Checking up with curly man {for Joel, Spencer}

[bachjones]

 It had hurt Bach, the things Joel had said, but drunks always spoke ugly truths and he simply wasn't good with women when there was no sex involved anyway.
He was pretty sure Joel was a friend and the man was nice. And nice people didn't deserve hangovers.

So here he was, in front of Joel's store, a fried egg bagel and a few aspirin in a cheap plastic bag his only company.

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[just_another]

It's only been two weeks since the incident at the lighthouse, but Joel is surprised by how easily he's entered back into his routine. Having Spencer around has helped, he can't pretend otherwise, and whether he's staying at Spencer's or Spencer stays with him, it's nice that he hasn't had to spent a night alone since that first one.

And it's mostly back to business as usual now. The store needs to be opened and so he leaves Spencer upstairs for the time being, asking him to put on some coffee if he doesn't mind, then heads down the stairs, yawning as he unlocks the front door and flips the sign to read open. When he spots Bach standing outside, his eyebrows lift in surprise, but he pushes the door open, the little bell tinkling overhead as he does. "Hey," he says, stepping back for Bach to come inside.

[bachjones]

The bagel is probably cold by now and as soon as Joel opens the door for him, Bach starts to think about what kind of silly idea this was. A fried egg bagel and aspirin? Like Joel's some hardcore drinking buddy instead of some guy in the street that took pity on Bach because he's a wet stain on society? He snorts. His mother could have said that.

"Hi." He shows the bag. "Need breakfast?"

[just_another]

Joel smiles at that, nodding as he steps aside to let Bach come in. "Thank you," he says and it's unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome and he hasn't had anything to eat yet this morning, caught up instead in simply staying in bed for as long as possible until he knew he'd have to open the store.

"Have you come by so I can set you up with an e-mail address?" he asks, reaching over to draw the grate up from across the window, letting some sunlight into the store.

[bachjones]

"Oh I don't have to come in ..I don't know how you're feeling right now. And about that stuff with Lara .."

He inhales deeply and lets the air whistle out from his nose. "Okay, man. I was just checking in on you. You mean like -" In passing, he pats Joel's hair like someone else would with a Buddha's belly, "On the computer? You like fried egg bagels?"

[just_another]

"Bach, I'm fine," he insists, still holding the door open. "Everything is fine." There are still moments of intense guilt, moments when he catches sight of Spencer's fingers still in their splints and feels like he's the world's biggest screw up, that Spencer deserves someone much better than he'll ever be and he knows there are times when Spencer is still afraid, but for the most part things have vastly improved.

"I do like fried egg bagels," he says with a smile as Bach pats his hair. It's still strange sometimes for anyone to be physically affectionate toward him, but he's learning how to be better at it.

[bachjones]

"Here you go it's probably cold by now."

He takes Joel's hand and folds it around the bag before going deeper inside.
"Did I already tell you that I don't really care for books? Just in case I explode into fire for being a book heathen or something.. maybe you still have glasses water around?"

[doublethepain]

It's not long after the coffee is brewed that Spencer pours a couple mugs balanced with his good hand and wanders downstairs. He's got the day off from the library today--at least, that's what his boss calls it; Spencer would prefer to be back full-time but until his fingers are out of their splints, his doctors aren't recommending it and his boss simply isn't allowing it--so staying sprawled out in Joel's bed and in Joel's arms had been a very welcome alternative.

When he reaches the bottom of the staircase, it takes him a moment to see that Joel is in one corner of the store, assisting a customer, and it sends a warm but happy flush to his cheeks when Joel catches his eye and smiles. He nearly does a double take when he sees the other man in the store, the one who seems to look like he isn't quite sure what to do with himself.

Spencer knows Joel doesn't necessarily need help with the store, it's why he's been running it on his own all this time; but Spencer's worked in the library long enough to feel like leaving someone to their own devices in a room full of books isn't always the best course of action. He manages to set one of the mugs down and offers the man a small smile as he approaches.

"Hello, can I-- Did you need some help?"

