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There is a new face in the courtyard, someone who doesn't look entirely sure he should be here. He's dressed like a street kid, well-worn jeans and a t-shirt with a leather bomber jacket. His hair is a little on the long side. He looks to be about twenty. He looks around like he's not entirely sure why he's here.
Not far away there is an alley, and if one were to prop open the coal cellar door at the end and navigate the considerable group of tunnels beneath, one could go somewhere…full of monsters. The town has mutants, monsters, and men, and technically, well. Technically Lambert is a monster. There are lookouts and more, so the satyr-kin pops up unseen, and makes his way towards the door into his courtyard from the alley. It opens, a broad, wooden thing, and in steps Lambert, his arms full of a large crate of very fresh fish. Sometimes a chef runs out during the dinner hour and KNOWS he cannot get to the fishmonger tomorrow!
Nice to have friends in low places, right? He has a nice white cap on his head, and his more animalistic attributes are mostly hidden under his chef's uniform.
Elmo's accompanying this new face, telling him, "It's okay to be a mutant here in the courtyard. Queer, too." He's bringing Arlo by to show him some of the ropes. As a queer mutant and one-time snuggler of naked Lambert, he knows what's up. When Lambert shows up, behind a huge crate of fish, he pauses, not completely sure what's going on, then offers, "Hey, you need any help with that, Bert?"
"I never said I was queer," Arlo says. "We only made out for like an hour." He rakes his hand through his hair. "That's good for you, though." There's no mockery in his tone at least. He eyes Lambert askance and, rather than greet him or offer to help, he sidles behind Elmo. Lifting his chin, he says, "Hey." Cool and disaffected.
Lambert says to Elmo "Could you open the door to the kitchen? I need to get these into the refrigerator quickly." He balances the weight up on his hands and he says "It is okay to be many things in here. Except to be rude. I do not like rude. I also do not like trolls. Did you hear about the troll thing, Elmo?" He shakes his head a bit, and then he nods to Arlo and he says "Good evening. Are you here for dinner? Or just some wine! Or maybe the dessert menu…we have new candied oranges."
Elmo's eyebrows go up as Arlo reveals he's been making out. Bert needs help though and he hurries to get the door. "I did hear about the troll thing. Kai told me. Kinda wish I'd been here." He opens the door for Lambert and his giant crate of fish. "This is Arlo," he tells him, while he does.
"Troll thing?" He follows after Elmo. He shoots Elmo a Look, then doesn't meet his eye. "I don't know yet," he tells Lambert. "Elmo told me about this place, and I don't get out of the M.T. much so he was nice enough to recommend this place. I got ten bucks."
The fish is hoisted up quickly. It has white flesh, and the eyes are still glassy and clear. The box it is in is coated with delicate gold and red paper for some reason. Lambert says "There's a lad, thankyou! A moment!" He darts inside, and slides the crate into the large restaurant refrigerator. And then he stands back, and he washes his hands carefully, and says "Trolls attacked. New York. What can you say. If it isn't the cab drivers, it's trolls. This place." He shakes his head slowly, and then he says "Yes, mutants are welcome. Just do not trash anything." And he grins, brightly, those odd eyes of his focusing and refocusing, before he says to Elmo "So how goes your complex social life!"
Elmo follows Lambert in for a moment, touching the fridge after the fish are stowed. Whatever he feels must satisfy him, because he backs off and puts his hands back in his pockets. "…Why's that fish got that fancy paper?" He looks back at Arlo, sees he's avoiding looking at him, and grins. Just grins. Then Bert is asking him about his social life and he shrugs, grin turning less wicked and more embarrassed. "Great. I saw Jay and Lindon and it was great. You?"
Arlo slinks back as the two converse, and Elmo gets another Look. He wasn't so shy dealing with non-mutants, but Lambert is given a close once-over. Arlo actually relaxes some when he sees that Lambert's eyes have square pupils.
Lambert says to Elmo "It is still working very well." He then says "Er, I am not…quite sure." That sure is some cantonese printed in gold on that tissue paper. Lambert pauses, and says "I probably should have asked where this fish came from." And then he tilts his head and smiles warmly "Oh, good. Excellent. I do like to know if my friends are having a good time." And he tilts his head at Arlo, and he says to him "I'm harmless! I've just been, er, somewhere. Very." He tries to consider "…nice."
