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This wasn't how he imagined spending the eve of his departure. His ideas for the twilight of his leisure were quite different – and quite to the point. Spending debauched rounds with the boys before packing a meager sampling of his life away to be hauled, once again, the great distance to his current employment. Wasting such precious time on something so stilted as a dinner seemed at once dishonest and disrespectful. To ask him to put away his youma nature and appear staunchly and irrefutably human in front of a collection of strangers, rehearsing social mores just for Aelius's comfort, left him feeling jilted. What saved this proposal, overall, was the promise of never-ending wine.

If he had to suffer playing human, then the least Waru could do was pay for him to get drunk about it. Particularly because he always felt a strange mix of vulnerable and visible when donning Eion's looks, as if anyone could suss him out at a glance. As if his obvious, flimsy caricatures of being human exposed him as much as a monstrous cast shadow attached to his feet. And while it unnerved him, Eion reminded himself that life is not quite so hostile here.

Even a simple glance around proved as much. It was evening, the sun stretching its dying rays over the lake before him and warming his back. The boardwalk wasn't so crowded as it was only an hour ago, with much of the main crowd clearing out to begin their bar hopping. The wooden deck still felt warm beneath his feet, which had long ago ditched his sandals at the side of the table. The patio furniture still felt warmed. As far as he could tell, no one was looking in his direction, and even if they were, his discovery wouldn't necessarily prove lethal.

Thus did he wait, slouched back against a cushioned metal chair, though not before placing an order for a tantalizing pinot grigio. Something that might make good on an evening that promised to sour.

“Then get drunk—“ Waru whisper-teased gently as Aelius expressed his nervousness over the situation. All glowing assurances and soft looks filled to the brim with ‘it’ll be fines’, when he wasn’t openly admiring the man. Because this time? There was no set up, no hidden agenda, no interior, exterior, ulterior motives to serve! Waru thought Faustite needed to see the team before he left, all of them, outside of their powered push-up bras as often as shoved into them. He wanted to assault his lover with visuals, with breathing, walking, bleating proof. That in spite of the world at large? This little slice they’d carved out here for themselves was safe — the people in it alive — the whole of what Faustite had left him to feel like he was an overseeing sheep-dog of? Thriving!! He hadn’t ******** it up somehow in his firebrands absence, everyone was doing their best and blooming.

There was growth, there was change— and? There was wine on the beach and a breeze curling warm, sand scented air all around them. A sweet bit of peace worth drinking in and getting drunk to!

Waru hardly bothered to dress as nicely as Aelius had, no matter the scale of a place, up — down — ******** it. He dared to let his charm carry him along after Aelius confidently, in his white shadow Nike slides. His deep green shirt that read along the back in faded white letters; ‘any excuse to wine and dine on someone else’s dime’. An absolutely off the rack, thrifted, unrefined piece of long enough to cover his bits n show off his arms kinda beach wear. He’d picked the place at Faustites behest, but truthfully? He liked any excuse to wear board shorts and get felt up by a breeze. To drink wine while doing it? A ******** bonus of points if anyone asked him!

He didn’t bother looking at the divers watch Trey had gifted him what felt like a lifetime ago (the most expensive thing he had on, probably. Save of course the rare pair of rings he wore.)

Aelius had the time, clearly, the polite introductions, the nerves of steel. Thoroughbred n silver-gilded— his mind purred, and he chuckled to himself quietly as he found that open seat next to Eion and gratefully slid into the space like he was made to live there. His slides didn’t stay long on his feet— his heels eager for the seep and brush of sand-dusted woodgrain and summer heat.

“If he’d been here long enough without getting through a bottle already? At least two— I think I’d be worried about more n just him having waited for us…” he could play footsies with Aelius like this, sat across and beside, soak up the feel of Eion at room temp instead of sexily oppressing lava levels. Could tell his boy how he missed him with only the drag of his eyes—

He’d almost forgotten how Ei’ looked like this, cloaked in flesh instead of fire. Palid contrasts and shockingly human eyes.

