forallyoucare | (no subject)

(no subject)

JC wasn’t sure when the voices started. They popped up here or there in his childhood, usually egging him on to do something dangerous. His mum use to say that he was playing with an imaginary friend, but the voice was never a solid thing to run down to the corner shop with or to throw sticks in the river with when the other boys in the neighborhood thought he was too weird or creepy to hang around with. The voice never stuck around either so JC couldn’t exactly blame it. And he sounded mad when he did.

After a rather detrimental and insistent period in his teenage years, culminating in one very big adventure that nearly gave his parents a heart attack when the voice demanded that he go all the way to the city for a few days without telling anyone, it disappeared for a long, long time.

But that sweet, familiar persistence came back again one afternoon where they were just leaving a coffee house after a small after-concert rally with the Twelve, or while he was showing Andrew a cat video that one of their online supporters tweeted him, or when he was by himself in the woods looking up at the sun through the sky-- He didn’t know when it started but it was back again and it was itching at his skull like sand stuck behind his eyes.

All he knew was that they needed to start reaching more people. Facebook and Twitter were fine. Tumblr worked. The new Youtube channel seemed to be doing all right but the coffee shops in small towns around their home base? The venues were just too small. They needed to travel, together. All of them.

That’s when he went to Judas with his idea. Err…the voice’s idea. “What if we rented and RV and traveled? We could book gigs everywhere!”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Judas' expression changed to a deadpan one. "You can't be seriously thinking that Peter won't take this as a date. Don't be that kind of fucking dick. If you want to drive him off, tell him a lie, the truth, whatever, but otherwise you're gonna lead him on. I've seen this kind of crush before and that's exactly what you're after. Otherwise, just tell him. Tell him what you want. You realize at worst, he'll balk completely and your problem will be dealt with or he'll be into the idea and you'll have what you both want. Isn't part of that whole scene about laying out the ground rules? You tell him that you'd still be out fucking other people or whatever you plan to do... " He let out a breath. "Just be honest with him. If you don't, you're probably going to break his heart either way."

He glanced towards the bus, then shrugged. "Sound systems aren't the same as lighting. I'll put out the word on Facebook or-- shit, better yet, the Kickstarter email thing. Someone'll come forward if we ask, I'm sure of it."

"I'm going to tell him. Tonight. Everything about me." That was a big old lie because there were things about Simon that he didn't expect to share with anyone. Not even Judas, and Judas knew him better than anyone else ever did. "I guess my point is to shock him, you know? Give him a taste and let him save face if he's not into it. He can always chalk it up as that one weird thing Simon did, right? Have a laugh about it and he can move on. I'm not planning on getting into any contracts. He's too... Peter. He doesn't know the game yet. And hey, Mister out in the open. Have that talk with your someone special?"

JC was acting normal. Mellow. He wasn't glowing or beaming or spending any of his time glancing over. He couldn't understand their leader and that's part of why he followed him.

Sure. They could discuss the sound system now and the Kickstarter but relationships were more interesting to Simon. And Judas had the technically stuff already figured out. Why not pry?

Judas didn't expect 'everything about me' would include certain things in the same way he wouldn't tell anyone, for any reason, about his time on the streets. He had no interest in talking about it and no one who didn't already know deserved to know about it. "At this point? That's the the best you can do. Give him the chance, let him back out if he realizes he's over his head. But don't you get hurt if he does, okay?" He raised an eyebrow at Simon, then snorted at the latter bit.

"Hey, just because you're open about talking about that shit doesn't mean I am. We talked about things and that's as much as you're knowing." He knew it would drive Simon right up the god damn wall and it was hysterical.

"That's cold, man. I tell you about everything," Simon all but pouted, swinging his legs over from the arm rest. "I'm hurt. I really am. But hey. You do you. I'm going to worry about getting a good cup so I don't reveal too much about how tonight is gonna go."

Just being in Peter's room was going to do his head in. It wouldn't help that Judas could be right downstairs listening in. Especially because Simon was an exhibitionist. He'd never do anything about his own emotional state without a clear consent agreement in place of course.

