it's raining men!"

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"It's raining men. Hallelujah, it's raining men!"

Who: Ryan Bailey, Brad Watson, Beau Watson, and Austin Shaw (posting order)
What: Gay bar superstars?
Where: No Parking, Broadway, NYC
When: Saturday night

After the inevitable round of reunion sex once Brad got home from his business trip (thanks to Pat and Aiden taking Haydee for the evening), the couple found themselves in a bit of a deep-n-meaningful about Brad's little brother, Beau. He seemed bummed because his BFF and ex-boyfriend, Liam, had hooked up and went on a date, but Brad more thought it was Beau worrying he would be left out and be lonely if Liam was distracted elsewhere. Who could blame the guy? There was a lot of extenuating circumstances and factors at play, but the bottom line was that Brad wanted to help his little brother out some. Beau wasn't a fan of bars or clubs anymore. Not after what happened to Liam a year ago. The outcome of the chat was that maybe Ryan and Brad could go along with Beau to see if he could get out there a little and meet some guys so he wasn't moping about Liam. The only thing was, Ryan literally could not remember the last time he had been into a gay bar. Very early twenties, and that felt like a lifetime ago.

Once they were inside, all Ryan could do was stand at the bar with his beer feeling like a fish out of water. There were loads of younger bodies gyrated on the dancefloor or pressed up against each other all around then. He gave his other half a sidelong glance to see if he was feeling it too, but Brad seemed to be giving Beau some sort of pep-talk, whilst Beau stood there looking around skeptically as he nursed a Cosmopolitan. The kid brushed up really nicely, though, in tight hipster jeans and a very chest-hugging shirt. There was no way he wasn't going to get at least a few bites of interest tonight. As for Ryan, he was sort of hoping he was home in front of the TV in his boxers with a bottle of wine and his husband. Was he really this young once upon a time? "I'm scared I might fracture my hip if we try to dance," he joked to Brad with a smirk before swigging his beer.

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At the end of the day, no matter what day it might be, there were four people in the world that Brad would do anything for: Haydee, Ryan, Aaron, and Beau. And despite the fact that, in his younger days, Brad had frequented bars like his... actually, even this very bar... trawling for ass, or at the very least dancing his own off and drinking until there were parts of the night he couldn't even remember. But he was definitely well past the age where he felt he could acceptably do that, so instead, he, too, was leaning against the bar once he returned from Beau's side, nursing a beer of his own. Calling out to Beau right before his brother disappeared into the crowd, Brad called out, "Knock 'em dead, baby brother!" before turning his attention to his other half. There were hundreds of young gay guys out there tonight, and Brad had joked earlier that they'd have another thing coming if the tried to bump and grind on his man. But it was all in good fun, Brad being hardly the jealous type.

Letting his free hand come out to loop around Ryan's hip, Brad pulled his man in closer, and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I know what you mean, honeybunch," he replied playfully, shaking his head at a young guy on the floor who was twerking like it was his job. "My ass used to do that," he said, raising his bottle to indicate which ass it was that he was comparing his own to. "I think if I tried it now, I'd end up in traction. But if I remember correctly, you were a damn good dancer back in the day. Especially once we got a few drinks in you. Those were the days. Now if I could just get you into a pair of jeans like Beau's wearing, we'd be in business," he added jokingly before taking a drink of his own beer. "When did we turn into old farts, babe?"

Beau managed to shoot his big brother a peeved look right before he was swallowed up into the crowd of bodies pulsating in time to the music pumping through the busy club. He immediately felt like a fish out of water... or to probably be more accurate, like a tiny little fish thrown to the sharks. He glanced around and gulped, catching sight of a lot of male bodies with various stages of flesh on show. He used to come to places like this a lot, until Liam was attacked in one very similar to this and now they kind of scared the life out of him. If something like that could happen to Liam, it could happen to anyone. Plus, it had been a hell of a week at work with his finals and moping about Liam having a date took energy too. Why couldn't he just hole up at home with some Twinkies and watch re-runs of Boy Meets World. He still had shit loads to catch up on before the movie came out, damnit. He danced a little bit to the music just so he wouldn't look like a twonk standing in the middle of the dancefloor not moving. The only thing was, he was only, whilst just about all other bodies swimming around him were humping or grinding with another body. Well, that was an awkward moment.

The thing was, he was a pretty good dancer too. He just hadn't done it in so long that he was rusty. He was worried he was looking like that chick with the braces in the film clip for Rebecca Black's 'Friday'. It's how he felt. Okay, five more minutes, and then he was out of this joint and hitting Mickey D's across the street for a Big Mac. After all, he still wasn't sure how much he could trust any of the Big Mac's under this roof. What if they were another dude like the guy who got Liam? And fuck it, this song sucked. Who even listened to shit like this anymore?

This was one of Austin's favorite clubs in the City. Not that he often met a gay bar he didn't like. The formula was usually the same. Great dance tunes, hot sweaty boys grinding on the dance floor, and decent drinks that served the purpose. If you were lucky, there was the back room... or a hotel nearby. One night, Austin had even left the place with some guy who worked for Microsoft, and that particular night, he'd gotten very, very well-laid at The Plaza Hotel. Too bad the guy had turned out to be closeted and married, but there was always tomorrow night, wasn't there? And tonight, he'd rocked up to the club in a tiny pair of shorts that left little (if anything) to the imagination (thank God the weather was warming up), and a sheer black tank top. Austin might not have been a body builder or anything, but he did work out and have a nice body to show for it... Gyms weren't just for getting numbers, after all.

Tonight's crowd were mostly regulars... A great many of whom Austin had already slept with at least once. And as much as he hated to admit it, maybe it was getting to the point where he needed to find another bar with a new crowd just for a change of scenery. But just when he was having that thought, he clapped eyes on exactly the kind of change of scenery he'd been hoping for, in skintight jeans and cute as he could be. Austin had never seen him before, which meant he probably didn't come here often, which was just fine by Austin. He'd just have to change that, wouldn't he? With a smirk on his face, he crossed over to where the guy was standing, dancing somewhat awkwardly by himself, and stopped him in his tracks. "Excuse me," he began, as if about to ask a run-of-the-mill question like where the bathroom was. "But do you work for FedEx? Because I think you have a package I need delivered to the back door."

