That time of the month (Rhi-face)

[Anonymous]

It was that time again. Alaric grinned into his mirror, finishing off his long braid and tossing it over his shoulder. A glance at his watch told him he needed to leave soon or he would be late to meet Gabriel. It was time for their special night out and he really didn't want to be late.

Grabbing a large, heavy and oddly shaped bag and a jacket to help conceal his odd manner of dress. It wasn't anything too outrageous, it just wasn't what Alaric normally wore. And it was best if no one suspected where he was going. Not that anyone was likely too, it was just more fun to pretend, make a game of it. And, well, while people might not care what he was doing, for some reason Gabriel seemed to attract some rather oddly obsessive people. Who didn't know when to go away. So the two of them liked to sneak out and meet up at Alaric's bike.

Being a psychic made it pretty easy to avoid the crowded corridors as he made his was through the Citadel to the garage. He was so going to kick Gabby's ass tonight. Even with the blond cheating all over the place.

His bike was in it's usual spot. He really should get a pink helmet for Gabriel to have to wear. Alaric had always played with that idea, finding it amusing. But he had never really gotten around to it. One day. Arriving at the motorcycle, he started to secure the bag as he waited for his friend to arrive.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Alaric wasn't down there for too long before Gabriel caught up and made his over to the usual meeting place, and there he saw Alaric, already securing his bag and all covered up. Whew, so he wasn't so late after all, that was good. Getting out of the Citadel unseen had proved challenging tonight for some reason, but that had also been part of the fun and he'd ended up treating it like a stealth exercise and had only broken into a run after he'd cleared the place and was well into the garage. However, upon seeing Alaric, he slowed down to a walk. Alaric was distracted and his back was to him.

Perfect.

Grinning and making sure all his shields were up, blocking out even his mundane surface thoughts, Gabriel crept quietly toward Alaric while he was busy fiddling with his bike and his bag, taking slow, careful steps as he neared him. Then, once he was close enough he lunged forward and slapped both hands over Alaric's eyes.

"Boo! Guess who!" he laughed, then released Alaric and stepped around in front of him before Alaric could look behind him. "Heh, sorry, couldn't help it. You weren't waiting too long, were ya? I got kinda held up by work, then everyone wanted to be exactly where I needed to go so I had to get my stealth-fu on and y'know how that goes..." He squared his shoulders and brushed imaginary dust off the front of his hoodie. Like Alaric, he had chosen to wear concealing clothing and had the hood of his jacket pulled over his head with the strings tightened so his face was partially obscured.

"Had to take some creative detours and fight some thugs and stuff. But anyway, I'm here now! You all ready?" he asked, balling his hands up in his sleeves. The motorcycle ride always made him cold, yet he'd never learned to bring gloves. At least this time he'd brought a jacket.

[Anonymous]

Alaric was quite glad that there no one around in the garage. As when Gabby suddenly snuck up behind him and covered his eyes, Alaric had the manly and badass response of giving a high pitched squeal of alarm and whirling around to glare at his best friend, cheeks flushed a dark blue, "Gabby!"

The next moment, he broke into a grin, revealing his sharp canines, "Naw, I wasn't waiting that long." He turned back to the bike, adjusting the last strap on it, "I got out alright, but I think it helped that I hum the theme from Mission: Improbable. Makes me stealthier, yo."

He turned back to Gabby, he grinning and tossing his friend his gloves. They would be a bit to big and the left one was fingerless because of his claws, but there were better then nothing, "Mmm. Yeah, used your mad fighting skills? If they are anything like yer PVP skills dude, I'm surprised you made it here in once piece."

Alaric slid his leg over his bike and nudged the kickstand up, "Come on. Let's get going. We don't wanna get there too late!" Not that it was too far on his bike, but Alaric was almost giddy with excitement. He always looked forward to these nights.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Laughing, Gabriel accepted the gloves and started to pull them on, not even caring that one was fingerless. It would do, and he hardly even noticed as he was still way too amused by Alaric. He'd expected a reaction of some sort, but that squeal had been too good. That, and it was always fun when someone else was blushing.

