Advice Between Friends

Who: Aiden and Dorian
When: Afternoon
Where: Dorian's house

Aiden drove to Dorian's house shortly after lunch, hoping his friend wouldn't mind the random drop in. He knew he ought to have called but it was an impulsive decision while he had been out buying some things for Shannon. It had been nice talking to Jules about Eury - getting another woman's perspective on things, but Jules's intentions might not have been exactly unbiased, given it was clear the woman wanted to go to bed with him. It still didn't stop Aiden from over thinking things, and when he finally could admit to himself that he needed to talk to someone about his decisions, Dorian was really the first and only choice. Parking, Aiden got out of the car, flicked his cigarette away and walked up to the door to knock.

Dorian was home because he could be and he was thrilled about it. Today was Seph's first day and, though he had to be there to get him started, he was able to let him run shop from there on. He had enough employees now that he only had to be there when he wanted to be. In most cases, this would have meant he wasn't making money at all, but it was easy enough to pick up the funds here or there. Nevermore might not make a profit, but it made enough to keep open. All this time, though, left Dorian wondering just what he should get up to. He wasn't worried about it. Things turned up. A knock at the door could keep him busy, and he laughed to himself as he answered it. There was really only one person in this town that would come knocking for him. "What's up?" he asked, standing back to let Aiden in.

"Hey, man." He stepped inside, hands shoved in the pockets of his jacket as he gave a quick glance around. "What're you up to?" He didn't know if Dorian had company, or if his brothers were home. But he was sure if he was imposing upon something, Dorian would have let him know.

"Not much," Dorian said, shutting the door behind Aiden. "Not working. Trying to think of a quick and easy way to scam money." It really wouldn't be that hard, actually. With his very basic glamour skills, it could be so easy as exchanging a glamoured up hundred dollar bill for change. "Yourself?"

"You need cash?" Aiden asked, though it wasn't really an offer outright, in case Dorian would be offended by it. But if his friend needed money, Aiden had some to give. "I'm not doin' much either, though I've got plans tonight and I wanted to get your take on if I'm being a major bastard or not." Though given Aiden's past actions, it would be very easy for Dorian to agree he was a bastard no matter what the circumstances.

"Not really," Dorian shrugged. "But if you're ever up for going to Vegas and running an easy scam, let me know." It had occurred to him midday how easy it would be to road trip to Las Vegas once a year and make enough to cover him for the rest of it. Why hadn't he thought of these things before? Maybe because he was too busy pretending to be the good son. "What'd you do now?" Dorian smiled, plopping down on the couch. "I don't have a girl for you to steal, so it can't be that bad."

Vegas. The devil city. Aiden tried not to shudder at the thought of returning there, although going with Dorian might be different. He had no worries he'd drunkenly end up in an chapel with the guy. "I haven't done anythin'," Aiden protested before he sat down on the chair. "And low blow man, that's rough." But deserved. "I met this girl awhile back. Nothin' came of it but some flirtin'. Talked to her for awhile yesterday and she asked me to dinner, though it's strictly platonic. I agreed, but I'm wonderin' if that's gonna get me into trouble somehow."

"I know you, man. If you're starting a conversation asking if you're being a bastard or not, chances are you've done something," Dorian said, though he didn't seem the slightest bit bothered by it. Aiden was the only one in the city who knew exactly what he was, yet he still came to him for moral advice. It was beginning to amuse him. Then again, Dorian's human side had a fairly strong sway, so it wasn't like he was trying to fuck up his friend's life. "So were you flirting or is it platonic? Because it can't be both."

Aiden scratched the nape of his neck thoughtfully, knowing that Dorian was right but not really wanting to admit it. If he asked someone if he was being a bastard, changes were he knew he was. He just didn't care most of the time. "I was flirtin' too, but I don't have any intention of sleepin' with her. She's just... interestin' to me. Things with Eury have been confusin' and I'm not sure what the fuck's goin' on there and you know me... I don't like lettin' women fuck with my mind. I just don't want to isolate myself in this town because I'm not sure what I'm allowed to do and what's off limits."

"Last I checked, there's no set in stone rules on who you're allowed to screw," Dorian said, raising a brow. "But if you're leading Eury to believe there's something exclusive going on, then yeah, you're a bastard if you go screw around with this other girl-- And before you say it, I know it's just dinner, but is it? You're really just going to dinner with a girl that wants you?" Dorian didn't see that happening. If Aiden let himself go to dinner, he'd let himself get into all sorts of other trouble. "I don't think you'll isolate yourself if you screw around, but you might actually lose Eury. I dunno. You're not the only one she confuses."

