Drink Your Glasses Empty
by Jillian Storm

(Disclaimer: This is the third part of Never Too Close and partly a tangent. It fits in
continuity wise, but sort of travels down different avenues with different characters for a
bit. You'll notice first of all that this is alternate reality. Read a little further, and it's
clearly a cross over of characters from Utena, Kenshin and Cowboy Bebop. The lyrics are
classic Catatonia--big surprise, huh?)

"Designated driver my foot." Faye slumped across the countertop and wished herself
away to some tropical island where the sun might still be shining and the waiters were all
well-built natives in thongs. "How intoxicated can the rooster head get on Starbucks?"

She set her chin against the counter top and made pathetic faces at herself in the
window, trying to decide which one might convince her younger brother to leave for
better prospects. Running her fingers through her hair, trying to loosen all of the tension
building in her skull, Faye swiveled on her seat trying to spot Sanosuke.

Predictably enough, he was at the counter, leaning on it and half-way across it to invade
the personal space of a pretty employee. Sano had "I'm exaggerating a whole lot so
you'll think I'm the best thing since sliced bread" written all over his face. His smile was
roguish, his hair was tousled and his posture was cocky. Faye would admit it, she
recognized the pose so certainly because it was something that the siblings had in
common. The only difference was that Faye felt her potential was wasting away.

Taking her time, Faye deliberately made her way over to the counter in time to hear
Sano comment, "I don't take just any girl out . . . I'm really looking for a bit of brains
behind a pretty smile."

"Smooth, real smooth there, Sano." Faye smiled fiendishly and glomped onto Sano's arm,
resting her head on his shoulder. "I thought you said you'd be back soon." Faye purred
and laughed on the inside as the girl behind the counter began to look doubtful.

"Yeek! Faye!" Sano jumped at her unexpected touch and tried to force her off his arm by
using his other hand to push her face away. "Wakaba, come back. This wench is just my
sister!"

"Oops," Faye put on an innocent look, touching one finger to her lips. "Looks like she's
going after the green haired guy."

"He has enough hair," Sano growled, walking away continuing to try to unattach his sister
from his arm. "What did you think you were doing? I was so sure that she'd want to give
me her number after I explained where I work . . ."

"And who got you that job?" Faye snapped back, maintaining her cool. "You promised me
a fun evening, and what do you do? Ask me to sit around a dead coffee shop for two
hours while you flirt with your latest target." She took a deep breath. "I was feeling
neglected."

"I should not go out with you." Sano rubbed his forehead, pulling his bangs back from his
face and watching Faye with dark eyes.

"Yeah, and you need my car while you've let Juri borrow it." Faye pointed out.

"I'm too generous." Sano grumbled.

"And if you didn't have the keys, I would have left you here. How generous is it making
me sit around . . ."

"Fine, okay." Sano held the door open for her and they both hovered just outside the
door, trying to remember where they had parked. As they made their way across the
front of the coffee shop, Faye noticed a solemn man watching from the counter she had
just left. He had been reading the paper earlier and she hadn't had a closer look, but she
met his eyes as they passed.

"He's attractive," Faye mused, then curled into her coat. "Too bad."

"What's that?" Sano asked.

"Nevermind, I'm taking you home now."

I'd rather be liberated
I find myself captivated
I'd rather stay bold and lonely
I dream I'm your one and only

Her junior year of high school, Faye had auditioned for the drama club. They took her as
a potential candidate, but she was denied role after role that year. Vocally, she blamed
that on her family's trailer house trash reputation. Money had to be the only thing that
took people places.

The next year, Sano became the first freshman to star in a school production. Faye's
excuses evaporated. Even though they had similar interests, the brother and sister had
tried not to let success or failures come between them. However, it would be six years
after she first tried to join the school plays that she'd earn her first bit part at the Road
Rage Indy Theater. And that was only because the role was undeniably Faye's character
without acting.

"How should I read this line?" Faye interrupted the scene, and the crew took the
opportunity to adjust the spot lights. "Okay, should it be more elegant, like, 'Ahoo!'" Faye
embellished the vocal noise with a swoop of one pale, thin arm. "Or! Should it be more
nasal, like, 'Ewhoo.'?" She plugged her nose a moment longer. Then stood straight,
trying to gage the Saitou's reaction from his stoic face.

"I don't care, really." Saitou answered, monotone, "Whichever you feel is more you in
this case, Faye." Her shoulder's slumped a little, and with a slightly raised inflection
Saitou added, "Fine. Do the second one."

"Thanks." Faye frowned, taking a step backwards right into the arms of Spike Spiegel.

"You should be more careful." Spike said.

"Gee, I'm sorry for running into you." Faye pouted, trying to disentangle her limbs from
the taller man. Spike's eyes widened a fraction, and he smiled as if amused.