Ryan gave a snort of a laugh and shook his head before he pointed with his beer to the twerking dude. "No ones ass should be able to do that anatomically. He's got to be fucking double-jointed or something. What would his mother think if she saw him dressed like that?" At that, he stopped, eyebrows raising as he ran over what he just said again in his head. "Holy fuck, it's official. I'm a fucking grandpa," he said wryly, reaching up to give them back of his head a scratch. He had to let the laughter run free though and he glanced at his other half somewhat suggestively. "Yeah, I used to be a regular Brian Kinney once upon a time. It feels like it was my alter-ego or something these days. In fact, didn't you pick me up in a place like this? Or did I pick you up? Fuck, I think the Alzhiemer's is kicking in."

He looked over to make sure Beau was at least still in their line of sight. They did promise they would look out for him after all. He spotted him just in time to see some twink in entirely not enough clothing approach him and Ryan gave a low whistle. "Jeez, he got bullseyed quicker than I thought. You know, we can still dance. We can pretend we know what we're doing, right? We could probably at least out-fuck most of the couples out there pulling a Swayze," he challenged, quirking a challenging eyebrow at Brad.

"Oh, mine totally did. Now it's just an old boring ass," Brad protested, turning around to glance over his shoulder at his own ass. "See? Boring old ass. I'm lucky you love me, or half the dudes on this dance floor would have your number by now. Of course, I'd answer all their calls and tell them you had crotch rot, but it's better I don't have to." That was when it hit him what his lover had just said, and he actually laughed out loud. "Hey! Don't even say that. Because that makes me think about how fast Haydee's growing up. We might be grandpas before we know it... she'll grow up and fall in love and... Dammit, no. No, I can't cry at a gay bar about how fast our three-year-old is growing up. Nope." He shook his head firmly, leaning in against Ryan's side. "I think we hung out at a place like this several times while I was still with old what's-his-name, drinking and having fun before I picked you up. And it was me who picked you up. Not my fault he wouldn't dance with me, and you had your bump and grind on like it was your job."

Brad had to grin at the guy who'd crossed over to join his little brother on the dance floor. "Ho-ly shit. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, huh? Guy's cute, though... Go for it, baby bro!" Polishing off his first beer, Brad set the empty bottle on the counter, and turned to his boyfriend. "Hell yeah, we can still dance. Let's show these young fellows how it's really done, huh?" With a grin, he took Ryan's hand and led him out onto the dance floor, before turning to wrap his arms around his neck and pull him in for a hot kiss. "Psh... I think we've still got it, hot stuff," he teased.

Beau actually looked around, assuming the guy voice was addressing somewhere nearby him and then he had to do a double-take when he finally looked at the guy. He was hot and he was... shit, was he one of the Go-Go Boys? No, no... that wouldn't work. Those sorts of dudes really weren't Beau's type. Not that he had actually isolated what his type was but he was sure it was more along the lines of Liam and less along the lines of Emmett Honeycutt. These sorts of guys got bored of people like Beau real quick, and there was no way he was going to let himself just be a random piece of ass that got tosses aside the next morning when the other cock in the equation realised what his professional schedule was like and wanted nothing to do with him. That was why he and Liam worked so well for awhile there until it just stopped working and their friendship was under threat if they kept trying to force the romance that wasn't really there. Beau still loved him, but they weren't in love with each other. And Liam was out on a date anyway, which was why Beau was even here.

That was when he realised the guy had just laid a really, really awful pick-up line on him. Either that, or he really was looking for FedEx, which would be just half Beau's luck. A roomful of hot dudes, and he gets the staffer looking for directions. He didn't even crack a smile, he just looked at the guy blandly and tugged his lips to the side. He didn't really mean to play hard to get, it just sort of accidentally happened. "Wrong address, buddy. This package is cash on delivery." He wasn't just going to be a cock slut. He had better things to do with his time.

Well, that wasn't as easy as Austin might've hoped, and as a general rule, he probably just would've moved on to the next one. But there was something about the guy's quick come back to his godawful pickup line that stopped Austin in his tracks, and he looked him up and down really quickly before giving him a nod. "My mistake. But that's really too bad. I was looking forward to getting to know you a little better." He paused again before his exacting eye for fashion caught the cut of the other guy's jeans. "Oh my God, are those Seven jeans? They're gorgeous!" It was rare to see someone actually dressed so fashionably here, which was ironic, given that it was a club full of gay men. But in general, the guys here were dressed to catch the eye of the nearest cock, not to impress with their fashion sense. Hence the fact that Austin wasn't exactly rocking couture tonight on the dance floor.

But this guy? He was dressed nicely, not like a slut at all, and maybe he wasn't here looking for the nearest cock to take a quick ride before moving on. He certainly didn't look like a cock slut. In fact, he didn't look amused in the slightest at Austin's pick up line... And it wasn't very common for Austin to get turned down, either. But maybe that was why he couldn't just walk away from this guy and move on. "Sorry... I'm Austin. First time here?"

Beau looked back at the guy analytically. Bullshit was he wanting to just get to know him. He knew how these places worked, and the guy was looking to pull. So, he really couldn't blame the guy for trying because it was pretty much unspoken law in a club like this. Whilst Beau wasn't exactly here under duress, he wasn't particularly into it either, and the thing was, he had never been much into random casual sex. Liam was more, but they chilled together when they started dating and were exclusive. It wasn't long after their break-up that the horrible shit happened to Liam. Beau never really got into the whole promiscuous scene and he would much prefer a boyfriend to be monogamous with, to do things more than just fuck with, even if that would be a lovely benefit too. He saw his older brother rocking it like a champ, and it was what he was hoping to aim for. Could be why the last place he expected to find said Holy Grail was in a bar like this.

"My name's Beau, and no... not exactly." Sure, he probably looked like a virgin to this sort of thing, but he had his fair share of times in them. It was never a scene he was content in, he just went along for the ride. "It's been awhile," he felt the need to elaborate after a moment. "And before you ask, no, I don't want to go to the back room. This room is lovely and adequate for the moment." In other words, 'I'm not here to fuck, I'm here to find the love of my life and that's going to take more than a crap pick-up line to nurture and develop'.

