multiversallogs | well then what the fuck are you going to eat?

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well then what the fuck are you going to eat?

Who: Rex Lewis, Iago, Open
What: Rex is bad with money.
Where: Rex and Iago's Horrible Flat, Griss Twist
When: Evening
Notes: The thread with Rex and Iago is closed; HOWEVER, if you'd like some Rex CR, you can start a new thread to run into him elsewhere in town. He tends to be near the Glory Shada (wurk) and anywhere you'd find nerds. Also, he can be found in sketchier areas from time to time, because he's sketchy.
Warnings: N/A. Will update if necessary.

It may not have been an ideal situation, but Baedal offered the most freedom Rex had in years. And with Iago here, there was little else Rex could want. (Except for power, access to higher levels of technology... But those things took time, and he was nothing if not patient.) He couldn't help but feel somewhat... optimistic. After all, he wasn't a prisoner anymore; he didn't have to rely on others to acquire things for himself. He could just go out with his hard-earned money and do it. It wasn't like on the Barge, where he had to ask his warden, who had to ask the Admiral. It wasn't even like it was at MARS's base of operations, where he was given anything he could want without having to even set foot in the outside world. For however much freedom he was given in his pursuits with the nanomites, Rex was still beholden to McCullen. He had to rely on the business man for everything-- McCullen, after all, was the reason he was even alive. That knowledge had inspired no small amount of resentment in Rex.

Unfortunately, with freedom came a sort of loosening of inhibitions. It was like college all over again (not that Rex ever let loose in college. He was too busy). In anticipation for Iago's imminent employment, Rex may have... slacked on his budgeting these past few days. Just a little. Just enough to purchase a new set of tools for his engineering work, some materials for upcoming projects, new books (after all, he had to adjust his designs to work with the level of technology in Baedal), new clothes (well, that was necessary), and a few bottles of wine. Well, why not?

Rex counted off his remaining cash. There was just enough to buy some dinner, and then he could rely on whatever was in the fridge (plus whatever was offered at the hospital cafeteria) until he got paid in a few days, and that would cover the rent, so... Things would break even at least, and that was what mattered. Pocketing what was left of the money, he headed out to locate some takeout-- he'd even surprise Iago with dinner once the soldier got back from, well, wherever he was (hunting for a job, he hoped). As a reward for: Getting. A. Job.

So, once Iago returned, he'd find some nice (turkey) sandwiches on croissants, some salad, and two containers of soup on the rickety fold-out table, plus a bottle of wine.

See, Rex could be nice sometimes (while blowing the remainder of their finances).

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Iago had been out job hunting, with no success. He had managed to be disappointed too many times already. It wasn't exactly his intention to be so picky and, as the days rolled past, he realized that it was weighing more and more on his mind. He was just very, very against asking for any time of help. Ever. But he was starting to run out of options.

"Rex?" he called out as he opened the door to the other man's tiny apartment, shrugging off his coat as he did so. However, the sight of their table made him pause. He was instantly suspicious, his mind going in every direction but a good one. Was he expecting someone else? Had he done something wrong and was trying to make it up?

And where had the money for the wine come from? He stepped towards the table, hanging up his coat nearby.

Rex stirred a little when the door shut, having dozed off for a quick nap after picking up the food. The hours at his job were running him ragged-- if it wasn't such stimulating work, he'd have left the hospital for something else, but the patients were fascinating enough to keep him there. It was a learning opportunity, and for now, it was worth the exhaustion. He opened one eye when Iago called his name, a moment of confusion stalling his brain before it caught up to things. That's right... Dinner.

Rubbing his eyes, Rex trudged out of the cramped bedroom and offered a quick smile. "Hey." Silently, the cat padded out of the room behind him, a reminder that he'd forgotten to close the door when he'd fallen down for his nap. He sniffed a little, certain that there was going to be watery eyes and congestion in his future. Oh well, it wasn't important for now. He moved over to Iago, wrapping his arms loosely around the soldier's waist. "How was the job hunt? I brought--" He waved a hand at the table. "Dinner. To..." Celebrate, perhaps? "Well. Because they can prepare food better than I can."

