2020-06-12 -Blue Door for the Blues - Gareth, Brayden, Michelle, Kitty and Nico

It had been a few weeks now since Gareth came home. His counselling was ongoing as an out patient. He had finally stopped telling Mary Henry to fuck off in every session and had even eventually apologized. He was softening but not yet himself. Michelle and Brayden had been trying to help him in every way. Brayden was cooking so much it was like a 5 star restaurant. Gareth was eating again and so well he began to fear his pants would get tight. So he started running again, not with the running club. That was too social, but at night alone along the water. The spray of the ocean and the crash of the waves as company felt good. Finally, Brayden had joined him a few times for that and it seemed to help him too but as Brayden wasn’t as seasoned of a runner he had to slow the pace when he wasn’t running alone.

Michelle had even dragged him out to a few yoga classes at the Northern Lights studio in town. She joked that all the bodies in tights might distract him from the poses but he was oddly unswayed by curves and flashes of flesh like he used to be. Even the pretty instructor, Sajani Singh didn’t sway him and he normally found she was one who turned his head whenever she passed around town. He liked her classes though and the ones taught by the studio’s owner, Darlene Smith were good too, even more challenging. Darlene was his coworker Dana’s mother from the FD so there was an odd familiarity and connection there. But connection was still challenging in general.

One night Michelle had confronted him in an awkward conversation, suggesting he reach out to a lover or even watch some porn. She offered to put the lock back on his bedroom door in the same breath. In truth it was awkward. Michelle was trying to offer ideas from what she perceived would comfort Gareth based on his lifestyle. She certainly wasn’t propositioning him herself. But Gareth had just had no desire. It had crossed his mind to seek that out, but then it seemed like too much energy to be with someone that way right now. So Michelle tried another idea.

“How about we go dancing? A night out...to the Blue Door?”

Gareth eyed her suspiciously “You hate the bar….”

Brayden appeared in the doorway “Are you guys going out?”

Michelle looked kindly at Gareth “For you I’ll tolerate it. Go have a shower and get pretty before I change my mind.” She looked at Brayden “Wanna join us?”

Brayden shook his head “Nah, not my scene tonight….but if you make this happen I want to witness the exit.” He said with a little chuckle.

Gareth felt like he should at least humour Michelle. She was trying so hard. He showered and shaved and then looked at his hair in the mirror while holding his molding mud and shrugged “Ah fuck who cares…” He muttered and stalked back into his room grabbing the first pair of jeans he saw off the floor and his old Red Cross t -shirt he’d worn way too many times without a wash. He bumped into Brayden at the top of the stairs as he was coming up.
“Dude you’re not wearing that to the bar!” He said firmly and started trying to steer Gareth back to his room.

“Why not? Who cares….Brayden fuckin let go….” He protested,

Michelle’s head popped out of her door “Hey assholes…..what’s the deal…” She joked and then looked at Gareth “Oh no way Gar…” She stepped out into the hall wearing an uncharacteristically sexy little black dress and a pair of chunky heeled boots. She wore them so infrequently that they were fine to wear inside until they left. She had even put on some makeup and simple silver jewelry with little teardrop shapes ending in small stones.

Both men stopped and stared at her and she threw up her hands “What?”

“Mom...you look...nice…” Brayden said in shock.

Gareth wasn’t really looking that way at anyone right now but Michelle in a dress like that even made him comment “Yeah that’s actually fuckin hot. What the hell Michelle?”

“Oh fuck off both of you. I am a woman even if I dress like a construction worker and catch slimy little humans for a living. K let’s find something for Gareth before I just get annoyed at the whole thing and put on my pajamas.” And with that she added her hands to Brayden’s on Gareth and gave him a shove back into his room.

Gareth sat down on his bed and sighed “I dunno if this is a good idea…” He muttered.

Michelle opened his closet and Brayden went to the dresser.

“Here, these are much nicer jeans...you need a belt though….where are your belts Gar?”

Gareth lies back on the bed “Closet….” He says tiredly.

Michelle comes out with a button up shirt and a belt “How about these?”

Brayden makes a face “Together…..gah…..gimme those…..”

Michelle goes to sit on Gareth’s bed near his legs hanging over and notices the laundry in all directions “Hey you might want to wash some clothes….” Gareth was usually very tidy and fastidious about his clothes. She’s never seen anything beyond the night before’s discards on the floor before and often that was the sign he had entertained someone in his room after the bar.

“Meh…” Gareth mumbles.

Now Brayden approached with a really nice patterned button shirt, a black belt and a black tank top for under the shirt. “Put this on…” He said, piling them on Gareth’s lying down form and then leaving the room.

