[FIN] A Murder of Crows

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Ah, sorry," the blond said, an apology in his face as well as his words, "I just want to do whatever you want to do. But a drink sounds good, we can stop at a bar and grab a couple shots, then figure out what to do next, yeah? I know there's a couple bars not too far from here, we can head to the nearest one."


After a trip to the bar and a sojourn to its bathroom, the trio headed to an inexpensive restaurant for some cheap tacos as an early dinner. With a tray of said dinner and drinks in hand, Abel turned and headed towards the table they'd picked, nestled in the corner as it was. "Alright, tacos," he said as he set the tray down on the table and set Zevran's food and drink in front of him before offering Sonia hers. He wasn't particularly hungry, himself, but food was a necessity. The last time he'd had an unpleasant outing without eating, he'd ended up sick and almost completely useless the whole time, and he wanted to avoid that this time.  

[TawnyAngel]

As he waited for Abel to return Zevran beat a restless tattoo on the surface of the table with the fingers of his right hand and traced the tattoos on his face with those of his left. The smell of the cheap, terrible tacos that was usually so very tempting turned his stomach but so would anything right now and he knew he needed to eat. How long now? He checked the time on his phone, locked it, and then checked it against almost instantly as though it would have changed.

When Abel returned Zevran locked the screen again and put the phone away in his pocket. "Thank you," he said with a rather resigned sigh as Abel put his tray down in front of him. He looked at the tacos. He could think of few things worse than eating them right now, but one of those things was much more likely if he did not. "I would have liked to simply stay at the bar," he muttered and then picked up a taco with a frown of determination knitting his brows.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Sonia accepted her food gratefully - a meaty quesadilla, something easy for her to hold and not potentially messy like tacos - and happily bit into it. Unlike the pair of humans, she had no trouble whatsoever with eating at the moment.

Abel sighed as he slipped down into his seat and picked up one of his own tacos, but simply frowned down at it rather than take a bite. "I know," he said with another, lighter sigh, "but we both need to eat something. We can always go back to the bar later -- after." Now he looked up at his boyfriend again, any hints of weariness at their situation gone completely, replaced by determination and traces of confidence. They could go back anytime they wanted to, because Zevran would be alive to do so. He would, and nothing or no one could ever convince him otherwise.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Ah. Yes. We can go back afterwards." Zevran smiled tightly. "I will probably need a drink when this is done." The best possible outcome was that he killed Taliesen, his oldest friend who had endured so much side by side with him. How often had they saved one another's lives? How many evenings had the whiled away on rooftops with carafes of bad wine - better as the years passed - and plates of food that he had cooked or Taliesen had brought in? And now he had to kill him, or be killed by him.

Zevran swallowed down a feeling of nausea and took a bite of his taco.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Mmh," Abel replied with another frown before taking a bite of his taco. Well that had gone over spectacularly, hadn't it? He had no idea what to say that he hadn't said already, he really hadn't a clue. Maybe he didn't need to say anything? Maybe just being there was enough?

Still feeling as if he ought to say something but unable to think of anything worthwhile to say, the taller blond took another quiet bite of his taco.  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran continued to eat his taco without enthusiasm, too lost in his own thoughts to notice Abel's silence.

While silence held Abel's phone pinged an IM notification. The message read; //Hi, where are you guys whats up? Pokemon r worried.//  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Well... At least he was eating, which was more than he could claim for himself back when Zev helped him get through the whole chaotic evening with Patty.

The buzz of his phone drew his attention, so he lowered his taco with one hand so he could pull out his phone with the other. Who... ah, Taavi. Of course it was Taavi; really he should've expected it. Abel hummed softly, thoughtfully, for just a moment before he tapped out a brief response: //Out getting dinner. We'll be back later//  

[TawnyAngel]

Back in the apartment Taavi read the response, frowned, and looked down at Isaac. "Out getting dinner?" Well that was no reason to worry... So why was Isaac worried? //OK but something's up here,// he replied. Maybe something had happened outside or...? Taavi shook his head and went into the kitchen to find some water for himself and dinner for the pokemon.

When Abel's phone buzzed for the second time Zevran glanced up with a slight crease of concern between his brows. "Who is it?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Isaac whined up at Taavi, ears slicked back against his skull.

Abel frowned down at his phone for a moment or two. Of course he'd be suspicious. Maybe not suspicious, but definitely... something. "Mmh, Taavi," he replied somewhat absently as he debated whether or not to respond, or if so, what to respond with. He didn't want to just lie to his best friend, but he didn't want to explain the whole situation either. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, his colorful eyes flicked over to Zevran's bright amber ones. "He knows something's up," he explained as he turned the phone and held it out for his boyfriend to see the brief exchange. "I'm not sure what to tell him, if anything at all."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Ah." Zevran took another small bite of his taco and frowned as he chewed it. "I am not sure either," he said with a shrug once he'd swallowed. "Telling him the truth is not an option of course but leaving him completely in the dark seems cruel. Perhaps... perhaps just tell him there is something we are dealing with?" Perhaps they should also tell Taavi that if they weren't back by sunrise he should... What? Look for them? There would be nothing to be found.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Yeah, I was thinking more or less the same thing," he admitted, his voice turning thoughtful again as he went back to debating how to respond. No, he couldn't tell him the whole truth, and leaving him completely out of it when he knew something wasn't right wasn't an option either... Abel frowned a bit again before pulling his phone back to type out another reply. //Something is up, we're going to deal with it in a few hours//  

[TawnyAngel]

//Can I help?// was the immediate response.

Zevran eyed Abel's phone as it buzzed again but said nothing, he could guess the tone of the message; Taavi would ask if there was anything he could do. "The further away from this he stays the better," Zevran muttered more or less to himself, he didn't doubt that Abel felt the same.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

And now Taavi was asking if he could help... and Zevran was saying no, he should stay away. Even if the pair weren't as close, they at least knew each other more than well enough. "You read my mind again, sweetheart," Abel murmured absently in response as he typed out another brief message to Taavi. //Not yet. Maybe after sunset//  

[TawnyAngel]

Sweetheart; it almost never failed to bring a shy, warm smile to his lips. There was little shyness this afternoon - tension had taken its place - but the warmth remained. "I aim to please of course," he attempted to jest, but then he sighed and added; "It is good to know he is safe and with the other pokemon."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Since Taavi had stopped replying for the moment - plus he had more important things to address - Abel set his phone down on the table before reaching his now empty hand over to take one of Zevran's, giving it a firm squeeze as he aimed a small, tentative smile at him. "Yeah, they'll be home safe and sound." And so will we later, he wanted to add, but couldn't coax the words to his lips, because would they really? He had no way of knowing, to be honest. Neither of them did. ...no, no; he couldn't think like that. They would both make it home safe again.