Current mood:	drunk
Entry tags:	johnny_quarter

27 December, 2006; Bar in French Quarter; Liev Schreiber, Johnny Depp; R
[Crossposted to johnny_quarter.]

Liev shifted on the stool he was sitting on, pleased that he didn't slide off it.  He'd been sitting there for at least a half an hour and Liev couldn't remember if it was his third drink, or was it fourth?  Logically, Liev knew the fact he'd been out drinking after work lately wasn't good, wasn't really him.  But how often are you cheated on?  Ahhh a bit.  Sighing, Liev picked up his glass and took another drink.  Once he set it down Liev looked around at the other patrons, noting the faces that hadn't been there when he first came in.

Johnny had been at the bar maybe half an hour, and was debating whether to go home or not.  Not that there was much to do at home, though, and he was too tipsy to paint, or at least to paint well.  Too late to play music without pissing the neighbours off, and so he stepped up to the bar for another in spite of himself.  He didn't really like beer, so he was drinking Scotch, and it was probably only that fact that led him to converse with the perfect stranger sitting next to him while he waited for his drink.  "Cold night out," he said, and immediately wanted to kick himself for the conversation starter.

It took Liev a moment before he realized that the man was talking to him.  Looking over Liev gave him a brief smile.  "Yeah, kind of usual for December I think."

"I'm sorry," Johnny replied with a grin when he realized his stupidity had been noted.  "I think my conversational skills decrease exponentially with these," he explained apologetically, nodding to the glass the barman passed to him.

Liev shook his head and gave the man a bit of a more honest smile.  "No worries.  I think that's the draw to bars.  Forgetting the logical."

"Amen to that," Johnny agreed, extending his hand.  "I'm Johnny, by the way."

Liev shook the other man's hand.  "Liev."

"You from the neighbourhood?  Don't think I've seen you here."

"Yeah, well, sort of."  Liev laughed when he realized how he was babbling.  "I've lived here for a long time, have been out of the bar scene for a bit though."

"Fair enough.  I only loiter here in the wintertime, when it's too cold to do anything outside," Johnny reasoned.  "Still better than sitting around the apartment, I guess."

"Definitely," Liev said and thought about how little he'd been home lately.  "Getting out of the house is definitely a bonus, and if you get liquored up while doing it, great."

"Yes indeed," Johnny agreed.  "So what do you do around here, when you're not imbibing that is?" he asked with a grin.

"Act a bit, write..." Liev shrugged a little at that and then laughed.  "I run the Lucid Dreams Theater."  Looking Johnny over Liev leaned a bit against the bar and gestured for another drink for himself.  "What about you?"

"Oh, I've seen it but never seen a show I'm afraid," Johnny replied.  "I'm an artist and a musician, but to pay the bills I teach high school.  Not exactly the most appropriate of teachers, but it works," he joked as he took another sip of his whisky.

"You'll have to come buy in the spring if you're an artist.  Usually do more artistic stuff then."  Liev laughed a bit when he thought of the man by him teaching.  "Teaching, sounds like a good profession."

"I'll definitely try to make it.  And teaching's fine I guess, though I have less and less hope for the youth of America the more I do it.  Still, you get some good kids, the ones whose parents don't give a fuck about them mostly.  It's nice to have a positive influence," Johnny assessed.

"I see some of those kids at auditions for the theater."  Liev took a drink from his glass and nodded lightly.  "If you're a bit unconventional that can be a good thing."

"I certainly never was very conventional myself," Johnny replied.  "Though I was more interested in fucking guys twice my age and riding all over the damned country on my motorcycle than going to theatre auditions," he admitted, an admission that in many situations would probably get him killed but the alcohol had loosened his tongue.

"Motorcycles huh?" Liev asked and looked Johnny over again.  "Nothing wrong with that if it's the thing you wanted to do.  Acting is rather overrated any ways, can be a way to get money but yeah."

Johnny noticed how Liev commented on the motorcycles, rather than the fucking.  Well, that was interesting.  "I've always enjoyed the theatre when I could afford it, but it's not my thing.  I much prefer visual art, it's just more... visceral to me.  Closer to the surface emotions.  I couldn't work from a script, you know?  It's about what's in the moment."