Once they were in the heaving ocean of bodies moving to the music all around them, and imitating some of the moves the younger dancers were doing, Ryan could almost, a little, feel like he belonged here. There were, admittedly, probably people older than him and Brad in that room because some people were just natural party people and would probably still be single and dancing in clubs until they were in their 60s. But Ryan very much wasn't single. In fact, they were pretty much every bit married, sans the rings and the piece of paper, and they had a little girl. They were a family unit, both with busy jobs, who enjoyed things like going to the zoo with their daughter or sitting on Santa's knee with her for the photo (after Ryan checked he was arthritic first, poor bastard). That was what was making him feel like they had outgrown their clubbing days and really were just here to support Beau.

Only, as he was glancing around to see how Beau was doing, he found the guy still standing in the middle of the dancefloor not dancing and giving the guy a subtle, yet noticeable bitchpls look as he listened to him. Ryan snickered and gave a nod over him Brad's baby brother's direction. "Is this how you planned it to be going?" he asked mischievously, knowing it wasn't at all. Still, he rested his hands possessively on Brad's hips and started to dance easily with him. It was fun, and an interesting way to spend their night of daddy duty. He wasn't about to make a habit of it, though. "And you're right, you did pick me up. You kept telling me I would turn into a boring douchebag nerd if I didn't get out and live a little. You and Aiden. Although, I think back in those days you called me something like a butt nugget, if I remember rightly. All that Beavis & Butthead."

It had been a long damn time since Brad had been out like this. He had to admit, his days of being young and wild in the clubs had been damn fun, but they seemed even longer ago than the decade or so that they were when he was standing there with the man he may as well have been married to in the midst of young bodies clad in far too little most of the time, and very much on the look-out for other young bodies to engage in the back room for a quick lay and move on. Brad and Ryan had well and truly become an old married couple in almost every since of the word. This wasn't their scene anymore. Not even close. But it was sure making for some hilarity in Brad's mind... being the old farts on the dance floor sticking very close to each other while everyone else was going for the gold. "Okay, I'm going to be one-hundred percent honest right now, and say I'd rather be slow dancing with you in the kitchen at home, babe," he admitted, as his fingers hooked the belt loops of Ryan's pants and he pulled him just that tiny bit closer.

Brad just shook his head. "We should've given him a sign that said, 'Not here just to pull.' But then again, if we had, nobody would've even talked to him in this joint." He shook his head and gave a little laugh. That was their Beau, though. He wasn't going to do anything he wasn't comfortable with, and Brad was proud of him for that. Since they were kids, Brad had always told both of his little brothers to respect themselves and never do anything that didn't feel right to them. But what did feel right in this particular moment was moving to the music in Ryan's arms. "Oh, yes. Yes, I did. That was one hell of a hot night, if I remember correctly. And then you had to go and leave for the army and leave a guy wondering for ten years. Not cool, babe." He shook his head. "We did watch a lot of Beavis and Butthead back in the day, but it was funny shit. At least when you were half asleep from writing a paper at the last minute, because you couldn't be fucked with it before then." He shook his head, leaning close to kiss his boyfriend. "Do you think Haydee's okay?" he asked, almost totally randomly.

Ryan tugged his lips to the side in contemplation and glanced around when Brad confessed what he was thinking. It felt like everyone in that room were younger than them, more like Beau's age bracket. But even if they weren't, they were doing a damn good job to be younger anyway. There were both sexes here, and the couples that had already hooked up were all wrapped up in each other. Once upon a time, this sort of scene was the thing you looked forward to getting to in an otherwise busy week. It was how you let your hair down and had fun, but Ryan had done a hell of a lot of growing up in the last ten years, this was all just a distance memory for him. "You know, I think once you have done something like trying to patch together bodies in a warzone or watched someone you care about die of cancer, all this shit seems too superficial. If it wasn't for Beau, I wouldn't be here," he admitted also, letting himself be pulled forward by his other half. It was moments like this, he could see them happily married, maybe adding another bundle of joy to their brood. "You know, I think even our dance moves are out of fashion."

"Or, we should have given him a safe hand signal or word if he wanted to get the hell out of here," he agreed as an afterthought, but from the looks of it, Beau was holding his own and he was moving further into the throngs of dancers with the guy who had approached him. Ryan knew Beau was an awesome dancer when he let himself be. It was just all up to him how much of his hand he wanted to let this guy see. Knowing Beau, probably nothing but the middle finger. Liam was quite the high bar he set to compare any other guys again, afterall, but it was who Beau compared everyone too, even subconsciously. "Life was really something else back then. Some days, I still wake up in sheer disbelief that I'm a daddy and this is what it all came to. For a moment there, I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to breathe again. Then there you were, in the park, coming to my rescue like some white knight. Yes. Yes, I think Haydee's fine, love. Pat's more natural with kids than I'll ever be. Aiden's just... he's special," he laughed.

It would never fail. Having Ryan with him and being close to the man he loved would always be the best thing ever for Brad. That and their little girl. It didn't matter to Brad in the slightest that he hadn't been Haydee's daddy on the day she was born. All that mattered was that he was her daddy now, just like Ryan. She was definitely their little girl, and adored both of her daddies in a very special way that nearly filled Brad's heart to bursting when he thought about it. "Same here. I just don't have time for this. My whole life... everything that makes me happy? Is in what we have together. Our family, our careers... I don't even really remember what life was like before we were together. It all seems like such a long time ago... I guess in all reality, though, it hasn't really been that long. But you're probably right. We're probably being judged by a whole team of half-naked twinks for our ancient grandpa dances."

"That would've been a good idea... I wish we'd thought of that. I guess we just have to be careful to keep an eye on him. He's only here because we promised we would. And for fuck's sake, he needs to at least get out and have a little fun. The whole thing with Liam hit Beau hard... as it would anyone who had that happen to a friend, but the kid can't just be a hermit and forget to live." Brad's eyes moved to take in all the dancers, until he found Beau again, careful just to keep an awareness of where his brother was. He would never forgive himself if something happened to Beau here. "Well, if we're being honest here, I think it was Nat who came to your rescue. I was just the random dude keeping her, Beau, and Liam company. I wonder every now and again what would've happened if we'd never met that day, but then I think about that... I don't want to think about it too much, but in the end, I think there's no way we could've missed that day. I'm pretty sure whatever Powers that Be exist, they were looking out for us then." Content with his lover's assurance that their little girl was okay -- something he knew, but still asked anyway -- Brad grinned at him and gave him a gentle kiss. "Aiden would be an amazing dad. I just don't think he knows it yet."