"If you don't tell me, I'm just going to make it up in my head anyway. And judge you for my own perverted mind."

Judas rolled his eyes at that. "Then go ahead. I'm not going to tell you. Let's just say we talked, we made our decision about things, and things are okay. That's all you need to know." He smirked, watching Simon spread himself out. Man could never just sit normally, could he?

He wasn't going to listen in. Last thing he wanted to know was the details. The nice thing about being in the basement was that it was mostly soundproofed from the rest of the house. "The best part is I know even your perverted mind won't do that to JC, because you know it isn't true and you respect him, so I'm feeling pretty confident."

"I might respect him, but you? Well that's another story." Simon threw little pieces of shite bread at Judas until some stuck in his hair and they both managed to laugh together. The day went by more quickly as they worked on some of the upholstery for the frames JC constructed for the bunk area and as it all wound down and the Twelve wandered off, Simon insinuated himself into Peter's space, t-shirt clinging to him and hair a little less perfect than usual, and waited to be noticed before he smiled.

"What's the buzz, Petey? Feeling up to spending the rest of the day or should I just pick you up at ten? You mentioned maybe wanting an eye on your wardrobe. Could always go shopping and dinner?" Simon knew he was starting with control early but if this ended up working... And that was a big if... He wanted to be ready.

Peter couldn't help but smile wide when Simon came over, looking up to his friend and listening. When Simon was done he thought on it. The idea of going shopping and dinner was something that sounded perfect to him, so if Simon was offering... why not take it? So he nodded, unable to hide the excitement from his face. He was always terrible with lies.

"Dinner sounds great," he said happily, glancing down at his watch and thinking on the time. "Do you want to go now?" It was a bit early, but he had no idea how long shopping would take. It actually seemed kind of odd to go shopping for clothes with someone, but hey, if he wanted something neat to go clubbing in, why not take the best?

"All yours tonight so ready when you are." Technically, that wasn't true. Simon wasn't anyone's save for maybe JC's but his status tended to fluxuate based on mood. Right now, he was willing to give Peter slack. And that might change depending on how tonight went.

Deciding that it was unlikely that Peter had anything appropriate, Simon took him to one of his favorite stores. Tight jeans, leather pants, mesh shirts-- he was going to have himself a little fashion show. Yes, it was at Peter's expense but it wasn't like he was hiding out and peeping. This was all on the up and up. And he would start to pepper the idea of just who he was into conversation after he greeted the shop girl with the pink undercut hair and dog collar. "Mindy, this is Pete. I'm taking him out tonight to the old stomping grounds. Pete, this is Mindy. She's one of my old colleague's subs. How's Mitch doing?"

"Master is just fine. He got a promotion. Are you going out tonight?"

"Yeah. Petey here needs something appropriate to wear," Simon smiled, fingering a leather glove display to test how supple the material was. Too girly for him, and mostly studded with rhinestones, he wasn't interested in their purchase. He was just displaying his ease around the store and with the conversation.

"Oh my god, is he your new boy?" Mindy looked excited but Simon shook his head.

"Pete's a friend. He's not in the community."

Peter was, thankfully, not completely confused, but only because of his previous online snooping. He looked around quietly at the sort of clothing he had never worn before in his life, trying to puzzle out what some of it was even for, when he heard Simon speak up. So he looked to the woman and gave that warm smile of his, though his mind was gobsmacked that Simon would just drop the 'sub' comment so effortlessly. "Pleasure," his voice as warm as his smile. He always did well with new people, all bright-eyed and innocent looking. It was hard not to like a face like that.

Just as surprised to hear 'Master' leave her tongue. So this was someone super into that sort of world. Was Simon... just as much into it? But if Peter hadn't dug into it, he wouldn't have known, so he was definitely uncertain.

New boy? That he wasn't sure what it mean, but he could pick up the idea of it, vaguely, and thus ended up blushing. "Ah, sorry, no. We're just here because I'm the last person to have any sort of clothes decent for clubbing so I asked for help."