"I used to want to be an artist more than acting, but I was never good at it," Liev said and watched the way the other man seemed to get lost as he talked about his art.  "Acting is a release, gets me to let go of myself a bit in real life."

"Mm, sounds nice," Johnny replied, licking his lips unconsciously.  "My art is almost too much of myself these days, I'll admit.  Leaves me feeling very vulnerable sometimes."

"Feel too open?" Liev asked and turned his stool a bit more so he could watch more of Johnny than the bar.  "Must be interesting art though."

Johnny smiled and shrugged.  "It varies, you know, some so abstract you'd think I was crazy for feeling that way about it, and some more concrete.  The piece that was most representative of myself I sold recently to a man who has more use for it than I do.  That's the way it goes sometimes."

"Hey, money for art is always a major plus."  Liev noticed the man's drink running low and gestured to it.  "Do you want another?"

Johnny thought for a moment.  Correct answer would be no...  "Sure, why not?"

Liev smiled and called the bartender over, asking him to get Johnny another drink and put it on his tab.  With that done Liev turned back to the other man.  "Figure I can help with getting someone else a bit tipsy instead of just myself."

"Well much obliged to you," Johnny replied with a smile.  "I actually can't remember the last time I was drunk, but don't tell the artistic community.  They'll have my reputation destroyed," he joked.

Liev laughed at that, not really focusing on how often he'd been drunk as of late.  Not always completely drunk but at least healthily buzzed.  "You're secret's safe with me."

"You know, it's funny how when you're young you have this image of yourself as an adult as being devastatingly cool and so unlike your parents, and then you grow up and realize that partying all the time isn't all it's cracked up to be," Johnny mused as he took a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, or when you first get out on your own, you kind of think it'll be this hugely fun thing."  Liev shook his head and took another drink from his glass, as ironic as it seemed.

"Something like that.  But God, I'm sorry, what am I doing wallowing like this when an attractive man just bought me a drink?  I'm clearly out of practice," Johnny teased with a smile meant to be non-threatening as possible, in case he wasn't reading the situation wrong.

Liev felt his cheeks color a bit at that, especially coming from a stranger.  He'd grown used to hearing things like that from Viggo...but he's not really here anymore is he?  Smiling Liev shook his head a bit.  "I'm out of practice too," he admitted after a long moment.

Johnny grinned and held his glass out, clinking it to Liev's.  "To practice, then," he suggested with a soft smile and just a hint of mischief in his eyes before he took a sip.

"To practice," Liev echoed and drank to that salute.  Looking briefly between his drink and Johnny.

Johnny watched the curve Liev's throat as he took a swallow, and wondered in the fuzzy recesses of his brain, with impeccable drunk-logic, what would be the best way to coax him into a kiss, maybe a bit more.  They drank in silence for a moment, and when the glasses were near empty, he spoke again.  "Want to get some air, maybe?  Getting a bit smoky in here..."

Liev looked around the bar and had to agree that it was starting to get smokier.  Actually Liev was surprised to see that the bar had gotten busier while he'd been talking to the man.  He thought about the offer and nodded his head, knowing he'd need something to sober him up a bit before he could even attempt to walk back to his apartment.  "Yeah, air might be a good thing," Liev said, focusing on Johnny again.

"Excellent."  Johnny finished his drink in one long swallow and set the glass down on the bar, heading towards the door with Liev behind him.  The air outside was cool but not freezing, and the street was relatively quiet.  There was a ledge sticking out from the building to one side, and Johnny hopped up to sit on it, patting the concrete next to him.

Liev took in a few deep breaths, trying to clear his head and adjust to the change in noise level when they got outside.  For the most part he was walking fairly straight and Liev was thankful for that.  When Johnny patted the ledge he moved over and hopped up onto the ledge next to him.  "I'm surprised it's not as cold as it could be."