Ryan was doing his best to fit in here and play the part, but he couldn't help but think he had the appearance of a fish out of water, flopping around with bad dance moves. Of course, he knew he didn't really look like that. It was just a psychological response, but it was also showing him just how much he had changed in the past couple of years since he was left with Haydee in his care. With Emily falling gravely ill with cancer, Ryan didn't have a choice of how things were going to turn. It wasn't long after her diagnosis that they knew she was terminal and she was a huge part of his life. Becoming a daddy as opposed to just sperm to create Haydee was one of the best accidental things that happened in his life. The other was stumbling across Brad in Central Park that day. He had never been a fan of the whole kismet, soul mates thing in the past, until that happened. Now he truly believed that if you were meant to be with someone, they would find their way into your life by some sheer force of fate. A lot of their friends would vouch for that too. "I don't think we're such oddballs, though. We just feel it. One day, a lot of these people under this roof will be in similar positions to us right now. Family, marriage..."

He trailed off at that point, his mind falling into quiet thought on that point before he cleared his throat and nodded in Beau's general direction. "We need to help Beau find it, because the more he is here, the less this is looking like his scene too. We should have taken him to the library," he added in amusement. "I remember when Liam was still in hospital after all that. I still remember the look on your face when you heard about it. Complete horror when you realised it could have been Beau, then relief it wasn't, closely followed by guilt for Liam because you thought that. It still terrifies me knowing we have to let Haydee out in that world on her own some day." He looked at Brad wryly. "At least we can face all that together, rather than just me having a coronary and simultaneous stroke worrying about it." He gave Brad a deep kiss then, that probably making them look more part of the crowd than the dancing. He still thought committed relationship kisses were way more hot than just snogging as foreplay for casual sex.

Dancing had always been something Brad enjoyed in his younger days... He'd spent most of his college days, at least the ones where he wasn't studying until his head hurt, in bars and clubs just like this one, bumping and grinding on whatever hot bodies were in sight. But in his "old age," he'd more than settled down from that life. His idea of a fun night out was having dinner with Ryan and Haydee and playing with Haydee until the sun went down and it was time for her to go to bed. Even better was if she was sleeping well and he actually got the chance to have some adult time with his other half. Being a daddy meant that sometimes, things like that got put on hold for the sake of making sure that Haydee was okay and had everything she needed. It wasn't a sacrifice that ever bothered Brad. In fact, he really didn't see it as much of a sacrifice at all. He tended to think of it much more in terms of what he gained from being a dad, and there was nothing he could think of that outweighed that.

Brad would never in a million years forget the day they heard of Liam's attack... nor would he forget the horror that gripped his heart in the split second where it occurred to him that it could've been his baby brother just as easily. Beau was the baby brother, which in itself meant he was the one they all looked out for. But more than that, the very fact that he was alive today had been something none of them had truly expected when he was younger. His life and the fact that he was still living it was a gift that none of them took for granted, and it had made them just that little bit more protective of him. Brad and Aaron, then by default Ryan and Carmen, had all taken it upon themselves to do everything they could to keep Beau safe. Granted, that may have driven him nuts a time or two, but he knew it was because they loved him. "Poor kid looks so uncomfortable. And that twink's not giving him a break, either... I'm surprised Beau hasn't told him to fuck off yet." He gave his other half a small smile before their lips were pressed together again, and he gave a soft sigh. "You know you're making it really hard to want to hang around here much longer," he teased when they broke the kiss.

Sure Austin might have meant "know" in the biblical sense... Only not so biblical, because clearly, God wasn't so cool with fags knowing one another that particular way. Oh, well. Austin wasn't cool with God being a judgmental dick, so it really did all work out for the best, didn't it? Still, this guy was intriguing, and Austin wasn't willing to just walk away and move on at this juncture. No, he very much wanted to know the deal, win lose or draw. People generally came here to fuck and move on with their business. Not to stand on the dance floor almost dancing and turn down perfectly good looking guys all night... and Austin wasn't an asshole, but he knew he was a good looking guy.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Beau. Nice name... and appropriate, if I remember my French classes at all. Either way... Still a pleasure." Before he even got through his next line of thought, Beau was shutting him down again, and he had to admire the guy for not being like every other cock slut on the dance floor, himself included. "Okay. That's fair, although it's a very nice back room if I do say so. But who ever said you had to go to the back room to have a good time anyway?" He didn't know if this guy was purposefully playing hard to get, or if he really just was, but he intended to find the fuck out. "Well, let me ask one more thing, and if you shut me down this time, I swear I'll be on my way. Do you want to dance?"

Beau would normally have said the same thing in return, but honestly, he couldn't decide if this guy was just a douche or just so used to being catered to that he expected Beau to just fall to his knees and suck his dick without a care in the world. At the 'very nice back room' comment, Beau just wrinkled his nose slightly with a sniff and glanced away, losing interest fast. Dinner, a movie, a snuggle on a sofa, maybe a walk in the park was more his style of being schmoozed and less on the 'I have a big dick that would love to meet your ass'. He gave a slight, cynical snort. "Whoever said that needs a punch in the dick. I've managed to have a hell of a lot fun in my time before flopping my cock out like a party trick. If you really want to get my attention, honey, and keep it longer than the ten minute equivalent in a back room, you're going to have to work harder than that."

He held Austin's gaze challengingly. If he really was just on the trawl, he would move on and Beau could go home. Still, Beau gave him a smirk and then moved back a couple of steps and this time, started dancing properly. The dancing was always the one part of clubbing he loved. He had danced the night away with Liam a fuckton of times before everything changed. At least if he was here, he could have a bit of fun in the process.

