Dan's New Job (750 Words Project)

A short character study snippet for the

750 Word Project 2023

. It is only 750 words long. Links at the end to erotic stories with these characters.

___________

"I'm grateful, Sam. I'd never have qualified without you."

He nods. "You was a good student, Dan, but we're too small for you. Spread your wings, mate. Besides, potential conflicts of interest, eh?"

He indicates Adrian, beavering away. My husband. Still can't get used to that. Never thought it'd be an option, growing up. I say 'partner', mostly. Better than him - Ade still couldn't handle saying 'boyfriend' during our wedding planning! He calls me his man, his bloke, his fella.

I don't mind. What he means by them is all I could ask for.

"Wasn't it a conflict before?" It took five years to get my architectural accreditation.

"It was, boy. But you was junior enough. Any grief, you'd be the one leaving. Fortunate you worked out, innit? We ain't your Big Four firm, huge separate teams! You'll be missed, but easier to replace you than Adrian there. Anyone'll be lucky to get you. I'll write stunning references!"

I give Adrian a thumbs-up, before returning to my diagrams I promised to finish.

Three interviews go nowhere. Cut-backs everywhere.

Finally, a second interview. Big firm. Fingers crossed. I ask Ade what he knows about the team.

"Steve Collins? Sound fella. Worked with me at Laing. Don't mention me, though."

"When was that? Pre-Diane?"

"

Very

."

Which means early-twenties Adrian, generally off his tits on London's finest recreational pharmaceuticals. Weekends, mostly, but he admits sneaky coke happened on weekdays, too.

"What did

they

fire you for?"

He blushes. "They eventually got fed up of me vanishing for days, after a bender. Basically, I didn't do Mondays. Tuesdays weren't exactly productive, either. If they existed. Eventually I hit the limit of how much my talent could see me through."

"Glad you grew out of that."

"Mm. Me, too."

The interview seems to go well. The dude offers a cuppa; we're having the kinda chat you do when they're actually interested.

"How come you're moving, now you're qualified?"

"I want somewhere bigger. With only twelve staff - Sam's company have been great, but it limits potential future experience."

Steve agrees. So I add, "And my partner works there, which was OK, one day a week. But full-time?

Bad

idea."

"Gotcha. Wise, mate. OK, stop worrying; job's yours. Might manage something above minimum pay, with your experience, but no promises."

I don't mind. My expenses are low, living with an older widower with almost no mortgage when we met. "If you could increase it somewhat, I'd appreciate it." Don't ask, don't get.

"Welcome aboard." He emails me; we shake hands.

"Tell me. It's a very small firm! Who in Sam's outfit

is

your partner?"

He's understandably curious, if he knows Sam's company. Only Kerry, now, who's female.

I double-check the job offer's in my inbox. "I'm gay. I hope that's no problem?"

Better not be. I don't want to need lawyers again.

Luckily, he's purely puzzling out who I'm seeing. "Course not. If anyone has problems, they'll have a problem of continued employment." He blinks. "Not Gary Wilson, is it?"

I can't help it, I'm laughing.

"No! Apart from being my boss... no, no! His wife'd kill me!"

I lose it, cackling. Must be job-hunting stress. Gary's a great bloke, really, but he's nearly double my age, balding, podgy, and, crucially, totally straight.

Plus his Andrea would murder me. Horribly!

"So who's the lucky one, then?"

I compose myself. "Adrian Cullinane."

Steve's gobsmacked. "I heard he'd started to get his life together, but thought a woman was involved?"

"There was. She died. Then we met. Been together... six years now?" I spin my platinum wedding ring.

"You

married

Adrian Cullinane?" We're both laughing.

"He called you a sound bloke."

"Wish I could say the same! No! Good chap, when he wasn't pissed, or whatever. Very talented. Too talented, probably - it was so easy for him to move jobs, I doubt he cared about being fired! He's really sorted, now?"

"Yup. Never drinks alone, nor before eight; doesn't touch anything illegal." Except that one week. Rarely, he's poured early, then phoned, to talk.

"Strewth. What does he do for fun?"

I'm not answering that rhetorical question. The honest reply would be 'Shedloads of sex, covering every gender and wide-ranging locations.'

"Send my regards." Steve chuckles. "I was thinking, the only weakness in your application was not much experience of management skills, but if you've managed to tame Adrian Cullinane..."

His formal offer adds another £1500 to the salary.

"The cheeky wee bastard," Adrian grumbles.

_____

Dan and Adrian got together when Ade's friend Laura dared him to stop smoking, and posted an ad seeking distraction for him. (Smoking Hot/The Bet, in Gay Male/Erotic Couplings, 14 or 3 chapters)

They star in Turkish Delight, Steak and a Blow Job Day, and After The Funeral. Adrian is 20 years younger in Undergraduate Experiments and mentioned in a few other stories. (all titles are in Gay Male)