“So, what’d you order Eion? The place is ‘Pinot on the Point’ so I could always take a wild guess….but?”

“It goes good with more n’ just desserts I hear? Pairs up nice with spicy food too,” tease on the tip of his tongue, and mirth laid in the edges of his smile as he watched Faustite point out the Moscato. Thinking it was as good a dessert wine as any, and all the ways it’d make for a sweet finisher. Though he thought the sweetest ending in the world was the one unfolding before his very eyes.

The three of them together; Aelius backlit by gorgeous surroundings, Eion swaddled up and just within arms reach—

Which Waru didn’t hesitate to take advantage of, scooting closer to his boy as the pinot grigio was beautifully poured and described by a well trained tongue. He heard none of it, so distracted by his dates for the night, but could practically taste the delicious wine on the breeze as he leaned over Ei with the pretense of sharing the same damn menus even though he had one of his own. Practically draping himself over his beloved as the waiter finished being a fountain of knowledge and asked after their orders.

He scanned the menu for ideas as much as he did Eions face for shadows, the twist of his boy's fingers; hooded by long sleeves, filled with words he only half caught. But half was all he needed to know Ei’ was tired. He wouldn’t open his mouth and say Eion looked most cute like this; half-awake and hidden away. A beast not yet roused and damned near cuddly looking. He wouldn’t call him cute in front of the wait staff, but maybe he could make his boy feel it? It was a question that bubbled at the back of his brain, the temptation to kiss the clinging sleep out of Faustites eyes in public…

To have an audience of one and one only. N’watch that reaction in his periphery— turn that third button undone into a twelfth button ripped open…

But that was all maybe best left for another night? Waru thought so as he opened his mouth to answer the older man.

“Appetizers—“ a purred answer, he made a show of perusing at his own damn pace. Dragged one long, ring set finger down a side list filled with fancy words. There were so many choices — platters — plates — shareable options? Boards with four kinds of cheeses, spiced nuts, fig spreads, cherries, grapes, olives and lavosh! The freshest bite sized fish dishes—and these weren’t the kiddy menues full of pictures like he was used to. But the ingredients listed underneath some of the names sounded good enough.

“M’Thinking a Cheese Board and the Tuna Crudo to start?” the items felt like must haves at this point, and Waru was impressed as the waiter simply nodded and stood expectantly. Waru drummed something aimlessly over the laminated menu before flicking his gaze back Aelius' way. “Whadya say, Aelius? Wanna split a wine flight with me on top of this? The Pinot Grigio Ei’ picked s’probably enough t’tide us over, but? This little thing here’s got poinsettias in it and some rare blue thing —“ tap, tap, tapping over the line that read: ‘From dinner to dessert; a world class wine flight for well traveled taste buds!’

It seemed to him like the gimmick was that they paired twelve different tiny spirit samplers across the course of a meal, like a mini tasting party? He doubted anyone could get drunk off a sampler. Waru thought, if nothing else? It’d save him having to wonder if he should choose something else over the course of an evening. Someone else would be doing all the thinking for him, wine wise, and he’d get to taste new s**t without getting stuck with a glass or bottle of something he hated, and that was just fine by him! This was the Negaverses dime he was dining on, he was as happy to put it towards drinks as he was to put it towards paying people to pick those drinks for him!

“Though you can always get your own thing, ask for dessert early? Make your meals t’go—“ clucking his tongue as though implying some kind of offhanded innuendo. Though who could’ve said what the purpose of it was or who it was truly aimed at. For he seemed happy to simply be himself in the moment, unapologetically so.

Eion never minded when Waru decided to huddle over him. He'd take the body heat. While he knew he was probably cooking himself at normal human temperature, it never felt that way to him. Being entirely human was such a foreign thing to him; he didn't know how either of them could tolerate it. Content to lean into the other boy, Eion picked over the menu idly while the other two ordered.

For his part, Eion gestured to the parmesan mussels and crab dip with brioche bread as his preferred starters. Entrees would, of course, come afterward. He could never have too much food.