[just_another]

"Thank you," Joel says, taking the bag and setting it on the counter before he settles in on his stool and opens the bah. At Bach's comment he laughs and glances up again, shaking his head. "You didn't explode last time, I think you'll likely be safe, but if you do feel the urge to burst into flames, maybe step outside first. There's a lot of paper in here. I'll be sure to bring the fire extinguisher."

He's making a joke of it, but truthfully, a fire in the store has been something he's been afraid of for a very long time. The store and the apartment above are the only things he's had to his name for a very long time, the only parts of his life he'd been proud of, and he's still not sure what he'd do if he lost it. They're insured, of course, but that doesn't make the loss any easier.

[bachjones]

"Joel's helping me just fine by not throwing me out, man, but thanks."

Bach gives the man a sideward glance and frowns. That is one skinny, floppy-haired guy. "You work here? I thought Joel didn't have people. Hey, I'm not buying anything anyway, you should give your time to something more useful."

[bachjones]

"It was night, last time. I'm sure you know there are different rules after the sun leaves."

He makes a slow round through the store, glancing at one and the other cover. It's not so much that he doesn't likes books, he just doesn't understand the need of them very much. "It's what I ate, hungover. Fried egg bagels. When I still got hungover. So like ..fifteen years ago or something. The bakery really has everything."

[doublethepain]

He blinks in surprise at that, mostly because the man hadn't really been doing anything worth being thrown out and over; but it seems that he and Joel have a history Spencer is very much unaware of so he pushes past that and shakes his head at the question.

"No, I-- He's-- We--" He's suddenly tongue-tied, suddenly realizing that it's probably quite inappropriate to make reference to his and Joel's personal lives to a customer who isn't even asking in the first place. "He stills runs the store on his own, I'm just... visiting." It's not a lie.

[bachjones]

Stuttering? From a grown man?

Bach gives him a more thorough look. "Just visiting? So early, already? You must really love books, man. The only reason I am here already is that I can't sleep and thought Joel needed breakfast."

[doublethepain]

That gives Spencer pause, and he lowers his eyes to the floor as he chews on his bottom lip. He trusts Joel more than anyone, knows that Joel would never do anything to hurt him, but he also knows well enough that people don't usually just bring others breakfast. Granted, his only experience with someone bringing him food--other than Emily and Cosette, of course--has been Joel so perhaps he's not the best judge after all.

"Er, yes, I suppose you could say that. I work at the library, actually, so books are something of a passion." His eyes shift to Joel with his customer again before snapping back to the other man, or at least to the shelf of books just behind the other man. "It was kind of you to bring him breakfast."

[bachjones]

"'Oooh, no wonder I don't recognize you!"

Bach may have lost picking up on everyone's rhythms, but that doesn't mean he's blind for any body language right now. The only question now is: Is Bach the problem, or Bach's proximity to Joel?

"He's cool. He really is. A bit soft and gushy about his boyfriend when he's drunk, but some people just do that. It's nice to see a clean love like that in the world."

[just_another]

As far as Joel knows, Raleigh isn't back at work yet, but whoever has made the bagel has done a good job and he pauses, wiping the corner of his mouth before he looks across the store at Bach. "You don't drink anymore?" he asks. He's not much of a drinker most of the time either, that night immediately following the incident at the lighthouse being a serious exception. Once in awhile he doesn't mind drinking -- usually whiskey, sometimes beer -- but he hasn't done much heavy drinking at any point in his life.

At the same time, he reaches over, hitting the button on his laptop to boot it up. "Do you hate books more or less than computers?"

[bachjones]

"I don't get hungover any more. Or well ..before. I don't get drunk any more these days. It doesn't work, alcohol. Which makes everything just all so much more sad."

Bach points with his thumb at the skinny guy with the lanky hair. "You have an early customer. Is it always like that? And I don't hate books, man. It's just ..there's no timbre to them, no dimensions."

[doublethepain]

That's a fair conclusion, to be honest. Spencer doesn't go all too many places--it's home, the library, or the Cove Cafe and now, Joel's store--and it seems like the last one is the only one they have in common.

