David Tennant

(Crossposted to linus_quarter and our_quarter)


Linus flattened the box he'd just emptied, leaning it against the wall before moving to stand in front of David, wrapping his arms around the younger man's waist and pulling him close. "There, done... and not a moment too soon."

His smile had a hint of relief to it; there hadn't been much that they'd needed to move, but there had been enough for Linus to be glad that it was done. He raised a hand to caress David's cheek, gazing into the dark eyes he loved so much. "This is where it begins, love... our life together. I'm looking forward to seeing where it leads us."

( He looked around the room they were in, taking in their surroundings, and by extension the rest of the house. )

I'd thought that I would be a bit nervous about having another person living with me. After all, I've been living by myself here for a while -- over a year and a half -- and I thought I was comfortable with that.

But in reality, I wasn't. I hated rattling around in this big house, just myself and the two cats. They're wonderful company when I want to cuddle up to a living being, and they're both very sweet and lovable, but I needed more.

Cats don't take away the loneliness of not having someone special in my life. I didn't think I needed that, but I've found that I do.

I had expected myself to feel strange about having Linus move in. I thought about it a lot before I decided to ask him if he would move in with me, and there were a few times when I'd made the decision not to ask. But he fits into my life as seamlessly as though he's always been there. I couldn't have made a better decision than asking him to live with me.

The loneliness is completely gone, like it never existed. Really, there are times that I almost forget I was ever lonely here. It seems so natural to wake up in the morning next to him, and to fall asleep in his arms.

I'll admit, sometimes I feel the fear of rejection grip me and shake me like a rag doll. I'm so used to having relationships that don't work out that I'm terrified it'll happen again, that I'll end up being on the losing end.

But I have to keep telling myself that isn't going to happen. Linus and I have made a firm commitment to each other. He wouldn't be living here if we hadn't; living together isn't a step either of us took lightly.

He's taken away my fear of moving into the future -- because now I know that I have a future with someone who loves me.

That might seem elementary, like something that I should already know. But given my track record with relationships, the future was looming ahead of me like a huge dark tunnel, one that I didn't want to walk into by myself.

And now -- I don't have to. I've found someone who's going to go through those uncertainties with me. There's one thing that I know I can count on in that future -- that he'll be with me, through good times and bad, always there for me to turn to. And I intend to be there for him in the same way.

The bookshop is doing well, and Linus has even become a large part of that. He's there with me so often that I now have a hard time imagining the place in my head without the image of him sitting in one of the plush chairs, his sketch pad in his hand.

When I first moved here, I told myself that I didn't need a relationship, that I wasn't going to get involved with anyone. I intended to bury myself in my work, and make that the focus of my entire life.

I should have known that it would be impossible for me to do. I'm the sort of person who needs love in my life, whether I'm willing to admit that or not. I've embraced that need now, instead of trying to push it away.

This is the kind of relationship I've always wanted to find. We may not be perfect, and we may have our share of bad times to go through. But I think we'll get through those, and come out stronger on the other side of that dark tunnel.

I've been horrible about writing in my journal lately. I have reasons, but they would probably seem much more like excuses if I was to write them all down. First, it was depression that was keeping me from writing; I felt as though I had nothing to talk about, and I reverted back to my usual lifestyle of being a hermit.

That doesn't work too well when I'm running a bookshop. I have to see people, even if I really don't feel like it. I suppose that's good for me in a way; it helps me to pull myself out of whatever rut I've gotten myself into, and the job itself makes it impossible for me to keep myself completely isolated.

And the second reason is that in the past month, my life has been more full than I'd ever dreamed it could be. I'd said that I wasn't here in New Orleans to look for a relationship, and indeed I'm not not. But it seems that one found me, anyway.

Or rather, came crashing into my life when I least expected it. I can't say that I was at my lowest point when it happened, but I was getting back to the place where I felt comfortable in my isolation, and I'd made up my mind that was how things were going to stay. But it seems that fate had other plans.

When Linus walked into the bookshop, I couldn't take my eyes off him. I didn't believe that he was quite real at first; he looked like my image of a Greek god -- but fully clothed, of course. It didn't seem possible that such a beautiful man could possibly exist outside of the confines of my dreams.

