Work Text:
choo choo has removed Larry the Table Guy from Cold Metal Nipples
ashblaster4000: No!!!! :(
Sally 🅱ace has added Larry the Table Guy to Cold Metal Nipples
ashblaster4000: :)
Larry the Table Guy: chug…. bruh
choo choo: thats what you get for naming the groupchat cold metal nipples
Sally 🅱ace: Revenge is a dish best served cold (metal nipples).
Larry the Table Guy: adjsndjsk
Larry the Table Guy: you guysll never understand my art :(
Todd Morrison has changed groupchat name Cold Metal Nipples to Nipple Chastity
Todd Morrison: There you go, Chug. You're very welcome.
choo choo: one day i'm gonna snap, nerd boy. then where will you be?
Todd Morrison: 👀
Todd Morrison: Significant other battle. Neil and Maple, ten minutes in the cage. Whoever's datefriend wins is victorious.
maple syrup: Unrealistic! Id never fight Neil, I love him too much
Todd Morrison: That's fair.
Todd Morrison: I would participate in the cage match and defend my own honor, but I have tiny nerd arms.
Larry the Table Guy: adnkakdj
Sally 🅱ase: Oh shit. OH SHIT.
ashblaster4000: Everything ok sal?
Todd Morrison: 👀
Sally 🅱ace: Hey everybody, can I get an F in the Minecraft chat.
ashblaster4000: F
Larry the Table Guy: f
Todd Morrison: F
maple syrup: F
choo choo: ok f but why are we effing you?
Sally 🅱ace: Because Hot Guy is at the store again and I'm in agony.
choo choo: weh
Sally 🅱ase: 😔
ashblaster4000: Im telling you that guy is the same guy from the pottery class i took sophomore year
ashblaster4000: That guy was a total poohead
Todd Morrison: 😯!
Larry the Table Guy: ashley cambell!!!!1!
Sally 🅱ase: Ash, watch your fucking language! Damn!
ashblaster4000: Sorry i forgot this was a christian minecraft server
Todd Morrison: This server is holy and we are holy children, blessed in His name.
ashblaster4000: Whose name
Todd Morrison: Larry-Jesus.
Larry the Table Guy: desu-ne~ no nasty language in my fuckin server
Todd Morrison: He has spoken.
ashblaster4000: Asksidkskdl ok
choo choo: sorry larry im not religious
Larry the Table Guy: 😔
choo choo: @Sally 🅱ace i still don't see why you don't just talk to store guy
Sally 🅱ase: His name is Hot Guy and it's because he's way out of my league.
Larry the Table Guy: as if!! your out of that guys league by a landslide. if you ask him out and he says no thats just him being humble
Sally 🅱ase: OMG
ashblaster4000: I have to agree, sally… that guy's a total waste of space compared to you.
Sally 🅱ase: But his beautiful golden hair… His denim vests…
Todd Morrison: Denim vests… 🤢
Todd Morrison: This "Hot Guy" only visits Robert's Records to purchase Christian rock music CDs and only wears denim. I support you in all your endeavours Sal, but please, get some standards.
Sally 🅱ase: Don't be mean to my future husband or I'm blocking you!!
Todd Morrison: Do it, bitch. 👀
maple syrup: I love being in this groupchat. I never understand whats going on
choo choo: you said it, babe
Sally 🅱ase: OH GOD, HE'S COMING TO THE COUNTER. BRB.
-
As far as jobs go, Sal's 9-to-5 at Robert's Records is a pretty sweet deal. Not too many people come in most days, so he mostly just plays on his old Gearboy or messes around on his phone, and the people who do are music lovers like himself, either searching for a vinyl they've been looking for since they were twenty-eight or wanting to know the best place to start. Not to mention the pay is good and he gets weekends off. It's awesome.
He almost never sees a face a second time, though. For some reason, folks just don't dig on Robert's Records. If not for the fact that the music selection is largely rock, Sal might blame the early closing hours for chasing everyone away. Everyone except for Hot Guy, that is.
Hot Guy is their only regular and he comes in like clock-work. Every Wednesday afternoon, he walks in at 4 o'clock on the dot, looks through their selection of CDs, and leaves fifteen minutes before Sal has to close up so he can make it to church. (That's one of the few things he's said to Sal: "I'm in a hurry. I have church on Wednesdays.") He comes again on Fridays, this time for records and tapes, and doesn't leave until Sal starts packing things up to close. Sometimes Sal stays later than his paid hours just so he can keep staring.
Today's a Friday and Hot Guy is empty-handed when he comes up and leans against Sal's counter. This never happens.
