so grab a drink and clear a space

[brilliantdesign]

Characters Dist, Noboru
Rating PG maybe?
Summary Noboru gets stood up. Good thing Dist is there to put it all into perspective.
Location Magnolia
Date/Time September 6th, evening
Status finished/completed

Comments

[searchmylight]

Noboru tapped one foot nervously under the table of his booth. It was ridiculous, really, wasn't it? I mean, getting stood up twice in a row was a bit much, even from the transplant nurses. But such was the life of everyone's favorite little brother character--push him til he goes off, give him a hug, and wait until he least suspects it before unleashing the next wave of minor insults.

Sigh.

He didn't know what the customary wait was, but with no message or call, his date was thirty minutes late. The waiters were starting to look at him with an irritating mix of pity and annoyance, and he sort of just wanted to dive under the table and die. Proverbially.

One more look around to the door--the girl wasn't there, damn it!--and he put a few dollars down on the table to thank the waitstaff for their trouble. With a sigh, he slid out of the booth and took a step toward the door... That was some awfully familiar hair at the next booth over.

"Dist?"

[brilliantdesign]

Dist looked up rather suddenly at the sound of his name, and it took him a moment to figure out who had spoken to him. He certainly hadn't expected to see anyone he knew, which was part of the reason he was dressed so casually.

But, then, how many people in the city had naturally lavender hair? Dist was a difficult figure to overlook, even without his customary plumage.

He waved Noboru over; he did, after all, have plenty of room at his table. "Noboru. What are you doing here?"

...Well, probably eating. Still, it was a decent conversation starter.

[searchmylight]

Noboru briefly entertained the idea that he had angered the universe somehow in the last few days, and it was getting back at him. Why else would he run into a research partner after being stood up on a date? Clearly, humiliation was the order of the day.

"I just wanted a nice, quiet dinner," he lied. "Was just leaving..."

But he took the seat anyway; maybe he could play it off. He did have a decent chunk of pride left, even after his date's indirect rejection. Perhaps she was stuck at work, or got lost, or perhaps she was seeing someone else...

He sighed again. His luck with women was nonexistent--he was legendary among his co-workers in this area--and it just kept getting worse. Of course, every time he though about things, he would get a little grumpy downturn of his lips, and a sigh would escape. He would be hideous dinner company, at this rate. His irritation was palpable, but obviously not directed at Dist.

[brilliantdesign]

Oh dear, that look. Dist knew that look.

"You were waiting for someone." It wasn't a question; Dist was certain that that was what had happened. He'd made that face more times than he could count. He folded the menu and slid it across the table.

[searchmylight]

Caught.

"Yeah," Noboru replied, eyes fixed on the table. "Not the first time."