While Austin very much wouldn't have minded a trip to the back room, and Beau's dick in his ass, he couldn't just walk away from the situation. This guy was gorgeous, and actually had standards, which were very much hard to come by in a place like this. Most people came in here, found the nearest halfway decent looking thing in the room, and dragged him off to the back to fuck (and quickly) so they could get back out on the dance floor. "Fair enough, darling," Austin replied with a grin. "Hey, I'm willing to work hard. I know my choice of clubbing attire hardly shows it, but I'm actually an intern with a fashion label here in the City. I busted my ass to get there, and not in the fun way. But hard work will never be something I'm afraid of. What about you, honey? What is it that you do when you're not standing on dance floors tempting poor souls and then turning them down?" The last was said lightly, with a joking air, and Austin offered Beau a playful wink to let him know that he was definitely teasing, and not being a dick.

And then Beau was taking him up on his offer of a dance, and it became clear that this guy really did know how to move his body. Which, unfortunately for Austin, made the pure thoughts even harder to come by, but then again, who was complaining about that? Still, this guy obviously wanted something more than a random fuck, and Austin was definitely willing to at least try his hand and see where that might end up taking him. Meeting his dance partner's gaze, he arched an eyebrow as he continued to move to the rhythm. "So... How about a proposition of a different kind?" he offered, waiting to see what Beau had to say. "I'm not talking about cocks and asses or anything like that... Something totally different, here."

Beau responded with sort of an amused smirk. It wasn't surprising to hear a gay guy worked in fashion. It was a favoured industry of sorts in their community. Beau liked nice clothes and bought designer where he could, but he had never been that die-hard with it. "What label?" he asked, rolling with the conversation. He had sort of a six degrees of separation connection with some well-known people in the city himself, so he was curious. At least the guy had his attention and he was making with a different route that was a lot let slutty and more... intriguing, Beau was willing to relent. "I'm an intern with the Oncology Unit at Mount Sinai. I'm heading into my final year of Med School after the fall, and I'll go right into my residency there when I'm done. I lucked out with a boss who gives a fuck and wants to help me."

He moved closer and started dancing right up against Austin, though he was still determined to keep control on things here. Dancing could be as innocent or as dirty as you made it, but it was still dancing. He had definitely done his fair share of dirty dancing with Liam in his time, so he knew how to move, and maybe he was seeing what sort moves Austin had too, or whether he was just all talk and boring action. Just because he might be searching for more, didn't mean he wanted a dud in the sack when it finally got to that point. He liked all sorts of dancing, and this was fun, but slow dancing was his favourite. "I'm listening," he replied lightly, not committing himself to anything.

At least the guy wasn't totally shutting him down or telling him to go fuck himself, and for that, Austin was grateful. And once they started talking about real life things, and not just dicks and back rooms, he actually seemed to be a bit more invested in the conversation. "Ambrosiere. I'm only an intern there, but Rian Ambrose is a genius, and she's also and extremely awesome boss. She gets me involved in things beyond just being the coffee runner. She actually asks my opinions, which is almost unheard of in an internship like this." Med school? This guy was a doctor? Dear God, the thought of him in scrubs was almost as tantalizing as seeing his ass in the jeans he was wearing right now, and that was saying something, considering that scrubs didn't exactly come in couture. "Oncology... That's doctors who treat cancer, right? Wow. That's unbelievable. It must be hard work. How do you even have time to come out to the club? I think if I worked the shifts doctors work, I'd pass out as soon as I got home. But it's good that you have a good boss. Nothing beats that. How long does a residency take?"

When Beau moved that step closer to get his Swayze on, Austin's hand came up to press against the small of his back, and he pressed his body that much closer. Granted he had a far nicer nose than Jennifer Grey, but that was beside the point. He was all up on some dirty dancing. Especially with a guy who had his attention. Easily, he moved to the music, leaving no doubt that he'd been in these clubs since looooong before he was old enough to be. "Well, you're not here looking for random sex," Austin began, explaining the whole thing from square one. "You're here because you want to meet someone... get to know someone. And ordinarily, I'm just here to get laid. But there's... something sort of refreshing about meeting someone who isn't living and breathing for the next place he gets to stick his cock... So here's my idea. What say you and me get our dance on, have a few drinks, and just club the night away tonight, and if, when we leave here, neither of us has gotten bored or moved on to the next person? You let me take you out on a real date. Where I wear actual clothes, and we have a nice dinner, maybe see a movie... Something like that. You in?"

Beau raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement. "My eldest brother is dating a guy who went to college with one of her closest friends, Aiden. Who, curiously enough, is married to one of the closest friends of my boss. New York City can be a strangely intimate small world when it wants to be." Rian Ambrose was also an outpatient with his own clinic for her six monthly post-cancer check-ups, but he wasn't about to betray doctor-patient confidentiality if this guy didn't know his boss was a survivor. Beau actually knew her and chatted to her because he had the same history. He remembered how she just understood his mindset, in a way only a fellow survivor really could. You saw the world differently to everybody else. "My residency will be three years. I kind of lucked out. My best mate will be facing five years with what he wants to get into. I've got a couple of rostered days off. They need to let us rest sometimes. My brother and his other half dragged me out here."

He was still moving to the music, but he held Austin's gaze. "No, I'm not here looking for random sex. It's never been my scene, and I've seen the downside of places like this first hand. It's skewed my comfort levels in them somewhat. I'm here because my brother thought I was moping, and he's trying to do me a favour. I actually wanted to be home bonding with my remote after a 59 hour working week. My boss' son got sick, so I covered some extra shifts for her. So, you're sort of on the right track, only now I have decide whether you're just trying to find a more appealing avenue for me to ultimately still get into my pants, or whether you are actually interested in a date and seeing how things progress."

It really was a small world after all, which was strange in a city like New York, where it was so huge you could get lost forever. But of all the things, to have the guy he'd tried to hook up with end up having a weird connection to his own boss? That was just crazy. "I know Aiden," he said in disbelief. "He's her publicist, and he's fantastic. He's also my brother's publicist. And that's been working out fantastically for him. The guy really knows his stuff." He honestly couldn't believe they had that connection. Then again, in New York City? Anything was possible. "Okay, my only medical knowledge really comes from Grey's Anatomy, and I know that's about as accurate as free internet porn. So help me out here. When you're doing your residency, are you actually a doctor, or are you still considered a student? And what is it that your friend wants to do that takes two more years?"

