savetheearth | [closed] male bonding at its best

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[closed] male bonding at its best

Who: Eugen, Karl
When: 6/25
Where: Around town
What: Helping stranded motorists is only the right thing to do.

[Getting a call to help out a friend cannot be ignored, especially is said request comes after work and nothing pressing remains to be done. The timing may be irksome, but Karl didn't hesitate in heading out. Why irksome? Because tonight was supposed to be an evening dedicated to his motorcycle. This evening was set to begin right when the plea for help came. A momentary debate raged on before it was decided: both evening out riding and helping out Eugen would happen.

With helmet on, the officer speeds on down to where this poor stranded motorist is supposed to be. Ah, yeah, taking the bike out for a spin had been the right choice. Everything going on lately had made riding near impossible. Being able to indulge in it, even with an unexpected passenger. This motorcycle had been the best impulse buy last year, it truly had. Nothing makes an old guy feel young again like this does. All right, maybe his body IS that of a 28 year old, but that doesn't change how pleasant this feels. Oh, this is the place isn't it? Karl slows and glances around upon arriving at the destination. Eugen should be around here somewhere.]

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[ He's supposed to take the bus home but he's tired and he doesn't trust himself to stay awake in the bus to do it. Normally, it would have been fine to doze off but since he's carrying top secret files -namely the Gundam related ones- with him, he'll rather not risk it. Especially with the mafia being more brazen on their attack on the Numbered lately. Melissa isn't free and Neil is with his family, so he has no choice but to call Karl.

So, there he is, waiting by the fountain of the main campus for his ride to arrive. Students has been trying to chat him up, especially those are trying to pry about the secret robot hangar at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty. He's glad when he caught sight of the bike arriving. Standing up to wave Karl over, he pushes his way pass the three girls who are trying very indiscreetly to ask for his number. ] Over here.

Thanks for coming. [ He nods gratefully, throwing Karl a look that says "Get me outta here, quick.". ]

[Karl can only pity the predicament Eugen seems to be as he pulls on up. Nothing is worse than persistent people who cannot take no for an answer. A small nod of understanding gets sent his way. It seems he arrived not a moment too soon.]

Not at all. Ready to go?

[Obviously Eugen is ready. More than ready, really. The question gets asked more so all the overly eager people take a hint than anything else. Their object of attention will be gone. Sorry. Not sorry.]

Yes. [ He's all too eager to leave and in his haste (and thinning patience) shoves aside the girls who are crowding even closer to prevent his leave none too gently. Despite his looks, he can be quite rough with the opposite gender, even if they don't seem to mind. ]

Nice bike. [ He would have taken the time to admire it but he had enough of the girls and would rather just get out of there as soon as possible. Maybe he'll ask Kyle to show him the bike later and he can ask him a couple of questions about them. With his bike totaled and an unreliable public transport, he's in need of new transportation soon.

Buckling the helmet, he makes sure he's seated properly before speaking up for Karl to start the bike. ] Alright, I'm ready.

[A small thanks comes at the praise. It had been a spur of the moment buy. No regrets. Some of the most fun driving is while being on this baby. He may not be reckless on it, but just loves the thrill of feeling the wind rather than being cooped inside a car.

With Eugen on and no reason to stay here any longer, the bike quickly starts to move. Once all those people are left far behind, Karl finally speaks up when they hit a red light.]

Fans of yours?

[How popular you are, Eugen! Karl never knew. They all seemed so into him, too.]

[ Luckily, Karl can't see Eugen rolling his eyes at the question. While he has always been rather popular, him being aged down and owning a giant robot has contributed largely to the growing number of annoyance around him.

Relaxing himself a little when the bike stops, he adjusts his seating to be more comfortable, careful to avoid making Karl uncomfortable.]

