[ Drake laughs softly and nods in agreement, leading the way to the restaurant. It's not a long walk, and soon enough he's holding open the door of a fast casual chicken joint with a neon rooster bolted to the front of the building. His expression as Jesus heads in is very much 'I warned you,' but it does smell pretty fantastic inside.
The menu is indeed ridiculous, with dishes and combos named semi-randomly after whatever chicken themed innuendo they thought of. You can choose your preferred parts (helpfully pointed out on a sexy hen pinup on the wall) and preparation. They do seem to offer a wide variety, from the "glistening cock" glazed bbq to fried "bone(r) in" options to "spitroast"ed with fixings. Onion rings are cock rings. The sauces are lubes. It's all extremely blatant and silly. ]
So I think my favorite joke is that you order nuggets in "nugg"sacs, but that isn't actually what I get here.
[ Jesus is a fairly quiet person but he can't help laughing. Especially at the pinup chick. Drake need not have worried, the ridiculous is a wonderful change of pace. ]
I'm tempted to order based on name, but what's actually good?
[ Oh good -- they're on the same page, then, and it bodes well for Jesus adjusting to the city in general. It's also just nice to hear somebody laugh. ]
Nothing's ever been bad? If you can't decide based on what sounds good to you name's as good a way to go as anything. I'm a barbecue guy but my partner likes the Korean-style wings best.
You said it's been awhile, right? Go for nostalgia.
[ Drake orders for himself, along with a few sides for them to split and drinks, then pays. And thoughtfully passes Jesus his cup so the other man can choose something from the fountain against the wall. ]
You know, I don't think I've ever had to describe him. People either just don't ask or they know him already... he's an artist. Ex-military, but even if we were from the same world his war was against aliens way in the future. We had like. Almost nothing in common.
[ His expression is very fond as he talks about the other man, though, even as he shakes his head and sets his cup into the machine. ]
[ He gestures for Jesus to take his turn at the machine, considering if he should start listing things and if so which, but decides it might make more sense if he explained why it's complicated first. ]
This isn't my first time winding up in another universe. About three and a half years ago I woke up on an alien planet and he was the first person I met. We left there together last year and wound up here by accident... and he didn't remember a thing.
[ A little shrug; he's come to terms with it. But that doesn't mean it's ever going to be totally okay. ]
I guess that should be a warning for you, I'm hard to get rid of.
[He's had to kill friends, many of them, who had turned after death and were simply no longer people. No longer the people he had known. But that's not at all like someone simply forgetting who you are, who you were to them.]
Heartbreaking. But you don't only love someone in a specific moment, you know? It's not exactly how it was, he's not exactly who he was, but I still knew the person he rewound to... if that makes sense. And I realized pretty quickly there was no way I could be in the same city as any version of him and not have some kind of relationship.
[ Drake smiles again, small but genuine. ]
So I just told him the truth. No expectations, no pressure if it was too weird for him to deal with me. It went where it went.
Yeah. It's never actually been my goal or anything, I was even more surprised the second time around. Especially since yeah, the rules here are really hard for him. Knowing it would be is a big part of why I couldn't just leave him feeling completely alone.
Lightning striking twice is reassuring, though. Sure, universe, make an already batshit situation even more complicated. We still work.
[ A worker behind the counter calls their number, interrupting the conversation, and Drake steps up to grab the tray and lead Jesus over to a table. Once they're seated he tilts his head at his new acquaintance curiously. ]
What about you? I know you just got here, but what about home?
[He has to wait for them to cool which is also a novel thing. Stew gets wolfed down still warm, but wings from the oven? Steamy.]
I've just never had sex because I had to have sex. I wasn't always close to the men I was with, I didn't always know their last names. But I chose it, I wasn't going to be punished if I didn't.
I don't like using people and that's what this all feels like. I don't know that I want to become someone who's comfortable with it.
[ Drake nods his understanding, because that's extremely valid. And honestly? ]
You're being more charitable than most people, myself included. I feel like the reality of living here long term is kind of both worse and not that bad at the same time, it just depends on what aspect of the place you're looking at.
[ He'll wait to see if Jesus wants to hear his opinion before going on, though -- it's kind of a lot. ]
[ Go on, buddy, eat. Drake gestures at the nugget Jesus is holding -- he'll explain while you have some chicken. But he's definitely keeping his voice low enough and intentionally chose the table against the shop window so that the odds of natives overhearing are low. ]
Okay, so worse first. To me, even without any of the horrible shit the city does to force us, quota itself is a huge issue. Even if you're choosing who you're with and what you do, it's all happening because we're being threatened. No matter how kind we are to each other, the city's violating our consent.
I'm really lucky. Most of the time these days I'm having sex because I want to, sex I'd be having without quota existing. But even for me, there are times it's not my choice. In a way that's much worse than just being used for sex like a bad relationship.
[he thinks about that. The safety of having a set relationship, of being able to forget about the quota perhaps, if only for a little while. But yeah. Having to be reminded, having it pulled into an established, loving relationship sounds...awful.]
[People have danced around it. They've said it's a punishment. They've leaned heavily on the coercion side of things: make quota or else it gets worse. But make quota and you'll still have some choice.
He thinks a moment, then sighs faintly, shrugs a shoulder]
Then I guess sometimes I'll be forced.
