Dull Silver

Chapter Five

Iphigenia (If-Uh-Jen-ee-uh)

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Iphigenia hated lying to her brother. She wasn't completely lying, though. She was at the grocery store, then getting doughnuts. But she didn't actually have work tonight.

She hung up the phone as she stepped into the checkout line. She quick glanced at her watch, she had told Anaximander an hour. Did she have enough time to get doughnuts and pick up Ben? Or should she just text Nax and let him know she was going to pick up Ben? She decided on the latter; she knew he would worry.

She threw the grocery bags into her car and took a quick walk to Double Dough, her favorite doughnut shop in all of New Ohio. She grabbed half a dozen triple fudge doughnuts (her favorite) and half a dozen, boring, old, plain glazed doughnuts for Anaximander. For as gay as he is, his food choices were pretty boring.

She pushed her blonde, wavy hair out of her face, finally realizing the heat. She easily regretted wearing jeans and her grey blazer today. For mid-June in New Ohio, it was extremely hot. She sat in her car for a few minutes, letting the air conditioning flow, and throwing her hair into a ponytail before going off to Ben's house.

She rung Ben's doorbell as she felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. It was a text from Anaximander saying: 'ok, surprise at home... Can't explain now.'

"This could mean one of two things." She thought, "Either Kane and Nax are finally engaged, or something else." She hoped it was the engagement. A tall man with sandy blond hair, and baby blue eyes appeared in the doorway.

"Baby?" The man asked, his hair tousled and eyes still groggy.

Iphigenia realized what time it actually was. Her cheeks flushed red as she remembered she hadn't texted Ben. "Ben, I'm sorry..." Ben side stepped from the doorway to let Iphigenia in. Ben closed the door and followed Iphigenia into the kitchen.

"Do you even know what time it is?" Ben asked Iphigenia, not annoyed, but tired. Iphigenia wrapped her arms around Ben's waist and laid her head on his bare chest.

"I do now..." She admitted. Ben wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. This wasn't the first time Iphigenia had done this. "Sorry... I- I was just out and I thought this would be the best time to get you today and, well, I texted my brother, but somehow forgot to text you. It's funny I always text Nax first, it's just-" Ben cut her off with a kiss.

"Gen, shut up." He laughed, "It's okay. I know you always text Nax first, he worries too much. Let me just go put some real clothes on and fix this mess." He said gesturing to his hair. Gen nodded as Ben ran down the hallway. About halfway up the stairs he peered back down, "By any chance, did you get doughnuts?" Gen nodded.

"From Double Dough, of course." She added. Ben smiled at his girlfriend.
"You're the best." He said as he disappeared up the stairs.

Ben returned a few minutes later in his normal attire, a grey suit with a baby blue shirt, no tie. He took Iphigenia's hand in his and began to walk to the front door. "No matter how hard I try, it seems you always out dress me." He laughed.

Iphigenia shrugged, "No way," She said as she opened the door. "You'll always look better. Anyway, let's get to my house, Nax said there's a surprise waiting, I'm hoping it's an engagement." Ben laughed as he locked up his house and walked to Gen's car.

"I'm hoping so, too." Ben contemplated about proposing to Gen, they had been together for 6 years, but the timing wasn't right. Not yet. "Our seventh anniversary." Ben promised himself. Iphigenia started the car and drove home. What was awaiting them was not, what they had expected.

***

Iphigenia stalked through the door, carrying the doughnuts. Ben was in tow behind her with the groceries. Gen walked into the sunken living room and almost dropped the doughnuts when she looked up to see who was sitting at their dining room table. "Surprise...?" Anaximander said. Iphigenia nodded.

"That's who I believe it is, right?" Anaximander nodded. Iphigenia took her shock up the three stairs with her as she placed the doughnuts on the dining room table. "I- uh, hello." She uttered.

Ryker stood from his place beside Anaximander, "Hello, I'm Ryker Sept of 1 Ohio Avenue." He told Iphigenia and Ben. He looked back at Anaximander who gave him a nod to continue. "Yes, yes. I'm royalty or some shit like that, excuse my language. I had no clue until today when Anaximander saw me on the Etched Path. You must be Iphigenia and... Ben?" Ryker finished. Iphigenia gave a nod. Ryker stepped down to help Ben with the groceries.

Iphigenia sat down beside her brother, "I was expecting an engagement." She whispered to her brother.

Anaximander shrugged, "Well... I do have the engagement ring for Kane, but not yet, soon though. But I found Ryker on the Etched Path this morning asleep. January and Copper are getting divorced, so he left home. I offered him a spot here, until he gets back on his feet."

"You do understand we only have two bedrooms, right? Unless you want me to stay at Ben's house for a while, where is he going to stay?" Anaximander opened his mouth to reply, but Gen cut him off, "No, Nax. No one wants to stay in a room with you and Kane, okay? You can be friendly, not... not, you, okay? I'll just stay at Ben's for a little bit, we'll work something out. I promise." Anaximander sighed. She was right, there was no way around this one.

"Ryker!" Iphigenia called, "Why don't we show you around the place?"