[FIN] Broken Bonds

[BlackFireKitsune]

As Zevran worked his way through what he wanted to make, the taller blond shifted to sit a bit more comfortably and stuffed a piece of the pancake into his mouth. He waited patiently, quietly, and was thankful that Zev didn't try to turn it back around - he would've been just as helpful - though he couldn't help but second-guess himself. Should he have asked like that? Was he making Zev uncomfortable because of it?

But then the shorter blond replied more or less decisively, albeit a little hesitantly, and Abel gave him as warm and encouraging a smile as he could manage with pancake in his mouth. He swallowed and said, "I think so too. Shellfish sounds perfect. When d'you think you'll want to go out shopping?"

Oh! "These are really good by the way," he added, lifting his fork with another piece of pancake on it to clarify his meaning, "thanks again for making them."  

[TawnyAngel]

The decision was made and everyone was happy, no more problem. Zevran relaxed a little and started to smile again as he cut his first piece of pancake and speared it with his fork. "I am glad you are enjoying; mixing the batter is all in the motion of the wrist," he said with a sly wink, which made him feel a lot more certain about life and his position in it than he had back in the kitchen. "And I suppose I should drop back to my place before I go shopping, I should put on clean clothes, but... mmh, yes I think I will want to leave in the next hour or so? The best shellfish tends to be bought early so I do not want to leave it too late. It would not be much of a celebratory dinner with second rate crab."

"Bad seafood is bad," Taavi agreed, and immediately felt like an idiot for the phrase. "Err, you know what I mean," he added with a brief laugh, because while he felt like an idiot he knew neither bold would treat him like one. "And, um, yeah these are great! And I'm really looking forward to dinner." He still wondered just what it was that Alyssa - Patty, he wanted to use the less flattering name even inside his head - had been holding over Abel. Was this a good time to ask or...? No, they were having a nice breakfast, it was probably a really bad time.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

A smirk crossed Abel's face for a brief moment, until he stuffed another pancake into his mouth. While he thoroughly enjoyed flirting with Zevran, he felt a bit bad doing so in front of Taavi. Too much, anyway; a little was fine.

"Ah, okay," he replied with a nod once he'd swallowed his bite of pancake, then used his fork to cut off another piece. "Yeah, that makes sense; I think a lot of places are like that, like bakeries." Going back to his place... The thought left a bad taste in his mouth; he really didn't care for the fact Zev lived in a warehouse. Not that he had anything against his friend being somewhat homeless - even if he considered the warehouse his home - no, his problem lay in the fact that winter was upon them and the warehouse had no heat, electricity or running water. It'd offer relief from the wind and the snow, at least, but not from the cold. That wasn't the topic up for discussion, though, so he set the thoughts aside for the time being and used his piece of pancake to soak up some of the syrup that had dripped off onto the plate. "I might.. take a nap, I guess," the blond suggested with a faint frown. "I'm tired of being tired, but it'll probably be good if I do. I am looking forward to dinner, too," he added, the frown morphing into a smile. Turning his focus to Taavi then, Abel asked, "What about you? D'you work today or are you off after your super long shift yesterday?"  

[TawnyAngel]

"Yeah I'm off today, and tomorrow too," Taavi confirmed once he'd swallowed his mouthful. "I... you know I think I'll just hang out here and be lazy, I can't remember the last time I did that without feeling like something was going to drop on me any minute. Heh. And after all that she didn't even have anything on me." It was over now, that was what mattered.

"Si," Zevran nodded, "anything where freshness is important. And you know in an hour or so you could class it as a siesta, and that is very civilized. Either way you have a lot of rest to catch up on and all of that running around did you no good; spend time relaxing, and browse the internet for something to buy with the money you will have when you get paid!"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Ah, that's good. Days off are nice, especially when you can enjoy them," he said with an approving nod. Days off... Alyssa had almost always come to bother him during his days off, which was why he'd taken efforts to have as few as he possibly could. Sure it meant more money to give to her, but it usually meant less time spent in her presence, too. But none of that mattered now; she was gone, she couldn't bother them anymore, and he felt so much lighter now than he had in.. two years, actually. "Hanging around and being lazy sounds like the perfect way to spend a day off. Maybe we can watch a movie or something?" He added, looking to Taavi for his opinion as he took another bite of pancake.

