Chapter Text
Jared wouldn’t say he was a regular at the local gay bar by his house. Because that would make him sound like he was either a. desperate and couldn’t pull a man or b. a slut. And he was neither. He went for the atmosphere and the cheap drinks and yeah, sometimes he got drunk enough to dance with some hot guy who’d never ask for his number. And yeah, once or twice he’d found himself in the back of an Uber with some guy he’d never see after that night. But he wasn’t a regular.
“Hey Jared.” The bartender nodded at him. Leslie was a tall woman who ran the bar with her wife. And no, the owner knowing Jared did not mean he was a regular. “Want your usual?”
Okay, so her knowing his order might mean he was a regular.
Jared nodded and thanked her when she slid him his rum and coke. He didn’t like beer, something he accredited to being gay and actually having taste. But to be fair, he didn’t like most alcohol. Leslie made his drinks light.
Jared lingered near the bar, scoping out tonight’s options. He saw a few guys he recognized. Regulars of both varieties. He saw a few girls he recognized too. Some of them gave him friendly nods and smiles. He also spotted the closest thing he had to an ex right in the middle of the dance floor. They hadn’t really dated. They more just, slept together for several consecutive weekends. The ending was… dramatic. The guy had taken it upon himself to formally dump Jared and Jared, offended at the assumption that he’d been in any way emotionally invested, may have said some not so nice things about him directly to his face.
Jared ducked behind a group of people and wound his way to the other side of the room where he was more invisible. That’s when he saw someone new. Well, there were plenty of new people. This guy was new and attractive. He was standing against the wall and sort of looked like he didn’t want to be there. He held his drink with both hands and watched the crowd of dancing people with wide eyes. Jared didn’t usually make the first move. He tended to linger, make distant eye contact, and wait till someone approached him. But on a slow night, or for a particularly cute guy well… he wasn’t above approaching someone.
Jared slid up next to the nervous guy. “Hey.”
The guy jumped. “Oh. Hi. Uh, hey.”
“First time?” Jared asked.
The guy nodded.
“Jared.” Jared held out his hand.
“Evan.” Evan relinquished his death grip on his glass to shake Jared’s hand. “You uh… do you come here a lot?”
Jared could hear him rephrasing mid-sentence to avoid saying ‘you come here often?’ It was cute.
“Occasionally.” Jared shrugged. “What are you drinking?”
“Oh.” Evan looked at his glass. “I don’t know. I asked for a Mai Tai but I don’t think she heard me right.”
Jared smiled. “Yeah, music’s pretty loud.” He motioned to the glass. “You tasted it yet?”
Evan shook his head. “Kinda scared.”
“May I?”
Evan passed his glass to Jared who took a sip. He wrinkled his nose.
“What is it?”
“Don’t know.” Jared handed it back. “But it’s definitely got vodka in it.”
Evan looked at his glass with distaste. He glanced at Jared as he tried to wash the vodka out of his mouth with his own drink. “What do you have?”
“Rum and coke.” Jared said. “Classic. Easy to hear. Ordered on the left side of the bar, farthest from the speakers.”
Evan smiled. “I’ll have to remember that.”
Evan was clearly nervous. He was either newly out or newly dating. He kept laughing at Jared’s jokes and then seeming to catch himself and try to suppress it. He also kept glancing around like he thought they’d get caught or something. He didn’t talk much at first but once Jared weaseled a few answers out of him, he loosened up a little. Then he talked. A lot.
“Hey uh,” Jared jumped in when Evan finally finished rambling about the mice infestation at his job. “Do you wanna get out of here? I live like five minutes from here.”
Evan’s eyes went wide. “Oh. Uh, no thank you. I mean, that’s really–but I’m not uh… no.”
“Oh.” Jared’s face burned. Fortunately, it was probably too dark for Evan to tell. “Right. Sorry. I thought you were sort of into me.”
