Welcome to Gaia! ::

It wasn't every day you got a text message from Ray Gordon that read: You free Sat?

In Gene's case, it literally wasn't every day. It had been every day once -- or at least every day, several times a day, that he'd gotten some kind of text from Ray. 80% of the time it was at work. 80% of the time it was some variant of Bored, dance for my amusement or something funny a student had done, or something unfunny his boss had done. In turn Gene would text him the funniest recent patient name or the stupidest new lie a patient had tried to tell him -- it was to the point where they both got cell phone plans with unlimited texting for this reason. This had been years ago, though -- he couldn't remember the last time they'd done this. He made a point of not trying to remember, nowadays. He'd sent his last text message to Ray six months ago. He couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten a reply.

So when his phone vibrated three times to tell him he had a new text, he expected it to be something from Verizon, or his brother complaining about his other brother. So he didn't check it until he was in the break room -- but then he stared, because: You free Sat?

Gene stared at it for a while, to see if it turned into leaves or dust like fairy money. But eventually he replied: No - ER rotation. Sun?

Two minutes later: Feelings on Curry Spectrum?

This didn't turn into fairy money either, so he typed: Spectral, why?

1:30?

You're on, typed Gene, and this time he didn't get a reply. And that was more the normal order of things with Ray Gordon. At least now it was, and had been. So when this didn't turn out to be another dream, and his cell phone did turn out to have all these messages stored reliably on it, he felt his vague surprise was at least marginally reasonable.

Saturday came and went, as did the ER rotation. Sunday came. Curry Spectrum was in downtown Destiny City, not far from Destiny City Memorial, a little farther from the 'burbs and Meadowview. It -- did what it said on the tin. It had a spectrum of curries. None of them claimed or proved to be utterly authentic, but it was the only place in Destiny City where you could get Thai green curry and Japanese brown curry in the same place, and neither was bad, so it was popular with kids and yuppies during the week anyway. It was about two blocks from the subway stop, and not as busy on Sundays, as evidenced by the line staying inside the restaurant.

The girl at the counter looked up, but she didn't have time to greet: Ray had picked a booth near the front and was waving to him already -- that was a strange, jarring moment. But Gene raised his hand anyway and picked his way over to the table.

He looked -- good. He looked about the same. He hadn't slept well the past couple nights, it looked like, but otherwise: he was clean-shaven, he had a new haircut, he was smiling, always looked pretty much the same when he was smiling. It was a weekend, but it was a little chilly, so Ray must've opted for a button-down rather than a T-shirt for that reason: he had on khakis, looked like he'd actually bothered to iron all of that. New watch. Well, newer than two years, anyway. He was wearing contacts. More or less he looked, well, he looked like Ray.

"Hey, Gene," Ray greeted him. He had the menu fanned out in front of him like a puzzled tourist with a map. "Damn," (he said it like day-umn), "looks like someone went and got all gussied up today. I should call me Mario."

Ray burst out laughing. That hadn't changed any -- he put his head in one of his hands and laughed into the menu, which prompted Gene to grin entirely in spite of himself anyway, and wasn't done laughing until the waitress came by, dropped off two waters and gave them both looks like they were about to burst into a spontaneous musical number on the table and she had to tell them, don't try anything funny. "You know, I don't know what was so funny about that," Ray said eventually. "Maybe it's that winning smile. Maybe it's Sense and Sensibility. Maybe it's the dull and humorless existence I've been leading these past couple years, Genya." He fixed Gene with his own version of a winning smile, which was, of course, fairly winning, anyone could tell you that. He had blindingly white teeth. Unnaturally blinding. Colgate-Whitestripped-last-night-just-for-this blinding, not that Ray would ever do this.

He looked back at his menu. "Let's see," he said, "hey, they still have the Five-Alarm Red Curry Challenge open -- you know, we never did take the Five-Alarm Red Curry Challenge. You wanna take a chance on me or do you not put out for blind dates?"

