Tears of fate are falling. {{{Zale}}}

[Zale Nakahara]

Zale watched Sam in silence as he began to... well, do whatever it was he was doing. He stood up and walked a bit closer to the other male, standing behind him, and he still didn't know what the hell he was doing. Still, Sam seemed to know what he was doing, and Zale contented himself with watching those skilled hands work, his pretty brown eyes studying every movement.

"It's what I hate the most about relationships... I find someone completely awesome and as soon as I find that they're interested, I see someone else." He murmured with a small smile. Then, changing the slightly uncomfortable subject, he asked, "What are you doing?"

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[Itami "Sam" Kanjima]

Sam capped the two flasks, each of them half empty now. He then picked up the newly filled flask and examined it, determining the color and concentration of the substance. He shook it thuroughly and examined it again, assuring himself it was right. He looked back at Zale and smiled.

I understand completely. It's happening to me too. I'm caught between everything right now and nothing seems right. His hand pulled the cork out of the flask and then brought it to his nose to smell it. Why don't you take a whiff to find out? He held the flask up to Zale so he could smell it for himself.

[Zale Nakahara]

"Yeah, it's been like that for me, too. Hard to believe that being lucky with romance this year has made me so unhappy." Zale replied with a small laugh. Ugh, if only he hadn't met Sam in that restaurant, if only he'd kept to himself and ignored the oddly compelling boy, none of this would have happened. As Sam offered the flask, Zale shook his head, though he smiled slightly. "No way! Not until you tell me what it is! What if you're trying to drug me or something?"

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[Itami "Sam" Kanjima]

Sam laughed at Zale's response to his offer. It's just a bit of vodka mixed with cherry juice. I only wanted to you smell it, not drink it. He withdrew the flask and took a small swig from it. It's not as bad as this stuff. He searched through his chest until he pulled out another flask, this one filled with an opaque green substance.

This stuff is potent. He shook his head remembering the last time he had tried it. You're not even going to smell this. He set the flasks back in the chest, closed it, and slid it back into the depths of his closet. He stood up again and smiled over at Zale.

[Zale Nakahara]

As Sam told Zale what had been in the flask, his face reddened a little; he couldn't help but be a bit jumpy and nervous around Sam, true, but he'd been taking it a bit too far. Still, it was best to just laugh at himself, which was exactly what he did; it was something he'd become used to. "Oh. Well, as you can see, I am a bit paranoid." He admitted, grinning.

His body tensed slightly, and while he was trying to act casual, that was becoming a bit difficult.

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[Itami "Sam" Kanjima]

Sam's smile faded as he noted Zale's face change colors. He hadn't meant to embarrass him, just note out what it was. In truth he had lied a little when he said it was cherry juice he was drinking. Paranoid is good sometimes, so I just want to tell you this, I'm never going to do anything to harm you. You're a good friend Zale, and I want to be the same.

Sam smiled again and held his hand out to shake Zale's. So we're friends still, right?

[Zale Nakahara]

Zale smiled slightly at the next comment; Sam was just too sweet for words. The boy really was unbelievably cute -- even if Zale had to fight to think of him as a friend. "Of course we are." He replied with a reassuring smile, everything about his expression gentle and assuring.

Glancing away for a moment, he murmured, "So, if you're okay... maybe I should get going. I mean, I don't want to intrude anymore than I have to...."

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[Itami "Sam" Kanjima]

Good, I'd like to keep it that way. Sam felt he could really trust Zale, no matter what was going on. Then again, he realized exactly what might happen if anything were to slip to Audrey, nah, Zale's a perfect friend.

Sam looked awkwardly away as Zale put the notion out he had to leave. Yeah, I'm fine. And you're welcome here at any time, just watch for the cats, they bite...hard.

[Zale Nakahara]

Zale couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right about the whole situation -- something was decidedly weird about all of this. It wasn't a bad sort of weird, just... ominous. Could Sam feel it too? Whatever it was, he had the feeling that if Audrey knew where he was at that moment, she wouldn't approve.

Zale smiled weakly. "Could I maybe... get your number or something?"

Bad move? Maybe. But he couldn't resist. As bad as it felt, as much as it seemed like he was lying to Audrey with each word he spoke to Sam, he didn't want to lose this friendship.

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[Itami "Sam" Kanjima]

Sam's senses of he needed solitude were going crazy, he had to make sure nothing bad would happen. Sure hang on a sec, let me write it for you... just incase you wanted to hang out or something. Sam grabbed a notepad and pen and scribbled in tiny neat script "413-5982".

You know something Zale, I feel I could tell you anything in the world and not care. Sam stared at the floor as he said this, his hands gave a small tremble, but calmed themselves. He tore the sheet out and handed it to Zale, That's why I want you to know that I'll be here if anything goes wrong, alright?

[Zale Nakahara]

Zale took the phone number, holding it nervously in his hands, occupying himself with tearing the messy edge caused by the coil that bound the book together. "Um... thanks. I'll call when I get the chance..." He mumbled.

At that final sentence, he sighed. "Sam, something will go wrong. Audrey's a Crown Jewel. I can tell that she's not using me, and I know that she means well, but she'd never really be happy with someone like me." He said softly. "She might be happy now, but Alliance is a school full of attractive jocks with lots of money and popular friends. I want to have faith in her, but..." He sighed. It was a hard desicion he had to make, even if it might not have seemed that way -- Crown Jewel or computer nerd?

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[Itami "Sam" Kanjima]

Sam's thoughts raced through his skull as Zale spoke, wanting to find something to say. Some of those thoughts even crashed into the wall, so to speak, leaving him with the few that he figured might work. Look, even so just try to do everything you can to make her happy, she'll appreciate that alot more than money. Sam had no idea how this would go over in Zale's skull, so he sat back on the bed and waited for a response, or even movement.