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[laserhawk]

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[neighsaying]

It went good.

[ Jean's voice is warm and enthusiastic; this doesn't sound like bad news. Jean just has terrible phone etiquette. ]

They're okay with it, both of them. So, you know - that date is still on the table.

[laserhawk]

[ oh. warmth curls at the base of his spine. he made a choice and it worked out.

and jean wants this. ]

Meet me at the club?

kipping off to bed but wanted to shoot this one in

[neighsaying]

Absolutely.

[ A moment later, before he gets moving: ]

If I show up another day with Levi, it's my first time visiting, though.

[ He doesn't want Levi to kick his ass about not bringing him along this time, but after that he does make his way down to Club Quartz. He's dressed as he normally is now - boots, slacks, a dark grey vest, and his white button up shirt, though it's paired with a green military style jacket due to the cold.

Basically: he looks very out of place for a club, but he looks anticipatory as he steps in. ]

sleep well!

[laserhawk]

[ dolph's in a wide collar shirt and black pants. he was never fashion conscious before and alex used to be the one to pick out his clothes. alex decided everything. slowly, dolph is taking it back, one uncertain step at a time.

he manages a smile, faint and shy. ]

That's fine. Though I'm not a great liar.

[neighsaying]

[ Dolph looks good in the outfit, though Jean would have favored him with the excited, shy smile even if he showed up in a burlap sack. He laughs a bit at what Dolph says. ]

He just said I should bring him when I came by next, but I didn't think you'd want him here for this.

[ What is 'this' going to be? Jean doesn't know, exactly. But he does offer a hand to Dolph. ]

[laserhawk]

[ a short huff. ]

I told him he wouldn't like it much but he's determined to decide that for himself.

[ dolph curls his fingers around his hand, letting them settle. letting himself believe for a moment. it's almost rapturous. he's never been this brave before. it was alex who reached for him. closed the distance. not the other way around. ]

Do you want a drink first?

[neighsaying]

He wants to support you.

[ Jean says it easily; he's seen enough of their interactions to know what Levi is trying to do. Sir acts like he has a heart of stone, but he's really one of the softest people Jean knows.

Jean has an indulgent smile on his face. He doesn't know everything about Dolph's past, but if he can be patient with Mikasa, he can be patient with Dolph as he settles. ]

Sounds good. Surprise me?

[laserhawk]

[ yeah. that's what is baffling and why dolph didn't protest much when levi said he'd come by. he lets go for a moment to fetch a drink from the bar. he comes back with: ]

Scotch on the rocks.

[neighsaying]

Ooh, fancy.

[ It is, who spent a lot of time casking and aging drinks where Jean comes from? Only rich people. He knows enough to sip it, though, and he actually finds the taste pleasant and smokey. ]

Whoa, that's actually pretty good.

[laserhawk]

[ scotch on the rocks was one of alex's favourites. he's not sure what possessed him to choose that. but it was a better choice than margaritas. that wound is still too painful. ]

It's a pretty common drink. Among others.

lmao oh no dolph pls

[neighsaying]

Back home, it's beer or wine; things you can make in big batches with leftovers. This kind of stuff was exclusively interior fare back in the day.

[ Then they repatriated all of the noble's big secret stashes, but Jean still didn't have much. He reaches out to take Dolph's hand again. Sorry, he's touchy feely when he can be, and he's still testing out Dolph. ]

[laserhawk]

[ he takes it, closing the distance. he even twines their fingers together, brushing against jean's knuckles. ]

I see.

It's nice to know I have things to show you. To share.

[neighsaying]

[ Jean's smile widens, clearly pleased at the response. ]

I like learning about you. I know I don't know a lot but - I appreciate everything you share with me.

[laserhawk]

[ he hesitates for a moment. ]

I don't have a lot of . . . good things. It's just a lot of pain.

And I'm sure you've had enough of that.

[neighsaying]

[ Jean frowns a little bit, shifting to look at Dolph more fully. ]

If I was put off by the pain in someone's past, I wouldn't be with the two people I already am. I meant what I said - I like knowing about you, good or bad.

[ He offers a reassuring smile. ]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph's not sure. he knows parts of eren's life and of course, the nature of the world they live in. but dolph is . . . dolph's life was just a continuous cycle of betrayal and anger. what is there to like?

but . . . if this is to be real, jean should know. he's not pressing. he's not demanding. ]

Not today. Some other time. I just — Today should be special. Today you chose me.

[neighsaying]

[ Indeed, when Dolph says not today Jean doesn't press. He just offers a reassuring squeeze of his fingers and that smile again. ]

Whenever you want to, if you want to. But you're right, I did choose you. A sweet, handsome guy who now owns his own club.

[ He's teasing, just the slightest bit. ]

[laserhawk]

[ his cheeks darken for a moment. ]

And I did promise you a dance.

[neighsaying]

Now's a perfect time for you to show me.

[ He offers a toothier grin, this time - the Kirstein flirting coming out a bit more with some alcohol and the knowledge it won't be rebuffed. ]

Although let me get out of this jacket, I'll probably overheat.

[laserhawk]

Let me.

[ he slides his palms over jean's chest before slipping them under the jacket and carefully peeling it off him. he presses a light kiss to the nape of jean's neck as he pulls it away gracefully. ]

[neighsaying]

[ Jean doesn't object as Dolph removes the jacket, though his gold eyes do darken a little with both the touch and the kiss to his neck. It feels only natural when the jacket is removed, to catch one of Dolph's hands and lift it, kissing his knuckles before he grins. ]

Lead the way, then.

[laserhawk]

[ he smiles again as he heads to the dj table. setting the jacket aside nicely so it doesn't create, dolph hits play and lets the music sweep over the club. the light begin to flicker, flashing in various colours to match the beat. ]

The idea isn't about having fixed moves. It's to move to the rhythm. To lose yourself.

kavinsky, chefskiss

[neighsaying]

[ He still looks a little out of place in the waistcoat, but at least it's less obvious now. He watches Dolph go up to the table and hit play, listening to the much different music sweeping through.

Like Levi, he'd called it noise, but it does at least have a rhythm you could follow. He waits for Dolph to get closer before he hooks a finger through a belt loop on his pants. ]

Why don't you show me your rhythm first, then?

the good stuff

[laserhawk]

I can do that.

[ dolph lets himself sway in jean's space before he moves to the harder beats, twisting his hips. he then grabs jean's hand to coax him into moving as well. ]

that icon /swoons

[neighsaying]

[ Jean watches him almost studiously, like there is something to learn in how Dolph's dancing, a cute little furrow between his brows. Once Dolph grabs his hand, though, he lets out a nervous laugh but attempts to mimic what he's seen and heard.

He's not bad, he can clearly follow it and he's used to twisting his hips, but he's not quite confident about it yet. He also has an interesting observation: ]

Are you sure this isn't an excuse to dry hump in public?

[ He's not offended! That's just what it reminds him of. ]