Welcome to Gaia! ::

Zeke had started on his hands, but somewhere in the middle of the kiss he'd sank down so elbows rested on the blankets, hands a soft brush at either side of Ever's face--fingers in his hair, thumbs against his temples. When his head tipped up, the Mist took the opportunity to press lips against the edge of the blonde's jaw, leaving a small wet spot, before chuckling.

"We could, and should, at some point." Possibly at night, where there would be far less prying eyes. "But I believe to mentioned something about dinner, and I'm starving." Auburn brows rose, turning a very innocent comment into something just a little dirty, but he did mean food.

He could feel his stomach growling. Ever possibly could as well, seeing as Zeke had settled his weight over the other man's chest.

Another lingering kiss, fingers sliding back through pale hair as Ever's hands moved to touch his stomach. It would have been so easy to stay there, to forget dinner and just...

But he was hungry. Not just an annoying twang, but a nagging growl, and anything they could be doing would be so much more enjoyable if it wasn't on an empty stomach.

So, reluctantly, he drew back, met dark eyes, and sat back up with a lingering drag of fingers along the other man's collar bone. Ever really needn't have worried, he'd definitely caught the Mist's attention, and every touch just made him more and more interesting. It was very easy, spending time with Ever. He as loud, a little hyper, but not even close to dominate, and the smallest touch from the Mist caused some sort of fun reaction.

He puled his shirt over his head, smoothing it down neatly, and pulled Lagertha's pendent out from beneath it so the grey stone stood out against the olive green. "Ready?" A hand was offered down, ready to pull Ever to his feet.

Ever was pulled to his feet, hand held seconds longer to be sure the taller man had his balance, then he was moving to get the door for them both, a knowing, smug smile glued on his lips.

"Those look good on you, by the way," he'd muse as Ever passed him. "The glasses.

In the hall, he'd shut and lock the door behind him, falling easily into step beside the Lifer as they headed for the cafeteria. "We kept getting slammed with attacks at our base. We were only at the first one for half a day before a giant sandworm showed up and destroyed everything, us along with it." His lip twitched, almost curling up in irritation, but caught before the expression could fully manifest. "We were brought back to Deus just long enough to be deemed ready for duty, then immediately shipped back out."

Creased brows followed, Zeke stuck for just a moment on 'ribs' before remembering the bruises. "The pretty bruises are courtesy of Paige. Woman can hit like a jack hammer."

"Mmm. Another Mist rookie. About my height, short blonde hair." Pale eyes followed the glasses from Ever's head into his pocket, one brow arching subtly up.

"Cee was on the mission as well. She and Paige seem very close." He was watching the Life now, trying to decipher his body language as they talked about the girls.

His own hands slipped into his back pockets, both for something to do with them, and to keep from touching the blonde. A week in the ******** desert, and Zeke would have liked nothing more than to lose himself in someone else, but as much as their weapons did for them, apparently sustaining them wasn't part of the deal. If he let himself get distracted there was a good chance they wouldn't make it to the cafeteria at all.

Dinner first, then... Well, all bets were off.

"You're Close with Cee?" She seemed alright, if a little frigid. A personal bias on her part that he was not yet aware of.

"I don't know Thompson yet." Not surprising, Zeke didn't know 90% of the island yet. He fell quiet, listening to Ever as he spoke, Gaze split between him and the path they walked.

He hadn't been awake long enough to feel as though anyone one of the other hunters he'd encountered yet counted as a friend, but if he had to chose a forerunner, it would be Page. She was incredibly grounded, and absolutely shameless.

Ever was up there at the top of the list as well, but whatever they had starting between them, it wasn't the same sort of friendship either of them felt for either girl. It was both more, and less.

He glanced at the book, trying to catch a look at the title, but wasn't so curious as to reach out still Ever's hands long enough to read it.

A brow shot up as Ever tucked the book away from his prying eyes. Quirky, very quirky. Hazel eyes turned forward. They were out of the dorms and coming up on the cafeteria. Close enough that a strong smell of cookie good was wafting on the light breeze, and the hunger that had been ignorable a moment before raged back.

His own fault for skipping lunch.

"I met America. She's tough s**t." The moon had been their de facto leader in the desert.

At the mention of Ever shaving his head the Mist looked Suitably horrified. His own hair he didn't care as much about, but those snowy curls...well. "I, for one, am lad he failed."

When they reached the doors Zeke moved forward to push them open, letting Ever pass. "I'm not sure if whatever their cooking actually smells this good, or I've just gone too long without a proper meal."

Zeke knew better than to assume cafeteria cuisine to be anything but passable, but he was too damned hungry to care just then. Whatever was cookie--meatloaf, unless he was mistaken--smelled amazing.

The smile was returned, an easy pull of lips, that faltered as Ever stumbled. Automatically he reached out, ready to steady him, but the lifer got his feet back under himself before further assistance was required. He kept his eye on him, just in case, and because why the ******** not, as he grabbed his own tray and followed him into line.

"From a curiosity stand point, our weapons protect us from the threat of outside illness, like cancer, or H.I.V., right?" He had a vague recollection of someone in the labs saying as much during his first couple hours of being awake.

It was meatloaf, and he helped himself to a large slice, and whatever side happened to be in accompaniment. Mashed potatoes, by the looks. "I used to smoke, once upon a time." Zero inflection, just a fact. "Back in high school."