Re: Polo and Dreameh's VERY short RP. For real this time. (Mature)

[Dreambug]

Dane automatically leant into Sloan's embrace, curling up tighter into a little ball and knotting his legs together with Sloan's. He didn't feel vulerable anymore, he just felt angry... Betrayed. All those times he and Theo had spent hanging out when Sloan was away, riding the horses, going to the pub, getting pizza and watching crap TV... Theo was just using him. He'd planned this all along.
well, not quite this. Dane doubted he'd planned Dane to turn him down, or for Sloan to beat him so hard he'd been knocked unconscious.
Sloan's comforting words, including the 'beating Theo to death' somehow brought a smile to Dane's lips, and he bowed his head and rested it against Sloan's brow, making a quite sound of appreciation.
"Just forget about it, alright? It's over now - and if he has any sort of brain in that stupid f*cking head of his, he'll never pull something like this again. If he does, I won't take it easy on him."
Dane wanted to believe him, he really did, but somehow he doubted he'd never see Theo again. He lived in the area, anyway. At some point they'd have to see each other, even if by accident. Een Sloan couldn't protect him from that.
When Sloan asked him what was wrong however, whatever was left of Dane's guard dropped completely, and he slumped his body in defeat, submissing to his boyfriend.
"Everything..." He mumbled. Then frowned, and said, "Nothing."
He knew he was angry, and there were so many reasons for him to be so mad. But he couldn't put his finger on a single one. He felt like a girl crying in the middle of her period, knowing that she was sad but unable to decide what she was sad about.
"I'm just-... I don't know." He rolled his eyes, knowing how unhelpful he was being. Sloan was there, offering to lend a hand and make him feel better, and Dane was just being awkward. He grumbled at himself in annoyance.
"I feel... F*cking betrayed, to be honest. I though I could trust Theo. God... We used to hang around all the time, yet it was all for this." He gestured to the space around him, as if that made himself clearer. "I don't understand... Why's he doing this?" He glanced up at Sloan, his eyes sad. "D'you know what he asked me to do? To kiss him. Like I'd ever do that after what he'd done to me."
He let out a frustrated sigh, stared at the carpet for a moment, then leapt to his feet with surprising force, like he was on a mission.
"You knw what? Screw this."
He disappeared to the kitchen, and after a moment of slamming cupboard doors angrily, he appeared back with a paper bag and a cookie in his hand. He plonked hiself back on the sofa beside his boyfriend, and ripped a mouthful of double chocolate cookie from his hand. The bag was full of five or six more cookies that had yet to be eaten, and he offered to bag to Sloan with a comically serious expression, a crumb of chocolate lingering on the corner of his mouth.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Sloan sat beside Dane, and listened patiently as he tried to work out just exactly what was upsetting him. He kept a comforting arm around his boyfriend's shoulders and listened calmly. Until, that is, something Dane said made him angry all over again.
"D'you know what he asked me to do? To kiss him. Like I'd ever do that after what he'd done to me."
"That f*cking-" Sloan began raging - but before he could blow his top again, Dane cut him off.
"You knw what? Screw this." He leaped to his feet, and Sloan fell silent as he blinked up at him in bewilderment.
Dane stormed off to the kitchen, and Sloan turned around to watch him - suddenly too curious to be angry.
After a few moments of slamming doors, Dane came back into the sitting room with a bag of cookies. He tore a bite out of one as though determined to destroy it, then flopped down on the couch and offered the bag to Sloan.
He just stared at Dane's comically serious face for a long moment, then threw his head back and burst out laughing.
He just laughed and laughed like a drunk hyena - and then he laughed some more - until his sides ached, and his breath came in disgraceful little gasps.
He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed like that, but damn, it felt so bloody good...
"God..." Sloan choked, clutching his sides and wincing through a wide grin that refused to leave his face. "I love you."
He chuckled again, throwing an arm around Dane, and pulling him closer to kiss the top of his head.
"I love you so f*cking much."
He chuckled again, shaking his head in fond amusement - then helped himself to a cookie, and nibbled happily at it.
That was just so Dane. He couldn't be upset about anything when his boyfriend was being like that...
Wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, Sloan chuckled quietly to himself again.
He really couldn't believe his luck. Dane was, without a doubt, the best possible thing that could have happened to him. The best possible chance of healing all the damage left in him from his past.
He cast his boyfriend a fond glance, and shook his head in quiet disbelief.
What the Hell did I ever to right to deserve this guy?