Iago returned the embrace and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away to inspect what he had brought. The mention of the job hunt only served to sour his mood, though, which more than annoyed him. He wanted to come home and not hear about that.

"Perhaps I should think of mopping the floors at your hospital," he commented lightly, though his words were venomous. Not towards Rex, as he could tell the difference in asking and nagging, but at the situation at hand.

"You know I would cook," he said, though he didn't actually recall if he had ever made that offer. "Did they increase your pay?"

Rex frowned, eyes tracing over Iago's expression as if he could ascertain whether that was a barb at him for even asking. He stared at him, then glanced back at the table. "You were out." He gave Iago's hand a quick squeeze, then disentangled himself so that he could begin setting the table. There weren't any wine glasses-- Rex had forgotten to acquire any, deeming them frivolous. What were they for besides appearances? Not that Rex was unconcerned with appearances, but it wasn't like anybody was going to be dropping by their sparse little home any time... ever. He placed two glass tumblers down on the table and shrugged.

"And no. But I'm getting paid in a few days." So why did it matter? He shooed the cat off the counter and began setting plates down.

'No, but we have plenty left,' or even 'no, but I found some coin on the street' was better than what that implied. He was cautious, though, because he knew that Rex had tried and, while Iago appreciated it, he didn't need it. They didn't need it.

"What do you have until then?" He was very careful about his pronouns now. It was hard enough for him to rely on Rex. It...hurt his pride more than anything.

If Rex was concerned about the state of their finances, it didn't show. He simply finished setting the table, then went to the sink and turned on the faucet. "We have about... ten shekels? And whatever's left of your stipend." Which, to his credit, Rex didn't touch. "So we're fine. That's more than enough to tide us over."

Provided there weren't any emergencies.

"So..." He grimaced a little at the first shock of cold water over his hands, rubbing them furiously with soap, partially to warm them up. "I take it you didn't have a fruitful day." He shook his hands dry, then wiped them on his pants. "Did anything look promising?"

Iago had been frugal with his money, though spending was inevitable, so there was...enough left to get them by, but it still annoyed him greatly. Especially because his mind jumped to those emergencies. The soldier had never really wanted for money. It wasn't something that he had experienced in his life.

So he wasn't prepared for it now.

"No and no. It might be better to drop that conversation, Rex," he snapped with more intensity than he had actually wanted.

Rex's frown deepened, starting to venture into "scowl" territory. Not that he couldn't understand Iago's frustration... Well, okay, he couldn't, exactly, since he'd never had a problem finding work in his life-- but then, Rex had the benefit of highly specialized training supplemented with skills that were always in demand.

"Are you being too picky?" he asked, despite Iago's request. He unwrapped the sandwiches and began piling some salad onto each of the plates. "You're not locked into any job you accept, you know." As he realized that he was bordering on nagging, he paused. "You'll find something."

Iago didn't say anything for a few moments. He just pulled up a chair and sat down, glaring at the table until Rex added that last statement. The soldier looked up and over to him, shrugging once. "I know, Rex." He leaned forward, towards the other man. "But if I don't for a while, you can't keep doing...this."

He didn't relax, as he was still fuming a bit from his day. "I want to see the records you keep for our spending." He linked his fingers together, still mindful of his pronouns, though they switched. "Your books."

"I did this for you," he said flatly, setting one of the plates and before Iago. He slid a container of soup over, then started on opening the wine bottle, mouth still set in a frown. "There's nothing wrong with splurging every once in a while." Well, so long as there were finances to back it up, which Rex... now lacked. He began to pour the wine, then paused, a slight edge in his voice.

"You're going to track my spending?" He looked up from the tumbler. It was a reasonable request, or it would've been reasonable to anybody else, but Rex was a little touchy. He took it as an effort to control him, rather than, well, responsible budgeting.