"Such a shame. You're completely adorable. If you're interested, you should come to a work shop. They're not as good since Simon stopped giving demonstrations--"

Simon laughed. "Miriam is just as good, probably better," he pointed out, glancing at Peter to see just how interested he might seem in actually going to a workshop. "But really. We're just here for some clothes."

Mindy put her hands on her hips and gave Peter a look over. "All right, cutie. How much do you trust me? You've got a very conservatively hipster thing going. And I can work with that. Or we can go with something a little more daring...?" She held her hand out for Peter to take, glancing at Simon.

The dom in him couldn't help but nod permission for her to take Pete away.

A workshop? Mindy had actually caught Peter's interest and he quietly decided he would look to see if he could find out what time (and what on!) these workshops would happen. Maybe he could learn something more about Simon... but the idea of demonstrations already suggested he would be somewhere at the back and probably blushing the entire time. His puzzling about how to go to one without getting caught might have skewed what Simon saw on his face.

"Ah," totally missing that nod, assuming Mindy was just looking to make sure Simon wouldn't get upset over her taking over, "I... might want to start small?" he suggested, not sure just how wild she was thinking, but he still put his hand in hers. Trusting, because Simon trusted her or he would have said no immediately. There was total faith in Simon.

He would swiftly learn that tight jeans could not match up to how tight leather could be - or how un-modest Mindy was about helping him in and out of things. His face was going to be a permanent tomato!

Simon took himself around the shop slowly, not really looking at anything so much as trying to puzzle out that strange look on Peter's face. Was the flight reaction happening all ready? Well, he had been sure it would. He was prepared for tonight to not really happen and he was prepared to Not Be Hurt, or whatever it was Judas was going on about.

Peter was still being stuffed into a pair of jeans fitted with zipper and D-rings when the phone in Simon's pocket vibrated. He was pleasantly surprised, and then not at all surprised, to see the caller ID. "Hey Mitch? Your pet call to tell you about Pete already?"

The deep throated laughter made him smile. "I got a picture. You're interested?"

"I'm interested. Trying to decide if he's interested."

"I'll call Amy. Bring him down to the club around nine and we'll get a little demo started. Mindy's idea. That should weed him out of the vanilla pack for you pretty easy."

"I'm going to kiss you, man," Simon all but purred and found himself bolstered as he hung up the phone and snatched up a cropped, long sleeve fishnet shirt to saunter on back to the dressing room with. "Peter? I'm coming in."

He didn't ask. Just warned.

Peter almost yelped when suddenly the door swung open. He was currently shirtless and clearly trying to figure out how to balance himself in a pair of jeans this ridiculously tight. It felt like his balls were somewhere up in his body! So he looked to Simon, blinking, before shifting slightly. "I don't know about this pair," he admitted, flexing his thighs a little. "I don't even know how I could wear a pair of boxers under these they're so tight!"

Which suggested he wasn't wearing any underwear under them right now.

He wasn't. Probably why he was so red.

His eyes flickered to the shirt in Simon's hand and a point followed. "For me?" Which was why he thought Simon must have come in.

"But you look so hot," Mindy said in a pout. "We can go up a size if you can't breathe but they'll mould to your body better this way and after a few wears, they'll be perfect. You just have to put in the work. Simon, tell him he looks hot."

Simon didn't need to do anything, not with the way he was staring. He cleared his throat and hung up what little fabric he had in his hand up on the rack with a few other garments. Including a pair of leather hot pants. "You do look hot. Maybe a little too hot," Simon said, making a motion with his fingers for Peter to give a spin before he reached for him and tugged on the waistband. "Crouch for me." Again, not a question. He technically just wanted to see if Peter could move in those. The stretch goring over the knee and at the crotch should help.

It really didn't hurt that crouching would be giving him an eyeful. And put Peter at a position almost near his feet. "Try kneeling," Mindy said, giggling, before Simon gave her a look and she immediately looked down, eyes on the floor and shoulders relaxed and forward. "Sorry, sir."

"I can breathe but there's parts of me I'm worried about can't!" He was both serious and joking, blushing as he put a hand on his hip, gesturing with the other. This whole discussion...!