[Dreambug]

The two stared at each other for a long while, until, to Dane's surprise, Sloan started to laugh. It wasn't a little chortle, either. It was a constant, tiring, extremely amused laugh that seemed to destroy Sloan's breathing for several minutes.
Dane watched him innocently for a bit, then wiped the crumb from the corner of his mouth and took out another huge bite from the cookie in his hand, a shy smile pulling up his lips. Did he look that stupid? Probably, since sloan honestly looked like he couldn't stop himself from laughing.Eventually, Dane joined him.
Cookie crumbs went everywhere, but niether of them seemed to notice. Dane nearly dropped the half-eaten cookie in his hand, but he managed the self-control to keep it from crumbling and dropping onto the carpet.
He accepted the kiss on the head and grinned, shoving the rest of the cookie in his mouth. He liked having the freedom to act completely stupid with his boyfriend. It sure beat spending your whole life being serious, that was for sure.
"I love you too, you asshole." Dane chuckled, and planted a crumby kiss on Sloan's lips. "Now eat your damn cookie."
He picked up another, feeling considerably happier, and took a smaller, more satisfied bite out of it. It was delicious, even if it was a day old. The chocolate had gone hard in the fridge, but the cookie itself was still surprisingly moist.It was what he adored about the food from Betty's. It was completely home-made, and although they didn't sell anything that wasn't fresh, he was sure it would stay at the same unbelievably good taste for the next two days afterwards.
Dane chewed away, smiling contently to himself, then dumped the bag on Sloan's knee. It still had two more cookies in it.
"Eat." Dane ordered seriously. "Now."
He licked the crumbs and molten chocolate from his fingers, turned away from Sloan and instead leant his back against him, flinging Sloan's arm around his chest.
"So, I was thinking, since you don't have any lessons on today, that we could go and do something later tonight, maybe. You know, go to the cinema or go out for a meal like we used to." He reached a hand up and poked Sloan's nose.
"What d'you say?"

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Sloan pulled a face when Dane kissed him, and licked the stray crumbs off his lips. He took the bag Dane handed him, muttering, "Okay, okay, I'm eating..." He chuckled, then took one of the cookies out, and nibbled happily on it - quite content to let Dane lie back against him.
"These are good." He commented, showing the second one into his mouth and chewing greedily. He actually had worked up quite an appetite after skipping supper and breakfast...
"So, I was thinking, since you don't have any lessons on today, that we could go and do something later tonight, maybe. You know, go to the cinema or go out for a meal like we used to. What d'you say?"
Sloan swatted Dane's hand casually away from his nose, and then considered this suggestion with a slight frown.
He had been avoiding public places since everything that happened in America, but he thought that perhaps now he might be ready for it.
"Yeah." He said at last, nodding, "Yeah, that sounds good..." He glanced at his watch, then added, "It's getting late. Best get going now." He smiled, patting Dane's knee casually, then pushed his boyfriend up, and got to his feet himself.
"How about we head to the mall - see a movie, then grab a bite afterwards?"

[Dreambug]

Dane smiled at Sloan's agreement, glad to be doing something again. He enjoyed them having 'alone' time at home, but it was nice to go out every now and then, and they hadn't gone on a proper date since Sloan went to America.
He liked the thought of being able to laugh in public, hold hands in secret knowing that no one knows they're really together. They could just be two guys going out to have a nice time. There was nothing wrong with that, was there?
"How about we head to the mall - see a movie, then grab a bite afterwards?"
Dane nodded excitedly, sitting bolt upright on the sofa, causing it to shake slightly. Joy gushed through his veins. They were going on a date!
"Okay let me go get into something worth going out in public in." He said, shooting a grin in Sloan's direction, then jabbed a finger towards the paper bag. "I'll let you deal with that."

He appeared five minutes later in his usual flat cap, light, skinny jeans, a white vest and a blue and yellow checked shirt worn buttoned up, not all the way, to give him some chest. He wore some builder's boots (hate those. -_-) that made his jeans wrinkled at the bottom and a thin, black celtic necklace with a small, silver horse shoe beaded on.
"You ready?" He asked with a grin, unable to keep from fidgetting in his giddy state.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Sloan threw away the paper bag on Dane's command, then went off to find some suitable clothes for himself.
By the time he'd looked out a decent outfit, Dane was already ready to go.
"Hold your horses." He called to his boyfriend, "I still smell like a bloody jail, you know. At least let me have a shower first."
He pulled a face, then stalked off to the bathroom.
Just ten minutes later ((Wow. XD )) he had showered and changed into a plain black T-shirt with a flaming skull design on it, a pair of slightly baggy black jeans and the necklace that Dane had given him just before he left for America. He hadn't worn it since the people at the asylum had confiscated it; thinking he might hang himself. Boy, that was a good memory...
Sloan also decided to put in an earring for the hell of it, since he hadn't found an excuse to wear one in quite some time. Honestly, he was surprised his neglected piercings hadn't closed up yet.
He emerged from the bathroom to find Dane waiting for him, and slung an arm casually around his boyfriend's shoulders.
"Let's get going." He said, swiping his wallet and keys off the shelf beside the door, and shoving them into his pocket.
He glanced appreciatively over Dane as they walked to the Jeep, and expressed his approval of the man's appearance with a subtle kiss on the cheek. It wasn't often that he saw Dane get dressed up, and it was actually kinda nice. It reminded him of how excited he was on their first date...

