The bus left Robert at the stand, trailing a cloud of dust in its wake.

He sneezed, then adjusted his sunglasses. No - he hadn't dolled himself up to impress Jimmy. He didn't think such a thing was remotely possible anymore. He was just hungover, and disgustingly so.

Way to make a brilliant impression at your sort-of job interview, Percy. That was a real top-class idea of yours - polishing off a half-bottle of whatever alcoholic concoction you happened to have stashed away. It's could've been camel's piss for all you know and, frankly, I'm surprised you're still alive.

If Robert had been under the assumption that his morning was about to get marginally easier, this thought was swiftly dispelled. Jimmy's address appeared to be an infinitely obscure one – one none of the passers-by could point him in the right direction of when his own sense of navigation failed him utterly.

It was a little after three when, by some entirely unexpected stroke of luck, he found himself on Jimmy's doorstep, ringing the bell with one nervous, sweaty finger.

His finger had barely left the doorbell when the front door swung open, revealing a gorgeously tousle-haired Jimmy. He looked as though he'd stumbled out of someone's bed, and Robert – ever the lusty one – would have likely been rather turned on if it hadn't been for the irritated expression on Jimmy's face. He looked as though someone had run over his cat. If he owned a cat, that is.

"You are aware of the fact I said two thirty, are you not?"

Robert's stomach did a backflip - not only was he as lusty as a schoolboy, he was about to be chastised like one, too. So much for good impressions. I'll be lucky if I manage to land this job. What use was a voice if the musician it belonged to could not keep time? A hardened hack like Jimmy would definitely be having second thoughts about Robert's suitability.

But, evidently, Jimmy was espousing forgiveness that afternoon. He jerked his neck, indicating for Robert to come in. "I'd like to get right down to business, but it looks as though you might need a drink."

"Umm...I've-"

"I meant tea - or coffee, if you'd like." Jimmy's eyes never left his face for more than a few seconds, much to the blond's disconcertion.

"Oh." Robert felt like a twat. What else would he be offering me? This is a...business meeting. An interview of sorts. We've both got to keep our wits about us - me more than him. "Yes - tea, please." He hoped his current hangover had managed to escape Jimmy's notice, or that would be another mark chalked up against him.

Thankfully, it seemed as though it had. The other man made light conversation whilst putting the kettle on to boil and fetching the tea things. He wore a pair of distractingly tight velvet pants, and the sight of the fabric stretched over his pert bottom made Robert feel embarrassing warm in certain areas.

Relaxing slightly - but only slightly - Robert made a concerted effort to act more like himself and less like a tongue-tied teenager, when it became apparent that his lecherous glances at the other's butt were going unnoticed.

"Well, you seem to have an excellent taste in music, Robert." Jimmy said, sounding grudgingly respectful, after listening to one of the younger man's long yarns on Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Johnson and several other famous bluesmen.

Robert had to fight the urge to flush with pleasure. "T-thank you."

Jimmy lowered his eyelids and glanced at Robert from beneath his thick eyelashes. "It seems that our tastes are in tune."

"Er-" Throat dry, Robert attempted to swallow and nearly choked. "That's a...clever pun."

The other man's lips widened into a coy smile. "I'm glad you think so."

Wait - was Jimmy flirting with him? Robert couldn't even attempt to get his head around the idea.

"So," Jimmy set two cups of tea down on his living room table, "are your parents appreciative of your dream of becoming a singer?"

"Er...I wouldn't say so." It was an innocent enough question, though not one he expected from the guitarist. It was a personal question – implying that Jimmy was interested in what went on in his miserable life –

"Ah, I see. They disapprove." Jimmy smiled in a way that made Robert's heart swell. His eyes crinkled into a mass of smile lines and his mouth did something that made him–

Oh Christ, Robert wanted to kiss him.

"Don't you like your tea?" Jimmy cocked a brow. "I can dilute it if I've made it too strong."

"Er..." Belatedly, Robert realised that he'd been staring at the other man in a way that could only have been described as creepy. Yes, he supposed he had made quite the habit of it at this point. "No."

