Manhattan Portalocity Station and Beyond, Wednesday Afternoon

[suitably_heroic]

Coming here always made Jack restless - maybe because half the time, he was picking someone up from a different place and a different life, and as much as he was trying to do the healthy thing and not let the whole two-worlds-two-lives thing mess with his head, it still made him jittery.

Anyway.

It was just Cade. What was the worst that could happen?

(Probably a lot.)

He waited outside the station, wearing a jacket and hoodie and jeans and, probably, looking more genuinely relaxed than Cade had ever seen him. Even with the jitters. Even with the way his foot kept jumping.

Space. This was probably a bad idea...

[[ for that guy ]]

Comments

[shutupandkillsomething]

"You're forty, don't use kid slang," Cade said, refilling his glass again, "It makes you seem even older."

[suitably_heroic]

"You're thirty-something, you don't get to lecture me on my language," Atton said. "Wait and see if you make it to fifty, first."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"I'm thirty something and that's how I know you sound ridiculous," Cade said. "If you have to scream about your feelings to smelly teenagers, own it with real words."

[suitably_heroic]

Atton rolled his eyes. "I save those for the music, asshole," he said, without heat. He picked up his glass. The whiskey was almost gone.

[shutupandkillsomething]

"Tequila?" Cade offered.

[suitably_heroic]

"No, thanks," Atton said. "I don't want to wake up and have to deal with you meeting my boyfriend and a major hangover."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"I'm not meeting him tonight?" Cade asked. "Are you ashamed of me?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Always," Atton deadpanned. "But nah. He's a bartender. Unless we clear out of here fast, he's going to be at work by the time we get back."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"And you've been banned from where he works?" Cade guessed.

[suitably_heroic]

"No, but it's fancy as hells and not either of our speed," Atton said. He eyed Cade. "Though I guess I can check if he's in the mood for tacos on the way there..."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"If he's not scared of me," Cade teased.

[suitably_heroic]

Atton snorted. "He'd like it if you didn't use death sticks in the house," he said, pulling out his phone. "But that's about it."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"Even if I share?" Cade asked, mostly not serious.

[suitably_heroic]

Atton's expression was serious. "Don't," he said.

Hopefully Cade would get the hint, and he wouldn't have to explain things that weren't his to share.

[shutupandkillsomething]

"More for me," Cade said with a little grin.

[suitably_heroic]

Atton sighed. Loudly. He leaned back in his seat. "Well, he's on his way," he said. "Better order another round of tacos."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"Because he's not getting mine," Cade agreed. "...what's his name again?"

Way to pay attention, Cade.

[suitably_heroic]

"Dane," Atton said dryly. "But he'll probably let you get away with calling him 'that guy' all week, so don't worry about it."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"I might mix it up and call him 'my guy' or 'hey you,'" Cade said, not bothering to deny the first part.

[suitably_heroic]

"Yeah, you'll be fine. But you pull that any of my other friends and you're probably getting punched in the face," Atton added. "I know you're used to that."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"I am pretty good at ducking," Cade said.

[suitably_heroic]

"You might need it," Atton said cheerfully, waving over another server. "You want anything besides more tacos?"

[shutupandkillsomething]

"You're the expert here. What else is good?" Cade asked.

[suitably_heroic]

"Can't go wrong with quesadillas," Atton said merrily. "It's 'what if tacos, but we add enough cheese to clog up all of your arteries at once'."

[shutupandkillsomething]

"Only old people worry about their arteries," Cade told him.