A short while later, the Jeep pulled up in the mall parking lot, and Sloan got out and walked around to meet Dane. They made their way inside, and headed straight for the cinema, since they were running a little late.
Sloan couldn't help but think that people were giving him strange glances, and he found himself shifting uncomfortably closer to Dane, and casting scowls at random passers by as he walked.
At one point he could have sworn a pair of teenage girls were following him - but then he cast a glare over his shoulder, and they squealed and ran away.
When they reached the cinema, the reason for this odd behaviour became clear.
"Ah..." Sloan mumbled, staring at a huge poster on the wall, "I forgot that my movie was coming out this week... That's gonna be a bitch." He stared at the poster for a while, finding it utterly bizarre to see himself on a wall - even if he was just a menacing figure behind the movie's protagonists.
After a while, he shook off the shock, and glanced quickly over the other posters.
"So," He began gruffly, clearing his throat in an awkward fashion, "What do you want to see? I of course don't care as long as it's not Titanic or f*cking Lizzie McGuire."

[Dreambug]

Dane shrugged and sat on the sofa, waiting patiently for Sloan to get himself sorted. Of course, it would help if he was clean... But thankfully he was also up and ready within minutes, and after an approved peck on the cheek from Sloan which made him blush, the two headed out to the Jeep to go to the shopping centre.

Dane noticed, after they'd walked out of the car park and into the cinema that people were giving them very odd looked - no, not him, Sloan - and it was making them both uncomfortable. What was everyone's problem? Had they seen Sloan from somewhere?
He shot the man a questioning glance every now and then, but Sloan didn't seem to know what it was, either.
That is, until they saw the poster.
"I'm not going to get used to that." Dane mumbled, gaping wide-eyes at the picture of Sloan, looking dark and menacing behind the main characters, smirking cunningly at the camer, his body twisted sightly to the side. "Never mind you."
They then started to scan the other posters of upcoming films, none of which interested Dane in the slightest.
"What do you want to see? I of course don't care as long as it's not Titanic or f*cking Lizzie McGuire."
Dane rolled his eyes. "Come on, Lizzie McGuire came out years ago. Besides, I saw that film, it was rubbish." He continued to scan the adverts, completely unaware at how horrifying this piece of news might be to his boyfriend. Not that he found it crap, but that he'd seen it in the first place.
"Oh!" An advert showeing three very tones, shirtless men in ties on a stage caught his attention, and he grinned stupidly. "Magic Mike started in ten minutes. We could see that. It looks very... Educational." Dane shot Sloan a cheeky look, sticking his tongue out. As if Sloan would let him watch that film whether h was in the room or not.
"Or... There is Spiderman." Dane purred innocently, shooting Sloan a sheepish grin.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Sloan gaped stupidly at Dane for a while when he admitted to seeing Lizzie McGuire, but then he went ahead and said something even more disturbing to jerk Sloan out of his daze.
"Absolutely not!" He exclaimed with an angry huff, "You're the only man for me, buddy, and besides - I'd get jealous as f*ck if I had to sit around and watch you gaping over a bunch of half naked men. If you want to see that, then go with Claire, and don't tell me about it."
He folded his arms, grumbling sulkily, and began scanning the rest of the posters.
"Or... There is Spiderman."
At this Sloan calmed down, and considered Dane thoughtfully.
"Okay." He said at last, "That sounds safe. The next showing is in half an hour..."
He shrugged, and walked over to the nearest ticket machine to buy some tickets. He shoved them into his wallet, and was about to turn back to Dane, but then he was distracted by the sound of nearby whispers, and he groaned dramatically when he saw a young couple staring at him curiously, and arguing in hushed tones about whether he was the actor in the new movie or not.
"Let's take a walk around." Sloan insisted, grabbing Dane's arm, and tugging him along as he hurried off away from the cinema.

