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 Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:29 pm
Evan had spent nearly the entire rest of the night with Tobias before they’d parted ways. It wasn’t that Evan wouldn’t have let him spend the night, just that Zac was around tonight and he could always be a little intimidating. At least, for new people. Evan had grown used to his abrasiveness and had learned to find it endearing. But, after that talk about shanking Tobias…
He wanted to be a little on the safe side, too.
Zac may have been home before Cambria, but he also left shortly afterwards. He was off patrolling, and though he’d invited Evan, tonight Evan just wanted to stay home.
And talk to Cambria.
When it was just them in the house, he waited until she was comfortable. The television was on and she was sitting on the couch when he walked over and took a seat next to her.
“Cambria,” he said, in the tone that said he had something important to talk about. “I was thinking about the food truck today. I mean, a little extra. Tobias came over, and he said he wanted to help. He gave me a birthday present, and then we went to the bank.”
He hesitated; they’d cashed the check, but he kept the receipt and passed it over to her so she could read how much of a deposit they’d made.
“I was wondering if maybe I made a mistake, or if he did. I wasn’t really thinking at the time, but now I keep thinking about it. I should have asked you first.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:34 pm
Cambria put an arm around Evan’s shoulders when he sat down, drawing him close to him and planting a loud kiss on the top of his head. “Tobias came over? That was nice of him.” She grinned. The guy wasn’t bad, and he was really good for Evan, at least she thought so. “He gave you a present...and then you went to the...bank? Did you try to pay him for the present? Because, that’s not how gifts work, Ev.” She took the deposit slip and stared at it for a few moments, frowning slightly.
“He...he gave you...ten grand?” What. Was this a joke? Why...who carried around ten grand to just give away at will?
“I didn’t know your boyfriend was a rich guy...holy cow, Evan. Is this serious? He’s really giving us this much money towards the food truck? Do you realize this means we’ll be able to get it even easier? We’ll be able to get started a whole lot faster...This...this is amazing!”
Cambria’s eyes were huge and she sat up, still squinting at the piece of paper in her hands. “This...we’ll be able to put this as a really, really good down payment…”
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:49 pm
Evan opened his mouth to protest Cambria calling him his boyfriend, but he knew that she was teasing. He still huffed and squirmed a little in the seat as he tried to figure out how to best answer her. “The check cashed,” he said, shrugging; he was still having a hard time believing it, himself.
“I mean, he didn’t get me to the bank and act like I was forcing him, he was laughing and holding my hand, and then we cashed the check, and then we came home. And we talked about the Food Truck some, but we just hung out and he acted like everything was normal. And then he went home, and now I’m here, with you, and…”
He shrugged and flopped against her. “When he said he wanted to help back the plan, help get it started, I thought he meant like, moral support. I didn’t realize he meant…”
He gestured to the check and shrugged helplessly.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:57 pm
“That...is kind of amazing, Ev. He...That’s just…that’s really nice of him. Well...I supposed you and I have some work to do then, we should get out there and get the truck...and think of a name and a design…” Her excitement was building. This was a lot more of a down payment than she would have thought they would have had. She was hoping to have about five thousand, max...but this…
“He really likes you, doesn’t he? You know, Zac detests him for how he looks at you. It’s kind of funny, but also kind of annoying. He should let you be happy, seriously. I think Tobias is good for you, and I utterly approve, I hope you know.” Ten Grand...it was almost too much to think about...but it was theirs, no strings attached...or at least no strings that she could see...well. She’d just work extra hard to protect Evan if any strings showed up at a later point...but she hoped that Tobias wasn’t that kind of a guy.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:01 pm
Evan shrugged a bit. “I have a list of things. Depending on what menu we go with, I scribbled down a few names. But naming things really isn’t my forte. I just wanna cook, I don’t want to be in charge of marketing or advertising or even driving the truck.”
He didn’t really like working with people, he just liked working in the kitchen. It was a miracle he’d even managed to keep talking to Tobias for as long as he had, but he didn’t regret it.
Not just for the money, but for the friendship.
He side-eyed Cambria a second later. “I’ve seen the way Zac looks at him. He trusts people a little less than I do, I think. And I mean, I’m happy,” Evan insisted. “Tobias said he liked me, but I told him I wasn’t ready to date anyone or anything. I mean,” he pursed his lips and drew in a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “I don’t know if I want to be with anyone while I’m a Senshi. That’s a huge secret to have to keep from someone. And then there’s the whole youma business. I still have nightmares. And, I know it probably sound stupid but…when I have a nightmare I just want to get in bed with you and go back to sleep. Because, I don’t know. You saved me before, so if anything happened again…”
His voice trailed off; he was confident she could infer what he was saying from that.
