Bad Decisions [Goblin] [M]

[Juno]

Julian narrowed his eyes slightly for the hugging. Shall I just sit in your lap then? he wondered to himself, rolling his eyes a bit as he listened to him. "I never said that. You just seem like the kind of person that likes being around people." As the dark-haired man continued, though, he winced slightly at the reminder of his solitude.

"No, I'm not complaining. I needed to be around people again. I was...lonely. It wasn't good for me, living like that for so long." The shifter pondered his words again and blushed slightly when he realized how silly he thought he must have sounded to him. He was really one to talk. "But I see your point," he muttered. "I didn't mean to imply that there was any point to being alone. Just that... Well... I guess people don't like being alone all the time." Julian shook his head a bit, still not looking at him directly as he took another sip of the man's drink. It didn't even matter that it wasn't really his taste, he just wanted it.

[GoblinFae]

Artorius pursed his lips before shaking his head and reaching over to take his flask from Julian. "And now our dear friend has entered his brooding stage. I think that is enough of this for you tonight. Mr. Broody-Pants is not allowed to rain on this shindig, I'll tell you that!"

He chuckled to himself and took a hearty swig of the strong liqueur. "And I don't know about you, although I suspect given your supposed time in the wild but I'm often alone. I'm a popular kind of guy. In fact this is a real treat for you to be honored with my undivided attention and company. Aren't you lucky? I'm even sharing my food with you at a reasonable price. Could you ask for more?"

[Juno]

"I am not brooding!" he protested as the drink was taken from him, surprised that he would even think such a thing of him. He personally felt he was displaying model behavior for one so isolated. "And it isn't even raining," he pointed out, taking the time to physically point as well as he lifted a lazy hand toward the window.

The man was beginning to irritate him, though. It wasn't entirely his fault, the shifter was in quite a sour mood despite the attention he was receiving. "Look, it wasn't supposed. I find that a bit insulting actually. It was...my home." Sighing and shaking his head, Julian refused to really think that he should feel honored either.

"We wouldn't even be here if you'd been more polite to me," he said coldly, or as cold as he could sound after quickly downing that generous amount of alcohol. It bothered him that he seemed so happy, so carefree and comfortable with this whole situation. Julian wasn't particularly uncomfortable, but the other man seemed to be in his element entirely.

"I could ask for more," he finally concluded. "But that probably wouldn't be smart of me. Prices tend to not remain reasonable when they're taken advantage of."

[GoblinFae]

An undignified snort left the larger man. "I see that among your many talents the understanding of metaphors is lost on you. I am not blind, of course it's not literally raining. Oh and so it is I that has to be polite to you, when it was you that kicked me and wasted my hard-earned money on a drink I never even got. You really want to go there and demand more of me punk?"

Artorius glared over at Julian, squeezing him uncomfortably close. "Yeah, you're right. The price for demands increases exponentially with your bitchiness, mousey."

[Juno]

Julian blushed in anger that his faults were being pointed out. More than anything, though, he hated that he was being accused of making him spill his drink even though it really was mostly his fault. "I already told you I didn't kick you," he grumbled, practically growling as he was pulled so close.

Ruffled feathers was an understatement. Julian was just plain upset with him. "And don't call me a punk. I'm not a punk, I'm not a child, and I'm not a fucking mouse!" he protested while trying, and failing, to put some space between them.

[GoblinFae]

While he yapped along, Artorius calmly placed tray and drink upon the nightstand behind him before yanking Julian up into his lap and pinning his arms to his side so that the younger man was facing him.

"Now," he began in the same tone a man would use when speaking to a young child. "You are going to shut-up and behave. You are guest, in my room, my bed, and my clothing. We both know you caused me the loss of my drink," he bluffed. "And while I was willing to let that go and accept you here on good faith, you just seem to be intent on rubbing your shit in my face. Now I'll call you whatever the hell I want and you're just going to deal with it because at least I'm the one who has been generous thus far despite your increasing set of uncalled for and unnecessary spoiled demands."

Artorius huffed and shook his head. "You're lucky you're no child of mine or I would just," he paused suddenly in thought moments before a full-blown leer cracked his features. "I would bend you over my knee and tan your hide until it glowed the brightest of reds. And if you continue to misbehave, I just may do it anyway. Are we clear now?"