"This is Lambert. He owns this place," Elmo tells Arlo, drifting back out to join him. "And he's a really great guy." He seems to debate telling more details about Lambert, but doesn't, and instead says, "Only an hour, huh?" in a distinctly teasing tone.
Arlo tells Elmo, "Something like that, I wasn't paying attention to the tine, but at least an hour." He scows though, as if dearing Elmo to say word one about it. To Lambert, he says, "I'm a Mutant," like he's inviting him to make something of it, too. He unwinds enough to make his way toward a table where there's a heater.
Lambert waves a hand as Elmo introduces him, and he beams as the man says that he is a 'great guy', before he says "Only an hour? Maybe you need a bit more practice." And he laughs at Arlo's scowl - though good naturedly. Now the fish is all away, and he turns back with a couple of glasses of red wine "I'm not," he says to Arlo "Welcome to Saganaki! Please, sit down - yes, where it is warm. Technically, I am a 'Monster'. Not a Mutant."
Elmo has argued before with Lambert on his self-identification as a monster, but he's just keeping his mouth shut about it now. He's keeping it shut an unusual amount, actually. Which doesn't prevent him from saying to Arlo, "You wouldn't wanna commit without a test drive, right?" with an amused glint. "Thanks, Bert." He takes the wine, careful not to collide with Lambert's fingers.
"We just had some beers," Arlo says, and his scowl softens to a stupid grin. "I'll probably never see him again, but at least he didn't arrest me." He tentatively accepts a glass of wine. "You're a monster?" This is a designation he doesn't seem familiar with.
Lambert tilts his head at Elmo's unusual level of reticince, then he asks him, his voice low for a moment "Are you alright there, Elmo, my friend?" He ducks into the kitchen, with the window propped open. And there is a pan, and suddenly there are fish fillets being taken out and tossed, salt, lemon, oil and more "Not being arrested is generally how I prefer to do things as well. Yes, I'm a monster - I am exactly what my parents would have expected - my father is a half satyr. But, ah, our blood is a bit more. Dominant than human blood is. I hope no one is allergic to fish?"
Elmo gives Lambert a bemused look. "How do you /do/ that?" he mutters, simultaneously impressed and grouchy with Lambert's powers of observation. "Yeah, fine, just. I was kind of a jerk to Jay and I didn't wanna be like that. So I'm making an effort not to be a jerk. Fish is good as long as it's, you know, fish, and it don't got a shell." He doesn't sit, although he lingers in the warmth. It's still pretty cold. "Yeah?" he adds to Arlo, interested.
Arlo nods slowly. "All right," he says. Hell, he's a mutant, why can't Lambert be a satyr? It makes the eyes make sense. Is Lambert kosher, though? Does he chew hiw cud? Questions Arlo tucks away in the back of his mind where they'll never see the light of day. "Fish is fine," he says. He nods then to Elmo and says, "Yeah, he came over and we had a couple beers, and it just kind of happened." He grins a little and ducks his head. "I didn't hate it"
"Tch, I like to watch people, and you are someone I like, in any case. You are normally a little more like me, eh! A talker! You talk so well, you even talk to machines," says Lambert, as he flicks the frying pan and it tosses the fish up lightly in the air "You don't like oysters or shellfish? Or do you come over all funny if you eat them? Some people do." He then says "That's good! Not everyone likes to kiss. I have met many, _many_ women who for some reason do not like to kiss me - I have checked." He winks slowly, and then he says to Elmo "Tch. Let me get another fire going!"
Elmo offers Arlo a congratulatory toast and a pleased half-grin. "Here's to not hatin' it, huh? L'chaim." He sips the wine. "Shellfish, ain't kosher," he says to Lambert. "I don't always care, but Arlo's Jewish, too. Just lookin' out for him. He's shy, yannow." At Lambert calling him a talker, he shrugs awkwardly. "Yeah, I let my mouth get away from me, though. Didn't feel too great trying to explain it to Jay."
Arlo grins crookedly, but he also shrugs and says, "It's not that big a deal." He raises his glass though, and he echoes, "L'Chaim." He then nods to Elmo's words and tells Lambert, "I try to keep kosher." He takes another drink of wine, liberal with the stuff, and adds, "I like kissing okay. I told myself I was going to stop, but it's fun."
