to Berlin with love.

[runningred]

 From here

Jay opens the door into a quiet back alley that could belong to any city - the lingering scent of garbage and the miss-matched colours where graffiti has been washed off or painted over. In the mid-afternoon chill of early spring, he takes Emcee's hand and leads him out into the street, pocketing the key. The sunlight is thin but warm and picks out the green swell of buds in the branches. The tree lined avenue is quiet this time of day. Not lacking in people but without rush, a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Comments

[runningred]

Jay quirks a smile, glad Emcee's laughing at least a little. "This." He nods. "The penthouse is yours."

[i_am_your_host]

He's still shaking his head as if the idea is too big to handle.

"But people just don't give penthouses away," he says, trying to-- reason with him, or something.

[runningred]

Jay lets him compute in his own time. Now might not be the best moment to tell him about the club... or the whole building.

[i_am_your_host]

"It's ridiculous!" he insists, only just a bit hysterically.

"I mean, thank you all the same, but--"

He cuts himself off.

And he goes quiet, as he looks out at the city skyline. He turns to glance up and down the balcony-- he's never even been on a balcony-- and then behind them through the glass at the interior of the living room. That ridiculously huge living room. He's never had his own living room before. And then he looks down at the couch he's sitting on, sweeping his hand over the fabric.

It's slowly, very slowly sinking in. Not all the way. But enough for now to realize what Jay has done.

"Thank you."

[runningred]

Jay starts to speak when Emcee protests but stops himself when he goes quiet again.

He puts a gentle hand on Emcee's forearm, trying to catch his eye. "If it's too much, it's okay. I can get rid of it and we could look for something else. I just want you to have somewhere. Somewhere safe." He shrugs. "Somewhere you can bring friends if you can bring them through too." There are a couple of spare rooms after all.

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee glances into Jay's eyes and shakes his head.

"No, no, I-- it is too much, but that doesn't mean I don't like it," he says, managing a bit of cheekiness.

But he takes a breath, putting his hands to his face, still shaking his head a little. The idea of bringing his friends to this world, saving them, isn't one he's thought through.

"I have to think about this first. I just-- this is a Very Big Deal, and I am the worst when it comes to handling these things.

[runningred]

"Then tonight, just enjoy the place. Treat it like a hotel- jump on the beds, steal the soap." Jay jokes, trying to lighten the mood. "Test drive the bathroom."

[i_am_your_host]

He breathes out a chuckle.

"I'll try."

Taking a swallow of gin, he then reaches for the pack of cigarettes.

"I don't suppose there's anything to eat in the kitchen?"

[runningred]

"Should be." he mutters thoughtfully. "I asked the building manager to stock everything up. Want me to put something together or do you want to explore the kitchen for yourself?"

[i_am_your_host]

He blinks at him.

"Oh, dear. I'm going to have to learn how to use a modern kitchen, aren't I."

[runningred]

Jay laughs softly. "I can teach you the basics. Other than the microwave, everything else is pretty similar."

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee still looks uncertain, but he nods.

"I'll have a look. I don't usually cook for myself and the Bar has spoiled me rotten, so this would be something to get used to."

[runningred]

"There's no end of restaurants or delivery services around. You can always order out." Jay shrugs.

[i_am_your_host]

"Delivery? There are places that deliver meals?"

That could probably be the best modern invention he's ever heard of.

[runningred]

Jay chuckles and holds out a hand to him. "I'm pretty sure there are menus in one of the kitchen drawers."

For just about any nationality or style food Emcee can think of. And a few that he might not have.

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee takes his hand and gets to his feet, taking along his gin and cigarette, and follows him to the kitchen.

It's very...shiny. Like the kitchen in Milliways. He's tempted to open all the cupboards and cabinets to see what's in them, and he's pretty sure that he wouldn't be using half the appliances available. The coffee maker alone looks too complicated.

There is indeed a drawer full of menus, and he sorts through all of them, marveling at the variety.

"I've never had pizza before."

[runningred]

"Pizza it is." Jay grabs a phone and shows Emcee how to dial. He writes the address down to give for the pizzeria for the delivery. Fortunately the building access is off a different street to the club so it won't give away the game.

[i_am_your_host]

The cordless, push-button phone isn't too difficult to learn, except for maybe remembering to press a button to dial and another button to hang up. So strange.

"Hallo, yes, I would like to order a pizza please." He gives Jay an excited look of I'm ordering a pizza! "A large one. Ooh, I can get three toppings? Oh, all right, let me see..." He should have thought this through as he scans the list on the menu. "Black olives...um, mushrooms, and...oh, why not, Italian sausage."

After giving the address and hanging up, he tells Jay, "They said it will be here in twenty minutes. And I didn't want to say anything about how expensive things are, but things are fucking expensive. Inflation really is a bitch."

A pause.

"Speaking of which...do you have money? Although, I suppose, more importantly, do I have money?""

[runningred]

Jay laughs softly, sitting on the bench to watch Emcee's excitement.

At the question he holds at hand out to pull Emcee close, bracketing his knees either side of Emcee's thighs. "Okay. So, there's more to this conversation to be had. But I really don't want to freak you out. So for now, lets just go with yes, you have money. Enough for a comfortable living."

[i_am_your_host]

More? What could there possibly be? Emcee looks as if he's about to ask, but he knows he's not ready to hear anything else right now. All the hows and whys and wherefores-- it's just Jay being Jay.

He rests his hands on Jay's shoulders.

"If I'm going to accept this, I don't want to be living off of you or taking advantage of you or-- or anything like that, however you've planned it. But there's no way I could pay you back for this either."

[runningred]

Jay cups his cheek, drawing Emcee into a slow, undemanding kiss. "You owe me nothing. I give it freely."

[i_am_your_host]

End lets himself be drawn into the kiss and he lingers there for a moment, wishing this could be easier. He's not used to receiving things without expecting to give something back in return. The bigger the gift, the more likely he is to reject it.

He pulls back with a sigh.

"How about a grand tour?" he says with a faint smile.

[runningred]

Jay nods and steals one last kiss before slipping off the bench. "Open plan kitchen and lounge obviously." As they're standing in it. "The balcony runs right around the south east sides so you can sneak access it from the master bedroom too."

[i_am_your_host]

"Now I'm trying to imagine a scenario where that would come in handy," he chuckles.

"Where's the master bedroom?"

It's an innocent question. No, really.

[runningred]

"Slipping away from a party to change your outfit perhaps?" Jay says with as much innocence as he can muster.

He leads Emcee down the hall to a large if understatedly decorated master bedroom. "You can change the furniture however you like. This is just what it can with." A queen sized bed and dresser, a plush looking chaise lounge in one corner. Walk in wardrobe and decadent ensuite bathroom, and large folding doors onto the balcony.