“Fuck…” Gareth muttered “Where are you going?”

“To get your hair product...and body spray,”

Michelle turned to ask if Gareth wanted some privacy to change but found he was already shirtless and pulling off his old jeans. “Whoah...ok I’ll just turn around…...not looking..”

Gareth laughs “You know I don’t give a flying fuck right? Look all you like.”

“OK whatever. You have a hole in your gitch by the way.”

“So you did look then? Keep your eyes closed while I grab a fresh pair if my ass offends you.”

And as Gareth stood in front of his dresser Brayden walked back in “Holy fuckin full moon man...I’ll come back in 5…” He dropped the body spray and hair product at the entrance to the room.

Gareth hopped a bit and pulled a pair of black boxer briefs all the way on and retorted “For fuck’s sakes both of you you’re in MY room! Should I come barging into both of yours with the modesty police later?” He walks to the pile of clothes on the bed and starts pulling on the tank top and then the jeans “Ok I’m covered..” He teases. It did seem the bizarre scenario was rather cheering him up. He pulled on the shirt and started to button it but Brayden came back in and held up a hand.

“No leave that one open...then the belt ties it all together. Did you put on deodorant? Brush your teeth?”

Gareth throws up his hands “Yeah….why are you asking?”

Michelle now turned and gently said “Gareth your personal hygiene has been a bit different lately. We get it. We’re just trying to help ok?”

Gareth sighed “Yeah I know. I’m sorry….I just don’t feel like anything.” He sat down again. “I know you’re trying to be nice Michelle. I know you hate the bar.” Then suddenly he tensed up as Brayden’s hands were fussing in his hair “Brayden…”

“Hmmm….you need a cut….I can’t get it to do that fwosh thing you do but this is better than totally flat…”

Michelle walked to pick up the body spray now and made a face at it “So the hair and the clothes and this shit…..you guys realize you take twice as long as me to get ready to go out?” She laughs “How many times do I spritz you Gar?”

Brayden grabbed it from her hand “No spritzing…” He held it up and motioned for her to stand back “He’s just going to walk through the cloud…”

Gareth understood perfectly. Brayden sprayed it in the air and Gareth kind of danced through the mist.

Michelle rolled her eyes “Fuckin peacocks I swear. Brayden I had no idea you were this high maintenance.”

Brayden snorts “Back in the day yeah…...ok...you kids have fun. Gareth if you bring anyone home for the love of god come hide this laundry pile and turn on some music.”

They all laughed and walked downstairs and Michelle grabbed a small purse and a light shawl wrap because her dress was strapless and as the sun set, she knew she’d want another layer. Gareth pulled on his bar boots. They walked in the low of dusk like an odd couple, an uncouple. Gareth and Michelle had always only ever been friends. It was hard wired. Years ago after a bottle of wine they had both been lonely and tried to kiss but they mutually broke apart laughing because it just felt wrong to both of them. There was no romantic or sexual spark. They were friends become family. They paid their cover into The Blue Door and made their way to the bar and got drinks. Michelle was a beer drinker and liked all the Mariner’s IPAs. Tonight the Odyssey was on tap. Gareth had his Tequilla Sunrise with extra ice. It was warm in the nightclub so Michelle took off her wrap and carried it over one arm. Then there was the moment of awkward standing with said drinks in the crowded room wondering what came next.

Kitty Carmichael was back in the Blue Door baby!  She felt for weeks that she lived in the basement of the Alexandra Clinic running test after test after test and delivering the results upstairs.  There was some change up, but she had worked herself nearly to the bone during the Covid crisis and she suspected that it wasn’t ever.  But she was enjoying the respite and had come to the club she used to work at for the first time in a very long time. Sam had also been working too much, and during the crisis had moved in with her.  It had been blissful and showed them that, when the time cane, their married life would be a cake walk.  But once the isolation order had been lifted, Sam had moved back to his place to be near his brother Alex.  Kitty hadn’t minded and tonight they were sort of rekindling the swinging part of their relationship.  Sam was on the mainland, but Kitty had opted to remain on the island.

Dressed in a purple micromini skirt, a nice tight lace blouse that showed off her pretty pink bra and cleavage to spare, she now swayed at the bar with a Tequila Sunrise in hand.  Her thigh high heeled boots put her around the six foot mark in height.  Her hair was down for a change and the natural curls seemed to celebrate with more body than usual.  She’d given up most of her hair care products even before the Earthquake as a compromise so that she could meet and associate with Sam’s brother who everyone, including Alex joked was allergic to almost everything,  Now she used aloe vera gel to style her wild hair and she loved its effect.

