Perfect seat

Finally getting up off the couch, Alec wanders to the kitchen behind Ryan, sticking close and watching her finish up the food. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he sits down at the table, all the great smells wafting through the air.

"Oooh, a beer would hit the spot."

Getting settled at the table with Ryan and eating, Alec grows strangely quiet. Eating slowly, one hand is still on his sore ribs, but it wasn't the pain that was keeping him quiet. It was something else. There was an awful lot going through his mind right now and he wasn't really sure how to process it.

Almost finished eating, he just stops for a moment and looks across the table at Ryan thoughtfully. "Thanks, Ry... this is... nice." It was different now. He wasn't sure why, but it was. This was what life was supposed to be like, wasn't it? He could have the speed, adrenaline, mystery and fun. But it wasn't all about that, was it? There really was more. He hadn't believed it until today. He would have thought that he would hate these quiet moments. But when he was too tired for adventure and sitting with a friend... it wasn't so bad after all.

Putting his last bite of steak in his mouth, he chews thoughtfully. "Can I... spend the night?"

His eyes rise to meet hers, a sly grin emerging. "On the couch," he clarifies, knowing good and well she wouldn't stand for anything else, let alone Eli who would be back later. "I don't wanna die yet," he muses with humor in his voice.

He just... wanted to see what it was like being in an actual home. Not waking up at TJY, or the Agency, or some woman's house he'd wound up at while drunk. This place with Eli and Ryan... it was... a home. It had brother and sister... family... something Alec hadn't had in a very long time.


"Funny business?" Eli arcs one of his eyebrows and a little laugh escapes before he can stop it as her terminology strikes him as humorous. "What? You didn't like sitting in my lap earlier?"

His smile widens with his teasing tone as he backs away towards the rock. "C'mon. Tonight started out pretty poorly and it was my fault, so at least lets end it well so tomorrow we'll have good memories." He pauses, extending his arms to his sides as he backs up. "Without any funny business." He tosses her a wink before turning around to walk the rest of the way to the big rock.

Settling down on the hard surface, it was cool from the day's damp air but had dried enough to sit on. Lowering himself, he lies on his back, putting his hands up behind his head, his jacket falling open as he looks up at the sky. The rock was angled just enough that the fireworks were still in great view if one dared to lie back and see for themselves. A slight breeze played with Eli's hair as another firework exploded in the night sky.