Waru received a curious look askance from Eion, who was just as puzzled by Waru's innuendo as Aelius may have felt. It was one of the detractions from being separated for so long; he had forgotten how carefree Waru remained between missions. Seldom did he find such a refreshing attitude where he was, though it was likewise far less dangerous to have Waru back here in Destiny City.

Besides, someone needed to look over the team. Waru had been around the longest, and thus he was well-acquainted and well-equipped to keep most of the team in check.

Though… No, that wasn't true. Eion's eyes fell on Aelius, with his whorish shirt buttons. Aelius had been on the team the longest, not Waru. But Aelius had similarly struggled the longest, and before Eion left, it seemed to him that Aelius had difficulty identifying where he fit in the team. It was something that Eion wanted him to learn for himself, though there were the rare times that he thought to suggest that someone as flexible and well-balanced as him would have a great role as a scout, and past that, a similarly excellent role in seeking out and silencing select targets by practically drowning them. That hardly made much noise.

If he thought about it, between the two of them, Aelius would be better suited to his current mission. The boy seldom balked at orders, didn't throw caution to the wind half as much as Waru did, and that potential for covert ops was sorely needed. But those were thoughts he would set aside for now.

Eion nodded when Aelius suggested picking up another bottle of wine. Riesling was good enough. He'd drink damn near anything, though, so long as it was wine. Hell, he'd take fruit wines too.

Eion had no expectation for Aelius to know sign language, nor did he have any expectation for Aelius to speak to him directly. That he did was a mild surprise, and Eion held up a finger as if to say hold on, then reached into his jacket pocket. He produced from it a pocket notebook and pen. It took but a few moments to write out what he intended to say in his familiar, if eerily violent script. Once he was finished, he turned the notebook in Aelius's direction and pushed it toward him.

I'm tired. It's early for me.

Applied for a short leave. Been good to be back, but for the business about Tama. Can't overstate my gladness for seeing familiar faces.

How have you been? Waru's not dead, so I assume you two are getting along.

Eion leveled an impish look at Waru.

It never goes away, he wrote, before turning the notebook back toward Aelius.

Waru nearly pouted as the pen n notepad fulla paper were pulled out, utilized, passed back n forth in a way so ******** cute that the only way he could keep himself from cooing over all the cuteness was by burying it in the drink their waiter had so carefully poured.

Though his original plan to translate whatever Fauastite said whichever way he wanted was hilariously derailed in an instant. Everything else? Hitchless, smooth as the glassy surface reflected off the water's edge along the shoreline n the gently rippled effect of dying light on the waves. He wasn’t sure what had done it? But he wasn’t about to question ********.

He was gonna lay back, bask in Ei’s inhumanly-human warmth, suck a stray drop of wine off his bottom lip and—

“Beans is a blessing, by the way. Fourth best thing he’s ever brought home, if you ask me?” A brief interjection, a freed thought that had no follow myos behind it. Was he being asked? No. Was he putting his two cents in in favor of the cat? Yes! Absolutely! Not needing to see what was on the notepad to contextually construct the looks he received into meaning built with his own messy mind in such a way that seeing anything wouldn’t even have changed it. The way it left him preening. Because what was being written didn’t excite him as much as the idea that he was being talked about in any kind of light—

That Aelius n Faustite we’re getting along like this? Bonding over — small talk — a shared experience — an easy back n forth exchange done like ancient love sonnets. N’there Aelius might as well have been — showing ankle, thigh, n chest all at once. ********’ scandalous— n’Eion? Waru entertained picking through the layers right here at the table, peeling his boy out of them one by one til only the truth was left on display. Till his soft, safe, human facade fell off. The sweet glamor of vulnerability burnt into ash n cinder….

Then? Then he n Aelius would have the best time. He knew it wanted it, tied himself over on his first glass as the two talked on in their own lovely way and he got the privilege of listening for once.

