Work Text:
Jay wasn’t sure he could be any madder at Matt than he currently was. He’d been mad at Matt before, Matt was a dick, but at least he did most of his dickiness on Queen’s Street where Jay could storm out. He’d circle the block a few times before he drank enough wine to forget whatever it was he was mad about and come home. Matt would have pulled some stunt for attention and Jay would be too drunk and tired to worry about whatever they had been fighting about.
Tonight was different, because Jay was sure he was lost. How Matt convinced him the Rivoli would give a shit about them visiting Waterloo had somehow escaped Jay’s mind. All he knew was Matt had gotten them kicked out of their hotel room. Jay’s credit card had been on the system and they’d charged him some exorbitant clean up fee to clean up all the red paint Matt spilled all over the floor. How the fuck did the red paint come in? Jay didn’t remember, his mind had grown fuzzy from the wine. He certainly wasn’t going to call Matt to ask, his phone remained off in his pocket. He could deal with the 47 missed calls Matt had most likely wracked up later.
A tech store glowed like a beacon up ahead, it wasn’t a bar but Jay was out of wine and itching to the closest keyboard and belt out his frustration. Jay finds the music section of the store quickly, Matt liked to say Jay could somehow find the keyboard or piano no matter where they went. Matt swore he once found one in a graveyard.
Jay starts banging out some sad ballad, drunkenly singing lyrics he is sure don’t make any sense when he hears a voice behind him.
“You're a great piano player, but it's a Friday night. Why don't you play something more upbeat?”
The man is dressed like he’s stepped right out of a time machine from the 80s, a muscle shirt with some beachy logo on it, big glasses, and a sweat band wrapped around his head. Jay’s not sure he’s ever seen anyone wear a muscle shirt who actually has the hardware to back it up, but this guy was living proof that they existed.
“What do you want to hear? Piano man?” Jay says.
“That song's not upbeat, have you ever actually listened to the lyrics?” the man asks, Jay hadn't.
“Do you know the Jurrasic Park Theme?” the man asks and sits down next to Jay on the tiny flimsy keyboard seat.
It's not a comfortable fit, but the man doesn't seem to care that he's pressing his thighs against the thigh of a total stranger. Jay feels a little dizzy, but being drunk has never stopped him from being good at the keyboard.
“Have you seen the movie?”
“Mat- my roommate loves it.” Jay says.
“Your roommates got good taste.” the man says, and Jay can't tell but did this fucking guy just wink at him? His arms are as big as Jay's head and his eyes are this colour of chocolate brown, so dark that they blend in with his pupils. It gives him an intensity that reminds him of something, someone? Jay can't place who.
“Yeh sometimes he does. But he wears a fedora all the time, so what does he know?” Jay says, and the man laughs. His smile seems at odds with the intensity he carries in his face, wide and unselfconscious, like a big scary dog that could only kill with kisses.
“You got something against stupid head accessories?” he asks, feigning hurt and pretending to take off his headband.
“That doesn't count because it looks cute on you!” Jay protests and goes a bright red after realising what he has said.
“You think I'm cute?” he asks and Jay wants to run and get on the next train back to Toronto, but this stranger has him pressed into the seat and escaping gracefully would be close to impossible. Jay stutters something unintelligible and the stranger clasps his hand.
“I’m Doug or you can call me later if you want to.”
This pick up line would be unbearable coming from anyone else, but Doug has said it with such sincerity that Jay can’t help but find it, find him, charming.
“Jay.” he says, somehow managing to compose himself.
“Well, my friends are actually watching Jurassic Park tonight at my office. I'm meant to be getting snacks, but they should have sent someone else to the corner store. They know it's next to the computer store and that I'll end up wandering in and getting distracted.” Doug says, and Jay smiles at him.
“Well what snacks are you getting?” Jay asks, snacks were his expertise.
“Depends, what do you like?”
Doug had let Jay buy half the store. Jay had kept explaining that he didn't have any money because the hotel had taken it all. He didn't explain why, didn't feel like explaining Matt to Doug. Doug didn't ask, just kept waving away Jay’s concerns.
