Lunch with Karl
Kevin nursed his coffee as he stared out of the window, waiting for Karl to arrive. He'd picked a booth in the far corner of the diner, wanting some privacy for his talk with the man. But now, without having any food around to distract him, Kevin was getting a little nervous: he had no idea how Karl would react to what he was going to tell him.

Karl hurried along the street, hand shoved in his jacket pockets and the fingers of one hand toying with some loose change in there. He spotted the diner Kevin had told him to come to, and turned in the door, dropping his shoulders as he felt the warmth of the interior push back the chill wind that was skittering down the street outside. He looked around and saw Kevin sitting at a table, playing with a coffee cup and made his way to the table. "Hey, sorry I'm a bit late, took a little longer to get here than I thought," he said, slipping into the seat on the other side of the table and smiling at Kevin.

"Yeah? Sorry, babe, if I'd have known I'd have suggested another diner. Although I gotta say, no one does crappy coffee like they do," Kevin murmured, the hint of a smile on his face. "It's a thing of beauty, really."

"Yeah?" Karl asked, looking down at Kevin's cup. "Does that mean I should order you a refill when I get mine?" he asked with a small grin, trying to hide the small hint of nerves he felt suddenly lurch up from where he'd been ignoring them all morning. "You ordered lunch yet?"

"No, I thought I'd be polite and, you know, wait. Although I am fucking starving here. And unlike the coffee, the food's pretty damn good," Kevin murmured, grinning. "The refill sounds good though," he added before quickly emptying his cup.

Karl nodded and looked up at the counter, the young waitress busy taking orders from a couple of people sitting along there. "Do we go order, or will there be someone come around?" he asked, picking up the laminated card menu and starting to look down it.

"I always go up there and order just because I wanna actually get some food within the hour," Kevin said, smiling. "You want me to go?" he asked, not needing to look at the menu again.

"Uh, sure, if you like," Karl replied, eyes quickly scanning the menu, picking something and telling Kevin. "And a bottle of water too," he added, "As well as the coffee."

"All right," Kevin said, as he slid out of the booth, taking his cup with him as he headed for the counter. After a bit of small talk, Kevin being one of the regulars here, he placed their orders and waited for the coffee to be poured as he glanced over at where Karl was sitting. Returning only a few minutes later with both the water and the coffee, Kevin put everything down before saying, "The food will be right up. I hope."

"Great," Karl replied, glancing across at the counter before looking across at Kevin again. "Nice and handy to the hospital for you."

"Yeah. I used to eat at the hospital but nowadays about the only thing you can get there is coffee. And it's even crappier than this," Kevin said with an almost affectionate look at his cup of coffee. "So - what brings you to this side of town anyway?" he asked, having been rather surprised when he'd talked to Karl earlier to find the man was working near Chartiy.

"Well, with the bike now I'm able to broaden my horizons I guess," Karl replied with a grin. "Call came in last week with a couple who wanted some work done," he explained, giving a quick sketch of what he was doing for them.

Kevin nodded as he listened to Karl's elaboration. "You know, as much as I think I can now tell you you're working too much - I also kinda recommended you to a friend of mine," he admitted with a small smile.

"You did?" Karl replied, a little surprised. "What do they need done?"

"A complete remodeling of a bathroom? I'm not even sure you do that, but it's kinda difficult to find decent people these days," he told Karl. "And I'm all about trying to keep my friends from getting ripped off and all."

"Yeah, can do that," Karl nodded, feeling a little pleased that Kevin had recommended him. "And yeah, there seems to be a shortage of good tradies still, which is just ridiculous considering the amount of work around. Figured there'd be a few more on the ground by now."

"Yeah, well, there are more than ever. But a whole lot of them are just trying to take advantage of the situation," Kevin said with a small shake of his head

Karl grimaced and nodded at the truth in Kevin's statement. "Bloody bastards," he muttered, a few times having come across shonky work that he'd had to redo for people. "Bloody thieves if you ask me," he added. "But yeah, I can get a bathroom fixed up. Could take a little while, depending on what they want and how hard it is to get the fittings and that," he told Kevin.

