Broken Bonds

"Not too often thankfully. He has too many hyper friends, don't tell him that though! Anyway. . . it's nice to fi- Oh, I guess that still won't work in this situation. Well, it will be nice to finally meet you later today! Bae talks about you a lot, he used to get all excited when he'd get your letters. Oi, Ukon, what kind of music do you like? By the way, you can smack him one if you want to, you have my permission. He needs a good slap to the back of the head!" He laughed, rolling onto his stomach. It was nice, flirting. Ukon seemed a little different from the previous boys, a bit more modest?

“I was going to say that he hasn’t been doing a very good job of it. Someone...” There was a break as he tried to find the right words. Unsuccessful, he continued anyway. “...someone like you shouldn’t have to be alone.” Ukon was taken aback for a second at the fact that Gabe knew who he was. But as he thought about it, he knew things about Gabe too. Or he would have, if he had paid more attention. It was strange. Until now, it felt as if he had been wearing blinders. And all he could see was his sacrifice. Suddenly, a whole world was open to him. Even with this, though, his heart still ached. “I like...” again he paused. “Tonight I like whatever music you like, Gabe.” Following the man’s advice, laughing the whole while, he gave Bae a gentle kick in the shins, then put on a helpless face. He told me to. Ukon mouthed, as if he had no choice in the matter.

"Are you sure about that? I'm a weird child. I like industrial sounding things: synths and machines and electric guitars. . . What do you mean someone like me?" He paused, letting out a weak laugh, hoping to hear encouraging words. Ukon sounded nice.

"You bastard! That hurt!" Bae jumped at the motion, faking tears. He used the opportunity to run and hide behind some trees and let the romance unfold. Perhaps he was a little to excited.

"Hey, hey, Ukon. Where are you guys? I'm bored, I'll come down and walk around with you for awhile!" Gabe beamed. He wondered what kind of clothes Ukon wore, how funny he'd look standing next to him.

“Tonight’s going to be special. I’m going to be all yours tonight. So industrial it is.” For a second Ukon was thrown off balance. “You’re beautiful...” he murmured quietly, a little shyly. Unlike him. His voice grew in confidence as he continued. “And if Bae’s any good at judging people, you’re also a wonderful person.” His eyes followed the other fighter as the man darted into the bushes. “I’m not sure where Bae has run off to...” He spoke loudly, so that Bae could hear from where ever he was. “... but I’m right by the exit of the park. Near Seven Moons Academy. " His voice fell to a whisper for this last part. Bae would be too happy if he heard this particular part. "I’d be... really happy if you came.”

Gabe could feel himself blush, "It's been awhile since I've heard that form anybody. . . Hmm, you're going to have to help me out though! I'm afraid I don't know if I know what the school is! I'd just need to find my- nevermind, found them! Alright, do you know what street it's on?" He inquired, pulling his favorite sweater on; it was old and worn and torn, barely a sweater anymore. He was ready to go.

“Well then, like I said, Bae hasn’t been doing a good enough job.” Ukon nodded, then realizing Gabe couldn’t see him let out a laugh. “Where are you now? It’s one of the biggest parks in the city... 4 stops east of the downtown subway station. I could meet you there... at the station I mean...” Was he sounding too desperate to please? Ukon bit down on his lip, forgetting other pains for the moment.

"Could you so kindly? I know how to get to the station, which route do I take?" He wandered a bit, analyzing all the street signs very delicately. It was a language not all to well familiar to him. Strange in it's simplistic characters in his opinion. The station was only three blocks away.

"Just tell me where you are. I'll talk with you while you walk, so you can have the company." Ukon started moving himself, before realziing he was walking away with his friends phone. "Just one second..." He switched from speaking to the phone to shouting at no one in aprticular. "Bae! Wherever you are! I'm going to meet my date! I'll give him your cell phone." He turned back to the phone. "This is... something new for me. I'm excited."

"I know, it's been so long since I've been on a date! Oi, Ukon, what do you look like? It's only fair for you to tell me since you've seen my picture." He inquired, hoping to man would be a gorgeous as he sounded. Diligently he crossed a busy road, amazed by the sea of human traffic. "It's awfully crowded here, no?"

When the man repeated the word back to him, suddenly it seemed more serious. A real date? “I...” He was at a loss for words. How do you describe yourself to a stranger? “I’m rather short. I have long hair...” he chuckled. “Bae told me you liked that... I’m just another person in the world. People have told me I’m not too hard on the eyes, but you’ll have to judge for yourself...” He searched around him, trying to match someone from the crown to the msn from the picture. “Yes. It is. It wasn’t like this back home. Where are you from Gabe? I’m sure I should know, but up until this point I... haven’t focused on remembering details...”

"I'm still on the train, I'm making my way over. I'm from Barcelona. You are . . . Canadian, right? I think that's what Bae said. I look forward to seeing you though! You sound very nice." He smiled, holding onto one of the crowded machine's many hand rails. "I'd guess I'd be there in about a minute. Look for an idiot in a striped sweater."

"Sounds can be deceiving." Ukon chuckled. "...but I'll be nice for you tonight." Another soft laugh. "I'll be whatever you tell me to be tonight." His eyes would lock for a second on anyone that had any sort of striped sweater."Make the train go faster!"He pleaded. "It's lonely waiting for you."

"Sometimes, but not always. Besides, I'll get to play with your hair, right? I'll make you look beautiful! I'm in movie productions, I do special effect make-up and hair. So I can't lose, I make everyone look wonderful! Obviously I'll be special nice to Mr. Ukon." He smirked as he Ukon would know. "We're leaving the second stop in a moment. I'm almost there!" He excitedly blurted out, perhaps a little too loud. But this sort of occasion called for such theatrics. It wasn't that often he actually could manage to find a decent date.

