This will start slow, and get exciting next chapter. For now, I'm laying the groundwork and getting to know the characters. bomakerasdf wrote the beginning, which I have left unchanged. The story cums first, and is dedicated to those we love most (who also cum first ;)
Well, here we go - I am eager to watch this unfold.
Ch. 1: Presence of Absence
Adam fidgeted nervously in the line. He felt dirty, inside and out, but he was desperate. He shuffled forward across the sticky floor as a burnt-out looking man left the booth. Another fat old man went in after him. Adam stood rigid with his hands in his pockets and tried not to touch anything. The experience was a bit surreal and he kept replaying how he had ended up here. Not more than two minutes later the booth opened again; the last man stepped out with a stupid grin on his face and a rather respectable-looking middle aged man entered without hesitation. The door on the woman's side of the glory hole hadn't opened since he'd been there. There were still two more people in front of Adam and he was growing more repulsed every time the door opened. But that feeling was nothing in the face of the sadness, the months of isolation and wanting since Evie died. He felt defeated, he kept telling himself, "it's either this or the coke."
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Adam had started doing cocaine at 16 and had blown all his prospects. He lived city-to-city as a kind of con-man until he got jammed up with minor possession at 24. He avoided going to prison thanks to a combination of overcrowding, showmanship in court, and -- he swore -- his own good looks. He also eagerly agreed to attend group rehabilitation meetings; anything to avoid jail time. Of course, no one could force him to participate, and he usually just chose a seat in the back and zoned out. Those first few months he propped himself up by chain smoking, the only thing barely keeping him from relapsing and failing the program's mandatory drug tests.
Adam had five months down and one to go, when one day he walked into a meeting to see a different moderator standing at the front of the room. She announced that Mr. Jaeger was gravely ill with pneumonia, himself a heavy smoker. The woman's nametag said Evelynn Himmel, and Adam was instantly struck by her. In the midst of the junkies in that community center basement, she was an angel. Adam sat closer to the front than usual and spent the whole hour trying not to blatantly stare. The first thing he noticed was her curly, golden-blonde hair and the prismatic green eyes. She had a small nose and pale pink lips, and when she spoke he felt as if she was speaking only to him. He was so transfixed, this was all he could remember from that first evening.
The next day he was relieved to see that she was still moderating. Again he tried not to stare so badly as to make anyone uncomfortable. This time he noticed her long, slim frame and small chest. Adam prided himself on being a womanizer, and over the years he had many girlfriends who happily traded coke for sex from him. But this woman-- Adam couldn't sexualize her, couldn't even imagine himself sitting next to her in a bed. The rest of the week he gradually moved to the front of the classroom and he listened raptly to her every word. She said many of the same things as Jaeger, but when she spoke them Adam believed them. He had spent the past months just getting by, but suddenly he found himself actually wanting to be sober. The only thing he wanted to be dependent on was her.
At the last meeting of the week, Evelynn thanked everyone for their time and notified them that she would not be returning. Adam's face visibly sank, and he felt a strange sense of desperation. He approached Evelynn as people were clearing out and she was packing her bag.
He stammered nervously, "hi, umm, my name's Adam -- Adam Duatete." He was kicking himself for even attempting this. "I thought you were great this week."
Evelynn was nonplussed, "well-- thank you, I'm glad you got something out of it."
There was a strained silence before Adam said, "ya'know, this is a rough neighborhood at night, can I walk you to your car?" He added, "purely as a favor."
Evelynn paused only a second to consider him. He was tall with lean muscles, and had closed cropped hair. He was slightly disheveled and unkempt, though there was a definite handsomeness under that. He seemed genuine, but there was -- Evelynn couldn't quite describe it -- something like a feral sexuality about him.
"I took the bus, but you could walk me to the stop, I'd really appreciate that," she answered in a friendly tone. "Let's go."
They walked out of the community center without saying anything else. She glanced at Adam a few times, and he offered a smile which she returned. On the sidewalk Adam tried to start again, awkwardly:
"So, Evelynn right?"
She was flustered at not actually introducing herself, "uhh yes, Evelynn Himmel." She offered her hand which Adam shook gently. "So what's your story Adam?"