[align=center][img]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk285/Tastless/Roleplay/HuiQing.jpg[/img] [size=9][b][color=#8C92AC][u][color=white]X[/color][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbL5Q_Z_Fzg][color=#8C92AC][u][color=#002E63]I didn’t understand before why I wake up everyday working, eating and being in a daze[/color][/u][/color][/url][strike][color=#0095B6]|[/color] [color=white]Smil[/color][/strike][color=white]e // [/color][/u][/color][color=white]Kis-M[/color] [color=white]Eveyone Let's Make the World One and Give & Take More [/color][color=#8C92AC][u][color=white]Love [color=#8C92AC][strike][color=white]// Ko [/color][color=#0095B6]|[/color][/strike][/color][/color][/u][/color][color=#8C92AC][u][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncIjfoFpTz8][color=#8C92AC][u][color=#36454F]If it can be done easily, then there's no point to it[/color][/u][/color][/url][color=white]X[/color][/u][/color] [color=#8C92AC][u][color=white]X[/color][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM4Ut3HO-Kc][color=#8C92AC][u][color=grey]How can they say that a good education guarantees wealth?[/color][/u][/color][/url][strike][color=#0095B6]|[/color] [color=white]X X [/color][/strike][color=white]X X [/color][/u][/color][color=white]X X X X X X Open Your Eyes // News[/color][/b][/size][/align] [imgleft]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk285/Tastless/Roleplay/His.jpg[/imgleft][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][list][size=11]Seeing as Holy decided to pull him into the choir room, he took his normal seat in glee next to her and glanced around. Everyone else seemed to be there intently listening to the newcomers. Though, he wasn't sure why they were. It was Mr. Schue's job to decide who was in and who was out. So then they only had to listen to the people who were worth it when the time came. Then they wouldn't really have to be ridiculed by anyone for their failure at music in a musically talented audience. Sitting back in his chair, Rivet listened as well. Maybe something would attempt to grab his attention since there didn't seem like any way for him to get out of it now and it was pointless to sit here bored. Although they all seemed rather good though, he wasn't particularly too into it. Nothing interesting. Well... he did only join glee for his sister. The boy didn't even like singing solos so why was he in this club? In a way, protective instinct doesn't seem cover it. If that was truly it he have really had separation issues. After the last person was done singing, Mr. Schuester looked up from his clipboard and started to talk about who they were going to let join. Looking around the room, Rivet couldn't help but think for a glee club, as it was they were pretty big and they really didn't need anyone else. Besides... a lot would probably leave after they find out that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Yet, this wasn't something he was going to say. Leave the input up to the seniors. They were always quick to please Mr Schue. So while everyone talked he just nodded his head like he was paying attention but he honestly had no input to go in. His thoughts were let them do what they want because the idea of them staying was probably something fleeting. Despite how weak some of them were, inside they were secretly strong enough to keep going because being in glee was social suicide. But, Rivet didn't have any problems with this since people weren't that interesting around him anyways. Eventually though, it seemed as if the discussion was over and Ian was sent to bring everyone in. As they flooded into the extra seats, Rivet tried to think of the outcome but in ways it was kind of predictable. There was lot of clapping and then finally, ❝ [color=#738678]I am glad to say that after deliberation, we have decided that every single one of you that auditioned has been accepted into McKinley's Glee Club. Great job.[/color] ❞ [i][color=#5D8AA8]I should have thought that to begin with.[/color][/i] Mr. Schue was too nice of a guy to let anyone that had a bit of talent and auditioned not get in. Which made him think he probably just let him in for that reason. Maybe this happened during his duet audition with his sister last year. Maybe they really didn't have any talent but since Mr Schue thought glee club was one of those havens for the kids that didn't fit in, he felt he was obligated to let the kids in. Thought if he needed a real idea of how it was, being in glee just made those already with a haven of social safety have an excuse to be made into a colored kidsicle. Apparently that wasn't it for Mr.Schue's speech though. ❝ [color=#738678]I have already decided upon Glee Club's first assignment.[/color] ❞ [i][color=#5D8AA8]Right. You have...[/color] It was more of a statement then a question. Normally the club took one big thing at a time but apparently not today. After listening to what had to be done, he couldn't help but feel it was something rather easy. After all, he could just ask Holy what song they were going to do and then just learn the part. Same as always. [/i]❝ [color=#738678]Alright, now if you can all come up here one by one and pick a genre. There will be no trading, you must all stick with what the hat gives you. If you get a slip of paper that says wild, that means you can pick a genre of your choice.[/color] ❞ [i][color=#5D8AA8]What?[/color][/i] Meaning... he had to sing by himself? Following after Holy went up to get her genre, Rivet couldn't help but think of how stupid this was. There were probably some people in glee who couldn't sing. They danced or played instrument. Something! His thing was not standing out. Going back to his chair and unfolding the paper, he read the neatly scribbled words. [i][color=#5D8AA8]A ballad... really?[/color][/i] Looking over at Holy, she was staring intently at the paper. What was so interesting about her topic? Quickly, he attempted to take a glance at it but just as he did, she hid it. ❝ [color=#93A2D0]Don't look at it. It should be a surprise.