"So that's why you like long hair..." Ukon murmured, his voice betraying how amused he was by this fact. His free hand reached up and removed the elastic that was tying his hair back, letting it down around his face. All because he thought Gabe would like it better like this. "Movie productions? What an exciting date I've ended up with. I'll try and keep you interested, my Hollywood artist." He bit down on his lip. This was coming so quickly. His free hand moved to clench tightly around his arm. Touching one of the letters of his true name with the tips of his fingers. A painful jolt went through him, starting at his fingertips and travelling to his spine. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. "...good." He tried to keep the same upbeat voice, but a small bit of sadness slipped in. "The quicker, the better." He needed this meeting to keep from losing himself. What a desperate first date this will be, Ukon thought shaking his head.

"Mm-hmm. I know it sounds weird but I like just being able to play with people's hair. I'm almost there anyway, don't worry. Hey, Ukon, what color shirt and shoes do you have on now? Just so I know what to look for." He peered out of the window, everything blurring into a radial stroke of color.

Ukon glanced down at himself, for the first time considering that maybe he wasn't dressed well for a date. He wore a black dress shirt with thin white pinstripes, wrinkled and a bit unkempt. He hadn't bothered doing too much laundry or ironing anything since he had left. He wore black shoes and dark jeans, a chain in his back pocket. He did his best to describe this to Gabe. "...I guess my hair is my most defining feature. Before we go out tonight, let`s go shopping. Ok, Mr. Hollywood? I'll let you style me. Pick out clothes so that we match. So we... look good together. I want to make everyone there jealous." He laughed. "I wouldn't mind getting a piercing or two for you." Not only didn't Ukon mind, he wanted to. He wanted a physical tie to another human being. "We'll be the talk of the club."

"Ooh! I like the sound of that, minus the matching part. It's more important we find something you look good in! What color do you feel best wearing? Probably oranges, right? Bae said you had purple hair. You'd probably look pretty in bronze." He mumbled on, failing to mention his departure from the train, he wanted to surprise him. "Does Ukon have anything piercings? I have a lot. I'll take a good look when I see you. But I won't let you near a parlor until tomorrow, to be sure."

"Ok. Not match... but complement each other? I want to look like I belong to you tonight. I trust you to find something perfect. " Ukon always had trouble choosing what he liked the most. He had lived his entire life trying not to form strong opinions so that, when he met his sacrifice, he would be able to like what that person liked. "I have no preferences..." As he continued to speak, he shook his head, unable to rid himself of his physically expressive ways, even on the phone. "I have no piercings." He cracked a smile. "But does that mean that we are going to have a tomorrow?"

"Eh, matching isn't really my thing see? I kind of find it annoying. I compliment me, you compliment. Maybe we can find matching shoes. I like shoes. And piercings, and tattoos. I have a lot of those. I think I scare people here, they think I'm in a gang of some sort. . . Let's see, I have both lobes pierced, my conches, and gages in my ears. Then I have my lower lip done and my tongue. Yeah, it's a bit of an addiction. My poor little baby, I don't look very much like the other Daddies at school." He laughed, following up behind a man with long purple hair. Maybe he would notice. . .

The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly seemed as if it were in surround sound. He turned and his eyes caught on the man from the picture he had seen. A giant smile broke across his face and he had to refrain from giving him a giant hug. Tonight, this person was his saviour. "It's better that he has a cool dad like you..." Ukon stood for a moment, mesmorized by Gabe's face. He reached out his hand and gently traced the bridge of the man's nose with his finger. "You have a wonderful face..." He managed to say before laughing, and offering his hand to shake. "I'm so happy to meet you."

"Hello Gorgeous." He bent down, kissing Ukon's cheeks. "I'm European, remember? No need for formality, besides, we both know where this is leading." He smirked, never one for fluff. The smile turns sweet though, he started bouncing Ukon's long locks. "You'll be easy to dress. I'm excited about that. And dancing. Are we going out to eat tonight too?" He held out a small bag for the man, the real reason behind the slow train. He had been already planning a hair style secretly for Ukon.


((it'll be a scarf))

Ukon laughed. "I didn't know where this was leading. All I had was hope. You still had to approve of me." He returned the kiss on the cheeks. "But I think... this will be good for me. I want it to be good for you too." He enjoyed the man's casual touch. The promises of fun. He took the bad, surprised, pulling a scarf out of the bag. "It's beautiful..." A laugh. "A gift on the first date?..." He gave an extra kiss to each of the man's cheeks. "Thank you so much. Dinner's on me." He handed the scarf to Gabe. "Put it on me?..."

"Of course! I'm used to spoiling people. To be perfectly honest, I'm probably the man-whore out of the group, I make myself look way to easy. I mean, depending on who you are, that could be a really good thing. Like if I have a date with a pretty boy, then I don't mind." He winked, delicately folding the cloth roll around Ukon's neck loosely.

"Most man-whore's wouldn't promise me a tomorrow...." There was a faint flutter in his chest at the praise, which took Ukon aback. When the scarf was in place he smiled at Gabe. "Does it suit me? Did you guess what I was going to be like?" He offered his hand, a little tentatively as they were in public. "Where do you want to go first?"

"I'm the clingy type. Did I mention, I'm not very good with completely living up to that title?" He laughed at himself, "How about we eat first!, that way we can fix up any mess we make. Have any good pasta like places around here. I could go for some paella right now." He straightened a few misshapen folds in the cloth, perfecting his date. Gabe swooped down, kissing his lips. "I'm very straightforward, I don't play those kind of games for image's sake."