#greengideon

where: the diner

The only thing worse than first day jitters were first day jitters combined with a secret being held. Easy's sudden pivot into cooking and seeking a job at the diner had been neither random nor a passion pursuit, it had been the most neutral way he could think of to get to know the owner without raising any suspicions.

The owner that was now officially his new boss.

where: darren matthews house, houston, texas

As X had expected, the day of his father's funeral was an endurance test in the uncomfortable and whether or not he could handle existing within it. It's less a choice than a last obligation he had to the now deceased man, to get through and to get through it as best as he could. With the church and the cemetery in the rearview, he only had to face the reception of family and friends at his father's before he could lay the day to rest with him.

He's lost count of how many hands he's shook while they offered condolences or how many cheek kisses he's received while hearing the same and he's not sure he can manage another until he sees a familiar face among all the Texans, the sight of him making him feel a rise of emotions once again that he swallowed down.

There was no other way to greet Gideon than with an embrace, despite the fact they traditionally had never been the hugging sort.

where: all nighter diner

"This place got off lightly, all things considered." X remarks as he looks around at the immediate interior of the diner now that he had stepped inside it. It had been a few days since the storm and the the aftermath of it was still felt and easily seen, especially at Neptune.

He had always preferred the diner.

There was a booth by the window overlooking the parking lot where he had wrote some of the best (and worst) lyrics in his repertoire.

The reason he was there wasn't for food or nostalgia, but to check in with the owner who was also his sponsor and have a conversation he was dreading as much as the one had the Saturday after the Friday before.