"Oh! Hmm. That's right, Jewish. Jewish…" Lambert looks a little uncertain "I know the feeling, I'm religious too - we have a few, ah, dietary. Requirements." Not 'restrictions', noticably. And then he says to Elmo "Er…who did you let your mouth get onto, that Jay would be upset?" And then he nods to Arlo "I might need to go look up the guidelines. It might expand the business a bit, right? Oh, I love kissing. Men. Women. People who are neither! Both…" He beams reminiscently and then there are fish fillets and a bright green salad with bread being put out "Kissing is definitely something I rather like."
Elmo's a little divided between giving up moping and moping harder. The beautiful food Lambert is putting out is definitely leaning him on the giving up side. Then Bert's talking about kissing and he gets flustered, turning red. "Uh," he says, having lost track of what he was saying. Lambert does that to him.
"It's fun," Arlo tells Lambert, "but it's too easy to get attached, and I don't do that." He sits up a little, squaring his shoulders. "But it was just a little fun. Like I said, I probably won't even see him again. It's just nice to know that, apparently, I'm okay with guys, too."
Lambert glances at Elmo and winks at him broadly, and then knives and forks are laid out "I'd kiss you too, machine-man," he says to him with a wicked grin. Then he sits down at the edge of the table, with his own glass of wine, but no food. He says "Yes, a bit like me. Though most satyrs and maenads like both. Nymphs, not so much." He adds "Greek Gods are a very randy bunch."
Elmo really blushes now. "Bert," he says, in a tone that's got an underlay of interest and an overlay of complaint. "…Thanks for feeding us. Got anything else that needs fixin'?" He looks over at Arlo, listening to him. "That's not nothin'," he tells him. "Even if it was your first time doin' that, it don't need to be your last, huh?"
Arlo grins when Elmo blushes. He waves a hand then and says, "I don't know. Maybe if he comes around again. I'm just not looking for anything. I wasn't looking for him but it just happened." He perks up when there's food, then hesitates. "How much a I gonna owe you?"
Lambert's sharp teeth show in a bit of a pleased smirk, and then he says to him "You know I like feeding people. But sooner or later your lot need to come in and buy a full five course meal. With, of course, wine to suit each course!" He considers, then he says "I don't think so - I don't have power in my flat. My father said it's not a good idea, er, sometimes we short things out. Magic. I don't really understand magic, though." He then says to Arlo "First one is free - _but_ you tell everyone else about it all. And you come back, and buy a big meal."
"Sure I will," Elmo says, gamely pretending like he isn't embarrassingly red. "I gotta make up to you all the freeloadin'." But he really is red and there's no hiding it, even as he tries to act like it isn't happening. Absolutely nothing to see here, only way too into the idea of kissing Lambert. So he attempts to distract himself with fish. It works, kind of.
Arlo nods slowly. He looks a little uncertain, going over some mental math. Apparently his equation works out to 'there can be a fine meal in the future' and he tucks in. "This is really good," he says. As he eats, he glances between Elmo and Lambert, and he finally asks, "Is there a thing going on between you two?"
"I am a terrible flirt, Mister Arlo," says Lambert who grins "And I like my friends, and I am not good at. Expressing things without being a cad?" He then sits down, and he says "I like Elmo. I like his Jay, a lot. And I like Lindon. I don't want to hurt Jay, or others, so I just, ah. I just. Erm." He coughs.
"Just embarrass innocent electricians," Elmo supplies helpfully. "This is amazin' as always, Bert." He gives Arlo an apologetic half-shrug. "Bert's got no shame. I like him like that, though. So, do you /wanna/ see that guy again?"
"Ah, I get it," Arlo says. Then to Elmo, he says, "It onyl means he likes you." He shrugs then and says, "I dunno. Maybe? I like him, but I'm trying not to like anyone, so yeah but no." He takes another bite of fish and makes bliss face. He lives on PBJs and boxed mac-n-cheese. "I guess if I see him again, maybe he's worth liking?"
"I did that too - I mean, I tried not to like anyone," says Lambert "Or at least like everyone roughly the same amount." 'Tried'. He does not offer any more details, and then he says "Haha! Elmo is right, I cannot feel shame properly. I would wander around all summer naked if it did not get me arrested. Yes. I like him. I just…I actually do honestly like my friends, eh? It is pleasant. My sort of creature, we like being in a pack - er, I mean herd." Though 'pack' came more naturally to his tongue. He sips his wine, and then he says to Arlo "There are actually quite a lot of nice men around, but it is hard to meet them given the circumstances. Mutants are often less silly about it all. Monsters, too. The problem is, ah, when they are not. They can hurt you much more."