"I'm not leading her on to believe anything. I already told you I had told her I wanted somethin' more than what we had and I never got an answer from her. Now she tells me she wants me around but everything's up in the air and she doesn't know where it's gonna land. She's got shit goin' on her life, and I get that. But at the same time, I don't know if she wants me or she just wants my help fixin' her problem. Jules told me she thinks I'm bein' yanked around, but if I am, I don't think Eury's doin' it on purpose." Aiden sighed and scrubbed both hands over his face. "I don't plan on fucking the girl. She's just interesting to talk to and I don't feel these heavy weights on my shoulders when I'm with her." And he was afraid temptation would prove to be too much eventually. He looked at Dorian. "What would you do?"

"Me?" Dorian asked, raising a brow. He leaned back on the couch as he crossed his arms and considered that. "Eury once told me she wanted to get to know a guy before she fooled around with him. Come to find out, that's complete bullshit. I don't know what she wants. If I had a clue, I probably would've had a chance with her. You're doing better than I did, so I'd say to go with your instinct." Dorian paused and mulled the situation over further. "What do you want? Cause whatever you do is gonna send a message-- neither one can read your mind, so they're gonna make assumptions based on your actions."

Aiden chuckled humorlessly. "I'm not doin' all that great with her, to be honest. Part of me felt like she didn't want me around. I think if I'd been doing the right thing, she would have been agreeable to bein' with me and she wouldn't have taken off out of nowhere. I don't know if I want to put myself out there again only to get the same result. I don't think this shit should be so damn difficult. I don't know if it's worth it," he admitted. "I want to just be myself and live my life and stop walking around this town so damn confused. I feel like I'm in Eury limbo or some shit like that. It's driving me crazy."

"Why can't you just be yourself?" Dorian asked. He realized there was probably more to Eury and Aiden's relationship than he was aware of, but unless Aiden filled him in, he wasn't going to guess. A lot had happened between the three of them, a lot that Dorian hadn't even wanted to hear last time. Now that he was pretty sure he was completely out of the picture, helping a friend didn't sabotage his own chances. "What is it that has you so confused? Either she's into you or she's not? If she's not, then what're you gonna do about it? If she won't answer you, then... isn't that just the same as denying you?"

"It's complicated," Aiden said, realizing that wasn't a very good answer, but he wasn't sure how to explain it. There was a chance he was being a child about everything, but he couldn't help it. "I think she's into me. Or she was before she left to track down her mother." And deal with her uncle. "She's back but things are different and I don't know if that's good or bad. If she decides she doesn't want to be with me?" Aiden shrugged before running a hand through his shaggy hair. "I'm not gonna argue with her on it. I think I've acted like a fool around her more than enough times. I guess I just want some straight answers instead of getting the run around." He looked at Dorian with a small quirk of a smile. "I'm sort of wishin' we were just back in college where we didn't have to deal with this shit."

"Talk to her," Dorian suggested. "Ask her again. Tell her how you feel. I've heard girls like that." Not that he had a lot of evidence that anything worked. Maybe if he had his own successful relationship this conversation would make more sense. Instead it was a bit of the blind leading the blind. "In college, girls didn't expect anything. Eury has expectations. I don't know what they are, but I can guarantee she has them. Maybe something went wrong and she doesn't know what to do either-- maybe she likes you, but she doesn't know how to deal with your bullshit," Dorian said with a smirk. "I don't know. I think the only way you can sort this out might be to talk to her."

"Yeah, I suppose I should do that." But that included discussing feelings and he was never good at that. Not to mention he wasn't sure what would come of the conversation and a part of him wanted to avoid it at all costs. "I don't think anyone'll ever know how to deal with my bullshit." Aiden chuckled, but sadly a huge part of him was serious. A sad truth, maybe, but truth nonetheless. "I think I'm still gonna have dinner with Jules. I managed to resist temptation the first two times, I think I'm doin' pretty good. I think I can do this friend thing with a woman without sleepin' with her."

"Hey, I put up with your bullshit. That's gotta count for something," Dorian said with a laugh, even though he was referring to a friendship and not a romantic relationship. "Have dinner with her then. Let me know how it goes. If you sleep with her, then I'd advise you to take a chaperon or something from here on out. It's not that hard to keep your pants zipped, you know." Dorian had no issue with it, but he'd seen from experience that it seemed to be an issue with Aiden.

It was hard for Aiden. Most of the time. He couldn't help himself, but it wasn't like he was some kind of sex addict. Intelligent, strong, beautiful women turned him on, and he couldn't deny that. It didn't help that Eury was leaving him ten kinds of confused. It was fucking with his brain. "Yeah, I don't need a chaperon," Aiden assured Dorian with a soft laugh. "I'll be good. Like I said, she's just interestin' to talk to. Doesn't mean I'm gonna sleep with her. I'll be good. If I feel as though I might crack, I might text you to call me and save me from the evening with some kind of emergency."

"You do that," Dorian laughed, wondering when 'keeping Aiden faithful to Eury' had become an item on his to-do list. That was some fucked up shit. He'd always thought that it was the one thing he'd want to stay away from upon returning to Marquette, but once he'd arrived he'd realized they were really the only friends he'd had there in the first place.