"Mm, yeah, exactly. Hm.." What would he do? He really didn't want to nap, but he also couldn't really do a whole lot... But then again, sitting and watching a movie, or surfing the internet didn't really count as 'doing a whole lot' so that was probably fine. "I might do that, I really don't know what I'll spend money on now." ...what would he spend money on, besides the obvious things like food, evolution stones, and a trip home for Christmas? And Christmas presents, of course. Was there anything he really wanted...? Well, maybe he'd think of something eventually.  

[TawnyAngel]

"I'm sure there are a lot of sites that would love to give you ideas," Zevran replied with a chuckle, almost everywhere on the internet was trying to sell you something or at least to extract money from you in some form.

"Oh, yeah, that sounds good!" Taavi nodded as he took a second pancake and drizzled syrup over it. "I haven't watched a movie in forever so... um... yeah that'd be-" If he didn't ask now when would he ask? Taavi groaned, put his fork down and rubbed his face. "Okay this is probably a bad time but there's probably not a good time and you don't have to answer if you don't want to but I've always wondered...." Just ask! "Um... Abel what information did Alyssa have about you?" Well he'd said it now, he couldn't un-say it.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel chuckled a bit as he cut off another piece of pancake with his fork. "Oh I'm sure there are." He'd find.. something. He didn't really need a new car, maybe a new couch...? His current one had someone sleeping on it every night for the past... Too many months. It wouldn't hurt to look, anyway. ...ohh, maybe Zevran would want to go couch shopping with him? ....aaand furniture shopping was not something he should take him to do, no, bad idea. Maybe Taavi.

Good, movies were nice, and he had a decent collection to choose... from?

Taavi's abrupt groan and question gave the taller blond pause; his eyebrows arched a bit for a few seconds before lowering again, and his gaze shifted from his friend back down to his plate as he frowned at it thoughtfully. "Ah.. Yeah, no, I don't think there's really a good time to ask something like that," he agreed, mostly to buy himself some time to think. Did he want to answer..? Not really, but he wasn't as incredibly opposed to it now as he was in the beginning, especially after he'd dragged Taavi into it with him. At the very least he deserved to know at least part of it. After spending so much time with them both, he had a better idea of how they'd react to things, though that wasn't to say he would divulge everything. No, certainly not everything, but maybe the beginning wouldn't hurt... Probably. Would that satisfy Taavi? Perhaps. He hoped so.

Realizing that he'd been frowning down at his plate while absent-mindedly pushing the small piece of pancake all around it, Abel shook himself mentally and looked up at them both. "So I know I told you, Taavi, about how my baby sister was killed when she was just a kid," he began, then shifted his gaze from Taavi to Zev as he began to idly tap his fork against his plate. "That happened about ten years ago, almost exactly. As if that wasn't bad enough to go through on its own, they caught the guy who did it and he went to trial, but that dragged on for ages. They suspected he'd done it at least once before, but for some reason," his expression hardened, his lips pursed and his voice gained an uncharacteristically angry edge, "they let him get off on some technicality. Not enough evidence, couldn't prove that he had definitely been the one to do it - some bullshit - so he got to go free." The tapping on the plate grew a bit faster and louder until he realized what he was doing, and made an effort to hold the fork still.

After drawing in another breath to calm himself - even after so long it still upset him, and he knew it always would no matter how much time had passed since his precious little sister had been so cruelly snatched away - he let it out in a quiet sigh, his features relaxing a bit, though he kept his gaze focused on his plate. "The year after that - sometime in summer, I can't remember when it was exactly - I learned that he was planning to do it again to another little kid, to another family. I... don't think I can ever really describe what it was like to have to go through it, but I would never wish that on anyone else, so..."  

[TawnyAngel]

Taavi listened in silence and growing horror as Abel spoke, he wanted to believe that it couldn't be true but all you had to have was reasonable doubt right? Where was Abel going with this though, how had this led to Alyssa having something to blackmail him with?... Oh. Had he...? That must be what he meant, there wasn't anything else he could mean or anything else that could give Alyssa something to work with from it.

