Wreckless ( Ddlb ) *Complete*

Gay beer

There were no tables available in the restaurant so instead of waiting around while the food cooked, they put their order in and went back to the arcade. Peter made a joke about letting Tristan beat him at racing to calm him down and the two took off. Emmett touched Finnegan's elbow. "Are you having a good time?"

"Yes, I promise. You don't have to keep asking me." At least he had once Emmett had reassured him that the shoes had been a nice treat and no one was angry.

"Good. Now, are you going to fess up? There's no way you haven't bowled before."

"I told you I only did once, like five years ago, and it was the full-sized balls; we don't have candlepin in Michigan, really.  Some places have a lane or two but only the kids use them."

"I've been bowling for years and you're better than me, maybe that just makes me really bad at it. Hmmm."

"You're a lot better than Tristan" Finnegan teased. He appreciated the compliment. He always worried about doing new things and felt like he walked around not knowing how to do half the things that most other people did. It wasn't that he was sheltered, so much, just that he was missing a few years.

"The hockey table's free, you in?"

Air hockey. It looked like so much fun. He was probably the only person alive who'd come through four years of college without ever learning how to play. But maybe, just maybe, Emmett wouldn't mind teaching him. Of course he might just laugh in his face when he found out that he couldn't play but it was a risk he was going to have to take some time. He hadn't read any of the rules ahead of time but it didn't look that hard and he'd done well at bowling, so maybe it was worth a shot. "I could try but I have a confession: I don't know how to play."

Emmett's eyes narrowed and he gave Finnegan a pointed look. "Don't think I'm going to fall for that again." He hadn't meant to be harsh and didn't think it sounded that way but Finnegan's face fell and he looked uncomfortable. "Hey, I was kidding. I mean, I'm not going to play for money, but... what is it?"

"Nothing, we can do something else."

"Nope, let's do this." He put four quarters in the machine and grabbed the puck. "Okay, that's your side. Grab your little dohickey, whatever this is called, and make sure your fingers are tucked up, that's really the only rule cause trust me, that puck hurts. So obviously I'm going to try to get the puck in your goal and you're going to try to get it right here" he explained, motioning and showing Finnegan where the parts of the table were. "You can't go past the central line with your paddle dohickey. I'm sure there are real rules but that's how I play. I'll start and we'll go slow until you get a feel for things, okay?"

Emmett was true to his word and didn't send it flying towards him which gave Finnegan a chance to actually hit and send it back towards his side of table. "The air is so weird."

"Yeah, makes it fun. Try banking off the side, like this."

Finnegan copied his motion, hitting it a little bit harder than he expected and it sailed into the goal. "I'm sorry!"

Emmett just chuckled and retrieved the puck. "Don't be, that's the whole point of the game. Okay, ready to speed it up a little bit and play for real?"

"Maybe?" he joked, excited but a little nervous about just how fast this was going to go. He'd watched games before and it was hard to even watch the puck; he couldn't imagine how hard it would be to hit it. This game was probably going to end with him having scored one single, solitary goal. When Emmett tapped it towards him it was fast but not a blur and he managed to hit it even though it didn't go exactly where he wanted to. They went back and forth across the table three or four times before he finally missed it and Emmett scored. "Okay, do I just put it anywhere?"

"Finny!" Tristan snorted. "Oh god, we're in public!" he said, scream whispering the last few words.

Finnegan hadn't even seen them walk over. "I meant the puck."

"Kinky!" Tristan teased.

The intercom crackled to life. "Lockheed Martin, your table is ready."

Almost everyone ignored it and a few people looked confused but Emmett put his paddle down. "We're up." Peter and Tristan looked a little bit confused but suddenly Finnegan laughed. "You get it?"  He loved how smart Finnegan was.

"Yeah, your last name and Marten. That's funny."

"That Andy, always a jokester" he explained. "Marten is my pet ferret" he told Tristan and Peter, letting them in on the joke as they walked towards the restaurant section.

Within five minutes their table was laden with food. Peter and Tristan were sharing a platter bigger than most coffee tables loaded  with nachos and each had a burger as well. Emmett watched Finnegan eat his scallops which had been a brave choice; most people weren't brave enough to order seafood at a bowling alley. He seemed to be enjoying them though and Emmett was more than happy with his fajitas. He saw Andy walking by and gave him a little wave, surprised when he veered over in their direction. Then he slid into the booth next to him. "Hey Andy" he said, his voice strained.

"Hey, how is everything?"

Finnegan was slightly confused but answer politely "great, thanks."

"You guys need anything?"

"No" quickly replied. "Were all set Andy, thanks."

"You trying to get rid of me, Locke?"

Finnegan wasn't sure what to make of the balding, pudgy man who was now sitting hip to hip with his date.

"Sort of Andy, I'm on a date."

The worry and jealousy that popped up into Finnegan's brain quickly receded. Okay, so Andy wasn't a boyfriend. He noticed that Andy jumped up immediately, wiping his hands on his pants. Strange.

"I'm so sorry, but damn it Emmett, three?"

Peter, Tristan and Finnegan all tried not to laugh and avoided looking in Emmett's direction. 

Emmett was horrified. "No, it's a double date. This is Finn, my date" he stressed.

"Oh, like a date. A gay date, got it. Um, do I need to do anything?" Andy asked, obviously embarrassed.

"Yes" Emmett said slowly, "you need to leave now." As soon as he was out of earshot, Emmett ran his fingers through his hair and looked down at his lap, shaking his head to try to pretend like that entire scene hadn't happened. "I'm so sorry."

"I have SO many questions" Tristan announced but Peter simply shook his head no. "Fine, sorry."

Finnegan did too but now probably wasn't the time. He would find out all about this Andy dude when they were in private. He saw a waitress approaching them and expected her to turn but the young woman didn't, putting a pitcher of beer and four glasses onto their table. Lemon slices were floating in the pitcher and each one had a cocktail umbrella stuck into it. "Um?"

"From Andy" she announced before spinning and walking away.

They all stared at the crazy concoction in front of them and even Emmett was speechless. Finally, Peter offered up his idea. "That may be a gay pitcher of beer. You know, for your gay date."

Emmett was mortified. "Oh my god, I am so sorry! He means well, he really is a nice guy, he's just... what the hell?"

Tristan was pulling out each slice of lemon by its umbrella and putting it on a small appetizer plate. "It's cute and I'm not wasting good beer." He poured four glasses and then topped each one with a lemon island. "To Andy." He raised his glass, glad to see that Peter could hardly contain his laughter.

Finnegan was game too and finally Emmett lifted his glass. "To Andy."