[ Buck isn't wrong assuming Drake doesn't live alone -- very few people do here, especially since the city decreed that contract partners were required to live together at least half the time. That 'we' wasn't referring to either of his subs, though. Drake closes the lid of the grill and motions for Buck to come on up, and when he steps forward to meet him there's a dog with sleek black fur at his heels. ]
Hey. I've got more to do in the kitchen, come on in. You want a drink?
[ Buck's face lights up at the sight of the dog. It's a puppy, how could he not!? He immediately crouches down, letting the dog sniff his proffered hand.
He smiles up at Drake as he does. ] Yeah, sure, that sounds great. I can help, too! I'm good in the kitchen.
[ Sable has never known a human who wasn't friend shaped, and absolutely knows a greeting pose. Even her head is wiggling from the force of her wagging tail as she nudges under Buck's hand to be petted. She'll tag along with them back inside, of course. ]
I get the feeling someone would be upset if I made you work... [ Yes, he means the dog, grinning at them as he opens the fridge. ] Beer, soda, tea? Coffee if you want but I don't think that'll really go.
[ A good patting and some scritches behind her ears is exactly what that earns her, as Buck is grinning brightly at her, muttering about what a good girl she is all the way. ]
Anything is fine. I'll have a beer if you are having one with me. [ Buck's grin is turned on Drake. Drinking alone is sad, even when in company. ] I'll just have you cook for me then if you are insisting. [ Have a wink for good measure, Drake. ]
Yeah, I've got this -- we keep the ladies happy in this house.
[ Drake pops the caps on two bottles hands one to Buck, still trying to figure out if his guest is just Like This or if he actually wants more to happen than survival tips and maybe tattoo talk over dinner.
There's just a little more prep he needs to do before tossing things on the grill, which is fine since the coals aren't ready yet. ]
So we were talking housing... there's a solid loophole for staying out of it while you're uncontracted, if you're the friendly type.
Always a good call. [ He turns back towards the dog, giving her one more set of cuddles and pettings because she deserves his unshared attention, before he stands again, taking the proffered bottle and looking at Drake with gratitude.
Buck is here without expectations - expectations imply that he thinks he deserves anything and he knows that he doesn't, so ... But he is easy and fun and he likes to talk to people and get to know them and flirt a little at the very least, especially since he thinks Dranke is very interesting already. ]
I think I am the friendly type but ... well, I don't want to ... [ His face scrunches up for a second before he relaxes again. ] Well, I don't want to whore myself out just to stay somewhere nice for a few nights. [ He doesn't know if that is what it take but ... why would anyone offer him a place to stay if they didn't get anything out of it? ]
I meant literally making friends and couch hopping, actually. You can offer normal favors if you want? Probably the only upside about how much this society ignores consent is that LIERs tend to insist on it ourselves. Most of us, anyway.
[ Drake's knife pauses its steady slicing as he reaches for his beer, giving himself a moment to consider his words carefully. ]
Oh. [ The syllable falls from Buck's lips, embarrassing and far too loud.
It's not that he has had any bad experiences, that he had been forced into anything other than what he was comfortable with. But if it wasn't that, what was it?
Buck takes a big gulp of his own beer, to pass the time, to cover up the fact that he has no idea what to say to it.
Then Drake utters that question and Buck's mind? Is just blank. ]
I-uh, I guess, just because ... it is sex city here, isn't it? [ He did the normal things anyway, cleaning up and cooking and taking care of someone else. It's his way of sliding into someone's space and staying there, even if just for a short while.
In most cases, with people he'd met before here, they were flirting with him. On the finder for example but elsewhere, too. So if they didn't get him that way ... then why would they let him stick around? ]
I ... I don't know. [ And rather than look at Drake, Buck focuses on peeling the label off his bottle with his nails. They are too short for this kinda thing, so it's hard, which is good because it takes longer. ]
I didn't mean- Nobody has ever suggested that to me. It's just ... they could. I mean, how different is it to have sex with someone at their place and then they offer to let you stay over for a few days? That is ... that isn't taking advantage or anything, is it?
[ This so isn't a conversation he should have with someone who he wanted to become friends with. Right? He can already see Drake come to regret to invite him over in the first place and shoo him out after dinner.
He tries really hard not to think of Eloise who ... well, she has let him stay over for a few days after they first had sex. It was really kind of her to ask him to come over, to make him feel better about himself and his body, in the first place, so ... it was just kind of her to let him stay, wasn't it? Even if ... well, they had sex a few more times during his stay, so much so that a part of him - one he worked so hard to drone out - wished she'd just let him stay forever. ]
So you ... what you offer people to stay over once in a while? And that's what the room is for? [ He doesn't mean to sound this surprised, really, but he can't help himself either. ]
The order of things kinda matters there, but if payment isn't part of the crash space offer I wouldn't assume it's expected. Not here, anyway. We've gotta look out for each other.
[ The spare room wasn't meant for occasional guests, no. Potential guests are why the living room couch is convertible... Drake does hesitate slightly on that answer, before just dodging it. ]
One of us offers it often enough that I'm glad I got a three bedroom, yeah. Can you get the door?
[ Buck doesn't really know what to say to that, since ... yeah, that is what he had been trying to do. Look out for himself and others, offer help where and when he can. And he enjoys to be someone that people need, even if it's just for a short while, even if it's just to sate their own needs. It's at least something. He doesn't even notice that Drake doesn't reply to his question ultimately, his head too full for that.