"Don't like the weather, stick around a few days.  It'll change."  Johnny recited one of his mother's favourite Southern sayings by heart with a smile on his face.  "Global warming, maybe... fuck if I know, but it's better than snow all the time.  Does it snow where you're from?" he asked, brain jumping around a little as the drink worked it's way further into his bloodstream.

"I like the sound of that."  Liev rubbed his hands down his thighs slightly and shook his head.  "It'd snow a bit, but not all that much."

Johnny's eyes unconsciously followed Liev's hands, and he licked his lips without thinking about it as he imagined the strength of the thigh muscles underneath Liev's trousers.  You're drunk, he reminded himself, but he was sorely tempted.  "Sometimes snow's nice... curling up in front of a fireplace and all that... but I prefer things hot," he said, completely missing the double entendre in his state.

Liev looked over at Johnny at that, just catching the other man licking his lips. What are you doing?  Focusing on his lips Liev nodded.  "I always like hot instead of cold.  Not into layering up all that much."

"Yeah," Johnny agreed, a smile coming to his face when he caught where Liev's eyes were focused.  "Less is more..."  And with that he leaned in, slowly, wanting to give the other man a chance to stop him before gently pressing his lips to Liev's.

Liev almost pulled back right away but stopped when he felt the other man's lips against his.  Free agent. Ignoring his thoughts Liev pressed his lips back against Johnny's, a bit tentative at first before getting a little more confident.

Johnny smiled against the other man's mouth, not in a hurry, slowly letting his hand come up to stroke Liev's hair as he became a move active participant.  He sensed a bit of hesitation, and didn't want to scare the man off, but his lips were warm and tasted of whisky and the buzz Johnny was riding made him eager.

Liev relaxed a bit when he felt Johnny's hand in his hair.  The touch was unfamiliar but the gesture wasn't and Liev could feel his heart racing.  Shifting a bit Liev let his lips part just enough he could suck lightly at the other man's lower lip.

Johnny moaned lightly, closer to a sigh, when he felt Liev take more of a lead, and his fingers tightened ever so slightly in Liev's hair as his hand rested on the man's thigh.  He wasn't going to be presumptuous--not yet, anyway--but the kiss was quite nice and he was content to relax into it.

Riding a bike.  The thought barely flittered over Liev's thoughts when he felt Johnny's hand move over his thigh.  Trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach Liev let his tongue just barely move out to slide along Johnny's lower lip.

Again, Johnny schooled his reactions so as not to startle the other man, but the sensation of Liev licking his lip was lovely, and it had been so long.  Johnny's hand moved from Liev's hair to caress his cheek instead, his finger's brushing lightly over Liev's ear in the process.

Liev couldn't stop from moaning when he felt the touch along his cheek.  It had been weeks since Viggo had touched him like this.  Viggo's gone remember?  Pushing that aside Liev leaned in a bit more, dipping his tongue into Johnny's mouth, tasting the other man's drink and a faint taste of cigarettes.

Johnny was encouraged by the little moan from Liev, and he licked greedily at the other man's mouth, his tongue dancing with Liev's as his hand tightened slightly on the man's thigh, inching higher but not enough yet to be considered inappropriate for a public sidewalk.

When Liev felt Johnny's hand move higher he groaned again.  The butterflies were still there but the press of someone hot against him mixed with the booze made it easy for Liev to focus on the kiss instead of how it felt wrong.  Tastes too different.  Reaching a tentative hand over Liev brushed his hand against Johnny's.

Johnny smiled inwardly and turned his hand briefly to squeeze Liev's, lacing his fingers with the other man's and stroking the back of his hand gently with a thumb before pulling his hand away again, letting it creep slightly higher as his other hand moved again to the back of Liev's head to hold him steady as he made the kiss deeper, more passionate.

Liev let Johnny lead the kiss, feeling his cock harden as the kiss heated up a bit.  Moving his hand up a bit Liev let it just graze up the side of Johnny's thigh before resting on the other man's hip, suddenly not quite sure what to do with it.

