Evicted

Chapter 7

   As they began carrying things from Cyril's car and into his room, Cyril kept telling Ray that he didn't have to help. "On second thought, I could do this later. You don't need to carry my things."
   "We're roomies, so I'm helping you." Ray would insist each time Cyril tried to reason with Ray that he didn't have to help.
   There weren't too many things that they had to move, but it took enough time apparently, because at one point, Cyril began murmuring the words to 'Right Where I Belong', seeming as though he didn't even realize he was doing it.
   Ray noticed of course, and began murmuring the words to the song as well, smirking.
   It took Cyril a moment, but he caught on and gave in. "Look at me. Here I am. Right where I belong!"
   "It's a good song." Ray grinned.
   "Yeah. It is." Cyril agreed at last, rolling his eyes.
   Not long later, they'd finished moving Cyril in. There were a couple of boxes that remained packed with papers, documents, and such that sat against the wall of Cyril's room, but as for everything else, it was in place.
   "Grocery shopping?" Ray asked as he stood next to Cyril, looking over the room they were now decently satisfied with.
   "Sounds good to me." Cyril agreed.
   Ray made sure Thor and Van Helsing had what they needed, then he and Cyril were off on the road again; this time with Cyril driving.
   "What sorts of things do you want to get?" Cyril asked as they drove.
   "You're the chef." Ray replied. "It depends on what you feel like cooking."
   "Yeah, I know," Cyril turned at the light. "But I want to be able to cook things that you want to eat."
   "I'm not too picky." Ray let his hand hang casually out the window. "We can figure it out as we go along."
   The store wasn't too far away, so they were soon parked and walking through the parking lot, then the doors.
   Rounding the first corner once inside, they found themselves alongside the fruits and vegetables. "We could get different vegetables for all kinds of things. Different stir fry, salads, soups..." Cyril listed a bit of possible options.
   "Just as long as we don't have to eat brussel sprouts or turnips or something nasty like that, then I'm good. I just can't do those." Ray answered, gliding his finger along the cart that Cyril pushed.
   "I don't blame you." Cyril laughed lightly, selecting some bell peppers and onions that seemed the best in quality apart from the others.
   Continuing through the store, the men would both grab different items and ingredients that they thought sounded appetizing. Luckily, they seemed to have similar tastes in various meal ideas, so they wouldn't have to argue or eat the same things repeatedly.
   "White rice...?" Cyril murmured, eyes flicking from the brown rice to the white rice. "...Or brown rice?"
   "Duh. White rice." Ray answered, selecting a box of it and tossing it into the cart. "Brown rice isn't even that much healthier for you. Who are you trying to impress?"
   Cyril rolled his eyes in amusement. "Alright, alright."
   Ray's hand lightly gripped the cart as he walked out in front of it, looking at the different food items along the aisles.
   Cyril had been pushing the cart, but he got a mischievous idea when he realized that Ray was pulling the cart at the front. As Ray was walking and oblivious, Cyril let go of the cart.
   Ray took a mere step before the unexpected weight of the cart wrenched back in his hand. He spun around on his heel in confusion, and was soon grinning when he noticed what had happened. Looking at Cyril with narrowed eyes, he chuckled. "Ass."
   Cyril laughed and put his hands back on the cart. "Be aware of what's going on within your surroundings, Gillette."
   "I guess that would mean i need to watch my back? I thought I was in the company of a friend, Figgis?" Ray rose a playful brow as he stood on the end of the cart.
   Making sure Ray had a grip on the cart first, Cyril began to push it down the aisle. It was heavier with Ray standing on it, but he managed fine.
   "Cyril!" Ray whisper-yelled, although he was laughing. "You're going to get us kicked out!"
   "You stood on the cart." Cyril teased. "Enjoy the ride."
   Cyril didn't stop just so that Ray couldn't jump off. They rounded corners and went through different aisles, giggling with each other all the while like a couple of mischievous kids. There were occasions when other shoppers gave them weird looks, but Ray and Cyril didn't care.
   Once in the dairy section, Cyril let Ray hop off of the cart at last.
   "'Bout time." Ray landed neatly on his feet and walked around to stand at Cyril's side as they looked at the items upon the cold shelves. "If a worker saw us, they'd probably make us leave."
   "Maybe," Cyril imagined for a moment being yelled at by a worker. Normally, this would be embarrassing and scary for him, but when he imagined it happening to him and Ray together, he instead found it funny and potential for a good story in the future. "But we could easily find another store. A better one."
   "You better hope so." Ray replied, putting some butter in the cart. "'Cause this one accepts coupons even when they're a little late."
   "You do couponing too?" Cyril felt a little relieved, as most people who found out about his coupons would make fun of him.
   Ray blinked. "Do I coupon? No, but all the nice old ladies around here do. Granted, they probably think I'm a straight guy, but they'll give me some of their coupons to use sometimes."
   "They think YOU are a straight guy?" Cyril snickered.
   "Oh, I can play it straight, easy." Ray crossed his arms. "What were you saying earlier? That you coupon? I thought I was the gay one."
   "Shut up." Cyril felt defensive for a split second, but it seemed to melt away instantly when he saw the fond look in Ray's eyes, and he laughed with him.
   The two wandered through the store, cracking lame jokes with each other and gathering different items until it seemed as though they had all they needed.
   Once they got in line and began putting things on the conveyer belt, Ray murmured. "I know what you said before, but you're not paying for all of this. Lets split the cost, fifty fifty."
   Cyril knew Ray wouldn't back down so he agreed. "Alright. I guess that's how we'll do groceries, but I'll pay if we eat at restaurants."
   "Deal." Ray nodded with a satisfied look upon his face.
   The cashier didn't seem very talkative; it was a teenage boy who looked as though he didn't give a single shit about his job. Judging by his expression, he might not give a shit about anything. Despite this, he was bagging the items faster than a majority of the cashiers.
   Ray and Cyril waited patiently, loading the cart back up with the items that had been bagged.
   Soon after, the cashier announced the total in an absolute monotone voice.
   Ray and Cyril placed their evenly distributed money forward and the cashier took it, giving them their change.
   Splitting the change, Ray and Cyril grabbed the last bags, put them in the cart, said a farewell to the seemingly vacant cashier, and headed out of the store.