Consequences

Convince Me Markus...

Convince Me Markus...

Rae had thought that the end of her vacation was short lived. She had not heard from Bruno, but then it has only been a day... or so, not like she was really keeping track. Russ, as promised, had made it up to her by giving her a few extra days off. Rae had also learned that Duke was going to make a full recovery, was out of the hospital and home with Roma. They appreciated the week worth of food everyone at work had made for them during their time of need. But sadly, the police were still on the lookout for the deplorable assholes that assaulted him. She had made a promise to Roma, that she would be there with them when Duke was safe at home, just as long as he promised not to be naked.

Rae wanted to use this extra free time to work at Ink Kink. She could spend a little extra time with Markus. She was in dire need of advice. After stopping and grabbing some coffee for the guys at the shop, once she arrived at Ink Kink, she was struck with surprise to see that they had already had customers so early in the morning. At first she hadn't paid much attention initially. Everything was normal as headed straight over to Markus's booth, saying good morning to everyone, but that's when she was awe struck to see two familiar faces standing and checking out some tattoos. “Rae, these gentlemen say they know you,” Markus said in a scary deep voice clearly in hopes of intimidating both of the gentlemen standing at the counter. She looked over her shoulder and saw both Xander and Bruno, “What are you two doing here?” she asked quickly. Her cheeks became flushed when their gaze focused on her, feeling their stares burning holes into her flesh. “Well, after looking at some stunning artwork, I was suddenly inspired to get a new tattoo,” Bruno chimed in response. “And I came for... moral support,” Xander added. Markus stood up next to Rae, his presence looming over her, and his stare intimidated both men. “This is Markus. Markus. This is Xander and Bruno.” He reached out to shake their hands, towering over them both. As he shook both of their hands, Markus almost ripped their arms out of their sockets. She pulled at his arm, like trying to tame an overbearing father figure. “Stop it now. Behave, and go sit down.” She pulled him back to his booth. “So what are you guys thinking of getting today?” he said loud enough to cause an echo in the parlor. Bruno went back to looking at the designs, while Xander hung over his shoulder but never taking his eyes off of Rae. “Well, let us know when you've decided? You know, you pick it, we stick it.” Rae punched Markus's arm. “I told you to behave. Don't go scaring them away now.” Markus rolled his eyes, and laughed. “You know I'm busting their balls. I do this to all the men who show interest in you.” She kicked his leg.

He continued to glare at them over Rae's shoulder. “So...” He continued to check them out, “Why am I getting the feeling that one of them is Avery's monthly flavor.” Rae sat down and pulled out her book, handing over a few more designs for customers scheduled later in the week. She slightly took a peek over her shoulder at them, and then rolled her eyes. “I've been meaning to get some advice about that.” Markus leaned back into his chair, and rested his hands behind his head, giving them a death stare from across the room, before looking back at Rae. “Well, this one is a true conundrum. They both seem into you, but one is so much more obvious then the other. This is going to be a tough one.“ He considered this like a puzzle to solve, like he was a contestant on a game show. “And one of them is Avery's monthly flavor.” He squinted his eyes and rubbed the scruffy beard on his chin, perplexed trying to figure out which was which, as Rae made her way over to the guys at the counter. “Don't let him scare you. His bark is worse then his bite. But don't tell him I said that. So... Bruno I'm going to assume that you are the one getting the tattoo today. Looking at anything special?” He was still going through the books laid out in front of him, until he saw the entire section that was dedicated to Rae's designs. “I think I found the section I was looking for, but it still maybe a little bit before I decide.” Rae looked at Xander, “Moral support huh? Get something pierced while you wait.” They both laughed as the words left her mouth. His smile brought a glow to her face, and a redness to her cheeks. She hated that he still had that effect on her. “Rae!”, Markus yelled from the back of the room. He was waving for her to come with him out back. She said she would be right back. “So, explain this to me. Both of these men are clearly here for you. One of them is Avery's flavor, and the other is... I don't even want to think about that right now.” She furrowed her brow, trying to understand what he was talking about. “What? The one without tattoos, clearly has a thing for you, and I can tell you have a thing for him. That poor tattooed man, has no idea what he's in for with Avery though.” Rae rolled her eyes, “Avery's flavor is the one without tattoos. The guy that has been thrust upon me, is the one with the tattoos.” Markus looked around the corner at both of them still standing at the counter before looking back at Rae. “Bullshit! I call total bullshit. Are they what we talked about the other day? You better start talking girly girl.” He looked down at her before sipping his coffee. “What? There's nothing to explain.” She shook it off and turned to walk back into the parlor, but he grabbed her arm and turned her back around. “What freaky s**t is happening over in the house? You better tell me, because you know I'll be extremely angry with you if I have to figure it out on my own.” Shaking her head again, she refused to make eye contact with him. “Fine...” She proceeded to explain how she had met Xander about seven years ago, and they talked about the idea of fate. If they were meant to be together their paths would cross once again in the future. “It's just now, Xander is with Avery. And we don't date each other's flavors. True, we don't share the same flavor of men, but neither one of us have mentioned any of it to Avery. She is still completely and totally head over heels for him,” she lowered her head in defeat, “But I don't think he's into her as much.” Markus lifted her head up with his index finger, so her eyes were again matched with his ,”You seem to have gotten yourself in a bit of a pickle. I don't see it how you could think that he is in love with her, that boy beams when you are near him. Just as much as how I see you beam when he smiles at you. I think that there is something much deeper, and it's not for Avery.” Rae just shook her head, “I would never be able to compete with her. Besides, she already started her s**t and he forgave her. That proves that he wants to be with her.” She felt his hand on her shoulder, “Do you really think that he chose her, or do you think there was an unspoken reason that he chose her?” Truthfully, she had no idea. Rae had never competed with Avery for the attention from the same guy, and she wasn't prepared to start either.