No, no. It was Iago, not... some of the others in his life. Rex relaxed, shaking his head. "I don't have any... books."

The soldier's face fell completely. He wasn't angry anymore; he was shocked. Horrified. How could Rex go without keeping track of his finances? This wasn't the barge. This wasn't home. There were responsibilities here. And Iago might have been a thief, but he was a thief because he liked it. Not out of necessity.

"Rex..." he shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. "You have to have something to show what you're spending." He stood up from the table and walked out, returning with a sheet of paper- it was all he had- that tracked his meager spending. Laying it flat on the table, he showed it to Rex.

"I know," he shrugged, pouring another glass, then finally sitting down so he could look at Iago's financial records, such as they were. "I understand the importance of it." At least, on a professional level. The problem was: Rex was used to working with nearly unlimited resources with MARS Industries, and he'd never really been the one to manage the money on most projects. He'd submit his requests, and they would be answered. Somebody else always handled the fiscal end.

The fact that he'd come from an upper-middle class home didn't help his perception much, either. Rex was never wanting for money, not even after his parents died.

"If I was running a business, sure, I'd track my spending." Rather, he'd pay somebody to do it. He waved a hand and took a sip of wine. "But what's the point on a personal level? I know how much money I have."

Edited 2011-12-31 03:44 (UTC)

Iago leaned back in his chair and gave Rex a level look. He wasn't going to get out of this. Not now. "How much do you have?" he challenged gently. "How much do you have to the side? How much do you allot for spending on certain items?" Iago wasn't going to stop with this until he got the answers he wanted.

Though, there was really only one answer he was looking for.

"Ten shekels, but I'll be paid in a few days," he said carelessly. "I'll set aside some savings with my next paycheck." Except it was largely going towards rent and food. Oh, and furnishings. He needed some real furniture, since the bed didn't even have a frame yet. It was just a mattress and box spring placed on the floor. Rex had other priorities, after all. The drafting table, engineering tools, supplies, components... "I only buy what's necessary. And some of these things are... investments."

"You'll get paid...what?" He folded his arms across his chest, as he had yet to touch the food. "Enough for the rent, hopefully? Enough for food? Other expenses? What if something happens? Emergencies?" The soldier sighed, looking away. "I'm not asking to take anything from you. What...necessary expenses you need," Though the way that he said it implied that his view of what was necessary was not the same as Rex's.

He changed his attitude a bit, turning on the charm. "I only want to help. I go out every day, looking and beating into a wall because of what I can't do. This is something I can do." He reached over and put a hand on Rex's.

"Yes, it'll cover rent and food," Rex said snappishly. He wrinkled his nose, unhappy with that tone of Iago's. "Eventually, I'd like to have a fully functioning lab for my engineering, so I can... start my own business." There was a challenging stare, as if he anticipated some scoffing or protest on Iago's part. "So there are start up expenses. Equipment, tools... some microdialysis probes, microcannula, biosensors..."

These are all necessities, Iago.

Rex glanced down at Iago's hand as it rested over his, shoulders relaxing a little. "So you'll just track the spending? Balance the budget? You won't dictate what I can and can't purchase?"

He wanted to say more, so much more, about those necessities that he didn't believe in, but that wouldn't give him much more than a stare and maybe a nice stomping off. So far, Iago had been able to keep his temper, and he would keep it now. He squeezed his hand gently.

"Exactly. And I'll let you know if something is beyond your budget at the moment. You will just have to tell me when you want something...big...and I will put it in the records to make sure that it works or if it will need to be put off until later." He moved that hand to Rex's cheek.

"I wouldn't want to dictate anything to you. I swear." That was the closest he had come to lying to Rex since their last fight.

