Arthur chuckled at Avdey's response. "Hey, as long as you know yourself well enough to admit it."
He grinned at Cyrin. "There are rules, I'm sure he's a lawful brawler."
Cyrin's question made his blush, just a little. "Whichever works, though I'd prefer you, if you want a completely honest answer."
The movers had the desk out and in the back of the truck, and were working on the bed.
Cyrin laughs, smiling slightly. He watches Avdey, who was smirking slightly, "I do know myself well enough to admit it. I just did."
Cyrin huffs, "Avdey's the kind of guy to break them when he's not in the ring. One to many times have I had to avoid him because he was missed at me."
He blimks, "Supervise me in what?" He asks, looking back at Arthur.
Avdey rolls his eyes, muttering under his breath, "You're all talk and no action, Cyrin."
Arthur just grinned at Avdey's antics. Cyrin's huffiness made him laugh though. "I mean, why follow the rules when there's no ref to call it, right?"
He just gave Cyrin a softer smile at his question. "Anything, really, so long as I can be around you." His voice went just a bit soft, reminding Cyrin that they had been tender with each other. No point in acting like strangers just cuz Avdey was around.
He had to chuckle at Avdey's assertion. "What makes you say that?"
Avdey nods, "Exactly my point!" He wraps his arm around Cyrins neck gently, pulling him close, "Cyrin's to pretty and fragile to beat anyways. He'd go off and sulk if I bruised his pretty face. "
Cyril scolds at Avdey, pulling away, "You wish." He smiles at Arthur, "Hmm. . ."
He looks to Acdey, who shrugged, "I've known this guy for years, I have no clue how many guys he's flirted with, and teased, but never made a move on them. He always waits till they make a move. And then he can't keep up with what he–"
"I will punch you in the face if you don't shut your big ass mouth, Avdey." Cyrin says quietly, glaring at his friend.
Arthur grinned at their banter, and raised an eyebrow at Cyrin the more Avdey talked. "OH, ok. Sounds like I need to make a move then." He winked at Cyrin, not even bothering to hide his intentions from Avdey.
Well. The obvious flirtatious ones, anyway.
The movers had the bed loaded up by the point, and were making sure the apartment was clean on their way out. Arthur had paid for the whole thing, loading, cleaning, unloading, and the drive, so they were earning their paycheck.
Cyril felt his face flame and he ducked his head. Avdey laughs softly, poking Cyrin's cheek, "Come on, Rin! It's not that bad. It's not like I'm terrified him about-"
Chris's hand flashes out and he grips Avdey's jaw, his eyes narrowed, "I said shut it, Avdey. You seriously talk too much. Next time you say something stupid, I'll pop you in the mouth."
Avery huffs, pulling away, "Touché. You're just upset because I'm trying to delve all you secrets to your 'friend' here." Avdey smirks at Cyrin, "If I don't tell him, who will? Certainly not you."
Arthur watches the interaction, his eyebrows slowly rising. He decided to just let it stand, though it would make for a good topic to get into conversation with Cyrin later about.
More chances to set the hook.
The movers were done, and Arthur tipped his head towards the trucks. "Think they're all ready to head back. I'll, uh… I'll see you both there."
Cyrin nods, smiling and taking Avdey's keys, "I'm driving, otherwiase, I fear I may hit you while you're driving and get us both killed." He climbs into the truck, starting it.
"Do you have you license?" Avery asks, getting in.
"Yes." He starts driving, humming quietly to himself, " Look, please don't just randomly start telling my embarrassing stories to people. Whether air like them or not, I'll tell them when I want to. "
Avery nids, "Yeah, sorry, I know I do have a big mouth."
They got back to the apartment, and Arthur guided the movers through the building as they moved the desk, and then the bed into the elevator and up into the apartment.
He turned to Cyrin once they got the bed moved up. "Where do you want these pieces? Decided which room you're claiming as your bedroom, and where you want the desk?"
Cyrin bites his lip, thinking, walking carefully to another room glancing at the floor to ceiling windows and then away, "Both in here." He murmurs.
Avdeybfillows, looking at the window, "Nice veiw. . . Such a shame you're going to hide it behind curtains 24/7, Rin."
Arthur directs the movers, and they set the desk facing out the window, the bed across the opposite wall.