And when he started talking to me -- I could have been knocked over with the proverbial feather. It didn't seem possible that someone like him could actually be interested in me. But I suppose he's proof that dreams do really come true.

I can't say that we've spent every waking moment together since we met -- but sometimes it feels as though we have. I want to be with him all the time, even when I'm working, even though I know that isn't a good idea. Maybe we're saturating ourselves in each other too much, but it doesn't feel to me as though we're overdoing it.

He only lives across the street, but even that seems too far away for me. I want him here in the house with me all the time; I want to know that whenever I walk into my own home, he'll be here. I want it to be his home, too. We've decided that he'll move in when his lease is up -- this weekend, to be exact.

I feel as though I'm closing a door on one stage of my life, leaving behind all the uncertainty that I've been living with since I first moved here. I'm taking a step into a whole new life, one that I've been waiting for a long time.

Linus is going to be the biggest part of that life. I've buried myself in my work for too long; and I've let myself believe that I didn't need a relationship, that I was happy -- or at least satisfied -- being on my own. I know now that wasn't true.

We haven't even consummated our relationship physically yet -- and we're going to be moving in together. There's a warning sign that keeps flashing at me not to make a mistake, to take things more slowly. But I've already done that; we've both waited as long as we're willing to. I know in my heart that this is the right thing for both of us.

It might seem sudden to anyone who doesn't know us, who's on the outside looking in. But that really doesn't matter to me. This has nothing to do with the rest of the world; it's between myself and Linus, and no one else.

The last time I lived with someone, it ended badly. I haven't told Linus about my relationship with Padraic yet; I'm not ready to unveil that part of my life. It's not something I'm proud of, or something that I want to talk about. Though I know that I'll have to do it soon; it's not something I can keep from him.

Maybe I should be nervous about him moving in with me, but I'm not. All I can feel is elation, and conviction that this is what I want and need. For once, I'm moving ahead into the future and not looking back at what I'm leaving behind in the past.

(Crossposted to linus_quarter and our_quarter)

David led the way out of the bookshop and down the sidewalk, pausing a moment to glance at the mailbox as he turned them towards his house. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any late mail today; he looked over at Linus with a smile as they headed up the sidewalk towards the house, wondering what to say next.

( It was ridiculous to feel shy around Linus; he hadn't been that way at all in the bookshop, and here, they would have much more privacy. He didn't want to lose the intimacy that had already starting to grow between them. )

(crossposted to linus_quarter and our_quarter).

Linus walked unhurriedly down the street, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a sketchpad and pencil. He looked around at the various shopfronts; he was still getting to know the area, having only recently moved, and was curious to discover just what was around.

( It was a while since he'd been somewhere new like this, he thought wryly. But things hadn't really been working out before; he hoped that his change of scene might bring a fresh start, inject a newness into both his life and his art. )

(Crossposted to our_quarter and gubler_q)


Swinging his bag of mid-morning treats, Matthew pushed open the door to the bookshop and glanced around for assistance. There was no sign of anyone. He frowned and dinged the bell on the counter, then dinged it again just because he liked the sound it made.

( David was in the stockroom of the bookshop, going through some of the recent acquisitions that he hadn't managed to get put onto the shelves yet. )

I'm starting to think that keeping a journal isn't something I'm good at doing, considering that I don't seem to be recording things that happen as much as I should! Even when I was younger and I had to keep one for a class assignment, I had a hard time writing in it every day. My teachers said I should be more disciplined, but that's easier said than done.

One day has a tendency to bleed into another when you're just drifting through life, no matter how old you are. And that's what I've been doing lately. But I've made a few friends here in New Orleans, and that's helped me to feel more as though I belong to the city. It's amazing what going out and talking to people can do.

It was a pleasant surprise to meet another Scotsman so far from home. Hearing that accent almost made me want to be back in Scotland -- but just for a moment. I've made a commitment to be here, and I feel that it's where I belong.

