"Okay, start over from the beginning." Rowan states. The two have since calmed down and they are both back at the table now.

Dew nods, and begins. "Well, I think that with a phoenix rebirth comes plague, and in your case, abnormalities. I know you've served in the military for the last 20 years and you've excelled in everything. Though, there are still 150 or so years in there that I have no clue what you were doing."

"That's right." He seems a bit unhappy that Dew figured out everything. "I served in the US Marine Corps, until the fall of civilization from the war. Then I served in Osiphia, then in the Easthem, then I served in Avia." Dew just raises his eyebrows. Wait, so this man has just been serving in different militaries his entire life?

"What? You couldn't think of anything better to do?"

This explains a lot, though. Rowan is always on high alert, and he eats remarkably quickly. He just has these little mannerisms that were obviously drilled into him from so much service. It's clear that his military training will never leave him, for however long his lifespan is.

"I enjoy the military life."

"So... you're almost 200 right? Well you look about 25, so how long actually is your life span?"

Rowan frowns, and Dew can tell that that question struck something within him. Maybe it's a sensitive topic?

"We live about 1000 years. Unless we meet our soul mate, then we age with them."

Dew pauses, leaning back in his seat. Okay, that would make sense. When he googled phoenixes there were a lot of things about them that were dependent on their 'soul mate'. It's a very love-based creature.

"When we went back to the Easthem, what were you looking for?" Now Dew really wants to know the answer to this. They flew all the way out there, and Rowan risked getting caught, for some reason. Dew really wants to know.

"Next question."

Dew frowns, glaring at Rowan for still keeping secrets. Dew does not have the time or patience to argue with him, though, so he reluctantly listens.

"A phoenix is a bird. You aren't a bird."

Rowan frowns, then runs a hand through his hair. Dew can tell that Rowan doesn't want to answer these questions, but it's part of their deal for Dew to stay quiet.

"Some phoenixes are more birdlike than others."

This brings Dew to his next question. "Right. I thought that a phoenix dies in fire and then is rebirthed, but you've only been alive for like 200 years, not since the beginning of time."

"When I die, which can only happen from old age or when my soulmate is killed, a new phoenix will come from my ashes. That's the cycle."

Hm. Dew leans forward, across the table, and squints as he studies Rowan's face. The man just raises an eyebrow. Yeah, Dew is pretty close to him. Then, Dew grins as he pulls away. He decides to refer back to what they talked about a few questions ago.

"So who is your soulmate? Have you met them?"

"Yes." Dew raises his eyebrows, eyes going wide. What?!

"Who is it?! What's her—his—their name?! Why do you sleep with random people, then?!"

Rowan purses his lips, eyeing Dew for a moment, then stands up. Dew feels like he just missed something. Rowan walks over to his coffee machine and puts a little cup thing in there, closing it up while it makes his coffee. He's wearing sweatpants and that's it, and Dew watches the muscles flex in his back as he does so. Sorry, but Rowan is fucking ripped. Now Dew really understands why, but still.

It's distracting.

It's not like Dew is actually attracted to him! That's ridiculous! Dew's straight! It's just that Rowan is objectively... hot. Okay there, he said it. Rowan is hot! Fine! It doesn't have to be a big deal! Dew doesn't feel that way about him, but he's comfortable enough in his masculinity to recognize when another male is hot as fuck, that's it! Whatever!

"That's enough questions. You can go back to sleep now."

Dew frowns, before rolling his eyes. He wants to ask more questions about who these people are that want Rowan, but decides that maybe he has grilled the guy enough for one morning. This is why he sighs and turns around, walking back to his room. Upon entering, he finds Spikes nowhere in sight, so he assumes that she's off doing something. He leaves his door cracked open for her to come back in if she wants.

Dew doesn't actually go back to sleep. Instead he pulls out his laptop and begins applying to jobs. It is somewhat difficult to find a good job without a high school diploma. Still, Dew applies to be a cook at a restaurant, and also to work in a grocery store. Once he finishes, he looks at the time, and goes to sleep.

When Dew wakes back up, it's to the sound of clattering in the kitchen, which means that Rowan is cooking them dinner. Dew immediately stands up and makes his way to the kitchen, where he finds Spikes seated on the counter, watching Rowan.

"Oh, goddammit." He swears under his breath, walking over and picking up Spikes. This time Rowan is fully clothed, which Dew is mostly grateful for. He looks up when he hears Dew, but doesn't say anything as he continues cooking what looks like ground beef.

"You can't sit on the counters anymore," Dew tells Spikes as he grabs the feline and sets her on the ground. "You are a guest here," he scolds.

"I don't mind," Rowan states. Dew looks up to find him loading the beef onto a plate full of chips. His eyes are on Dew, who just shrugs. He takes a seat at the little bar area. Rowan walks over to the counter and sets a plate of nachos down. Dew immediately begins eating, and Rowan is finished in less than two minutes.

"I'm going to the store, do you want anything?"

Dew looks up, halfway done with his food. "Yeah, can you get me some strawberries? Oh—and vodka. Thanks."