Rex still wasn't completely sold on the idea, despite the nice words and gentle touches. They were wearing him down, certainly, but Rex was still leery that this would signify some kind of power shift between them. Granted, their entire way of living right now was a power shift. As a warden, Iago had the influence, the resources, the purpose, while Rex was the dependent. Now their roles were reversed, and Rex preferred it-- not the unhappiness that unemployment brought Iago, no, and not even the dependence, so much as the fact that he, Rex, was finally standing up on his own. If he ceded the finances over to Iago, how much would that be like putting a leash around his neck?

But then... he trusted Iago. Aside from Ana, the Doctor... Iago was the only person he trusted. Certainly the only person in Baedal.

Rex looked up, his eyes meeting Iago's.

"You won't write the cat out of the budget, you know."

Iago laughed, finally relaxing enough to take a drink of the...glass...of wine. He gave it a wary look, but it was just a container. It didn't mean much. "Damn. That was to be the first thing I did." He focused on the dinner that Rex brought and forced himself not to be too fussy with it. The turkey looked...stable enough and, while he still had reservations about meat, it didn't seem too questionable.

"I know, I know," he said seriously. "I think I'm starting to tolerate the little shit, anyway." A smirk crossed his features.

"He's an acquired taste," Rex remarked, taking a sip. Then, smirking, he added, "Much like his namesake. I never thought I'd like a cat. But then, I never thought I'd like you, either." He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. Turning serious again, he said, "How is this supposed to work. Do you want me to give you receipts once I've done my shopping?" None too pleased with the idea, but it was better than having Iago approve of his spending before he did it.

"That's a lie," he teased gently. "We didn't even talk and, at that point, you knew you would fall for me." He was enjoying this lighter mood for once, but then the talk turned back to finances and he shrugged, not wanting to lose whatever ground he had gained in this conversation.

"Yes. I would appreciate if you would tell me before you do, though. Just in case."

Rex laughed. At least it was starting to feel like their time together on the Barge-- more carefree, since they didn't have things like living expenses to worry or fight about. "Oh, I knew?" He smiled teasingly. "And when did you know?"

But then, back to seriousness. "Fine, I'll tell you," he said, shrugging one shoulder before taking another drink. Tell Iago... not give him veto power.

He just nodded to the serious answer, not wanting to touch that again. Besides, Rex was being too delightful to pass up. He didn't know when he was going to get him back in this mood again, so he was going to take advantage of it while he could.

"Of course you knew." He sat back, trying the turkey and finding it...not so bad. "But...so did I. I've told you that already. From the first time we spoke properly. In that horrid house." He chuckled. "Well, we were upstairs. Away from the danger."

"Mmhm. That was the only highlight of that miserable port," he mused lightly. It was easier to reminisce now that the Barge was the past and not his present and foreseeable future. He leaned forward, forgetting about his food for the moment. "Admit it, you only liked me for my looks."

A little joke-- he may have looked normal in that port, but typically...

Iago reached out and put a hand on his cheek again. "I did. That was the only reason I continued to talk to you." He pulled back, sipping at his wine again, grateful for this time. For this moment that they had.

"And it wasn't the only hightlight. I was able to use a gun." Which, to Iago, was a wonderful thing.

He tilted his head into the touch, fingers tracing over Iago's for a moment. Then, he was poking at his salad, smiling a little. "True. And maybe that's a perk of this place, too. No wardens or Admiral to deal with if you want to arm yourself." Even as a warden, after all, Iago would've been accountable to others. Here, of course, there was the Militia to consider, but as far as he knew, firearms weren't illegal.

"If nothing else, I could build you something..."

Not a traditional gun, of course. Rex didn't do traditional.

He reached down and pulled the blade from his boot, setting it on the table. "This is all I need." It was the same one he carried on the barge, the one that had been on his person when he arrived. "But...maybe for my birthday." He laughed softly to himself and finished off his wine.

Now that he was more secure in this situation, their financial problems at least pushed to the side for now, he leaned over to kiss him soundly. "I never did...thank you, did I?"

