For once in his life, everything had gone according to Archie's plan. He'd called in a reservation to the restaurant two weeks in advance, his suit had gotten dry cleaned, and Maxie hadn't spent a million hours in the bathroom working on his hair. By the time they got to the restaurant, both were grinning from ear to ear. They had gotten just on time, and had been greeted by a bright eyed waitress.
"What a nice night," Archie commented once the two had sat down. The restaurant was a peaceful place, full of softly playing music and freshly grown plants. The architecture was a fine mix of modern with more classic building styles.
"I certainly agree," Maxie said. One of his rare smiles crossed his lips. Seeing him smile was a treat, something reserved only for nights like this. These were the nights where for a few moments their rivalries didn't matter, when their environmental views didn't seek to rip them apart. It was more than just a peaceful night...
Well, it was the kind of night that Archie lived for. Even when everything else around him was stressful, he always had this to look forward to.
And maybe it was wrong, considering his history with Maxie. It was a roller coaster, with ups and downs that quickly changed.
Well, tonight was one of those nights where he could just sit back in his seat and enjoy the ride.
"So you've eaten here before?" Archie picked up his menu from the table. This wasn't his usual kind of place to eat, not when Matt was such a good cook and when beach restaurants tended to serve the best grilled food that Archie had ever eaten.
"Yes, I have. It's very good." Maxie raised an eyebrow. "Need any suggestions?"
"Maybe later," Archie replied, his eyes moving over the menu. It had been Maxie's suggestion to come there, and he had seen no reason to deny his request. After all, he had chosen where the two had gone the last time.
This was certainly a Maxie style place. It was a good thing, Archie realized, that he had spent as much time as he had getting his suit ready. The other people inside were dressed just as properly, with neat hair and expensive suits.
After scanning the menu a few more moments, Archie's eyes widened. He looked back up to Maxie. "I'll definitely be getting the-"
Archie blinked. Once. Twice. Three times, and still the people in front of him did not vanish.
"Matt?"
It was as if time itself had stopped. For a moment, the two men just stared at each other. Archie looked over him. He expected to see someone alien and foreign, but he still saw the same dark skinned, muscular man that he always knew. This time, however, he had actually bothered to wear a shirt (and a tie with it), tight dress pants, and shining dress shoes. He was the same Matt that Archie knew, only dressed a little fancier.
He faintly recognized the man with him as well.
For a moment longer, everyone was silent.
"Tabitha?"
Archie looked from the two men and back to Tabitha. "He works for you, correct?"
Maxie nodded. "And him?"
"That's Matt." Archie looked back down to them.
"I should get going," the waitress said. She looked confused and slightly red faced, and left the two men standing by their table with their menus in their hands.
"Sir," Tabitha said, turning to Maxie. "I swear that I have an explanation for this!" In only moments, he had turned red faced. His pudgy fists were tightly clenched together, and he had taken a few steps away from Matt.
Matt was unusually silent.
"Why are you here?" Maxie raised an eyebrow and pushed his glasses up on the tip of his nose.
"Because," Tabitha said. He paused for a moment and looked to the ground. "Because-"
"Because my little Makuhita man and I had a reservation here tonight."
Archie blinked. "Matt, would you mind repeating that for me?"
Tabitha only turned even redder in the face. "I told you not to call me that in public!" He clenched his fists tighter and suddenly looked to Maxie. He was glaring now. "Well what are you doing here?"
"He's here for the same reason as you," Maxie broke in, just before Archie could even try to explain. "He called this reservation in a few weeks ago, in fact."
"I called a month ago!" Matt suddenly piped in.
Archie's stomach flipped. Half of it seemed begging for food and the other half seemed as if it wouldn't be able to handle any food placed in it.
Archie's eyes wondered over to Maxie. He seemed just as confused as Archie was, and his smile had faded. His wrinkles were beginning to show, and he was rubbing his temples.
Matt looked down to the ground. He had stepped closer to Tabitha, and their hands looked close to touching.
Matt... Well, Matt had been acting strange as of late. He worked out even harder than normal, and actually seemed to be keeping a schedule for once. He spent more time with Shelley, and seemed to easily make conversations with her. Once Archie entered the room, however, he mostly grew quiet, at most discussing the business affairs of Team Aqua and nothing more.
Was this man, Archie realized, the reason that he had been acting so strange?
"I suppose," Maxie said, folding his hands together, "that some explanations are in order."
Tabitha shook his head. "Please excuse me for objecting, sir, but I think we can all see what is going on."
The silence returned once more. Maxie looked shocked, Matt looked just a little bit smug (and his hand had finally wrapped around Tabitha's), and Tabitha simply looked exasperated. Archie? Well, Archie couldn't tell any longer.
"Want to order to-go?" Maxie suddenly asked.
"But you wanted to come!"
"Other issues have come up," Maxie said. "I do believe it is best that we leave quickly."
In the end, it was Matt who did the brave thing. He sat down at the table across from Archie and Maxie, with Tabitha at his side. The two buried their noses in their menus and began to chatter, Tabitha about personal issues in his life and Matt about his workout routine and Sharpedo.
If only it was that easy for another conversation to start between Archie and Maxie. He didn't know how long the two spent staring at each other. Maybe mere moments, maybe entire hours. Once their waitress came around, they quickly ordered their food.
Just before it came out, another waitress came by.
"Shelley!" Matt's high toned voice nearly made Archie jump. It broke through the still silence of the restaurant.
If his night hadn't already been so strange, then perhaps Archie would have been surprised. Perhaps he would have blinked and done a double take.
Instead, he merely sighed.
Courtney did the same. "Shelley, I told you that we should have just gone to the vegetarian place downtown tonight."