WELCOME TO GOODBURGER

Ria wrote:"I'm sick of your crappy cooking, Rowan. Maybe you should take me out to eat. How about the Tavern?"

Rowan was starting to think he had to be a masochist or something. All the things he said he'd do once the babies were born; kick Ria out, stop doing everything Ria said, etc...he never did. Obviously. And he had no idea why he was still taking her crap. As previously stated, he had to be some sort of masochist.

Anywho, he'd gotten a sitter for the babies and now him and Ria were out on one of those dates that isn't a date, except it's totally a date. You know what I mean?

"So," he said as they took a table. "Why did you want to come to the Tavern?"

"Because I'm hungry you fool, why else?" Ria said, looking at the menu. They didn't have very healthy food, but it tasted amazing. And now that she wasn't pregnant anymore, she could eat whatever she felt like, she could also drink whatever she wanted, though she didn't think Rowan would approve since she was breast feeding and all.

Whatever.

"I meant why the Tavern specifically..." Rowan muttered, as if Ria cared. Rowan had spent many a night alone in the Tavern, but he couldn't remember the majority of those nights. It was almost a nice change to have some company, even if that company was unbearable.

The waiter (does the Tavern have waiters?) came by and took their drink orders. Rowan ordered diet coke like a good recovering alcoholic. He figured Ria would want something really expensive since it was his money.

"Can you believe the twins are already two months old?" Rowan asked, since the rare civil conversations they had tended to be about the babies. Their perfection was the one thing he and Ria agreed on.

"Inorite?" Ria exclaimed, setting down the menu and looking up at the waiter. "I'd like a strawberry daiquiri please," she said sweetly at the pretty blonde guy above her.

"They're so pretty and wonderful. And hey, Rowan," she said, pausing momentarily before going on, "I was thinking about moving out..."

Wow, way to ease it into the conversation, Kaelin said from below the table.

Rowan didn't respond for a moment. The past two months had been so great, he had almost forgotten the fact that their situation wasn't permanent. And he thought he wouldn't care when Ria left, but lately he had kind of been enjoying having her company. She may not be the best company, but it was better than being alone.

"Er...Are you sure?" he asked finally. "Do you even have anywhere to go?"

"Well, you see..." Ria said slowly, not sure of what to say. The truth was, she and Kaelin had been thinking about moving out for quite some time now. It was nice living with Rowan and all, I mean, he could give her anything she wanted, but she also liked being independent. Being able to do anything she wanted, whenever she wanted.

"I was actually going to move in with Raina," she said lightly, finally looking at Rowan. "She's a good person, Rowan, and she'd help with the babies."

"Oh." Rowan looked down at the table. It seemed, for once, that Ria had thought things through. There really wasn't anything keeping her in Dian. Rowan had just gotten so used to her being there, it was hard to imagine going back to being alone. "Would it be weird if I told you that I think I might actually kind of miss having you around?"

"Um, yeah," Ria said slowly, staring at Rowan like he was crazy. "I thought you hated me? Right?" she said questioningly. The truth was, she had kind of grown used to Rowan's company, too.

"I mean... I thought you wanted me to leave and everything."

"I don't know," Rowan replied honestly, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "I guess I just enjoy having some company. You've grown on me a little. Plus I like always having Chloe and Claire there. I know I'll definitely miss them."

Of course if she really wanted to leave he wasn't going to fight it or anything, because it just wasn't worth it, but if she was having doubts about leaving then that was a different story.

"Of course it's your decision though," he added.

"Well, yeah. But you'd still see them all the time... And you could always come visit if you wanted to see them on my days. I wouldn't mind... that much," she added, smiling.

"But I mean, I guess... If I've grown on you..." but she was too embarrassed to finish. No one had asked her to stay before. It was always a one night thing, and a lot of the time the guys didn't even say goodbye. Not that Ria cared or anything, it was actually better that way. It was easy, she got the pleasure of sex and then she didn't have to make anyone happy, she didn't have to commit to anything other than one night of fun.

But she liked this feeling, feeling like someone wanted her to stay. Even if it was only because he didn't want to be alone and he wanted to see his kids.

