Jasper was a handsome man who suffered from the blessing of a young-looking face; despite being in his early thirties, he looked latest to be in his mid-twenties. He desperately tried to make up for this by wearing clothes often intended to make him look older in the shape of grey and tweed suits, old fashioned haircuts, and attempts at stubble but all these attempts had assured the opposite as they framed and highlighted his sweet face. This face was currently at its most angelic, the one he got when he was daydreaming- pursed lips, slightly burrowed brow, eyes unfocused. He was so entrapped in his own thoughts that he almost jumped to his feet when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Upon turning he saw Meredith, his cubicle neighbour, stood behind him with a surprised expression to his reaction.
"Sorry," he smiled bashfully, "My head was off in the clouds."
"I was calling you for a good minute!" Meredith shook some papers, "I need the Welldon report."
Jasper rifled through the pile of papers on his desk, internally cussing the company's outdated filing system before finally handing the file over.
"Hm." Meredith put a hand against the young man's forehead as he leant forward, "You do feel a little warm- better not be coming down with anything!"
"Oh no-" Jasper blushed, "Just a little tired."
"Well be sure to get plenty of rest this weekend." Meredith advised before heading off to accounts.
"I won't make any promises." Jasper whispered to himself, a shiver of excitement running down his spine.
The rest of Jasper's Friday was spent unproductively, staring at the small blinking clock in the bottom left-hand corner of his desktop before 5 'o' clock came round. The second it hit 4:59pm Jasper jumped up, flinging his coat around his shoulders and grabbing his leather book-satchel before waving goodbye to the team and hurrying downstairs. The car was already outside when Jasper practically skipped into the fresh afternoon air. Walking over, Jasper's excited expression was reflected in the cars glossy surface, his boyish features warped by the door as he opened it to the leather interior. Jumping in he smacked his head slightly on the door frame before settling in, wincing more at his clumsiness than any actual pain.
"Are you ok?"
Jasper felt a large, gloved hand cradle the back of his head before he had a chance to even look at Jasper. His entire body felt like it was vibrating. Rumbling with electricity, tightening every pore, and sending every hair on his body on end.
Jasper was painfully aware of the effect Damien had on him and forced himself to try and calm down before turning towards the driver. "Um, yeah... just a bump."
Damien was not that much older than Jasper, but people often assumed it was more than it was. Not an improper age gap but toeing the line in a way Jasper found delicious. Unlike Jasper, who was stuck in his 20's, Damien was aging as gracefully as a swan approaching water. His hair and neat stubble were streaked with grey that sparkled like starlight, though his thick brow had been spared for now. Damien was taller than Jasper, not a difficult feat, but had a more toned structure than Jasper who depended on his youth to keep his figure. Damien wore suits that were structured like the great art deco architecture; tall domineering silhouettes with sharp lines and if there were any patterns, they were geometric. This combination gave Damien an impression of an important man, which was lucky as he was indeed, a very important man.
Damien kept his hand on the back of Jasper's head for a second longer necessary than needed, the fine lines around his grey eyes deepening for a second as he scoured Jasper's face to make sure he was telling the truth. Jasper had to look away, struggling to keep his face straight and breath even as the thick leather driving gloves Jasper wore traced the nape of his neck, the material rough yet flexible.
"Better be careful," Damien smiled, turning, and putting his dark sunglasses back on, "want you in fighting condition for tonight."
Jasper just smiled and leaned back into the luxurious window, the bridge of his nose tinting pink. He dozed for a while looking out the window, only to become startling awake when Damien took his hand from the wheel and placing it on Jasper's thigh, slipping it further inwards as they cruised onwards. Jasper held his breath, as if breathing would ruin the moment, and stole glances at Damien's profile.
When the duo finally reached their destination, Damien rolled in front of the impressive grey stone building before jumping out and opening the door for Jasper who rolled his eyes at the gesture but still grinned in his sheepish manner. Damien slipped his arm around Jasper's waist as he handed his keys to the valet before leading into the black polished entrance. As Jasper was speaking with the receptionist, a well-groomed woman who had taken the best parts of her prime into older age, Jasper gazed over the artwork that was hung up. Tasteful black and white abstract photos of rope cord, twisting and knotted up by clenched hands, the kind of art that did not reveal its true nature till really looked at. Jasper was so distracted by these images that it took him a minute to realise his name was being called. Looking up, Jasper blushed as he realised Damien and the receptionist were waiting for him expectantly.
"Just down here are our showers, you can get ready in here- towels, robes, and anything else you'll need will be waiting in there for you." The receptionist's voice was warm but clipped. She guided them down a corridor and turned left to a hall lined with light wooden doors on one side, like those at an upscale gym. At the third door down she gestured to Jasper before heading down further with Damien, only for Jasper to hold the crisp white cuff of his sleeve. Smiling, Damien turned to him, his frame towering above the slight Jasper.
"What's the matter?" Damien sighed, a teasing smile on his lips.
"Um, can't we... can't we get ready together?" Jasper whispered back, glancing at the receptionist who smiled politely back.