Holding her drink, she noticed Michelle walk in, which had been a surprise as Michelle wasn’t one for the Door, Kitty's always believed.  She and the midwife had gotten closer during the crisis, as Susan had drafted Michelle for giving tests right along with anyone else with cursory medical knowledge.  But with her was Gareth and kitty had taken in a deep breath to keep her initial emotion at bay.  After Gareth had been admitted, she had come to visit him on a daily basis.  A couple of times she arrived just as Gareth was telling … sometimes yelling at Dr Henry to fuck off.  The doctor always left calmly and greeted Kitty with a smile as she did.  Then Kitty would simply come in, pull up a chair and read a book, or play a bit on her phone.  Gareth hadn’t spoken really but he also hadn’t told HER to fuck off.  Kitty took it as a good sign.

Now she moved to him, employing a dance walk she’d perfected as an employee.  Dancing literally around him, she smiled at Michelle and winked, but didn't say a word.  Sipping from her drink, she paused only long enough to clink her glass to Gareth’s in a silent toast and then began to dance orbit him again.

Michelle smiled at Kitty. She had actually been hoping Kitty would be here tonight because Kitty could get through to Gareth in ways she couldn’t and had no desire to. And she liked Kitty, even more so since she’d been working so hard at the clinic. Giving Kitty the space to connect with Gareth she gave them both a tiny wave and took herself and her beer to an empty table and sat down to observe from afar. She was determined to help her friend back to wellness as well as her son. It was a heavy load but Michelle carried it with strength.

Gareth took Kitty’s hot little outfit and cascading hair in like it was another tequila sunrise. His desire had been kicked down but he couldn’t deny that she could stir up what was left of it. She began to dance around him and he had to grin, grateful for her efforts even though she’d seen him at such a low point. Now he was glad he let Brayden and Michelle spruce him up for this and he let himself sway a bit in time with her dance “Hello Beautiful.” He said in greeting. He was vaguely aware that Michelle had taken herself off to a table.

Nico Caito has been at the Blue Door, determined to blow off some steam.  The substitute EMT Harrison Bryce was on his last nerve, but at least he didn’t have to out and out work with him like Reinhardt did.  But it seemed he had picked a bad night.  The music seemed to be a mix of romantic and overtly sexual.  But with the ferry open, he did have his choice with plenty of omen he’d never seen before dancing with men he’d never seen before.  Yet, he wasn’t in that sort of a mood really.  He spotted a few familiar faces.  Dunham … out and about
 .. which encouraged him … lifted his spirits.  He spotted Michelle sitting alone at a table, so he took his rum and coke and went over to her.  “Mind a little company?”  he asked, loud enough to be heard by her.  He noticed her state of dress and a charming smile came, unbidden to his lips.  “You look incredible, Michelle.”  and sexy .. he had never seen her dressed like this in all the time he’d known her.  How had he missed it?

Kitty continued her orbit, but made it a bit lower, coming closer to him.  “Gareth.”  she purred.  “Out and about.”  she glances in Michelle’s direction then immediately back to Gareth.  “Did Michelle steal some of the good drugs to get you out of the house?”  she is clearly teasing.  She drinks some more, making short work of it.  If Gareth is out of the house, she’d like to get him dancing.

Michelle watched Gareth and Kitty and then spotted Nico walking up to her and gave him a friendly smile and a nod “Hey Nico. Be my guest.” She gestures to the empty stool. Then she sees his smile and hears the compliment and laughs “Should I be offended that everyone is so fucking shocked and impressed when I make an effort….I mean I know it’s rare..” She admits, still laughing about it. Then she leans forward and gestures at Gareth “I’m really just trying to lead a horse to water…..but it’s up to Kitty to make him drink. What’re you up to these days?”

Gareth downs his drink now, wanting to give Kitty his attention. Maybe he wasn’t quite dead yet. “No drugs, just some loving coercion…” He jokes. He sets his glass down on a nearby table and reaches for Kitty’s hand “It’s really good to see you here and not..” He struggles a bit “Where I was….” He takes a deep breath “Dance with me?” His voice is a mixture of sultry and sad.

Nico laughs and sits when he is invited.  "No ... it's a pleasant surprise to know you aren't ALWAYS in your usual.  I like it … so don’t do it every day so I can enjoy it like a rare treat.”  he holds up his hand.  “Don’t get me wrong … I actually prefer a woman in more modest dress and you pull THAT off incredibly too.  Leave something to the imagination, ya know?”  he blinks and looks at his drink,which is half gone.  He sips it and nods.  “More rum.  Not enough coke and no ice.  Sorry.”