"Don't think there's much of a rush," Kevin said. "Remind me to give you his number, all right?" He took a big gulp of his coffee, swallowing with some difficulty before continuing, "So, there's like an actual reason behind me inviting you over. Other than that I hadn't seen you in a while of course," he started hesitantly, not sure where to begin.

Karl managed to maintain the smile he had on his face, eyes fixing on Kevin's as the man started to speak. "Yeah?" he replied, quizzically. "And here I thought it was just my riveting company!"


"It's mostly that, but that's usually what's distracting me from actually, you know, talking about this," Kevin mumbled. "And I'm actually hoping most of what I'm gonna say isn't really news to you, but, well, yeah - " He shrugged helplessly. "I'm really not that good at explaining things. Or, you know, talking period."

"Been doing alright to date," Karl replied encouragingly, his stomach starting to churn a little at what seemed to be Kevin hedging around something. "What's on your mind?" he finally asked, hands clasped together under the table.

"A lot," Kevin said, grimacing slightly. "I've been kinda putting this off because I wasn't sure you'd - I want this to be a like a serious thing, you know? And I like to think it already is, in a way anyway. But I wasn't sure you knew that I'm like - I'm not good at this. The relationship thing, dating one person. I don't do that. I can't. But I wanna. Sorta - " he paused, glancing up from his hands to meet Karl's gaze. "Am I fucking this up already?" he asked quietly unable to read the expression on the other man's face.

Karl was frowning a little, but more with concentration as he tried to figure out what Kevin was saying, what he was telling him. "Uh, not quite sure about the whole 'fucking it up' part," he said slowly, his fingers interwoven and gripping the backs of his hands as he tried to get a grip on Kevin's direction. "You don't want to just... date one person," he continued, a little hesitantly.

"Theoretically? I'd love to. But right before, I think it was before anyway, I met you, I met this guy and well - " Kevin shrugged. "I like him and I really like you and to be honest? Even with dating two men I'm not even sure I could ever promise either one of you that I won't, you know, mess up. I'm like, you know, I - I get around."

"I see," Karl replied quietly, fingers stretching out straight and his palms rubbing together firmly out of sight beneath the table. "Well, it's not like... you know, there's any commitment or anything," he added hastily, looking across at the counter before turning back to Kevin with a slightly strained smile on his face. "You're a free man, can do who and what you like."

"Okay," Kevin said hesitantly, still unable to figure out how Karl was taking this. "But, like I said, I want this to be committed. I just don't want it to be you putting up with something just because I'm an inconsiderate bastard who, you know, tends to think with the other head - "

Karl wasn't quite sure what Kevin was meaning by 'committed' and his mouth twisted in a wry smile for a moment. "Not quite sure what you mean," he finally admitted. "The committed part that is, not the other," he quickly added.


"As in that I really want to keep seeing you. A lot," Kevin explained quietly, unsure how to interpret the various smiles that had crossed Karl's face during the past few minutes.

That at least made Karl feel a little more at ease, though he now wasn't quite sure what to say. "Well that's good," he finally manged to get out. "Would like that."

"I just, you know, wanted to tell you. I mean, sooner or later someone would've mentioned it to you and I wasn't sure - " Kevin's voice trailed off, Karl's words finally sinking in. "You would? Yeah? Really?" he asked, clearly relieved.

Karl shrugged, still a little unsure what Kevin was, or had been expecting him to do, surprised at little at the sound of relief in Kevin's voice. "I like you, like being with you," he told him. "Not like we're living together or anything..." His voice trailed off a little. There had been the odd ocassion, especially since Kevin had had to move to Guy's, that Karl had considered suggesting they might look at sharing a place, but he didn't know whether that would be such a good idea now.

