Martin’s guide to dating a fear avatar pt2
Jon never figured either first date meal would be bar food after almost sucking the fear out of new stage performers. Not that it was a problem, the food was good enough, just unexpected. On their way to a restaurant, they’d passed a pub that was doing couples trivia night. The way Martin’s eyes lit up when they both saw the sign, Jon knew they would be cheating their way to the top 3.
“Jon, this would be a perfect first date. We could win and be all ‘Oh gosh, we thought this would be a fun way to get to know each other more intimately on our first date, who woulda thought we would make it this far’ kinda thing.”
“You want people to coo over us being a perfect match on a first date, when we’ve known each other for years? I would have to try to lose at trivia, not try to win.”
“Yes. I want everyone to see my adorable know it all, literally, boyfriend. I want to brag to a room full of strangers.” Martin held tight on Jon’s hand and pleaded with his eyes. “Please Jon?”
“Well, when you put it that way…” Jon could feel the blood rushing in his system faster than normal. Martin was the adorable one, but he wasn’t going to fight that. “Alright. We will aim for second place though. Unless you know the answer to the questions I was planning on getting wrong. Deal?”
“We can work out the details inside. Don’t want to miss registration.” Martin led the way.
“Would be a shame to miss.” Jon followed along grinning like an idiot at Martin’s excitement. Not questioning for the first time, just how willing Martin was to break rules. It was a fond questioning, thinking of all the times Martin would just do what he wanted to meet the end goal of a happy end on his terms.
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Martin eagerly signed the two of them up, telling the lady at the registration table a small tale of how their original plans for the first date ended up falling through because of a conflict in the restaurant they originally booked. And how stumbling on this was such a nice surprise. She smiled at the two of them.
“My, that was awfully lucky then. Otherwise we wouldn’t have such a cute couple joining. You made it just before the entry cut-offs too.”
“Wow, that is quite lucky then!”
“What would you like your team name to be?”
Jon and Martin looked at each other as if they wanted the other to pick.
“Hmm, how about Spooky Google.” Martin almost couldn’t finish saying it without laughing.
“Oh, absolutely not.” Jon was barely keeping a straight face. “You aren’t allowed to name things. Put us down as the Marshal’s #1 fans.”
“You are going to let your kitten down if we lose?” Martin teased.
“Only if you can’t compliment what I know.” Jon looked Martin right in the eyes and let a small glow to them for a moment, getting a good “pfft” from Martin.
The lady smiled as she took note of the name Jon said. She was going to go with Martin’s before hearing about the kitten involved. Kitten won her mental vote. “Aren’t you both adorable. Young love is always so sweet. Let me lead you both to a table. Follow me.”
They nodded, and with still linked hands, they followed her to their table. A waiter came by few minutes later and took their orders. Jon did end up ordering some food, Martin was worth it. They also got some alcohol to compliment the food since they were at a pub anyway.
“I’ve meant to ask this for a while, can you even get drunk? With your system being the way it is?”
“Yes. It doesn’t last as long so I imagine it would be costly to keep me there.”
“Is that way you’ve turned down after-work drinks with the group unless Georgie drags you?”
“No. It’s been entirely my own nerves getting in the way. I-” Jon's eyes drifted away from Martin. “I’m a bit of an emotional drunk once I get there, and I didn’t want to unleash that on you.”
“Unleash? Like, become a bawling mess from how much you love us all?”
“Exactly.”
“Oh Jon.” Martin tugged on Jon’s hand from across the table to get him to look him in the eyes again. “You know this means that next friday is going to be a group challenge, probably with Tim leading the charge.” He let out a snicker as Jon lovingly sighed.
“I suppose that is probably how he will react after fill them in about tonight hm?”
Martin grinned. “Oh yes. But that’s matters for Monday. “
The trivia host went to the mic. “Ladies And Gents, Welcome To Friday Trivia. Hope All The Happy Couples Are Excited To Test Their Bonds Under Such Extraneous Terms.”
Jon let out a tiny groan when seeing the host.
“We’ve Got 15 Lovely Couples Joining Us!” The energy the host had on the stage was almost uncanny enough it unsettled Martin a bit. Jon’s sigh didn’t give him much confidence in the matter until Jon looked on with a resigned smile.
