Game-Changers & Grudge Matches

*Since they apparently weren't eating before, the server girl comes out pushing a cart of food and drinks. She begins placing it all on the table.*
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<I'd really rather you didn't.>
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"Hmm...I wonder what end-of-date etiquette is when you live in the same apartment?

Gabe lets out a sigh and begins to eat.

--

"Should I walk you to your room and hope that you'll invite me to the kitchen for a cup of coffee?" Mortal asked with a smile.

Astarte did the same.

"Oh... okay... if Hector is waiting or something just tell him to, uh, go home," Stefan said, sounding heavily downcast.

*Tirea begins to eat too*
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*Eve watches the scene, smiling slightly*

*The officer emerges from the holding cell area & approaches Hector.*

<Your friend says to go home.>
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"Is something wrong, Gabe?"

*Roatha takes a bite of a sandwich.*
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*Euryale laughs.*

"Maybe. Hey, do you want to tell people? About us?"

*Tirea turns and stares at Gabe*
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*Eve gets back to work*

Gabe looks at Tirea, and Roatha staring at her and awkwardly swallows her food before saying, "Uh, no, I'm fine... Just exhausted I guess."

--

"Are you saying that there is an 'us' to tell people about?" Mortal asked. "If so, then yea. I would love everyone to know what a beautiful lady I get to go home with. Wait... they already know that. Well, you know what I mean."

*Tirea smiles then goes back to eating*

"Oh, okay, just making sure."
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"That's good. It would have been a shame if I'd 'met' some great girl, and I couldn't tell anyone about it."

*She resumes looking out over the twinkling city lights, but offers Mortal her hand.*

*Tirea takes a drink of tea*

<So, what should we do after this?>

"Home?" Astarte suggested quietly.

"Oh, um, sure," Hector stood up and took his leave, heading back to Stefan's place.

"I don't know," Gabe said, "I'm getting kinda tired though..."

--

Mortal smiled, and took Euryale's hand into her own as she stepped to her side and leaned onto Euryale a bit, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Yeah, it is getting really late."
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*Later, Mortale is driving home.*

"That was really nice. We should do something like this again in a few days. Maybe take a nice ride through the park."
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*Several hours later, a cop comes by and instructs Stefan to breathe into what is basically a sack with a nozzle at the end.*

Astarte probably didn't take long to eat.

"I'm feeling alright, actually," Stefan said. He looked at the bag for a moment and gave it a little breath anyway.

"Maybe," Mortal said, "A walk down the pier would be really nice too."

--

Gabe eats her food with apparent hunger, and leans back with a small huff, "Crazy night, huh?"

*He leaves & returns some time later, opening the cell with metalbending.*

<You're free to go. There will be a 1300 Yuan fine, which you will be expected to pay within a week.>
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"We'll do that, then. Besides, we should take advantage of the Red Monsoons being put out of commission."
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"Yeah. It's probably a good thing that the new girl didn't come along with us. What was her name again? Vuvuzuela?"

"Yea," Mortal said, wanting badly to have Euryale's hand in her's again.

--

"Venezuela," Gabe corrected, "And you're right. Having her or Noctis there might have scared them off from the team or something. Oh, where are my priorities, they could have been hurt, that is the real issue." Gabe looked slightly guilty.

Astarte nodded in agreement.

"Oh, okay..." Stefan sighed and walked out, then went home.

"Yes, that is what I was getting at. Seeing as she can't Earthbend."
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*Mortale arrives home.*

Gabe feels bad, and decides not to say anything else.

--

True to her word Mortal walks Euryale to her door, "I had a really great time tonight."

Astarte looked from Roatha to Gabe and back before speaking, "So... Are we about finished here?"

"I guess so," Gabe said, reaching around for her wallet.

*Everyone presumably pays & gets out.*
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"Me too. Would you like a kiss goodnight?"

Mortal thought about making a joke about not being good enough to get invited for some coffee, but simply smiled and said, "I'd love nothing more."

*Tirea looks at the others*

<Are we done for the night?>

*She looks kind of upset*
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*Eve starts packing up her stuff*