2019-07-14 - Medium Rare F*cking Steak

The grill is hot and Genevieve is standing at it, gingerly laying steak on on the top rack while she also fiddles with things on the bottom rack. "Eli, can you go downstairs and grab the cooler near the fridge? I put beer in there, it shouldn't be too heavy, you can let Declan in too." She changed since they left the bar, wearing a spaghetti-strapped black maxi dress, her feet bare. Her hair spills down her back, and silver earrings dangle from her ears. She does have a bottle of beer near her, so she at least collected that before she started cooking. A breeze drifts across the rooftop, and she tilts her head up to meet it, a smile on her face.

Knock, knock, knock. That must be Declan. He hasn't changed, but he's checked to make sure his hair is still perfect. It wasn't, so he fixed it. While he waits, he crosses his arms and looks up at the sky.

Eli has changed too, putting on a pair of comfortable shorts and pulling on a t-shirt. It's a casual look, but the clothes fit well so they don't look sloppy. He's also wearing sandals. "Will do." He says to Eve and follows her instructions, trotting downstairs and finding the cooler, hefting it about the time the door knock comes. He heads to the door, sets it back down and opens it again with a bright smile for Declan. "Hey! I'm just about to carry this upstairs, Genevieve is cooking and the weather is favouring us so far." He picks the cooler back up and points the way with a nod of his head for Declan to follow. "Rest of your shift was quiet I hope?"

Genevieve is cooking, and dancing, sort of. She's shaking her hips as she turns the steak, her head bobbing gently to the music that comes through the speaker on the roof. She turns when she hears the guys coming up the stairs. "Steak will be done in about two minutes, I made asparagus and mushrooms to go with it." She flashes a smile and gestures to the cooler that Eli is hefting. "Have a beer if you want one." The twinkle lights on the roof do a lot to keep the shadows away, the mixture of light and colored lights giving it a bit of a festive feel. "How are you doing?"

Declan helps Eli carry the cooler, if he needs help. He doesn't pry. If he does, Declan gets his half with no trouble at all. "Good. And yeah, it's gorgeous out." He walks along. "Not really. Two regulars came in. They're crazy. I did get good tips, though. So I won't complain more than I already have." Once they reach the top of the stairs, he nods to Eve. "Good." He looks around, taking in the roof, eyes not focusing on any one thing in particular. "This is... I like this." He turns to glance between them both. "I was just telling Eli - well, you probably heard. Tired. Ready for that beer or weed. Maybe both."

Eli does accept the help with the cooler even though it's not too heavy regardless. Once it's settled in place up on the roof he opens it up and takes out two drinks, handing one over to Declan and twisting the cap off the other one himself and taking a quick drink. He looks around too and smiles. "Yeah. I like it up here. I really like the twinkle lights - it gives it a lot more life and a lot less darkness. Can't say I liked it as much in the shadows up here." A dark expression crosses his features and he takes another swig from the beer, walking over to check on how Eve is doing at the BBQ, glancing back toward Declan. "Crazy? Like, good crazy or crazy crazy?"

Genevieve sprinkles some salt and pepper on the asparagus and mushrooms and then closes the lid to the grill, letting things cook for a short while. She makes her way over to the seats, curling in one with her beer in her hand. "I think most of the people around here have some sort of crazy going on." She tilts her beer, trying to suppress her grin. "I have some fresh made brownies downstairs actually, if you want to partake. I forgot the plates so I can go grab both." She takes a swig from her beer, setting it down. "No matter what crazy it is, after some steak, it'll all feel like a memory. A good meal does that for you." She shifts to her feet, slipping toward the door and down the stairs to the first landing and their apartment.

Declan twists the cap off his beer and takes one good, long pull. Just enough to take the edge off while looking at the lights. He leans against something sturdy and stares off into the distance, clearly unwinding. The question from Eli draws him back. "Depends on your perspective, I guess. They're both fun. But it can get annoying. Four times a week, talking about the same crap. Boyfriends that never call back. Getting hit on. Promises that don't materialize." His jaw tenses and he looks back at them. His expression doesn't change very much. "You love your regulars and you don't like your regulars. It's hard to explain." As Eve takes off, he focuses on Eli. "You're a lucky guy. She gets it." He winks, then turns back to the night.