Bruno had finally decided on a tattoo, and Markus was prepping his booth for them to begin. They had already been about an hour into the session, when one of the guys said they were hungry. Rae offered to head down to the deli on the corner to get them something to eat. As they all gave their orders, Rae started for the door, ”You know, I'll go with you. That's far too much for you to carry on your own.” Xander rushed to her side and they started off to the deli. She caught Markus giving her stink eye from the back of the parlor as he watched them leave. “So, who's idea was it to actually come here today? I know it couldn't have been yours,” she asked as she pulled and tugged at his bare arms, joking about the fact that he had no tattoos showing. Xander focused on Rae's fingers pressing against his skin, that is until his hand made it's way down into her hand. They both looked down and seemed content with holding hands, but Rae let go quickly as though she was snapping out of a dream. “I didn't lie, Bruno wanted to get a tattoo, and I came for moral support.” He flashed is innocent boyish look with his amber green colored eyes. Rae could do nothing more then smile.

It was only a few minutes before they made it to the deli. Rae stood chatting up with the older gentleman behind the counter, and placing their order. He said it would be ready in about a half hour, so they had some time to kill. Xander had sat down at a little table in the corner, and pulled out a seat next to himself for Rae to sit down. They sat in brief silence, until Xander spoke, “I have a question.” Rae averted her eyes to him, giving him full attention, hoping that he was going to say that he would be the one to explain to Avery the relationship between the two of them, but that wasn't it. “Has Avery said anything to you about... us?” Rae arched her right eye brow, agitated at the fact that he was pointing between the two of them. “No,” she shot out an immediate quick answer. He looked away briefly, “She's been acting funny lately, and I wasn't sure if she suspected...” He looked over checking out the desserts in the display case next to them. She wanted to say to him, 'Have you ever had a record that got stuck on repeat? The same song gets played over and over and over and over again.' She looked over at the desserts too, realizing that she wanted to make sure to leave with a piece of strawberry short cake before they left. “Please, don't do that to me. Don't sit there and start telling me that your worried about Avery thinking that there is something going on between us. You tell me that you can only think of me, and want to be with me, and yet here you are asking me if she suspects something going on between us. You have no intention on telling her about us knowing one another, let alone our feelings towards each other. Maybe things have changed in the seven years. I can't keep doing this to my friend,” Rae was clearly showing that she was agitated by the tone of her voice, but Xander didn't want to confess the real reason that he didn't want to tell Avery everything. “True fate has crossed our paths again, but we were are in different places now,” he tried to defend himself, and was doing a horrible job. “Yes, your in a relationship with my friend, that's how are places are different. You are not single like you were then.” Xander was clearly trying to search his brain for just the right words to say to her.

“I'm not going to say this isn't a stage in every relationship that Avery has had. She had questioned the other day, because she thought that she pissed you off. She was worried that your relationship was in jeopardy, and then proceeded to tell me that she really likes you.” Rae looked away, noticing that half of their order was completed. “What do you mean, a stage?”, he furrowed his brows. “I shouldn't have brought it up, but the only thing that you have that's special with her is that you've been together for three months. Everything else... Everything she says or does is like a script that she follows with every relationship. In the beginning she's so happy with you, and talks about how truly great you are, then she slowly starts to push your buttons, trying to see exactly what she can get away with. She's starts getting bored when she can't piss you off and you stop falling for her bullshit. Finally, she cheats on you, breaking your heart, and the vicious cycle starts all over again with another new victim,” she vented in a bit of a huff. Xander had a look in his eyes, a shear sign that he had made a mistake of having this conversation with her. He wanted to hear Rae say she still desired him, and that she wanted to be with him, but he was not conveying it in the best way possible. But the moment she said that she couldn't be with him because of the agreement with Avery about not dating the same man. He kept seeing her expression in the kitchen that day she almost hit him with the frying pan, it was fear. She keep saying that she can't compete with Avery over the affections of a man, but for him, there is no competition. Xander struggled to find the way to explain, his reason for staying with Avery was because of the agreement Rae and Avery share. If his relationship with Avery ended, they would mean that Rae would be cut out of his life.