They had been walking aimlessly for a while, when suddenly Sloan heard a familiar female voice behind him.
"Sloan Terse!" It exclaimed loudly, "You sneaky sod, you!" Sloan grimaced, and slowly turned around to see his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child, Cheryl, walking up to him.
"When were you going to tell me you starred in a movie?" She asked, poking him so hard in the chest that he actually staggered back a step. "You loser!" She jeered, "You finally did it! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually proud of you!"
She grabbed his face in her hands, and reached up to kiss him energetically on the cheek.
"Um-" Sloan began awkwardly, but Cheryl just ignored him.
"Sorry!" She exclaimed suddenly, turning to Dane with a smile, "We haven't been introduced. I'm Cheryl." She held out her hand in a friendly fashion.
Sloan finally overcame his shock then, and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Ahhhh, right... Cheryl, this is my friend Dane. Dane - Cheryl, Nick's mother."
"Ugh!" Cheryl pulled a face, "Don't introduce me like that, it makes me sound so old!"
"Fair enough." Sloan shrugged, "Dane, this is my emotional baggage."
At this, Cheryl wrinkled her nose, and swatted him in the back of the head. "You're going to Hell." She scolded cheekily, leaving Sloan grumbling and rubbing the back of his head.
"Where's our son?" He asked seriously.
"I got a sitter." Cheryl replied with a shrug, "And don't look at me like that. You know you haven't been in touch since you left for America."
That was true... Sloan had been waiting until he felt 'worthy' to see his son again. Now he thought of it, though, he had been doing better lately...
"You should come visit sometime." Cheryl smiled kindly, "He misses you."
This left Sloan feeling surprisingly emotional, and he he looked away in an aloof fashion, pretending not to feel the lump in his throat.

[Dreambug]

"Spiderman, it is." Dane chirped, and scurried off after his boyfriend as they went for a brief walk around the cinema. There were still a few people giving Sloan weird glances but Dane tried to ignore them. We'ew on a date... We're on a date... We're on a-
"Sloan Terse! You sneaky sod, you!"
They both wheeled round, eyebrows raised questioningly, as a young woman around Sloan's age trotted over, her pretty face lit up at the sight of Sloan. Dane prayed it wasn't a crazy fan, and thankfully it wasn't. He smiled politely at the woman, secretly hoping she wouldn't stay too long, or want to hang with them. He couldn't stand having to hide his sexuality from a complete stranger for an entire evening.
He flinched when the woman opened her hand out to him, and he shook it hesitantly. [i[Cheryl[/i]... Was it the same Cheryl? Surely it couldn't be... Sloan acted like he hated Cheryl, but here, when she was poking him and squealing at him they acted like best friends.
It was then that he started to feel rather unconfident, and felt himself shrinking away from the two, like he wanted to give them some room. Cheryl knew Sloan far more than Dane did, after all, and although he'd forgotten it was possible, he didn't want to intefere. Instead, he slumped his shoulders slightly and let his eyes wander aimlessly around the cinema corridor, trying to let his thoughts wander.
Cheryl, obviously, had other ides.
"Dane." he mumbled with the best smile he could manage. He hoped she didn't comment on the whole 'dog' thing like most people did. It got old after a bit.
At the mention of Nick Dane realised something in Sloan had changed. His eyes looked slightly sad, and to risk him getting too emotional or even snappy, Dane decided to chip in.
"Sloan brought Nick over one time, when he was looking after him." Dane said conversationally, allowing Sloan the room to recover. "He's a nice lad. You both have done very well with him." He searched his head for better compliments, but he couldn't find any. "He's very... Creative."
The time machine came to mind.
"Talented, too. He'll do well." He said, smiling pleasantly.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Cheryl beamed at the compliments, and replied proudly, "Sounds like our boy!"
"Cheryl and I both majored in the arts at college." Sloan explained, coming out of his daze and turning back to Dane, "Although I was more on the acting side, and she studied music instead."
"Gosh!" Cheryl exclaimed breathlessly, "That seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?" She smiled in a wistful fashion, and Sloan found himself starting to feel slightly awkward.
"We should get coffee sometime." Cheryl said suddenly, in a firm voice that clearly stated the topic was not up for discussion. "I haven't seen you in ages - it's like you've been avoiding me."
"Nooo..." Sloan droned sarcastically, "Whatever gave you that idea?" This earned him another swat, and he grunted irritably.
"I'll call you." Cheryl said, smiling, then starting to back away with a cheery wave, "And don't forget to come see your son!"
Sloan watched her go with mixed emotions, seeming faintly confused - then he shook it off, and turned back to Dane.
"Sorry about that." He said, his lips pulling into a slightly awkward smile that somehow complimented his handsome face.
"It was a little awkward, huh?" He chuckled under his breath. "Anyway, how about we go see that movie, before we run into any more weird people?"

[Dreambug]