Elmo's not sure of Arlo's logic, and gives him an according glance. "Why you gotta try to not like anyone? I do that naturally," he says, self-mocking. Lambert gets a shy smile. "Thanks, Bertko. I like you too." So much, Lambert now gets his very own diminuitive.
Arlo shrugs and says, "I don't want to get attached. I get attached, and it always ends badly. I mean the guy's a cop. What possible future is there? If I get attached, he'll say 'the job's more important' or will, like, arrest me for one of many good reasons."
"Hah! Most cops love the chance to relax," says Lambert, rather _too_ knowingly "I do know this, eh. If you predict terrible things, eventually you will only ever think about them, and then you will not enjoy what delights there are. Just don't worry about the future. Be at peace, and do what you can now." He smiles at Elmo, warmly, and he says to him "Good." Then he eases up, and he says to Arlo "Remember! Also, cops are very fun in bed. It is all the doom and adrenaline!" Still, he has a restaurant to run, and that means back into the kitchen!
Elmo's eyebrows went up when Lambert started talking about cops, and just stayed there throughout that entire speech. When the satyr goes to tend to his restaurant, he says dryly to Arlo, "That guy knows way too much about sleepin' with cops." He's done eating, and drinks some wine. "Listen, I appreciate the optimism of our people, but maybe it won't turn out that bad."
"I might need to pick his brain later," Arlo says. He finishes up the food in short order, himself. He doesn't quite bolt it down, but he's used to eating quickly. "If I don't give it a chance, it won't turn out badly at all," he says, embracing that optimism wholeheartedly.
"Jew logic," Elmo agrees, humorously. "Hey, you know what though? You did a good job, doin' something at all. Proud a ya, Arlushka."
Arlo raises his wine glass to Elmo. "I even told him I was flirting with him. I realized I kind of was? I just wanted to know if I'd like kissing a guy. He's like really reserved, so I basically deserve a medal for getting that far."
"I had to be kinda dragged into kissing anyone at all," Elmo admits. "You're way ahead of me. At least you get it, though—touching people is /hard/." He leans on his elbows and grins at Arlo. "I mean, it sounds like it went pretty okay."
"I'm okay touching people for like shaking hands and stuff," Arlo says. "I don't get too attached to a handshake." He drops his gaze, but his smile hasn't entirely faded. "It went pretty well," he admits. "I'm just not trying to get too hopeful. I know myself. I fall, and then it ends badly."
"Yeah. I hear that." Elmo studies Arlo. "There ain't nothing wrong with ya though. At least, nothing wronger than the rest of us. So maybe take it easier on yourself, sometimes."
"You're doing something right," Arlo says with a grin. "I can't keep track of all the names." He winks at Elmo, then takes another drink of his wine, nursing it along because he doesn't want to try to get back to the M.T. while tipsy. "I'll see what happens," he allows. "Maybe if it's meant to be it will be."
Elmo glances patiently up at the sky, even as he turns red again. "Don't ask me what, because I don't know. It just kinda happened?" His grin is bemused. "I'm not complaining."
"You've got a, what do you call it, compelling personality," Arlo says, "and besides, you're nicer than you give yourself credit for. It's no one's fault that at least… I don't know, two? five? ten? guys can see through that rough exterior."
Elmo mutters something that sounds suspiciously like "oy gevalt" and buries his face in his hands. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Compelling like a parking ticket."
Arlo laughs and nudges Elmo's shoulder. "Enjoy it," he says, "it's a good thing to be well thought of. One person liking you, that's a fluke, but when your community welcomes you with open arms? You must be doing something right."
"It's because everybody loves teasin' me," Elmo says into his hand. With reactions like that, who can blame everybody, though? He lifts his head to offer Arlo a whimsical shrug. "I mean, I can't complain. I do anyway, but, the point is, you did a real brave thing." Was that the point? Well, it is now.
Arlo's eyes are bright with amusement to see Elmo in such a state. It is a rather fun game to play. His features soften, though, and he says, "Thanks, man. It was pretty cool. He'd better come back. If he doesn't, I'll get arrested for punching a cop."