He had to give the guy props for not being a slut. Maybe he was one, but that didn't mean that he didn't have respect for people who wanted more out of life than a casual fuck every night with whoever they ended up with in the back room. He wasn't totally sure he could even put his finger on it, but the fact was that there was something about this guy that well and truly had his attention, and he wasn't about to let it go without figuring out what it was. He was quiet, listening to Beau as he spoke, before he had to speak up himself. "Okay. Here's the deal. If I was just trying to get into your pants and you weren't interested in random sex, I'd move on to the next guy. It's not like there aren't hundreds of guys in this place that are here for the sole purpose of a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am kind of night. I wouldn't put in that much effort if all I wanted was your dick. But I haven't been on a real date in ages. It might actually be nice. And I have a gorgeous new outfit from the summer line that hasn't even been seen yet and I really need a special occasion to wear it for."

Beau nodded and then gave a small shrug. "Aiden and his husband are godfathers to my boss' son. I mean, I don't really know him completely directly all that much beyond in passing at work, but I did learn of the links pretty early on. Tara's been my mentor right through my internship. She's one of the best Oncologists in the city and I really got lucky scoring the gig with her. It wasn't even necessarily my grades she helped select me on, it was my history and how much heart and balls she thought I had for the job. Which I'm glad of, because it turns out you need a lot of both in my industry. Who's your brother?" he asked casually. He knew Aiden had a lot of big names on his books, so he was curious. "Actually a doctor. A residency is your graduate training under the supervision of a fully licensed physician. We're sort of on an restricted license. An internship is undergrad student training. We just get fancy names for it. If they're going to let us loose on you with needles and meds, I guess they needed to make us sound somewhat important. I'm kidding. We go through a fuck load of training to even make it to internship. It's kind of like the steps you go through to get your drivers license, only longer and more expensive. To put it simply, we've done all our study, and now we're practising supervised until we finish our residency."

He had to give the guy credit for backing down on his initial determined mindset. He pressed his lips together and did give him an apologetic smile. "I'm generally too tired for random sex. It's more been wanting something worth it, or just not bothering at all. Kind of like preferring to eat a steak meal than running through the McDonalds drive-thru for a cheeseburger. Let's just say even at McDonalds, I've always preferred the McChicken. You're more than welcome to move onto the next guy if that's what you want. I'm not going to be offended. But my Quarter Pounder is off the menu tonight and other nights, until there's something more there than just a brief hook-up. You work for Ambrosiere and a date with me is the best special occasion to wear your outfit to...?" he asked a little uncertainly.

"If I start singing 'It's a Small World,' darling, I really will have to blame it on you," Austin teased lightly with a playful grin. "But seriously. All the connections are just a little weird at this point. It sounds like you've got an awesome boss to work for. I can definitely vouch for how awesome that is. Rian's amazing, too. She's great at her job, has a brilliant eye for fashion, and knows how to work with other people. She's made me feel like part of the team since day one... I'm not just the guy who makes the Starbucks run, you know? And my brother's Angel Shaw. At least to the world at large he's Angel Shaw, but to me, he's just AJ." He continued to move rhythmically to the music as Beau explained the whole medical school thing to him. "That's unbelievable. I guess it's for the best that you guys get plenty of training. People's lives and health hang on you knowing what you're doing, so it can't be a bad plan to be super cautious about it. I don't think I could handle that much school myself. I don't know how people do it, but I guess if you've got a passion for something... anything, really... it makes you a lot more willing to put in the hard yards. Med school can't be easy, though. I don't envy you that in the slightest. I was lucky that what I loved was fashion. If you've got the eye for it, that's half the battle won. The rest is just kind of details that you sort out."

Austin had to smile right back when Beau smiled at him, and he shook his head just a little. "See... I knew you were capable of that... You looked like you'd have a nice smile. I have kind of an eye for that sort of thing. And I get what you're saying about the whole waiting for something special versus having junk now. I've just always kind of been one to scratch the itch when I have it... not to wait. But here's the thing... You intrigue me. You're different to any other guy I've ever met in here. So I'm not moving on tonight unless you want me to." The next song that started was one of his favorites, and he was obviously excited about, but he still managed to keep his focus in on Beau. "I haven't worn it yet. And I'll have other opportunities, sure, but why not? We could go somewhere nice... Have a nice dinner together and chat." What the fucking hell was he doing?! He never went for a date! But this guy, dammit... this guy was something special, and he wasn't even sure he could explain why.

"And I'll have to smack you in the face and suffocate you with the nearest patent leather vest that passes us," Beau had to counter, giving a small flick of his fingers. "Your pick-up lines suck, but it would have to be two strikes and you're out if your taste in music sucks too. There not so much weird as comforting. It's a huge city, and knowing you have a network of good people around when anything can be waiting around the corner for you is just a nice feeling. I have two brothers also in the city, and their other halves are connected to some great people as well. I don't think I'd really want it any other way. I'm a New York native, but the place can still be claustrophobic or lonely at the best of times." He raised his eyebrows a little. "Your brother is damn talented. I saw his New York show back in December when he kicked off his tour here. Does that run in the family? I don't look at what I do as school or a job. It's a way of life for me, which is something I have a second chance on anyway, so I value it even more."

He gave Austin a slight side-eyded look, but another veiled smile was playing on his lips. The guy was a smooth talker, but was that all he was? It was hard to tell, and not really know much about him, it was impossible to deduce anything just yet. For all Beau knew, he was just all a bank of bad pick-up lines, smooth-talking and other moves that got him laid whenever he wanted it. When it came to romance, the might might epically suck. "See, I'm not sure if I'm just some sort of challenge for you, a step out of the norm, and you're just telling me what I want to hear. I know how guys like you work. So, you're going to have to put your money where your mouth is to make me even care whether you stay or move on, darling."

"Please don't touch me with patent leather," Austin replied with a scrunch of his nose. "There are some things worn to gay clubs that not even I can support or approve of. Which is saying something with how I'm dressed right now. I do realize that." Still, the threat was a damn good one, and Austin grinned, impressed with the sass factor. "My taste in music is actually decent... I mean, being the twin of a famous musician, I'd get disowned if I had shitty taste in music. Although, I do occasionally burst into Village People songs and get bitchglared. But I guess I can see that. You know you've got people who can be there for you in various situations. I'm a New Yorker, born and raised, too. It's just kind of always been home for me." He shrugged with a small smile. "He is. Growing up with him, he was always the one with the musical talent, and I always liked the pretty things. I mean, I can carry a tune, but I'm not a singer. That's cool, though... When you find a career that you love and are passionate about. There's something about waking up and being excited about what you're doing with your life that just makes it so much better."

