001 [warning: sexytimes]

[seeagreatergood]

Happy Hour at Allen's is, as usual, loud with competing voices and scents, all of which are less important to Auggie than Annie and Jai's laughter and the second beer in front of him.

Well. Almost all. Occasionally Auggie cocks his head at the sound of heels or the floral scent of shampoo and listens to Jai and Annie's reactions. Jai has one chuckle for redheads and another for brunettes, while Annie has a groan for blondes that Auggie is told is rather hypocritical of her.

"Did the last three girls all have tequila, or was it just one carrying enough shots for her whole party?" he wonders.

"The last four," Jai corrects, audibly smirking. "Your nose must be getting tired."

"I don't get it. Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow -- you'd think people could hold off on the faux-Mexican debauchery until Saturday."

He hears Annie sit bolt upright.

"Oh crap, it's Friday, I have a thing with my--"

"Sister," Auggie and Jai chorus with her. Auggie grins, in spite of the dirty look he's sure she's giving him, and adds, "Jai, you owe me ten bucks."

Jai sighs and digs in his pockets. "Which ought to just about cover your cab ride." He slaps the money onto the table at Auggie's ten o'clock. "Annie, I'll walk you to your car, I'm headed that way."

"Now there's a Pyrrhic victory," Auggie says, with a sigh of his own. "Annie, did he really give me a ten?"

"Yes!" Annie says, laughing, and squeezes his shoulder as she stands. "You're so paranoid."

"I'm wounded that you don't trust me," Jai agrees, also standing.

"You'll heal, I'm sure. Have a good weekend, you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Same to you, Auggie," Jai says, with an eyeroll crystal-clear in his voice.

"That'll be a boring weekend, then," Auggie calls after Jai's cologne and Annie's heels, then turns back to his beer. Now where is he going to find a ride with all these tequila-soaked early birds?

Comments

[seeagreatergood]

"By all means."

With jacket on and bag and cane in hand, he comes over to offer her his arm.

"C'mon, I'll walk you out."

[prima-sequentem.livejournal.com]

"Such a gentleman, Mr Wayne," she teases, taking his arm.

[seeagreatergood]

"Have to keep up the image of the family name, after all," he points out, leading her out of the apartment and pausing just long enough to lock it behind them.

[prima-sequentem.livejournal.com]

"Last surviving scion," she agrees. "It's your job."

[seeagreatergood]

He sniffles as they reach the elevators. "Yes -- to honor my poor dead parents, I have to be as chivalrous as possible to the fabulous women I pick up in bars."

[prima-sequentem.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth cracks up.

[seeagreatergood]

Good!

He steals a kiss; the elevator arrives at about the same time.

[prima-sequentem.livejournal.com]

"Ding," she echoes when it arrives.

[seeagreatergood]

He laughs.

"Yeah, I noticed. First floor?"

[prima-sequentem.livejournal.com]

"You got it," she says, kissing his cheek.

[seeagreatergood]

They have time to make out a little in the elevator, right?

[prima-sequentem.livejournal.com]

Yes. Yes they do.

Although it might be obvious later that someone has been nibbling on Auggie's jaw.

[seeagreatergood]

Well, it wouldn't be the first time.

When they reach the first floor, Auggie smooths a hand over her hair and escorts her out to the sidewalk, where a large white van (with plenty of windows) is waiting.

"I had an amazing night," he murmurs in her ear. "Thanks."

[prima-sequentem.livejournal.com]

"Me too," Elizabeth assures him. "I'll call you. Now shoo before your ride gets pissed. He's at your four o'clock."

[seeagreatergood]

"Ah, he's already pissed."

He gives her a last kiss on the cheek, grins at her, and heads for the van.

"No wonder you were late," Charlie comments, starting the car as Auggie climbs in.

Auggie laughs. "Think it'll fly with Joan?"

"Nope."

"Ah, well, a man can dream."