Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ever wasn’t answering his phone. He’d love to have said that didn’t bother him, or that he was within his rights to ignore it because they were both adults. But he wasn’t saying that, he was far too irritated to even consider saying that. He rang the phone again and it rang on till it clicked over to voice mail again. He hadn’t yet left one but it was becoming an increasing temptation to leave one that involved some savory language that he’d regret as soon as he hung up the phone. He had to give his mother credit for one thing at least, she was a good example of ‘what not to do’ for phone etiquette.

He was tired, he was frustrated, he’d done the right thing and he was sure of that but he was becoming increasingly sure that no matter what action he took and with whom he would never have that kind of ‘benefit of the doubt’. He was after all, firmly and resoundingly ‘Zinkenite’, who most people knew wasn’t a combatant, who people associated with scribbled notes and likely now with an ‘error in judgment’ where he’d opted to save a life rather than loose one to take one. He wasn’t even sure now that he considered ‘Gunn’ worth it, even in the face of her crimes. He thought wolfram would have understood if he’d been the one being traded, some sacrifices should NOT be made, but how ever to explain which ones should and should not.

He paced back and forth, his worn shoes eating up the floorboards till he learned to avoid the boards that made the loudest of the squeaks and groans. It helped silence the neighbors if nothing else, ironic given the noise some of them could make when they were shouting obscenities and ecstasies through the walls. He had to stop himself, had to force himself to think not as an officer. He had to square his mind and relax and slip back into the mindset of a civilian, or as close to it as he could right now. The weight of Zinkenite pressed heavy on him even now, so real that it was confusing where they stopped and started, more than it had ever been in the past. Today hadn’t helped that confusion at all.

Drinking, he’d probably gone out drinking, easy, a logical conclusion that made him guess at other things. Maybe he picked someone up, maybe he got picked up… or maybe he’d just crashed on a park bench and prayed he didn’t wake up in his own bile. Anything was possible and he was… worried.

He hated being worried, like this anyhow. Concern was one thing, but worry, worry crossed that dangerous line info affection now. It was a word that could send people heading for the hills, historically it had, he’d seen it often enough. Hell he’d run away on his own and closed himself off with nothing but his work, but he was worried. He wanted that damned phone answered, and he was trying hard not to abuse the power to become Zinkenite and simply summon him. He had to trust, even if it was only a few he couldn’t cut those fragile threads now.

He’d eaten and put most everything away, he’d made tea and let it grow cold, his book had been set back down in frustration and he’d nearly ripped the antenna off the radio when it refused to bring in anything that wasn’t a boy band to listen to. After one last try on the phone he resigned himself and flopped down into the rather terrible couch he’d found, it tried to eat him once again, and he was inclined to let it.

“What are you…” He started to say and then gaped like a fish at the sight before him, part of him was at least satisfied that he was safe; he was defiantly drunk, which added a small satisfaction that he’d been right in one of his guesses. “Power Down!” he hissed through clenched teeth in a barely qualified whisper.

“Power down before you get us both KILLED” He continued reaching to tug a hand at the edge of the new coat that Ilmenite, aka Ever sported. If He’d been a little more sober he might have enjoyed the new look more. It lacked the normal ‘duct tape’ that he’d sported for two ranks. Crisp and polished and, as plaid as ever but looked good on him, he deserved it. What else he deserved right now for showing up drunk enough to qualify, as a bottle of bitters though was better left unsaid.

“Ever, please power down.” He said trying to be more civilized and less panicked. After all if he needed to he could take them both somewhere else, somewhere not associated with the small apartment. But knowing his luck that would be the moment that Ever’s ‘dinner’ decided to depart the safe confines of his stomach.

“Worrying is part of my charm” He countered and blinked at the fingers now curled around his own. He had been worried, that was true enough at least. It was nice, affectionate if through a drunken haze and reeking of alcohol and sweat.