Hopefully, I'll be able to take Billy up on that offer of a drink and a tour of the pubs of New Orleans sometime soon. I've never been much of a drinker, but that does sound like something that could be fun -- especially with a friend to show me around.

Strange, isn't it, that when I first came here, making friends wasn't something that was very high on my list of priorities. It was all about the bookshop, getting it set up and making it a profitable concern. Now it's doing well, and I can have more time to relax.

I've never been the kind of person who was happy alone, and maybe that's why I've felt that I was out of step with the rest of this city. But now that I've been a bit more social and made some new friends, the sociability has started to escalate. It's as though the more friends I make, the more inspired I am to keep meeting new people.

All I can say is that making an attempt not to be such a hermit seems to be good for me. And now that I'm working with the theater, I'll be even more social than I'd thought I would be. It remains to be seen just how many more people I'll meet, and what will happen in the future, but I'm not ruling anything out. It's a bit scary to throw myself out there, but, to quote an old saying, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

(Crossposted to our_quarter and billy_q)


David sat back in his chair, stretching and yawning, looking up at the clock on the wall. It was only mid-afternoon, but he felt as though he'd been sitting here poring over the list of books that he'd acquired at an estate sale for the entire day. They'd been quite a find, and he was excited about the titles that he'd be able to add to his ever-growing inventory of first editions, but it was a tedious job to catalogue them all. He needed to take a break.

( There had been people in and out of the place ever since he'd opened it, as usual )

(Crossposted to our_quarter and spacey_q)


David looked around him as he made his way down the sidewalk of the French Quarter, trying to take in all the sights at once. He couldn't help thinking that even though he'd been in this city over a year, he was woefully naive about just how much this part of the city had to offer. He hadn't really gotten out a lot since he'd moved into his house in the Garden District and taken over the bookshop from his cousin; he'd spent so much time restocking the place, taking inventory, and making sure that the donations he received from various people in the area were taken care of and carefully catalogued that he really hadn't gotten out much. In fact, he'd only gotten around to joining the local theater group a few days ago, and that was something he'd meant to do when he'd first arrived in New Orleans.

( There was a lot that he hadn't had a chance to do yet )

It's been an interesting week, I suppose.

Made a new friend while I was wandering around in the French Quarter. He owns a marvelous record shop -- finding someone who loves jazz music as much as I do was exciting. Even though there's an age-old tradition of jazz music here in this city, most people don't seem to appreciate it. More's the pity.

But Kevin has the same love for the music that I have. I think he's going to become a good friend; he seems like the sort of person I can talk to. It remains to be seen if that's true or not, but I suppose I'm not going anywhere in the near future. At least, I don't plan on it, but it's impossible to predict what could happen.

Who am I kidding? I'm here for quite a while. This is the place I chose to make a new life, and I'm not going to decide that I can't hack it and go back home. There's nothing for me in Paisley; I've known that for a while. Coming here was a clean slate, the start of something new. I can't back out on that decision.

Making a new friend has lifted my spirits a little; it proves that I'm not completely inadequate when it comes to talking with people! It was easier to talk to Kevin than anyone I've met in a while; I didn't feel that sense of awkwardness that's always hovering under the surface when I try to talk to anyone at the bookshop. But then, it wasn't a proprietor/customer sort of conversation, so it was easier to talk freely.

The future's still an open book. Who knows what could happen? I'm not discounting anything, I suppose -- but I'm not looking for it, either. Maybe that's the best way to go through life, with no expectations. I don't know if I'll be able to stick to that, but so far, I don't seem to be doing a bad job of it.

I'm horrid at writing down important events that happen in my life. I didn't even commemorate moving to New Orleans by starting to keep a journal -- I just moved here and started working without batting an eyelash. Well, that's not exactly true. I had more than one moment of thinking that I wasn't doing the right thing by leaving home.

But I couldn't live in Paisley all my life and see Padraic with other men, not if I wanted to maintain my sanity. Oh, that would have caused a sensation if I'd gone barmy, all right. Hauled away to the nearest sanatorium in a fashionable white jacket.

It wouldn't suit me. White isn't my colour.

