Chapter Three

"Chocolate: Here today ... Gone today!" – Anonymous

"Hey, Mush! Race just told me da most ridiculous thing." Blink greeted Mush on Monday morning, not even taking the time to say hello or good morning.

Mush raised an eyebrow as he turned his eyes on the Italian man who'd walked into the Benjamin alongside his best friend. A week ago, Mush had agreed to switch shifts with Race and was, consequently, bleary eyed from being up the entire night manning the front desk. He was looking forward to going home and climbing into his bed, and hopefully, if he didn't see her coming or going, dreaming about Vivian-whom he hadn't seen since their first meeting Friday.

Race was shaking his head in frustration, something they all seemed to do when they hung out with Blink, "He's overreacting." He told Mush, ignoring Blink who harrumphed.

"I'm overreacting? Tell him what you plan on doin'." The blonde man challenged.

The door behind Mush opened before Race's mouth and the three friends glanced behind them, to see David emerge, tying his tie and looking a little worse for wear. "I didn't see ya come in, Dave." Mush remarked, both of them knowing full well that he hadn't even left.

David rubbed his eyes, ignored Mush, and met Race's eyes, "What did you do, Race? Blink's harping over it woke me up. I hope it's interesting."

Blink scowled while Race grinned at David, "Well, ah…" He reached up and itched his ear as he gave them a sheepish look, "I asked Clara's fathah foah her hand."

"In marriage?" Mush asked, a little shocked even as a broad smile pulled up the corners of his mouth.

Racetrack rolled his eyes as he walked around the counter, "No, her hand ta Sheepshead. Of course, in marriage." He lightly shoved Mush, but he had his own grin on.

"Oh, man, Race that's great! Congratulations. When are ya gonna ask her? Did ya get her a ring?"

"Mush, don't encourage him." Blink muttered.

With a flourish, Race pulled out a small, square box and opened it to show them a modest, oval emerald stone with three, tiny diamonds in a triangle set on either side, "It reminded me of her eyes," He told him as David and Blink both leaned in to have a look, "and I'm gonna do it Saturday night in the foyah of her parents' house. It's where we met and had oah first kiss."

"I didn't know you were so romantic, Race." David said leaning against the counter as Blink scoffed.

"Whatever. I'm going to the kitchens." He told the three before he left in a huff.

Mush watched his best friend's retreating back, "Ya think he's jealous?" He asked, as the other two shrugged. He looked thoughtfully in the direction of the small restaurant that had been opened inside the Benjamin a year after the hotel. Many didn't know just how much Blink loved working back there, managing the menu and the staff, but Mush knew and he also was painfully aware that it was where Blink liked to go when something bothered him, even when he wasn't scheduled to be there.

Sighing, he patted the smooth wood of the front desk, "Well, congrats again, Race. I'm shoah, with a ring like that, she'll find it hard ta say no. I'm gonna head out, now. I'll see you boys tomarrah."

He left with a chorus of goodbyes trailing behind him and walked home to his apartment in a sort of tired daze. A small ache had developed at some point in his chest as he realized that Race had found his match. It was hard not to notice how well they complimented each other; Clara's hard exterior, marshmallow inside, as well as her stubbornness alongside Race's easygoing demeanor that hid his willingness to do anything to protect those he loved most. It made Mush wonder what kind of woman would be his fit. Someone who obviously wasn't like the women he'd dated before.

Looking at the four who had made the most impact on him, he tried to figure out what it was they had in common. The first had been Charlotte, who had been the first girl he'd ever really courted back when he was a newsie. They'd met right before the strike and he'd thought it was the real thing. For quite a few months they had spent all their free time together, she had been beautiful and spirited, but she had also been harsh; putting him down because he was a newsie and hadn't strived for a better job. Charlotte could be warm one minute and then mean and spiteful the next. Their entire relationship he had walked on egg shells and no matter how much he tried to make her happy, it was never enough.

Now that he thought about it, Lydia, Grace, and Mary had been similar in that respect. Over the last seven years, those four had been the long-lasting ones and all had treated him like crap. He paused right in front of his door as realization hit him. Was he just attracted to cruel females? Or was there something wrong with him that he couldn't seem to make any woman happy enough?

"You alright?" A voice from behind him startled him from his morose thoughts and he turned to meet those brilliant blue eyes that he'd been dreaming about since Friday. His neighbor was just emerging from her own apartment and she looked surprise that she asked him a question as she softly shut the door behind her.

He noticed again the weary look in those wonderful eyes of hers. When they had first met, he had thought she was just nervous about meeting a strange guy, but it looked as if she was just habitually on guard. It made him even more curious about her.

He tried to look non-threatening because she seemed so uneasy, and gave her a small, crooked grin, "Yeah, just realizin' some stuff."

