Title: Edelweiss
Fandom: The Big Bang Theory
Summary: Raj introduces The Sound Of Music to his new friend Stuart. Stuart/Raj.
Word Count: 1,994
Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory nor The Sound Of Music. I also do not own the song, "Edelweiss".
...
"You mean you've never seen it? What?! Like ever?!" Raj asked him as they paused in the hallway in front of the apartment they shared together.
Stuart shook his head. "No...sorry. Never seen it."
Raj unlocked the door and the two ventured inside. He paused to hang his coat up in the closet while Stuart found his way to the couch and plopped down. He was exhausted from work. While it was true that hardly anyone came in to look at comic books anymore just the fact of standing around watching dust collect for 10 hours made his head ache and his spirit pretty weary.
"Well, then I know what we're doing tomorrow!" his Indian friend said in a sing-songy voice.
Stuart twisted himself around to face Raj who was busy digging through the refrigerator behind him. "We're...going to see The Sound Of Music?" he guessed.
"Yep! I've already got tickets!"
"Huh...that's odd...aren't shows like that usually sold out pretty quickly?"
Raj made his way over to the couch to join him, now carrying Snapple teas for both of them, diet of course. "Yeah...well, the thing is, I've had the tickets for a while now. Ever since they went on sale about three or four months ago. Usually I go with Howard but...well..."
He trailed off quietly and Stuart couldn't help but notice the sad, faraway look in his eyes. He grinned and shrugged. "Well, I'd love to go...that is, if you really want me to?"
"Sure dude! Oh my gods! I can't believe you haven't seen The Sound Of Music! It's the freakin' Sound Of Music, man! You're gonna love it."
…
"You're right. I did enjoy it. Thanks...uh...for taking me. I...I really liked it." Stuart nodded a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. There was also a slight blush to his high cheekbones but if Raj noticed he didn't give any indication that he had.
They were once again making their way into their apartment. Raj hung up his jacket and Stuart made his way to the living room couch. "I especially liked that song. You know...the...the one with..."
"Edelweiss?!" Raj asked excitedly. "That's my favorite one, dude!"
He joined Stuart on the couch sitting a little closer than he normally did. Stuart noticed and tried not to let it affect the coloring on his cheeks too much. "Yeah...that one. I liked...I liked that one a lot." He laughed nervously not sure really why.
Raj nodded grinning before grabbing the T.V.'s remote to find something to watch. He didn't notice Stuart's focus shift to each of their hands. They were resting very nearly touching as they laid on the couch between them.
…
Stuart was at work (like always) but was hardly working. He was on his laptop, one of the few possessions he had left since his money troubles had began. Searching through YouTube he found what he was looking for with precision and ease.
He'd looked up the song from the musical. Edelweiss, that was what it was called. He'd really liked it although he couldn't exactly pinpoint why. Maybe it was the simple melody, maybe it was seeing it in person. Or maybe it was because of Raj. He'd noticed Raj light up when the song began and for some reason this made it all the more enjoyable to Stuart.
Glancing around the empty store he quickly hit play on the video and smiled as the song began playing aloud. Oh yes, this was quickly becoming his favorite song. It may seem kind of lame from a modern guy's perspective to like musicals and even download songs from musicals but since when did he care about the opinions of others?
Not for a long time now.
The song finished and Stuart found his fingers inching up towards the keyboard to press play again.
…
Raj walked in the apartment, more like stomped and quickly slammed the door behind him. He was in a sour mood and really didn't feel like anyone's crap today. Leonard and Sheldon were really annoying people when he thought about it. Why did he hang out with them again?
In the other room the shower shut off and Raj heard various noises emitting from the bathroom. After a minute or two, Stuart emerged wearing a towel both wrapped around his head and one which he gripped around his waist. He was both surprised and embarrassed when he noticed Raj sitting quietly on the sofa.
"Oh! Uhh..." he stumbled over his words and ended up just standing there opening and closing his mouth as his eyes widened in fear and something else entirely.
Raj just had to chuckle at the sight. His bad mood gone he smiled despite himself. "Hey dude...sorry, I just got home. I didn't mean to...invade your personal space or anything."
"What?! No...uh...no, I mean...this is your apartment. I'm...I'm invading your space..." he trailed off and tried to look anywhere but at Raj's face.
Once again Raj seemed pretty oblivious to this fact as he rose and made his way closer to his friend. "If you'd like I can go out to the cafe that's nearby or something. Or maybe just downstairs while you get dressed."
Stuart blinked at him before realizing how close he was standing to his nearly naked body. Shaking out of his reverie he swallowed to try and abate the nervousness that was creeping up his being. "No...no, it's fine. I'll just...I'll go back in the bathroom."