“Well then, can I ask you a personal question?” She looked back at him, her eyes were innocent, honest, and sweet, which only made Xander's question that much harder to ask. “Do you think you could break that agreement? Not dating the same guy?” Rae would have accepted any other question, but didn't feel like dealing with that, not now. “It doesn't matter anyway. You made your decision about your relationship already. I'm not an angel in this either, with what we did at the mansion the other day...,” she rolled her eyes thinking about it, but licked her bottom lip briefly remembering exactly how good it made her feel. Xander perked up and leaned in closer to her, wanting to kiss her at that very moment, just to taste he lips once again. He slid to the edge of his chair and leaned into her, “It's not a bad thing to say that you did enjoy it. I want it to happen again. Don't you?” She shook her head, “It should never have happened... she would never be okay with it,” Rae looked away, but Xander had a feeling the only way for Rae to change her mind, was if she got the okay from Avery, which is why she said it would never happen. Xander had already experienced the childish selfish way Avery acted when she didn't get her way. He eyed Rae's hand as it rested on the table, he placed his on top of hers, she turned and immediately shot him a look, “What are you doing?” That look made his eyes darken, now full of hunger and lust. He inched his seat closer to her, “I want... I need... You have been...” He just babbled incoherently at her in half sentences. “Rae! Order is up!”

They were just a few feet away from the parlor, when she felt his hand on her arm, turning her around, he wanted her to face him. Those darkened eyes stared at her once again focused on her lips. He walked closer to her, putting down the bags, and with eyes closed he leaned down and kissed her lips. His lips were soft and warm. He wasn't worried about her response, but was surprised when he felt her lean into the kiss and felt her tongue slip between his lips. She felt him smile, as his tongue was playfully interacting with hers. Warmth flushed her face, and the tingling was spreading throughout her body. His recent devotion of attention on her had caused her to be reckless in trying to keep his affection at a distance, but actions like this made it so difficult. She pulled back, looking at him terrified at what they had just done. Rae found herself lost in his eyes, as he looked down tenderly at her, his hands still cupping her face. She touched her lips, “We shouldn't have done that,” still touching her lips she turned and hurried back into the parlor as though nothing had happened. Xander focused on the fact that she hadn't hit him. “It felt right to me,” he yelled as he picked up the bags and hurried after her.

She now kept her physical distance from Xander, but he would constantly glance at her throughout the lunch break. Markus pulled her into the back room. “Something happened. I can read it all over your face Rae. What did he do? And do I have to handle it?” Rae shook her head. “No, but I need advice.” He sat down and she sat on his knee. “I know I have feelings for him.” With is arms wrapped around her, Markus gave her a big squeeze. “If you want me to convince you that it's nothing, I can't do that. Because that's clearly not what I see in front of me right now. That boy has a thing for you too, and I know your not blind and can see it yourself. My only question for you would be... Would he make you happy? I know you think it sounds horrible, but right now you deserve happiness in your life. And if he brings that to you, then you are going to have an even tougher decision to make later on down the line Sweet pea. Whatever decision you make, you already know not everyone would be walking away from this happy.” Rae looked over her shoulder and caught Xander looking at her once again, a small grin curling up at the edge of his lips. “I always hate to admit when your right. Damn you!”

Since everyone was preoccupied no one but Rae was available to answer the phone. As she made her way over to the ringing monstrosity that was Markus's old school rotary phone, she walked through a familiar smelling aroma. “Ink Kink,' she said with a little enthusiasm in her voice, now inhaling the smell of worn leather and cigarette smoke. Pulling out a note pad, she looked around the area but didn't see anyone around her that would have a scent like that linger in the air. “Well... I can set you up for an appointment, or a consultation,” still taking down the person's information, she could not get that smell from her nose. It was so familiar to her, but she could not remember exactly where she was at, or who she was around where she came into contact with it. Still looking around the front of the parlor, the most she was able to see was a leather jacket hanging by the front door. She only saw the jacket, but no one was sitting near or around it. Not wanting to make a big deal about it, she returned to Markus in the back room, walking passed Bruno getting his tattoo, and Xander had been leaning into the corner watching her every step. “Hey man, your that guy in that band?”, a deep voice echoed from behind him. He turned to see a dark figure peering out from a station. “Yeah, do I know you?”, Xander was pressing his memory on whether this guy looked familiar. As this dark figure smiled, the ice blue color of his eyes were hidden behind his squint. “As a matter of fact, I was there the other night... Not a bad show,” as he made that comment, he looked over to the back room, as though looking for Rae, “Not a bad show at all.”