"I'm down. Wherever you wanna go. Just bar food, or something decent?" He ducks his head to murmur into Jesus' ear. "I didn't miss that you dressed up... and you promised to let me show you off."
"Take me somewhere nice, as long as they won't care if I crawl onto your lap if you get me sloppy drunk," he teases, and turns his head to kiss Drake. "You wanna show me off?"
"So literally anywhere?" Drake jokes, kissing back. But he does have a place in mind, and he nods at the question when they break apart. "As much as I'm capable of showing off at all, yeah."
"Yeah I don't know what that's supposed to look like," showing off a date. "But this is probably a good start."
Hanging on each other, kissing, sharing drinks. He finishes his off. "There's a place I saw a few nights ago about two blocks from here. Smelled good."
"It looks like whatever we're comfortable with, yeah?" He presses another kiss to the side of Jesus' head and reaches to finish the rest of his drink, ready to go whenever the other man is. "You wanna lead the way?"
The restaurant treats them better than the bar had. Jesus eats light, orders another drink, taking to heart the idea that he's safe to just be drunk for once. He doesn't crawl into Drake's lap.
That comes later, when they go to a bar with a live band and he's had another drink. His speech is just the tiniest bit slurred by now. Jesus is always affectionate but it reaches new levels the more he drinks, has him nuzzling Drake and leaning on him and, yes, finally just straddling him so he can kiss him properly while the band plays.
Drake keeps track of how much they're drinking, moderating his own intake a little more strictly than he normally might just to be certain he doesn't wind up actually drunk himself. By the time they settle on a low couch in the bar with live music, Jesus is six deep while Drake's still on his third, only gently buzzed since he had a water at the last place.
That's the point of all this, though. When he said he was down for a night out where Jesus could get as wasted as he liked but still feel safe? He meant it. Drake isn't going to let anything happen to him, and while his designation and bulk would probably be enough to keep them from being hassled, he's not taking chances. Not when Jesus is trusting him like this.
He doesn't object to the other man climbing into his lap, blocking out the already dim bar lighting and his view of the stage. Just kisses back, hands skimming up Jesus' sides in a playful caress before wrapping both arms around him. Unsurprisingly, Jesus has been an adorable drunk. Flushed and enthusiastic but not clumsy just yet? Drake kisses him back and then looks up at him with a soft, fond smile.
"No, but it's cute when you've teased me about it," Drake tells him, reaching up to cup a hand to Jesus' flushed cheek. His lips quirk up in amusement at the question. "Who's my favorite... in the band? Dunno. I've hardly taken my eyes off you all night."
It's not quite true. He's scoped out the crowd at every venue they've wandered into, but once they settle... yeah. Drake hasn't actually spared the band a second look, and hasn't felt the weight of anyone's gaze on them to need to be on guard.
"No? The drummer's got hair longer than mine. It looks good on him." He reaches up and takes his hair out of its bun. "I really like you, Drake. Since the first time I met you."
There's some curiosity in Drake's tone, but he doesn't try to peer around Jesus in his lap to see the guy in question. He's much more interested in the way that Jesus' hair falls around his face when he tugs it free of its bun. And what he says next, leaning close to be heard over the music.
"I liked you right away, too," he tells Jesus, letting his fingers slip back into the now-loose curtain of the other man's hair. Giving an affectionate little scalp scritch with his nails as he strokes through it. "You remember how I told you I just knew we'd work? And people don't usually get that?"
"When I first got here I thought, there was no way I'd ever feel safe with a Dom. Not one I was signed with. And I wanted to use that. But then I met you," a wry smile. "I just don't want to hurt you. Or get you hurt."
He's said all this before but under the influence of some very strong drinks it feels profoundly important to say it again.
"But when I started thinking about contracting with you I just wanted it. I wanted someone I could trust. Someone I could have fun with."
Drake listens and nods along, expression fond. These are things Jesus has said before, but still really comforting to hear... even if his own tipsy mind is wandering more to questions like whether or not Jesus has to fuck himself for taking his own hair down because that's the rule.
He's not feeling quite drunk or playful enough to direct the conversation there, but maybe in time. For now he just smiles warmly, his eyes hopeful.
"Are you? Having fun. I know it hasn't all been easy."
"You say that like you were a burden for me. You weren't. You lost someone; you're allowed to hurt." And there had been times he genuinely, deeply worried about Drake, but not in a while.
"This is fun. Being with you is fun. Condom shopping was even fun. And I still, actually, really miss you barebacking me. Thank you for being so understanding. Maybe tonight we can just, you know, this once, go without one."
That earns Jesus a soft laugh, though the sound of it drowned out by the music.
"You really do get reckless when you're drunk, huh?" Drake tugs Jesus in closer, bumping their foreheads together. "But I said I'd keep you safe, and that includes from decisions you might regret later."
"Yeah?" He lays a hand on Drake's cheek. "I know you will. But I really miss you coming inside me. I don't think I'd regret that. I never have before."
"Is this a test? 'Cuz I'm tempted," he admits, turning to kiss Jesus' palm. After the whole thing with Carver and Grayson it seems perfectly safe to him but they didn't discuss ditching condoms yet, so even though he misses it too... Drake shakes his head just slightly. "Tell me you still want it when you're sober and we can talk about exceptions then, okay?"
People tend not to respect Jesus's boundaries, and for a moment he's not sure what to do with someone who is even when it means doing something Drake doesn't honestly want to do. And then he kisses him, slow and drunk and earnest.
"I love you. I think I really- I think that's what's happened."