Rowan raises his eyebrow, probably at the strange combination. He nods anyway, though, and grabs his keys before walking out the door.

Dew does the dishes and goes back to his room, finding that he's really started up a routine here. He just waits in his room until Rowan comes and delivers the vodka, saying he'll put the strawberries in the fridge.

Dew starts drinking. It's not for some sort of emotional reason, he just hasn't had alcohol in a while and his life has considerably changed in the last few days. So, he thinks getting drunk off his ass in the safety of his room is a smart choice.

It's 11:00, too, and Rowan doesn't bother him in the evening. He's totally safe.

Dew has never been a fan of social drinking, mostly because that's what his mom did all the time, and it put a strain on their relationship. Dew likes to get drunk, though, so he usually goes out, buys something to get the job done, and fucks himself up in the confines of his own space.

Dew begins drawing, while also drinking at the same time. He just sits there and clears out a good fourth of the bottle while he paints pictures of Spikes. He's also pretty sure he drew Rowan's eyes as well.

When it hits 1:00, Dew is absolutely covered in paint. It's all over his hands and arms, a lot on his pants, and he decides he'd like some of the strawberries Rowan bought him.

Dew walks out to the kitchen, and finds none other than Rowan asleep on his couch, with the TV on. It is playing some kind of sitcom, and Dew stumbles his way to the fridge. Upon opening it, though, something that was on top falls down. It's some sort of glass container, and it shatters upon impact with the floor.

Rowan is up in an instant.

Dew shrugs, deciding to clean it later, and grabs his strawberries. He walks over to the counter, and stands up while he puts a strawberry in his mouth.

It tastes like shit, and Dew realizes that's probably because of the vodka.

"What's going on?" Dew hears from the doorway. He looks up to find Rowan... in only his boxers... standing there with his hair all tousled. Otherwise Rowan looks on high alert, and the captain's staring at Dew like he's injured or something.

Dew smiles. "Nothing, Annie. You can go back to sleep."

"Why are you covered in paint, and—is that blood?"

"Because I was painting, duh."

"Why are your feet bloody?"

Dew looks down, and finds that yes, it appears that a piece of glass did cut him in his left foot. There are now bloody footprints in this kitchen, along with shattered glass.

Dew just giggles. It turns into full blown laughter, and before he knows it, he's suddenly being picked up.

Yeah, Rowan scoops Dew up so that he's carrying the empath bridal style. Dew wraps his arms around the man's neck in surprise, looking at him. Wow, their faces are really close. Dew is surprised for a moment, before he continues giggling. He begins poking at Rowan's bare chest and creating random sound effects on impact. Rowan is obviously just carrying Dew so that he doesn't get blood on the carpet, but Dew still feels like a pretty princess.

They wind up in the hallway bathroom, and Rowan sets Dew on the closed toilet seat. He still thinks this is the funniest thing in the world.

Rowan pulls out a first aid kit from under the sink, and begins dabbing away at the mess of blood.

"Oh my god! You're my nurse," Dew notifies him, grinning like an idiot. Rowan just raises an eyebrow, though there is a slight upturn to his mouth.

"Is that so?"

"Yup! Nurse Rowan Lux—my god. You should stop doing the military and be a doctor. That'd be hot."

Rowan raises an eyebrow, though he can't contain the way the corner of his lip quirks up. "Hot?" He asks.

Dew nods. "Yeah, doctors are hot, you're hot, that's double hot."

Rowan appears very caught off guard by this admission. He begins wrapping some gauze around Dew's foot, while staring at him with an amused expression. "You think I'm hot?"

Dew gets the sense he shouldn't have said that. "No."

Rowan shakes his head, though he vaguely appears to be smiling. Like drunk Dew is just the most amusing thing ever. He doesn't respond, and before long Dew is all patched up. Rowan stands up and leaves, while Dew just hangs out on the toilet for a moment. Then he remembers his strawberries, so he walks back to the kitchen. He finds Rowan sweeping the glass into a dust pan.

Dew walks over to his strawberries, and starts eating them as he watches Rowan clean. His muscles flex as he does so, and Dew literally begins drooling.

He reaches up with his hand to wipe it away, then averts his eyes so that he's staring at his strawberries. Wow, Rowan literally looks attractive no matter what he's doing. Like right now he has a rag and he's cleaning Dew's bloody footprints, but he still looks good.

If Dew was a girl, he'd be all over this.

Finally Rowan finishes, and he turns around to stare at Dew, who just realized he's been eating the stem with the strawberries.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Rowan asks, an eyebrow raised. There is still humor in his expression. Dew just shrugs, then walks over to the fridge and puts the strawberries inside. He turns back around afterwards to find Rowan still standing there, staring at him.

"I'm fine!" Dew replies, grinning.

Rowan just nods, then turns around and walks back to the couch. Dew goes to his room, and realizes that he has paint on his clothes, so he strips until he's in his underwear and flops down on the bed.

He falls asleep immediately.