i will sail to the far shore

[magato]

[ Los Angeles is a city of easy prey, and that's nice, when he's not feeling up to a chase or trying to find new ways of getting close to Naoto. Not only that, it's where Heine lives.

At first he really thought the guy was fucking his beloved "sister". Continued denials and his own sniffing around have put that thought to rest, and then brought to light a new fact: Heine's pretty easy, too. It probably helps that he knows Magato has no interest in fame or fortune for himself. All Magato really wants is the fucking around—in all meanings of the phrase.

Speaking of fucking around, there's that one guy walking into the bar... Eames, if he remembers correctly. Sorta famous, sorta not, whatever. He definitely has a thing for Snowflake.

So of course Magato turns from where he's sitting at the bar and raises one hand in a lazy wave, fingers curling toward his palm. ]

Fancy seeing you tonight. You come here often?

Comments

[magato]

[ Ah, the man's not delighted by the sight of his face? That's fine, that's fine. Magato knows he already has what he wants, and also what Eames wants, which is almost as good.

Sliding partially off of his seat, Magato sets one booted foot on the ground, sprawling almost despite his seated position as he smirks at him. ]

What can I say, baby, I've got range. [ He cocks his head at the bar. ] Come here and I'll buy you a drink.

[embellishing]

[The absolute last thing that Eames wanted to do was accept a drink from Magato, but if he was here, there was a chance Heine was here as well. Getting second hand news about the man wasn't as good as judging for himself how he was doing, so with a small sigh, Eames considered it, crossing his arms over his chest.]

What's the catch? Are you going to spit in it or slip in a roofie?

[magato]

[ Magato immediately makes a show of holding a hand to his chest, an oh, me? kind of gesture. ]

You think I'd do that?

[ Looking back over his shoulder, Magato asks the bartender for a beer for Eames. His 'friend,' he makes sure to say, before turning back to Eames with a growing, toothy smile. ]

I don't need any help to get some, so you don't have to worry. 'kay?

[embellishing]

[Ugh this guy.

Eames accepted the beer, making sure to keep his face carefully neutral since it was clear Magato was doing this to try to get a rise out of him. He wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.]

Miracles never cease. So then you've cleaned up your act since I last saw you?

[magato]

Oh, yeah. Totally. I'm a new man now.

[ When the beer comes, Magato picks it up and holds it out, still grinning the same shit-eating grin. ]

What about you? Moving on?

[embellishing]

[What a lying sack of shit. Eames accepted the beer with a small inclination of his head of thanks, taking a sip grudgingly. He only mirrored Magato's grin as he turned to him.]

It almost sounds like you care. I'm very touched, and doing well thank you.

[Hopefully this guy didn't give a shit enough to follow his channel or else he might have to sing a different song, but from what everyone had told him, his interests were limited to drugs, sex, and Naoto.]

[magato]

[ Eames can smile back, but Magato sees through it. He always does. ]

Of course I care. I care about all my friends, and a friend of a friend is my friend too.

[ 'Friends', heh. He and Heine are far more than friends. ]

Cheers to that, huh?

[ Magato holds his drink up to clink together. ]

[embellishing]

[Ugh this guy was so full of sit and they both knew it. Eames made a face, but clinked their bottles together.]

So do you get all your friends addicted to illegal substances or are addicts just the only people who can stand you?

[magato]

[ Eames is really going there already, is he? Magato takes his time drinking, keeping his eyes on Eames the whole time as he swallows deeply. ]

What about you? Are the people who want a piece of you the only ones who give you the time of day?

[embellishing]

Are you talking about people who enjoy my company without having to be bribed?

[He looked at Magato as innocently as possible, taking another swig of beer. Because he will go there, buy a house there, and be buried there. Don't think he won't.]

[magato]

I'm not sure what you'd bribe 'em with, but sure.

[ If Eames thinks Magato is "bribing" his friends, well, he doesn't really care. He doesn't care for relationships he doesn't need. ]

[embellishing]

My great company of course.

[Eames raised his glass as if to cheers again, before downing it all and setting the bottle down heavily.]

Thanks for the drink. I'll get going.

[canicide]

[ Great company, prepare to meet even better company. Magato has a better view of the bar door, and he lifts his head at the sight of it opening and a familiar head of white hair coming through it.

Heine himself nearly stops. Eames is here? Seriously? Just his luck. But since they've all seen each other now, he has to move. He walks forward, letting Magato pull him into his side with a hand on his wrist that ends up moving higher to his elbow. ]

...hey.

[embellishing]

[When it rained, it poured. Eames was sure the way he kept his face carefully neutral was just as telling as if he had let out a wounded noise, but after seeing Heine the whole gambit of emotions he had been trying to avoid came rushing for him mercilessly. He could still remember their easy banter, the lazy jam sessions, waking up and reaching for him. Just as easily he could remember their ugly fights, how deep he realized he was and that he was alone in it, and the terrible hollowness that had settled in his chest as he had flown away from this city.

'Hey' indeed.

Eames' gaze flickered from Magato's hold on Heine to the man's face in question, finally settling on a quaint smile.]

No need for pleasantries, I was just leaving. Good to see you.