She’d saved him once and, while he hoped he never needed to be saved again, he knew he could count on her.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:05 pm
“And you will cook. And we’ll have the best and most popular food truck around, and you’ll get a television deal with the Food Network and we’ll live happily ever after in the shadow of your fame, Evan. It’ll be great.” Cambria honestly believed all of that too...though, she figured that Evan wouldn't really want the television show...but she thought it would be cool...seeing her best friend on TV would be downright amazing, in her mind.
“Tobias was okay when you told him that right? He didn’t try to pressure or guilt you, did he? Because if he tried to pressure you or guilt you or anything like that, thank goodness we got the money, and it’s time to drop him like a hot potato.” She squeezed him closer burying her face against his shoulder. “I’ll protect you. From anything and everything and anyone and everyone. I’d rather die than ever see you turned into a youma again, and I won’t let it happen. You know I’ll come to your rescue, no matter what it is. I got your back, through anything.”
He was more family to her than anyone. She could honestly see herself doing anything for him. He was her Evan.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:06 pm
Evan huffed again, instinctively, because he didn’t know how to respond to some of the things she’d said. “I hope I never wind up on television,” he muttered; he could barely handle talking to one or two people, much less even just a small group of them.
But, going on television? He’d have to stay off of the internet for the rest of his life, and never read another magazine or newspaper article out of fear for bad reviews.
He made himself a little more comfortable and tugged on the hem of his sweater’s sleeve as he considered her questions about Tobias. “Um, he didn’t really guilt me or pressure me. I mean, I thought it was a joke, but he insisted that it wasn’t, but I guess the closest thing to pressuring me that he did was when he was just trying to make sure I knew he meant it. But I don’t think that counts as pressuring me, so…no. He was a perfect gentleman. And, he liked the pajama pants you bought me. Almost as much as I did. But…”
He nuzzled closer to her, eyelids drooping. He didn’t want to think about her getting hurt or dying any more than he wanted to think about being a youma.
“…You know, I’d rather get turned into a youma again than have you die. Because, if I turn into a youma, you can just save me again. If you die…”
He didn’t think you could come back from that.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:07 pm
“Then I just won’t die, simple as that. I don’t plan on dying, honestly, so don’t you worry about it. I’ll just work harder to get stronger so if it ever comes to me dying or you turning into a youma, I can just kick the crap out of whoever it is that’s bothering us.”
Her hand snaked down and took his, fingers slipping between his own and squeezing. “We’re okay, Evan. You know that, don’t you? We’re okay. You’re okay, and I’m okay...and everything’s going to keep going this way, I’m sure of it.
Cambria sighed and let her eyes close, yawning hugely. “There’s not anything that’s going to get in our way now. You’re back, Zac’s on the right side of this...I’m here for the both of you, you have friends, lots of friends and you just keep getting more...I say that’s cause for us to be happy, don’t you? So...maybe we should just focus on being happy and all of the good stuff that’s happening. I want to focus on all of that. On us. You’re my favorite, you know.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:12 pm
Evan’s fingers curled around hers and he nodded. He knew how much Cambria would do to keep him safe, and he knew how powerful she was.
He knew everything was okay.
He didn’t know everything, though, and he tilted his head at the last thing she said. He was collecting friends, and it was an odd thing. He’d had friends, before he was a youma, but there was something more real about them, now. He couldn’t put his finger on it; maybe he just appreciated them more now.
Cambria seemed like she was getting tired, and he knew he was, but he couldn’t help but ask, “I’m your favorite?”
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:13 pm
Laughing softly, Cambria nodded. “Of course you’re my favorite. I’ve never worked so hard for anyone else, Evan. I would do literally anything for you. I need you in my life. It was horrible not having you. I honestly...you’re the glue that holds Zac and me together too...you’re his favorite too, I’m sure. And I’m not even mad about that. You deserve it.”
She yawned again and drew Evan’s hand up, kissing the back of it. “I need you in my life, maybe even more than you need me in yours. I’d be lost without you.” Honestly, if he did start relying on Tobias more than her and Zac, she might be the more jealous one in the group. But...she would support him, no matter what happened.
She would always be there.
“Love you to the moon and back, Ev.”
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