"Old fashioned, but elegant." Like Iago, clearly. "Not terribly helpful in a gun fight," he mused, despite knowing that was a total lie. After all, Storm Shadow had no problems bringing a sword to a gun fight. Rex gingerly touched the blade, smirking, bringing his eyes up to Iago. Weapons were something he quite enjoyed, and on Iago, they were something of a turn on, so. His mood lightened considerably. "Maybe..."

...

He didn't actually know when Iago's birthday was. But now wasn't the time to bring that up. Not while things were precariously going well. He tilted his head up to meet Iago's lips, then pulled back, taking a drink of wine as he eyed the other man playfully.

"No, you've been somewhat ungrateful..."

The soldier sat back, glancing down to the blade. He took it in his hands and ran a finger along the back of it, shrugging once. "I don't know, Rex. That really depends on how good you are with it." Lounging back, looking every bit a lazy, carefree soldier, he slipped it back into his boots and met Rex's eyes again. a little bit of indulgence didn't hurt anyone. And he had a difficult day. It was nice to unwind.

"But I have been ungrateful, yes. Maybe you should tell me what I could do to make it better."

Rex arched his brow. Really... The typically bossy soldier rarely played that role in their games, but Rex was certainly happy to see this side of him when it did emerge. There was a secretive little smile, and he leaned back and took a big drink of wine. Was Rex gearing himself up to say something?

He set the glass down.

"You could..." A coy look. "Eat the dinner I just spent money on."

SO ROMATIC.

Edited 2011-12-31 16:30 (UTC)

Iago was in a good enough mood to laugh at that. So he did, shaking his head and peeling off the bottom part of the sandwich, leaving the turkey behind. He would deal with that momentarily. It was good, but the thought of it still made him uneasy, though he was wary of everything that was cooked or made in this city.

"Hm, it seems that's all I'm going to do tonight," he smirked and poured himself a bit more wine. "Where is your damn cat this evening?"

"Not all," he corrected. Rex took another bite of his sandwich and chewed as he looked around for the cat. "I don't know. Why do you ask?"

Maybe he was off sulking after Rex shoved him off the counter top. "Come here, Iago!" he called in a lighter, sing-song kind of voice, one typically reserved for babies and pets-- Rex shot a look at the other man that positively screamed don't you dare laugh, Iago. It seemed to work, anyway. The cat silently padded over to the table and rubbed Rex's leg, its body vibrating with purrs. "There. He learns fast."

Iago shrugged. "It will be if you keep that up," he teased, but he knew better than that. The soldier was startled by the voice, but only showed it with a convenient coughing fit that really wasn't laughing at all.

Only a little bit.

He slipped a piece of turkey into his hands and, when he thought that Rex might not be looking, he dropped his hand down oh so nonchalantly.

"You have him trained well."

"He's much more intelligent than I expected a cat to be," Rex mused, nodding like a proud parent, as though the cat's intelligence was somehow his doing. "And perhaps I'm good at training." A small smirk as he referenced his past activities.

Unfortunately, Rex was not good at spotting food disposal techniques, so he had no idea that Iago was wasting his fabulous turkey on the cat, who was greedily gobbling it up. Rex just went on eating his dinner, alternating between the salad and sandwich. The soup may have been extraneous, come to think of it, but, well, he could always heat it up later. See, he was making every shekel count.

"Training?" he snorted at that and ran his fingers through his hair arrogantly and he slipped another bite of turkey to the cat, idly reaching out to try and rub behind his ears.

"When do you have time to train a stray cat?"

"It doesn't take much time. He picks up very quickly, especially when you wave food in his face." Like Iago might have been doing right now. Rex finished off his wine and started pouring another. They might as well work through the bottle, since he was fairly certain the cat would find a way to knock it over while they were sleeping if they didn't. And he would have done it deliberately. "He also doesn't like getting splashed with water, so that helps demonstrate a positive punishment for misbehavior." He smirked playfully. "I wonder if I should start spraying you with water when we fight."

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