“Work pays me enough, too much. They know I'll need to bribe cute boys at the computer store with snacks, they leave me an extra allowance for it in fact.” says Doug causing Jay to go bright red again.
He lets Doug carry all the bags in his strong arms back to his office, and lets Doug talk a million miles an hour about Star Trek and Indiana Jones. Jay barely keeps up, but he likes hearing his voice, he's happy to play a passive role in the conversation.
A million eyes are on Jay when he walks in borderline hanging off Doug's arm. Jay can't believe this is an office, not that he's ever worked in one, but were they normally this relaxed? For God sake, Doug was wearing a muscle shirt to work, what kind of office held movie nights?
“Who's this, Doug?” a man asks, emerging from his office.
“This is Jay, he's my new friend.” Doug says.
“He doesn't work here.” the man says matter of factly.
“Of course he doesn't, Mike! He's here for movie night.” Doug says.
“Jim wouldn't be happy if he knew we were just letting anyone in here. The patent is…” Mike says, and Jay senses he's already said too much.
“Jim isn't there right now, and it's just movie night. I found him playing the piano, not spying out front.” says Doug. Mike shuffles off back to his office, where he slams the door.
“Are you sure it's okay… that I'm here?” Jay whispers to Doug.
“Sure it is. The guys don't care, do they?” says Doug. The men shake their heads, not really saying much. Doug dumps the snacks all over the table and grabs the ones Jay picked out.
“These are ours, the rest are all yours.” Doug says and grabs Jay by the wrist, he leads him over to a couch and throws himself down.
“Best seat in the house.” he says, pulling Jay down so he almost lands on top of him. They almost knock heads and Doug laughs, the men around them seem uncomfortable but it doesn't bother Doug.
Doug opens the bag of popcorn and the twizzlers and the reeses pieces and all the other junk Jay had filled his arms with in the corner store. Jay stuffs his face, he loves sweets and equally so, he loves the feeling of Doug’s arm around his shoulder. He can sense Doug is watching him more than he’s watching the movie. Jay feels a little sick with all the sweets and the come down off the wine, and his stomach butterflies as Doug is scratching his hair and the back of his neck.
“Wanna see my office?” Doug whispers in his ear, and Jay shivers, almost falling over himself. Doug pulls him down the hallway, ignoring the mutterings from his friends and the fact his boss is staring them down from his office. Doug pulls Jay down the hallway where no one can see them anymore.
“Step into my office.” Doug says and opens the door to a decent size utility closet.
“Funny looking office.” Jay says, but steps in anyway and before the door even closes, Doug has grabbed him and pinned him against the wall. Doug is somehow clumsy but controlled at the same time, like he can’t control his excitement at finally being able to kiss Jay. Doug’s mouth tastes like the sweets they have both been shoving into their mouths for the last half hour, mixed with a salty undercurrent of popcorn. Doug kisses Jay until they’re both dizzy and then they collapse onto the floor of the dirty utility closet. Jay rests his head on Doug’s shoulder.
“We’re missing the movie.” Jay says.
“I’ve seen that movie a million times, I’ll see it a million more.” says Doug, grabbing Jay’s hands. Doug kisses each knuckle.
“You’re actually really great at piano, did I say that when we met?” says Doug.
“You did.” says Jay.
“Well I mean it, you are. I don’t know anything about piano, but I know you’re good at it.”
Jay blushes and hides his head in Doug’s shoulder.
“My stupid boss Jim Ball Silly says I’m not working hard enough, that all I do is goof around. I think maybe I just don’t have the right thinking music.” says Doug.
“I’m in Waterloo for another day?” offers Jay, and Doug grins.
“Great, come play for me tomorrow.” says Doug, and Jay turns to look into his eyes again. He really did look familiar, spookily so. Jay hasn’t got much more time to think about it because Doug is kissing him, and the world is all salty and sweet again.