"No, don't get me wrong." Spike stuck his hands in his pockets once they were free from
Faye again. "Don't doubt your performance. If Saitou doesn't say anything, then he likes
it. It's fine to adjust things--but he's willing to work with an actor's intuition . . . unless it
conflicts with his master agenda."

"Oh," Faye felt a little bashful and let one hand brush her hair back in an attempt to seem
casual, she fished for the compliment. "So, I'm doing okay, then?"

"You were born to play her." Spike's look turned wary, but Faye pressed on.

"So, I'm pretty good? Wow, I knew if someone just gave me a chance things would work
out. Actresses all have to start some place, right? I mean, Julia couldn't have always
been the genius she is today without a little work huh . . . and here I have natural
talent." Faye added as if an after thought, "And you're not half bad yourself, Spike-o."
She let her finger just barely indent the smooth part of his shirt over his chest.

"Uh." Spike's brow furrowed, "Whatever are you getting at?"

"Don't be coy," Faye increased the pressure of her finger. "I see you watching me."

"Yeah, waiting for you to get caught with a cigarette maybe." Spike leaned his chin
forward threatening, "Which will happen sooner or later the way you flaunt it."

Faye's eyes narrowed and her voice crackled. "Well, well! That's just talent. Talent you'll
never have since your habit got nixed from day one. Some subtlety on your part, isn't it!"

"Faye!" It was Saitou, and both she and Spike turned to face him--a tad fearful of his
wrath. Instead, the director seemed to have discovered something, the way his eyes
actually opened a fraction from their narrow slits. "Whatever that was . . . whatever
emotion that was you were feeling. Bottle that up. It's exactly what your character needs
in the next scene. Alright. Places everyone. Scene six."

As Spike walked away, Faye felt as if she were turning to alabaster.

Stop doing what you . . .
Keep doing it too . . .

"Don't you just want to . . . strangle . . . men, sometimes?" Faye asked ferociously
attacking her icecream shake. It was a Saturday, so she and Shiori had gone shopping
for a few hours and were resting in a local sweet shop.

Shiori nursed her sweet with a little more grace, "Someone in specific, Faye?"

Faye pondered for a moment, considering how personal she felt being, then shrugged, "It
doesn't matter. They're all scum. Take my brother for example. He thinks his idiotic grin
and go-get-'em attitude will win him a fancy chick. But when it comes down too it, he's
all about macho-ism with no follow through."

Shiori took another solemn sip, letting Faye continue.

"But . . . there's just something. Something in me that wants to be rescued from my
isolated self. Independence is great and everything . . . but, there's something nice about
feeling--adored, even if it means giving up a few liberties to be his princess. Princess is
good." Faye finally reached the cherry with her long stemmed spoon and balanced it
between her front teeth for a moment, hesitating.

"Just when I think someone is going to . . . I dunno . . ." Faye suddenly bit the cherry off
its stem, and chewing quickly--stared out at the street.

"You know who treats his woman like a princess . . ." Shiori began, in a strange voice.

"Who?" Faye leaned forward, her eyes still on the people passing along the sidewalk.

"Ruka."

"Does he ever adore, Juri." Faye commented, distractedly. "Yeah, someone like Ruka."

"But I don't think that Juri could ever really appreciate him. No, not Juri."

"She's so distant, y'know." Faye nodded, "My brother thinks she's cool--but he's not
interested in her and that's a completely different thing. Yeah, Juri's different."

"But Ruka, he's a prince." Shiori continued, "A real knight in shining armor."

"Hmm." Faye rested her head in her hand and leaned so close to the window that she
could see her reflection staring back.

I'd rather be jumping ship
I find myself jumping straight in
Forever be dozy and dim
I wake myself thinking of him


It was funny how she'd never really noticed Ruka before Shiori mentioned anything.
There he was, tall and silent for the most part. Letting his more witty observations be
shared with the company, who never failed to appreciate even the most biting sarcasm.
Everything Ruka shared was undeniably true.

And there was some weird look he reserved for Juri, especially when he thought no one
was looking. As if he were afraid she might evaporate if there weren't someone to watch
her. Almost as if he could not look away, and it was an expression that Juri did not seem
to share for him.

Unrequited. Damn her, Faye thought, having a deepened sympathy for forsaken lovers.
Ruka deserved better in her new opinion. The way Juri leaned away when he took her in
his arms.
She questioned Sano about what she had observed after rehearsal the next week.
"Seriously, it's like they're simply going through the motions, like they say."