[magato]

Hey... [ Magato draws the word out, and with the arm not over Heine, he gestures for Eames to stay. ]

Don't go running off just yet. You two didn't even say hello to each other.

[ With a glance back at the bartender, he orders them another round of drinks. ]

Let's find a place to sit all together, yeah? Come on, somewhere cozy where we can talk.

[canicide]

[ Seeing Eames sends his heart right down into the pit of his stomach. Magato's hand on his arm, then his arm over his shoulder, isn't as easy to ignore as it usually is.

He doesn't like Magato. He likes fucking him, likes what Magato can give him in terms of pleasure and taking his mind off of things, but Magato is nothing at all like Eames.

But he did this to himself. Looking away, he doesn't say anything while Magato begins trying to drag them towards a booth to the side. ]

[embellishing]

[The biggest part of Eames wanted to walk out of the door without acknowledging the two of them, to forget about either of them for as long as humanly possible. Heine had made his choice, had made it clear in the radio silence that followed, and Eames wasn't so much of a masochist that he wanted to spend any amount of time with him and his drug dealer.

However, there always was a petty part of him that thought, fuck it. If Heine couldn't meet his eyes, he'd stay until he could and rub it in his nose how well he was doing without him.]

As long as you keep buying.

[Eames slid into the booth, smiling mock sweetly, before turning to Heine.]

Hello. [Pointedly, for Magato's benefit.] You look like shit. Still letting him talk you into doing the hard stuff?

[magato]

[ Keep buying, sure. Magato's enjoyment of the tension between Heine and his ex... whatever is too good to give up. He grins and passes out the drinks he bought earlier.

And hey, they're saying hello to each other. That's good. While taking a slug of his own mixed drink, Magato leans back and slings an arm over Heine's shoulders again, just to watch it all unfold. ]

[canicide]

[ Magato and Eames are both going to do this to him.

Well. He can't say he doesn't deserve it. He was unfair to Eames when he gave up their relationship, whatever it was, in favor of what seemed easier at the time. ]

Are you trying to start an argument with me right now?

[ Rather than argue back, right at this moment Heine is more interested in not looking at him, drinking, and jiggling his knee restlessly under the table. ]

[embellishing]

[Eames was playing straight into Magato's greasy, garbage stained hands, he knew it without Magato slinging an arm over Heine's shoulders and watching the two of them smugly. He didn't want to give him any satisfaction, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't angry. If he didn't think Heine could put up with a bit of discomfort considering the stupid choices he was making. And not all of them had to do with choosing Magato over him.]

Who knows, maybe you'll listen to me for once because it doesn't seem like you're listening to anyone else. They're all worried about you, you know. His dick can't be that great, for you to want to cut everyone else out of your life.

[Because it sure wasn't the personality. Eames knocked back a bit more of his drink, smiling sweetly at Magato since it seemed like Heine couldn't meet his gaze.]

[magato]

[ Maybe not all of the Eames' antagonism comes from Heine getting with Magato rather than himself, but at least some of it does, and that's enough for him. And the argument itself—yeah, that's good. Especially the talk about his dick.

He'll let Heine respond. He'll grant him that much, while smiling back at Eames with just as much sweetness. ]

[canicide]

[ Antsy and feeling worse by the second in the noisy bar, Heine bounces his foot a few more times. Exhaling harshly through his teeth, he looks at Eames once.

It's not about Magato's dick. Or at least it isn't all about his dick. It's just Magato gives him the escape he needs so badly. ]

I'm not cutting everyone out of my life. I'm not—I'm fine.

[ Anger from Eames is met, finally, by a flat look from Heine when he turns to face him head-on. ]

If you want to tell me something then just say it.

[embellishing]

[Usually, Eames made it a point not to get wrapped up in people's drama. Watch it from the sidelines, throw in a witty retort or two, but he'd learned his lesson about being sucked into situations where there was no winning. And yet here he was, being buffeted by a storm of it, just taking it. He could get up and walk away at any time, and yet he was rooted to the spot, eyes narrowing.

He could be more delicate, sure, but if Heine wanted him to say his piece, he would.]

You're an a fucking idiot and a poor liar. If you don't want whatever we had, fine. But you could at least talk to Nill more. She's worried about you.

[He drained the last of his drink, getting up, disgusted. He felt his hands shaking with anger, and slowly, he exhaled, forcing himself to unclench them.]

It was nice seeing the two of you again. Hope you have a wonderfully fantastic life together.

[magato]

[ This time Magato makes no move to stop Eames from leaving. He's had his fun—Heine is sitting under his arm with obvious discomfort on his face.

Poor Eames, really. Magato figures he misses Heine a lot, and he doesn't blame him. Heine's fun. Bit of a drag sometimes, but fun enough to fuck around with. ]

We will, babe, don't worry. Later.

[ He waves lazy fingers at him as he leaves. ]

[canicide]

[ They're not going to have a wonderfully fantastic life together. They don't even have a life together, in the first place, not anything like the relationship he at least had with Eames.

Struck more than anything by how stupid this is, Heine keeps his mouth shut as Eames slams his glass back down and leaves.

He doesn't want to think about this. He doesn't want to imagine what could have been.

When Magato chuckles and whispers into his ear that they should get out of there, Heine just nods. ]