"Well...if you're open to the idea of staying..." Rowan said awkwardly. He didn't even know what he was trying to say anymore. He wanted her to stay.

Just come right out and ask her to stay, Nym said impatiently. Otherwise this conversation is going NOWHERE.

Yeah...she was right. Sometime in the last several months Nym and Rowan had seemed to switch roles, with Nym now being the voice of reason. Rowan kind of cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'd like it if you stayed with me. So if you might consider it...?"

"Yes, yes," Ria said, turning away and pretending to look at something else. "I'll think about it." When she thought her blush was gone she turned back.

"It's not like I want to stay, but maybe it'll be better for the children or something."

'So wait,' Kaelin said to her clio, 'do you want to stay? Do you actually want to stay?'

"Of course not!" Ria said out loud because she was frustrated. Fortunately the waiter came over with their drinks just then. Ria sipped at the liquor, hoping to hide her second blush of the evening.

"Well, I hope you decide to," Rowan muttered quietly, choosing to ignore her little outburst. All that mattered was that she was actually considering staying. He ignored his drink. When he thought about it, he had never been very nice to Ria (granted, she had never been nice to him, but whatever) and she probably though he only wanted her to stay for the babies' sakes. "I know I don't show it very well, but I do like you, you know."

"Mm, mhm," Ria mumbled, never letting her lips leave her glass. Finally, once she had downed over half of her drink she said, "Doesn't everybody?"

"Everybody who's known you for less than ten minutes," Rowan replied. He wasn't trying to be mean, he was actually being honest. "And I mean that in the nicest possible way." He finally took a sip of his nonalcoholic drink. He really wanted whatever Ria was drinking, but had enough self-control not to call the waiter over to order himself one.

Ria glared at him, but she was glad to get out of the awkwardness. "You know what?" she said, grinning mischievously, "you are so much better when your drunk."

She waved the waiter over and ordered two more strawberry daiquiris. "There, when we get home, you'll be a much happier person."

Rowan groaned. "Why do you do this to me?" he wondered out loud. He took the drink in his hand and took a gulp of it. "You know I have to finish this now." Not that it would take one daiquiri to get him drunk, but it would probably make him open to ordering more.

"Oh hush," Ria said taking a sip of her own drink. "You know you like it, I'm just having you do things you like to do. Besides, I wont let you get too drunk. Someone has to take care of the babies tonight." She smiled in a evil but cute way.

Those poor babies.

"Whatever," Rowan replied, already finished with the daiquiri. Ria was an evil woman. What did he see in her? "The sitter will probably have them in bed by the time we get home, it's pretty late already. You can get me as drunk as you want to."

Stupid alcohol. Stupid wonderful, blissful, amazing alcohol.

"You shouldn't have said that," Ria said playfully. She too, finished off her drink and then ordered more for the two of them. She loved it when Rowan was drunk. Although the last time had led to babies... Nah, that couldn't happen again. She smiled and started on her third.

The drinking and talking went on for a while, until Rowan and Ria were laughing and chatting with each other like a normal couple would; cheerfully and obnoxiously.

"Remember how we met?" Rowan said nostalgically, after a number of short and ridiculous drunken conversations.

"'cha I do," Ria laughed, "and then I got pregnant! Those were the good days."

"We should totally have drunken bathroom sex again!" she exclaimed, drinking the rest of her 6th daiquiri.

"Here?" Rowan exclaimed, finishing his...ninth or tenth daiquiri. He looked around at all the people in the Tavern. He turned to Ria, smiling mischievously. In a loud whisper he said, "Someone is bound to walk in on us."

"That's the point, Rowan dear," Ria said back, returning the smile. She stood, grabbed Rowan's hand, and pulled him towards the bathroom, giggling. She loved this stuff.

Grinning like the drunken fool he was being, Rowan let Ria pull him along. Nevermind that there were people watching them go into the men's room together, or that they knew exactly what they were going to do in there. Nevermind that they were leaving a table covered in daiquiri glasses. They were gonna have the drunken bathroom sex that had brought them together in the first place. Glee!