2010-02-04: And Coming Home

Players:

Xane_icon.jpg Ethan_icon.jpg

Summary: Ethan and Xane talk about living arrangements. And living.

Date: February 04, 2010.

Log Title And Coming Home

Rating: PG.


Xane's Room


Xane's Room

The morning has given way to early afternoon and even though he's had a dizzying day (really, the demons were less chaotic than this), he's in a good mood. He lets himself in with the key Keith provided and looks around. This might be home. Or it might not be. A lot depends on what Xane has to say. Checking his dim reflection in a partially shadowed window, Ethan pulls straight the dark gray pull over sweater he's wearing and smooths out a line or two. His slacks are a few shades darker and the oxford shoes black and glossy. Though the overall effect is supposed to make him look older and more serious, it falls short. Having consulted Drew, he suspects Xane might be in.

The room inside certainly doesn't reflect Xane completely, the bed's sheets are white, the comforter and pillowcases are black. Plenty of black chefs jackets line the closet inside. A TV is opposite the bed, playing cartoons, just the right spot to watch from bed. There's a stirring inside before Xane looks at the time. He had been awake from his nap for a while, and is now working on a corner desk. The Spirit looks to the door before the screen again. He doesn't quite know who is out there, because everyone knows that Xane's room while the door is closed is off limits. Well, other than emergency situations. "Come in." He calls, typing away on his computer.

Ethan enters and gives the room a look. The cartoons get an arched eyebrow and a faint smile but he, perhaps wisely, doesn't say anything. Given the opportunity, he gives Xane's room a casual, curious glance. He might have slept in the apartment for a week but privacy is privacy, so he never peeked. The simplicity and functionally don't seem to surprise him. When he looks towards Xane at his desk, he says, in carefully polite tone, "Afternoon. Ah, am I interrupting?"
The chef continues to type for a second. Then his attention is to Ethan alone. "No, no. I was just starting to get back in tough with my suppliers for what they can get in fresh tomorrow. New product, new menu. I try to stay seasonal." He says, before turning around in his chair to look at Ethan from the front. "What's up?" he asks.

Ethan considers how to approach the topic and then, in keeping with his previous impression of how Xane likes to handle conversations, he shrugs faintly and says, "Drew and Kaden have asked me to stay here. Keith also seems to like the idea, given that he gave me a key. Via messenger." There's an understated droll tone at that. "Busy man." He arches an eyebrow and returns Xane's regard. "I told Drew and Kaden that I'd have to talk to everybody who lives here first. They were fairly adamant about it but…." He shrugs, "…want and practicality are two different things."

"And considering that Dmitri doesn't live here, you need my blessing before you can encroach on our living space." Xane says dryly, giving Ethan a bit of a 'did I get it right' look. He waits a bit before shifting his expression to one of content. The chef may be reserved, but he does have a sense of humor. "Of course, I'm alright with it. Besides, did you like that place you were at?"

Ethan nods and says, "Exactly." He looks relieved and grins when Xane gives his approval. "Not really. Also, it was sort of a moot point. I was expelled this morning. Too much yelling my own name when I was running around as a demon terrorizing various people and setting things on fire. The official reason was 'gross disciplinary problems. 'Demonic menace' probably doesn't have a box on the form." Of course, he mentions this /after/ being allowed to stay. Not limiting anyone else's choices by his baggage is important to him. Especially with this extraordinary group of people.

The Spirit gives a nod, looking to Ethan still. "Well, fuck 'em." He says, before turning around in his chair. Letting the computer hibernate before he stands up. "Well, glad you can actually o something other than be around people like that." He himself just went to the CIA after high school. But Ethan pretty much can choose anything he wants to do. Of which Xane is just a little jealous.

Ethan grins and says, "Oh, you have /no/ idea how much this is going to irk my family." He pretty amused at that, to be honest. "Harvard on both sides for two generations. Something tells me that all the family connections in the world aren't going to help at this point." He shrugs. "I had the credits to graduate last year but my parents wanted me socialized." He lifts his eyebrows and says, "I'm a guy who has imaginary friends who can reshape the world. Or at least a hundred feet or so of it at a time. Really, how well socialized was prep school going to make me?" He can't help but laugh at that. He feels … good, despite the circumstances. "Any way, I'll apply at a city college here and just figure things out. And get a job, I guess. Help out with the bills."

Xane takes a seat on his bed and pats next to him to Ethan. "Yeah, socialization…never really was my thing in high school." He offers. "There's plenty of options here in the city, that's for sure." The chef himself knows of a couple good ones, but doesn't know which ones Ethan has been looking at.