"I am a lucky guy." Eli isn't going to deny that, looking off in the direction that Eve when to get the treats. He tilts back his beer and takes an easy pull, pacing around the rooftop and looking over the various things that are growing up there by the light of the twinkle lights. "Hard to explain it any other way. Can't say I've had a lot of luck in this town over the years, but that's more because I was afraid to play than anything else. I guess they say you make your own luck - but I'm not sure that's entirely true." He drops down into one of the chairs when he's done his pacing. "It will surprise no one that I'd be a terrible bartender. Takes meeting someone a few times before I can really hold a conversation with them at all. I'd only be relying on regulars."

Genevieve reappears with plates and a platter with six thick brownies. She sets down the platter and walks to the grill. "Everyone okay with medium rare?" She glances back at the men, a smile still on her face as she forks her steak off the grill. She opens the worcestershire sauce and sprinkles some on there before she starts messing with the rest of the steaks. Asparagus and mushrooms are put on each plate, there is silverware already at the table that sits by the chairs. "Whatever brownies we don't eat tonight, you can take home with you Declan. Just make sure not to eat more than one in a night, unless you're really trying to get fucked up." She snorts softly at that, and starts to set plates out.

"That's because it isn't true," Declan replies. "People don't make luck. It's given to them the second they're born." Declan swirls his beer around, thinking. He laughs a little at his next comment. "Yeah? Well I'd make a terrible translator. I barely understand English. It's kind of ironic, though. That you know so much about language, but don't seem to... I don't know. Want to talk much?" He grins. "It's fine, though, man. That's the way the world is. Some people are good at things that others aren't, and other people excel where their friends never can." He looks back to Eve when she returns. "However you make them, that's how I'll eat them. Medium rare is great." He looks down at brownie and picks one up. "Noted," he replies while taking a bite. "Smells great, by the way. Need help with anything?" Declan stands by, not taking another bite until after the answer.

"Yeah, well - it's not that I don't have the words. Just hard to convince myself that anyone would want to hear them. Spend enough time keeping yourself isolated and you start to believe it's the other people forcing it on you. I mean, it's all more complicated than that. I don't want to get caught up in regrets. I'm happy when I'm alone. But, I don't think I should be exclusively that way." Eli says, having another drink from his beer and casting a smile in Genevieve's direction. "Medium rare for me, yes. That's perfect." He seems like he might be about to ask if he can help, but Declan is up and on hand - so he just relaxes back in his seat. No need to overcrowd.

"No, everything is fine. Take a seat. You're not eating your steak standing up. You can't relax.. standing up." Eve puts a plate in front of Declan, setting down a fork and knife. "Dig in." She does the same for Eli, setting the worcestershire sauce in the middle of the table before she finally takes a seat, twisting the cap off of a fresh beer. "To the death of loneliness, the start of new friendships, and medium rare fucking steak." She holds up her bottle, and damn if she doesn't expect everyone to clink it before they take a drink. "Eli won't isolate himself anymore, I won't allow him to. I think that's part of the reason he keeps me around." She is clearly teasing, blowing Eli a kiss before she takes a drink of her beer.

"I follow. I think," Declan tells Eli. He gives him a small smile and takes a very small drink from his beer, enough to maintain the little buzz. Nodding, he glances at the master griller and grins when she commands them to sit. He does so, and clinks his bottle when it's time. After another small sip, he puts it aside and takes a bite of brownie. Then... steak time. It's cut into and he takes a bite. After chewing, his eyes close while he experiences the rush of flavor from fat, smoke, and salt. "Wow," is all he manages. Chuckling as he speaks, he says, "That's really... damn good." He cuts off another piece and eats it as well. Way better than burgers.

"It is good." Eli agrees, starting to work on his at the same time. He doesn't bother with the worcestershire because the BBQed steaks have more than enough flavour on their own. They're nicely done. He does take the time to stick out his tongue toward Eve at her comment, shaking his head. "You do a lot of good for me." He comments, before cutting another bite of his steak. He looks back toward Declan after a minute of silence to focus on eating and just enjoying the quiet of the rooftop, food and beer. "Do you have family in town still, Declan?"

Genevieve curls her legs up underneath her, cutting into her steak as she watches the pair talk. Her cheeks turn pink as Declan compliments her and she swirls her empty fork in the air, grinning. "Thanks, I'm glad you like it." Her grin gets wider as he takes another bite of brownie. "You're gonna really be relaxed soon, and then hungry." She shifts a bit, plucking her beer off the table to take a drink. She nudges Eli under the table with her foot, smiling at him. "I try."