“For Round One, The Topic Will Be An Easy One, Don’t Want To Have People Getting Too Nervous Before We Are All Warmed Up. Everyone Get Their Papers Ready! The First Round Is Theater!”
Jon had a strategy of he would answer all the odd questions, and Martin was in charge of the even questions for the first round, then second round, Martin would only be in charge of the questions that were prime numbers, then as the rounds progressed, Jon would take on more of the questions. His hope would be that it wouldn’t look like they were cheating, and more that the tougher stuff was something he or Martin had strange hobbies.
Least that was his hope. Round 1 was a hit for them. Jon never knew that Martin had an interest in theater, which from Martin’s explanation, it was more he enjoyed English class quite a lot. Where he found his love for theater.
Second round was Animal Kingdom facts. Followed by a round of Hollywood trivia, then Sports. Martin was happy the sports came up while Jon was taking more of the answers, cause neither of them knew anything about the topic really. Martin was curious if Jon Knew the line up and worked it out that way, as the three questions Martin got were simple enough he could at least guess based on what he’d overheard people talking about at work.
By the last round, Martin was convinced that Jon had Known all the planned questions because the last round, the only answer Martin knew was the question he was landed with. For all Jon’s griping, he really did want to be in first, didn’t he?
“Alright Couples! Time To Share The Scores! Bring Them On Up!” The Host gestured in a very animated manner, feeding the room with an excited buzz.
After a few minutes of tallying on the staff's end, the host returned to the stage, her face a-light. “We Have A Tie For First Place Between The Marshal’s #1 Fans And Team Spicy Poets. You Four Ready For A Sudden Death Round Of Trivia, Come On Up!”
Jon got up and held his hand to Martin, while a couple in the table near them also got up. Jon whispered in Martin’s ear that this round was all Martin’s and he was going to pretend to not Know. “Don’t let the marshal down, love.” was a finish to the whisper Martin wasn’t expected and it caused his ears to burn.
“Look At These Happy Pairs. The Organizers Have Also Informed Me That They Are Both Couples Here On Their First Dates. How Truly Romantic!”
The other couple grinned, their smiles filtered through young love, and Jon and Martin radiated the comfort of feeling safe.
“So In The Nature Of Love, This Tie Breaking Question Will Be Love Based! Who Was The Poet That Wrote ‘How Do I Love Thee’. Please Include The Full Name Of Them In Your Answer.”
Jon grinned at Martin, while the other couple did a little bit of whispered talk.
In the end, Martin wrote ‘Elizabeth Barrett Browning’ while the other team had the first name wrong.
“Congrats To The Happy Couple! As With Tradition, First Place Tab Is Covered, And Second And Third While Have A Round On The House! Thank You All For Joining Us!” With that the host made a rather dramatic exit from the stage.
Martin and Jon returned to their table, Martin looking rather proud. “Won for the Marshal.”
“Indeed you did. You didn’t need me to Know for you.”
“I would have been lost with some of those rounds. Besides, you’ve got to have some fun with all the doom and gloom in return for having to nibble on fear all the time.”
“This was rather fun. I’ll admit. I wouldn’t mind doing it again. Probably not as a date night next time. But with everyone.”
“If we had the others, you know our team name will be spooky google. Tim really loves pulling that one on you.”
“I know. And I’m willing to accept my fate if you promise not to let Tim know what I’m about to tell you.”
“Sounds serious, so I promise.”
“It’s rather comforting that you all don’t fear me. That Joking about everything still comes naturally and not necessarily as a coping method. I don’t mind Spooky Google as much as I give the impression of. But only from you, and No you can’t use it as a pet name!”
Martin took Jon’s hand again and smiled warmly. He was about to say something when the Host from the Trivia night approached their table.
“Oh Jon, I Must Say, Archivist Is Such A Good Look On You.” Up close something about how she moved unsettled Martin, while Jon seemed unaffected.
“Hello Nikki. You are looking, rather Stranger than I remember.”
“Thank You! I’m Glad You Noticed Finally, Though I Was Thinking About Changing Soon!”