[Juno]

Not even paying attention to him, Julian was caught off guard as he was yanked in closer and onto the man's lap. Wide-eyed, his cheeks flared at the realization that he was pinned just as soon as he'd even thought to begin a struggle. This was not how he'd intended for his evening to go. Slowly narrowing his eyes to glare at the man in front of him, the shifter refused to move atop him as he assumed that someone so strange would derive some sort of pleasure from it.

"I didn't make you lose anything," he spat, forming fists with his hands as he fought the urge to struggle still. "I thought we were starting over anyway. It was a misunderstanding downstairs." The more he talked, though, the more upset Julian became over everything. And just like a child he was letting every little thing get to him.

Gritting his teeth, Julian tried to push off of him forcefully. "No, we're not clear. Look, I'm not a kid, okay?! I'm a grown ass man! I'm twenty-three, dammit! Quit treating me like a child!" he snarled, entirely throwing a tantrum over this and seemingly unable to handle things maturely.

"This went from a conversation to you, you, you! Everything's about you! I may be a guest but this isn't how you treat a guest. And if you're so concerned about that, then I'll leave and I won't be your fucking stupid guest anymore!"

[GoblinFae]

"You're wrong," he stated simply. Sighing deeply, Artorius pulled Julian close to his chest and wrapped him in a tight yet not crushing bear-hug. "Relax, Julian," he urged softly making no attempt to release the other man nor cause anymore uncomfortableness.

"Take a deep breath and let it out before you hurt yourself, okay?"

[Juno]

 "Wrong?! What am I wrong about?!" he demanded. Flinching as he felt his arms encircling him, the shifter struggled for a moment before falling into an extremely tense stillness. He remained that way even as the other man spoke softly to him for once. Startled and frankly frightened by the quick switch in attitude, it took him a few moments of heavy, shallow breathing and shaking before he was able to calm even enough to take the deep breath asked of him.

"I'm fine," he insisted, continuing defensively and feeling quite insecure in how carelessly he was being touched and hugged right now. "I can take care of myself. What am I wrong about?"

[GoblinFae]

Artorius rubbed Julian's upper back in a comforting manner, hoping to bring the other man back into a more relaxed state of being before he realized the trap set to spring closed on him. "It's not about me," he quietly insisted. "It's about you. You lost your clothes and I gave you what I could of mine. You wanted food so shared mine. I tried to start anew and you act like a prince demanding more. I get frustrated by your behavior and suddenly I am the selfish one.

"You're wrong because I think you're the one that can't stand being alone. You have been alone for too long whether by choice, misfortune or even a combination of both but, it has left you craving for attention while claiming you don't. Don't even argue," he continued in his soft tones. "Take a deep breath and this time actually relax. You're not going to get hurt here. I'm not the bad guy in this story, Julian. Just breathe."

[Juno]

"Well, you got something for the food," he argued, muttering his defense. "I'm not acting like a prince. I'm not acting like anyth-" He stopped when he realized what the man was saying. It was like he had cracked the code on the deepest, most wounded part of his soul and was speaking to it now. How he knew how much he craved contact with others at this point in his life was beyond him. He wanted to hope that it was just a lucky guess, that he had not truly figured it out on his own that it was something the shifter was hurting deeply for. He didn't remember that he'd admitted to his loneliness already.

Gulping as he just stared at his shoulder, Julian nodded his head against him as his sign of temporarily pausing this fight of his and to acknowledge his words without a vocal admission. "If you aren't the bad guy...then what are you? Why would you even want to help me? ...who are you? I don't even know your name," he said, blushing and thankful for an opportunity to hide his face despite their awkward positioning.

[GoblinFae]

He found it amusing to watch the cogs turn within Julian as he realized that what was said was actually true. 'Strike a cord then Julian?' Artorius continued rubbing the other man's back and just held him close and comfortable.

"I'm just a guy who can get into trouble from time to time but, I'm not evil. And I don't have a reason for wanting to help you other than, it's a nice thing to do." His hand move higher to massage Julian's neck and the back of his head. "My name is Artorius, feel better?"

[Juno]

As he slowly came down from his panicked high, Julian was finally able to really feel the arms encircling him. He knew it should probably feel weird to have a stranger touch him in such an intimate way, and rubbing his back at that, but it was exactly the kind of thing he had craved for a very long time. Now he found it difficult to fight it, no matter what his intentions. Human contact was something he'd physically ached for, but a hug? Such a close, warm hug and such gentle, soothing words were getting to him. It was like a warm blanket had wrapped around him and swaddled his fears and hesitations he had had around him. He was slowly realizing just how much he had missed such a thing, and it made him ache for the second home he had come to know.