I imagine it's easier then to be with someone you don't love. [He's sympathetic. That would gut him: not having choice with someone he loved, someone he trusted.]
I mean, it's always sex. Somebody has to get off or it doesn't count. But you must've seen at least a little of just how weird sex can get by now, right? Sometimes what they're telling you to do isn't your kink.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-06-29 04:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-29 04:49 am (UTC)The menu is indeed ridiculous, with dishes and combos named semi-randomly after whatever chicken themed innuendo they thought of. You can choose your preferred parts (helpfully pointed out on a sexy hen pinup on the wall) and preparation. They do seem to offer a wide variety, from the "glistening cock" glazed bbq to fried "bone(r) in" options to "spitroast"ed with fixings. Onion rings are cock rings. The sauces are lubes. It's all extremely blatant and silly. ]
So I think my favorite joke is that you order nuggets in "nugg"sacs, but that isn't actually what I get here.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-29 04:53 am (UTC)I'm tempted to order based on name, but what's actually good?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-30 06:27 pm (UTC)Nothing's ever been bad? If you can't decide based on what sounds good to you name's as good a way to go as anything. I'm a barbecue guy but my partner likes the Korean-style wings best.
You said it's been awhile, right? Go for nostalgia.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-02 10:00 pm (UTC)What's your partner like?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-02 10:41 pm (UTC)You know, I don't think I've ever had to describe him. People either just don't ask or they know him already... he's an artist. Ex-military, but even if we were from the same world his war was against aliens way in the future. We had like. Almost nothing in common.
[ His expression is very fond as he talks about the other man, though, even as he shakes his head and sets his cup into the machine. ]
It's kind of a long story.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-04 03:00 am (UTC)What do you have in common now?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-04 03:38 am (UTC)[ He gestures for Jesus to take his turn at the machine, considering if he should start listing things and if so which, but decides it might make more sense if he explained why it's complicated first. ]
This isn't my first time winding up in another universe. About three and a half years ago I woke up on an alien planet and he was the first person I met. We left there together last year and wound up here by accident... and he didn't remember a thing.
[ A little shrug; he's come to terms with it. But that doesn't mean it's ever going to be totally okay. ]
I guess that should be a warning for you, I'm hard to get rid of.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-04 08:19 pm (UTC)I can't imagine what that must have been like.
[He's had to kill friends, many of them, who had turned after death and were simply no longer people. No longer the people he had known. But that's not at all like someone simply forgetting who you are, who you were to them.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-04 10:11 pm (UTC)[ Drake smiles again, small but genuine. ]
So I just told him the truth. No expectations, no pressure if it was too weird for him to deal with me. It went where it went.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-04 10:37 pm (UTC)[Which doesn't mean there aren't bad days, ones where perhaps Drake still misses things he had before all this.]
Is it hard for you two to be here? [What with all the rules, the pressures.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-05 01:28 am (UTC)Lightning striking twice is reassuring, though. Sure, universe, make an already batshit situation even more complicated. We still work.
[ A worker behind the counter calls their number, interrupting the conversation, and Drake steps up to grab the tray and lead Jesus over to a table. Once they're seated he tilts his head at his new acquaintance curiously. ]
What about you? I know you just got here, but what about home?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-05 02:15 am (UTC)Mm? No, no one at home. Not like that. Which I think is making it easier to adjust to life here. ...Sort of.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-05 02:21 am (UTC)Sort of? I've been letting you ask questions, but I'm a pretty good listener if you wanna talk about it.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-05 02:27 am (UTC)I've just never had sex because I had to have sex. I wasn't always close to the men I was with, I didn't always know their last names. But I chose it, I wasn't going to be punished if I didn't.
I don't like using people and that's what this all feels like. I don't know that I want to become someone who's comfortable with it.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-05 02:57 am (UTC)You're being more charitable than most people, myself included. I feel like the reality of living here long term is kind of both worse and not that bad at the same time, it just depends on what aspect of the place you're looking at.
[ He'll wait to see if Jesus wants to hear his opinion before going on, though -- it's kind of a lot. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-05 03:00 am (UTC)How so?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-05 03:28 am (UTC)Okay, so worse first. To me, even without any of the horrible shit the city does to force us, quota itself is a huge issue. Even if you're choosing who you're with and what you do, it's all happening because we're being threatened. No matter how kind we are to each other, the city's violating our consent.
I'm really lucky. Most of the time these days I'm having sex because I want to, sex I'd be having without quota existing. But even for me, there are times it's not my choice. In a way that's much worse than just being used for sex like a bad relationship.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-07 01:05 am (UTC)Because it changes what the sex means?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-07 01:10 am (UTC)[ If nobody's told Jesus this yet, he's sorry to be the one. ]
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Date: 2022-07-07 01:17 am (UTC)He thinks a moment, then sighs faintly, shrugs a shoulder]
Then I guess sometimes I'll be forced.
I imagine it's easier then to be with someone you don't love. [He's sympathetic. That would gut him: not having choice with someone he loved, someone he trusted.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-07 01:32 am (UTC)That's a personal thing. Experience has proven I'd always rather it be somebody I trust, but I think it also depends on what they're making you do.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-07 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-07 01:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-11 03:35 am (UTC)...It still beats being dead, though. [And he'll keep telling himself that, too.]
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