Kitty smiles.  “Loving coercion is my favorite kind.”  she tells him.  “Or I’d never have gotten that training to be a lab tech.”  Even though he takes her hand, she does not stop moving.  His words touch her but her mile  slips only a moment into sadness.  “You know I am happy to see you anywhere, Gar.”  She reminds him.  “But here there is more room.”  and when he asks to dance, she obliges and even leads him onto the floor.  Turning around and letting her hair fan out, she then begins dancing, her hand never leaving his.  She is still mostly silent, but definitely there and letting him lead her in any way he choses.

Michelle seems highly amused by all this “Well thanks Nico. Glad to know my antifashion fuck it all attitude works for someone in this town. I promise to leave a lot to your imagination.” She teases and then finishes her beer, noting what he said about his drink “Well if they’re not making it right just tell them. Maybe because you got yours after Gareth and he’s like the ice man. Best not to ask for too many details about that.” She snorts “But if you’re bitching at the barkeep can you grab me another Mariner’s Odyssey IPA? This one’s not bad…Better than that Golden. I know people go on about it being vegan but I don’t really give a shit about that.”

Gareth lets himself fall under Kitty’s sweet familiar spell. It’s both intoxicating and a comfort after so many years of their connection as lovers. He ebbs and flows with her at first, leading her, twirling her a bit in his arms if she will flow with it and then finally he steps closer putting one knee between hers and one knee to the side of ehr outside one and does a little shimmy up and down her body if she doesn’t object, his eyes locking with hers as he licks his lips.

Nico laughs at her promise.  "Please.  And again .. don't get me wrong .. it's a beautiful body .. I never knew."  he winks. He looks at his drink.  "No it's not that.  I'm not usually that forward with women I actually respect.  I'm blaming it on the alcohol."  he grins and arches his brow.  "Beer can be vegan?  I don't know about much of that.   I offer a vegetarian chili that Rain March praised me for because it's apparently one hundred percent vegan as long as I leave out the sour cream dollop on the top.  I thanked her and then asked what a vegan even was."  he snorts and sips his drink.

Kitty lets him move her as he wishes.  She had missed him during the crisis because he was a friend and a regular lover but she had missed him more after the Rose fire because it felt like something had shifted in him … and it feels like he lay in that bed in traction but no broken bones or pulleys.  When he pulls her close and shimmies she sighs happily.  That was more the Gareth she knew.  Moving closer she presses her hips against his leg and grinds on it.  She gives a soft little kitty moan and looks into his eyes, watching his tongue.  Tilting her head up, she is ready if he wants … anything from a kiss to much, much more.

Michelle looks down at herself and gives a little shrug. She wasn’t a woman who fishes for compliments or relied on them for her self esteem. She was comfortable in her own skin. She did yoga but almost more for the stress release, but it did keep her in decent shape too. And she did a shit ton of home repairs which required physical work. She gives Nico a little smile “Well respect is probably high praise from you so thanks.” She tilts her head from side to side “I get the vegan thing...but yeah food is food. And I like your beef chili with all the sour cream.” She compliments “Best I’ve had.”

Gareth closes his eyes and smiles when she grinds on him and is a little surprised he’s not already hard. No matter, he enjoys it, and Kitty. At her little moan he grabs her by the hips and tries to yank her body right to his and if he can he’ll start kissing her, deeply, soulfully, almost like he’s asking for some kind of salvation. Gareth’s kisses are normally demanding. This one’s a bit more of a plea.

Nico chuckles hen Michelle says that, from him, respect is high praise.  "Yea .. actually it is.  Sexy is one thing.  Strength makes it even better, but when a woman can command my respect ..."  he shorts.  "Believe me, there is a reason I'm not married or have a girlfriend.  This Greek'll never win the Irish Sweepstakes."  he beams at the compliment.  "Thank you, Michelle.  That means a lot."  his grin gets a little crooked.  "What's your number now, I forget."

Kitty is actually relieved when Gareth grabs her by her hips and starts kissing her.  She can feel his need and she lifts her hands into his hair, deepening the kiss and moaning softly.  If she could, she would kiss him into perfect health, but she knows she can’t.  However, she does believe in sexual healing and works to apply some to her old friend and lover right there on the dance floor.

Michelle looks momentarily almost touched and then agrees with him about marriage “Oh fuck no I’m not marriage material either...I’m not even sure I’m dating material.” She admits with a laugh but doesn’t seem sad at all. “My happy place is the number 7 actually. On the Chinese side of my family my grandparents came from the Sichuan province so Dad cooked with a ton of spice. Then uh Brays’s dad….I dunno if you ever met Chad….you know he thinks his stuff is spicy but it’s actually more like your 5.” She prattles on and then gives a casual little shrug.