“Yanno, Aelius? Almost sounds like you’re saying you were dreaming of me? Or maybe both of you were? Is this some tandem thing— do I look good after I’m smothered? Are we talkn with a memory foam pillow or something more personal here?” The question could’ve been for Aelius, Faustite, both. His words so lackadaisical that he likely didn’t expect an answer, much less a serious one, and already he could see what Aelius meant about needing another bottle along the way as he gently topped his half finished glass.

“Friends and Family,” and he set his glass down long enough to make a show of the signs for each word: two F’s making a circle, two pointer fingers trading hugs like links building a chain. Signs even beginners could get the hang of, he knew, he felt like one to this day. His eyes cast askance at Faustite, his hands working for Aelius’s benefit alone, giving the most hallmark, tooth rotting answers up front and worst of all?

Meaning them.

Meaning the words enough, that giving the basic, baby sign answers alone clearly wouldn’t save them from him inflating his sentence with an explanation of who he meant. “Of course that includes myself— yourself — a certain elder dragon….“ as if he needed his hands to count out the obvious before re-devoting them to holding the fine stem of the chilled glass.

And the rest felt easy between them, a shared thing, pressureless and free flowing. He soaked up the joy of being able to sit idle when he wanted, and trade words when he didn’t, n simply float between them like an island made of leaves n caught in their current.

It was such a pleasant thing.

The way Faustite got his attention and his smile went sharp for the question silently asked, eyes narrowing in pleasure over it. Dragging his nails along the body of the glass as he imagined doing something about those slender fingers. So much ******** sass given in such a quick gesture that included his favorite word! He wanted to snatch them up and bite new rings around them — fill every digit with his own marks till there wasn’t room for any others.

“Only with my eyes,” hummed with subdued heat, as if he liked it best that way. With distance breeding fondness and challenge, “from, like, a far away. Guys with restraining orders get closer in their dreams n’ I do.”

“Truth is? S’not been a priority—“ and saying it hadn’t been was by no means saying that it couldn’t be. His tone was filled with ‘yet’, only waiting for some greener flag waved in his direction. For the feeling of Aelius finally in a space where Waru didn’t think making the offer would destroy everything they’d rebuilt. If the friendship came first n nothing followed? So be it — if more ever came knocking? It wasn’t like he ever bothered locking s**t.

Especially not his doors.

Eion stared at Waru, skeptical. He couldn't imagine such a thing not being a priority for Waru. He'd known the boy for years. He was always eyeing people up, measuring his chances with them. That he hadn't tried to hook Aelius was nothing short of a cosmic mistake. Wasn't it? Surely he'd have made a move by now.

But Aelius being resistant? That he could imagine. The boy was morbidly jealous; he'd sooner kill Waru than sleep with him.

When Aelius complained about failing to complete Faustite's orders, Eion just shrugged. He knew it would be a long-term project for the boy. Besides, coming home to so many familiar faces, with so few of them dead or turncoats, was itself a reward.

But Aelius soon saw himself off. Eion watched him leave, attention lingering on the boy until he ducked out of sight. He imagined that would be the last he or Waru would see of him that night. Flighty thing was prone to walking off the stage at the first sign of tumult. Eion blew out a sigh, blinked, then cast his gaze to his glass. He finished it with a deep pull, setting the stemmed glass down quietly next to the bottle. He reached for it, then poured the last of the pinot grigio into his glass. Aelius should be thankful he didn't chug it straight from the bottle, he supposed, though that boy wasn't around for the secondary embarrassment of Eion's crass antics.

Snapping his fingers for Waru's attention, he began signing with an edge of perplexity. Why does he seem so weird today?

Waru said they hadn't slept together. New boyfriend? He tried. He'd seen a few peeks of a chain around Aelius's neck, weighted down by something. Did you find a way to start fixing him? But Eion wasn't sure that was the case, either; the boy seemed stuck in an awkward phase where he hadn't sorted out how to feel or how to wear those feelings in front of others. If he put the three of them in a combat situation, he expected Aelius would obey, but the boy's fraught confidence might get him caught out in a bad way. And Eion had seen enough of that.

Give me your take on things while we wait. Eion paused, then added, Assuming he comes back.