He glances at Avdey. "I mean, his fear, his prerogative. I like the windows, but he doesn't have to." He'd noticed Cyrin's fear the first time he saw the apartment, and had added it to the list.
Cyri n buffs and looks at Acdey, "Show me a picture." Avery nods, as if this wasn't an unusual request from Cyrin and pulls out his phone, waiting a moment before snapping a picture. He walks over to Cyrin, whispering into his ear, showing him the picture.
Cyrin smes, "Oh, that is such a wonderful view. I do wish I could see it a the time." He hums, " so want my bed on the corner, a way from the windows, please."
Avdey sighs, "You and you're very particular fears, Rin. . . I've seen you stand on the edge of cliffs befire, and dive off them as well, yet every time you look out a window that's higher than the or four floors, you're terrified for your life."
Cyrin huffs, crossing his arms, "So? Manmade heights are terrifying."
The movers moved the bed, and Arthur stood there, since he wasn't really a part of the conversation.
Avdey rolls his eyes, "Whatever. . ." He hugs Cyrin, murmuring something into Cyrins ear that made his face fall slightly and nid, murmurs something back. Avdey pulls away holding Cryin at arms length, "Well, my beautiful man and excellent dancer, I'll see you at dinner on the usual night. Claire will be looking forward to seeing you. But for now, I must go give her the attention she wants."
Cyril laughs, "Yes, go spend time with her." He grins at Avdey, "Now go, before she gets frustrated with you." He shoos Avdey out, smiling slightly.
Arthur gives him a friendly nod goodbye, before glancing at Cyrin. "Speaking of dinner, you gonna take me up on my offer?"
He blinks, and then shrugs, "I. . . Don't know if I wanna go out tonight." He rubs the back of his neck, "And if I do, I really just want a greasy burger and fries with a giant soda." He chuckles softly, stretching slightly.
Arthur smiled. "Well, that's what I had in mind. Of course, the best burger joint is the next town over. Or we could just Mc'D's, here. Your call."
He did want Cyrin to go with him, so maybe giving him options would help him make up his mind for once.
Cyrin looks at him, "You're the one asking me out to dinner, so, technically, shouldn't you be the one planning it? We can go to the burger joint." He went quiet, looking at Arthur, "As long as I don't have to deal with very many people, I'm good."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Sure, but since you never have an opinion, it's a little difficult to plan something you like without asking you questions. So either communicate more, or quit whining when I ask you what you want. I'm trying to do right by you, Cyrin, and I can't do that without offering you options. Unless you really want me to call the shots outright. I don't think you want that. That's not how friendships work, it's not how relationships work, and I-…" He trailed off, realizing what he'd just said, what he'd just admitted to wanting… and closed his mouth. He turned and headed out the door.
"C'mon. Let's get you that burger." He didn't say much else all the way down the elevator and then to the parking lot, where he unlocked his car.
Cyrin stares at Arthur for a second, and then looks away, following. It took him a moment, but he eventually found his words, “Arthur. . . I. . .” He rubs the back of his neck, “I’m not a ‘I know what I want when I want it’ person. Not really. . . I. . . There’s very little I don’t like, and if I don’t like something, then I’ll tell you.” He sighs, “I can make decisions. I’m not indecisive. I just prefer not to.” He shrugs slightly.
“Call me a people pleaser, but I like seeing other people happy. That’s what makes me happy. If you really need me to pick something, then I will. But movies or video games?” He shrugs, “I’m not a movie of video game person. I prefer to be doing things, moving around. I get restless if I stir still like that for too long.”
He looks at the ground, kicking at it, “Just do what you want, and I’ll tell you if I don’t like it, okay?”
Arthur opened the door and started to get into the car, but Cyrin's words stopped him. He watched Cyrin talk, listening, and his brow furrowed a bit.
"Preferring not make decisions is indecision, by definition. And you just said that if you don't like something, you'll tell me, but you didn't We did movies and video games the other night and you never said a word about not liking it. So how can I believe you would actually tell me if you didn't like something?" His voice went from frustrated, to this soft pleading, like what he was saying was very important to him. "Cyrin, I want to make you happy, whether you're a people pleaser or not or whatever else. I want to do the things you enjoy, and put a smile on your face, and that's not going to happen if I just do what I want. And on top of that, planning something, only for you to tell me halfway through that you don't like the thing, is a great way for both of us to end up frustrated and upset. I just…"
He paused, thinking, his eyes beginning to water. "I care about you, probably more than I have any right to… so it's important to me."
