in which I try to post three snippets, but livejournal sucks, so you only get one today

[thatrcooper]

First of all, congratulations to the giveaway winner, Ben! Hopefully USPS does not let us down.

Meanwhile, I asked for prompts for snippets over on my Tumblr. These are all Alternate Universe for existing stories. I did not include the Wicklow's Odyssey high school AU because it's more notes and squealing than a story, and the GODRIC AND BERTIE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS AU MADE ME SAD AND DOES NOT EXIST EXCEPT IN MY HEART.

Anyway. Thanks to everyone who keeps reading my stuff and who cares enough to give me fun prompts for the characters they like.

(Okay and LJ made me cut off one story because LJ sucks-so expect another snippet of Cory and Vincent later.... or remind me to post it.  I may forget. And the Checking Out Love one as well)


(the AU in which Tommy and Tavio from Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek, meet at a party)

“Oh my god, look at that face.” The words came out of his mouth but there’s nothing Tommy can do about it. Nothing at this stage of the game, because they were out there. They were out there because he had a weekend with no precious little one to watch over because Kaylee was at a sleepover, and he’d felt old, elderly, ancient to know she was now old enough to spend the night with other little girls and do whatever little girls did. He’d been sufficiently confused by that feeling that he’d avoided in the stupidest way possible, by going to a party at his coworker’s house. A party full of people who might have been his age, but who felt young. None of these people had scars, or nightmares, or possibly even kids.

And so he’d felt old all over again. And perhaps compensated by grabbing three beers in rapid succession and then a shot a very hot girl had handed him, because in his head he was apparently still twenty-three and chasing after tequila and tits.

Well, he’d been about twenty-three again until he’d turned around and seen the hottest man he’d ever seen in his life.

He didn’t even remember moving. He was just suddenly here in front of him, staring into wide, probably surprised, deep, soulful eyes with dark, thick eyelashes. Eyelashes were not something Tommy generally noticed, at least not in the first five seconds of knowing a person, but here he was, staring into rich, warm brown eyes and thinking about those lashes and how they would look against the man’s cheeks, if he closed his eyes when he kissed, like a normal person, and if he’d keep them closed when Tommy sucked his dick, and god, if he bottomed ever, or if he thought it would be hotter if Tommy took it.

Which wasn’t a sober thought, because most guys who wanted Tommy to take it were kind of dicks, but not like fun dicks. Just dicks. The kind he’d learned to get rid of early in the dating stages.

Not that this was dating.

He realized he was staring, and probably about to get his ass kicked, because the most beautiful man he’d ever seen was fit in a way that spoke of discipline and hours at the gym but not idle bodybuilding, and had tattoos, cross tattoos on his wrists. He had one of those Catholic burning heart things on his arm as well, right there, across one taut bicep. When he crossed his arms under Tommy’s mute, possibly awkward and creepy, staring, the muscle there looked positively delicious. Tommy wanted to bite it.

He dragged his gaze back up and said something, he knew he did, but for the life of him had no idea what was coming out of his mouth. He’d been possessed by the spirit of Cazadores. He hoped he was apologizing for his ogling because this wasn’t a gay bar and even if it was, he wasn’t that kind of guy. He at least asked for a name. He hardly wanted to fuck a bunch of anonymous red shirts. He was a true romantic. A Kirk, if you will.

His attention faltered for a moment when he saw the dog tags outline beneath the guy’s simple white t-shirt and got his eyes up immediately this time.

That face. He hissed. He hissed out loud like Cobra Commander and felt his cheeks burning even through all the booze. Warm brown skin and a strong jaw emphasized by a short, dark beard and mustache. Thick eyebrows and a mouth that belonged on a porn star.

“I’m so sorry.” He was apologizing. But not for leering. “Taylor Swift. It’s all my daughter listens to even though she’s never had a boyfriend. She speaks to her or something. But it’s better than Let It Go, so I sort of… let it go.” Tommy pulled in a breath and regretted his every life choice.

Things he did not spill to hot guys right away: Taylor Swift lyrics and the fact that he had a daughter. He usually waited at least five minutes before he mentioned the love of his life. It weeded out the weak.

Which… so far had been pretty much all of them.

The most beautiful man he’d ever met only blinked at him.