Gareth moves with Kitty, kisses Kitty. His hands move up through her hair, down her back, over her ass which he stops to grab a little and then pulls a leg up over his hip, grinding back into her, but not with his usual hardness that should be poking her through his clothes by now. She feels so good. Why isn’t his whole body responding? He grinds harder and bites her lip like he’s trying to draw himself out through Kitty.

Nico smiles at the idea Michelle isn't dating material and seems content with her place.  But before the alcol can make him honest about what his libido is thinking, she surprised him with her ‘number’.  His brows arch.  “Really?  That's my prefered too.  I make the ones above it mostly for the boys and their contests.  I can eat them all, but as a fellow firefighter said, I'm not eating something I have to wear gloves to prepare."  he chuckled at the mention of Chad.  “Oh … we’ve met.  He tries, I’ll give him that.”  he takes another sip.  “What’s up there?”  he asks, casually.  She wasn’t relationship minded, but .. it never hurt to explore.  “And how IS Brayden?  He must be … relieved at this point, eh?”

Kitty loves how Gareth handles her, but notices the one big difference.  He grinds into her  and she responds to his kisses.  Between kisses, she breathes.  “Pri …”  she kisses him quickly. “Vacy?”  It is more request than usual.  One or the other would usually give a single word that would signal the transition from dance floor to a living room floor or, if they could make it, a bed.  She knows, however, that the flaccid state may be much deeper than just being off the circuit for so long.

Michelle nods “That makes total sense.” She then blinks at the question about Chad and shakes her head “Oh nothing’s up with Chad.” she has to laugh a bit “Brayden was conceived on a one night stand. “I almost didn’t even tell Chad but I felt too guilty. Then he moved here and tried to be all fatherly…..not totally his gig. But we’re friends. Brayden calls him Chad, not dad...his Chad so they have a relationship that works for them. He’s actually been really there for Brayden through all the shit.” She exhales. This topic was a tougher one. She rolls her head side to side on her neck “He’s doing better… ..since Ja….” She couldn’t bring herself to say the name Jack Rose and her body visibly tensed up.”Oddly Gareth being fucked up is giving Bray some kind of purpose in caring for him. You should see the food…” She laughs lightly.

Gareth is very hopeful at the word privacy. Surely Kitty could get him hard once they were naked. She always could. Gareth kissed her again and gave her a little tiny thrust “Fuck yes….please.” He got ready to move apart and walk out with her if she was ready now but turned back to catch Michelle’s eye and give a signal that he was exiting and wouldn’t be walking home with her. He notices Nico sitting and talking with her and just gives them both a little wave and a grin, almost his old I’m going to get some grin but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

Kitty smiles as they part.  She takes him by the hand and waves as well to Michelle and Nico before leading him out the door, down the street and around the corner down Third to her micro apartment.

Nico nods at the news of Chad.  Impulsively he takes, lifts and kisses the back of her hand when she can’t make it through Jack Rose’s name.  “They might be able to help each other.”  then he chuckles.  “I’d love recipes if you can sneak them out of the house.”  he turns his head and sees Kitty waving goodbye.  “And Kitty is doing her part, bless her wild tresses.”  he laughs lightly and sees his hand holding hers.  “Um … so … I know this isn’t your scene.  The Door.  Want to keep talking?  We can walk or stop by my place for some Metaxa?”  he raises his other hand.  “It’s not a come on, I swear.”  he didn’t think it was, anyway.

Michelle looked taken aback for a moment as her hand is lifted and kissed by Nico. She didn’t think him the type for that. But in her moment of emotion it also feels pretty amazing to have someone offer that. She’s been a pillar of support for everyone else and, aside from Lydia and Susan, Nico was really the first person to reach out directly to her in any way. She sighs and without thinking too hard about it, lets her fingers wind around his. Her hands are work hands, not dainty and manicured. “I really hope so.” She laughs about the recipes “You like Kung Pao Chicken? That’s Bray’s magnum opus…” She jokes and then nods about Kitty. She watches him look down at their hands and then hears his offer and looks amused “Alright...I will come over for your not a come on….what’s Metaxa? Some kinda Greek food?”

Nico looks pleased when her fingers wrap around his.  Before he can think about it too much she goes on and he looks intrigued.  “I do.  As long as you don’t expect me to use chopsticks.  I don’t know how.”  he chuckles at the next words.  “Metaxa is fine Greek brandy.”  he tells her.  “And … it’s not a come on … yet.”  He offers her a charming smile.  “Maybe not set that in cement right now?”  He stands and offers her his hand and whether she takes it or not will lead her out of the Blue door and, taking the Central Park route, lead her to his place.