The Author & The Rancher

[quinientos]

For the twentieth time today, Ale curses his agent for sending him out into the wilderness because he's got writer's block. He never should have said anything, he should have kept quiet about all of this. Instead, he was the idiot who decided that he would share his inability to get through the chapters of his western romance and now he was being punished.

Well, he was being sent into the West to a ranch with all-expenses paid, but to him, that meant punishment. Adjusting his suitcase, he waddles his way up the front porch after the taxi had dropped him off, staring at the estate he's been sent to.

The Faraday Ranch.

Sam, that damn agent of his, had insisted that Joshua Faraday would help to unstick some of the writer's block that was keeping the chapter from moving forward. He'd seemed so very convinced, too, and it's not like Vasquez can argue that. Besides, none of his old tricks have been working and maybe seeing a real live cowboy will actually do some help. He reserves the right to be wary about that, though.

Dropping his bags at the door, he leans on the bell, feeling disheveled and exhausted from the plane ride and the long cab in. He probably looks a mess, but he doesn't care, because right now, all he cares about is getting inside and trading on the rancher's hospitality so he can put his feet up and worry about writing later.

Besides, how handsome can this one man be? Sam is probably just exaggerating again.

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[onesyllable]

Joshua chuckles at that, shaking his head. "Nope, never a thing. I went off to college, and got a degree in business though my mom was hoping I'd become a doctor. Business was the only thing beside animal husbandry I thought could really help me here. Figured I could hire someone for the other if I ran things right," he says, amused with himself.

"What about you? Were you the kid in the back of the classroom scribbling in a spiral notebook?"

[quinientos]

"Do you mean, was I the nerd?" Vasquez laughs as he finishes with his steak and nods, even as he's chewing and swallowing. "Glasses, yes. I sat at the back of the class and cared more about school than other things, which my sisters always teased me about."

"But," he admits, "them and their boyfriends inspired me to start writing romance. It was always so dramatic and the stories were so incredible. Even though I only had a fraction of their relationships, they showed me what it could be."

He's done with the meal, but he doesn't want to leave Joshua, not yet. "Why not a vet? Doesn't this marry both worlds?"

[onesyllable]

"That's a word for it," he says with a grin. "I was thinking more a writer, but nerd might work," he teases, amused at how he's imagining little Vasquez in that day and age with his glasses and his dark hair and sharp eyes.

"Only a fraction of them?" He doesn't look at all convinced. "Gonna guess you made up for that now," he says, smirking at him as he ate his steak. He can't imagine otherwise, not looking at the man sitting across from him right now.

"I have some knowledge in veterinary work," he says with a nod. "But I wanted to keep this place going, keep it thriving. There's something about the last ranches left out there, you know? Dying breed and all, they call it. Maybe it is, but I want to go down with it rather than walking away from it."

He speaks with such longing, such love for what he does without even thinking about it, just speaking how he feels.

[quinientos]

Vasquez lets out a laugh, not sure how he wants to talk about his love life with the handsome man he's only just met. Especially since he hasn't seen him in his nerd glasses and his messy curls at night when he's just woken up to write something.

"Only the main characters in my books are lotharios, not me," he admits. "I think it would be a shame if you lost this place. If everyone lost places like this," he admits. "When Sam arranged this, I was very excited to come out here and see it, it's like a glimpse into the past."

[onesyllable]

It's been a while since Joshua has even had a chance at flirting, nonetheless a chance where it seems his flirtations are being at all taken seriously. It's a nice feeling, and he's looking forward to this stay in ways he hadn't since it had been arranged. Just for the fun and playful banter between them.

"I promise, I'm not losing it. I cheated and used that degree for investments, and because of that it means I won't have to worry about it. Even if things fail in this being a working ranch." Grinning at that, glad he won't have to worry about it. "I'm going to have to send Sam a gift after this."

[quinientos]

He's blushing and he knows it, but Vasquez refuses to let anyone think that he somehow can't handle himself around a handsome man like this. He's written enough romantic novels to at least know how to not make an ass out of himself, even though he feels like he's very close to allowing that to happen.

"Good," he says firmly. "Are we starting early tomorrow?" he asks. He thinks he'd like to get some writing in, so if they are, he knows he's going to have to take an early night, especially after all the travelling. "I don't want to not socialize, but..."

[onesyllable]

"We are. Sun up, or close to it," he says, not wanting to put too much pressure on the other man. Nodding as that sentence is left hanging, pushing his chair back and rising. It's only polite.

"You should get an early night. I'm going to get things cleaned up and do the same myself shortly," he says, watching Alejandro curiously. "If you need anything, holler okay?"

Even as he says it, he comes around the table closer to where the other man is standing, unable to help his curiosity. "Anything else I can get you for now?"

[quinientos]

Vasquez can sense every single part of his body, hyper-aware of them as he stares at Faraday. He wants so badly to ask for something else, but he's tired and it's his first night and they really aren't anything more than strangers, so he really shouldn't.

At least, not tonight.

"I think I'm okay," he says. "Wake me up in the morning with coffee?" he pleads. "Otherwise, I'm not very good company," he's forced to admit, even as much as he doesn't want to seem imperfect.

[onesyllable]

Joshua reaches out and takes Alejandro by the shoulders, slowly turning him around. "Now," he says, practically whispering in his ear. "Off to your room, and I'll see you in the morning. There will be coffee, I promise, and eggs and bacon. I cheat and use this weird pod things, but there will be a hearty breakfast, I promise. Now. Bed before I try and keep you up talking all night. I don't have a lot of company up here," he admits, which is maybe showing he's not seeing anyone... or not meaning talk.

"Night."