[/color] ❞ Wow. That's just great. [size=20][b][align=center]Time Skip Home[/align][/b][/size] At five, Zhao Hui picked both of them up from school but instead of sending them off to do their own thing he told them to wait in the family room. This situation suddenly made it feel like he was suddenly their father and something bad had happened. In most cases, their older brother was a light hearted guy. He had the facial structure that was similar to Rivets but his sharp features made him look much like Holy. In a way he seemed like he fit the role of their dad more. But when he did things like this, it couldn't help but make anyone worry. When he used such a worried tone of voice, it could only mean something bad was going to happen. Right? Sitting down on the couch next to Holy, the two waited for their brother to sit down. When he did, he looked at the two and laughed unconvincingly. ❝ [color=#B03060]What's with those looks?[/color] ❞ Still, the two continued to wait for the information without changing. ❝ [color=#B03060]Okay you guys know that I'm in collage. Right?[/color] ❞ There was obviously something wrong. He was talking down to them. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]Older brother, please stop avoiding your point. You're going to become a biochemical engineer.[/color] ❞ ❝ [color=#B03060]Yeah...[/color] ❞ scratching behind his head he looked at the two of them again and smiled meekly. ❝ [color=#B03060]This is my fourth year and I'll get my bachelor's in degree chemical engineering but...[/color] ❞ But? If he said it like this the but must affect them but how in the world was his education affecting... No... ❝ [color=#B03060]I also need to get a doctoral degree and I've been offered a nice scholarship for me to go to a nice school somewhere else.[/color] ❞ ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]This year? What about school?![/color] ❞ This uncharacterized outburst made Zhao Hui laugh a bit before he tried to explain, ❝ [color=#B03060]Next year but you would both still be seventeen so you'd have to go back to living with mom and dad.[/color] ❞ ❝ [color=#C2B280]Mom and dad? Living with them would practically be the same thing! It's hard to transfer schools and credits from highschool to highschool.[/color] ❞ Nodding his head, Zhao Hui looked at them with such a sorry expression that Rivet couldn't blame him. ❝ [color=#B03060]About that...[/color] ❞ he said slowly, ❝ [color=#B03060]They told me they would be comeing to visit soon. They've probably already thought this out.[/color] ❞ As this came out of his mouth, both of the twin stood up and bent over the small end table between them. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]How soon? For them soon is...[/color] ❞ ❝ [color=#C2B280]... anywhere from a few days to a few months[/color] ❞ [size=20][b][align=center]~2 Day Time Skip[/align][/b][/size] Two days had passed since the parents incident. Somehow, Rivet managed to push the through deep into his mind with the idea that for them they would probably only make it at some obscure time near the end of the year. For now, the main thing on his mind was the glee project. Last time they had a solo project, around his turn he always seemed to find an excuse to be away but maybe Mr. Schue picked up on that considering yesterday he came up to him and asked him if he was okay. Rivet was completely positive what lie he made up but apparently it was quite convincing because he was free to go. Was Mr. Schue really worried that he didn't do solos? What was wrong with a kid not doing solos? So for now, he just worked at the kitchen table with his laptop in front of him straining himself over this topic. ❝ [color=#B03060]This is odd. Is my brother Hui Qing actually struggling with homework?[/color] ❞ Looking up from what he was doing, Rivet saw his older brother standing over him. Obviously he got the wrong idea. So as the older boy took a seat, he tried to explain. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]In glee we have a solo assignment over assigned genres.[/color] ❞ Frowning a bit as he thought it through, finally Zhao Hui hit his hands together. ❝ [color=#B03060]I got it! That's that thing you joined with Li Jie. Singing a solo. Wow... how I'd love to see that.[/color] ❞ Looking his brother over, Zhao Hui wasn't sure this was the same kid. the Hui Qing he knew would never do anything to make him stand out like that. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]It's not a joking matter. I have to get this right.[/color] ❞ Blinking a couple of times, it didn't make any sense. ❝ [color=#B03060]You've already been in Glee for a year now. Shouldn't it be easier? I've never seen you work this hard before.[/color] ❞ ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]Yeah it's just that...[/color] ❞ as he kept going what he was saying slowly turned into an untranslatable mumble. Despite what everyone though, his younger brother could act cute too despite what he thought but Zhao Hui wouldn't say anything about it. Suddenly though, his talking got louder. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]... but ballads are just not my strong point.[/color] ❞ A Ballad? ❝ [color=#B03060]Sing something like [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEZ_JixcWLk][color=#b03060]Sorry[/color][/url]. That's an easy song.[/color] ❞ Rolling his eyes, Rivet looked back at his brother. He had to remember that Zhao Hui was total blow things up type of nerd that made valedictorian. Music wasn't his forte. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]Older brother, that's a modern day idea of a ballad but it's not a real ballad.[/color] ❞ The look on his brother's face obviously showed that whatever Rivet was saying made no sense to him. Sighing, Rivet closed his laptop and completely turned to face Zhao Hui. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]Nowadays, everyone just listens to rock and rap and techno, things of that nature. So, true ballads are hard to find because everyone assumes they are just love songs. The true popularity of a classic ballad isn't seen since now most sentimental love songs are seen as ballads.