Julian was silent as he felt the hand moving up to his neck and head. Though he knew he didn't have one, it felt like a warm, damp cloth wiping away his tension, fear, and discomfort. His gentleness now contrasted so much with their incident in the parlor below that he almost wanted to laugh. "Artorius," he said, just trying the name out.

"You're not a spy are you?" he wondered, smiling to himself as he finally relaxed the fists he'd been straining for so long and even moving to place his hands at the man's waist. He was uncertain if he should go in for a full, real hug, though. "Most people would never be so...generous, especially to me. I'm sorry... I'm just finding it difficult to figure out your motive."

[GoblinFae]

"A spy? Me?" Artorius snorted and shook his head. "Why, got something to hide? Seriously though why do I have to have a motive for providing a basic human need to another person? Don't complain or question; just enjoy it Julian. It's obvious you need this, so why not just accept it? Not like you have anything else better to do at the moment."

He gave him a light squeeze as he adjusted the other man in his lap before resting his head on Julian's shoulder. "See, not so bad once you relax."

[Juno]

"No, nothing to hide," he mumbled hurriedly, a bit embarrassed that the accusation had even left his lips in the first place. Artorius was right that he was just turning up his nose at everything, like the kindnesses he did offer just weren't good enough for him. Acting like an entitled brat after all, he moped.

"I'm sorry," he finally apologized. Able to really feel the warmth of the other man now, Julian relaxed and settled down in his lap. Cautiously, he slipped his hands from his waist to gently encircle his back for a light hug as he got his head nuzzled up against his shoulder. "I'm not used to this... Nobody's been like this to me. Not in a long time, at least," he admitted.

He paused, uncertain about how he should tread on this odd line of trust with him. "I've never known a man to be so giving," he admitted, blushing more and still thankful for a place to hide his face. "Especially with so many things at once when you don't even know me."

[GoblinFae]

He was both surprised and pleased by the arms that moved to hug him back. He had not expected Julian to relax quite that much, however he was not going to be one to complain. It just meant he would have an easier time later dealing with his little pet.

"You haven't known a real man then," came his soft yet, gruff reply. "A good man gives without expecting repayment." Artorius breathed in the other man's scent, enjoying the warmth and closeness that came from having another body pressed so close up against his own.

'Too bad you don't know the difference yet.'

"Feeling alright?"

[Juno]

Still unaware of his intentions, Julian chuckled nervously at the possible double-meaning of his words. "Yes, I'm better now," he told him, though he was still thinking on what he'd said. Not wanting to get too cozy as he still feared overstepping bounds or making a fool of himself for being too close for too long no matter what the other man said, Julian gradually released him from the hug and tried to lean back so that their chests wouldn't be touching. He felt like the skittish alley cats that wanted to be patted but couldn't bear to stay on his lap or by his leg for more than a few moments at a time no matter how desperately they wanted it.

"If that's how good men are... Why are there so few?" he asked him, though he thought he might  know the right answer already when he thought about his friends. Because they're already taken and busy. They don't have very much time for someone like me. I can't be the only person in their life that they care about, so distance is inevitable.

[GoblinFae]

"Well that's easy. By nature, humans are incredibly selfish creatures. It is so much easier to care only about oneself and forget everyone else's pain and suffering. Only those that rise above their own self importance to see how others need them, can be the good men. And that my dear Julian is how the world is so short on good men. Lucky you, finding little old me to hold you tight."

Artorius gave him a tight squeeze and nuzzled further into his neck for emphasis.

[Juno]

Caught in his embrace still, Julian wasn't quite sure how he was going to escape this without making it even more obvious that he was trying to put space between them. Still, he really didn't mind the seeming clinginess. It felt strange, after so long, but it felt good, too. He liked how he was talking now with such gentle words and even endearments, if teasing.

The nuzzling had him blushing brightly again, though, as there was no mistaking that it was, in fact, on purpose. "Very lucky," he echoed, not wanting to upset him again as he seemed so quick to turn against him in their interactions thus far. Trying not to look like he'd tried to escape, he held him by his waist again. "So what makes you so good? Or were you just born that way?"

[GoblinFae]

"Baby, I was born this way," he chuckled brazenly. "Seriously though it's just how I am Julian. I'm sure a guy like you is the exact same way, big heart and all." Arorius patted him on the back in a caring manner before sliding down onto his back more with the smaller man propped up on his chest.

"You would do the same wouldn't you? Give a hug to a stranger that desperately needed it?"