"Not many. Mom's gone. Not sure where dad is. My aunt, she raised me, is still around." Declan lies about his father, but Eli probably knows, because they're similar in age, that he passed away. His body wasn't found. Declan's never accepted that, but it might be a thing kept private. "You?" He turns from Eli to Eve. "Can't wait. Your flavor's good, by the way," he indicates the brownie. "Did you make these yourself?" He cuts into an asparagus spear, finds he can't, so just picks it up and eats it. His opinion of it is obvious when he licks his fingers and nods happily.

"Surprisingly similar circumstances." Eli remarks, eyebrows slightly raised at Declan's brief explanation. If he'd known any of those details he'd likely forgotten them. "I still have some cousins in town, but I don't really keep much contact these days. Stayed with them for a couple years in high school and it was a safe place, but... " He shrugs. Not a place he tries to think about much. But the's smiling then and looking over toward the brownies and toward Eve. "They do look really good. I want to try one, but I don't think tonight is the night for it."

Genevieve gazes at Declan, and then over at Eli. She nods at Declan a smile forming on her lips. "I did bake those myself, you like them? You can take home the extras, I have a bunch that I made for the shop downstairs." She glances at Eli, nodding as a smile forms on her lips. "Well that's why we have new friends, so.. despite what happened in the past. This is.. not the past anymore." She shrugs and chuckles softly. "I have the most boring story here, my mom and dad are still in Georgia, alive and well. They're moving back overseas soon though. Not sure how I feel about that, I'm staying here regardless."

Declan looks up at Eli and swallows. "I'm sorry to hear that." He gives the older man a similar look to the one they shared at the bar. Painful, knowing, familiar - it's something spared for dark moments. But it also passes when he turns away, and he doesn't linger on it. Instead, he finishes his brownie in one bite, sighs, and doesn't seem to care that it's in direct contrast to Eli. It's swallowed suddenly before he cuts a mushroom. "They're really good, actually. The high just hit me a minute or two ago. Coming on kind of strong." He doesn't interrupt when she mentions new friends, but he does smile. "Well said." And he shakes his head when she mentions her own story. "Nothing wrong with boring. Nothing at all."

"In this instance I thinking boring is really the way to go. And honestly, still having family in your life is both amazing and terrifying. I'm not well equipped to know how to deal with family dynamics as an adult." Eli says, finishing up the food on his plate and standing up to set it aside and get himself another beer. Maybe know brownies for the man, but he is good with having a few drinks still. "And this is not the past anymore, you're right. It's nothing like it at all. I'm pretty excited to see what the future brings. I know part of it is just that the summer here always feels easier, but it's more than that."

"Well you can share my mother and father with me. Theyre a bit much in the scheme of things." Genevieve offers Eli, trying not to grin as she continues to eat her steak. She pulls her feet up on the chair and eyes a brownie, considering if she wants one or not. She sets down her fork and knife and picks up one of the chocolatey confections, taking a bite. "It's been a while, but .. we'll see how this goes." She leans back and gazes out at the twilight sky. "Let me know if it's too much, Declan. I'll make some coffee if I need to." She brushes her hair back off her shoulder and sighs. "The weather is so amazing here tonight. I feel at peace, for once."

Declan listens to what's said, nodding a few times to what Eli voices. He leaves most of that untouched, though. It's pretty close to home, and the conversation seems to be going elsewhere. The rest of his steak and vegetables are finished in silence before he pushes his plate away. "Does coffee help?" he wonders. "I always drank soda and tried to sleep. And yeah. It's gorgeous." He looks over at a collection of stars.

"Are you two going to be high as kites and expecting me to bring a steady supply of snacks up here?" Eli asks when Eve decides to try one of the brownies. He doesn't seem all that upset by the prospect, just amused. He settles back down in his seat and leans back into it, looking up into the sky himself and listening to the quiet hum of the town around them. "I feel like I've had enough family sharing for this week. But, we'll see how it goes moving forward." He adds to Genevieve, laughing. He brings his eyes back to the rooftop, searching around the edges in the shadows quietly, content that the twinkle lights keep the worst of it at bay.

Genevieve shakes her head at Declan. "It doesn't really help, but coffee tastes good." She sounds playful, taking another bite of her brownie. She giggles at Eli and nods, shifting on her seat. "It will be fine though, I'm just having half, I think." She wrinkles her nose as Eli mentions family sharing, her shoulders hunching up a little. "My mother gets fussy because she cares, she'll grow on you. I'm hoping you grow on her too." She clears her throat, glancing over at Declan. "We facetimed my mother the other day, she got a little grouchy with poor Eli over here."

