room on the third floor -Kennedy-

[ETHAN REID DEXTER]

Ethan slumped through the door of the Inn. He had a booking to cancel. Blakely had called him a minute ago, he cast his mind back to his older brothers words I'm sorry bro, I can't come down to see you, not today. Work came up. He frowned. That had put him in a rather bad mood. He would have had his brother stay with him, but his place only had the one bedroom and his couch though comfy wasn't long enough for his brother to sleep on.

He could barely sleep on it. So he'd paid for a room for his brother. In advance. Thinking he'd turn up. He stared at the reception, before turning away into the restaurant that was on the ground floor. He gave one last look to the reception. Maybe he'd take the room tonight. Pretend his brother was there.

They used to have fun. He walked into the mens room, and stared at himself in the mirror. People said he looked like Blakely, maybe if he stood there and stared it would be like having him there? Shaking his head at himself, he sighed, a little downhearted and stepped out. There was no way he'd attempt to shift in this mood. He didnt want some sort of animal ears again. He chuckled to himself at the memory.

He stepped into someways path, and stepped back again “I'm sorry” he smiled. He stepped to the left in attempt to get out of the persons way.

*title is one of McFly's songs/album title.
*sorry it's not great. couldn't think of much to write about.

[KENNEDY DAVID MILLER]

OUTFIT

Well, here he was, Heatherfield, Oregon. A little town that was spoken about in whispers. The mystery made it even more exciting, which was a blessing since Ken was a city boy. The country was no fun, and in the words of some famous actor he could never remember he didn't "mellow" in the country, he just would "ripen and rot."

In any case, the rustic houses and big trees, wet with dew, were giving him some interesting ideas for clothing. He hadn't gotten the time to sketch yet, as he spent most of his time making his hotel room cozy and napping from his overnight train. He figured maybe he'd take his sketch book with him as he went around town, in case he got any more ideas, or to write down places he wanted to cole back to. So, after making sure his hair was perfect, he grabbed his bag with sketchbook, fashion reference and slipped his phone into his pocket and headed down to the lobby.

He was making a beeline for the door when he ran into a guy leaving the men's room. A casual bump. "Sorry man." Ken said, only because he was a stranger, and this was a new town. In the city he would have gone with boo, or bitch for close friends. Taking a look at the guy though, he smiled. The stranger was a cutie and Ken gave him a very quick once over.

[ETHAN REID DEXTER]

He quickly pulled the hat from his head and crumbled it up in one hand. He played idly with his scarf, looking at the floor. “It's not a problem, should've looked where I was going” he chuckled. His heart stopped when he looked up and saw the guy in front of him, and he had to blink. “You new in town?” he asked after a moment. Ethan was sure he would have recognised him if he'd been in town before. He ran his fingers through his hair.

Being the out-going personality he was, he wasn't exactly nervous when talking to strangers, but when the stranger was cute... he became a little nervous. It wasn't often Ethan met people that looked gorgeous. He briefly hoped that he was gay. He instantly wanted to talk to Atlanta, or Key. Or both. Key was in love with someone, and Atlanta was amazing at getting guys.

“You were going out?” he asked, “I keep chattering on, I'm probably keeping you” he rambled. His hand moved to run through his hair again. “Want me to show you round?” he suddenly blurted out, then began pulling his hat in opposite directions. Effectively stretching it out of shape. “Thats unless you've already seen all this... beautiful... town has to offer” he added with a nervous chuckle.

outfit

[KENNEDY DAVID MILLER]

Ken smiled, amused that the guy seemed nervous. That meant only one thing as far as Ken knew-- he was gay. Straight guys just didn't get flustered around other men, not did they wear fabulous sweaters. Ken shrugged, "Boo, I shoulda looked too." he said, lapsing into his typical speech pattern. Besides, if the man was gay, well then, no reason not hint that he was back. Of course Ken never was very good at hints. "Yeah, just got in from good ol' New York City." He said, adjusting his messenger bag on his shoulder.

At his apology for 'chattering', Ken had to laugh. He looked more like a scared rabbit than a chatterbox. He was of course going out, but that was hardly too important. He was under the impression that this town didn't have much to see.

"Well after meeting you, I probably have the best this place has to offer," Ken said with a little wink, unable not to flirt with someone so cute. "I was going to wander around and figure out the layout of town, and grab some sketches." He said, patting his bag lightly. He wasn't an artist in the sense of drawing for arts sake, he was a designer, but he figured he could wait and see if this guy got rubbed the wrong way by his attitude.

[ETHAN REID DEXTER]

Ethan shrugged, and a casual smile formed on his face. “both our faults?” he suggested. New York “Nice. Always wanted to go to New York, it always looks amazing in the pictures” he enthused. Ethan figured that Ken was indeed gay, but he was not the type to come out and ask someone. He'd done that once. It hadn't ended well.

He ran his fingers over his knitted scarf. Not one he'd made himself, he didn't knit. His mother did and he had a few handknitted scarfs hung up in the back of his wardrobe, but they were there for a reason. They were hideous. Great thick mulitcoloured scarf that Ethan could not make work with anything he wore.

Ethan blushed very lightly, only the slightest pink hint. But it was there. “Ya might have, but I'm not a proper 'native'” he drawled with a chuckle. “I've been here... 5 years. I think” he added after a moment, his eyebrows narrowed slightly as he tried to work out just how many years he'd been in the town. “You're an artist?” he asked, “What do you draw?” he questioned.

