Time Warp: Mutual Carelessness (Josef)

[Josef Muller]

Had Josef known that would be Derek’s response, he might’ve been a lot more comfortable. Probably falsely so, especially as it would then mean he’d be less wary around Derek when he was sober. Perhaps a little more…showy. Therefore, it was better that Derek seemed to be open-minded in this state and in this state only. It would stop him from getting any less sensible ideas into his head.

Josef was expecting Derek to back down from the challenge. And he wouldn’t have blamed him if he had. Admittedly Josef would’ve been quick to accept the opposite challenge, but there wasn’t the stigma with being straight that there was with being interested in the same sex. So when he took it, admittedly slurring, Josef just blinked at him for a while. “Uh,” he said. “Whatever you want, man. Like, do you want a meal? Some booze? Me to clean your room for a week? What do you want?”

Admittedly this one was more of Josef’s type—tall, fairly well built, more masculine. Josef didn’t particularly care who his partners were, admittedly—willing to laugh at his jokes was a basic requirement—but he admitted that he’d thought it would be more fun to have Derek interact with a guy who didn’t fit the typical mold. He was definitely gay, though. He thought his friend had a decent shot at least at getting his digits. As Derek slowed, Josef gave a subtle thumbs up. Unfortunately, it was the man who caught it and smiled. Then he turned to look at Derek and smiled at him.

“What’d he bet you?” he asked, not in an unfriendly tone, nodding toward Josef, who was strongly resisting the urge to hide. Friends didn’t hide on friends. “And for what? We can get even if you’d like.”

[Deleted]

What…? What did he want? What…did he want out of this? Something good obviously! After all, it was such a damn inconvenience to be going out of his way to hit on a guy of all things when he could very well be spending his evening talking up a pretty girl. Yes, if Derek didn’t get laid tonight, then it was all Joe’s fault for issuing out that challenge! (He already forgot it was his idea, lol). So…he better come up with something good! “I’ll let you figure that one out,” he concluded, shoving a finger into his friend’s chest as he laid his arm around Joe’s shoulder. “Just remem’er…I’mma hard man t’please. So i’ better be good.”

Yup. Because that was how you gambled. You let the other person pick the stakes. Derek was just to lazy (and drunk) to figure it out for himself.

When Derek approached the other man, he seemed to lean back in surprise as he turned towards the Asian…and again when he addressed Derek. “He…” Derek started, his brain suddenly malfunctioning for some inexplicable reason. It took about 3 seconds for it to jumpstart again and Derek responded with a nervously defiant face, turning his gaze away. “Nothing…he…we didn’t….I dunno what you’re talking about!” Derek crossed his arms and tried to play it cool, though he seemed more a quibbling, petulant brat than the suave playboy he was supposed to be. Why was he doing this again? Derek slid his eyes back to focus on the man, curious to see how he was reacting. Was he going to walk away? Had Derek already lost this bet? “Ph…phone numbur,” he slurred out with some resistance. Was this man really going to help Derek win this thing? Would that be cheating? Oh well, a win was a win. Now if only Derek could stop acting like the sissy he knew he wasn't.

[Josef Muller]

((Sorry for the delay!))

“Oookay.” Derek was much drunker than Josef was, but Josef wasn’t too far behind, and thinking was, well, hard, even when the teenage boy was sober. Later he’d look back at his younger years and ponder that all those hormones had not done him any favors in reducing a not particularly high IQ to practically nothing, but right now the boy was too busy racking his brain to figure out how to make something that would appease Derek. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. “I know. A cousin gave me this weird, uh, uh.” He was blushing. “Thong thing. It was a bet. So whoever loses, next week, that person’ll have to work through the parking lot in it in the morning. In the cold. And they can’t run, either. That work? Is that good enough for you?” He grinned at him. Josef was more than happy to do it, and he figured that Derek wouldn’t be too worried about doing it either.

The man’s brows raised, and he smiled. “Only a phone number? Guess you’re too, uh, straight laced for something a bit more…sexy.” His smile turned into a grin. “Tell you what, I’ll put on a show if you slip my number to him later. He’s not gorgeous but he’ll do. Agreed?” He was pulling out a piece of paper as he spoke and a pen to write down his number. He palmed it into the other man’s hand, then leaned in and kissed him. He made it last a little while, and clearly seemed to be enjoying himself. Then he pulled back, gently gripped Derek’s shoulders, then turned him around and pushed him toward Josef. “Off you go. Go win the bet.”

[Deleted]

((sorry long, lol))

The drink made him stupid, and stupidly more interested in the stupid than he would be otherwise. “A ‘thong thing’?” What did that mean? Derek was more interested in seeing that now than going through with this bet…but guess he had to win it first, right? Derek gave a breathy laugh. “That’s just fine,” he slurred. “I’ll be happy to see you in a thong, out in the cold, in front of everybody.” Because obviously it was going to be Joe who would wear it.

Derek was frozen up, however, when push came to shove, staring up at the target who had already deduced his purpose there and was….chiding him? For not stepping it up? Wasn’t a phone number enough? Derek wasn’t even gay, why would he want….!

“I’m not—! Why should I do that guy’s work for him!?” he grumbled. Which wasn’t a refusal, but far from a promise as well. But even worse was… “And that’s my friend you’re talking about there, Mr. Tall and Handsome.” Did he really just say that? “Y-you…” The guy was getting closer, completely throwing Derek off balance in his protests. Before he could get anything else out, however, the bastard’s lips were on his own…was that tongue? And as much as Derek was trying to conjure the willpower to pull away…nothing. Nothing. If nothing else, he could keep himself from kissing back. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally parted, Derek gasping in a shaky breath. Stunned and not entirely sure what just happened, the guy was able to maneuver the shorter man in the direction he wanted him to and pushed Derek off.

Derek blinked. When did he get turned around? When did this scrap of paper get into his hand? The details of the past couple minutes seemed fuzzy…but Derek wasn’t pleased at what he did remember. Derek turned and stomped back to the college boy, nabbed at his collar, and pulled him down to eye level. “Now listen here. You better damn well think he’s gorgeous, because I will not be having a flippant asshole like you messing around with him like he’s the next cheap blockbuster of the week. Got it?” Impulsive was his next action, but Derek was too pissed to care. He pulled the guy in and locked their lips for not an equal amount of time as the last one, but a vengeful one just the same. Derek pushed the man away and turned to head back to Joe. “I need a beer to get the taste of that thing out of my mouth,” he complained irately.