Unfortunately... It got worse after I joined the FBI. [ He had wisely kept his mouth shut before that but news about the reason he's absorbed into the federal agency has gotten out somehow. ] I would have thought she'd told you about it. [ She being his bff and Karl's girlfriend. After all, airing his dirty laundries is one of her favorite hobby. Not that he minds, he returns the favor. ]

[The shifting behind him gets paid little attention, too. However the other man opts to sit is of little concern. Hell, Eugen can wrap his arms around Karl and he wouldn't really care. Shame about those fans though. It sounds particularly annoying a thing, having them around.]

She's told me various other things, but no mention of you having a fanclub.

[Chances are that Nick got that part of the gossip, though. If not the boyfriend then the brother figure. Then again, Karl's heard his share of other interesting tales about Eugen. Shame the same cannot be said of interesting stories about Melissa herself.]

[ The mention of a fanclub gets him chuckling in bemusement. It has been a continuous problem ever since high school. It irritates him to no ends that people could waste so much time doing something utterly unproductive. ]

Well, it's probably not illustrious enough to her then. What did she told you?

[ He's so returning the favor, Melissa. Especially when boyfriend is so kind in coming to rescue at such short notice. ]

[The light turns green and they're off soon enough. Karl doesn't stop talking just because they're moving, however. Should he answer honestly about what Melissa has shared? Yeah, why not?]

Various childhood stories, you having fallen off that horse for example or that you were quite the heartbreaker.

[There's a small hint of amusement at the last one. Any details about a fanclub were ignored but that didn't. Even Karl couldn't help but laugh when Melissa shared that. Eugen the heartbreaker? Who would have guessed.]

[ Oh yes, him falling off the horse is always a favorite of hers to tell. It amuses her endlessly that there's something Eugen can fail at, even if it wasn't as much of a failure as it was then it being a dumb accident. ]

Ah, yes, me falling off the horse. Her favorite tale to tell.

[ With the bike revving, he could hardly hear the man from the back so lean closer, almost bumping their helmet together. ]

Hey, I claim no responsibility for that. It's not my fault if they date me with the wrong sort of expectations. I'm the one being dumped most of the time, if anyone's heart was broken, it should'd been mine.

[Thankfully, the bike's noisiness doesn't last long. Yet another red light catches them within a few seconds. This is going to be one of those never ending red light rides, isn't it? Ah well, if nothing else, this makes for easier story-telling.

Karl turns to glance over his shoulder, unaware of exactly how close their helmets were, and effectively bumps Eugen. There's a brief startled look on Karl's face before he shakes it off. Better bumping helmets than bumping heads and being in pain.]

What sort of expectations do they date you with?

[ Oh well, all the better for exchanging manly gossips then. The bump surprised him a little but he gets over it pretty fast since it's nothing serious. He puts some distance between them so they aren't in each other face before speaking again. ]

I'm expected to be their trophy boyfriend. I can't even begin to tell you how completely dumb it is for them to have that sort of expectation when they barely know me beyond whatever superfluous qualities they thought I possesses.

[Ah, now that makes sense. Karl gives a small nod. Though he hadn't had the same problem, he can at least sympathize.]

They sought out the perfect boyfriend and then reality hit when the perfection turned out to not exist.

[Eugene must've been some kid to give off that sort of illusion. Then again, teenagers are stupidly blind when it comes to romance.]

More or less. [ He shrugs. With the way he looks, combined with his academic excellence, it's easy for that sort of misconception to arise. He's already used to it anyway. ]

Well, enough about me. I doubt you're all that interested in my sob stories anyway.

[ After all, Eugen isn't the one who's important to Karl. ]

As payment to you giving me a ride home, I'll tell you about her.

[Honestly? Hearing more about Eugen isn't something Karl's opposed to. However, hearing more about Melissa isn't something he can pass up. She hasn't spoken that much about herself and her past. No good boyfriend would pass up this great an opportunity.]

A more than adequate payment.

[In other words, start talking. He wants to hear whatever you have to say, Eugen. Ah, hang on tight cause they're moving again.]