“No I am!” Evan said quickly, reaching out and spilling his drink all over his arm. “Shit. Um, sorry. I am uh, into you. I just, I’m not looking to–I’ve never really done this before. Like the whole gay bar thing. It’s not really my scene you know? But I wanted to–you know–to get out of the house and I haven’t had much experience with like, queer environments so I thought it would be–and you are–you’re really great. But like I’ve never really–I just uh, I’m not interested in going home with you. Like to sleep with you. Right now. So.”
Jared raised his eyebrows. “Wow. That was a lot.”
“Yeah.” Evan shrank in on himself. “Sorry. Sometimes I–”
“Do you wanna grab something to eat then?” Jared cut him off.
Evan blinked at him. “What?”
“Do you want to go somewhere and get some food?” Jared tilted his head. “You know, food. You eat it.”
Evan shook his head. “Yeah I know what…” He paused. “Okay.”
Jared grinned and led him out of the bar.
Evan was, objectively, a terrible date. He was bad at asking questions about Jared’s life. Most of his responses were at least partially incoherent. He kept apologizing for absolutely nothing. Jared was a little bit obsessed with him.
“You don’t have to walk me home.” Evan mumbled, although he hadn’t protested that hard.
“I’m being a gentleman.” Jared scoffed. “First time you’ve gone out with a guy or what?”
“Yes, actually.” Evan said and then surprisingly, didn’t offer anything else.
“Oh.” Jared shoved his hands in his pockets. He’d been toying with the idea of reaching for Evan’s hand but suddenly he felt like he shouldn’t push it. “Just come out recently?”
“No.” Evan said lightly. “I’ve been out since middle school. I’ve never dated anyone. Nothing to do with sexuality stuff. Just no one was into me.”
Jared laughed. “Sorry.” He said, when he caught Evan’s hurt expression. “I mean, I get it. Sorta. In high school and shit no one gave me a second look. Took me a while to figure out that sometimes you have to make the first move, you know? If you go places expecting that no one’s gonna talk to you, you’re gonna look like you don’t want to be talked to, and then people are gonna avoid you.”
Evan glanced at him. “You talked to me.”
“Yeah well, I am the wonderful exception to most rules.” Jared said smugly.
“Like which other ones?”
“Like never date a guy with a J name.” Jared supplied. “Mostly girls who say it and I’m gay so I’m exempt from that one. Also, avoid people who want to start a podcast. Mine would be hilarious and it would be ironic. So it’s okay.”
Evan laughed. “Right.” He paused. “So, this is my building.”
“Cool.” Jared nodded. “You’re not going to invite me in, are you?”
“I’m not.” Evan shook his head. “I told you not to walk me.”
“Eh it’s fine.” Jared shrugged. “Honestly, this was more fun than most of the nights I leave with guys so…”
“Really?” Evan raised his eyebrows, as though he was genuinely shocked that someone would enjoy spending time with him. It was pathetic. Jared was so very obsessed.
“Yeah. I mean, you’re a weirdo. But it’s fun.”
Evan smiled. “Thanks I guess.”
“Would you also say no if I asked for your number?” Jared blurted. He wouldn’t usually ask. But Evan wasn’t the kind of guy he usually went out with.
“No.” Evan said and then frowned. “I mean, no I wouldn’t say no. So yes, you can have it.”
Jared snorted. “Elegant.” He pulled out his phone and handed it over. Evan typed his number in and then handed it back.
Jared rocked back on his heels. “So, goodnight I guess.”
“Goodnight.” Evan stood there for a moment. Then he leaned forward and kissed Jared quickly.
Jared laughed softly when he pulled back. “Wow. Wasn’t expecting that. In a good way.”
Evan’s cheeks were pink. He shrugged. “Sometimes you have to make the first move.”
Jared squinted at him. “I’m pretty sure I’ve made like seven moves already.”
“Shut up.” Evan’s face got even redder. “You know what I’m trying to–shut up.”
Jared grinned. He stepped forward and kissed Evan again, cupping his face in his hands. “Goodnight Evan.”
Evan looked a little out breath. He swallowed. “Goodnight Jared.” Then he turned and went inside before he had the chance to say something else Jared could make fun of.