"Honestly, I think I passed the point of just liking you," Kevin admitted, smiling sheepishly at his own words. "I just, like I said - I don't know how to do this without messing up. Or, you know, fucking around."

Karl was still trying to figure out what it was Kevin was wanting to 'do' as such. "Well, not sure what you're actually wanting to 'do'," he finally admitted.

"Like a relationship thing," Kevin said, gesturing vaguely. "You know, being with someone. Sharing stuff with someone?" he asked hesitantly. "Thing is, I know that what I can give someone is less than it should be. I mean, I very much doubt I'll ever be able to settle down with just one person, you know? I don't understand how people do that - "

When Kevin said the 'R' word Karl's eyes darted up to his face from where they'd been wandering around, across Kevin's chest, down to the table top, along the edge of the window. He listened to Kevin and wasn't quite sure what to say. "Guess it's something that some can do, and some can't, or at least probably won't, till they... want to, or something."

Kevin shook his head, Karl not being the first to suggest that Kevin's inability to be in a monogamous relationship had something to do with how much he wanted something. "Look, man, I never - " He paused when the waitress arrived with their plates, taking a quick sip of his coffee, then continued once the waitress walked away, "I've never been this serious about anything as I am right now about you and - and Colin. I know this all, you know, weird and stuff. I'm just saying - I don't know. I'm not playing any games here, man."


"Hey, I understand that, and ... thanks.. for being... up front about it," Karl replied. He looked down at his food and started to eat, almost as if on auto pilot and it gave him something to distract himself with.

Kevin barely managed to hold back a sigh, almost glad that he wasn't able to remember all he'd said as he feared he'd be wanting to kick himself if he did. "You're welcome," he said dryly, picking up his fork but making no attempt to start eating. "Seriously, Karl. I just - " He hesitated, not sure if he wanted the finality Karl's answer might bring if he asked what he truly wanted to ask the other man. "This isn't going anywhere is it?" he asked at last.

Karl looked up at Kevin, confused again. "Uh, what isn't going anywhere?" he asked, a little unsure. "Nothing's really changed, has it?" he added, trying to figure out where Kevin had gone with what Karl had said.

"Hasn't it?" Kevin asked, arching one eyebrow at Karl. "Because I don't know, man, I was kinda hoping it would change something. Not sure what I was hoping for - " He gave a small shrug, not sure how to explain that Karl's apparent indifference - or whatever it was - was more than a little confusing.

"Not sure what you want me to say, or what's supposed to change," he ended up saying, fork in his hand stopping what it was doing. "You want to... I dunno, see other blokes, this Colin guy you mentioned, and probably some others from what you said. And that's... y'know, you can. Just not sure what's supposed to have changed..." His voice trailed off as he met Kevin's eyes. "Except now you've told me up front that's what you want."

"Is that what I said?" Kevin said, genuinely surprised for a moment. "Because I thought I'd said that I want to be with you. And Colin. But that I'm like - I don't know it's just a thing I do. But I don't want to do it." Kevin sighed, shrugging again. "I guess that's probably what I said anyway. Told you I wasn't very good at this."

"Yeah, you said that, but... well, I dunno how it's all supposed to work, or how it will be any different to what's going on now." His eyes fell to his plate, a small realisation hitting him, that all the times he'd just assumed Kevin was working extra shifts, or filling in for workmates, he mightn't've been. "It's not like you have to report in, or anything," he tried to explain, filling his fork again. "We just get together, you know, when you have time, and that's great." His eyes rose to meet Kevin's, the ache he felt in his gut surprising him, and disguised behind a smile. "Just like it's been... " He put the food in his mouth and chewed, looking down to fill his fork again.