"Heh, you're one to talk about my skills, mister 'I-Scream-Like-A'--" He stopped and gave Alaric a sidelong glance up and down, then reconsidered. Wasn't much of a playful insult when his friend was technically both genders. "...Alien. You didn't even see me coming," he said and stuck out his tongue as he finished pulling on the gloves, then flexed his fingers. They were too big, which made him feel strangely small, but he wasn't complaining because they were nice and warm. Besides, he always felt short around Alaric.

Everyone was short around Alaric.

Once Alaric was settled on the bike, Gabriel climbed on behind him and wrapped his arms around Alaric's waist and across his belly. This was the part where he always felt utterly ridiculous no matter how many times he'd done this, riding on the back of Alaric's bike like a chick. If he wasn't so secure in his masculinity and so down with making an utter fool of himself in the name of fun and hilarity, this would have been a problem. But he didn't know the first thing about motorbikes and so didn't own one. He could ride a dragon just fine, but a motorcycle? Felt way too unstable.

"Helmets?" he asked, poking Alaric in the stomach.

No one could ever say Gabriel didn't put safety first.

[Anonymous]

That comment got a blush from Alaric and a dirty look, "Hey. I do not scream...like an alien." Which wasn't really true, he was an alien and had screamed. But it was the principle of the thing here, "It was my people's ancient battle cry."

Alaric almost managed to keep the straight face, but he lost out to it, snickering slightly, "Oh shut up you. You startled me. Being all...sneaky like. And when you are tiny, it's hard to notice you arriving." It made Alaric feel a little less weird when he could make light of his huge height. He towered over all the other Pilots, the tallest only coming up to his nose.

Gabby's arms around his waist always gave him a little bit of a flutter. He didn't really like Gabriel that way anymore, and was really happy with their friendship. But there had been a time when he had asked Gabriel out and the blond was attractive. But Alaric just laughed, grabbing his own helmet, custom made to fit his horns, and tugged it on, "Don't worry. Bike doesn't go without helmets on. I even make Remi wear yours."

The drive was over quickly, Alaric liking to go fast, though when he had passengers, he tried not to scare them too badly. He made sure to hug one corner real tight, the bike tilting far enough to the side their knees almost touched. Revenge for the surprise.

Pulling into the parking lot, his pale white skin turned strange colors by the gaudy neon lights, he parked the bike, tugging his helmet off, "Ready to get crushed little man?"

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Uh huh, sure, that's what it was. Your people's ancient battle cry," Gabriel parroted, rolling his eyes and grinning as he adjusted his own helmet, just to double check it. The comment about being 'tiny' earned Alaric another eye-roll, though with Gabriel's chest to Alaric's back, the other Pilot wouldn't be able to see it unless he had eyes in the back of his head...which wouldn't surprise him too much. Alaric had a third eye, after all. At this point, Gabriel wouldn't even bat an eye if he had a fourth one, too.

When Alaric pulled on his helmet and started up the bike, Gabriel held on tight as they sped off, watching as the city lights breezed by them and the wind penetrated his clothes and made him shiver. Leather. That was why they wore leather jackets. At least his hands were warm, though, except for the hand that had the fingerless glo--

All thoughts of the cold and the thrill of the ride abandoned his head when, going around one corner, the bike tilted dramatically and Gabriel squeezed Alaric hard around the middle and let out a rather unmanly yell that was a few decibels higher than intended. "ALLYYY!"

Right when Gabriel thought the bike was going down and they were so going to crash and die rather messily--in a motorcycle crash, great, what a way for two Pilots to die--the bike righted itself. Gabriel still didn't open his eyes, nor ease up his grip, until they were in the parking lot and the motorcycle had stopped moving and Alaric was saying something. It took him a few seconds for him to register the words.

"Huh...? Oh...uh...yeah--I mean no. No way. You're going down, big boy," he said with a weak and breathy laugh, inhaling deeply to compose himself, but he was still clinging tightly to Alaric's middle and made no move to let go or take off his helmet.

Motorcycles. He loved rollercoasters, he rode a freakin' dragon, he was a danged Pilot and had been on a spacecraft in space, but a motorcycle ride made him lose his cool. There was something really hilarious about that, and he'd probably find it once he could let go of Alaric and shake off his brush with death.