"I'm looking for something new," Hot Guy says. His expression is so intense - it's part of why Sal likes him so much. He has these beetle-black eyes that burn like he's staring into your soul. It's hypnotizing.
"What kind of new?" Sal remembers to say out loud.
"New for me. Something I wouldn't normally listen to." Hot Guy stands up a little straighter, still resting his weight on one arm against the counter. Sal struggles not to stare at his muscles. "What kind of music do you like?"
Sal blinks. "Um." His face grows warm like he's in highschool again. "I'm a fan of all kinds of music. I mostly listen to metal, though, so that's the stuff I know most about."
"Metal!" That seems to surprise him - but then he nods slowly. "Yes, that should work. Do you know any queer metal artists? If I'm going to listen to something my father would hate, I need to go all the way, right?"
Sal chuckles at that. "Do I count if I'm a queer guitarist?" He stops laughing, feels his face grow even hotter. His scars sting. "I'll just show you some of the artists I know are good."
Hot Guy steps away from the counter as Sal moves around it. "You play guitar?" he asks. He sounds genuinely interested.
"Oh, yeah." Sal shrugs. Hot Guy follows him to a row of records, watches him thumb through O-R. "I've been playing forever, even started a band with my friends in highschool... My friend Todd actually tricked out my guitar. If the licks are savory, it's more thanks to him than me."
That makes Hot Guy laugh. Sal wants the sound tattooed into his brain. "I'm sure you give yourself too little credit."
"I don't know about all that." But he can't stop smiling. "I guess our music is pretty cool. We don't have any vinyls but, since you're looking for new sounds, I can probably get you a CD by the time you come in on Wednesday."
Hot Guy blinks at him. "You know my schedule?"
"Uh," Oh geez. "Um, yeah, we don't get many regulars." And your beautiful long blond hair haunts my dreams.
Hot Guy looks at him appraisingly, making him want to melt into the floor. "Ah. Well, I'd definitely be interested in your CD. Any other bands you recommend besides…" He trails off, like he's waiting for Sal to say something.
"Oh! My band's called Sally Face . Based on an old nickname some bullies called me in school when I first got my prosthetic. I reclaimed it, I guess you could say, and then my brother Larry thought it would make a cool band name."
"He was right." Hot Guy pulls a couple of records out, looks at the haunted faces on the covers. "Taking something someone used to hurt you and turning it into a tool of your own expression… What is it the 'youths' say? I vibe with that."
Sal giggles. "Oh, thanks… Uh, anyways! Your records! I know a few, but let me just text my brother real quick and see if he knows any more."
"Sounds good."
-
Sally 🅱ase: I'M GOING TO FUCKING DIE HERE. I'M SO FUCKING GAY. FUCK.
ashblaster4000: Rest in piss, sweet prince
Larry the Table Guy: good luck dude!!1!
-
"Okay," Sal puts his phone away and breathes. "Well, let's see." He pulls one of his favorite albums out and hands it over to Hot Guy. "This is Oden's Blood. The frontwoman recently came out as trans! Unless you're looking for a certain kind of queer, this will probably be my top recommendation."
"No, I'm definitely interested." He turns the record over in his hands, his dark eyes reading over the song titles. "This definitely looks different than my usual shtick."
"I suggest checking them out then! Her voice is amazing in her old albums and the new ones. She mostly does traditional screamo-type singing but sometimes she also does this, like, orchestral type vocals? It's very cool. My brother and I listened to their stuff back in highschool and they still put out albums pretty regularly, so lots to choose from here."
Subconsciously, he moves closer, quietly angling the record so he can stare at the cover. Memories and Dreams is aptly named; just looking at the record brings forth so many great memories of he and Larry sitting in the basement, talking about everything and nothing.
"This album in particular has been played on repeat a million times over, even if just by me."
When he looks up, he sees Hot Guy staring at him with an odd expression on his face. He isn't sure why, but the intense gaze makes him blush.
"I'll check it out then," he says. He doesn't look away and neither does Sal. "You've definitely sold me on it."
"Cool… I mean-" With great difficulty, he breaks Hot Guy's gaze. "That's my job, right?"
Sal can hear the smile in his voice. "Right."
Sal shows him a couple more - a more recent, underground title and one that's a little older, both from great bands - and then just like that, Hot Guy is on his way out. It passes so quickly, Sal barely has time to appreciate being so close to him.
The bell above the door rings as he opens it and Sal, now back behind his counter, resigns himself to another four days pining for some guy he doesn't even know the name of, when Hot Guy stops and turns back around.
"Hey," he calls to a surprised Sal. "Would you… be interested in listening to these with me?"
