Secrets I have held in my heart
Are harder to hide than I thought
Jude blames his doubling back on the way Koa says ‘hey, Jude’. For all the Dragoon may feel out of place or uncertain, it sure doesn’t come off that way - or maybe Jude is just the hopeless pining type. Given how easily he and Sohalia came together, maybe he is and just didn’t know it? Regardless, it sucks, and maybe another drink will take away the squirming feeling in his stomach. Are harder to hide than I thought
Koa sits beside him, and the squirming intensifies. Shit.
The empty bottle was blessedly already taken, so Koa hopefully won’t know that the answer was just cheap beer. Jude’s smile is a little wobbly with nerves as he nods and turns to the bartender, ordering the only other drink he’s ever tried (the day he got his face smashed up, but surely more bad decisions are not on the horizon). “PB&J please,” he eeks out, and lays his palms flat on the bar to try and cool them down before he turns to Koa. “It’s um peanut butter whiskey and fruit liqueur. I hope that’s okay.” Sweet enough to ignore the alcohol, strong enough to knock Jude on his ass without fail. He loves it. And the comparisons to the man in front of him are definitely not glaring.
“Do you come here often?” It slips out before he realizes what a bad come-on that is from anyone else, and he winces. “Gods. I swear that wasn’t what I -” he pauses abruptly, the lingering taste of beer sharp on his tongue as he swallows tightly. It may not have been what he meant, but why shouldn’t it? He’s at a bar in a brothel next to a handsome man, why should he think about context right now? He’s not dating Sohalia, so he’s not doing anything wrong.
Emboldened by that thought and a few too many cheap beers, Jude straightens and turns on his seat to better regard Koa. “Actually, yes. Do you come here often? You don’t seem like you need the help to find a partner.” Still not quite brave enough to compliment the Dragoon upfront (and he can already feel the heat in his cheeks with what little he has managed) Jude instead uses his eyes to look Koa up and down in a clear ‘you’re hot’. “If you have a recommendation for staff I’ll um…I’ll take it.” Jude’s confidence falters but doesn’t fail, and though he’s too awkward for a smoky look or a wink, at least his intentions are clear.
Maybe I just want to be yours
Yeah, I want to be yours
Yeah, I want to be yours
Jude