[Anonymous]

Hearing Gabby's scream made Alaric feel just a little smug. Ah. Sweet revenge. It always surprised him how many of the Pilots got all panicked about motorcycles. He didn't get it! Maybe it was ridding passenger? He should teach Gabriel how to ride it one of these days.

He let out a small 'oof' as the blond squeezed him hard. When the grip didn't loosen, even once Alaric had the bike stopped and his helmet off, he was starting to wonder if he had gone too far. Setting his helmet on the bike, Alaric twisted to look at his friend, "Gabs? You okay back there? Little too much for you?"

He wasn't going to apologize yet and make a big deal off it because he wasn't sure if Gabby just needed another minute to shake it off. His grin was a little weak, still not sure if Gabriel was okay or not, "Ah. You know how it turns me on when you call me big boy."

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, fine!" Gabriel said, quickly detaching himself from Alaric and hopping down off the bike. Too much for him? No way. That was enough to make him forget his near brush with death. He took off his helmet and passed it over to Alaric, then smirked at his friend from beneath his hood, still all laced up to his chin.

"Aaanyway, big boy, don't get too excited, yeah? We still gotta make it inside. I know, that's hard with me around. I have that effect on people." He winked at Alaric and stretched until his back popped, then cracked his knuckles. "You'll be screaming my name and calling me daddy by the time this night is through."

His legs were still a little wobbly--he'd almost gotten a skinned knee there! And he liked these pants!--but he shook it off and held out his arm for Alaric to take. "Shall we go?"

[Anonymous]

That got a huge grin from Alaric, and the site of Gabby still wearing his hoody all laced up just made Alaric's smile get bigger, revealing an alarming amount of dangerous looking teeth, "Oh please. Cheating doesn't count."

Swinging off his bike, he made sure it was all secure then pocked the key, "You only wish you had my skills. I hope you are ready to bend over and take it." He grabbed his beg and swung it over his shoulder, "You get to call me daddy this time."

Gabby might have won last time, but payback was a bitch. The taller alien headed into the brightly lit building, the large white pins flanking the entrance glowing with a soft neon light.

The familiar sounds of heavy balls striking pins and loud, excited chatter filled the room. The girl behind the counter gave a wave and motioned to the lanes, holding up four fingers. He and Gabe came here often enough they counted as regulars. Plus, they were easy to remember with Alaric's highly distinctive looks and Gabe's extroverted, friendly personality.

"Hurry up! Or I pick your name!" Last time Alaric had put their names into the score board. And Princess Unicorn Stardust hadn't really found his name as funny as Alaric had. Flopping into the seat, Alaric opened his bag and pulled his shoes out. When you were at tall as he was, there really weren't any shoes he could rent. And this way he got to wear rather awesome ones with flames on the side.

His jacket got tossed over the chair, revealing the brightly colored bowling shirt he had on underneath. He even had his pant cuffs rolled up, mimicking a style that had been popular a few years back when bowling had been huge.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Gabriel gave a mournful sigh as he followed Alaric into the building, shaking his head. "Me? Cheat? Oh, Ally. You have so little faith in me and it's kind of hurtful," he said, walking up to the counter and kicking off his shoes. He exchanged them for proper bowling shoes and then shuffled over to select a ball. Oh, score, none of his favorites had been taken this time! Hmm. Gabriel crossed his arms and tilted his head, debating. The glittery red one, the magic 8 ball, or the tie-dye one? Decisions, decisions...and then there was the yellow smiley face one, too...

Alaric put an end to the debate with that threat of his and Gabriel grabbed the tie-dye one and hurried over to lane number four after thanking the girl with a wave and a wink. He set the ball down on the rack and checked the panel. "Thaaat's alright, you really don't have to go out of your way, okay?" Thank goodness, Alaric hadn't fiddled with the settings yet. Good. He really didn't want to be a sparkly unicorn again, especially not when he got a high score and got it announced over the speakers on a busy night.

That sure taught him not to cheat.

At least not on a night where Alaric picked out his name.

Not that he ever used telekinesis to cheat, ever. Nope.

