[ closed ]

[androit]

WHO Will Vega, Jr. (androit), Felix Bakar (ambibionic)
WHAT A date? Maybe. Probably. Or not.
WHEN idk have we decided years yet
WHERE An Art Gallery.
WHY because Junior's parents are DEAAAAAD

Junior had never been good with words. Even as a child, expressing himself had been an exercise in frustration, pantomime and a lot of learned independence. It wasn't for lack of trying or his grandparents' best efforts. Word just didn't come. They weren't his to share. Not like Felix, who made words into beautiful tapestries and could talk for hours without once stumbling over himself or searching for descriptions he couldn't find. It was a compliment to how they worked, able to read each other in the ways no one else could grasp, shoring up their weak spots.

Words didn't work for Junior, but maybe he could get some ideas from the art gallery. Even if he wasn't going to get that lucky, their mutual friend had an exhibit that was to be unveiled that day and it was an opportunity. He'd had plenty of them, and somehow kept messing them up, but he wasn't going to throw in the towel. He would keep trying to make himself known to Felix for however long it would take.

It helped that the exhibit was going to be on cyborgs in society. Something Junior appreciated considering the status of his best friend as a cyborg. In society. (Those words sure are handy, huh, Junior?) The subject was close to both of them for the same but different reasons. Plenty of things to try talking about.

"This one's nice," Junior heard himself say as they stopped in front of some vague-shapes-forming-a-vaguer-picture. The other exhibit wasn't quite open yet, but they would be unveiling it soon. Not very smooth, he had to admit, though he would still give himself points for effort.

Comments

[ambibionic]

No matter where they went, Felix always loved the chance to be with Junior. He adored the younger man more than he'd probably ever know and Felix has long since accepted that maybe he was supposed to dwell in the friendzone for the rest of his days, but if it let him hang around Junior, then bring on the friendzone.

The art gallery being the current location of their get together wasn't a shock. Felix had known about the exhibit because he had been one of the subjects in a portrait, thanks to his arms making him a cyborg. Part of him was nervous about Junior's reaction to it, but the other part of him was looking forward to it just to see why he'd think.

Looking at the painting Junior was talking about, Felix tilted his head to the side a if to try making sense of it. "I never really got the whole past-modern/cubism thing some artists tried. Looks more like something that should be on a parents' fridge instead of here," he responded.

[androit]

"What, kids' paintings can't be nice?" asked Junior, only turning to look toward Felix after studying the art a while longer. As he was just saying... Felix was the one with the words. All Junior had going for him were some damn good cakes and hopefully enough persistence to eventually get the point across. If Felix wasn't interested, well, he would deal with that then.

With a slight grin, Junior jerked his head in a motion to convey that they should keep moving. There was some hallway left until they would amble right where they would need to be. "Let's keep going. Maybe we'll find something you like before we're done."

[ambibionic]

"There's different levels of nice. Like a kid's drawing is nice, sure, but you're not going to put it up next to the Mona Lisa, now are you? It's like saying store bought muffins at just as good as yours," he explained. Felix had his hidden sides, hitman not withstanding, and he knew some things about art and had an appreciation for it despite believing that his lack of proper arms would not allow him to do anything with it.

"Hey, what did you hear about the exhibit before you got here besides the fact that it's gonna be about cyborgs in society?" He only grinned at the comment involving finding something he'd like ere. Felix didn't have to look since he was staring right at him. "The idea that somebody's doing an art exhibit on cyborgs that isn't making us out to be evil is pretty nice, I gotta say."

[androit]

Junior felt himself bristle at the mere idea and gave Felix an affronted look. Not even using some other bakery to compare, but store bought? If nothing else, it definitely drove home the point that art was much more ridiculous than he cared about. It was nice to look at and think vague, stupid thoughts about but more often than not it was just not something to be fully grasped.

"Uh?" Pulled out of that train of thought, Junior took a moment to gather himself. "It's about time someone else got the idea. Not much else, though, just that it was someone we knew in school behind it all. Just thought, you know, cyborgs. We've got an interest in that," he said, voice turning more into a mumble near the end. Words.

[ambibionic]

Felix couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's reaction. He knew how Junior would respond to being compared to store bought items, but it never stopped being amusing, seeing Junior get upset about baked goods like someone would react to being called a cheater. With a smile, Felix patted Junior on his back with a surprising amount of control for a cyborg with no sensors in his limbs.

"Every portrait in the exhibit is going to be sold off and the proceeds will go to a pretty nice foundation meant for helping cyborgs who are ones for medical reasons. Like me, though I'm doing fine," he pointed out, the last part a bit more hasty than the rest. "And an interest to us, huh? You interested in cyborgs, Will?"