[ Of course he wouldn't be able to resist the chance to learn more about his girlfriend, especially because Melissa isn't the sort to tell anyone about her past. What more of things she considers shameful or uncool. Eugen of course, has no qualm telling Karl, just as Melissa would have no problem telling Eugen's friends his. ]

I'll tell you over dinner and beer.

[ Totally hanging on tight. Another two turns away and they'll be at Eugen's shared apartment. ]

[Dinner with Eugen? Well, why the hell not? All the magical mysteries of Melissa that can be uncovered and the fairly decent company make it an offer only an idiot would refuse. While not always a genius, Karl hardly ranks so high on the idiot scale, either.]

All right. When?

[Between Karl's speeding and running the last couple yellows as fast as possible, how easily he stops in front of the apartment only adds on to the magical mystery that is his driving ability (though he still sped less than in car and only caught one nearly-red light). Best driving role model, no?

The bike pulls up to an empty parking spot not far from the apartment. How lucky! All the other nearby spaces are full so this has to be their lucky day.]

[ He's glad Karl agreed because otherwise he will be eating dinner alone because both his housemate are out today. ]

Today. I'm cooking if you're feeling adventurous.

[ Eugen doesn't know if Melissa told Karl about his decent cooking style but he's not one to boast about it either.

The speeding doesn't bother him much since he's used to speed from his experience on horse racing. It's actually pretty fun, though he does end up wrapping his arms around Karl to keep himself steady.

He pulls off the helmet and runs a hand through his hair to comb them. ]

Are you up for some cheese ravioli? [ He offers as he starts heading off towards the direction of his apartment. ]

[Today? Why not. It's not as though he has any pressing plans for today (feeding the cat and possibly enjoying Melissa's company later aside). Eating at Eugen's it is. Quiet honestly, he's curious about how the other man can cook. A vague memory of Melissa mentioning something once bubbles up but doesn't quiet reach. Ah well, a surprise to look forward to, indeed.]

All right.

[Karl removes his own helmet and shakes his head to get the messy hair to fall into its appropriate messy position. The biker gets parked properly and turned off. Once done, he steps off and follows in Eugen's wake.]

I haven't had any in a long time.

[By the small fondness in his voice, it's an unspoken approval at the meal choice. Home cooking isn't Karl's strong point. Cup ramen being the meal of choice should speak volumes about how the guy eats.]

[ He waits for Karl to catch up with him before leading him back to the apartment. ] You don't cook?

[ Unlocking the door, he steps in and leave it open for Karl. As expected, no one else is home today, not yet at least. The apartment is clean and tidy even though it houses three bachelors because neither of them are particularly messy. Connor, the Siamese cat and Hugh, the white tabby greets him as soon as he walks in. Picking up Connor, he leads Hugh to their feeding bowl so they won't attack Karl. ] Come here boy. Let's get you two food. [ Hearing the magic word, Hugh runs to the feeding bowl to sits beside it, clearly eager to have his little tummy fed. ]

I hope you don't mind cats, they are docile. Take a seat, drinks are in the fridge. If it has name on it, don't take it. [ With that said, he picks up the cat feeds and starts filling up the bowls for the two felines. ]

[Cats are one thing that he doesn’t mind. They both seem fairly friendly, though the prospect of food likely helps with that.]

Not at all. I have one of my own.

[Picking out something from the fridge wasn’t on the agenda anyway so no need to worry about the wrath of any angry roommates. Instead, Karl goes take a seat on the nearest possible appropriate sitting spot, a couch in this case, and waits for Eugen to finish up with his tasks, a look around the pad reveals that is looks pretty much what one would expect a place Eugen lives to look. He doesn’t strike as someone especially messy.]

[ He finishes up with loading the feeding bowl before getting Karl and himself a bottle of water each. ]

Really? Got a picture?

[ The bottle get hand over from behind the couch. ] I'm hungry, so I'm going to start cooking now. You can either watch the TV or you can come keep me company in the kitchen.