[/color] ❞ Nodding a bit, Zhao Hui continued to listen to his little brother but he honestly didn't remember him being so into anything either. Not even when he was in sanshou. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]A true ballad is made up of ballad stanzas. Those being blank versed iambically rhythmed quatrains.[/color] ❞ Looking at his brother's face again another thing popped into his head. English wasn't Zhao Hui's strong subject either. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]Quatrains are four lined poems. Blank verse is when there is no rhyming. Iambic is and English literary term when the syllables alternate stressed and unstressed. Shakespeare's plays are a good example.[/color] ❞ Frowning again, Zhao Hui spoke up again. ❝ [color=#B03060]So... you are going to be singing Shakespeare?[/color] ❞ He obviously didn't get it. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]No. What I'm saying is that in this time there are no real ballads. Then if I sing something old then no one will be interested.[/color] ❞ Getting up from his chair, Zhao Hui sighed and pushed it in. ❝ [color=#B03060]You are thinking about it too hard then. It's a modern day group then sing the modern day version of a ballad. Then just change it a bit if you don't like it, so it will fit your ideas of a ballad. Now go back to your room, I'm going to make dinner.[/color] ❞ Grabbing his things, Rivet thought over what he said. [i][color=#5D8AA8]Change it to my modern day ballad?[/color][/i] [size=20][b][align=center]~2 Day Time Skip[/align][/b][/size] As usual, before his alarm clock even went off, Rivet laid in bed just waiting for it to do so. For some odd reason he always seemed to be able to wake up before his set time on the alarm clock but when he didn't set it, he was always late. So when it finally rang, he quickly slammed on the snooze button then turned off the alarm. Pulling out a pair of black pants out of his drawers, he also picked out a black and grey stared t-shirt. Looking into his closet, Rivet also pulled out a white sploched hoodie and a grey fedora. Deciding that last night he had already showered and it's not like he did anything to interesting afterwords, he went ahead and just changed into that day's attire. Running a bit of gel through his hair, Rivet felt that was all he really needed to go. Picking his bag off of his desk chair, he turned to leave the room but quickly turned back to grab the sheet music arrangements he had been working on. [i][color=#5D8AA8]If I'm going to do this, I really can't forget that.[/color][/i] He wanted to get it over as soon as possible and today he was going to go no matter what so if he forgot his music, things would end up not according to plan. As he opened his door, Holy opened her too and she giggled. ❝ [color=#93A2D0]Leaving at the same time as me? What a twin like thing to do![/color] ❞ It was, wasn't it? Looking at the large paper she held in her hands, Rivet couldn't help but frown. ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]Mrs. Burgess told me you were done with all your projects.[/color] ❞ he said motioning to paper in her hands as the two began to walk down the hall, out to their bus stop. ❝ [color=#C2B280]I am. I just asked if I could do some touchups on this one since the project is technically due today.[/color] ❞ The way she smiled brightly it must have turned out good. ❝ [color=#C2B280]If anyone is weird, it's you. In school colors I see. Black and white.[/color] ❞ ❝ [color=DarkSlateBlue]It's not intentional. Besides, this is grey.[/color] ❞ ❝ [color=#C2B280]But white and black make grey!~[/color] ❞ Thinking it over, her reasoning really didn't make any sense. It was like saying blue and yellow made green so green was like yellow. Though, he wasn't going to be the one to argue it. She was the one in art after all. Arriving at school, the two went to their shared locker just as the bell rang. It being another 'A' day, the two didn't part. They walked to their first period Algebra II Honors class. Taking his normal seat in the back of the room, Rivet zoned off. Whatever the teacher was teaching obviously wasn't that interesting because the rest of the room was also buzzing with the excitement. Apparently the events to come seemed to be more important and even the teacher seemed out of it. Looking over at Holy, Rivet smiled as she attempted to listen to the teacher's obviously half-baked lecture. Although they were twins, she always had to work twice as hard to get his grades which was a shame. Still, class went on to whatever extent this class was. Everything seemed relatively normal. Another boring homecoming where people got pointlessly excited over nothing. So as they finally parted ways for their next class, Rivet couldn't help but let the glee ordeal take over his mind. [size=20][b][align=center]~2 Hour Time Skip[/align][/b][/size] In every third period class, the doors seemed to bust open as kids rushed out to see the pep rally. It was but yet another ordeal that Rivet really didn't want to deal with. Taking a seat in the back of the bleachers so he didn't have to really pay attention to all the shenanigans, he scoped around to look for Holy but with all the head, he could see her. What a pain. He was just going to have to sit here and deal with being bored the whole time. After all, the whole pep rally thing didn't change much. No one was going to drastically decide to go to the homecoming game because their class screamed the loudest. So in the end it was just something to show how much of a slut a cheerleader could be. It only showed that the school supported the social standings to be where they were. Saying that it's okay for the football players to be the rulers of the school and the cheerleaders the sluts. It's all okay. Honestly, it made no sense how they could obviously support something that was so complained about in their so called teaching. "No Student Left Behind" probably wasn't that important anymore was it? Everyone's heard it once or twice. "School is like your second home" but it made no sense why freshmen were at homecoming. They