"Are you sure? I could offer you something else if you'd like."

Something else? How about you?

Robert licked his lips agitatedly. "N-no. I'm fine, thanks."

"You don't look fine." Jimmy took a sip of tea, his lips lingering on the rim of his cup a fraction of a second longer than they should have.

Oh Christ...

Robert had never wanted to be a teacup so bad in his life. It was pathetic the way everything the other man did seemed to make him even more hot and flustered. Looking for something to do (lest he embarrass himself further), he drained his teacup and set it back on the living room table.

"Well, you certainly were thirsty." Jimmy remarked, lightly.

Beg your pardon? Everything that came out of the guitarist's mouth seemed to have sexual overtones and it was driving Robert mad.

"Do you want any more tea?"

"No." It came out gruffer than he'd meant for it to.

Supremely unruffled, Jimmy stood up to retrieve Robert's teacup. His curls fell into his face; one tendril of dark hair touched his lips like a caress.

Oh fuck. Robert wanted to kiss him. There was something about this man that just drove him crazy. Something he couldn't put into words – some happy marriage between looks and charisma that few people are privileged enough to be born with.

"Robert?" Jimmy's breath ghosted across the other man's cheek; they were that close. "Are you alright? You look...tense."

"I'm..." Robert trailed off. Jimmy's lips were tantalisingly close. Dare he?

His body acted on impulse, pushing the guitarist onto the living room table before them and capturing his lips with fevered intensity.

It was Robert's first kiss in years and it was sloppy and unpracticed and...heavenly. His heart was racing like a bird in flight; he released Jimmy's lips briefly to tilt his head for better access before catching them once again in a bruising kiss.

The guitarist breathed a muffled sigh against the other's lips, opening his mouth to Robert's wandering tongue. Jimmy tasted of tea and sugar; Robert tangled one hand in his dark curls and explored the pale skin under his shirt with the other as he plundered the warm cavern of the guitarist's mouth.

It was a magical moment - one Robert never wanted to see the end of - but their fiery kiss was brought to an end by Jimmy's hands attempting to push his body away and his own lack of oxygen.

Releasing Jimmy and sitting back in his chair, Robert caught his breath as the realisation of what he'd just done sunk in.

I just kissed a bloke. I kissed a bloke and it was the best kiss I've ever had.

If he wasn't in intoxicatingly in lust before, he certainly was now.

Oh Christ. A wave of nausea coursed through his system. Have I spoilt everything? Will Jimmy chuck me out and get another singer - one that isn't besotted with him?

Steeling himself for harsh words and hate speech, Robert chanced a glance at the guitarist.

Jimmy was perched on the living room table, a half-smile playing about his lips. "Well, well, well - you bat for the other team, don't you?"

Fuck my life. Robert flushed harder than he'd ever done before. Bonzo finding out about his sexuality was one thing, but this...

"Oh, don't be embarrassed." Jimmy continued to smile that coy smile of his. "I know how to keep a secret, provided you agree to be my singer – and give me no trouble."

Robert blinked, naïvely. "What do you mean?"

The guitarist let out a low chuckle. "It'd be an awful shame, wouldn't it, if people were to be made aware of some things...better left hidden."

Oh. Embarrassment faded into hurt. This gorgeous man was going to hold what he'd done over Robert's head and use it to turn him into a sort of lackey.

The hurt giving over into humiliation, he realised that Jimmy must have planned this – must have realised Robert's feelings for him, and used them to his advantage. Those tight pants, those innuendos, the flirting...what a fool you are, Percy.

✦✦✦

Well?

Any verdict, my wise and wonderful readers?

I know I promised you smut, but I felt you might appreciate a plot twist. Dun dun dunnn! (Don't worry - the smut will come and when it does it'll be good. I just don't want to compromise the plot for bedroom gymnastics, ok?)

[UPDATE 2022: If anyone reading (or rereading) this has any constructive criticism – I'm all ears!]