Too hot? He blinked but did a little spin as requested, then crouched down. The look on his face suggested 'oh god my balls' meant a size up actually might be necessary, but he actually did go to kneel down, accepting the instruction without thinking why Mindy was suggesting it. His brain just said they were trying to check out the fit of the pants.

Until she said that. Then Peter looked up to Mindy, that complete and utter sudden change taking him by surprise. She'd been... well, normal up to that point, but then all at once it seemed like she had changed. Programmed? He looked to Simon, assuming that had to be the 'sir', but wasn't sure what to make of it. Was that just... a thing? Like if you were part of the community you had to just respond to other people like that?

Peter sucked on his lower lip as he stood up, not sure how he felt on the idea of other people being able to tell him what to do.

"Okay, much too tight," Simon said smoothly, putting his hands on his own hips. "What about something shiny? I saw purple vinyl out there. And they look lined."

"They're really comfortable too," Mindy said, returning to her bubbly self after acknowledging that she had indeed overstepped some boundaries there. No one should tell another to kneel unless they were negotiating. It wasn't her place to undermine Simon. Peter would learn, perhaps. If he wanted to. "I'll go and get them."

"And that black shirt with the leather collar built in? Go small on it."

Mindy nodded and let herself out and Simon, who may have forgotten himself, went straight to Peter's fly to help him out of those pants.

He blinked and dropped his hands a moment later. "Yikes, sorry about that. I'll be outside."

Peter was just so... Docile. Easy. Training him would be a pleasure.

Peter's brain was broke.

He didn't even think again until Simon was out of the dressing room before he brought up a wrist and bit hard into it to keep from squeaking, realizing that Simon had just-

Breathe, Peter, breathe. He leaned on the door for a few seconds and collected himself before he tried to wriggle his way out of these tight pants, still beet red. It was okay. Simon wasn't even thinking when it happened that just- yeah. Okay. Everything was fine.

He wasn't entirely keen on the idea of purple vinyl, couldn't even imagine himself in it, and instead picked up the black leather shorts, biting his lip, then shrugged. She picked it out so he should try it, right? He didn't want to be rude! So he started wiggling into those and ended up eyeballing himself in them. "I dunno... I think I'm better off in pants..." He murmured to himself.

Mindy was quick to return just as Peter was pulling up those hot pants and literally squealed. "Do you shave your legs or are you naturally hairless? Those pants-- Simon is going to die. He'll just die. Turn around and bend over a little. Let's make sure they keep you as decent as we're willing to go."

She checked him out and then flew out of the door as Simon took a seat by the full length mirror outside. She needed to get some boots for those shorts.

At least they were loose. Peter could move around freely. The lace up fly gave what Mindy called 'discrete access' too, which she seemed to think was important in a garment. If he didn't care for them, he could try on the deep plum vinyl pants which, he was assured, would feel like butter to the touch. Nothing she said was short on innuendo or compliments.

"So what do you know about the community? Has Simon told you anything? Are you curious? You're so lucky to have Simon. He taught my Master everything you know."

He was never going to get used to people barging in on him changing. "Uh-" He made sure those shorts were all the way up. "I don't shave-" He didn't know any bloke who shaved, he was fairly sure? "I don't know. I was thinking pants? I don't know how I feel about... purple, really?" He gestured a little towards the pants, but he still took them. "What about black?"

He had literally no idea what she meant about the 'discrete access', vaguely assuming she meant to go take a piss? That would make sense, right? Then he wouldn't have to wrestle himself out to do so.

Her questions came rapid fire and he tried to keep up with them, though he felt unbelievably awkward standing there with someone while he was in these shorts, never mind the idea of changing out of them in front of her! "Um, pretty much nothing, no, I suppose so, and as far as Simon goes... or- really- this community thing goes, it's just a friend thing. None of us- the others, our friends, I mean- even knew about... this." Complete with a little gesture. Well, Judas knew, but he didn't know that. "So I don't know what to say to that, really?"

"You came in wearing neon pink and purple plaid," Mindy laughed. "Trust me. You'll love these. And he picked them out. Sometimes there better than what you'd chose for yourself, you know? Just try them. That's what dressing rooms are for." She wasn't leaving. She wasn't even turning away except to fold back up those tiny little shorts.