"Oh me? I started doing coke in high school, seein' how there was nothing else to do, and I dropped out. I made it pretty far before I finally had a run in with the police. This is part of my plea deal. What about you? I gotta say it doesn't seem like you belong here."
"Actually, this is my dream job," Evelynn countered. "You people are so genuine, so human. This is so much more meaningful than sitting in a wood paneled office, listening to a rich prick talk about his insecurities."
"You people?" Adam said incredulously and chuckled.
"No, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that," Evelynn corrected frantically. "I don't think I'm better than you or anything."
Adam laughed again, "it's fine, I'm just giving you shit. But seriously, working with junkies is your dream job?"
Evelynn stared ahead, "Yeah, I think it is. I can't see myself doing anything else. Honestly I don't feel in danger here. I can't tell you how many aggressive, well-connected men have made a pass at me. I was in more danger in that world,"
Not a second later, a tall man in dark clothes rounded the corner ahead of them, his hands shoved in his pockets. He was walking toward them with a purpose, and quickly. Adam identified the threat instantly. He put his hand on Evelynn's shoulder and took another step in front of her. Adam had no weapon, so instead he composed all the menace and hostility he could into his body language. Fighting stance, chest out, face deadly intense. The other man paused then crossed the street, walking away just as quickly.
"Jesus," whispered Evelynn, "what the hell was that?"
"I don't know, let's just get to the bus stop," Adam said, hustling along and glancing over his shoulder frequently.
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The middle aged man came out of the booth, shirt untucked, and left the store quickly without making any eye contact. A stocky biker-type stepped in next. Adam clearly heard unzipping, grunting, and an eerie purring coming from the rooms. He felt a sudden dread, he was seconds away from leaving the basement of the sex shop.
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"You can, uh, let go now," Evelynn said tentatively.
Adam noticed he was still guiding her with his hand on her forearm, protectively. He also noticed they were at the bus stop. Adam actually blushed, and took his hand away without saying anything.
Evelynn sat down on the bench, and when Adam hesitated she patted the seat beside her.
"Thanks for -- doing whatever you did. That guy obviously had us marked or something, " Evelynn said, looking up at him with a relieved expression.
Adam just smiled, nodded and sat down next to her. The bench was small and Adam felt her let go of some tension and lean into him ever so slightly. It could have been nothing, but of course it was something.
After a quiet moment, he spoke up, "Evelynn, you really don't want to get involved with me. I've spent my entire adult life conning girls less naïve than you. What you're feeling right now, this is what I do. Normally I would pay a scary guy to walk up to us just so I could act tough. Tonight we just got lucky."
"You're lying," Evelynn said baldly. Just then the bus's headlights winked into view down the street.
Adam persisted, "If you were smart you would get on that bus and have me out of your life forever."
"I'm a virgin--" Evelynn blurted. She was trying to gauge Adam's reaction.
Adam read her play and merely sighed. "Get on the bus, Evelynn Himmel."
"You're not what you say you are, or what you think you are." Evelynn couldn't be deterred. "You don't act like an addict. You don't act like a con-man. I'm not a child and you're not the only one who can read a person. You see something in me, you're feeling things that you don't understand because they've never happened to you. And I see something in you, something you don't even know is there. So take me home, asshole."
The bus rolled up to the stop and the doors folded open. Adam was exasperated, knew that most of what she said was true, and seriously considered placing her on the bus by force.
"Are you folks riding the yellow line?" The bus driver was clearly irritated.
"No, just using the bench," Evelynn said quickly. The doors closed without another word from the driver.
The two sat in silence again. But Evelynn couldn't let it go. She couldn't let him go.
"Just trust yourself," she said quietly. She reached over and slipped her hand into Adam's
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The booth door swung open and banged against the wall, and the biker guy swaggered out. The man in front of Adam, he couldn't have been more than 18, glanced over his shoulder at Adam. He had baby blue eyes, and they looked nervous. Just then the woman on the other side of the booth began humming. It was a lilting, unearthly sound. The boy did a neat about-face at the sound, and he walked inside as if hypnotized.
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