When Drake asks him to get the door, Buck immediately springs to attention. ]
Of course, yeah! [ And he just does as he has been asks, getting the door for the other man. ]
[ With Buck holding the door it's easy for Drake to carry the prepped trays outside, setting them down beside the grill and opening its lid to check if it's at a good temperature. After nudging the coals around a little he seems to approve, and starts arranging items over the flames. ]
Do you have a sponsor for work yet? Since you're not contracted.
[ Buck still feels rather awkward not having helped with the prep work at all. He likes to cook, loves to help prepare dinner for the rest of the fire station back home more than anything. It's something he knows he's good at and that tends to make people happy. ]
Oh, uh, yeah. I mean, there is this guy I am working for, Ed, who owns a huge bar and I am working in the kitchen there. He's a Dominant so if he says it's okay, it is. [ That is what he understood at least and he is counting on it being the truth. ] And then I help Eloise with, well, random stuff to do for her printing business. She's a Dominant, too.
Do you, uhm, do you maybe need help at your tattoo place?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
buck;
[ Buck isn't wrong assuming Drake doesn't live alone -- very few people do here, especially since the city decreed that contract partners were required to live together at least half the time. That 'we' wasn't referring to either of his subs, though. Drake closes the lid of the grill and motions for Buck to come on up, and when he steps forward to meet him there's a dog with sleek black fur at his heels. ]
Hey. I've got more to do in the kitchen, come on in. You want a drink?
no subject
He smiles up at Drake as he does. ] Yeah, sure, that sounds great. I can help, too! I'm good in the kitchen.
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I get the feeling someone would be upset if I made you work... [ Yes, he means the dog, grinning at them as he opens the fridge. ] Beer, soda, tea? Coffee if you want but I don't think that'll really go.
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Anything is fine. I'll have a beer if you are having one with me. [ Buck's grin is turned on Drake. Drinking alone is sad, even when in company. ] I'll just have you cook for me then if you are insisting. [ Have a wink for good measure, Drake. ]
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[ Drake pops the caps on two bottles hands one to Buck, still trying to figure out if his guest is just Like This or if he actually wants more to happen than survival tips and maybe tattoo talk over dinner.
There's just a little more prep he needs to do before tossing things on the grill, which is fine since the coals aren't ready yet. ]
So we were talking housing... there's a solid loophole for staying out of it while you're uncontracted, if you're the friendly type.
no subject
Buck is here without expectations - expectations imply that he thinks he deserves anything and he knows that he doesn't, so ... But he is easy and fun and he likes to talk to people and get to know them and flirt a little at the very least, especially since he thinks Dranke is very interesting already. ]
I think I am the friendly type but ... well, I don't want to ... [ His face scrunches up for a second before he relaxes again. ] Well, I don't want to whore myself out just to stay somewhere nice for a few nights. [ He doesn't know if that is what it take but ... why would anyone offer him a place to stay if they didn't get anything out of it? ]
no subject
[ Drake's knife pauses its steady slicing as he reaches for his beer, giving himself a moment to consider his words carefully. ]
Any reason you jumped right to that?
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It's not that he has had any bad experiences, that he had been forced into anything other than what he was comfortable with. But if it wasn't that, what was it?
Buck takes a big gulp of his own beer, to pass the time, to cover up the fact that he has no idea what to say to it.
Then Drake utters that question and Buck's mind? Is just blank. ]
I-uh, I guess, just because ... it is sex city here, isn't it? [ He did the normal things anyway, cleaning up and cooking and taking care of someone else. It's his way of sliding into someone's space and staying there, even if just for a short while.
In most cases, with people he'd met before here, they were flirting with him. On the finder for example but elsewhere, too. So if they didn't get him that way ... then why would they let him stick around? ]
I ... I don't know. [ And rather than look at Drake, Buck focuses on peeling the label off his bottle with his nails. They are too short for this kinda thing, so it's hard, which is good because it takes longer. ]
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[ He finishes slicing the veggies and moves on to seasoning, giving them his full visual attention since it sounds like Buck is uncomfortable. ]
We've got a spare room that's just a spare room, for the record.
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[ This so isn't a conversation he should have with someone who he wanted to become friends with. Right? He can already see Drake come to regret to invite him over in the first place and shoo him out after dinner.
He tries really hard not to think of Eloise who ... well, she has let him stay over for a few days after they first had sex. It was really kind of her to ask him to come over, to make him feel better about himself and his body, in the first place, so ... it was just kind of her to let him stay, wasn't it? Even if ... well, they had sex a few more times during his stay, so much so that a part of him - one he worked so hard to drone out - wished she'd just let him stay forever. ]
So you ... what you offer people to stay over once in a while? And that's what the room is for? [ He doesn't mean to sound this surprised, really, but he can't help himself either. ]
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[ The spare room wasn't meant for occasional guests, no. Potential guests are why the living room couch is convertible... Drake does hesitate slightly on that answer, before just dodging it. ]
One of us offers it often enough that I'm glad I got a three bedroom, yeah. Can you get the door?
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When Drake asks him to get the door, Buck immediately springs to attention. ]
Of course, yeah! [ And he just does as he has been asks, getting the door for the other man. ]
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Do you have a sponsor for work yet? Since you're not contracted.
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Oh, uh, yeah. I mean, there is this guy I am working for, Ed, who owns a huge bar and I am working in the kitchen there. He's a Dominant so if he says it's okay, it is. [ That is what he understood at least and he is counting on it being the truth. ] And then I help Eloise with, well, random stuff to do for her printing business. She's a Dominant, too.
Do you, uhm, do you maybe need help at your tattoo place?
no subject
I absolutely do, especially if you're an artist. You sure you have time for three jobs, though? And you can't spend what you're making yourself yet.