He entered in "Bob" as his pseudonym--he decided he'd be player two, give Alaric a shot--and then, just for kicks, entered "Rainbow Fairykins Darling" as Alaric's name. Mission accomplished, he gave Alaric a smug smile and then sat back in a seat and pulled on his shoes. "You're up first, darling," he said, flashing him a thumb's up. "Lookin' hot, too!"

And not to be outdone, he pulled off his hoodie to reveal his own obnoxiously colorful--but not color coordinated--bowling shirt.

And the hairdo he'd been hiding under the hood. He was so cool he'd parted it down the middle and flattened it out.

[Anonymous]

Gbariel's insistence that he wouldn't cheat just got a snort from Alaric. He knew his friend better then that. Sadly, the one time Alaric had tried, he had ended up embedding the pin into the back wall. Damn psionics. Never seemed to do what he wanted them too, "Oh please. You never win unless you cheat. Because I am the superior player and my mad skills intimidate you. It's okay. I understand. I am just that good."

One thing he liked about this place was that he and Gabe came here enough that Alaric didn't get many weird looks. Most of the regulars and all the staff knew him at least by sight. So Alaric didn't feel as shy here.

"Bob? Really? How boring." Alaric then blinked when he saw what his name one. And gave a short, strange laugh, "I like that one. Though, really Gabe. I've told you. I don't love you in that way."

Picking up his ball, he stepped up to the lane and glanced over his shoulder, "Oh...wow Gabe! That hair! Alright, damn you. You win. I'll buy the first round of food." Alaric then bent over, shaking his jean clad butt at Gabe, "Eat your heart out Gabbykins."

Turning his attention back to the pins, he took a deep breath and tossed the ball. It was a decent throw and Alaric took out the right side of the pins.

"Whoo!" Jumping up and down, Alaric grinned at his friend, high five-ing him, "Oh! Take that!" His ball returned, a black one with a skull and cross bones on it and he grabbed it, returning to the lane and throwing the ball again. He took out another pin, but that was it. Poop.

"Come on 'Bob.' Let's see how you do."

[Rhi-Rhi]

Grinning as the pins were replaced, Gabriel got up and grabbed his own tie-dye ball. "Let's see how I do, huh? Prepare to meet thy doom, Fairykins Darling! I'd start heading for the concession stand now if I were you, because you're going down!"

Gabriel strode up to the line and slid into position, raised the ball, and closed one eye as he took careful aim. "See, what you lack is grace and finesse, Fairykins Darling. This takes time and planning, strategy if you will, and above all else it takes equal doses skill and raw talent--which I have in ample quantities! Observe--and wallow in your shame, noob!"

And with that said, he swung his arm forward and let the ball go. Down the alley it rolled, veering dangerously toward the left gutter before it was even halfway down the aisle, and if it had continued on its path, well...yeah, it was a total gutter ball. But just before it fell in, it suddenly curved to the right, then righted itself again and made a straight path down the alley. It smacked right in the middle of the pins and then did the impossible--rolled laterally to take out the ones that were left standing.

"STRIKE!" Gabriel yelled, jumping up and doing a little triumphant spin before skipping back up to Alaric, and then bouncing around him. "Oh yeah! Who's your daddy, huh, huh? Who's your daddy? ME! I'm your daddy! Take that, bitch!"

[Anonymous]

As Gabe danced and jumped around, Alaric gave him a flat, unamused look. The blond did it every time. He wasn't even good at cheating. Uncrossing his arms under his tiny breasts, Alaric snorted and started to edit the score on the screen to a zero, "Bob my dearest love, stop being so obvious when you cheat. I feel embarrassed watching you."

The two's antics had a few other bowlers looking over and smiling, but Alaric didn't actually mind. They had come here enough and the looks were never really mean. And they did look and act funny, "I should make you buy your own chili fries for that."

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Wha? I wasn't cheating!" Gabriel protested, trying to go for an 'innocent' look but failing hard; it was impossible not to grin. "That was pure skill! It's all in the wrist action, Ally. It's all in how you spin the ball. Cheating. Pffft." He rolled his eyes. "You're just jealous."

