Keida had to turn down two parties and one very insistent lady who liked to buy him things on their way to any hotel of his choosing. He'd been looking forward to this since he'd texted Haley about it, but the real value of today was revealed when Cain bumped into him yesterday. Talk to him. Like Keida didn't know this was about Haley. Cain was perceptive, and wasn't used to be sidelined. Keida had been accommodating, but convinced the other boy to come by before his usual run instead, so they didn't have to talk outside. Cain had liked the thought of privacy.<br/><br/>Punctual as expected, Mr. Radiant had knocked on the door and come in, just when Keida had sent a message to Haley that she didn't need to announce herself before entering. "Yo, C." he said as he walked down the stairs to meet his first guest. His parents were never home, which was a reason why the three of them had come together, to begin with. Babies sitting themselves. Keida had chosen a black t-shirt with a deep neck as always, the twin of the one he'd worn for Haley, three days ago. His neck was always furiously long. This particular garment was overly washed for effect. The leather jacket he liked to shrug on over it was tossed over the couch in the living room.<br/><br/>"Hello, Kei." Cain said and stood with his hands inside his windbreaker. "Listen, this isn't really a social visit, I won't insult your  intelligence. I just wanted to talk about..." but Keida hadn't stopped in the hall for the dressed up athlete, he'd strode on to the kitchen, and was standing exactly where their precious Haley had begged his name. He took out a bottle of water and a coke for himself.<br/><br/>"Oh, by all means, insult my intelligence all you want, golden boy." he teased with a grin as the clear container spun through the air. Cain caught it without a problem, and the sunlight hit the locked-up water to make marble patterns on Cain's clean face. Keida snickered at the cliché as he pressed the tab open on his own drink. "We haven't spoken in years and now you wanna have a heart-to-heart. Maybe I want some beating around the bush." he could play with Cain too now. Before the beaming boy had always been able to throw his weight around, acting like a fucking superhero, knowing best, but Keida had his own smarts now, ones that didn't need moral backing from a damned sundayschool pamphlet.<br/><br/>"Well, I'm sorry we don't hang but I don't think you'd enjoy me anymore." Cain started. Keida had unreasonably cut up jeans on as he approached his childhood nemesis and closest male friend. It was a charged closeness, since they'd not compared their heights since before their respective growth spurts. Even Cain quieted for it. And then he let out a disgruntled breath while Keida smiled. It wasn't much, but it seemed the formerly lacking boy was standing an inch taller. Turned out not eating properly and occasionally dabbling in offered contraband was good for your bones.<br/><br/>"What? I think we enjoy the same things, C. I like women. Do you like women?" he prodded. It was close to the subject of the hour, and probably as much of a conversational invitation that Cain would get. He took it.<br/><br/>"About that. I was wondering why you and Haley are hanging out. I mean. She's always been nice to you but you didn't seem interested." Awkward start, but Keida guessed Cain didn't want to prolong his stay here.<br/><br/>"Research." he answered, because he'd heard them the other day. Strange that Keida could hear a lie through walls, but didn't pick up his phone if it was under a jacket.<br/><br/>"Listen, Keida. You're always away. You're adventurous. She's a careful girl, don't..."<br/><br/>"Don't help her out when she's asking?" Keida suggested. Cain didn't know if the other boy was teasing or playing at something real. Cain coughed with frustration and threw the bottle back. Keida kept his yellow eyes on the blue of Cain's until the plastic cylinder hit him in the shoulder instead of catching it. It was a very aggressive, silent, challenge.<br/><br/>"Damn it, Keida. You've got a revolving door of other girls, just, for the sake of what we used to be couldn't you..."<br/><br/>"Couldn't I what?" Keida interrupted as the silent hinges of his front door opened. "Haley! Welcome in." He said and pressed against Cain on his way to her. He hugged her while she'd be frozen by the same surprise as Cain. Keida didn't usually give out hugs. "Look! the three of us are back together!" he noted and pulled her in by her hand.<br/><br/>"H-haley... I didn't know you'd be here." Cain said, straightening his posture, which had been hunched in attack or defense around Keida. Keida grinned and had some more of his coke before simply slipping it into Haley's hand. Intimate, to share drinks. Cain's eyebrows raised.<br/><br/>"Wait. You guys know each other?" Keida joked and closed the door behind her. "Watch out for this one, Haley. He's a heartbreaker."<br/><br/>He leaned closer to her as though concidering reclaiming his soda, but it was to whisper in her ear subtly. "I missed how you say my name when you blush."