"Yeah, but - " Kevin fell silent for a moment, considering Karl's words and realizing he didn't even know what he'd expected to happen. To change. "I guess I really can't have it both ways, can I?" he said with a wry laugh. "I mean, I want to have like, you know, someone to come home to. But right now I can't narrow that someone down to just one person and I can't really expect anyone to be sitting around waiting for me while I go off and - " He sighed, knowing that with the little he was offering Karl he really couldn't ask for more from the other man.

Karl waved his fork a little. "Don't you have that with Guy?" he suggested. "Seems he's a pretty good friend and all, and doesn't look like he's a bloke who's sitting around waiting, or anything."

"You know that's not what I meant," Kevin said. "Guy's a great friend, but he'll never be that person. And I'm not just saying that because he's dating one of my best friends," he added.

Not for the first time Karl wondered at the relationship between Kevin and Guy. He'd been a little weirded out by the print Guy had on his bedroom wall, of Kevin, naked and wasn't sure what to make of it. "Well at least it's still... someone t' come home to." He gave a small smirk. "When he's there."

"Yeah or maybe I'll just get myself a cat," Kevin said, snorting. "Can't have it all, I guess," he mumbled, almost to himself, giving a small shrug. "Understandable."

Not sure what to say again Karl busied himself with his food, the meal steadily disappearing, even though if anyone had asked him what he was eating he'd probably have just looked at them blankly and not been able to answer. "So, you still want to do a weekend roadtrip?" he finally asked, glancing up at Kevin.

"Of course, yeah," Kevin said without even a second's hesitation, then glanced at Karl's face. "You?" he asked, finally remembering he really ought to eat something and quickly taking his first bite as he waited for Karl's answer.

"Yeah, course," Karl replied with a nod. "Got the bike serviced and she's all ready to go."

Kevin nodded slowly, swallowing his large mouthful with some difficulty. "Okay," he drawled. "When?" he asked, already loading his fork up with more food.

"Well... whenever you have time," Karl told him, recalling having said that to Kevin a while ago, but now the words having a slightly different meaning. It also explained in his mind why they hadn't already started planning it. "You let me know when you have some days free and I'll work around that."

"All right," Kevin said after he wiped his mouth. "How many days?" He knew he had the odd day off the next two weeks but never more than two in a row: that hardly ever happened. "Because I could, you know, ask for an extra day off as well - "

"Two? Three? I dunno. Never set foot outside the city, so I don’t have a clue what there is around, and what we can cover in a day or two," he pointed out.

"Three," Kevin decided. "If only because I want to see if anyone would be willing to cover for me for a change," he said. "Not like I'll get much chance to test that theory again anyway - "

"Oh?" Karl asked just before the next forkful entered his mouth.

"Pretty sure Charity isn't going to make the end of the year. And even more sure that if that happens, I'll be one of the first people to go," he said.

"Oh! How come?" Karl managed around the food, a frown on his face.

"I told you it's closing, didn't I? Or there have been rumors flying around the place ever since Katrina anyway," Kevin explained, his voice suspended in mid-air. "It looks like there's no avoiding it now. It's gonna happen."

"You mentioned it, just guess I didn't really believe they'd close a place like that. Was talking to Min and Art about it and they were telling me all sorts of stories about friends of theirs going there, and during the floods and all." He shook his head. "But why would you be one of the first to go?"

Kevin nodded, his face falling as Karl's words reminded him once again of all the reasons why Charity should not close. "I make insane hours," he told Karl. "I'm expensive. It makes sense to fire me, I guess."

"But they can't continue to handle the ER without qualified experienced staff, surely? Even for as long as they do stay open?"

"We're all going to be home by Christmas. The only reason they'd keep me on is because they know they can sucker me into working the holidays," Kevin said, smirking. "And since there's no reason for that - I'm thinking I should start looking for another job."

"That soon??" Karl was a little stunned. "Damn. There much work around? What other hospitals are there nearby?"