Ethan quirks up an eyebrow faintly but sits next to Xane, as he tends to do around this particular Spirit, he's babbling a little. "I thought I'd enroll where Drew is going. Not sure where that is but I probably have the grades for it. My real study is going to be magic anyway. And, ah, all of you as expressions of it." He shrugs, "I'll make sure the information stays with me and comes back to you if something happens to me, but really, it's interesting and fun research." He tilts his head a bit, looking towards Xane. "Any suggestions?" Which translates to: you're the guy who seems to have his head on straight.

"I have no clue where he is going. But I'm sure he'd help you get in." Xane comments before concentrating on what Ethan said. "ANy suggestions on what?" He asks, he's smart but he's not the best to read between the lines.

Ethan looks into Xane's eyes. Not something he usually does, not wanting to give the impression of staring at the mismatch, but hey. It's also rude to never look somebody in the eye. His own eyes widen slightly, though he's probably unaware of it. He continues, "You know, life, the universe, everything. What would you do in my position? Or more importantly, do you have any thoughts on what /I/ should do." It's a subtle distinction. Especially for a guy Ethan's age. But in a lot of ways, he's atypical. One nice thing about being always the odd man out, one develops perspectives and insights quicker standing alone than in the security of the pack.

"Well, what do you TRULY want to do?" He asks, looking back to Ethan, Xane's used to people looking at the mismatch, but he can tell the difference. "Once you find that, find the way you can best learn it. Like myself. After the CIA, I went to travel Europe. Came back, and opened a restaurant." That's exactly what Xane did, funny that Kaden asked him about travel not more than a half a year ago, but Xane isn't talking about that instance.

Ethan blinks as Xane vouchsafes another facet of his past. He's already aware of how rare those are for the people who know the chef and his smile is sudden, if faint. And if Xane's going to be honest…. He clears his throat and says, "Honestly? You're going to laugh. It's okay. I know I'm an idiot in a lot of ways, but I really like the whole superhero thing. I mean, that's a modern day expression of what I'm supposed to be doing as a mage anyway. Helping people. Fixing problems. Defending the helpless, all of that." He shrugs, blushing just a little at how juvenile it sounds. "Weird, but there it is. When I picture myself doing the most good and being the most satisfied with my life, I'm apparently trying to keep Doctor Doom from sinking Manhattan or something." There is genuine laughter in his voice at the last. Self-depreciating but not self-loathing. Just aware of the absurdity of life and okay with it.

"Oh…well. That's perfectly fine and all. I just don't know where you would go to learn all that." Xane says, for once he isn't sure. But he doesn't laugh of course. It may not be what he wants to do, but it's not his life to live.

Ethan shrugs and is still grinning as he says, "I think you basically do on the job training. Start by getting kittens out of trees, go on to finding lost kids in malls, work your way up through stopping muggers and bank robbers and Mole Man. Then one day, you're an Avenger." He pauses, shrugs and adjusts his expectations a bit. "Or probably a Defender." He pauses a moment, looking away from Xane and across the room, his voice thoughtful. "Of course, there is another short term goal I wouldn't mind pursuing."

The mismatch eyecolored Spirit gives a shrug. "I guess, ease into it. Sounds like my training at the CIA." The chef is a bit curious to find out what Ethan is wanting to do. "Alright, what is it?" He asks.

Ethan looks back at Xane. The Spirit might have the lingering after effects of his own optimism enhancing food to blame but more than that, it's been a day of changes for Ethan. New life, new living spaces, new friendships confirmed. And if fate is serving up changes and encouraging new directions, what better time? In any case, Ethan's smile turns a little arch as he centers himself, tries not to sound nervous and says, "Getting to know you. Personally." That covers a whole lot of ground but given that he's not drooling or otherwise making a fool of himself, he probably means something more than physically.

Xane wasn't exactly predicting this little gem of info. His eyes go wide for a second, before settling back. "Wait, what?" He asks, still a little convinced he's being pranked. "I'm guessing you don't mean you want to learn how to be a restaurant chef." He says, giving a little bit of a chuckle there on the end.

Ethan's smile turns into a grin and that one arched eyebrow says, 'Really? I caught /you/ off guard?' His tone is more confident and amused as he says, "Well, actually, the cooking lesson was fun. So yea, if that's what you want to show me about you, we can do that." He tilts his head again. "Hm." Looking Xane in the eye gets less strange the more he does it. "You're interesting. On a lot of levels. And I want to get to know you and maybe see if there's a chance you'll find me interesting too. Also, I like hanging out with you. And I love your cooking. Which probably means I need to spring for a gym membership at some point." His tone is pseudo-analytical but his expression is a mixture of amused, thoughtful and daring. "I'm asking if you want to go on a date or something that you'd like to do if you don't date, Xane. If so, well, that makes my day. If not, I won't bug you about it again." He grins wider. "I /will/ keep bugging you for advice and making big eyes at you until you feed me, though."