[ He heads back to the kitchen, picking the apron from the side cabinet and put them on. He's hungry from a day of hard labor so he's not wasting any more time remaining hungry. Even sharing Melissa's embarrassing stories isn't worth the empty stomach. ]

[A nod of thanks comes after receiving the bottle. Karl takes a drink of it before responding.]

Not on me, no.

[Someone has not yet experienced the joy of taking cat pictures. One day it will come to him, one day. For now, however, he opts to take Eugen up on the offer of keeping him company. Sitting after sitting a good portion of the day doesn't sit right.

Once in the kitchen, his eyes fall to one cat who seems to have finished eating. Both of the critters seem to be well behaved. No getting clawed up or hissed at yet, anyway.]

What are their names?

Shame, you should take some so you can show me next time.

[ What kind of cat owner doesn't take pictures of their cute little feline? Jeez.

He introduces Karl to the cats between fishing out ingredients from the refrigerator. Karl will notice the cheese ravioli in a clear container (as opposed to being in prebought bags), some hamburger meat, spinach, tomatoes, some spices and cheese. ] The Siamese is Connor, Hugh the tabby. [ He contemplates for a quick second before grabbing a bag of olives and holds them up for Karl to see. ] Do you mind olives?

[ Shutting the fridge with his foot, he proceeds to clean and prepare the ingredients. It's obvious from the way he moves around the kitchen with ease that he's no stranger to cooking. ]

I may do so.

[A terrible, horrible owner, that's who

Fresh ingredients make the prospect of dinner by Eugen all the more appealing. Someone prefers anything NOT from a can over a can if at all possible. Thoughts regarding food take a momentary backseat when the cats walk on over at the sounds of their name (or perhaps they were coming over anyway, one can never be certain with cats). Dinner must be over.]

Not particularly. So long as the food is quality then I'm not picky.

[...Which is still picky, but not as bad as picky can get. Also, cup ramen does not count because cup ramen saves lives.]

[ He treats the cats with foot rub before gently shooing them off. Instead, both boys turn their attention toward the new guy, approaching him for inspection. ]

That's still picky.

[ He chuckles, popping an olive into his mouth as he fishes some out of the bag into a small bowl. Once he's done, he put the remaining ingredients back into the fridge and heats up the pan. Another pot filled with water joins the pan on the stove as the pan heats up. ]

So, do you know Melissa was an equestrian?

[ First thing to tell, because Melissa hated being one. ]

[If nothing else, having a cat has taught one about how to behave around other cats. Karl crouches down and holds out a hand. It hangs in the air, clearly meant to serve the part of being expected as opposed to reaching out to pet them.]

Maybe.

[Fine fine, he admits defeat on that. Once a spoiled kid, always a spoiled kid. The mention of Melissa effectively takes his mind off that subject. Huh, so she'd ridden horses? Definitely not something she ever bothered to share.]

No, I hadn't been aware of that.

[ The two felines sniff at the offered hand before deciding that Karl is an okay guest they would allow into their territory, which they convey by licking at the hand.

Eugen doesn't press on Karl's food habit but instead grins at the opportunity to air Melissa's dirty laundry. ]

She was really good at it, we competed in tournaments and won a couple of them. But she hated doing something her parents wanted her to, so she rebelled and dropped it. Still rides very well though.

[ The ingredients go into the pan as he sauteed them while waiting for the pot of water to boil. ]

[The licking is an indicator that petting can begin. Karl smiles a teeny bit while reaching over to properly begin scratching them behind the ears. When had he become such a cat person?]

So she had a rebellious streak when she was younger?

[Not surprising. It fits Melissa, really. It's honestly sort of endearing. The horse riding, too. This little chat with Eugen was definitely the best idea.]

[ The two felines purr from the attention while Eugen drops the ravioli into the boiling water. The remaining of the ingredients joins the pan, creating a nice aroma as they cook. ]

She had since forever. I don't remember a time when she doesn't. If you ever go riding with her, keep her in front of you unless you likes falling off your horse.

[ The amount of times she tripped him were immeasurable... ]

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[closed] male bonding at its best

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