"I had a power bar in the locker room," he said, happy the conversation shifted away from….that. He wasn't sure how to feel about all of that. "The medical staff said that I ate too much, so they brought my caloric intake down to 3,000 calories a day. It used to be 3,750 calories while they were trying to build up muscle, but now that I'm big enough they said 3,000 was enough."
(Will Rico be potential competition for Khione's attention?)
((Rico will flirt with any living thing but he’s about as straight as a roundabout. Unless you want him to be??))
“Incredible. They monitor everything, don’t they.” She said, shaking her head as she continued making drinks while talking. “Well, while you’re here, we’ve got food. Just let me know if you’re hungry.”
"'Hungry' has nothing to do with it," Raymond said with a shrug. "If I reach my cap, I can't eat anymore."
One thing about his disorder than benefited him was his extreme self control. He was so afraid of losing his opportunity to play basketball for a living that he didn't dare do anything that his bosses told him not to.
"When did you say you were gonna get off work?" he asked, starting to get bored. Maybe he should have brought his phone. He could've played Angry Birds while he waited for her to finish.
(I thought them sleeping in the same bed at night was leading to something. It don't gotta happen, I was just wondering)
(I just thought of something in the shower. What if the reason why Raymond dresses like a 60's gang member is to try to impress Khione)
((Sksksksks that’s adorable))
“Fifteen minutes now. Things’re quieter tonight.” A little bit too quiet, in fact. But that was something to worry about later. “Can ya grab my phone down the bar?” She asked, pointing with a tumbler at where her phone was laying on the counter behind her. “Gotta make sure Kaitlyn’s not getting into shit.”
He didn't even need to move from the spot to grab her phone. He just leaned over and reached one of his long arms over.
"You don't have any notifications," he said, handing the device over. It looked small compared to the size of his hand
She grabbed the phone, eyeing it for a moment before typing up a text. “I know. That’s what worries me. I’ve got my phone on to chime, and I ain’t got nothin’ about her tonight.”
"How would that be a bad thing?" he asked, slipping the hand back into his pocket. He'd forgotten his jacket in the trunk since he was so excited to see Khione again.
“Because I ain’t gettin’ complaints about Kaitlyn, it usually means she got into somethin’ she couldn’t get outta. Or she’s arrested.” Khione explained, fanning her face for a moment before delivering another drink. “You gotta be bored as hell, huh?”
"A little bit, yeah," he admitted, watching her work with an unreadable expression. "Talking to you helps, though."
After a few moments of silence, Raymond spoke, which was odd. He typically didn't speak until spoken to.
"Do you need more money?"
“I think I’ve got that new Mario Kart game on my phone.” She said, hands pausing when he spoke again. In fact, Khione stilled completely, looking about as uncomfortable as she possibly could. “Do I-for? I’m doin’ alright money wise, Ray.” There was that tone, the one she couldn’t get rid of when trying to lie to him. She’d been putting away most of her money for college, leaving her without much for food and other things once she had taken care of bills. But it was fine. Perfectly alright. She didn’t eat much anyway.
"Now that I'm a professional athlete, I've got more money than I know what to do with," he explained, pulling his right hand out of his pocket to scratch his nose. "I don't feel like its right to let you struggle to make ends meet."
“I’m not struggling.” She said, her voice almost cold. On some level, she knew he wasn’t insinuating anything, but that was straight where her mind always jumped. Every time somebody offered help. Khione was nothing if not incredibly stubborn. “The offer is sweet, but-“ She shook her head, eyes on the counter instead of on him.
He flinched at the edge that invaded her voice, his face twisting into a slight frown. Complex emotions tied to the way one's life it was like an alien language for Raymond. He was just offering to help her and now she was mad.
"Sorry," he mumbled, letting his head hang.
“I ain’t mad at you, Ray.” She said, forcing her voice to soften for his sake. “You’re just offerin’ to help. I-feels like a hand out. And I used to live off o’ those.” Looking up, her face flickered, mask crumbling for just a moment into something a bit too vulnerable for her tastes. “I can’t take your money, man. I gotta earn what I make.”
"It isn't a hand-out," he said, still not looking up from the floor. "You are the whole reason why I even made it to where I am. I wouldn't have survived high school without you protecting me. I'm just trying to pay you back for it."
She sighed softly, stepping over to him and tapping the counter in between them, before placing her hand palm up on the counter. Offering. “I didn’t protect you t’ earn anythin’. I did it ‘cause you were my friend, Ray. I protect family. Thanks for offerin’ your money, but I really can’t take it.”
Raymond looked up at her offering, hesitating for a moment before putting his hand on top of her's. He could've easily broken her fingers if he pleased, but his touch was as gentle as a fly's.
"But you're gonna take the job, right?" If he wasn't playing basketball, the offer would have never came. He was at least somewhat responsible for that.
She leaned against the counter, keeping her hand where it was as she nodded once. “Yeah. I’ll take the job. It’ll be nice to get away from the city. And to see you more. You ain’t been around, and it’s makin’ life a helluva a lot more dull.”
"I think you might have to travel with me when we go on away games," he admitted, smiling slightly. "And how can I make life more interesting? All I do is follow you around."
“You’re the only person willing to actually talk to me, whenever.” She said, shrugging a shoulder. “And the traveling is a plus. I’ve never been on an airplane though, is that something you have to do?”
"I've been on two trips so far," he said, finally pulling away his hand. "We flew out to Hawaii for the college championship tournament and the first game of the season was an away game. It isn't that scary."
(I'm such a fucking child for laughing at that typo)
“I never said it was scary.” She said, almost wishing she could reach out and hold his hand. In actuality, she was scared. Sort of. The idea of being that high up in the sky, in a hunk of metal that could fall so easily, was minorly terrifying. She didn’t voice that. “I was just curious.”