just arrived so it's not like they are homing back home like the seniors or juniors were. Sophomores as well. They had only been to school for one year so it wasn't much of a home anymore then any of their other schools had been a home. The only reason they probably left things like that open was so they had an excuse to have only junior senior prom. It was also another way to show off the school's fail football team. Which was pathetic to go to no matter how much spirit you had. When a school loses their homecoming game it's usually not a happy spectacle. The only thing that keeps the crowd lively is that half of them aren't even paying attention to what is happening and are just socializing. An excuse to their parents to get out and socialize without the parents breathing down their neck about what they are doing since it's a school sponsored event so nothing bad could happen. But they say that but there is hot kisses and pot dealing under the bleachers on normal days. How could they assume it was all safe? Eventually though, through all his talking, Rivet failed to notice that the event had ended. Looking at his phone again, it cut part ways into lunch time. Sighing, it was such a waste pf time he didn't know what to say about it anymore. Looking through the crowd, he tried to spot his sister but she was nowhere in sight. Biting on the bottom of his lip, he sat back down on the bleachers and waited for the area to clear because there was no way he was going to fight through that crowd. So for now, he reached into his bag and pulled out another red bean bun to start eating. As he did so, he made sure not to spill any crumbs on the bleachers because he didn't want to be the one being yelled at for destroying the state of the gym. Not that it was any better without his help. Somehow, with everyone's attention focused on the skanky cheerleaders, the many students of McKinley high still managed to make it seem as if a storm had blown through. It was a hard thought to considering cleaning it up if he was the janitor or the likes. So as he stood up from eating, Rivet picked up some of the trash around him and dumped it in the trash can before leaving the gym. Checking his watch, he had a little bit of time left. Maybe Holy went to the cafeteria to eat since she didn't carry around food like he did. Yet, as he got there, she wasn't in their usual spot. Quickly, he rushed to the locker but she wasn't their either. Finally thinking about it, maybe she went back to her third period drawing and painting II class. So, as he made his way there, the bell rang. For a while, he stood in front of the doors expecting her to come out but she never did. Where in the world could she be? Yet, he had to get to class, the only thing he could hope for now was that she had passed him and somehow was making it on her way to class. Somehow. [size=20][b][align=center]~2 Hour Time Skip[/align][/b][/size] Class was over but oddly enough, there was one student who rushed out the door earlier then he normally would. Wandering the halls for a few minutes, Rivet found it awfully weird. Where in the world was Holy? It was impossible for him to not see her all day, right? Maybe he was just worrying too much. Looking at his phone, people would start showing up in glee and he didn't want to be late. Besides, if she was anywhere, that was where she was going to be. Quickly stopping by the locker to drop off books, he noted that her things were untouched but tried to push the thought away. She was going to be in the choir room. She had to be. With that thought in mind, he pulled out the music folder and made his way to club. Walking in though, the first thing he noticed was she wasn't there. Maybe she had to stay in the art room for a project. He really couldn't leave now that he walked in. Opening his mouth, he was about to ask if anyone had seen her but he felt that they would probably laugh since it always seemed to be his job to watch over her. So, instead he took his seat which seemed amazingly lonely without Holy next to him. As people began to come in, it seemed like some of the other people knew that it was her designated seat since they avoided it. Or, they were just sitting in their usual spots. But, when the waves finally stopped coming and activities began to start, she never came. Yet, things were going to begin and as always Mr. Schue was taking volunteers. Sighing, he raised his hand which was odd for him. One for the fact it was usually Holy who did it when he sang and two because when he did sing it was never a solo. He always avoided those. ❝ [color=#00416A]I'd like to go Mr. Schue.[/color] ❞ [size=9][list][list][color=#00416A]Hui Qing talking.[/color] • [color=DarkSlateBlue]Hui Qing speaking Chinese[/color] • [color=#93A2D0]Li Jie talking[/color] • [color=#C2B280]Li Jie speaking Chinese[/color] • [color=#B03060]Zhao Hui talking[/color] • [color=#738678]Anyone else talking.[/color] • [i][color=#5D8AA8]Thoughts[/color][/i][/list][/list][/size][/size] [imgright]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk285/Tastless/Roleplay/He.jpg[/imgright] [align=center][size=10][color=dimgrey][color=white]XXXXXXX[/color]For a very long time, I have had no news of you.[color=white]XXXXXXXXXXXX[/color] [color=white]XXX[/color]What day is it? [color=white]X[/color]I’ve broken my promise with you again. I’m sorry,[color=white]XXXXXXXXX[/color] It truly wasn’t on purpose. Sometimes, I have no chance to accompany you.[color=white]XXXX[/color] [color=white]XXXXXXXXXXXX[/color]You always forgive me. [color=white]XXX[/color]I won’t let go of my responsibilities for you. [color=white]X[/color]I’m sorry. I shouldn’t let you get injured.[color=white]XXXXXXXXXXXX[/color] Sometimes you will yield to me [color=white]XXXXXXXX[/color] Even if I am a big man and get angry[color=white]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[/color] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEZ_JixcWLk][color=#A99A86][u][color=#8C92AC]Sorry[/color] // [color=#8C92AC]Wang Zi[/color][/u][/color][/url][/align][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list][/list]