He tried to leave quickly to avoid any further embarrassment on his part mostly because it was getting harder and harder to deny any sort of feelings he'd begun having for Raj. But his friend called out to him as he was retreating back into the bathroom. "Hey! I was thinking...would you...want to go to another showing of The Sound Of Music?"
He sounded unsure which confused Stuart. Raj never sounded unsure, at least whenever he was speaking to him. He continued from the living room, "It's got a few more showings before it closes and well...there are still some high end tickets available. I could get some for us...if...if you wanted."
Stuart returned fully dressed to the living room. He smiled gratefully. "Yes! Sure...I mean...I really did enjoy myself...so...yes. I'd love to!"
He couldn't help it. Even if Raj just saw them as friends and room mates well...that was fine, right? As long as he got to spend time with the guy. That is until...until Howard returned. He really didn't want to think about that now so he plopped down on the couch and grabbed the T.V. remote.
His room mate joined him and patted the top of his thigh happily. "I'm so glad I have someone in my life that likes the same things as me! It's great. I'm really lucky." Raj grinned at him and Stuart grinned back.
…
Stuart received the news that Howard would be coming back home soon while at work. Raj had called him and informed him. He tried not to feel disappointed and definitely made sure that disappointment didn't come through in his voice. After all, he knew this day would come.
He wondered why he felt so deeply upset at the news. Shaking the feeling off he noticed a customer approaching him at the register. He told Raj he had to go reluctantly and hung up pocketing his cell phone. They were going to see The Sound Of Music again in a few days and this thought alone brought about a grin to his face once more. He had that to look forward to at least.
Captain Sweatpants stared at him curiously but he ignored him. He didn't have to explain himself to a guy who voluntarily spent every single hour of every day in his comic store. But he did have to be polite so he plastered on an awkward smile as he rang up and bagged his merchandise.
…
His heart thundered, beating loudly beneath his cotton t-shirt. He could hardly contain the joy that he felt each time he looked at him. And if their fingers brushed (and they often did 'accidentally') well, his heart beat loudly all the more.
Stuart was sitting once again in his regular spot on the left side of the couch in their living room. A large box wrapped in colorful Happy Birthday paper was shoved into his lap engulfing his senses with touch, sight and even smell as Raj's cologne wafted through the air. He blinked staring down at the curly ribbons that were poking out every which way.
"Open it, dude! Come on! I can't wait any longer!" Raj blurted out a huge grin coming across his face.
Stuart was feeling confused and very overwhelmed. First of all, he'd forgotten his own birthday. That sort of thing happened when you're down on your luck, terrible things keep happening to you and you feel like you're drifting every single day. But, moving on to happier thoughts Raj had remembered. He didn't know how but he had.
And apparently he had bought him a birthday present. Stuart undid the ribbons gently not wanting to ruin Raj's beautiful handiwork. He unwrapped what looked like a cardboard shoe box. Shoes?
Boots. Raj had bought him boots for his birthday. Amazing. He'd never been given boots before. And he hadn't received shoes as a gift since he was about 12 years old. He smiled and dared a glance at his friend's face.
His room mate was grinning from ear to ear still and chatting on and on about how expensive they were and how they were almost sold out of them but he made it just in time to get the very last pair. He continued babbling happily but Stuart could only focus on one thing at a time right now and that was his beautiful eyes. He swallowed and wondered vaguely if that blush was coming back. The one that always settled about his cheeks whenever he was around Raj.
"Wow...uhh...wow, just wow!" He laughed easily. The man had that effect on him somehow. "I...I really appreciate this, Raj. Really. You...you don't know how much. Man, I...you just make me so happy!"
Uh oh. Did he really just say that? What a dumb thing to exclaim especially to your room mate. Stuart swallowed nervously (it was a habit of his) and stared down at the floor just clutching onto the box of boots for dear life.
Raj's face morphed into something that he wasn't sure he could recognize although he didn't want to try and just kept his eyes glued to the floor.
"I'm glad, dude. I wanted to get you something that you'd like. And that maybe you might need. But ultimately...something that would make you happy. So...I guess I did good." he smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
Standing up he began cleaning the wrapping paper up off the floor and made his way to the kitchen trash can. Stuart stood as well gently setting down the boots in their box onto the couch. He licked his lips and stared at Raj's sweater clad backside.
He didn't know if he'd be here forever. He didn't even know if they'd be friends for much longer. But then again, no one knew what the future held. What had his therapist used to tell him? Try practicing being in the moment. Just be happy for what you have now. Let tomorrow worry about tomorrow.
Stuart nodded to himself and picked up the box intent on carrying them into Raj's room to store them in his closet with the rest of his things.
Raj watching him just leaned against the couch end. He smiled glad that he had a friend finally. Someone to understand him. Someone to do nice things for. And hey, if it meant that that lonely feeling eating away at his insides had diminished then surely, that was a nice surprise too!