When Abel trailed off into silence Taavi got up from his chair and moved around the table to stand behind his friend's chair. For a moment he looked down at him helplessly as he tried to think of something to say, but there wasn't anything to say so he gave up and leant down to hug him instead.

So Abel had killed him, there was one piece of the puzzle but he didn't believe for a moment that it was all of it. Taavi probably did and he was happy for that to remain the case, Taavi hadn't seen how thick that envelope was and didn't know that Alyssa had been confident that Abel could assassinate her employer. You didn't become a reliable assassin with one kill, certainly not of a mark like Dirksen. If Abel had tried and failed chances were high that it would have come back on Alyssa and she must have known this, if Abel had tried and failed she would have lost more than his income.

These thoughts passed though Zevran's mind in the few moments it took Taavi to stand up and then silently embrace Abel; Zevran found himself equally lost for words. What must it be like to lose somebody you loved? He couldn't imagine it, it was safer not to care at all... But he did care, perhaps too much - he recalled the panic that had gripped him when the rifle had been aimed at Abel, and seeing him like this now made his heart ache terribly - and yet... yet he didn't want to stop caring. It felt good to care, and to be cared about. Had he ever been as happy as he was in Abel's company? If he had then it was beyond the reach of his memory.

He wanted to comfort his friend but he didn't know how, what did people say and do at times like this? Taavi was already hugging him so....

After another few moments Zevran reached across the table to take Abel's hand if he would allow him to do so. "I am sorry," he said haltingly. "You did the world a large favour... but I wish you had not needed to." Anyone who would harm children for their own gain, or simple amusement, deserved a lingering death but failing that a quick one would do.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

It felt a little awkward to be comforted and consoled over a ten year old memory - even if it had been the worst memory he'd had - but it felt nice that his friends cared so much for him to offer what comfort they could. The taller blond smiled a bit as he wrapped one arm around Taavi to return the hug. Zevran's gesture, while he was quite sure it was meant to console him, instead made his heart jump a little; all the same Abel curled his fingers around Zev's and gladly held his hand. "Don't worry about it," he said after a moment or two of thought. It wasn't nothing but it had happened years ago, and he had long since accepted his sister's untimely death. Her killer's fate had also given him some semblance of closure too, or at least the knowledge that he wouldn't be able to do to anyone else what he had done to their family.

Well, now what? Taavi was hopefully satisfied with that, and maybe Zev would be too... Although maybe not, given what hints he'd gleaned from their late night adventure. Either way they didn't need to discuss it any further, nor did he want to discuss it any further, so with a somewhat brighter smile at them both - though his gaze lingered on Zevran for a moment longer than necessary - he said, "Oh, look, pancakes!"  

[TawnyAngel]

"Mmmmmmh!" Taavi squeezed Abel tightly for a few moments and then agreed; "Pancakes," as he released him and returned to his seat. Knowing what had happened was... what, a relief he guessed? He hadn't thought Abel had done anything awful but yes it was a relief to know that far from awful he'd done something good, illegal but good.

Zevran smiled slightly at Abel and squeezed his hand for a moment before releasing him and picking his fork up again. "Pancakes," he said, feeling as though he ought to complete the pattern. And then, because changing the subject was definitely required, he continued; "Now that you will both have money again perhaps we should plan to go together around the winter market when it comes to the city? I have already seen it advertised so I think it must be quite special?"