"No one's hiring - after Katrina Charity already had to fire a few people. Hardly any of them managed to get a job in New Orleans." He shook his head, not for the first time worrying about what now seemed to be his near future. "Guess it's time for me to consider another career change," he drawled quietly, glancing down at his plate.

Karl frowned, the idea not so much a bad one, knowing it was hard life, being a nurse, but also aware that Kevin seemed to enjoy it. "What would you do?"

"Dude. I have no clue. But it's either that or, you know, leaving town. And I really don't wanna do that at this point," he said. "The one thing I could consider - according to some people - is returning to modeling. But I'm not sure I should. Guess it's something I should think about though - what I want to do. What I can do. I don't know, man."

Karl resisted the urge to suggest it must be just a phase Kevin was going through, figuring it wasn't really a time to make light of everything they'd talked about. Especially considering where it left them. "Modeling would be a cinch for you." He could see the print on Guy's wall in his mind's eye. "You used to do it, so shouldn't be too hard to get back into it, should it?"

"It was a long time ago," Kevin said. "Not sure the, you know, modeling world still wants me. Old me," he added, smirking.

"Don't be an idiot, man!" Karl declared, eyes widening as he stared at Kevin for a moment. "You? A pair of Calvin Klein's undies? Their sales'd go through the roof!"

"You wanna call Calvin Klein and tell him that?" Kevin had to smile at Karl's words, appreciating the vote of confidence but doubting things would be that easy. "I could be talked into showing some skin for Calvin," he added before taking another bite of his burger.

"Be glad to, get me his number and I'll let him know he's missing a great opportunity, and should get his people on it."

"You ever consider a career change yourself, babe?" Kevin asked, grinning. "Because you'd make a decent agent - "

Karl laughed at the idea, shaking his head. "Not me. I've seen what my brother's agent does, and that's just... way outta my league! I'll stick to what I do. That I can handle."

"Always good to have something to fall back on." Kevin smiled, poking at the side salad with his fork. "But yeah, sticking with what you do seems like a plan. I mean, I can't really imagine not being a nurse anymore, you know? Not sure I really want to quit. Even though I wouldn't turn down something else if it pays better. And has relatively normal hours," he added. "Which of course means I should rethink that modeling thing - "

"Well, not like you wouldn't be used to the hours of course," Karl suggested. "And you could do that... or do they have it over here... the 'agency nursing' I think it's called?"

"Maybe," he said with a nod. "Guess I have some possibilities after all. That is, if Calvin Klein suddenly realizes Kevin Richardson is what they've been looking for ever since I don't know Mark Wahlberg or something - "

"Well, what's it take to get yourself back on an agent's books?"

"You seriously think I should do this?" Kevin asked, still having doubts about whether or not there'd be anyone - other than Guy maybe - wanting to work with him. "Because I don't know, man. I was in much better shape back then."

"You're in pretty good shape now, and if you wanted, a bit of time at the gym and I reckon you'd be back to what you were when you were working at it before."
"My ass is sagging," Kevin said straight-faced. "Could definitely do with some trips to the gym - "

Karl arched an eyebrow and angled his head to one side. "Your ass looked fine last time I saw it," he told Kevin with a knowing smirk. "Finest I think I've ever found it, actually, come to think of it!"

"In that case - " Kevin pushed his plate to the side. "I'll think about it, maybe, just, you know, ask around. See if there's any work out there. While I work on my ass of course," he added, finishing his coffee with a small grimace as he swallowed the lukewarm liquid.

"Want a hand with that?" Karl asked with a grin, then stopping it when their earlier conversation came back to him in a rush. "I mean, if you want," he added a little stiffly.

Kevin sighed. "Karl, don't, man. You're the one who said nothing's gonna change. So, don't do that, all right?" he asked quietly, hoping Karl's response was merely due to the fact that they'd only just discussed this.

Karl gave him a wry grin and nodded. "Yeah, sorry. Just... trying not to just take things for granted, y' know?" he tried to explain, not sure why it was sort of different now. "So you want to do this roadtrip now, before Christmas, or wait till after... when.. you know, you know what's going to happen with work and all?"