Dane chuckled awkwardly at Cheryl's overly bright attitude, since he was only used to Claire acting so happy. Was she normally like this, or had she just had too much coffee?
He nodded when either side talked to him, but he decided to keep his mouth quiet for the most part. It was obvious Claire had come over to see Sloan, not Dane. But he couldn't help but feel slightly left out when Claire told Sloan to meet her for coffee, a little aware of the warning bells that went off at the thought of Sloan's ex wanting to meet up with him again.
He decided not to say that if Sloan had said they were going out, Claire wouldn't have offered. Of course that'd be all good for Dane, but it wasn't fair on Sloan. If he wanted to meet up with his ex, he was allowed. But Dane wasn't going to be happy about it.
When Claire left - without even saying goodbye to Dane, or either of them really - Dane let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. His shoulders relaxed slightly, too.
"Sorry about that. It was a little awkward, huh?"
A thousand sarcastic comments lingered on Dane's tongue. He bit his lip to keep from saying any of them.
"Anyway, how about we go see that movie, before we run into any more weird people?"
Thank God... Dane thought at last. "Yes please." He muttered, perhaps sounding too relieved. "But Sloan, can I ask you something?"
He glanced up into Sloan's eyes, furrowing his brow just slightly
"Why didn't you tell her?" He lowered his voice. "About us? Is she homophobic, or something?"
He wouldn't judge her if she was, he just wanted to know whether there was a decent reason, is all. He didn't want it to be because Sloan was embarassed, or he had any objections to it. Not after how long they'd been together, he didn't want his own boyfriend to be embarassed to be seen with him.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Sloan was about to lead the way back toward the movie, when Dane's question pulled him back.
"Sloan, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah?" He replied cautiously, not much liking the look of Dane's frown.
"Why didn't you tell her? About us? Is she homophobic, or something?"
This surprised him slightly, and it took him a second to get his bearings before he could answer.
"No..." He replied hesitantly, "It's just easier, man. I mean, we were together for years, and we have a kid..." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, suddenly aware that his 'explanation' was only making things worse.
"I dunno." He chuckled, "It just didn't seem right. I mean, it would be like saying, 'hey, thanks for wasting four years of your life on me. Sorry it didn't work out - turns out I don't dig chicks'. I just figured there's a time and a place - and a chance meeting in the mall is neither."
He slipped an arm around Dane's waist, pulled him closer, and slapped a wet peck on his cheek - as though to prove he had nothing to hide.
"Let's go see that movie then, huh?" He suggested, smiling slightly, and nodding in the direction of the cinema.
Why didn't I tell Cheryl...? Why, really...?

[Dreambug]

Sloan's reply wasn't a very helpful one, and when he mentioned how long he and Cheryl had been going out for, it made Dane shrink away slightly. Yeah, he'd only been with Sloan for six months, only a fraction of his time with Cheryl, but... He'd seen how happy Sloan was with him. Soan had told him.
Still, Cheryl obvious meant something to him too, especially if they could act so casually around each other.
Jealousy simmered inside him, although he refused to admit it.
"It just didn't seem right. I mean, it would be like saying, 'hey, thanks for wasting four years of your life on me. Sorry it didn't work out - turns out I don't dig chicks'. I just figured there's a time and a place - and a chance meeting in the mall is neither."
Oh. Well, he supposed that made sense. Dane wasn't one for drama, and he didn't want to end up being the hated one or being blamed for turning Sloan gay. Even though Sloan had admitted he was gay well before they started going out.
His eyes widened as he was pulled sideways by the waist and was kissed soppily on the cheek, but somehow this relaxed him. It was alright. There was nothing to be jealous about.
"Okay." He agreed brightly after a few moments, them rubbed at his cheek with a comical frown as if he'd been slapped instead of kissed. "But there'd better be none of that in the cinema. Heaven forbid people realise we're gay." He grinned, yanked Sloan towards him and skillfully, quickly kissed his nose whilst noone was looking.
"Come on." He said, tugging at Sloan's hand as they headed to the counter. He bought a packet of Revels for them to share then trotted excitedly into the screen room, picking a seat at the back where no one would notice them, but right in the middle so there was a clear view of the screen. He opened the packet of small chocolates and popped one in his mouth, just as the adverts began to start.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

Sloan followed Dane into the cinema, and took the seat beside his boyfriend - relaxing in the cramped, dirty seat to watch the movie.
About half way through, he let his hand creep onto Dane's lap - finding Dane's fingers, and intertwining them with his own.
He held his boyfriend's hand for a while in the dark; enjoying the subtle sense of secrecy that made the small gesture just a little more exciting...
For the most part, however, Sloan just watched the movie. It was actually surprisingly good - certainly better than he'd expected - and by the end he was feeling pleasantly content.
As the credits began to roll over the screen, Sloan yawned and stretched in a cat-like fashion, then nuggied Dane's head affectionately just before the lights came on.
"Come on." He said, standing and offering a hand to help his boyfriend up.
"Let's grab a bite at that pizza place. I'm famished."