Sano tried to contemplate the situation seriously as Faye had asked him, crossing his
arms and letting one hand rub his chin with the appearance of thoughtfulness. "I can see
what you mean, Dr. Faye--or should I say, Laura? Faye, this happens ever time we have
a play. Don't you remember the quickly scenes we did for the holidays after the two of
them first go together. They stopped speaking to each other for weeks--except through
scripted dialogue of course."

"I know," Faye pondered, still fishing for the answer she wanted, "But don't you think
that's unhealthy? To drift apart like that over work--it's not like either of them are going
to leave the theater soon . . . I mean, if I were in a relationship I could . . ."

"Could what, Miss Single?" Sano shook his head with affectionate laughter. "What, are
you interested in Mr. Clever-Quipper?"

As Sano struck home, Faye wished he hadn't, "Nevermind, you rooster head. What do
you know about these things? It's not like you've managed to secure more than a first
date in these past months."

"Ouch," Sano squinted, "Honesty hurts, huh?"

"You too?" Faye let her guard down for a moment with him, feeling very tired. "Let's not
talk about this."

Stop doing what you . . .
Keep doing it too . . .

"Faye? Faye?"

"Yes?" Faye picked her head up sleepily from the changing room table where she had
started to put on her stage make-up and somewhere in the process had dozed off--
leaving half of the make-up she'd managed to apply while she was still conscious
smeared across her white T-shirt. "Yee gads! Thank God this wasn't my costume!" Faye
stood frantically, pulling at the sleeves and surveying the damage.

"Faye? Oh my, that's lovely."

"What do you want, Utena? I didn't forget to put my props in the right places last night,
did I? I was so certain I remembered . . ."

"No, no, not that." Utena laughed easily and sat on the stool next to Faye. "You're here
early that's all. No wonder you're falling asleep. You're so diligent to get ready in good
time."

"Heck no," Faye dismissed the compliment, "I actually haven't really memorized my lines
for the last scene and I'm screwed if Saitou get's us that far during this first dress
rehearsal. Need to go over them." She added the last bit sheepishly.

Utena chuckled politely, "I actually figured it was something like that, so I thought I'd
wake you up . . . but, I do have a question."

"Hmm?" Faye asked, trying to rub off the smudged eyeliner with a finger. Her mouth
automatically dropping open a little as she leaned into the mirror to reapply the dark
accent.

"It's about Sano . . . is he seeing anyone?"

Faye jumped. "Utena! I almost poked my eye out!" Faye half stood, letting one long leg
curl up onto the stool seat. "What the heck are you asking me that for . . . you aren't . . .
no."

"No, no!" Utena laughed holding up her hands defensively. "Not me. Not me. It's just I
met this girl and she's so lively and cute. She sort of seemed Sano's type. And I know
that she really enjoyed 'Post Script' last season. And she came back for the holiday
quickies too . . . I'm thinking she'd like to meet him."

"Oh my God." Faye let her leg slip down again, and plopped onto the cushion with a
disbelieving gasp, her mouth still open.

"Yes or no would work just fine." Utena suggested, slightly teasing. "Her name is Misao
and she's a little firecracker. Talk-a-tive and definitely has the personality to keep up with
someone as enthusiastic as your brother." While Faye still sat with her mouth open,
Utena continued, "About two years younger than your brother with chin-length black hair
and big blue eyes--last time she changed contacts anyway. Just a few inches taller than
five-foot . . ."

"Okay, enough with the vital signs," Faye interrupted. "I'm just rather stunned that
someone might actually . . . pursue . . . my brother . . ."

"And . . . ?"

"And what?" Faye asked, her fingers still curled around the pencil.

"Is he seeing anyone?"

"Absolutely not--not that he's told me . . . no." Faye answered.

"I'll take that as a 'no' then." Utena smiled. She got up to leave but took a moment to
study Faye more closely with not a small amount of affection. "We'll have to keep our
eyes open for someone for you . . ."

Thinking of Ruka, Faye instantly felt flushed, "Don't you dare." She protested, with a
touch more hostility than she intended. "I don't need anyone."

Things are getting strange
I'm starting to worry
This could be a case
For Mulder and Scully
Things are getting strange
Now I can't sleep alone

Now everything male with a slight ability to attract her attention had Faye feeling off
center. Even once, while sneaking out back to the foyer in order to light a desperately
needed cigarette, Faye had happened to catch the profile of Mikage Souji in the staged
lighting. The way his lips sloped toward his chin had made her pause. And furiously
embarrassed, Faye had stumbled into the foyer and hurried over to the main desk where
she stood, arms close and shoulders hunched trying to get the lighter to strike a flame.
The cigarette couldn't last long enough.

With borrowed confidence, she worked through her scene, for once grateful that her
character had no romantic attachment. She was even noticing how Saitou's muscles were
elegantly etched under the tight pull of his T-shirt. Shaking her head, Faye tried to stay
in character. Nasally! She continued to remind herself--clinging to that like a lifeline.

