#muse: javier esparza

[whskyneat]

open to anyone ! plot : my muse is invited to his ex’s wedding and surely he can’t go on his own ( fake dating plots pls ) muse : javier esparza . mid forties . bisexual . lawyer . made with : beta ( but i can switch to legacy if needed )

“COME on. Please.” Javier is ashamed that his words are walking the fine line that almost crosses the border to begging.

“They have an open bar and I’m pretty sure they're going for the good stuff.”

[whskyneat]

SOMETHING inside him melts at yoon-jae's laughter; pride flaring at being able to chip away the cold exterior. " the fact that you get to pretend that you're with me should be counted as a prize on its own, " javi points out, smirk already drawn on his lips. " is this a gas, grass, or ass situation? or am i going to end up needing to go to a wedding for you pretending to be your date? i only have the one nice tux. i can make it work. "

at the question, javi is stopped short, quickly retrieving his phone to pull up the -- shudders -- wedding website. " um. okay. so i'm going to tell you the date and you can't hate me because i've had that deposition this week that's had me on my ass. plus this was one of those ' deal with it when i have to deal with it ' type of priorities. anyway it's tomorrow night. "

Jae couldn't help the laughter that spilled from his lips. He knew he could be a little cold, rough around the edges, but he had his moments. Javi tended to bring that out of him. "Well, considering I have to pretend that I'm with you, and not just a plus one," he teased back, "I'm sure we can think of something you can do to make it up to me."

While he didn't mind accompanying him, and preferred it to be himself to support his friend, Yoon-jae wasn't exactly too keen on weddings. He's only ever been to two; the first where his love and long-term affair married another man, and his own. Which, he wasn't exactly jumping for joy at his own wedding. "When is it?"

[whskyneat]

@aconites 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 <3 based on this !

TO no one's surprise, Javi returns home alone. He knew the moment he was introduced to the bartending staff that would serve their anniversary party that his wife would be spending the night with the tatted one that made a mean old fashioned. There's no denying that it bothers him anymore though the sting on his pride will ever be present. It's knowing that his daughter doesn't have to grow up in the same broken home that he did that keeps his mouth shut and his temper at bay.

He comes home a little later than he intends. Though he's aware of the affairs, it doesn't mean Javi's going to make it easier on his wife. After watching her pour out excuse after excuse, he finally makes his way back to relieve the babysitter -- the only light in his otherwise dull life.

Melisa truly is something -- something he can't think about for too long; something he can't name. There's something to be said with the way his mood instantly lifts the moment he sees her lounging in the living room.

"Sorry, I know I said I'd be home by 10. Party ran late. Speeches. Videos. Boring stuff you probably don't want to hear about. Anyway, did Lola give you any trouble?"

[whskyneat]

THE hue that stains her cheeks doesn’t go unnoticed but javier doesn’t comment. fingers itch to reach out — to touch — but he’s not sure if he’s permitted to. instead he takes delight in the soft laughter; wants to keep it there. wants to make her make it again. “ it’d probably be the only fun thing to happen there. i heard she’s marrying some stuffy wallstreet broker. at least you know the drinks are going to be good though. ” he’s not bitter; not anymore, at least. but she’s his ex wife. surely javi’s given some sort of pass to be the least bit offended by the invitation. “ what do you want in return, by the way? do you have an ex i can out-stage? ”

her cheeks become heated at his comment, a slight rosy flush appearing on her otherwise pale skin. over the past few years she had known the other she’d grown a pathetic crush on him, one that made her feel like a school girl all over again. she’d doubted he’d be interested in being anything other than her friendly neighbour so she was careful to keep her feelings to herself, not wanting to overstep and ruin the relationship they shared. “aim for the legs, got it.” she chuckles. “sounds like an easy gig, count me in.”

[whskyneat]

JAVI is desperate enough to enlist Mateo’s aid despite knowing full well there would be comments regarding the bit about the age difference. It doesn’t matter — or at least the alcohol that’s currently swimming in his veins tells him it doesn’t. The fact that his ex wife dared to pass along an invite gives cause in Javi delivering a discreet ‘fuck you’ right back. “You wouldn’t need to talk to anyone. I doubt you’d want to anyway. They’re boring and old and frankly, I think I’d rather you not talk to anyone from her side of the family.” Javi presses in closer; pours in another shot for them both. “You’ll make me look like I won and, honestly, that’s all I want. Look at you. Clearly my standards have done something right. Gorgeous.” Down the shot goes. “What would I have to do to convince you?”

Mateo was not a skilled actor, especially not one who thrived in extravagant, extroverted settings—until he heard the words "open bar." A couple of shots later, and he loosens up for the most part. He raised his eyebrows, as if considering it, then turned to Javier and sighed, his shyness influencing his decision. "You know I'm not good at talking to people," he admitted. "I'll just make you look foolish, and I say this because I know you have your standards and all."

[whskyneat]

"YOU'RE always pretty," Javi points out. "And besides, she's technically never really liked you so this could also be your big 'fuck you.' If anything, really, I think she didn't like you because you're pretty so if you show her up at her own wedding, who knows what'd she do. As your lawyer, I advise you to aim for her legs. Her center of gravity sucks."

“and watch her dissolve into a puddle? sounds delightful,” she snickers. “you make some good points, so all i would have to do is stand next to you and look pretty?”

[whskyneat]

"DOES a catch really matter? It's free food, free drinks, and you get to show up the wicked witch of the west herself. If we're lucky, you can probably spill something on her."

“open bar, you say? tempting, very tempting. is there a catch?”

[whskyneat]

“THERE’S also this thing called ‘being bitter’ which everyone will call me when they find out I declined the invitation. Besides, I already RSVP’d.” Javier will certainly resort to begging if he needs to. “Please. I’ll owe you one. No — five. No — twenty! Just don’t let me go alone. People are gonna think she won the divorce and I can’t have that.”

Yoon-jae gave a long, exaggerated sigh, “You know there’s this thing called: declining and invitation.”

While his mind was already made up, he wasn’t going to go along with this quietly. There was no way Jae would let Javier go by himself and do anything stupid.

[whskyneat]

JAVI hadn’t realized how anxious he was of Yoon-jae’s agreement until his acquiescence punched out a deep sigh of relief out of him. His relationship with his ex wife is hinged on matters of pride, both of them trying to outdo the other. It’s not the healthiest coping mechanism but it’s something that's been such a constant in his life that he's not sure how to go without.

"Oh, you're such a dick," he groans, leaning forward from his chair to nudge the other's shoulder. "Fine. So we're just gonna forget that you're getting free food and drinks plus the bonus that people are gonna think you're with the gorgeous ex that is me? Sure! What would you need more than that?"

Continued from here x

He gave another deep exhale as he folded his arms over his chest, giving his friend his usual stoic/bitchy expression. Though, Yoon-jae couldn’t fault the other. He could only imagine how embarrassing it would’ve been having to go to a wedding and be known as ‘the bitter ex-husband.’ He was just lucky him and his ex-wife couldn’t be caught dead in the same planet, let alone be invited to one another’s wedding.

“Alright.”

His expression flipped, and a self-satisfied smirk found itself on his lips. “I was already expecting to be your plus one, but you still owe me,” he teased.

@crookedsin