[Dreambug]

Dane's eyes sparkled when he felf Sloan's hand wrap warmly around his, and they both watched the film in a happy silence, Dane squirming every now and then at the tiny, animated spiders and jumping when the giant lizard man jumped up out of nowhere. He continued munching away at the bag of chocolates at his lap, and by the time the fil had ended he was grinning ear-to-ear.
He swatted the man's hand away from his head as if he was brushing a pesky fly off his clothes, and took his hand to help himself to his feet.
"Sorry... I ate all the revels." Dane smirked guiltily, peering into the bag. Just as he'd presumed, every crumb had been eaten.
"Oh well." He sueaked, scrunched the bag in his palm and tossed it into the nearest bin. "Pizza sounds great. And I could do with some Dr Pepper. I miss being hyper."
He pulled a stupid face then poked Sloan's firm stomach playfully.
"So, did you like it? It'm sorry if I jumped a bit when the spiders came on. No explanation is needed as to why, as you already know." He winked.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

"Good lord..." Sloan muttered, casting Dane a horrified glance, "If this is you normal, I'd hate to see what you look like after a Dr Pepper." He paused a moment to consider this, then grinned and added, "Oh, screw it, let's score some Dr Pepper. Even if I have to peel you off the ceiling later, it'll be worth it."
He chuckled, and just ruffled Dane's hair playfully when he apologized for jumping around when the spiders came on.
"Why you decided to watch Spiderman in the first place..." He mused to himself, shaking his head in amusement.
"C'mon, you big chicken."
He swatted Dane playfully in the pack of the head, then led him out of the cinema - keeping close to ensure Dane didn't get swept away by the crowd.
Soon enough, they emerged back into the mall, and Sloan made a bee-line for the pizza place he had seen earlier, dragging Dane along with him.
This had been nice; but seeing so many people after being cooped up in his own world for so long was a little overwhelming, and it was tiring him out. He looked forward to getting home, and just crawling into his warm bed...
Even better... He thought as his lips pulled into a smirk, Crawling into bed with Dane...
((He means that in an innocent way, for once. XD ))

[Dreambug]

((Haha! Makes a change ))

"Shut up." Dane grumbled, shooting Sloan a look. "I only thought of watching it because you wouldn't let me watch Magic Mike, and it would make you happy." He teased, poking Sloan's brow with a smirk. Of course, he was lying. He'd chosen it because it looked like a good film, and it hadn't disappointed him. Although it was surprising that the fact it may contain spiders hadn't occurred to him.
He pulled a face when he was swatted on the back of the head, although he deserved it, and obediently followed Sloan to the pizza place. It was surprisingly quiet for a change, and they had the choice of taking a seat by the window, in the middle of the restaurant or in the upstairs area, which was almost completely empty, besides a couple with a baby who was gurgling happily in a pram, nibbling on a piece of bread.
"You get a place, I'll order." He smiled, then patting Sloan on the shoulder in a friendly fashion. "What would you like? Or should I just ask for a big one with loads of chips, so we can share?"

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

"Let's share one." Sloan answered, "I'm not fussy with my pizza, as long as it doesn't have anchovies on it." He flashed a grin and poked Dane playfully in the side, then turned away and walked off to the free window seat. He didn't want to be around a noisy baby...
Ironically, Sloan hated kids with a passion. Even after Nick, he still did - his own child was the only exception... And surprisingly, Sloan was actually pretty good with his kid when he did spend time with the boy.

Sloan sat down at the table, and waited for Dane, tapping his fingers absentmindedly on the table.
A waiter ambled over before too long to take drink orders, and Sloan ordered a Dr Pepper for Dane, and a Tantrum for himself. Then he remembered that Tantrum was an American drink - and rather sulkily ordered a Red Bull instead.
If Dane was going to be bouncing off the ceiling, then he at least wanted enough energy to be able to keep him in check.

[Dreambug]

"As long as it doesn't have... What?" Dane wrinkled his nose, pondered for a moment, then waved it off with a flick of his hand. "You know what? Never mind. Margarita it is."
He wandered off to the counter, leaving Sloan to find a seat, and ordered the pizza with a side order of fries and some extra tomatoes, then gave a table number and headed back over to his boyfriend, who seemed to have just ordered drinks.
"I hope you got my Dr Pepper, Mister." He said, sitting down coolly opposite Sloan. "Otherwise I'll be glum later, and you'll have no chance of seeing me naked."
He winked at the man, already acting hyper from the chocolate he'd had earlier, and leant onto the table.
"Thy said the pizza should take around twenty minutes tops, but they'll bring the fries earlier, just to keep us from waiting."

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

"I did, keep your shirt on." Sloan teased, flashing Dane an amused grin. He really was energetic... Sloan hoped he could keep up... Honestly, sometimes he felt ten years older than Dane, rather than three. He really couldn't understand where hid boyfriend's energy came from.
Their drinks arrived, then - and Sloan ignored the glass the waiter offered him, and took a swig of his Red Bull from the can.

He had nearly finished the drink by the time their food arrived - but when it did, Sloan wolfed down his share of the chips hungrily, then dug into the steaming pizza when it arrived minutes later.
After four pieces, however, he was stuffed, and sank back into his chair - feeling contentedly full.
"Mmmm, that was good." He mumbled happily, licking his lips.

