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

[i_am_your_host]

It's only now in the daytime, and when some of the alcohol has made its way through Emcee's system, that he notices exactly where Wonderland is in proximity to the penthouse. He can't believe he missed it before. Jay was very good.

Once everyone has filed into the elevator, Emcee finds himself pressed into a corner with Alice attacking his mouth.

He kisses back, sliding his tongue between her lips, his hands going for her hips and thighs.

They'll be busy for the duration of the ride.

[runningred]

Jared and Jay talk normally, happy to ignore the way Alice has Emcee pinned. Jay steps around them and unlocks the penthouse door.

"I was going to offer people drinks but Alice looks like she has a snack sorted out." He comments playfully as Jared cups his sister's shoulder to draw them out of the lift.

Alice purrs darkly and breaks off the kiss, turning to enter the penthouse, kicking her high shoes off on the plush carpet. "Martini nightcap." She orders, sprawling cat like on the oversized couch with a flash of pale thigh.

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee follows, the last one off the lift.

He watches Alice make herself at home. Whose home? His home? The idea of having guests over is still a foreign one.

But he tries to look at ease as much as everyone else does, as he tosses his coat over the back of a chair and goes to the kitchen to fetch a fresh pack of cigarettes from a drawer. He remembered seeing it there among the take-out menus.

"Anything for you, Jared?" he asks, as he lights up.

[runningred]

"Just water for me, thanks." Jared answers, perching a little more self consciously on the edge of a chair.

Jay throws a plastic bottle of water at Jared carelessly, knowing the other man will catch it. He passes Emcee a gin and takes a martini over to Alice. "How do you guys want to play this? The four of us need to talk but I'm happy to wait." Till after.

[i_am_your_host]

Talk? Wait? Wait for what?

He wafts around the room, trailing cigarette smoke.

"How about we all take our clothes off and fall into bed, and then afterwards we take a shower in the party bathroom? I mean, can it get any simpler than that, darlings, I think not."

[runningred]

Jay nods and glancing around the room, meeting the twins' eyes for a moment.

"I... can't join you, I'm afraid. For reasons I'll explain later. I hope you'll understand." He looks to Emcee. "I'm sure Jared and Alice will keep you warm enough."

[i_am_your_host]

At that, Emcee stops and turns to face him. His expression clearly says you have GOT to be kidding.

"What? --Oh, you must be joking. Really? Are you going to pop off somewhere or do you just want to watch?"

[runningred]

Jay cups Emcee's cheek and kisses him slowly and lovingly. "Sorry darling. I can stay and watch if you want me to. But-"

Alice clears her throat with a dismissive tick. "You and your moral code, Jason. Either tell him or get off your high horse and fuck us this once."

Jay bites his lip and turns to glare at her.

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee accepts the kiss, but now there's something off about-- everything.

He glances at Alice, sharp and questioning. And then gives the same look to Jay. Or Jason. He's never heard anyone call him Jason before.

"Jay, darling, what the fuck is going on? Tell me what?"

[runningred]

Jay growls at Alice then looks back at Emcee, his expression open and honest. "I have a rule. I don't screw employees. Alice and Jared work for me. I own Wonderland."

He braces for Emcee's wrath. He wasn't planning to tell him like this and he expects Emcee to be furious.

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee has never gotten so sober so quickly in his entire life.

He flushes hot with shock. For a moment, his throat closes tight, his eyes wide and fixed on Jay as if wanting to burn holes into him. Replaying in his mind everything Jay said about trusting him, believing him.

"Oh. So you're the mysterious boss."

He swallows his drink in one gulp, jams the cigarette into the empty glass, and sets it down hard on the kitchen counter.

He then heads for the balcony.

"Excuse me, I need some air," he says without stopping or looking at anyone, before sliding the glass door open and shutting it behind him. He retreats out of sight toward where the balcony connects to the master bedroom.

[runningred]

Jay flops down against the counter with a defeated sigh, fishing out a smoke of his own. "Well, I fucked that up."

Jared rests a hand on Jay's shoulder in silent support.

If Emcee doesn't return after fifteen minutes, Jared follows him out, tapping lightly on the glass door to the balcony.