Austin really couldn't blame Beau for thinking that way. He hadn't exactly come into this thing giving the other guy a "guy you take home to meet the family" vibe. Why would he think that Austin was serious about wanting to go on a date with him? To be entirely honest, even Austin wasn't sure why he was going on a date with Beau. He just wanted to, and Beau seemed like someone he could have a good time with. "Well," Austin began slowly, trying to think of a decent answer to that question that wouldn't just make him sound like some kind of dick. "I guess you can't really know for sure unless you give me a chance, can you? I've been turned down before, you know. Not often, but I have been. I don't usually hang around and ask the guy out afterward. Look, if you don't want to go out, that's fine. I understand, and I didn't exactly walk over to you with the best form to make you think I was looking for a real date. But if you think, even just a little that you might enjoy going on a date with me, I'd really like to take you on one."

Beau subtly took a glance to see where his brother and Ryan were, but it was hard to spot them in the crowd. He didn't want the guy to think he was bored, because he wasn't, but this just really wasn't a scene he had much interest in anymore and he was wondering how long he could keep up the pretence of it. Which was exactly why he wasn't sure if he should lead the guy on or not. He wasn't judgemental of people who did like this lifestyle at all. He used to be one of them once, but it was just hard to feel comfortable now knowing this is what led to Liam getting hurt. In fact, Beau had been one of the group of friends that night when it had happened, one of the guys who went into the bathroom looking for Liam when he hadn't come back and intercepted the attack. It's something he would never forget. Something that really wasn't this dude's fault, and he was just doing what he did. Probably had a lot of success in pulling this way too. At least he could have asked Ryan and Brad for some advice on how to proceed, but they were nowhere in immediate sight and he wasn't about to explain that his best friend's rape was the reason nightclubs weren't his scene, and thanks but no thanks. "Don't you know guilt by association is a bit of a myth? Just because your twin has good taste in music, doesn't mean it doesn't extend to you. Maybe you spend your whole time locked up in your room listening to Vanilla Ice and he would never know," he pointed out with a smirk. "I wouldn't say I wake up every day excited, but I don't wake up dreading it. I mean, I face most days knowing we could lose patients. But that's what it's all about. It balances out when you can give someone remission news. There's nothing quite like it."

He shrugged. "I can know for sure if it's a no," he pointed out. It was true. He could just outright tell the guy he wasn't interested to cut his losses. It was trying to decide if he wanted to jump through the next hurdle that came from this sort of thing. On one hand, he sort of needed to get back in the saddle after everything, but on the other hand, he didn't want to bother with that if the guy was going to end up just honestly being all talk and move back onto the next hard dick that's waved in his face. Bragging about not being turned down often wasn't getting Beau's motor running either. He just quirked an eyebrow at him for a moment in response to that. "Then maybe you should move on to denim dude over in the corner and save yourself the embarrassment of a tainted record, hm? I'm sure he has a huge dick you can suck in the backroom and go on your merry way knowing how awesome you are," he said with an air of bitchiness to his tone that showed he wasn't going to be any sort of fucking consolation prize because they dude next to him would hump the guy in a heartbeat. "Am I supposed to be impressed and grateful you're sacrificing yourself for me?" he added with a feigned pout, putting an overexaggerated hand on his heart. If the guy wanted to win him over, it wasn't going to work with him acting like Beau was winning some sort of prize for the guy's troubles.

Austin, to the contrary, had never not been part of this side of the nightlife. He'd more than learned his lesson about some parts of this, though. He never used drugs anymore, and he made 100% sure that every guy he fucked, there was a condom in use. He never again wanted to wake up with the sinking feeling that he wasn't sure if he'd used protection, and he certainly never wanted to have to call AJ again and ask to be picked up and go to a free clinic for testing. "Well, that may be true," Austin replied honestly. "But I promise you I don't listen to Vanilla Ice. Not even for nostalgia's sake, because that's honestly just painful." His eyes turned to glance over Beau's face, and he couldn't help smiling, too. There was seriously something special about this guy, and he wasn't sure he could put a finger on it, but fuck did he want a chance this time. "So every day, there's a chance you have to give someone the worst news of their life, or the chance you get to give them the best. Sounds to me like one hell of a gamble, babe."

"Okay, that's fair enough," Beau admitted with a shrug. He really didn't want this guy to just turn him down without giving him a chance, though. But then he had to wonder if he was the one fucking this up somehow. And when Beau spoke, it was pretty much a direct answer to that particular question, though it may have been said in a more roundabout way, and Austin put up a hand quickly to stop him. "Hey, I'm not going for trying to defend a record here," he explained. "That's not... shit, that's not what I meant. I just meant that usually, if I get turned down, I take it as it comes, and move on to the next person to try again. I get it, I'm a great big Slutty McSkankypants. And yes, I come here trawling for the next hard cock most of the time, and that's all I really concern myself with. But for whatever reason, I don't want to just walk away from you, Beau. I'm a whore, but I'm not a dog who doesn't know how to make decisions. I'm not sacrificing myself for you... That's not what I'm trying to get at at all. I just... I'm just asking for a chance, babe. That's all.'

Beau just gave a little shrug. "Most days, we do give people the worst new of their life. But the thing is, it's something I'm not desensitised to. I know what they're dealing with, and how it feels. I think that's what gives me a leg-up in the business. It might seem like a gamble, but there's nothing of a gamble about cancer. In fact, it's one of the most black and white things in life. You have it, or you don't. You don't, you should be grateful and never take your health for granted. You do, and you survive, you probably won't ever take anything for granted again. That's not just cancer, though. It's anything that knocks you out of your comfort zone and causes you pain."