[Dreambug]

Dane was proud to see his Doctor Pepper being served to him in a tall, thin glass and they both gulped down their drinks as soon as they were given to them. Dane drunk about half the glass in one go, let out a refreshed sigh, and wiped his mouth with the back of his palm.

When the food came they both had their fair share, and Dane had to admit, it was delicious. Once they'd both finished the pizz, he hogged his bowl of fries and chomped on them happily, already affected by the sugar in his drink.
He finished the drink before he finished the fries, and ended up taking them away with him in a small, paper bag.
They paid at the counter and headed out to the parking lot, Dane already practically skipping from E-numbers minutes after finishing his drink.
"God... It's been a good night." He said loudly, flinging an arm around Sloan's shoulders as if he were drunk. "And I'm so hyper I could run a mile."
He flopped his head backwards with a happy sigh, then poured the remaining chips into his mouth and chewed on them happily.

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

"You crazy!" Sloan laughed, slipping his arm around Dane's waist and squeezing him affectionately. "I'm glad you had a good time."
He swooped in to kiss Dane's cheek, then glanced up, eyes searching the nearly-deserted parking lot for his Jeep. There were a few dim streetlights surrounding the parking lot, but the one nearest them had gone out, and Sloan struggled to see in the gloom.
He was still squinting around the parking lot, when suddenly he felt a movement near his back pocket.
He shot Dane a glare - only to find that his boyfriend wasn't even looking his way.
In a flash, he wheeled around to see a scrawny teenager sprinting away with his wallet in hand.
"Oi!" He exclaimed, bolting after the boy, "Get back here, you f*cking punk!"
He grabbed the fleeing boy's arm, and jerked him roughly around, causing the wallet to fall from his fingers.
"Let go of me!" The teenager demanded, tugging pathetically away from Sloan's vice grip.
"You can't go around f*cking pickpocketing people, you little punk!" Sloan snarled, jerking his arm viciously as he tried to pull away, "I should turn your ass in!"
"Let go!" The boy shrieked, pulling desperately now, "Let go!"
When Sloan didn't obey, the boy shuddered in fear, and whipped a knife from his belt. In a moment of frightened panic, he lashed out with the knife and Sloan, too slow to move away, felt the cruel blade lodge itself between his ribs.
He doubled over with a grunt, clutching the protruding handle and staggering backwards in shock.
"Oh god..." The boy murmured, moving quickly backwards and ripping at his hair, "Oh god, oh god... What did I...?"
He seemed totally horrified by what he had done, and for a moment he seemed torn between staying to help, or running as fast as he could. Then he heard a distant voice, and the youth bolted, leaving a shocked Sloan clutching his knife in shaking fingers as blood bloomed around it.
"...'The F*ck...?" Sloan muttered weakly, eyes wide with shock as he staggered back another shaky step, swaying dangerously. After a moment his knees buckled, and Sloan lost his ballance and fell to his knees.
He looked utterly bewildered; as though he still didn't quite understand what had happened.

[Dreambug]

Dane didn't even notice the thief until Sloan started running after him, his grasp disappearing from Dane's waist. He wheeled round quickly, eyes wide, because he could tell already what was going to happen. Or at least, what was highly likely to happen.
If Sloan caught tht boy, he'd probably beat him up, and it would be Theo all over again...
He sprinted on after Sloan until they'd both stopped, picked up Sloan's wallet and yanked his shirt to stop him. What was he doing? You weren't suppose to grab young people in hoodies that were trying to steal things. They migh have a-
Have a-
In what felt like slow motion, but Dane's body wasn't quick enough to move, the frightened teenager drew a small blade from his jacket and flung it into Sloan's ribs without thinking about it for a second, and Sloan immedietely let go of the young boy's arm.
"What..." Dane mumbled, nearly falling to his knees at his own shock, and quickly supported Sloan by his arm as he fell to his knees. The youth seemed to bee just as horrified as Dane was, as he must have panicked when Sloan mentioned turning him in and stabbed him in the moment, but he was regarding staying to help.
"What have you done?" Dane mumbled shakily, not bothering to look at him. "I wouldn't have let him hurt you, I wouldn't..."
But it was too late. The light, terrified running footsteps disappeared into the darkness.
"Sloan? Hey, mate. Look at me." He demanded, slapping Sloan's cheek gently. "Lie down, and don't move, okay? Just... Um... Keep breathing."
He stood up and raked a hand through his hair. He heard that if someone who'd been stabbed moved too much, especially if they were hit in any vital organs, it could change the chances of life or death.
Dane's breathing quickened and his vision when white and dotted. For a moment he honestly thought he was having a panic attack.
"Um... Er... Erm..."
He couldn't look at the knife in the man's chest. He just couldn't. He was sure he'd pass out if he did...
Thankfully, in his moment of panic, a couple came running over and a middle-aged woman knelt down beside Sloan, muttering quiet words to him, and asking Dane something about what the youth who stabbed him looked like.
Dane rested against the bonnet of a nearby car, trying to keep himself awake. He hoonestly wanted to vomit, but there wasn't time for that.
The older man who'd come with the woman was calling an ambulance, then the woman called Dane back over to keep Sloan occupied. She told him to keep the man talking, calm him down, and she told him to take his jacket off and lay it over Sloan, which would apparently help him with shock. She explained she was a trainee doctor and was due to take her exams, and they'd learned about stabbings recently at her University.
Dane only half-listened, and knelt down beside Sloan, resting his head on his knee.
"You alright?" Dane asked stupidly, swallowing the lump of bile in his throat. His face was paler than Sloan's. "Does it hurt?"

