Playboy Hearts Prince

Sweat trickled down his neck as he looked around the full bar. Voices shouted above the pulsing beat, but the words never reached his ears. All Chase noticed was the humidity in the air, made worse by the bodies packing the room. The cool breeze blowing from the open patio was swallowed up by mingling breaths celebrating the end of a hard week. The combination of strobe lights, heat, and five too many tequila sunrises made his head swim. The music moved through his body, stirring up something deep in his gut.

“I’m gonna-”

The words had barely tumbled out when something hard rocked his body, forcing all the contents of the chipotle ranch and honey barbecue boneless wings to the surface. In a spectacular show that, unfortunately, no one missed, Chase lost his dinner all over the stranger.

Silence fell around the small circle of friends that accompanied Chase tonight. They stared with mixtures of unconcealed fear, disgust, and concern. He hadn’t seen the mass of muscles that blocked his way, but they had.

Maxim stood stock still in the middle of the chaos, covered in the thick stench. The warm liquid had begun to stick to his chest, yet he couldn’t do anything but watch the blond-haired boy shivering in front of him. Maybe it was the way the gold dangled from his ears, but something about him looked familiar. Maxim was certain he had seen that honey pot before.

The only thing lucky about this moment was that the leech that had been following him around like a lovesick puppy ran as soon as the chunks started flying. And he was in the perfect place to forget all about it by tomorrow.

Chase scurried away before the round of “are you okay’s” engulfed him. Shame and embarrassment burned on his cheeks and in his eyes. He didn’t dare wipe the tears away. Trembling arms wrapped around him, holding himself together. Chase’s feet moved of their own accord, avoiding walls of people, heading toward the shining light on the other side of the room.

His anxiety eased as he got closer. A few more steps until he was free. He breathed a sigh of relief as the cool metal touched his palm, his grip stronger than it would seem from the way he drowned in his oversized clothes.

Chase pulled the door open, bathing in the bright light, just as a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Planning to chuck and duck, huh? Can’t I at least get the name of the guy who ruined my date?”

The man twitched under Maxim’s firm grasp. The light spilling out gave him a better view of the assailant. He looked pitiful, flushed cheeks streaked with tears, beads of sweat lining his forehead, and a giant dark spot down the front of his polo. His breaths came out in uneven chuffs. Maxim wasn’t surprised; the guy had nearly broken into a full sprint to get away. He’d had to jog to keep up, despite his long legs.

Piercing gray eyes pleaded with him to go easy.

“Tsk.”

Maxim’s hand drifted lower, catching the only dry spot on Chuck’s collar, and shoved them into the one-person restroom.

“Never expected to get this close, Chuck.”

“Ch-chase.”

“Huh?”

“My name. Chase, my name is—” Blond curls bounce as Chuck Chase shakes his head. “I mean, my name is Chase. Not…”

“Hm.”

Chase folded under the weight of the other man’s gaze. He can’t tell what he’s thinking, but it can’t be good. The guy is covered from chest to legs in Chase’s vomit. The wetness emphasized bulging muscles under the black shirt. Contrary to his physique, he’s dressed like a laid-back rock star. All black, leather jacket, and ripped jeans with a chain hanging loose. The aesthetic somehow doesn’t match the intensity in his hazel eyes. It screams nonchalant, but his expression is anything but.

He couldn’t place it, but it didn’t feel like the first time Chase had met him. Maybe they used to go to school together, or ran into each other another night at the bar. Although it wasn’t his scene, all of Chase’s friends loved coming to Pixie Dust. It stayed hidden from harmful eyes by looking like a typical brick building on the outside. Inside it was like a living thing made just for the dregs of society.

It’s the perfect place for someone like him, Chase thought.

He didn’t notice himself moving in closer, trying to get a peek under long bangs.

“Normally, I’d be into this kind of thing, but uh, given recent events, it might be best to chill on the make-out sesh for now.”

The timbre of the familiar stranger’s voice shook Chase out of the trance he’d been in. He jumped back as if he’d been electrocuted, pulling his outstretched hand behind him and locked it beneath the other.

“S-sorry. About everything. You know the—” Chase waved in the general direction of his body.

“I-I’ve never done that before. I doubt I’ll ever drink again after tonight.”

The embarrassment hit in heavy waves.

“Hey, it’s no big deal. Really. I just came to make sure you were okay. Not many people could survive a display like that.”

The lie didn’t feel dishonest leaving Maxim’s mouth. Truthfully, he followed Chase to force him out of hiding and get a free shirt in the process. But seeing the guilty look in his eyes, Maxim couldn’t do it. His favorite shirt was sacrificed for Chase’s dignity.

Maxim could give him that much.

“Look man, you’re here with Danny, right?”

“How did you know?”

“Danny is my guy. I’ve seen you hanging around, but I guess we never got introduced. I’m Maxim.”

Maxim looked down at his ruined clothes.

“Now might not be the ideal time, but the universe is strange sometimes. Let’s just forget this ever happened. Honestly, you look worse than I do. I play here once in a while, so I know where they keep spare clothes. Follow me.”

They leave the restroom in the same physical condition, yet the tension is gone. Chase follows behind silently. He’d be a fool to say something now when things are just beginning to calm down. He can’t pinpoint why, but it doesn’t seem like most people get this side of this Maxim character.

As they strolled through the dark room, Maxim stopped every few feet to greet someone. Whether it be handshakes, head nods, or a raised hand above the crowd, he makes sure everyone he recognizes is noticed.

“The life of the party.”

He doesn’t even realize the words came tumbling out until he’s stopped with a light umph by the same hardness that started this fiasco.

“You think so, huh?”

“W-what?”

“I guess I am, but at least I’ll never be alone.” Maxim murmurs, head tilted to the side, before turning sharply on his heels and striding away, effectively ending the armistice.

“Well, fuck.”