Declan nods along, not interrupting. "Yeah. Mom's are hard. Look. Send her flowers and chocolate. No matter what happens, apologize. If she gives you a hard time too often, crack a joke. If she still hates you?" Declan shrugs. "I got nothin'." He chuckles and shakes his head. "I'll be good without snacks, though. I'm full. Dinner was great - better than great." He settles back and enjoys the high as it comes, sweeping over him pretty suddenly.

"She's just looking out for Genevieve and that means not taking it easy on me. I'm sure if I can convince her that I'm not trouble she'll soften up a bit." Eli replies, smile on his lips as he watches Declan have that high wash over him. He shifts his eyes back to Eve. "Hitting you yet?" He asks her, sipping from his beer. "I promise I'll make sure you both make it down the fire escape stairs in one piece."

"My mother is pretty susceptible to flowers and chocolate." Genevieve looks impish, gazing contemplatively at Declan across the table. "Good ideas, but.. Eli.. " She trails off, frowning as she tries to figure out how to how to respond, and then Eli speaks up. She nods in his direction and sighs, closing her eyes. "I'll make it down the regular stairs, I'm not going down the fire escape in this condition. No way." She glances over at Declan and suddenly she finds this funny, giggling.

Declan continues to lean back, enjoying the feeling. He breathes a sigh. "I mean. Most women are. Maybe that's unfair to say," he admits. "Everyone thinks it's hard to make people happy. Really isn't. All anyone wants is to know people think about them and care about their opinion." His jaw tenses and his eyes open. "Wait. Fire escape?" He looks over towards it, eyes swimming.

"Most, but not all." Genevieve isn't susceptible to either chocolate or flowers. She picks up her beer and takes another drink, looking thoughtful. "I think you're right about that though. It's not hard to know how to make people happy, you just have to know what they like, and if you know someone.. you know what they like. Oui?" She thumbs toward the fire escape. "It's another way down from the roof, but I think you can take the interior stairs like a real person. Don't you?" She takes another bite of her brownie and sets it down, taking a deep breath. "I'm glad you came over for dinner."

Declan says, "You don't like chocolate? Damn. Unusual." Declan chuckles a bit and nods to what she says after. He glances back to the fire escape and nods. "Oh, right. Wow." His head shakes. "Hm? Yeah, me too. You guys are pretty cool. Thanks for having me, you know? I really appreciate it." He leans back a little more, looking between Eve and the sky."

"Chocolate isn't so bad.." Genevieve gestures to the brownie, a few big bites taken from it. "I don't like it as a gift though, I'd be a lot happier with a potted plant, or something that I need rather than dead flowers and a sugar sorry. It's almost thoughtless to try to give someone flowers and chocolate." She holds her beer, swirling it around. "We're boring, and we know we are, but I think we're happy that way." She tips the beer, pointing toward Declan before she takes another sip. "You and Eli seem to have a lot in common, was it the same for a lot of the kids here in town? I can only imagine what it's like raising a child here. The way things press down on you."

"Thoughtless, really?" Declan asks, smirking at her. "Potted plant I understand. But thoughtless," he grins a bit more, but moves on. "We do, yeah. A lot of people around here are that way." He pulls on his pants, a nervous gesture, and clears his throat. "This town's got a mean streak. A lot of people don't like to talk about it, but most know it's there. Something's not right, here. Anyway. I'm no good talking about it. As for Eli..." Declan shrugs. "I always go for the quiet geeky types. Literally my weakness." He looks off to make sure Eli's out of earshot, then turns back. "I'm glad you guys are happy. People deserve that."

"I mean, think about it Declan, you could buy someone something alive that they can keep and will remind them of you. Or you can get plants that will be dead within a week. Which seems to have more thought behind it?" Genevieve quietly watches Declan, and when he clears his throat, there is a sympathetic look on her face. "A mean streak is a really good way of putting it." She glances at Eli when he comes up, a smile forming on her lips. "Not usually mine. He snuck in there, he looked wounded and I felt like he needed to be taken care of." She takes a drink of her beer and purses her lips. "Yeah, but a lot of people like to say that happiness here? Not always possible, I'm willing to try though. Eli deserves to be happy, that's for certain."

"Sure, but some things are about familiarity and enjoying what's known and done. I get what you're saying, though. But if my last girlfriend got a potted plant? She'd have probably tossed it at my head." Declan rubs a hand through his hair. "As for your question, I couldn't say. I only know what makes people happy. And he does, yeah. He's a good guy, I think. Seems like you're pretty good, too." He leans forward. "No one who likes grenadine can be back." That's probably a joke.