[Polo trapped in an inkpot]

"Sloan? Hey, mate. Look at me."
Sloan frowned at this, thinking irritably to himself, I am, moron! But then he realised that his eyes were closed, and allowed them to flicker open as Dane slapped his cheek. Sloan grunted in annoyance, jerking his head away.
"Lie down, and don't move, okay? Just... Um... Keep breathing."
"I'm not dying, you idiot." He scolded, and though he meant for his voice to reassure Dane, even he was shocked by how weak it sounded.
"I don't need to lie down, I can st-"
He started trying to stand up again, but before he could, he suddenly found an authoritative stranger at his side, pushing him back down to the ground until he was lying on the dirty pavement.
"F*cking punk..." Sloan muttered quietly to himself, wincing and clutching at the stab wound as drops of cold sweat rolled down his pale face. "Bloody coward... Like to beat the crap out of 'im."
Everybody ignored his delirious mutters, which was probably just as well, since Sloan wasn't thinking too clearly anyway.
He was beginning to sink into something of a daze from the shock, when suddenly Dane's voice broke through his thoughts.
"You alright? Does it hurt?"
Sloan laughed at this, then winced and grunted as the protruding knife jiggled in the wound.
"Oh, get this thing the f*ck OUT!" Sloan roared suddenly, sitting up, and yanking the knife out of his side. He cursed, feeling suddenly dizzy, and toppled back into Dane's lap, covering the open wound in his side with bloody fingers.
"It's not so bad..." He told his boyfriend consolingly, looking up, and managing a weak smile, "It doesn't hurt... That much. Just took me by surprise is all. I'll be okay in a minute; just wait..."
And indeed, he took a minute, closing his eyes and resting his head back against Dane's warm chest. He felt cold from the shock - and as he rested, he tried his best to calm himself, trying to convince his heart to stop leaping about in his chest, and fall back to its usual rhythm.
After a while, Sloan opened his eyes again, and reached up to grab Dane's shoulder in a firm grip.
Using his boyfriend for support, he hauled himself shakily to his feet, still covering the wound with his fingers.
"I'm okay." He said, smiling reassuringly at Dane - then offering a grateful nod to the couple that had helped him.
"I'm fine, really. It's not too deep."

[Dreambug]

Dane was about to Sloan removing the knife, and it seemed the older woman did, too. But Sloan wasn't listening. Dane winced at the sight of the blade, so black with blood itw as barely visible even with the handle, so he tried not to look at it.
Where's the f*cking ambulance? I thought furiously. Bu it seemed he was panicking more than his boyfriend.
He cupped Sloan's face in his palms, his excuse being that he was making sure Sloan's temperature didn't plummet suddenly, and genty caressed the skin around his hairline as he lay for a minute, calming himself down. The older woman didn't question Dane's gestures, but she promised she'd stay there until the ambulance had got there, and Dane thanked her gratefully. The man that was probably her husband lingered out of the way, obviously not as passionate on doctors and blood as his wife.
Dane felt a han clamp on his shoulder, and he helpfully braced himself against the weight, trying his best to help Sloan to his feet. It probably wasn't much of a good idea for him to be moving so much, but Dane knew any retorts of his would be ignored. Instead he grabbed Sloans hand and cupped a hand under his armpit, helping him stand.
"The ambulance is coming anyway." Dane mumbled. "I don't believe you."
"Best get it checked out, anyhow." The older woman told him informatively. "You've already lost a lot of blood."
"It wouldn't be the first time." Dane whispered so the woman couldn't hear.
The ambulance arrived a couple of minutes later, and the paramedics swarmed around Sloan, seemingly shocked that he could stand, and led him carefully into the bed, attaching a heart moniter to check his pulse and leaving an oxygen mask if he needed it. Dane thanked the couple and climbed into the ambulance, sitting next to Sloan.
"Jesus, you must love scaring the crap out of me." He said, trying for a tight smile. "You have excellent timing, too, right when I'm high on E-numbers."
He reached out and grabbed Sloan's hand, squeezing it lovingly.

[Sponsored content]