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee is standing at the far end of the balcony. He hears the tapping on the glass, but thinks it's Jay, so he doesn't acknowledge it.

His thoughts are too much in a jumble right now and he might say something he'll regret.

[runningred]

"I bought you some water." Jared says softly, "I thought you might need it." He also has Emcee's smokes tucked in his pocket.

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee turns his head at the voice he wasn't expecting.

"Oh," he huffs. "Thank you."

He takes the bottled water and twists the cap off before taking a swig from it.

"You don't have to say anything. This has nothing to do with you or Alice."

[runningred]

He runs a hand through his hair, that slightly shy look on his face. "Actually, it has a lot to do with us. Jay bought Wonderland three years ago, to give Alice and I somewhere to be. We... our story is kind of complicated. Jason is one of the few people who knows all of it."

He looks over at Emcee. "There aren't many who would understand."

[i_am_your_host]

His brow knitted, he turns to look at him, shaking his head a little.

"What do you mean?"

[runningred]

"Jason told us he knows you from an bar in a pocket dimension so I'm hoping that means you're... more open-minded when it comes to... unusual circumstances?"

There's a note of hopeful apology in Jared's voice, running a hand through his hair again in nervousness. It's clear he wants to confide in Emcee but is worried Emcee might judge him. Or worse, recoil from him.

[i_am_your_host]

He blinks at the phrase pocket dimension.

And he stares up at him for a moment, speechless.

"You know about--?"

Blinking rapidly, he frowns, shaking his head again, then nodding. Several revelations in a row can be disorienting.

"Yes-- I mean-- well, yes, of course, I suppose..."

[runningred]

Jared can see he's rushing too much at Emcee all at once as backs off a step, leaning one the rail. "He asked us to help make arrangements for this," he features to the penthouse. "He figured we'd be the right people to help you settle in. If you chose to stay, of course."

He bites his lip. "This mess is kind of our fault. I don't think Jason was planning to dump this on you all at once but... Alice and I really wanted to meet you. That's why she followed you to that store yesterday."

He lets the other part, the part about themselves rest for the moment, really not wanting to freak Emcee out.

[i_am_your_host]

Yesterday. Yesterday? Was it yesterday? Emcee can't think straight.

He takes a deep breath, gripping the railing.

God, what is he even doing here.

"Then why couldn't he have just fucking told me?" he snaps.

"I can think of a dozen perfect times when he could have told me, and he had to wait for the last fucking minute? Now? When I thought we were all going to have a fucking-- fuckfest in this penthouse, which I allegedly own now? Jesus fucking Christ! All right, fine, I can understand how he wanted it to be a surprise, but goddamn it, I didn't want to hear it like that."

Tears are stinging his eyes.

"I'm sorry, darling, I shouldn't be yelling at you. I should be yelling at Jason," he shouts over his shoulder at the glass window, just in case Jay can hear how upset he is.

[runningred]

Jared lets Emcee vent, staying where he is but holding out a hand to steady Emcee. If he wants it. "Jason's not entirely to blame for that. Alice set him up. She knows he has rules about having sex the people he's responsible for. She enjoys pushing people to see how they'll react. She's... pretty upset with herself for hurting you."

[i_am_your_host]

"He still could have said something!" he says, stepping back out of reach.

"Even if she did set him up, he could have dropped the game at any time instead of dragging it out. Alice doesn't know me. And that's fine. But Jay does. And he should have known better than to pull that bullshit with me."

[runningred]

Jared drops his hand and steps back. He bites his lip and nods. "I understand."

He runs his hand through his hair, that nervous gesture again. "Alice and I will go, get out of your hair but... I wonder, could we talk again sometime? Before, you know, you leave? There are things I want to know, about us. I don't want to... hide anything from you. I'd-" he bites his lip again. "I'd like very much to be your friend."

[i_am_your_host]

Emcee folds his arms around himself.

He looks up at Jared, a little askance, his brow furrowed, but most of the ire has gone out of his eyes.

He doesn't really know what to say to that.

"I'm leaving today," he says plainly.

There is obviously something he wants to add.

"But-- but I might be back. And of course, we can talk."