[androit]

For something as personal as baking, mass production was simply soulless. Junior understood the necessity of supply and demand, but when it came to any kind of quality, no one could claim something bought from a store had any better qualities than something hand-baked and made with just the right touch. He sighed, loud and put out, at Felix. His friend's control was not a surprise, as Felix had always been fantastic with his arms despite the odd proclivity of using models without sensory input in them.

"What? Of course I am," Junior said. He knew Felix was teasing and this time it was something less offensive than using his own profession against him. This was something more every day. "Those things on your shoulders aren't easy to live with."

[ambibionic]

He just grins at Junior's loud and put out sigh before nudging his arm with a metal elbow. Felix is perfectly aware of his friend's feelings and is letting him know that yes, he is aware of that and that he was merely bringing it up as a reference and not to hold it against him.

"Easier than some things. Besides, I'm a pro at living without real arms by now, so it's not really a hassle." Felix knew that Junior didn't just mean carrying them around, but the social stigma attached to cyborgs, whether those who need the prosthetics or the growing number of people who do so recreationally. "I think you're just interested in this cyborg and let's be real, who wouldn't like me, cyborg or not?"

[androit]

Shaking his head fondly, Junior merely nudged at Felix's shoulder with his own elbow back. He knew well enough that it was teasing, but he wasn't one to skip out on emotions just because they were inconvenient. On the other hand, he didn't often attribute them to the wrong source, either. A joke was a joke.

"Probably those bullies you knock around all the time," he returned. It was definitely true: only through Felix was Junior aware of the hardships some people faced when entering the world of cybernetics no matter the reason. That didn't mean his interest wasn't with the rest of them... but yeah, he did really think about most issues in relation to his best friend first. With a smile and some obvious teasing, he added, "Not to mention nobody likes a showoff."

[ambibionic]

"I'll have you know that they respect me, man. You gotta respect the kid with no arms that beats the shit out of you, you know." Felix was grinning at Junior in an amused manner and patted one of his own arms, making a soft clang as metal makes contact with metal. His current pair were worn, but well taken care of despite how he obviously hadn't replaced them in quite some time. He might be a cyborg, but he was still a Bakar and his family valued not upgrading when the current model worked just fine for them.

"And yet somehow you're still hanging around me when I indulge in my ego and show off,' he pointed out easily enough. "If it was that much of a deal, you'd be gone and not making me muffins. Nor donuts. Have I reminded you lately that your donuts are excellent and that we should have some later?"

[androit]

"Respect is a long road aways from like," Junior countered. There was some truth in what Felix was saying, sure, but it wouldn't do not to give him shit for bragging. It only encouraged Felix to push back more and Junior certainly did love that, seeing his crush show off at what opportunities Junior could make. Not doing anything dangerous, of course, although Felix could definitely take care of himself... just seeing the drive in him was heartwarming.

Laughing at the tangent, Junior kept them moving slowly but surely down the hallway. At least they weren't actually being obnoxiously loud, but some of the other gallery-goers were giving them looks. "I'll whip some up later," he promised. "But you spread the frosting on yourself. Last time, we ended up with it all over and I'm not cleaning that up again."

[ambibionic]

"Close enough to count for me," Felix shot back with a shrug. It didn't matter in the long run, not really, but he wasn't going to let Junior be right without some sort of fighting to keep his ego in check. "Besides, who cares? I'm better than them anyways, in fighting and just being a better person than them."

At the sight of people giving them looks, Felix growled and took a step forward as if daring somebody to say something to them to get them to be quiet. His expression changed as the conversation continued. Junior's pastries were delicious and distracting, after all. "Spread the frosting on myself, huh? I didn't know you were into that kind of thing, Will. Should have expected it."

[androit]

If Felix thought anyone's ego needed to be kept in check, it was going to be his own. Junior just laughed and shook his head for the parting remark. There was nothing he could actually argue against it even if it would keep their banter going. "You've always been better at fighting," he said easily. His tone conveyed that he had intentionally skipped the second trait for the purpose of continuing to give Felix shit.

When his friend reacted to the people watching them, Junior made an aborted movement to pull him back when it was obvious he was only trying to get everyone to back off. Much like when they were kids, almost endearingly similar. Junior didn't really mind as long as they didn't end up in a fistfight before seeing the main event. "Wh... hey, that's not—get your mind out of the gutter," he said, trying valiantly not to stutter it out. "Pastry is for eating, not for that."