"Oh, yeah!" Taavi nodded. "It's there for like, most of December I think? I went around last year a bit, it's got lots of cool stuff, buuut I didn't really have any money then even before I got fired from Meat Palace. Heh, man I do no miss that place."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Pancakes. With that thought in mind, Abel speared his last bit of pancake, soaked up some syrup with it, then popped it into his mouth. As he chewed, he reached for his second pancake. "Mm," he hummed thoughtfully before he swallowed and said, "I think that sounds like fun, yeah. I don't remember if I went last year - probably not - but I think going this year would be fun. Maybe there'll be some interesting stuff to buy," he mused aloud as he poured syrup over the pancake and then cut into it with his fork.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot that's what that restaurant was called," Abel admitted thoughtfully as he glanced over at Taavi with a faintly amused smile. "I'm glad you don't work there anymore. I mean it did suck that you got fired, but I'd like to think everything after that worked out... eventually."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Meat Palace?" Zevran gave a brief laugh and grinned salaciously from Taavi, to Abel, then back again. "And you say this was a restaurant, just an ordinary one? What a waste of a name! It ought to have been a strip club staffed by muscular well endowed men or at least a restaurant where you are served by such men wearing small well-fitted shorts, little crowns, and perhaps roller-skates?"

Taavi stared over at Zevran, a speared piece of pancake hovering motionless half way to his mouth. "I..." He could feel heat rising to his face as images flashed through his mind. "I... would definitely eat at a Meat Palace like that! I don't think I'd work there though, so you can have that imaginary job Zev. You're probably better on skates than me, and not bothered by people staring at you in tiny shorts." He'd been quite happy to wander around in his underwear earlier, he couldn't imagine him being shy in any situation!... Well unless you said he was adorable apparently.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel returned Zev's salacious grin with his own. "Right? I don't know why they decided to name it that without using that kind of theme, but," he shrugged as he stuck another bite of pancake into his mouth. Their loss. Once he'd swallowed, he hummed thoughtfully as he pondered such a restaurant. ...no, he didn't really think he'd be into that sort of restaurant. His attraction to Zev surprised even him, and as yet he hadn't really come across another man he liked flirting with or seeing even a fraction of how much he enjoyed the shorter blond's company.

"Ha," he said with a grin, "no, I think you'd do quite well working somewhere like that." He'd probably be completely comfortable like that... unless someone called him adorable or cute.  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran laughed and shook his head. "The outfit I would have no problem with but I cannot imagine myself tolerating customers for long. People are terribly rude to service staff, I would 'accidentally' spill hot coffee in somebody's lap before my first week was out." True though that was, and was true of many jobs, whenever he thought about it he still got the uncomfortable feeling that he needed to get one. Living as he was right now was... It was harder now Dawn had left taking her Blastoise with her, she had provided running water even if it had been cold and the lack of it along with the slowly worsening weather it would only get worse. What could he do though? He had no formal qualifications in anything that interested him... Perhaps he would have to acquire some, a little forgery didn't trouble him but he had no contacts here to be sure he acquired something of good quality. A thought to hold onto though, perhaps he would meet somebody through a card game.

"Oh yeah, customers are the worst," Taavi agreed, crinkling his nose in disgust. "I mean some are fine of course but you don't remember the ones that eat quietly and leave a fair tip; you remember the ones that leave a glass of soda upside-down on the table, or who comment on your good English, or get you fired. Ugh, yeah, I am really glad I got fired in the long run, I don't think I'd have had the guts to quit and try out for the KSO if I hadn't." Everything really had worked out for the best and though that s**t with Patty had been awful he knew he and Abel wouldn't have gotten so close if they hadn't gone through it so he couldn't really wish it hadn't happened, could he? Well he could, but only with the thought 'but I'd still want things to be like this if it hadn't', which maybe wouldn't have happened in reality but he could imagine it.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Ah, yeah, they really can be," the taller blond agreed with a nod, then popped another bite into his mouth. Once again he found himself grateful to have a job where they could absolutely turn away rude or belligerent customers - and sometimes even expected to do so, depending on their behavior - and wished the same could be said of other jobs. Really, though, they could, but some places of business preferred to focus on acquiring and keeping as many customers as they could over the happiness and well-being of their employees.

Ah, yeah; the asshat that got Taavi fired. That was still really shitty - it was hard to forget how upset and distressed Taavi had been after that, and when he was getting evicted - but in the long run, he had to agree. "Yeah, I do think it was for the best. I know you weren't happy there at all, and now you're somewhere a lot better, yeah? I think working for the KSO is perfect for you." It wasn't a ranger gig, but it seemed close enough.