"Wanna go out tonight, sis?" Sano asked while bumping into her from behind, almost at a
full run. He feigned surprise at her disgruntled reaction. "Whoops."

"And watch you pick up girls, huh?" Faye pouted, and punched his arm--something she
typically did goodnaturedly, but that evening she added a little more force behind it.

"Whoa." Sano stepped back, for once noticing a real change in Faye's response, "I was
just trying to figure out what I could do with this gal Utena wants me to meet--and, well,
I figured that I'd feel more comfortable if we tag-teamed with you and some fellow you
might want to take. That way this Missy-chick would see me all natural with you so I
wouldn't have to explain that later . . ." He added the last bit with a contemplative tone,
rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, and I would go with who . . . pray tell?" Faye stood closer to Sano, pressuring her
way into his personal space to get her point across.

"I dunno, we could as Ru--"

"No." Faye interrupted sharply, "Don't say his name."

Which was fortunate in a number of ways, because at just that moment the rest of the
cast appeared, Ruka among them. Shiori alone met Faye's eyes with a curious purpose
that Faye couldn't fathom.

After pleasantries were exchanged at a distance and the others had left, Sano spoke
again, "Well, there went your big chance."

"You know better." Faye said, bitterly.

Sano took a deep breath, "Yeah, I guess I do. Maybe we could go pick someone up for
you tonight. Wanna hit the streets?"

"I'm not that desperate." Faye grumbled softly. "Let's just go get coffee or something."

My bed is made for two
And there's nothing I can do
So tell me something I don't know
If my head is full of you
Is there nothing I can do?
Must we all march
in two by two by two?

"Sorry, Sano," Faye covered her mouth while she laughed out loud, "Looks like you've
lost the Starbucks girl to the green haired guy." As Sano began to turn, she grabbed his
sleeve and pulled--somehow causing his head to stop it's path to looking as well. "Wait."
She lowered her voice. "Who is the guy in the black leather coat . . . why don't I know
him?" Faye whispered.

"Sis, I thought we came here so you couldn't pick up guys?" It was Sano's turn to put on
a distressed, whiny face.

"I'm an opportunist, what can I say?" Faye shrugged, leaning back, crossing her arms,
and obviously admiring the gentleman over Sano's left shoulder. "Nice . . ." She purred.

"Can I look now?" Sano said, none too quietly.

"Just a moment, he's looking . . . now!"

Sano almost turned completely around in his seat, obviously trying to attract attention to
himself. Surveying the relatively crowed establishment, Sano saw Wakaba first. The
pony-tailed girl was leaning far across the table that divided her from the green haired
guy. Was he in a rock band? Wakaba's companion was sitting back in his chair, clearly he
knew that he was being worshiped by the young girl and basked in his own arrogant
glory.

"Where?" Sano said.

"Black jacket . . . more to the right . . . with the paper. He's putting it down now. Turn
around!"

Sano turned to face Faye, one eyebrow reaching upward. "The Russian mafia guy? Faye,
now really . . ."

"Hey, now." Faye defended her prospect, "He's got great dark hair for that pale skin. And
what nice shoulders . . . prr."

"More like, puke." Sano let his eyes roll toward the ceiling to follow his eyebrows.

"Okay, practice *those* facial expressions on your own time--Mr. I-want-to-win-a-Tony."
Faye pulled her attention from the stranger and focused on her rooster head brother. "I'll
go on this 'getting-to-know-you' outing--if he comes with me . . ."

"Good as done." Sano slid from his seat and began walking toward the darkly dressed
man before Faye could fathom his response to her words. Desperately pleased, and more
than a bit anxious, she watched as Sano started a conversation and wrote something on
the man's napkin. The stranger looked at Faye once, and as bravely as she could, Faye
tried to smile back--hoping it didn't look as much like the desperate sneer she thought it
might.

She looked with amazement at Sano as he sat back down. "So . . . golly, I'm impressed.
What did he say?" She leaned forward, glancing first at the man who went back to his
coffee and then at Sano again.

"Actually, I invited him to see the press performance. He works for the Times--checking
out where his article appeared in the paper over coffee, I guess." Sano leaned back,
pleased with himself.

"What?" Faye hissed--not certain if she were displeased or relived.

"Well, Utena said this Misao girl was coming that night. I figure if you can impress Mr.
Reporter by then . . . we've got a date."

Faye didn't know what to say at first. Then she did, "This is just awful. Let's get out of
here."

In the car, as Sano drove her back to her place, Faye began to feel her first genuine
excitement for the first audience performance, of Never Too Close.

And as for some happy ending
I'd rather stay single and thin
Stop doing what you . . .
Keep doing it too . . .