But, like, since they were on a date - holy Xanth, man, Kiel was actually on a date, man! - he wanted to be, like, right at Zeph's side. Like, he kinda wanted to hold hands, too, but, like, 1) that was a totally girly thing to do, like, right? and 2) it was probably, like, a bit soon to just, like, reach out and grab the guy's hand, you know? But, like, Kiel still did it, only he was also using the gesture to try and hurry Zeph along, pulling on the big guy's hand rather than, like, walking along side by side, hand in hand.
Kiel totally, like, almost forgot the directions to the steak house in his eagerness to get there, but dropped lucky when he saw the sign totally by chance (like, Zeph might have been directing him or something, but Kiel was talking a mile a minute again so, like, he wasn't aware of it).
He, like insisted on a table near the decorative doors that led out onto the roof garden, partly 'cause, like, he so wanted to see the dragons but, like, also 'cause it made for a nicer date setting. Like, Tad was always talking about how chicks wanted the best seats, you know, and that, like, the key to a successful date was to, like, impress her or something, so, like, even though Zeph was a dude, Kiel figured the same principles kind of applied anyway. He even, like, held the guy's chair out for him, giggling a bit as he did so.
“Hey, hey, boss, look! That's a wyrm, right? Dude, look at those horns, man. He looks wicked. Hey, hey, you want dessert, man, right?” They'd already ordered and, like, Kiel was sooooo glad payday was, like, only a few days away 'cause, like, his overdraft was gonna totally hate him, man, but, like, it was so worth it, you know? “That dude at the dojo was right about the waitresses, man, hahahaha. Like, I bet Tad eats here all the time, you know?” His brother actually lived in the city (like, the only reason Kiel hadn't been to see him any of the times Zeph brought him to Nirim, like, aside from not wanting to subject his boss to his brother, was 'cause the older Taskel was in serious study mode and, like, totally camped out at the library or something) so, like, no way he'd not know about this place. But, like, even though Kiel thought most of the waitresses were totally hot, he was way more interested in Zeph, you know?
Like, their game of footsie, which had, like, become a habit when they vied for foot space under the table, had totally taken on a new meaning. Like, Kiel had felt weird before if their legs pressed together, but, like, he was totally doing it deliberately, now, man. But, like, other than that, their "date" felt kinda like it wasn't the first. Like, they'd eaten out together before, you know? And, like, they weren't really doing anything different, like, the whole thing felt so familiar, but, like, that was good 'cause, like, Kiel would totally have a meltdown from nerves otherwise.
“So, like, you know. We're on a date so you gotta tell me something about yourself, man.” Kiel wouldn't push it, but, like, the dude knew pretty much everything there was to know about him, and Kiel was totally curious about Zeph's life. Like, you know, the guy was old, man, he'd done stuff and Kiel was, like, one hundred percent sure most of it was awesome stuff, for sers.