"If I can manage it I'd like to do it before Christmas," Kevin said, not about to put the trip off any longer: he really could do with a bit of a break from everything. Especially work. "I'll ask some people - see if they can cover for me in the next few weeks."

"Alright, well the show's finishing up at the theatre soon, and I'm not sure what Liev's got planned next. Not a lot from what Mark was saying, so I'm guessing there won't be a lot there for me to do the rest of this year," Karl told him. "You figure out what days you can manage and we'll go from there."

"Okay." Kevin nodded. "Will see what I can manage and - " he paused, glancing at his watch. "And I should get back already. You got a pen or something?"

Karl nodded, reaching into the pocket on the front of his shirt and pulling out a pen."

"Thanks," Kevin said as he took the pen from Karl and quickly jotted down a phone number. "Just in case you have time to consider that bathroom," he told the man as he handed him the napkin and his pen.

"Ah, thanks, I'll give 'em a call this afternoon," he told him, taking both and tucking them in his pocket.

"All right," Kevin said, smiling. "Gotta run, man," he mumbled hesitantly, not really wanting to go back to work not when he still wasn't sure where he stood with Karl. Slowly getting up out of the booth, Kevin figured he probably wasn't go to manage to figure things out today anyway. "So - "

Karl looked up as Kevin stood and moved out of the booth. "So..." he returned with a smile.

"I'll call you tonight about those days off, all right?" Kevin gave Karl a smile of his own then leaned in and pressed his lips to Karl's in a brief, chaste kiss.

Karl returned the kiss, the privacy of the walls of the booth making it easier for him to feel comfortable doing so. He was still getting used to the idea of not having to keep a 'distance' in public. "Yeah, that'd be good," he replied. "And I'll contact Eric about the panniers and bags he was looking into for me."

"Great," Kevin said, his smile broadening at the mere thought of leaving town with Karl for a few days. And not just Karl, but Karl on a bike. In leather. "You heading out with me or you gonna finish your meal?" he asked, not having to check his watch again to know he was running more than a little late, but knowing Nancy would've paged him if there'd been anything urgent.

Karl glanced at his almost finished meal and pushed it away, picking up the cup of coffee as he pulled out his wallet. "Just lemme get the bill and I'll walk out with you."

"Hey, I invited you to come have lunch with me. And I made sure it wasn't all that enjoyable as well. Something tells me that means I should be paying," Kevin said.

Karl glanced up at Kevin for a moment, his hand still on his wallet, half out of his pocket. "Y' sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna feel bad about it if I don't, man," he told Karl, pulling his wallet from his coat pocket as he gave the waitress a small nod.

Karl didn't hesitate for too long, not wanting to force the issue, especially with the prospect of Kevin about to lose his job. "Alright," he mumbled instead, shoving it back into his pants.


Kevin walked over to the counter, quickly taking care of the bill then joined Karl again. "Let's go," he murmured, resisting the urge to check his watch again: he didn't want Karl to feel uncomfortable. Or more uncomfortable. As they left the diner, Kevin nodded toward the hospital's entrance across the street, or whatever had to pass for an entrance anyway. "So," he drawled, sighing. "I'll call you tonight, okay?" He didn't make a move to hug or kiss Karl, still in the habit of usually letting Karl call the shots in public.

"Yeah... good," Karl replied with a smile that actually touched his eyes this time. He leaned over quickly and gave Kevin a kiss on the cheek, already having noted the lack of people in the immediate vicinity. "Don't work too hard," he told him as he straightened up.

"Never," Kevin said with a wide smirk. "You know me. Later, babe," he said as he turned around. He looked over his shoulder one more time and smiled at Karl before quickly heading across the street already telling himself to just forget about the lunch for the next couple of hours: plenty of time to worry about things later.