Sal stands there with his mouth open. "Uh."
"It's okay if not." Hot Guy looks away, runs a hand over the back of his neck. When he touches it, his hair shifts and catches the light. "But- I mostly come here because the cashier is cute, so I thought I'd take my chances."
Still gaping like a fish, Sal can only be glad that his prosthetic hides his likely stupid expression. Then it clicks. "Wait. You're into me?"
Sal flinches when Hot Guy laughs self-deprecatingly. "Yeah, I'm into you. I wouldn't be asking you out if I wasn't."
"You're asking me out." Sal puts a hand on his head, just above his ear, then drops it to the counter. "Holy shit, you're asking me out."
"Um-"
"Yes! I mean, sure, okay! I'd love to hang out. I have the weekends free if you, um, wanna wait until after my shift?"
"That early? Shit, yes, I'd like that. We can go back to my place and listen or maybe go eat somewhere first, if you like…"
Suddenly breathless, Sal can only grin. "I do like. Oh, but that means I should probably call you something other than Hot Guy-" Fuck. "I mean, um." He turns his face away, cringing in embarrassment. "What's your name?"
Hot Guy's smile could light up the entire place. "Travis. And you're Sal, if your nametag is correct."
"It is," Sal laughs. "Nice to meet you, Travis."
"Nice to meet you, Sal." Travis tucks a piece of long hair behind a pierced ear. "Anyways, I should probably go feed my cat before our date. Pick you up at 5?"
"Yeah, totally." He has a cat! Ugh, he's so great. Sal loves cats. "I'll see you."
Travis leaves with a smile.
-
Sally 🅱ace: I can't make it to ghost hunting night tonight.
Larry the Table Guy: whaaaaat
Larry the Table Guy: r u feeling okay??
maple syrup: I can be on my way with soup pronto! ^-^
Sally 🅱ace: That's okay, Maple. I might see about picking up soup with the hot guy who just asked me out, though.
maple syrup: Whaaat omg! Thats great news Sal!
Larry the Table Guy: !!!!!1!
Larry the Table Guy: dude he asked u our?? no way that rules!!
Sally 🅱ace: I know… I'm holding in a serious scream right now.
Larry the Table Guy: let that scream out bro!!
Sally 🅱ace: Haha, maybe later…
Todd Morrison: Very optimistic, are we? 👀
choo choo: ajdbskdjak
ashblaster4000: Omg
Sally 🅱ace: GOOD LORD. Not like that. We're just going to his place to listen to music. Oden's Blood, probably.
Larry the Table Guy: exsellent choice
ashblaster4000: Never follow a predator to a second location
Todd Morrison: We don't know if he's a predator, Ashley.
Todd Morrison: That conclusion is entirely dependant on how much denim he was wearing today.
maple syrup: Ill just say it… I think denim is hip
Sally 🅱ace: You tell him, Maple! Travis looks so good in denim, too.
Todd Morrison: You people are too far gone. 😔 I apologize for failing you.
ashblaster4000: Hey wait i wear tons of denim. Todd!
Todd Morrison: That's completely different. When a woman wears denim, it's a sign of power. When a man wears denim, it means he probably eats human flesh.
Larry the Table Guy: these gay fashion rules are getting more and more confusing
Todd Morrison: Tell me about it.
choo choo has changed Todd Morrison 's nickname to denimphobia
denimphobia: Thank you, Chug.
choo choo: no prob, denim hater
Sally 🅱ace: Oh my God, I just realized he's picking me up from work. I look like trash.
denimphobia: Would you like me to bring you an outfit from the house? I can even include a denim jacket, just so you and Sexy Hannibal can match.
maple syrup: Mads Mikkelsen is already Sexy Hannibal
ashblaster4000: Yeah todd you have to pick someone else
denimphobia: 😑
Sally 🅱ace: If you bring my denim jacket, can you also pack my floral skirt and that cute short-sleeve button up?
denimphobia: The white one? Sure.
Sally 🅱ace: And my Docs. I'd die for you Todd.
denimphobia: You will.
choo choo: f
Larry the Table Guy: asdfghjk
maple syrup: I have to go to work now but good luck on your date Sal! 😚
ashblaster4000: Good luck from me too 💜 even if he's a poohead
choo choo: me 3
Sally 🅱ace: Thanks, guys. <3
denimphobia: ETA: 15 minutes. I'm bringing your hair brush and curler as well.
Sally 🅱ace: I owe you my life, Todd.
denimphobia: It's what friends are for. 💛
denimphobia: But if you aren't home by 10, I'm calling the police.