Two more bars after this. Two more bars and two more shots, they can definitely do this. Or they can do at least one more and then Joel thinks he might just drag Spencer into a dark corner or anything even remotely private, but this was supposed to be the plan. Seven bars, seven shots, a wonderful literary tour and a way to remember their trip to New York, the first real trip Joel has ever taken and there's been so few things he's been able to do before Spencer, but it doesn't surprise him even remotely that he's here now. There's one person in the world who's been consistently able to give him strength and courage in a way no one else has ever managed before. It isn't that Joel has always been a coward, it isn't that he's always been afraid, he thinks maybe he's had a reservoir of courage buried deep down all along, but it's Spencer who's been able to help him find it. It's Spencer who's helped bring it out of him and Joel doesn't think he'd have had any hope of finding it on his own. Maybe in an extreme situation, maybe if he'd needed to save someone or help someone in a dire situation, but he doesn't think he'd ever have been this man without the one standing beside him. It's Spencer who's given him the ability to find the reserve of courage and bring it to the surface. Spencer says all these things to him and under other, less drunk circumstances, he thinks he might have had something to say in return, but all he manages is a sweet, sheepish sort of smile, lifting his shoulder to rub it against his cheek.
They'll always belong together. They'll always be together. They'll always love each other and like each other and they'll always want each other. He gives Spencer's ass a squeeze and then grins over at him, an expression stuck somewhere between innocence and something a lot darker. They're getting progressively more drunk and with each shot they take, they're getting progressively more daring, too, more willing to touch each other in ways they usually save for the privacy of their own home. He knows they'll still need to get back to the apartment before he's willing to let anything go too far, but the fact remains that he kind of likes this boost in liquid courage. There's nothing about their wonderful relationship that he's ashamed of and he doesn't care who knows they're together. Spencer Waters-Baker is the most incredible man he's ever known and he's proud to be married to him. He's proud to be able to go home to this man every single night, he's proud that soon enough they'll be raising a baby together and he's proud to look over at Spencer and see all these emotions reflected back at him. They're always on the same page and Joel sighs deeply and grins.
"Don't worry," he says, ducking his head closer so he can speak in Spencer's ear. "I'm going to behave very patiently and be a complete gentleman and I'm going to resist the urge to shove you up against the wall and undress you until we get back to the apartment. At least until then." Of course, he doesn't think he can promise to make it through the next two bars before he goes dragging Spencer back to the apartment, but he's really going to do his best to try. He's going to mingle and be polite and stick close to his husband and when Casey tells them it's time to move on to bar number six, Joel finds he isn't even remotely surprised to see a good number of the people are stumbling and laughing. They've all been drinking and this is bar number five, which means they're all at least five drinks in, but Joel has a suspicion they've all been drinking a little more. He's seen a few people throwing back more than a single shot at each bar and while he's feeling pretty drunk himself now, he has to imagine they're feeling a little worse for wear.
"But I will touch you like this for the rest of our very long, very considerable lives together," he continues, turning as he watches the others in the bar begin to gather their belongings. He still hasn't managed to figure out if they're going to make it through all seven bars, but at this point he's going to give it a fair go and he pushes away from the bar only to find himself considerably more unsteady than he thought he might be. He laughs, reaches for Spencer and closes his hands over his husband's wrist, holding onto him for support. "Whoa. Whoa, are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Waters-Baker, so that you might take advantage of me?"
He giggles then, rubbing his hand over his beard and looks at Spencer. "Because if you need to take advantage of me, you know you can just ask, right?" And that part is said loud enough that other people can hear, which earns Joel a few looks, but he doesn't even notice them. He's looking at Spencer and only Spencer, ignoring everyone else around them. The room feels like it's spinning a little, but as long as he looks at Spencer, as long as he focuses on his husband he's going to be just fine and so he smiles, still holding Spencer's hand and tugs him in the direction of the door. "Come on. We have two more bars and then I'm going to take advantage of you for the rest of the trip."
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They'll always belong together. They'll always be together. They'll always love each other and like each other and they'll always want each other. He gives Spencer's ass a squeeze and then grins over at him, an expression stuck somewhere between innocence and something a lot darker. They're getting progressively more drunk and with each shot they take, they're getting progressively more daring, too, more willing to touch each other in ways they usually save for the privacy of their own home. He knows they'll still need to get back to the apartment before he's willing to let anything go too far, but the fact remains that he kind of likes this boost in liquid courage. There's nothing about their wonderful relationship that he's ashamed of and he doesn't care who knows they're together. Spencer Waters-Baker is the most incredible man he's ever known and he's proud to be married to him. He's proud to be able to go home to this man every single night, he's proud that soon enough they'll be raising a baby together and he's proud to look over at Spencer and see all these emotions reflected back at him. They're always on the same page and Joel sighs deeply and grins.
"Don't worry," he says, ducking his head closer so he can speak in Spencer's ear. "I'm going to behave very patiently and be a complete gentleman and I'm going to resist the urge to shove you up against the wall and undress you until we get back to the apartment. At least until then." Of course, he doesn't think he can promise to make it through the next two bars before he goes dragging Spencer back to the apartment, but he's really going to do his best to try. He's going to mingle and be polite and stick close to his husband and when Casey tells them it's time to move on to bar number six, Joel finds he isn't even remotely surprised to see a good number of the people are stumbling and laughing. They've all been drinking and this is bar number five, which means they're all at least five drinks in, but Joel has a suspicion they've all been drinking a little more. He's seen a few people throwing back more than a single shot at each bar and while he's feeling pretty drunk himself now, he has to imagine they're feeling a little worse for wear.
"But I will touch you like this for the rest of our very long, very considerable lives together," he continues, turning as he watches the others in the bar begin to gather their belongings. He still hasn't managed to figure out if they're going to make it through all seven bars, but at this point he's going to give it a fair go and he pushes away from the bar only to find himself considerably more unsteady than he thought he might be. He laughs, reaches for Spencer and closes his hands over his husband's wrist, holding onto him for support. "Whoa. Whoa, are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Waters-Baker, so that you might take advantage of me?"
He giggles then, rubbing his hand over his beard and looks at Spencer. "Because if you need to take advantage of me, you know you can just ask, right?" And that part is said loud enough that other people can hear, which earns Joel a few looks, but he doesn't even notice them. He's looking at Spencer and only Spencer, ignoring everyone else around them. The room feels like it's spinning a little, but as long as he looks at Spencer, as long as he focuses on his husband he's going to be just fine and so he smiles, still holding Spencer's hand and tugs him in the direction of the door. "Come on. We have two more bars and then I'm going to take advantage of you for the rest of the trip."