Playing House: Less Top Gun, More Cocktail

[notjustaface]

The new job isn't bad, he's only been working a week and they've already upped his hours to almost full time - working the happy hour till after dinner shift six nights a week. Somewhat as he'd expected, the tips are good... really good, and getting better as he starts to draw a regular crowd of people that are drawn to the kind of guy that does what he does.

Which is essentially being shameless.

As it is, it's almost six-thirty and he's already stripped down to his jeans and a bar towel slung over his shoulder - sweat (and just a little bit of the tequila a VIP asked to take a shot of off his abs) shining up his torso. It's kind of his element... like it or not. And admittedly, he kind of likes it... even with his rings on he's the center of attention.

"You missed your calling as a stripper." The owner smirks, handing off a pair of empty glasses to pass back to the dishwasher. "There's more money in it."

"I like this!" He protests, pouring out a double and a vodka martini. "Besides, I'm married." He holds up his finger as though she hadn't clearly seen the evidence when he applied.

"Honey, you think they care?" She raises an eyebrow toward a group of women approaching the bar - clearly ready to party.

"On it, boss."

Comments

[notthatcrazy]

"Yeah, okay."

He follows him to the small bathroom, which is almost too tiny for two people to use comfortably. He can't help thinking about the first time they shared a shower together, and how far things have come since then.

"Did you mean what you said before? The whole maybe getting a dog thing?"

[notjustaface]

It seems like a lifetime ago.

Letting out a soft groan as he turns his back to the shower head and takes the brunt of the cold spry, Face offers a smile and shrug.

"It'd be fun, you know? Maybe something sturdy."

[notthatcrazy]

"Sturdy?"

He shivers at the cold as he slips in to join him.

"You're thinkin' about not going back, aren't you?"

[notjustaface]

Turning his back to Murdock, making a show of scrubbing a hand across his chest, Face shrugs halfheartedly.

"I won't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind."

[notthatcrazy]

He sighs.

"I want the runnin' to be over too, but we can't just up and leave."

He reaches over to the side of the shower for the soap, not-so-coincidentally pressing close to Face's back as he does.

[notjustaface]

He doesn't really mean to flinch, but he isn't expecting the brush of contact either and he lowers his head into the hard spray to avoid thinking about it until he can respond a little more clearly.

"Why not? We got a good thing going here, nobody knows about our past... there's no chance of getting caught. Why keep running when we can have a real life? I sure as hell never asked to be fucking hero."

[notthatcrazy]

When he puts it like that, it's a pretty compelling argument. Still, he can't help thinking it's mostly wishful thinking.

"We'd be lettin' the others down."

He wraps an arm around him, kissing his shoulder.

"And the past has a way of catchin' up to you."

[notjustaface]

"Hasn't caught up yet." He replies, just a little bitterly.

"Honestly... I'd rather be happy and with you than worry about letting them down."

[notthatcrazy]

"We've been lucky."

He quietly rubs a soapy hand across Face's back. There's not much he can say to that other statement.

[notjustaface]

Face grunts noncommittally, pushing back against the gentle touch.

"Who says we won't stay lucky?"

[notthatcrazy]

"Are you willing to risk it?"

He continues the gentle massage

"I don't think I could take bein' separated again."

[notjustaface]

Turning to face him with stern, steely eyes, Face shoots back; "Do you think for one second I'd let that happen?"

Forcing himself to remain calm, quelling a tremor in his hand, he adds; "We're just as at risk out there running jobs for God-knows-how-long."

[notthatcrazy]

"At least we'd have the others to watch our backs too."

He closes his eyes tight.

"I really don't wanna fight about this."

[notjustaface]

"We're not fighting..." his voice softens and he wraps his arms around Murdock's wet shoulders, holding him close. "I'm not fighting."

He's just tired of not having any sense of normalcy - even in the army they stayed in one place for more than a couple days.

"I'm tired."

[notthatcrazy]

"I know."

In his opinion, they've built up enough of a reputation to at least let the jobs come to them instead of chasing them down.

"Can we talk about this more later?"

[notjustaface]

"Sure..." He scrubs both hands down Murdock's back - scritching gently. There's not much else to say, but he knows it'll come back up again.

Ultimately, he'll do what Murdock needs him to do.

[notthatcrazy]

He always does in the end.

"You know I want this too, right?"

[notjustaface]

Nodding slowly, not entirely sure if he even believes it, Face answers a quick; "Yeah. I know."

Before turning back into the warmed water with his eyes closed.

[notthatcrazy]

It's not gonna do much good to discuss it further right now. He stays quiet as they go through the rest of the shower routine.

[notjustaface]

It just feels like they're already running out of time - soon enough they'll be back on the run with no stability, no sense of self.

"You're quiet..." he sighs, wrapping a dried arm around Murdock's shoulders as he takes the initiative of toweling off his partner's hair. "You mad at me?"

[notthatcrazy]

He dodges away from the towel, shaking himself dry like a wet dog before finally giving in.

"Nah, of course not. Why would I be?"

He just doesn't trust himself not to push the issue too far if they keep talking about it.

[notjustaface]

"I dunno..." he lies, rubbing the towel a little more gently before he leans in and brushes a kiss on his warm shoulder.

"You know I love you, right? I wouldn't do anything you didn't want to do."

[notthatcrazy]

"I know, babe."

He leans back against him, the feeling of warm terrycloth against his skin strangely comforting.

[notjustaface]

"Hungry?" He asks, a little eager to change the subject to something less heavy. "I'm sure there's some Chinese in the fridge that's still good."

Leaning against him right now makes it okay, no matter what. He can cope.

[notthatcrazy]

"Hmm. I could eat."

He wraps an arm around his waist, starting to relax again.

"Maybe a movie?"

They never actually got around to scavenging a used TV, but they've got a laptop and a handful of old DVDs.