OOM: Boys Night Out (It's not a man-date, Shawn)

[thesupersmeller]

After a little bit of time to think at Milliways, Gus slips back through the locker door and instead of going home he boots up the computer and gets to work on the expense report from the rare coin theft they'd wrapped on. Try as he might, he couldn't forget about what he'd told Demeter when he got to visit her again - how half of what was on his mind wasn't about the Devil and it wasn't about being alone... it was about missing Shawn. And their office of all places is probably the worst place to get that sort of revelation when every time he opens his eyes there's a little piece of what they've built over the years.

Not that his apartment is much better.

On a whim, he takes a break from Excel and sends Shawn a text:

Busy tonight?

Comments

[psyched_you_out]

He shrugs. "I'll decide when we get there."

Gus probably shouldn't let him sing anything by Lady Gaga again. That did not end well.

[thesupersmeller]

In their mutual defense - they did bring down the house in a big way and Shawn does a killer Gaga.

Looking briefly at his friend, Gus offers him a slight smile; "Thanks for coming out with me though, man. It feels like we haven't been able to hang out in a long time."

[psyched_you_out]

He nods. "No problem, buddy. You know you're important to me."

It does seem to need a lot more restating lately.

[thesupersmeller]

"Yeah, whatever Shawn..." he murmurs back, mostly playfully. But, with a little bit of bitterness underneath it in all honesty.

"I think they're doing the $9.99 taco bar tonight."

[psyched_you_out]

Hew frowns slightly at the muttered implication, but the thought of tacos lifts his spirits a bit.

"How would you feel about something from the mid-90s boy band oeuvre?"

Because clearly that's what they need to be talking about right now.

[thesupersmeller]

It's a good, safe subject.

"I'm not doing N'Sync again, Shawn. You always take the Justin Timberlake parts."

And everyone knows those are the best... even if he can't always hit the high tenor range as well as Shawn.

[psyched_you_out]

"Okay, fine. I do think we should do a duet, though."

Tonight is all about togetherness, right?

[thesupersmeller]

"I think we can make that happen - any ideas what?"

The road rolls beneath them right at the speed limit and they're already pretty close to the restaurant. Gus can practically smell the taco bar.

[psyched_you_out]

"I'm open to suggestions."

Mmmm, tacos.

[thesupersmeller]

"I'm open to tacos."

Gus lets out a soft laugh and it occurs to him how nice it is to actually laugh. A real laugh. Not the nervous, throat closing gotta do something to look normal laugh.

"Maybe 'You Got a Friend in Me'? We could totally duet that up."

[psyched_you_out]

"Sounds great."

They're getting closer. He can definitely smell the tacos.

[thesupersmeller]

"Knowing us by the time we get up there we'll just change our minds and hit random anyway."

It was kind of fun that way, though that did lead to that one time doing the Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton version of "I Will Always Love You" and Shawn is no Dolly.

[psyched_you_out]

He's not even Whitney.

"Random is always a viable option."

[thesupersmeller]

If he were Whitney, they'd have both been a hell of lot less single a hell of a lot sooner in life. Just sayin'.

"I am not singing anything embarrassing. I've had a enough shame lately... I'm not gonna look like an idiot in front of drunk - potentially cute girls."

[psyched_you_out]

Well he does believe the children are our future.

"Relax, man, you totally get veto rights."

That's how much he loves you, Gus.

[thesupersmeller]

"I better - and you'll tell me if I get stupid."

Which is in itself probably a bad idea, but it's better to have Shawn as a monitor than no monitor at all. He's pretty sure that he won't run into any ladies quite as bad as The Devil, but he's not taking his chances on possibly getting killed again by picking up a woman in a bar.

"Don't let me go home with anyone but you."

[psyched_you_out]

"You know I've got your back."

Always. Even if he shows it in some rather odd ways.

[thesupersmeller]

"Yeah, we'll see about that..." he doesn't mean it as rough as it comes out, he's just been feeling pretty abandoned lately.

Thankfully, the hurt is promptly replaced by the "Taco Bar is: OPEN" sign in the window as they pull up to a meter.

"I'm thinking T-N-T, Shawn."

Tacos and tequila.

[psyched_you_out]

"You know that's right."

He holds up a hand for a fistbump as they park.

[thesupersmeller]

After only a second of consideration, he couples the fistbump with a wide grin. "You mind driving home tonight? I won't have much, but a couple margaritas would not be a bad thing tonight."

He's already unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car - the open taco bar awaits like a lover in the night. He is not about to disappoint her ten feet of tex-mex flavor. Like a true gentleman, he intends to take her slowly, gently... savoring each flavor until he can't wait to get his pants off at home.

[psyched_you_out]

"Dude, I told you I'd drive."

... Gus would so be getting the side-eye right now if Shawn could really read minds.

[thesupersmeller]

Like he's not thinking the same thing. Everyone knows gastronomic goodness is almost better than sex and a lot less likely to get you in trouble.

Gus smiles as he comes around the front of the car and sets the alarm. "You're a good man, Shawn... thank you."

[psyched_you_out]

That depends on what you've been eating.

"No problem, man. Let's go get our taco on."

... That sounded less awkward in his head.

[thesupersmeller]

He's been eating some pretty damn fine meals, but honestly sort of holding out on Shawn... hey, he gets the girlfriend, Gus is keeping the chef for himself.

"And on, and on... hello heartburn, I brought my Tums just for you."

Grinning wide, he pushes open door to the busy restaurant and makes sure they're both hooked up with large trays and enough tacos to feed a small village.

[psyched_you_out]

Shawn flags down a server and orders drinks - non-alcoholic for him, decidedly not for Gus.

"Dig in, my friend."