The waitress came by to take their orders. Ray had leaned back and interlaced his fingers behind his head, so he just nodded and smiled brightly when she, a middle-aged woman with her hair in a fat bun, stopped and looked at him first for his order. "Call me crazy as a loon," he said, "but I'm taking the Five Alarm Red Curry Challenge. So's he. Oh, and could we get some garlic naan to dislodge the capsicin from our poor taste buds? That's a beaut, thank you."

Gene blinked a couple times as he was promptly ordered for, but his lack of vocal objection caused the waitress to nod to both of them in return, offer a glib "Thank you, we'll have that right out," and walk off again. Ray for his part looked entirely unrepentant, and also looked like he was contemplating treating his half of the booth like a chaise lounge. It was known to happen. To Ray Gordon, anyway. Less often since he got out of college, but as he sometimes said, you could take the boy out of the DCU Department of Theater, you couldn't take the DCU Department of Theater out of the boy.

"Don't look so glum," said Ray, though Gene had not really been looking so anything as far as he could tell, 'glum' being especially low on the list he might've been looking. "Cheer up, Funshine Bear. We're on a date. I'll get the check. Yes, I know you make more money than me, allow me to live in my little fantasy world where this affirms my masculinity rather than shows its true colors as a naked gesture of overcompensation." Apparently dissatisfied with just stirring the ice in his drink, he picked the straw up with his teeth like a cartoon farmer with a piece of wheat. "So hey, I realize you and that spoon are having some special time right now -- you don't bend the spoon, honey, you bend yourself -- but have you ever considered just buckling down and investing in a compact mirror like you know you want to?"