So instead of staying there and slowly losing what's left of my mind day by day, when my cousin offered to sell me The Antiquarian, I jumped at the chance to get away. I think I've made the right decision, though I haven't let myself have much of a life in New Orleans yet.

After being here for over a year, I should have done more than just fixed up the shop and the house. It's given me something to do, but it's also given me a good excuse not to go out and take advantage of living in a completely new place. You would think that I'd know more than just a small handful of people, as long as I've been here.

But that's my own fault. I haven't let myself be social. I have my reasons for that, even if I don't know myself whether they're viable ones or not.

That's going to change. A few days ago, I joined the Lucid Dreams theater group, and I know that I'll be thrown into a social life from working with the people there. It's impossible not to get to know people who you're around on a daily basis; I found that out from all the theater work I did at home.

I've promised myself that I'm going to spend more time out and about the city. Meeting people. Making friends. Not being a recluse. After all, I didn't move here to hide away.

The past is the past. Over and done, it can't be changed. It's time I started looking towards the future.

Pup's physical info: 28 years old, 6'1" tall, brown hair, dark brown eyes, extremely thin, fragile build.
Pup's location: Garden District of New Orleans.
Pup's occupation: Owns a bookshop in the Garden District.
Pup's orientation: Gay, bottom.
Pup's hobbies: Reading, films, theater, Shakespeare, jazz, 80s music. He's interested in bdsm, but only with his committed long-term partner.
Game connections: He's friends with Matthew Gray Gubler, Billy Boyd and Kevin Spacey, and is always looking to make new friends. Romantically, David belongs to the lovely Linus Roache.

Type of Characters Pup Likes: David's a friendly, open person. He'll talk to anybody! He likes talking with people who share his passion for books and film, who like the same kind of music he does, and who can appreciate his often odd sense of humor. But he does keep away from people who are into drugs and excessive drinking. He knows how to have fun, but he doesn't overdo it.

What type of play are you NOT willing to do: Het, scat, watersports, pedophilia, bloodplay, breathplay, cross-dressing, bestiality, dominance.

Please complete if your pup is into BDSM style play:

Pup's kinks: Bondage, nipple play, cbt, orgasm denial, massages, rimming (receiving).
Pup's squicks: Het, scat, watersports, bestiality, ageplay, bloodplay, breathplay, topping.
Pup's safeword: Allons-y



David's Bio:

David is originally from Paisley, Scotland. He's still very close to his father and keeps in contact with him on an almost daily basis, though his mother died a few years ago.

He's been living in New Orleans for a little over a year, and owns a bookshop in the Garden District called The Antiquarian. In December of 2007, a distant cousin of his contacted his father about the place, trying to find out if there was anyone in the family who would want to take it over, and his father suggested that David might be interested. He was, and he moved to New Orleans in January of 2008.

In fact, moving to New Orleans was a godsend for David. Just a few months before he made the move to the States, he'd been through a bad breakup with the man who he'd thought he would spend the rest of his life with, and was having a hard time getting over that relationship. He seemed to run into his ex -- with whoever the man was dating at the time -- on every street corner in Paisley, and he'd come to the conclusion that he needed to get out of the city permanently. New Orleans seemed like a good place to make a new start.

David's kept more or less to himself since he moved to New Orleans, not quite feeling as though he's part of the city, but recently he's started to get out more and has joined the Lucid Dreams theater group. He did a lot of acting with the theater in Paisley, and is looking forward to getting back into it and making friends through the theater.

He's spent most of the past year or so working on renovating the bookshop and making it profitable, and considers himself lucky that it's been a modest success. Now that the business is stable and steady, he's able to spend more time out and about the city, and he's trying to make himself go out more and be social. He's determined to start a new life and leave the past behind him, though there are times when he feels a little like a fish out of water.

David is quiet, often immersed in books, but friendly with new people. He'll talk to anyone, and he always enjoys finding out about people's interests and discovering new things. He's easy to get to know, but only to a point -- he doesn't talk about his past relationships, and he keeps others at arm's length emotionally. Still, he can't help subconsciously searching for the man who'll sweep him off his feet and make all of his romantic fantasies a reality.