Genevieve tries not to laugh, she really does, but the image of a woman tossing a potted plant at Declan's head is too much. "If you get her a really pretty plant, maybe she wouldn't? I think that most women would appreciate a nice orchid." Her cheeks turn pink and she gazes down at her knees. "Thank you. I have my moments, but doesn't everyone?" She shrugs, and eyes that brownie, taking another drink of beer. "I hope you and Eli hang out more, he was saying today when we visited his mother that he doesn't want to have such a small circle. He's a little shy, but get a few shots in him and he's less so."

Declan laughs back at her. "I was a vine. It flowered in the spring and summer, but I forgot the name of it. She really loved Dove chocolates. Proof I'm only an idiot." His chuckle quiets when she blushes. "We can, sure. But I don't need shots to open him up. Conversation's always come easy to me." He looks back at the sky while the high makes his hands and feet tingle. It feels pretty good, so he's quiet for awhile. "Who's your bartender friend?"

Genevieve sits up, reaching out for her brownie to take another bite. "Dove chocolates are good, and you're not an idiot." She turns more toward Declan, watching Eli as he moves downstairs to take a call. "I'm pretty sure you're right, he and I didn't connect until we both got a little drunk and disorderly." She leans in, elbows on her thighs. "Why do you think conversations come easy to you?" She blinks and finishes off her beer. "Her name is Dahlia Evergreen, she apparently grew up here, do you know of her?"

"Thanks." He keeps looking off at the sky, lost in the drift for a couple minutes. He takes a deep sigh and turns back eventually, eyebrows raised. "Why? I don't know. My personality, maybe. Maybe I had to, to stay sane. It's the gap I filled in a social circle. A combination of things. Who knows? But I do know that people open up around me. That's been going on for a long time. Not always, but I can usually get them to." He considers the name. "Y.....yes. Name's really familiar. She's a bit over five foot, wide eyes, long black hair, right?"

"That's her." Restless, Genevieve gets to her feet, walking toward the edge of the roof. "She's going through something right now, might help if she had someone to talk to." She glances back toward Declan, a slight grin on her face. "Maybe I'll invite her over another night when we have dinner. More friends can't hurt, right?" She runs her fingers through her hair, shaking it out. "I really appreciated your honesty at the bar. Most people try to be sneaky about those kind of things, or.. manipulate things."

"I can try, sure. We can talk. But if she needs real help? Don't send her to me. I can't do that. It's just not in me. Couple drinks and a band-aid is mostly all I got." There's a brief smile, maybe he suspects something, but he doesn't mention it. "That's not me. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings." He looks over at his beer. It's not even half finished. He picks it up... and downs the rest in a few glugs. It's... maybe a little impressive. "I just try to strike when the iron's hot. Sometimes you miss. Sometimes you hit. Sometimes it's a bit of both. And yeah. Thanks for not... thanks for being an adult about it."

Genevieve looks back frowning before she turns to approach Declan. "Yeah, I told Eli the same things honestly. We can't..if someone doesn't want help, they don't want help. At the very least we can offer her company, see how that goes." She folds her arms over her chest, smiling down at Declan. "I think I'm going to head down and check on Eli, can I pack up these brownies for you?"

Declan stands up, taking the cue with no complaint. "Yeah, sure, sure. Sorry I'm... still pretty buzzed. Probably overshared there." He clears his throat and tries to compose himself, even though his mind is still wandering weird places and his arms and fingers tingle like crazy. "Thanks for the invite. We'll chat again soon?"

"No, it's not oversharing. Just.." Genevieve steps in, picking up the plate before she holds out her hand. "C'mon, I'll help you down the stairs. We'll get this packed up, and you can sack out on the couch until you're feeling okay. I don't want you driving buzzed." She chuckles and shrugs, nodding at Declan. "We'll keep texting you and hanging out with you until you get sick of us. No stealing my man though. I absolutely can't fight for shit, but I'll give it an attempt."

"..." is his reply to the offer of the sofa. His mouth is open for a moment. It eventually closes. "That's... really kind. S-sure. Thanks." He'll follow where she leads. "You've my word. No theft. Not even attempted." And he leaves it at that.

"If something happens to you because I got you high off your ass on brownies, I'd feel bad." Genevieve turns to walk down the stairs, drawing Declan with her. "Good, because I'd probably throw a punch at you and then end up hurting myself. Embarrassing really."

From down the hall, Declan laughs at the threat. But he believes her, so his hands go up in surrender. He lays down on the sofa when prompted and closes his eyes. His mind takes him places. Happy place. A few sad places, too - but it was a good night, even if it didn't go how he was hoping. It was close enough, though.