He doesn't quite know how to respond to what Bach has to say about Joel's drunken gushing, though, and he'd smile about it if he didn't know for sure that the last time Joel had been drunk had been a few weeks ago, after what had happened at the lighthouse. He knows this because they've spent every night together since and neither have them have been drunk in that time--save for a bit of a buzz at the wine fesitval.

"Is that so?" he settles on asking "You're right, though, he is... cool. A good man." The best he's known since his brother, to be honest.

[bachjones]

"It is." He tries another shot. "Very protective of him, I wasn't even allowed to go visit him to check if he was worth Joel's time."

Joel's eyes are digging into his back but surely he wouldn't mind and if it was just a random guy he was pestering, he would allow Joel to throw him out in a minute. "..You know him, the guy?"

[doublethepain]

Spencer isn't sure whether the man has guessed or had already known exactly who he is and is giving him a hard time or is genuinely just speaking his mind. Either way, it brings a flush to his cheeks that he can feel spreading down to his neck, and he has to clear his throat before answering.

"Know him? Yes, I know him. I can't speak as to whether you'd find him worth Joel's time or not, though."

[bachjones]

Bach gives him a playful shove because damn these shy awkward love birds are being adorable as fuck and it seems that he's been turning into a woman lately.

"Sorry man", he laughs. "Just playing with ye, just playing. I'm deaf now but you two are going together like the end rhymes of a chorus. And no customer comes by this early, the only reason why I almost mistook you for one because you looked to fresh and clean."

[doublethepain]

Spencer ends up nearly falling over because he's so stunned by the shove, and he instinctually reaches up with his good hand to rub at his shoulder even as he huffs out a surprised laugh.

"Right. Well, to be fair, you're here. Bearing gifts of food, no less. In any case, I'm Spencer. Although, you already seem to know who I am so I suppose I should learn who you are."

[bachjones]

"Oh man, your hand! That was from the white knight shitty villain thing, right? Fuck, I'm such an ass. I'll bring you a bagel next time as well. And some cinnamon rolls on top. Do you like fried egg? Do you eat eggs? Because you look a bit ..vegetarian?"

Bach pulls back his hair and tries to laugh at himself. "I'm such a dick. But maybe calling me Bach is more socially appropriate."

[just_another]

Joel hadn't noticed Spencer come down the stairs, but at the sight of him he smiles brightly, then shakes his head. Swallowing the bite he'd just taken, he's not even sure what to address first. The obvious answer is Spencer, but there's a part of him, too, that wants to argue with Bach about books, about whether or not they have dimensions. Joel loves books more than he loves almost anything else. They're physical, tangible evidence of the work and the love that goes into telling stories.

But he's distracted and he smiles. "That's Spencer," he says, wiping the corner of his mouth again. They've both been saying they're in a relationship for nearly a week now, but Joel has only had the opportunity to say it to his sister and so he's pleased to have the chance now. "My boyfriend."

[bachjones]

"Your boyfriend? Dude, and I was this close to setting you up with my nan! No, that's a lie. I don't even know if I have a grandmother."

Bach covers his face with his hand. "You can fill several light bulbs with that smile, man. The only reason why I didn't mention bed buddies as soon as I got in because he looks like he slept on top of the sheets instead of underneath them with you. I know it's not my place to offer you advice but if you need to know about how to be with a guy .."
He winks from behind his hand. "Just saying."

[doublethepain]

The white knight shitty villain thing. The man, Bach, is all over the place and it makes Spencer's head spin but he finds that he doesn't mind. He's gotten far too many pitying looks and people attempting to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder--which he hates, for the record--in the past few weeks so Bach's succinct summary of the incident with Mark and the lighthouse makes Spencer smile, albeit wryly.

"Yes, from that exactly. It's getting better." He holds up his left hand, sighing at the sight of his three fingers still in splints but at least the cast has been removed. "I do eat eggs and am not a vegetarian. Is it the cardigan? Does it scream vegetarian?"

He shakes his head in protest when Bach calls himself a dick. "No, it's fine. You're not a dick. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bach."