Johnny scooted a little closer on the ledge, encouraging the other man, so that their legs pressed tightly against each other.  Tugging a bit at Liev's lower lip, Johnny pulled back slightly, looking into the man's eyes again before he turned to nibble lightly on his ear.

Keeping his eyes closed Liev tilted his head to the side, giving Johnny a bit more room.  When he finally opened them Liev wasn't quite as ready to see someone not Viggo up against him.  You can do this, he did this.  Kick starting himself a bit Liev finally moved his hand up Johnny's side, up around the man's shoulder, and finally stopped at the back of his head.

Encouraged by Liev's movements, tentative though they were, Johnny kept on what he was doing, kissing lightly down Liev's neck, sucking gently and pressing slightly with his teeth in spots.  His thumb, still on the man's inner thigh, caressed gently back and forth, rubbing lightly through Liev's trousers.

Liev leaned into Johnny's body a bit more, his fingers working through the other man's hair.  He let out a soft groan when he felt Johnny's lips pass over a sensitive spot on his neck.  I love how you react when I kiss here.  Closing his eyes at the memory Liev pulled his head back enough he could guide Johnny's head up away from his neck, bringing their lips together again.

Johnny wondered at the slight tension he felt in the muscles under his hands before the man brought their lips together again, but he brushed away the thought, too drunk to puzzle it out.  Instead he kissed back greedily, his hands soothing as his lips devoured.

This time as they kissed Liev groaned into it, pushing his tongue into Johnny's mouth to taste him.  Reaching down Liev guided Johnny's hand a bit higher, groaning when he felt the pressure against his cock.

Johnny grinned against Liev's lips when the man made that move, and pressed his palm down firmly, taking his action as permission.  He kissed Liev hungrily for a moment, his hand kneading gently, until he realized that they were after all in public, drunk or not, and he didn't fancy getting arrested at the moment.  "Come back to my place?" he asked when he pulled away, feeling Liev's breath warm against his lips.  "It's not far."

Liev took a deep breath when Johnny pulled back.  It took him a minute to realize that Johnny had just invited him back to his place.  Considering the caress against his cock Liev nodded his head, ignoring how hard his heart was pounding.  Been weeks, you need this, something uncomplicated.

When Liev nodded, Johnny stood, reluctantly removing his hand and instead taking Liev's own, pulling him up from the ledge and leading the way down the sidewalk towards his studio.  The buzz was starting to wear off, but there was still enough for him to do this without question, take a stranger home to his apartment.  At least he didn't seem like an axe murderer.

Liev followed Johnny, looking down at their joined hands as they walked.  The slight chill to the air helped clear up some of Liev's head but unfortunately didn't do much for the state of his arousal.  Rolling his neck Liev swallowed again, tightening his fingers against Johnny's.

"Y'all right?" Johnny asked, giving Liev's hand a squeeze in return as they neared his block.

"Yeah, I think," Liev said and looked over at Johnny.  Looking him over Liev shook his head.  "Been...awhile," he added trying to make up a reason why his stomach was starting to tighten up a bit.

"Oh," Johnny replied with a sympathetic smile.  "Know the feeling.  Here, this is me," he offered, showing Liev the staircase as he dug in his pocket for the key.

Liev looked at the staircase and nodded.  At first he wasn't sure which he was nodding to, the fact that Johnny wasn't use to this either or the fact that he needed to go in.  Rubbing his palms over his jeans Liev nodded again.

Johnny frowned, seeing the other man's discomfort, and let himself into the apartment, gesturing Liev to follow.  It was a tiny space, cluttered with art and clothing and books, and the only place to sit was the bed, which he cleared off with a quick sweep of his arm, pushing the sheets up in a comic attempt at bed-making that was rather pointless anyway if things went according to plan.  Though, Johnny could tell Liev was nervous and he didn't want to push.  "Can I get you anything?  Wine?  I guess that might not be the best idea," he added with a little laugh.

Liev looked at the art scattered around Johnny's apartment before looking over at the bed.  "Umm, do you have a beer?  Not that I need more alcohol but might help with the nerves."