And then the roguish grin introduced a joke that made him cringe. “Oh yes, that’d go over well. Sorry I drained Zink while he was a civi, it was a cover cause I was kind of drunk in uniform.” It was kind of funny though and he was trying to stifle the small snicker at the idea. He didn’t care for the idea of being drained though, he knew it wasn’t uncomfortable but he couldn’t shake the memory that energy was once taken with a star seed. He wanted no more fingers wrapped around his.

Ever didn’t know that though, it wasn’t fair and he doubted this was a good time to, ah… talk about it. “I was getting worried.” He said instead “…and I’m not CUTE, I got taller, therefor not ‘cute’.” It was simple logic in his mind. He doubted anyone called Ever cute, then again you’d probably have to be as drunk as Ever was now to call him ‘Cute’, it just wasn’t a word that fit him.

“So am I forgiven?” he asked and shifted to grab at one of the cheep throws that was working its way into the couch cushions, it also served as a buffer between himself and the arm rest at times. He flipped the blanket over Ever’s lap before leaning back to watch Ever’s tired and hazy expression. He was trying hard to decide how he felt right now, and it was just a jumble.

Guilt because this was in a way his fault, though at the same time he argued it was Ever’s choice. Happy that Ever was safe, that he trusted enough to come –here- instead of going back to his apartment, and somewhat irritated that he’d never answered the phone.

“Do you want some water?” he offered grasping at straws. “Help to go lay down on something that won’t eat you with prolonged exposure?” His fault for the couch too, bought second hand you took your chances.

A hand slid through his bangs as he considered. “I suppose if I had to trust someone to do that, you’d be someone I could trust.” He conceded. “But if you ever…” he started and then stopped, swallowing a threat of old frustrations before it started. “Never mind, stupid thought… water?” he pressed again.

“How is my being sober the flaw here?” He laughed without being able to help it. It was just amusing to think there had been a plan with him involved at all. “Sorry, nothing in the house except MAYBE a can of that beer you brought when we were supposed to be unpacking, you might have to think of a work around.” He shifted his weight and watched as Ever wormed and curled and pulled him self under the blanket.
He’d have to sneak out and get some extra food for breakfast he decided, if Ever was going to spend the night. Tempting to get something evil like bacon but he’d probably settle for cheaper fair.

He kissed back if lightly, especially after the taste of it hit home and he pulled back enough to deliver a quiet admonishment. “You taste of booze and smoke.” He chided and poked a light finger into Ever, not enough to be mean, just enough to command attention. “I suppose that could be worse.” He added after a thoughtful moment, god knew it could have tasted like booze, smoke and vomit.
“Are you sleeping on the couch or did you want to try and make it to the bed?” He offered, a dangerous offer perhaps but the bedroom was at least closer to the bathroom in case ‘someone’ needed to make a ‘run’ for it, all the same there was going to be a trash bin handy if he had any say.

“Right, BABY is worse than cute!” He said and pinched at Ever’s arm this time to drive the point home. “Don’t call me ‘Baby, and god HELP you if you ever do that in uniform I’ll find out if youma s**t and put you on clean up duty!”

It was probably an idle threat because he was also trying not to laugh at the ‘would be leer’ that looked more like a blind man’s attempt to recreate the description of a leer, as described third hand by a nun.

“Up, to the bed room, let’s get your shoes off, you can wear the ‘dreadful t-shirt’ in the morning so your not pre-saturated in gin.”

“Well, you could I suppose call me ‘Z’, Scheelite, Demy used to do that… I guess you could to.” He said hesitant at the idea of that re-emerging. It wasn’t the most awful of nicknames unless you heard it dragged out with a ‘eeeeeeeeee’ attached, the ‘e’ was pure Demy though he suspected.

“I suppose that must be irritating, Zac and Zinkenite… lots of Z sounds, not like your names.” He mused. He hadn’t ever really thought about it before, except briefly when Linarite wondered if he might have been ‘Zion’ in a past life.

“I have an extra tooth brush I think, they had double packs on sale.”
Perhaps a little heavy handed hinting?