"I live and die by the sword, gentlemen," said Ray, though the closest other gentlemen in sight were a pair of clearly buzzed DCU frat boys struggling their way through the pronunciation of saag aloo on the menu. It hadn't been so long ago that Ray and Gene had been their age, would've shot them disdainful looks and disparaged them over their Cokes. It would've been a mix of natural social group animosity and pre-emptive defensiveness, a perception of a kind of Your Kind Ain't Welcome Here sign tacked up over Greek Row at DCU. Well, Tainted Love was too fast to dance to, and they'd left them all behind. Those were their college years. Maybe it had been a long time.

A lot of things could change in eight years.

Ray folded his napkin over his lap: one of the few things he ever did neatly at a table. He would always sit up straight, unfold the napkin, orient it carefully over his legs, straighten it so the edges were parallel to the table, fold his hands in his lap and then promptly go back to slouching, kicking his feet up on things and his various other Rayish mannerisms that indicated his cheerful but harmless contempt for polite society. Gene had always supposed that the one vestige of civilized manners was something that Mama Gordon had beaten into him too hard to forget, but it would've been awkward to ask.

Speaking of awkward, this was the most awkward silence they'd had since Gene had sat down. They were clearly both starting to notice. Ray leaned on one of his elbows and blew into the straw wrapper for his drink, inflating it. "But tell you what, Comrade Yevgeniy, I'll go this with you if you go it with me," he said. "My girlfriend, she never wants to go here -- 'I know why you want to go there, and I know you'll drag me into it too,' she says. Personally I think she's quite adept at saying no, and she just doesn't want to look phenomenally unhardcore while I burn off my nerve endings in the pursuit of true manhood."

The naan basket was slapped down in front of them unceremoniously and their waitress left again. Ray took small sips of his water like a Steel Magnolia and ignored the bread as he considered Gene's question -- which didn't appear to faze him in the least, of course it didn't, who would have expected it to? Any irony either escaped him or flew right over his hairgelled brunette head: or pinged right off his button-down shirt, like you could expect to find an "S" emblazoned behind it. You could never, of course, expect anything different of Ray; there were select topics that broke his titanium facade, naturally, he wasn't actually superhuman. He had an ego like any man: worse than any man, really, and that was saying a lot. It had the usual sore spots. They just didn't include who he was dating, or anything anyone else might think of that.

"Her name's Steph. She's a music teacher at Crystal, and half-runs the theater program over there." Crystal Academy had been one place that had turned Ray down at the interview, at age 24. He'd sworn a half-joking moratorium. Apparently Steph was reason to break this. "I dunno, she likes a lot of Wii games and got me into watching Glee. This is our -- sixth month seeing each other?" Ray did not date women for six months. "It's been pretty good. You can meet her if you like."

Ray, for his part, reacted fast. That'd always been true of Ray Gordon. He was a real Quick Draw McGraw. Sometimes Gene wished that something he did, just once, ever gave Ray enough pause to just sit there and look flabbergasted like a normal person. But he didn't, just closed in on the situation smoothly like he did every time Gene did something that threatened to become a scene -- in this case, he took a thoughtful drink of his water and smacked his other hand down over Gene's when Gene reached for a napkin after the naan. "Now, you just hold on a sec," he said like he'd just caught Gene stealing office supplies. "You just hold your horses there, pardner."

In the ensuing silence Ray picked up his water, still without looking up, and drank the rest of it down, tilting it back to finish it. The ice rattled around in the cup when he was done. He gave it another rattle and set down the glass.

"So where is it exactly you think you're going," he said, saying goin' like he always claimed he didn't, "before we put both our names on that wall up there?"

"Oh, so there are. Deepest apologies, ma'am." Ray obliged and disentangled his hand, albeit taking his sweet time of it, and retrieved another napkin for to replace his stolen one. Once Gene stepped out of her way, touching his hair a bit (he had this inexplicable disheveled feeling) the waitress put down both plates of curry, which had a deceptively mild brownish color. At this point there was really no option for Gene to do anything but sit down, which he did opposite Ray, a little breathless. Ray didn't betray any victory except with an introspective little smile at the napkin he was now straightening over his lap -- a little row of white teeth. He then transferred his gaze to his plate.

"Now look what you've gone and done," remarked Ray. "Another place for our collection of places I can't go back to. Why do you do these things, baby? I can't take you anywhere." He clapped his hands together. "All right, armistice declared on the irony or unirony of my watching of the hit TV show Glee -- which, by the way, I will note I never said I did watch unironically," he picked up his fork, "let's dance to the masochism tango."