[for Ray - Dated 1/07]

[asher_talos]

When the Island had gone back to normal they'd had a hell of a time breaking the news to the twins that Toys-R-Us had vanished along with the rest of the city. Truth be told, a small part of Asher had wanted to join Celia in her tantrum over the loss. Not of the toy store specifically, obviously, but of the city as a whole. He knew it was most likely all in his head, but since being back, the sun seemed brighter, the temperature higher and the sand about a hundred times more obnoxious than it had been before. More obnoxious even than when they were stuck in the old west, which was saying something.

Not everything was left behind, though. Of all the things that could have remained from their time in New York, the Island had chosen this. Of course it did. It might have still been wrapped, but Asher didn't need x-ray vision to know what it was.

When he'd picked it out, he actually assumed that, more likely than not, it would have stayed behind. For his birthday, he'd tell Ray about his good intentions without having to hand anything to him. The thought was supposed to be what counted most, and Asher wondered if that held true when nothing tangible was ever actually received.

Now he'd never know.

He'd kept the gift in the spare room on the boat since they'd been back on the Island. It was already late-afternoon - Ray's birthday was already more than halfway over now - and it had only made it as far as the kitchenette table from its original hiding spot.

Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if the thing didn't look like Martha-fucking-Stewart had done the wrap job.

Groaning, he swept the gift off the table after deciding he'd stared at it long enough, tucked it under his arm and started back home.

Comments

[asher_talos]

"I don't see why you're so opposed," he countered. "I gave you my opinion, why can't you just do the same? Are you honestly that worried about not getting your damn meal?"

At this point, there wasn't any response that Ray could give that would set him off more than a non-response would.

[speakscanadian]

"Because I feel that no matter what opinion I give right now it's gonna be wrong in your e--this is not about the damn meal!" Ray huffed out a breath to try to keep a hold of his temper. Maybe Asher was right, maybe marriage wasn't for them. They already bickered like an old married couple, so if making it official would just increase that, then Ray was definitely out.

[asher_talos]

"Oh my God! Fine, okay?! I forgot that you're the only one who's allowed to ask and push. My mistake." The next time the roles were reversed and Ray was back to being the one pushing for an answer, Asher wouldn't be forgetting this conversation.

[speakscanadian]

So much for the good mood. The happiness from earlier visibly drained from him.

"I don't even know why you'd wanna push." But then not knowing why Asher did things wasn't exactly a new feeling for Ray. "I dropped the subject. Two minutes ago that's all you'd wanted, so don't have a go at me for listening for once."

[asher_talos]

"When it's convenient for you, that's when you listen for once." If nothing else, now he had this in his arsenal. If he wanted Ray to shut up, just bring this up again.

"Whatever. Run with your new found silence unless you want to spend the rest of the day alone."

[speakscanadian]

"So I'm not allowed to speak on my own birthday or the person who claims to love me is gonna up and leave?" Ray asked, giving Asher the opportunity to retract his comment while he still had the chance.

One day his do-what-I-say-or-I'm-off threats would back fire on him and Ray had the feeling that day was incredibly close.

[asher_talos]

Asher rolled his eyes, staying quiet despite the dozens of things he could have, and wanted to say. None of them would have made the situation any better, though. With things in their current state, he wasn't even sure if it was worth trying to salvage the day. If they did make it to dinner, he couldn't imagine the conversation would have been very stimulating while he was busy waiting for Ray to choke on the next bite of food.

[speakscanadian]

Ray thought they had finally, finally moved past having arguments about things that didn't matter. He could understand it if they'd been discussing something important; differences of opinion were inevitable. But to bicker about nothing and let it become something? That was exactly how his marriage to Angie had started to break down.

The only difference between that and Ray and Asher was that the latter had bickered right from the very start. Ray just hoped that was their saving grace.

He stared as he waited for a response. The way Asher rolled his eyes, like Ray was one of the twins having a tantrum, was answer enough.

"How 'bout I leave instead," he said, turning around and heading back into the hut alone. He rubbed his hands over his face, feeling tired all of a sudden despite the early hour. "See you tomorrow."

[asher_talos]

"Unless you don't," Asher muttered as Ray walked away. On the Island, that was never really a guarantee. Although, a more likely scenario would just be Asher avoiding him until he felt like things had calmed down a bit.

"Happy birthday."

Jackass.