Johnny frowned, then smiled and walked to the little kitchen area at one end of the room, leaning down to the fridge and taking out a beer for Liev and a bottle of water for himself.  "You know, we don't have to," he offered.  "If the idea is bothering so much."  He sat next to Liev and handed the man his drink, careful not to make his tone sound too disappointed.  He certainly didn't want to sleep with someone who was on the verge of freaking out about it.

Liev took the drink and felt his cheeks flush.  "It's not that," Liev said and shook his head.  Reaching over Liev stroked Johnny's thigh.  Deciding it wouldn't hurt more then the way he was being hesitant Liev decided to go for it.  "I'm gonna sound like a pity story but I just got out of a...thing."

"Ah," Johnny replied, nodding in understanding as he took a swig of his water, laying his hand atop Liev's in a comforting gesture and stroking gently.  "Wanna talk about it, or are you trying to forget?" he asked, wanting to give the man either option.  Not that drinking and fucking your way through your problems was a good idea, exactly, but he wasn't going to talk the man out of it if that was what he wanted.

"Been trying to forget," Liev said and took a long drink of the beer before setting it down.  "As you can guess I'm sure."  Liev looked over at Johnny and slid his hand down the other man's knee.  "I don't want to be a tease.  Maybe we could just keep it...light?"

"It's all right," Johnny offered, reaching up and carding his fingers through Liev's hair.  "You haven't quite made it to 'tease' stage yet.  Now if we had gotten much further outside the bar..." he teased, grinning as he leaned forward to press a kiss to Liev's jaw, having trouble resisting the man who was clearly distressed but also quite lovely and endearing.

Liev laughed, relaxing a bit more at the joke.  "Mmm glad to know that," Liev said and stroked his hand along Johnny's thigh a bit more.  Light, light I can do.  Moving his fingers inward a bit more Liev tilted his head to catch Johnny's in a light kiss.

Johnny smiled and returned the kiss, though he pulled away before it got too heated.  "Would you like a back rub?" he offered.  "Might relax you a bit, take your mind off things.  And to be honest, if I keep kissing you I'm going to want to touch you, and if I touch you I'm going to want to fuck you, and that's not exactly 'light,' you know," he joked, pressing one more kiss to Liev's lips.

Liev couldn't help but smile, it was nice that to know that he had an attraction effect on someone.  "That sounds good, cause yeah, no tease," Liev said looking between Johnny's eyes and his lips before leaning back.  "I'm sure this isn't what you planned when you offered for me to come over."

Johnny smiled and shook his head.  "No, but it's fine.  I'm a firm believer in karma, you know.  Good deed here, good deed there, and you'll get what you need later in life.  Here, roll over," he instructed, kicking off his shoes and kneeling up on the bed.

"I like your viewpoint," Liev said and did the same, toeing his shoes off before rolling onto his stomach.

"Life's too short to get hung up on things," Johnny reasoned, kneeling astride the other man's legs when he was in place and then digging his fingers firmly into the muscles of Liev's shoulders, massaging at length before continuing down his back.

Liev closed his eyes when he felt Johnny's fingers press against the knots that had been building up in his shoulders.  Groaning Liev started looking around the room again.  "Your work?" he asked stretching out a bit.

"Yeah," Johnny replied, looking at the pieces in Liev's line of sight.  "I can't commit one project at a time... most of it isn't going to sell, though, it's just what I do."

"Mmm," Liev paused and laid his head down on his folded arms.  "Maybe you can sell me one."

Johnny laughed lightly as he pushed his thumbs into the knots at either side of Liev's spine.  "I should use this sales tactic more often.  Relax my customers into generosity, I like it."

"I like art," Liev said in defense although his body was definitely liking the massage.  "Although this could be a good closing note to a transaction."

"Fair enough," Johnny conceded with a smile.  "You're welcome to take a look and see if anything catches your eye.  Or if you're serious and nothing in particular appeals, I do commissions.  Money goes to the AIDS Foundation, well, unless I really need a little extra to eat in a given month," he amended with a little grin.

Liev nodded and relaxed against the bed, resting his head more comfortably on his folded arms.  "Maybe I'll take you up on both.  Could do with something to hang up in the lobby of my theater."