“My drawings tend to look like a 5 year old did them” he laughed. Ethan wasn't an artist in any sense of the word. “I could wander around with you, give ya the 'tour” he suggested but chuckled at his suggestion of a tour. There was nothing to tell about the town. Except the spots that his friends worked in.

[KENNEDY DAVID MILLER]

'Both our faults' worked, Ken might have gone with fate as he saw the guy blushing a little. This man had to be gay, or at least bisexual. Ken grinned, who'd have thought a little hick town like this would actually have any gay people in it already? "New York is pretty much the best place ever," Ken agreed with a nod.The lights, the life, the people... it was like walking into a movie every time you went outside.

Ken chuckled, thinking of the shirt he almost wore that day which read 'i <3 boys with accents'. "Texas?" He ventured a guess. "And still it seems to me it doesn't take 5 years to know your way around this place." He chuckled. It was quaint, but it wasn't NYC, where you could still find new things even if you lived there your whole life.

"Honey, I'm a designer," Ken said with a wink. "Stereotypical, I know, but I can't help that I have an eye for fashion." He said with a shrug. Ken had dropped plenty of not very subtle hints about his orientation by this time, so the ball was probably in Ethan's court now.

"I'd love if you gave me a tour," Ken nodded. He'd still have time to stop and sketch any clothing ideas he got along the way. Ethan hardly seemed like one to stop him.

[ETHAN REID DEXTER]

Ethan found himself feeling a little more comfortable, and smiled at Ken brightly. Texas didn't have the same appeal as New York, but Dallas was a great place for Ethan to grow up, and he'd had really great parents, they had accepted him as gay. It was sad when a parent wouldn't accept who their child was. He was tempted to ask about Ken's family life, but thought that it would sound rude.

“Yup, Texas – Dallas” he nodded. “Dallas is cool, larger than here, but not as vibrant as NYC, I don't think, but it still had a good social life” he commented, Dallas wasn't nearly as fancy as NYC was made out to be, Ethan had never been so he couldn't really comment without guessing. “Naa, I still manage to get lost though” Ethan laughed. He was friends with Key though, and she knew her way around.

“That's a lot cooler than what I do” he laughed “I work at the liquor store, only perk of that is I get to take home a lot of booze” he laughs, then quickly added “I'm not some sort of alcoholic”. Ethan smiled at Ken. “I wouldn't be able to do that, I can pick my own clothes, but I'm not great at picking anyone elses” he laughed. “Don't matter if it's stereotypical, only matters if you like the job” he spoke, biting his bottom lip.

Ethan didn't dislike his job, he just didn't love it. What he really wanted to do was arrange parties for people. He was good at hosting his own partys. Surely it wouldn't be so hard to arrange one for someone else. “That's great,” he told Ken. “I guess we could start with the town square.” he mused. “Is there anywhere you want to go?” he asked Ken.

[KENNEDY DAVID MILLER]

Ken chuckled. "Well, I've never been to Texas, so I'll take your word for it." He said. Texas always seemed like a backwards place to him, in terms of politics anyway. He was surprised a gay guy could have a good life there, but maybe Dallas was different than the small town... Ken had to laugh, was this guy for real? "You grew up in a big city but this little town gets you turned around?" Ken asked.


He laughed, "No, no I get you. Discount or free booze is impossible to pass up," Ken nodded understandingly. Alcoholics couldn't probably work at liquor stores, they'd probably steal stuff or something, drink on the job and what not. But that was beside the point.

"Starting in the town square sounds good," Ken nodded, gesturing towards the door as if to say 'lead the way'. "I'm Ken by the way." He said, realizing he still didn't have a name to pair with a face.

[ETHAN REID DEXTER]

Ethan grinned at Ken. “Ya should. Texas is a good place. A little gun friendly at times” he commented. Ethan wasn't one for guns and violence. He prefered hugs and peace. If he had been in his teens in the 60's he would have so been a hippy. “I'm a bundle of contradictions” he laughed. “Who said I never got lost in Dallas” he added with an quick chuckle.

“Helps when I throw parties as well. Makes it cheaper.” he shrugged. “Of course it's not permenant or anything... just a convienient job” he added, he didn't want people to think that he didn't want to go anywhere. He wanted to have a name for himself.. didn't everyone?

“Okay, there is some stuff down there” he nodded to Ken and himself, as if nodding would help him remember the town layout. “Ethan Dexter, nice to meet ya” he grins. He honestly hadn't realised that they hadn't yet exchanged names, he took a step towards the door, and then looked behind him, checking that Ken was following him. “Want to check out the library or the Police Station?” he asked, naming two of the buildings he could recall in the Town Square.

[KENNEDY DAVID MILLER]

Ken chuckled. And refrained from making a gun-penis joke, but it seemed bad form, and maybe too easy. He wasn't sure about visiting Texas though. "I hear they got good barbecue, but Texas isn't exactly know for being gay friendly, and I'm as gay as it gets my friend." Ken said with a snap and a head swivel. He didn't even realize that he just officially came out to the guy, but he really didn't care, he was always loud.

"Parties are fabulous," Ken agreed with a nod. And booze always made the bill higher. "You better invite me sometime, I bet you throw great parties." He said, realizing he was assuming a familiarity that wasn't exactly there yet but a guy could dream. Ethan was cute, and setting off Ken's gaydar. That could be wishful thinking though.

Ken shrugged. "We don't have to go inside anywhere, I mostly just wanna get a basic lay of the land." He said. Libraries were usually not a good idea, and Ken was usually loud and obnoxious.