Cyrin huffs, “Indecision is the inability to make a decision. Preferring not to has nothing to do it. Look in a dictionary.” He mutters, getting into the car, “And just because I’m not a movie or video game person, doesn’t mean I didn’t like watching a movie with you. Or playing video games with you. I know it’s confusing, but. . .” He shrugs, “I don’t know. . . I enjoyed playing Mario Cart and watching that movie with you. Probably because it was with you.”
Cyrin looks at Arthur, “I’m sorry. . .” He mumbles, “I just. . .” He looks away, shrugging slightly.
Sixclaw growled internally at Cyrin's snippy response, but Arthur pulled off the reaction he wanted.
He stepped back as if Cyrin had physically slapped him, before getting in the car, completely silent. He didn't look at Cyrin, didn't say anything, didn't let his face relax from the upset, hurt look.
He considered the admission that the night had been enjoyable cuz they'd been together, and he softened a bit. Just a little.
He drove carefully, not acting angry, just… sad. Defeated.
He finally very quietly said "You just, what?"
Cyrin looks at him, biting his lip, “I-“ He looks down, “I never really know what I like until I’m in the moment. . . I wanted to play video games with you to see if I’d enjoy playing them with you. . . And I did. Same with the movie. I’m sorry if. . . I. . .”
He rubs the back of his neck, “I’m sorry for being a smartass. . .” He mutters.
Arthur was quiet for a moment more, before very slowly reaching over and resting his hand on Cyrin's leg, near his knee. A comforting touch, just establishing contact and that things were ok.
"It's ok… I'm sorry I snapped." He hadn't, really, but at least a little bit, this conversation had been tense on account of him. "As long as you had fun and enjoyed yourself, enjoyed your… time with me… then it's all good. I just want to make you happy, Cyrin. You deserve that."
He paused, thinking, before going on. "I'll just have to be sure to get you in the moment a lot then." And here, he finally looked over and gave Cyrin a smile. "Sound good?"
“You didn’t snap. I was being a smartass.” He looks at Arthur’s hand, smiling slightly. He hesitates, looking at Arthur, gently setting his hand on Arthur’s. He sighs, “I did. I enjoyed myself. More than I have for a while.” He laughs softly.
He smiles, “Sounds good.” He keeps his hand lightly over Arthur’s in the case he wanted to pull away, watching him.
“You didn’t snap. I was being a smartass.” He looks at Arthur’s hand, smiling slightly. He hesitates, looking at Arthur, gently setting his hand on Arthur’s. He sighs, “I did. I enjoyed myself. More than I have for a while.” He laughs softly.
He smiles, “Sounds good.” He keeps his hand lightly over Arthur’s in the case he wanted to pull away, watching him.
Cyrin seemed relaxed, at least, and they were in agreement, so Arthur considered the… fight? disagreement? whatever it was, settled.
He didn't move his hand.
They got to the burger place, a spot with the pretentious name Steak on a Bun. The preposterous claim was half the draw. They had delisicious burgers, greasy, heavy, smothered in cheese and ketchup and any other topping you wanted, with thick cut fries, tall sodas, and milkshakes so big you could share a medium with another person and have enough to have leftovers.
Cyrin smiles slightly, getting out of the car, stretching. He looks at Arthur, still smiling. “Steak on a Bun?” He asks, laughing softly, “Really?” He shakes his head slightly, walking towards the diner.
He looks at the palace, “Looks like the kind of place with a floor slick with grease.”
"Oh, absolutely." Arthur grins at him. "This place is so good, but yes. You're exactly right. Watch your step or you'll slide across the floor."
They walked in, and a waitress pointed them to a booth. "Be right there to get your orders, boys!"
Arthur scooted in, and slid a menu towards Cyrin. "I don't know if you know what you want already. I certainly do. This place serves exactly what you'd expect."
Cyrin laughs softly, leaning back, “LIke I said burger and fries.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table, “I’ll probably regret all the grease later, but it’s too good to resist.” He rests his chin on his hands, quiet for a moment, “What are you getting?”