"I do some abstract stuff from time to time, might work for you," Johnny suggested as he rubbed the man's lower back.  "I've been getting more commissions from friends lately, which is a welcome change from all the damned tourist paintings I had to do over the summer."

"Tourist—good for the community, bad for the locals," Liev said and groaned when Johnny started massaging a tender spot.  "Sorry this isn't turning out how you'd wanted."

"Well, this wasn't exactly how I'd expected to be getting noises out of you," Johnny joked good-naturedly, leaning down to place a brief kiss at the base of Liev's neck as he worked the spot Liev had reacted to thoroughly, "but seriously, don't worry about it.  I'm happy to help a man in need, and it's not like I'd planned to get laid tonight.  It's been a long enough dry spell that I'm used to it, and not unhappily," he explained.

Liev's eyes blinked shut at the kiss, the gesture was tender and it made the little voice in the back of Liev's head ask him why he was just getting a massage and not getting a real workout.  Reaching back with one hand Liev stroked his hand up the side of Johnny's leg, well as best he could in the position.  "If I was in a better frame of mind and hadn't been through the ringer the last week I'd definitely have helped with that dry spell thing."

Johnny smiled at the touch, but shrugged off Liev's words.  "Really, don't worry about it.  You're probably just not in the right place yet, you know?  Give it a bit of time, and if you're still interested whenever you're feeling better, well you know where to find me."

"Or if I just want a good back rub," Liev added with a laugh, looking back at the artwork against the wall.

Johnny smiled at that, replying teasingly, "Hey, if you keep spotting me drinks I'll call it even."

"I think I could handle that in exchange for this.  Could even buy you a bottle."  Liev chuckled.

"Now you're talking," Johnny replied with a grin, patting Liev's back lightly and then rolling over to flop onto his own back next to the other man.  "All done.  Feel better?"

Liev stretched a bit so he could test his back before settling down on the bed again.  "Wonderful," he said and looked over at Johnny.  "Hadn't realized how tight I was."

"I just want you to know how good I'm being, refraining from a dirty comment on that," Johnny teased, his eyes closing as he folded his hands behind his head.

Liev laughed and rolled onto his stomach, giving Johnny a light poke in his side.  "You're being very good."

Johnny grinned and then opened his eyes, turning to face Liev.  "Seriously though, you gonna be all right, man?  Anything I can do for you?"

Liev nodded.  "I think so, I hope so, just...had someone I was with tell me he'd been with someone else."  Liev shrugged a bit and rolled a bit closer to Johnny, watching the man's face before kissing his cheek.

"Ooh," Johnny replied, his face forming a sympathetic cringe.  "That stings."  Reaching up, he brushed Liev's cheek with his thumb, tracing down the man's chin.  "For what it's worth, though I haven't known you long, I think he's a bloody fool.  But then, I guess we all have our reasons."

Liev closed his eyes at the touch.  "I appreciate that, although I think I added to things."  Shaking his head Liev stroked his hand over Johnny's stomach.  "I do have to admit you've given me a bit of an ego boost tonight."

Johnny purred slightly, an involuntary sound like a cat, when Liev stroked his stomach, and then smiled.  "Glad I could do that at least, then.  It'll get easier with time, you know."

"I know...all takes time."  Liev rolled onto his back before pushing himself up.  "I should go before I start teasing you again."

Johnny laughed but didn't stop the other man.  "I'd invite you to stay, but I confess the alcohol is making me a bit sleepy at the moment.  Here, I have a card around here somewhere," he offered, fishing around in the nightstand drawer.  "You can give me a call if you're ever in the mood for a drink or a back rub or whatever."

Liev looked down at the card and nodded, slipping it into his back pocket.  "I'll take you up on that."  Before he completely pushed up from the bed Liev leaned over, giving Johnny a final kiss.  "Sleep well Johnny."

"You too," Johnny replied, returning the kiss and then leaning back onto the pillows again, not planning to do much more than kick off his jeans before falling asleep.  "Be safe."