Xane gives a hearty nod. "Sure thing, you seemed to be pretty good at making a risotto." That he has no problem with, and then something else gets asked. "Ethan, you know how old I am. That doesn't bother you at all?" He asks now, making sure Ethan knows what he is going into. "I mean, I'm not opposed to it. Just, what will everyone else think?" Not that he cares that much, recognizing that and shaking his head, Xane immediately follows with. "Well, that doesn't matter, really."

Ethan grins and says, "Thanks. I was trying not to mess it up." He pauses and says, "Ah, older than me? Which means more experienced, more stable, probably smarter in the practical stuff and generally stuffed to the brim with experience I can learn from without smacking into the walls you had to had to hit to learn it?" He continues to look into Xane's eyes and says, "I don't care what everybody else thinks. The only people I care about live here. And two of them will cheer, one will ask if he can join us if we ever get intimate and the other one will probably just scratch himself and ask if that means dinner is late." He pauses and asks, "Is it a problem for you? I'm legal, in case you're wondering. Well, not for alcohol but everything else. And I'm kind of sane, if you don't count talking to elementals nobody else can see."

Xane normally would have something to say that would sound smarter and make a very good point. "Well…okay." he says. There is no reason to say no here, especially because Xane has taken a liking to Ethan. "No it's not a problem for me, well. The joining thing…yeah." Looking to the mage. "Well, considering I am an elemental, I'd hope you could see me."

Ethan smiles broadly. "Excellent!" It probably doesn't help his case that he had to resist a triumphant fist pumping gesture at that. He clears his throat and says, in a more controlled voice, "Wow. And I didn't have to use the flash cards I had ready for debating points." He's probably joking. Probably. "And, ah, as for 'joining'…. you know what? Let's jump that bridge if we ever come to it. But I friendship with you, whatever it becomes, is my friendship with /you/. Just like my relationships with the others are unique to them. And that's cool with me." Which is about as subtle a way to say the couple of things he wanted to get out of the way there as he can think of. He shakes his head at that last statement and says, "I wish you could see yourselves the way I see you. But you know what the coolest thing about /you/ is, that way? When I look at Drew and Kaden and Keith and Dmitri, I see their elements. I see the wind and the fire."

Ethan continues, "When I look at you, Xane, I see a man. I see everything powerful and good and amazing about being human. Being alive. About pure life and having the soul to know you're alive. Trust me. I see you."

Xane looks to Ethan, he's never heard something like that before from anyone. It's always been around his cooking. "Well, I mean. I'm up for it, just…if the one who'd ask to join in, asks, no." Xane is more than a bit adamant on that. Funny, with as much as he has done in his life, Xane's treading into unknown territory here. "What is it that you see, like is it things? or something else?"

Ethan frowns and says, "It's hard to explain. Because 'see' isn't exactly the right word. But it's the closest thing, most of the time. It's like heat shimmers or a spectrum of light that's /just/ in range to be seen but not really. There are patterns and sensations. I mean, like Kaden, I can feel heat and see the air warp around him like a hot pan. Drew, his aura just laps around you, cool and soothing. Unless he's mad. Then it's like a riptide. Keith is a storm. Good and bad. And Dmitri's like a zen garden, most of the time. You, you're … you. But more so." He holds out a hand and places it on Xane's chest, lightly. "I can /feel/ life and mind and …um… wonder, might be the closest thing. It's like an emotion made of white noise. Like all of them are there waiting to blast out at once. You're alive. Like nobody else."

Xane listens to how Ethan explains how he can see Xane, and it's certainly entrancing. He reaches for Ethan's hand as it rests on his chest. "That's gotta be cool." Xane really wishes he could. It sounds amazing.

Ethan grins and his heart skips a beat as Xane's hand covers his own. "It's amazing. And why I just can't seem to be a decent human being and stop bothering all of you." He shrugs, "Well, the /first/ reason. More came later." He gives Xane a close look and his expression is almost comically open and readable. 'If I planted one on him right now, how would he react?' It might be a day for changes, but even the most giddy of gamblers knows when to question his luck after a great winning streak.

Well, at the moment, Xane's ego is quite inflated, so if someone were to 'plant one' on him. He wouldn't mind in the least, suffice it to say when he was in his early 20's, Xane would have already been playing in the sheets. Either way, this is taking it slow for him. Nice change of pace for the chef.

Ethan takes that moment of silence and Xane's hand on his, warm and light as an invitation. He leans in and reaches out to steady himself (and lightly keep Xane where he's sitting) by resting his other hand on Xane's shoulder and then leans in for a kiss. It's light and exploratory. Not quite chaste but still …light… would be the best way to describe it. As he pulls back, Ethan adds a bit of a promise, with his tongue flicking lightly across Xane's lips and a light nip and pull as he sucks the bottom lip for just a second and then leans back. And his grin is as broad as his winning streak as he stands and wordlessly walks out, leaving the Spirit to his thoughts.

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