“Your eyes are goddamn sparkling,” Tommy informed him, then noticed that in addition to choosing to stand away from most everyone else, the guy had an almost full bottle of tequila next to him. Winner winner chicken dinner. Now Tommy just needed him to a) be queer and b) actually like Tommy. This was probably why words continued to come out of his mouth. “I don’t actually think Taylor Swift is that bad. I just don’t know what to think of my preteen daughter relating to her so hard. Did I fail her? Is she already convinced every boy is going to break her heart? I don’t want boys to break her heart. It’s not nice when boys break your heart, you know?”

“Or,” Tommy went on awkwardly when this made the most beautiful man he’d ever met uncrossed his arms in surprise. “Or maybe you don’t like boys, so they don’t break your heart. Yeah. I mean. Dick’s not for everyone. And lots of people seem to think it’s not for me, or that it is but I won’t admit it and I’m busy fooling myself with women. Or that I’m the heartbreaker because bisexuals can’t be faithful. But I would. I so would be, if someone wanted me and didn’t want to break my heart. I’m like Kirk. I just keep trying.”

He stopped, breathing hard to realize those eyes hadn’t left him. He was being studied, which should have made him feel like a specimen in a lab, or an alien, but he didn’t. “Usually Star Trek references drive off the ones who managed to make it through “daughter” and “bisexual.” Maybe…” Well it seemed racist, or at least rude, to assume this beautiful man didn’t speak English. But honestly, why else would he be tolerating Tommy like this? It wasn’t like they were in a club with booming music where the guy couldn’t hear what he was saying and it didn’t matter because they were just hooking up.

“I would hook up with you, don’t get me wrong,” Tommy paused to gesture curiously at the bottle of tequila and nearly preened when he got a small nod to show he was welcome to it. His first response, and a positive one. “I mean, if you were into that, I’m not presuming. Just… you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in real life, and so far you haven’t kicked my ass, or threatened to, so as it is, I might marry you.”

He frowned. “When it’s legal. And of course, again, if you’re interested, and if my daughter likes you. Which is a lot to ask, which is why I won’t. Ask you. Anyway, you…” Tommy helped himself to a swallow straight from the bottle and nearly choked when serious eyes focused on his mouth. He took another drink, then set the bottle down and took his time licking his lips.

That earned him a startled look, as if the guy hadn’t expected to get caught staring.

“Suppose that answers my Don’t Ask Don’t Tell questions,” Tommy murmured, voice husky from the liquor. “Don’t talk much, do you? Safer not to. I remember it well.” He gave an easy salute and watched tension he hadn’t known was there ease out of the guy’s magnificent shoulders. “Nothing keeps me from talking,” Tommy added sadly. “Well, almost nothing.” He raised his eyebrows significantly and felt a thrumming under his skin when he was studied; a long, deliberate, searing look from his head to his toes.

“Really?” Tommy was pretty hot if you liked guys with glasses and graphic tees. But this was this man, hot, silent soldier guy with the religious tats and the heavy gaze of someone recently back. Beautiful guy. Serious guy. Tommy wanted to feel his skin under his palms and lick tequila off his lips and maybe slide deep inside him until they were both straining and breathing hard.

Yet he wasn’t moving. “It’s your face. I can’t defile a face like that. My dick hates me for saying it, but you’ve got the reserve and caution of someone not fully out, and I’ve been there, man. I have. I don’t want be your next mistake. Oh goddamn that Taylor Swift.”

“She isn’t so bad.” The hoarse, slow words shocked him into momentary silence. He swung his gaze up and found himself trapped by those brown eyes, all hot and needy and curious in that still face. Oh god, he thought in some sort of weird state of mute arousal and panic, he’d found himself a Vulcan.

The man barely moved, and yet his every breath was mesmerizing. Or Tommy was very drunk. Or there was some Vulcan mind shit at work. The hottest man Tommy had ever seen cleared his throat. “They play her music, where I work.”

“Is that an invitation to come see you in the light of day?” Tommy was an idiot, as brave and reckless as the best space ship captains.

That earned him another blink, but not a no.

Tommy grinned. “Tommy.”

The most beautiful man in the world, and possibly outer space, exhaled softly. “Tavio.”