That moment where Jesus is blinking at him in stunned bewilderment has Drake a little worried, but it passes. Maybe he needed an extra minute to process that he was being turned down for his own sake, while drunk? Either way the kiss is a good sign, obviously. If it's a little sloppy Drake's not complaining, just cradling Jesus' head to keep him steady.
He definitely isn't expecting what Jesus murmurs against his lips when they break for air, though. And now it's his turn to blink back, eyes shining in the dim bar lighting while he processes something he hadn't expected to hear.
"It can sneak up on you," he replies gently, a smile tugging at his lips. "You think?"
Part of Drake wants to blame that question on Jesus' drunkenness, but the rest knows better. His expression softens, smile broadening as he tries to reassure the other man. It makes sense he would need that... almost like how Drake's been trying to downplay his own attachment the past few months.
"Of course it is." He wants to steal another kiss, but even though Jesus is drunk this is important. Maybe more important, for that? Drake lets his fingers trace down the other man's cheek, thumb caressing his bottom lip. "As long as you don't mind I love you back."
"Yeah?" He hadn't expected that, for it to be returned. In his mind it had been a lopsided offering, maybe even a burden Drake would have to be careful not to trip on. "When did that happen?"
"Maybe around the holidays? Or on that rooftop?" It's the closest answer Drake can give, and he sounds sheepish about not being sure... but that tracks with how it goes, for him. No dramatic gesture or obvious turning point, nothing major happening to change things. One day they're friends and then at some point he realizes they're more than that. Or just that they could be.
Drake exhales, almost in relief. It sort of is one -- he doesn't have to worry about seeming too attached now, right? If they're admitting this?
"I only realized it when we had that fight, and you stayed all week after. Didn't mean anything had to change, though, y'know?"
"You fell for me after we fought?" He laughs softly and steals a soft kiss. That long? He wonders how he never noticed. He realizes, even drunk, why Drake hadn't said anything, and he's grateful.
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Hanging on each other, kissing, sharing drinks. He finishes his off. "There's a place I saw a few nights ago about two blocks from here. Smelled good."
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That comes later, when they go to a bar with a live band and he's had another drink. His speech is just the tiniest bit slurred by now. Jesus is always affectionate but it reaches new levels the more he drinks, has him nuzzling Drake and leaning on him and, yes, finally just straddling him so he can kiss him properly while the band plays.
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That's the point of all this, though. When he said he was down for a night out where Jesus could get as wasted as he liked but still feel safe? He meant it. Drake isn't going to let anything happen to him, and while his designation and bulk would probably be enough to keep them from being hassled, he's not taking chances. Not when Jesus is trusting him like this.
He doesn't object to the other man climbing into his lap, blocking out the already dim bar lighting and his view of the stage. Just kisses back, hands skimming up Jesus' sides in a playful caress before wrapping both arms around him. Unsurprisingly, Jesus has been an adorable drunk. Flushed and enthusiastic but not clumsy just yet? Drake kisses him back and then looks up at him with a soft, fond smile.
"How are you feeling, babe?"
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Because he should have if he hasn't.
"I like this band." He can barely make out the lyrics, the sound quality isn't great, but he likes the atmosphere. "Who's your favorite?"
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It's not quite true. He's scoped out the crowd at every venue they've wandered into, but once they settle... yeah. Drake hasn't actually spared the band a second look, and hasn't felt the weight of anyone's gaze on them to need to be on guard.
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There's some curiosity in Drake's tone, but he doesn't try to peer around Jesus in his lap to see the guy in question. He's much more interested in the way that Jesus' hair falls around his face when he tugs it free of its bun. And what he says next, leaning close to be heard over the music.
"I liked you right away, too," he tells Jesus, letting his fingers slip back into the now-loose curtain of the other man's hair. Giving an affectionate little scalp scritch with his nails as he strokes through it. "You remember how I told you I just knew we'd work? And people don't usually get that?"
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He's said all this before but under the influence of some very strong drinks it feels profoundly important to say it again.
"But when I started thinking about contracting with you I just wanted it. I wanted someone I could trust. Someone I could have fun with."
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He's not feeling quite drunk or playful enough to direct the conversation there, but maybe in time. For now he just smiles warmly, his eyes hopeful.
"Are you? Having fun. I know it hasn't all been easy."
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"This is fun. Being with you is fun. Condom shopping was even fun. And I still, actually, really miss you barebacking me. Thank you for being so understanding. Maybe tonight we can just, you know, this once, go without one."
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"You really do get reckless when you're drunk, huh?" Drake tugs Jesus in closer, bumping their foreheads together. "But I said I'd keep you safe, and that includes from decisions you might regret later."
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People tend not to respect Jesus's boundaries, and for a moment he's not sure what to do with someone who is even when it means doing something Drake doesn't honestly want to do. And then he kisses him, slow and drunk and earnest.
"I love you. I think I really- I think that's what's happened."
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He definitely isn't expecting what Jesus murmurs against his lips when they break for air, though. And now it's his turn to blink back, eyes shining in the dim bar lighting while he processes something he hadn't expected to hear.
"It can sneak up on you," he replies gently, a smile tugging at his lips. "You think?"
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"Of course it is." He wants to steal another kiss, but even though Jesus is drunk this is important. Maybe more important, for that? Drake lets his fingers trace down the other man's cheek, thumb caressing his bottom lip. "As long as you don't mind I love you back."
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Drake exhales, almost in relief. It sort of is one -- he doesn't have to worry about seeming too attached now, right? If they're admitting this?
"I only realized it when we had that fight, and you stayed all week after. Didn't mean anything had to change, though, y'know?"
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