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[braveoff]

@drake.holloway | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[braveoff]

Nope.

[ He just knows he doesn't belong here and is trying to survive and protect as many people as he can from what this world throws at them. It's holding a line, not making progress. But he grins at William's next statement. ]

You know, I've never tried using it on more than one person at a time. Maybe if I practiced more I could work up to a crowd...

[slavophile]

Calm the angry mob before they storm the Beast's castle.

( And then after that idea. )

Don't. I hear it. I'll think of a manlier example.

[braveoff]

[ Drake laughs again, not sounding insulted in the least. ]

Hey, Belle is awesome, I'll take it.

[slavophile]

Then it's - yours.

( Smiling again, he eyes the darts in Drake's hand. They do have a game to finish. )

Do you want to finish up this game and then our beers? And maybe .. find something else? The day still feels young.

[braveoff]

Right, sorry. That sounds good.

[ He got distracted; time to finish this up... William is definitely going to win this too but Drake doesn't mind, he's having a good time. He aims another dart. ]

What're you in the mood for after this? It's early.

[slavophile]

Well, I chose this. It's your turn. To choose. And to throw.

[braveoff]

Okay...

[ He throws what he still has, but clearly didn't fully absorb which are the highest point areas. At least they're landing where he's aiming! ]

[slavophile]

( They're far from done. 500's a big number, but they've had a great time and sometimes that's enough. He brings the last of their beers to him, taking a sip. )

Top five dates, by the way.

[braveoff]

But no pressure, right?

[ Drake throws the last dart and accepts his beer with a thank you, gesturing for Will to go again. ]

You've gotta remember just how out of practice I am at this.

[ Dating, not darts. ]

[slavophile]

You're in the top five. What's to pressure you?

( He steps in place when Drake steps aside and lines up. He gets three hits and, yes, beats Drake points-wise. But, he was never trying to win. )

If you feel any, don't. I'm just as out of practice.

[braveoff]

Dates can go south. What if I pick the wrong thing to do next?

[ Winning wasn't the goal here, no. ]

But top five is probably right for me, too... back when I was dating I couldn't be this honest with people. And didn't usually have this much fun. But there is something else we should talk about.

[slavophile]

More honesty. Okay. I can take it.

( He finishes off the beer in his hand, setting it down with a clink of glass against the table. )

Let's talk.

[braveoff]

[ This is the tough one. But he doesn't want to... lead on is the wrong word since he's certainly interested and they weren't monogamous, but. Drake sets his glass down, still about 1/3 full, and looks up at William.

Rip off the bandaid, man. ]

How cool are you about-- shit, it's been a long time since I had to explain this. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about this but not everyone's okay with it... I was engaged. In Hadriel. We weren't monogamous so this would be fine, but I want to make sure it's fine with you before we go out again.

I should have told you before now, I'm sorry. It's hard to talk about him.

[slavophile]

No, don't apologize for being honest.

( Mentally, he's still taken? )

How cool am I with dating someone who's engaged to someone else in another dimension?

[braveoff]

I was going to say 'open relationships' but yeah, that's more specific.

[ When he first got here, Drake would have agreed with being mentally still taken, but then he realized that even if his life wasn't in danger without it, he needed people. And he likes William a lot. If it can be more depends on his answer here. ]

[slavophile]

Uh - all I've ever probably been in, if I were honest, is, open relationships. But, this wouldn't be like those. For me. This is already more communication, real communication, than me and any ex has ever had. I - ( He finds his eyes again. ) I understand and would never get in the way of - them. Him. If you're okay with, with dating, than I am.

[braveoff]

Open to me doesn't mean shallow, William. I can care about more than one person in that way. Hell, I've loved more than one person at a time, but it's not for everyone. It wasn't for my ex, but we wound up friends again. And you can always change your mind.

[slavophile]

It's more than I've let myself have before. And I want this, to see where this is going. We're -- everything here is complicated and one thing that's not, right, is that you like me and I like you and we're on one of our top five dates. Both of us. So, let's focus on that. Thank you for telling me.

[braveoff]

[ Drake visibly relaxes, his smile returning. ]

It felt wrong not telling you, when I like you this much. I'm good focusing on that. We can just see what happens?

And I think I know where we're headed next.

[slavophile]

Let's. Let's be the people who see what happens for a change. And - let me pay our tab and we can get out of here.

[braveoff]

You're not paying all of it.

[ He leads the way over to the bar to close out -- the second pitcher was on his tab, and of course he tips very generously for them even being open right now. And this time he makes it to the door first to hold it open. ]

After you -- turn right.

[slavophile]

( He. Sees. You. Fine. He gets the next -- thing that needs to be paid for. To, not be even, but to get ahead. )

Turning. ( Maybe it's the honesty, or the beer and the half a plate of nachos, but he reached an arm around Drake's, staying close. )

Did you want to get anything else off your chest while we travel to the right?

[braveoff]

[ Good luck with that, sir!!

Drake breathes out, thinking, but honestly nothing else is jumping at him. Those were the biggies. He lets William take his arm, safely covered by his button down so they don't glow in public, and shakes his head. ]

I'm good for now. And thank you, for getting it.

[ It isn't quite sunset yet, but getting there, and Drake's headed northeast. ]

Have you been to the skypark lookout? Because that's where we're going.

[slavophile]

( Good luck with your face!!

If they were in any way exposed, he wouldn't. But, it's something he's feeling and thought. )

I haven't.

( Even since their first date, he hasn't gotten far. Outside of work and then Antarctica, he hadn't made it anywhere else. )

But, I know it. Of it. I did better research into the city. It's a good idea.

[braveoff]

[ They definitely need to explore the city more, then, and Drake's starting with sunset at the skypark because... it's gorgeous. And usually pretty empty, so they don't have to worry about contact as much. ]

You're going to love this view.

[ He leads William through the streets until they come to a long staircase up, to what might have been a raised train line once upon a time, now turned into a park. It's lush, moreso since the unchecked plant growth popped up but people have clearly been working to bring it back to its previous manicured glory. There are benches along the west-facing side, all empty right now. ]

We can just keep talking, or I can teach you the basics of poker while we wait for the sun to set.