His cheeks puffed out with a hint of a bored breath that he let out slowly as he listened to the guy defence. "Here's a hint. You want to proceed anywhere with me, it might be a good idea to stop reminding me how much sex you have, can get, where, and with whom," he began with a bored wave of his hand. The guy's sex life was the last thing Beau wanted to waste his time hearing about. So, he was a slut, he trawled for cock, and very rarely got turned down. So what? Was it supposed to be an epic turn-on? Because it really wasn't. He had got the message loud and clear as soon as the guy had opened his mouth, and it was labouring a point that Beau was already uncomfortable with. "Change the record, dude. Seriously. There's got to be more to you than a cock in tight pants or a mouth who likes to teabag. You're going to have to work harder, because a 'whore'," he said, curling his fingers into quotation marks, "isn't what I'm here looking for. I'm not a prude, I'm not a virgin, I've done the casual sex, even friends-with-benefits thing. Chalked it up to life experience and now I need more substance. And no, I'm not trying to change who you ultimately are, but if all you are is just a dick in leather pants, then this isn't going to work and we'd probably be better cutting our losses sooner rather than later."

Austin couldn't fully understand what that was like, because he wasn't a doctor, and had no concept of what it would feel like to give someone news that was any worse than, "Your outfit clashes, and you look horrible. Try again." But he could remember being on the waiting end, not knowing whether or not he was going to get good news. Sitting in that clinic with AJ sitting next to him feeling for all the world like he was going to be sick or drop dead from the stress. And then the relief when he was told that he didn't have HIV. He'd never forget that day as long as he lived. And when he thought about what Beau was saying... maybe it was time that he, too, start thinking a little more about how lucky he was to be in good health... and what he was doing with it. "That's... It's no wonder you're not just here looking for sex... You spend every day dealing with people who live and breathe the concept of life's too short. You don't want to waste your time on random shit when that's not what you want for the long run. That makes a lot of sense. Why should you settle for less than what you want anyway?"

Beau wasn't playing games anymore. He wasn't going to humor Austin. Which, Austin had to admit, was fair enough. Why sit there and listen to this if you weren't in the least bit interested? But the fact he was listening meant that he was giving Austin a chance to prove something... And so far, all Austin had done was to prove the exact opposite. He was a mantart, but that didn't mean that was all he was, or all he could be. And what Beau wanted was to see if that side of him existed or not, because if it didn't, there was no point in continuing any of this conversation. "Okay, no. I'm not just a cock in leather pants. And I'm capable of discussing more than just sex. It's just... been a really long time since I met a guy who wanted that. It's sort of a habit now, but that doesn't mean I can't go a different direction. This isn't all of who I am, Beau. And it's not who I want to be forever, either. Of course I want to have something more than this some day. I know a lot of these guys don't, but I do. My parents are still in love after years and years of marriage, and most people don't get that lucky. I know what that looks like, and sure, it's something that I want someday. But I just don't have... I don't have a lot of experience talking to someone like you around here. So can we maybe try again?" He paused, ever the drama queen, and backed away from Beau several steps before walking back toward him again with a friendly smile and saying, "Hi... I'm Austin. Do you want to dance?"

Edited 2013-06-01 16:19 (UTC)

Sure, that... and the fact he had nearly died from it himself, and that his best friend had been raped closely followed by a very real suicide attempt. Those things definitely weren't something Beau was just going to casually drop into a conversation on the first meeting of a guy. It wasn't that he would hide his past history of cancer by any means. If someone outright asked him about it, he would tell them. He wasn't ashamed, it could just had that hit or miss of veering a conversation into awkward moment territory. He usually liked to get a feel for someone before he shared those personal details about himself. So, he just shrugged. "Sex doesn't really do it for me unless there's something more behind it." Austin could make of that what he will. It was the truth. Beau liked a connection with someone, and it was why he and Liam could ultimately remain best friends once they realised a relationship wasn't working with them. If they just had each other there for sex, they would probably barely remember each other's names anymore.

If they were sitting at a table right now, Beau would be drumming his fingers on it with borderline disinterest. Austin had a small window and it was ready to slam shut. It wasn't his fault, not by any means. It was all Beau, and he would take complete blame for that. He hadn't wanted to be here to start with, so he wasn't open to any of this random bullshit environments like this usually invited. Austin had just drawn the short straw on who he had zeroed in on with his bad pick-up lines that probably would have worked on about twenty of the dudes surrounding them. He held up his hand and gave a small shake of his head. The pleasantries could wait for the practicalities. "Okay, first, I have a couple of questions for you. One, when was the last time you had a sexual health screening? And two, how many regular lays do you have? Because I'm not even going to let you put your hands on me unless you can answer the first with an adequate window of time. As to the second, I know a lot of people like you have dudes as fallbacks if you can't pick up. Open relationships, or whatever. If you're into that, then denim dude really is more your prospect because I don't share."

Austin looked over Beau's face quietly, even as the music thumped on around them. There was no doubt about it, the two of them were epically different, with very different ideas about relationships, dating, sex... all of the things that generally brought people to a club like this one. But the fact was, different though it may have been, there was no question that what Beau was saying was making sense to Austin. Not to say that sex didn't do it for him if it was casual, because it very much did, and had for a long time. But there was something in Austin that did wonder what it would be like to make love with someone that you truly cared about as opposed to being fucked senseless in the back of a club like this one. Granted, he'd dated once, and while it had been fun, it had been short-lived because Austin wasn't ready for anything like that, and honestly, neither had his ex been. He and Rhett remained good friends, even to this day. But they had both been a little off the mark maturity wise to ever make a relationship work between the two of them.

Beau stopped Austin in the middle of his little spiel, and asked two very serious questions right off the bat. Again, questions Austin couldn't really blame him for asking, and he thought very quickly before giving an answer on either of them. "My last sexual health screening was... last month. I try to have one every month, just for the sake of safety, and..." Well, and because of his past history with a major fuck up that could very well have ended him, but that wasn't something that Beau needed to be told about just yet, either. He was trying to land a date with the guy... not to share with him all the sordid details of his past mistakes. "I don't really do regular lays," he admitted. "I always figured if I had a boyfriend, I'd have a boyfriend, but in the meantime, I didn't want anything to get complicated by having regular sex with anybody. It's not my thing. You're either dating, or you fuck whoever you want whenever you want. I don't judge other people who have those kinds of relationships, but it's not really me."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It's raining men. Hallelujah, it's raining men!"

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Escaping the big brother's eye? LOL. Let's do it!

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