She glanced up and down the hallway, "Outside of your door?"

Sheepishly, he shrugged, "Why not?"

Her eyebrows rose as she gave him an odd look, as if wondering how he escaped from the mental institution.

Chuckling, he apologized, "Sorry, I just got off the night shift. Lack of sleep and all…" He trailed off, feeling awkward.

But she nodded knowingly, "I understand completely. It's just best to get some sleep." She offered him her first ever smile, "Well, I gotta get to work…I'll see you around."

Mush answered her smile with his own as she started away, "Yeah, you too. See ya…" Once more he found himself trailing off because she was already disappearing down the stairs. Sighing wistfully, he leaned back against his door, realizing that he once again was attracted to a woman that couldn't give a damn about him.

Shoulders sagging, he turned and unlocked his door. He trudged to his room and crawled into his bed without even taking off his boots. For a moment, he just stared at the wall, feeling lower than he had in a long time. Finally, exhaustion overcame him and he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

He didn't see Vivian for another week, which was probably a good thing. His realizations had put him in an abysmal mood so that not even Race and Clara's engagement dinner Sunday evening could cheer him up. If anything, it made him feel queasy when they smiled at each other as if the world was perfect-and he guessed, for them at least, it was.

The following Tuesday, he left work without waiting for Blink and went home to lie on his bed and mope. For a while he laid there and watched the particles of dust dance through the golden beam of the late afternoon sunshine that streamed in. A pounding knock startled him from his daydreams.

"Mush, open up!" Blink's voice echoed through the apartment and he didn't sound happy. Scowling, Mush forced himself to get up and go answer the door.

Blink was just raising his hand to knock again when he opened the door, and he met his friends' gaze, "What?" He asked, irritated.

He didn't answer, just pushed his way inside. Mush's gaze slipped to the door across the hall and he was surprised to see Vivian coming out, she raised an eyebrow at Blink's back before she nodded to Mush, "Hello."

Immediately, Mush's spirits rose, "Hi." He replied, giving her a smile, "On ya way ta work?"

She nodded, not returning his smile, "Unfortunately."

"Have a good day." He told her, trying to cheer her up.

That seemed to work, because she flushed, and she tried to hide a small smile, "Thank you. You as well."

A clearing behind him brought back his sour mood and he glanced back at Blink, "Yeah?"

Blink raised an eyebrow, "Ya gonna intraduce me?"

Mush turned to meet Vivian's gaze and saw the same weariness that was there when he met her. "Vivian, this is my friend Blink. Blink, my neighbor Vivian."

She inclined her head, but didn't move to shake his hand. Blink smiled at her, but not his usual charming one. "How do ya do." He said to her, politely, as he glanced between her and Mush.

"Fine. I have to get to work." Her abrupt departure had Mush's mood plummeting once more.

Sighing, he closed the door and turned back to the blond man, "Whatya want, Blink?"

Blink made himself at home on Mush's sofa before answering, "Well, I was gonna ask what ya problem has been lately but I think I know the answah now."

"Oh, yeah?" Mush countered, glowering at the man who seemed oblivious to his foul mood.

Before Blink could reply, there was another knock at the door. Mush turned to it, irritated, and pulled it open, "Yes?" He asked, impatiently.

"My name's Tom Fuentes, is this the residence of Mrs. Nancy Mclean-"

"Across the hall." Mush snapped before shutting the door in the man's face. He once again turned back to Blink, "Get ta ya point, Blink." He added to his friend as he walked into the kitchen and looked into his ice box, already knowing it was empty.

Blink shrugged, "I'm just surprised ya didn't tell me there was a woman. You usually do."

"Well, this one's different." Mush snapped without thinking, as he shut the ice box and came back into the main room.

Both of them paused as what Mush said caught both of them by surprise. "No matter how many women you've met, none of them have been different." Blink murmured.

All of the bad feelings Mush had been feeling washed back over him, "I know. She's not either; I don't know why I said it." He moved Blinks' feet and sat down beside him, "Why do I always find the unpleasant ones?"

Blink chuckled, "Probably foah the same reason I find the too nice ones. 'Cause they're the opposite of us."

Mush leaned his head back and closed his eyes, "Ya not cruel, Blink." He sighed and added, "I thought Race and Clara were opposites when we first met her, but now I'm not so shoah. They are in some aspects, but at the core of their being they're the same."

It was silent between the two friends for quite some time before Blink broke in, "Ya know what would really pick up our spirits?"

Mush opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow at him, "What?"

"A good ol' guys night."

He suppressed rolling his eyes, "Where have I heard that befoah?" He muttered, but in the end, it sounded like a brilliant idea.

A/N: Review!

Truly,

Joker is Poker with a J~

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. Everything you DO recognize belong to their respective owners.