It was only after Peter got himself into the comfortably stretchy material that she leaned forward to whisper in his ear. The look In her eye, in the mirror, was almost conspiratorial.

"Do you fancy him? Because it looks to me like you do. And you looked amazing at his feet. Shh, don't say I said that. I'm not supposed to interfere," she grinned and pulled back.

"I know, I know, I suppose I never thought of purple pants, though. I'm usually a jeans person, you know?" He rubbed his neck, but he did - tush to Mindy - wriggle out of the shorts and went to try on the pants. Simon did pick them out, so many he really wanted to see how they looked? Besides he was supposed to be going with Simon's suggestions for the club wear, so sure.

They were surprisingly comfortable and he admired them when Mindy whispered that in his ear. His eyes went wide, then everything right to his ears went as red as could be. He briefly realized he'd probably blushed more today than in the past year combined before he choked a little. "I- I'm nay-" Oh god where did he even start?! His accent all but flooded his words in his fumbling. "He isn't interested in that sort of thing- with me. I don't want to be discussing this!" He could die later at the fact he squeaked there, feeling overwhelmed. Simon hadn't mentioned anything to do with that 'community' about tonight, but Mindy was obsessed with it!

Somehow, during the outburst, she managed to get the shirt Simon picked out over Peter's head and was in the middle of zipping up the back with the tight collar in place when the other man came barging in. "If he doesn't like something, don't force--"

The words died in his mouth before they could spill off of his tongue and he gazed at Peter from behind and then at his reflection in the mirror for a long time. He noted the blushing and noted how Mindy was ignoring the whole thing before he lightly brushed passed her to buckle the back of the collar himself.

"Do you really not like it?" he asked, the tight black shirt over the dark purple pants going very well together. He almost let himself put his hands on his thighs-- But maybe later. He had to be better at denying himself to prepare for Peter brushing him off. "I think it's the perfect sort of honey to catch flies tonight, if you're into that."

Whatever he was thinking? Gone. Out the window. Instead his mind focused entirely on those warm hands at the back of his neck, the low voice right behind him. A shiver went straight down his spine and he realized if he didn't get his mind off that he was going to have to deal with something very awkward with two people in a dressing room. Simon had looked him over in a way he'd never seen the other look at him before and he didn't know fully what to make of it other than approval.

There's only one sort of fly I want to catch tonight, Peter thought, but he knew. He knew Simon had never shown a lick of interest in him and now he was starting to get the feeling of why. Simon was into... this. This world Peter knew absolutely nothing about. Then why did he make out with Judas- Was Judas into this, too? He didn't want to think about that right now, but now the idea was in his head.

"...I- asked you for help, didn't I?" he said slowly, trying to make up for that long pause. "If you think it looks good... I'll go with this."

"Good." Simon patted Peter on the shoulder, breath warm against the slightly longer than usual hair curling around his ears. "Mindy, we'll take these and the boots," he said, holding the door for her so that they could let Peter get changed in private. It wasn't like Simon expected him to get dinner in a tight shirt and pants like that.

And he didn't know about Peter, but he needed a shower anyway before getting dressed.

When the youngest of the Twelve ventured out from the back, Simon was waiting with an empty bag, already paid up and just waiting for Peter to drop the garments inside. "Thanks so much guys. See you tonight? And so good meeting you, Peter. Don't be a stranger!"

"You'll see us tonight. And thank you," he said with emphasis before he guided Peter out of the store, hand briefly on his back. "So hey. Where to for dinner? Wanna go out or get take away and eat at my place?"

"Wait- I didn't-" Realization. "Simon you didn't have to pay for that!" He didn't need to worry about money, had no idea if Simon did or not. "At least- ah, thank you, Mindy!" Didn't want to be rude!

oh did Simon just invite him back to his place? No one was really sure where Simon lived so it was seriously tempting. "At least let me buy you dinner? Wherever you want to go."

He couldn't imagine - okay he could - how much that just all cost so he wanted badly to make up for it.