But he didn't fight it when Alaric edited his score because, yep, he was a dirty cheater and he knew it. It was just so fun seeing Alaric get all serious about the score, so he had to cheat at least a couple of times. Or more. However much he could get away with.

Still grinning, he reclaimed his seat, crossed his arms, and pretended to sulk, but he was only giving Alaric a hard time. "Alright, let's see you do better, Fairykins daaahlink."

[Anonymous]

Alaric huffed, snorting. He knew Gabe thought he was silly for being so ~serious~ about the score, but he couldn't help it. It was the principal of the thing! "Skill in telekinesis! Which, Princess, doesn't count."

And since Gabriel had felt like cheating, Alaric started pressing buttons and soon it was Rainbow Fairykins Darling vs Sugar Pixie Babykins. Thank that then. He would wait to see how long it took Gabriel to figure out his name was changed.

Standing up and retrieving his ball, Alaric grinned, "Let a real master show you how to play on pure skill alone."

And manged to throw a gutterball. Both times.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Pure skill," Gabriel said when Alaric was done, managing to put on a serious expression even though the amusement was clear in his eyes. "A real master. Why, Ally, you're a bowling prodigy. You sure schooled me. I may never recover from this brutal defeat, this blow to my pride. However will I go on?"

With a dramatic sigh (and still oblivious to the name change), Gabriel stood and grabbed his ball. "But go on I must. For as long as I draw breath, I shall fight you to the bitter end! Rainbow Fairykins Darling, this ends today!"

This time, he didn't use telekinesis; it would be too soon to try and cheat again, for Alaric was wise to him. Instead, he threw one gutter ball and took out four pins. Hmm. Not too shabby, for not cheating.

[Anonymous]

"Shut up!" Alaric laughed as he gave Gabe the finger, "At least I am honest!"

The battle raged on, with Alaric far behind. He was an awful bowler and Gabe used his psionics. But the last round was coming. He munched a cheese fry while Gabe finished up. Pilots were allowed to eat on the floor. One of the [strike:28ljhk9z]abuses of power[/strike:28ljhk9z]perks of being a Pilot.

"You may have won this time, foul beast. But I fought with HONOR!" Even if he got a strike, he had no chance of winning. But it was all in the act. The lanky alien strutted to his ball, picking it up and making a face at Gabe before heading to the lane.

He started humming the theme song to a popular cartoon, sighted and threw. And managed to hit most of the pins! He whooped and turned, thrusting his hips at Gabe, "Take that! Oh! Oh! Who is the MAN! That's right, me!"

Grabbing his ball, he managed to clear all but one pin. Pretty good throw! And he would lose with grace.

Well, Sparkle unicorn princess flowercup would lose. A bit of a name war had started midgame.

[Rhi-Rhi]

So it came to pass that Queen Sugar Pixie Babykins Sparklebutt McCreampuff Tootsie Muffin-Lover Dingledoodle won that night.

And he won with poise and dignity and humility.

"Haaah! In yo' FACE!" Gabriel crowed, bounding toward Alaric, throwing an arm around his neck, and pulling him down for a good noogie, just as a loser should receive. "Who's the master bowler? Me! What's that I smell? Oh yeah, the smell of awesome and victory and the food you owe!"

[Anonymous]

"Enjoy your shallow, cheating victory. At least I lost with honor!" Alaric did his best to look dignified and affronted, which was hard when your best friend was acting like a loon. A loon of drugs.

Then Gabe had grabbed him into a noogie and Alaric flailed, smacking at Gabriel as he laughed, "Get off! Help! Help! Molestation! You are ruining my hawk you ass!" He managed to jerk free and his arm wrapped around Gabe's neck, his other hand ruffling his friend's hair, making sure to destroy the crunchy gel in it, "Take that! Revenge bitch!"

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Oh, stop whining, you know you love it! Besides, the windswept look is totally in!" Gabriel said with a grin--that promptly faded when the tables turned. Then it was his turn to struggle and flail, yelping.

"Gyah! Nooo! Ally!" He shoved at his friend and tried to duck away, but was held firmly in place. Dammit, that was just unfair! Alaric had both height and alien strength on him. "Aw, c'mon! You know how long that took?"