Equilibrium

Chapter 2 - So, what is that on your hip?

Zen grinned widely, taken with his boldness. "Even if it was," he started, "I'm pleased to hear it from one as handsome as yourself." Kevyn's eyes sparked. "But no, I'm not your direct supervisor or anything," Zen said with implied assurance.

"I'm very glad," he said and scooted his chair closer to Zen. Their eyes held. It was an unexpectedly wonderful connection on an already amazing night.

"I've talked about what I do. What do you do for fun?" Zen asked him, partially so they didn't get stuck staring at each other dumbly.

Kevyn looked away with a small smile, considering the question. He reached for his drink, took a swallow, and said, "I'd like to get back into Magical Arts training, actually."

"Oh?" Zen replied, replaying the bob of Kevyn's throat as he drank in his mind, "I was into it too until a few years ago. I haven't been to a Center in ages, but I miss it sometimes."

"Me too. I mean, I had to keep up with Combat Training and there's a magical component to that, but it was my job."

"So now you're free to enjoy it again?"

"Exactly. I saw there was a Center near the District market. Is it good?"

"It is," Zen confirmed. "And I've been meaning to catch up with my friends there. We could go together if you like. I'll introduce you."

"That'd be great!" Kevyn exclaimed. Then, more slyly, "So, how do you rank?"

"I'm Onyx Rank, lightmagic class, though I'll need to brush up on the forms."

"Oh, yeah? Me too. We should face off," Kevyn said with a flirtatiously competitive note that Zen was compelled to meet in full.

"You sure?" Zen teased. "I've been training since I was a kid."

"Me too." Kevyn made a show of taking Zen's measure. "I can take you."

Zen cackled. "You can't tell like that."

Kevyn's eyes were full of secrets for a moment as if maybe his training did give him such an ability, but he did not elaborate. "Fine. We'll just have to see for ourselves," Kevyn said with finality. He took Zen's hand on the tabletop, sending a ripple of tingles from his hand through his whole body.

Zen hasn't felt such a pull toward someone in a long time. "Come home with me?" Zen asked. Being Fae, queer, and naturally gregarious was some kind of triple threat of forwardness for Zen, he thought. "I have speakers set up in the courtyard if you'd like to listen to some music with me."

"I would love to," Kev replied, who seemed to suffer from a similarly potent mixture.

~

They got a cab without too much of a wait, despite it being a Friday night. The white electric car was quiet, but the driver had on some club music that kept Zens heart pumping. The signs and lights on the main street whizzed by but Zen couldn't focus on anything but Kevyn's had in his.

Kevyn commented as they walked through the living room toward the courtyard, "You have such a nice house," in a way that suggested that his own home was not as large and well-furnished.

"Thank you," he replied and ushered Kevyn forward. Zen was rather proud of his home since he'd earned it all on his own. His parents were exorbitantly wealthy when he was young, and he had the best of everything. Then, with the revolution - they'd lost it all - or at least what they couldn't hide. The revolutionaries were clever and thorough. They didn't manage to hide much. At least his family didn't lose their heads.

Soon, they were sitting on the pillows in the courtyard, bottles of Merry Elf in hand, which Zen, fortuitously, happened to have.

He lit the lamps, which brought a subtle glow to the space as he went from torch to torch. Kevyn walked up to the third one and lit the wick with an elegant motion of his fingers, making Zen smile, then continued to the remaining three.