Title: Be Who We Are ( 2/? )

Author: The Amazon Ziti / Sugar Shadow-Thing

Fandom: High School Musical

Pairings: Troy/Gabriella, others TBD

Rating: Light R to be safe.

Disclaimer: If High School Musical were mine, that scene with Zac Efron shirtless would have been a heck of a lot longer. Also there would have been some proper Troy/Gabriella smoochies. None of this interruption business. Point: I own only my plotline. Disclaimers for any music will be at the end of the chapter, so as not to ruin the suspense.

Summary: Troy and Gabriella continue their reunion.

Word Count: 3,000 words (10 pages single-spaced), not counting notes or lyrics.

Timeline: This is meant to take place during Spring Break (i.e., late March/early April) of 2006. Twinkle Towne has recently wrapped. The Spring musical will be announced when everybody gets back from vacation. I interpreted the hints in the movie to mean that Troy made starting varsity as a sophomore (tenth grade) and was elected team Captain/play-maker for the beginning of his junior year (eleventh grade), and that the movie took place during winter of said junior year. Thus: all of the relevant high schoolers are sixteen going on seventeen, or seventeen already.

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About halfway through the movie, Troy fell asleep. Gabriella felt his arm around her shoulders, and his hand holding hers, slacken, and his head resting on hers grow heavy, but she let him doze off. It was nearly ten o'clock, which meant it was six o'clock in the morning, tomorrow, for Troy. Add that to sixteen hours' worth of travel, and Gabriella figured her boyfriend was due for a nap.

She watched the rest of the musical nestled against him. Every once in a while she'd take a break and watch Troy instead – or, what she could of him. She held up their entwined hands and admired them: hers, small and dark and delicate; his big and tan and square and strong and gentle and…

Presumably, for most couples, movies were more fun with both parties conscious, but Gabby didn't mind this at all. Troy was warm against her back, his chest comfortable to lean into except for what felt like a zipper on his shirt. Every once in a while Troy would shift a little in his sleep and nuzzle his cheek against Gabby's hair. If it hadn't meant being unable to feel him, Gabby would have wished to be able to look at all of Troy at once. They'd been going out since the end of January, but Gabriella still had moments where she just had to drop everything and bask in how absolutely beautiful Troy was.

It took Gabriella a minute to realize the credits were rolling. Careful not to jostle her sleeping boyfriend, she stretched to grab the remote, and turned the television off. At the cessation of light and sound, though, Troy woke up, lifting his head and making a sleepy sound with his lips.

"Aw, man. Did I fall asleep?" he asked.

Gabby squirmed a little in his arms to look up into his face. "Yeah, like an hour in," she said. Even in the dimness of the living room with only the light spilling in from the kitchen to see by, Troy's eyes were vividly blue. "I figured you needed the rest."

Troy crooked a small, grateful smile. "Mm. Yeah. Thanks." He leaned forward a little and dropped a light kiss on Gabriella's forehead, and then between her eyebrows. Another kiss on the tip of her nose, and then he drew back just a little. Gabby could feel his breath on her lips for a long moment before she lifted her mouth up to meet his. The kiss lingered, remaining chaste for a bit until Gabriella opened her mouth to take a breath; then Troy deepened it, taking her upper lip between his and tilting his head to bring their faces closer.

God. Even with pizza breath, Troy Bolton was a really good kisser. Their clasped hands, held between them, let go. Gabby's free hand went to splay against Troy's muscular back, between his shoulder blades, the better to hold him close; the other rested on his upper thigh, the thumb stroking against the denim of his jeans. One of Troy's hands cupped the back of Gabby's head, his fingers twining into her hair, while the other came to her waistline, snuck under the hem of her shirt, and caressed the soft skin there. "Hm…" Gabby sighed. Troy's mouth was intoxicating.

Oh, how had Gabriella survived almost two weeks without this? The brush of Troy's nose against her cheek, the flutter of his thick eyelashes, those gorgeous hands touching her like she was something precious, the full-body shimmy of pleasure Troy gave when Gabby slid her hand under his shirt and gently scratched at the small of his back. And here was one of her favorite parts: when Troy took a deep breath and tried to be sneaky about bringing his tongue into play. As always, Gabriella smiled and shivered and invited him in.

A warm, wet while later – five minutes? fifteen? – they both came up for air at the same time and then settled into brief pecks of affection. Gabby sighed and let Troy take care of her with little kisses around her mouth, along her jawline. "I…" Kiss. "Missed you…" Kiss. "So…" Kiss. "Much."

"Me too." Gabriella rested her head on Troy's shoulder, wriggling a little as he meandered down the column of her neck. "Missed you, missed you, missed you," she murmured, and then added a pleased "Eep!" when Troy got creative and nibbled at her collarbone.

Troy's chest rumbled in a low laugh. Gabby brought her hand up from his thigh to hold against his heart and felt it again: a small hardness under his shirt that she'd mistaken for a zipper earlier. Troy hissed as she flicked a finger against it. "Troy…?"

The laugh this time was more sheepish than sensual. "Um."

"What did you…?"

"I, um, had a whim." Troy's bright eyes watched her closely.

"A whim." If this turned out to be what Gabby suspected, she might. Just. Die. "Can I… see this 'whim'?"

Troy grinned wickedly and scooted backwards a little to give himself room to reach for the hem of his sweater and pull it over his head. Gabby's mouth went dry as she dragged her gaze up from the intriguing trail below his belly button, to the washboard abs and the flat, hard pecs: there, right through one brown nipple, was a small silver barbell.

"Oh my God."

Troy rolled his shoulders back and cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. "Is that a good 'Oh my God' or a bad one?"

"You got your nipple pierced?" Gabby stuttered. "Oh my God."

"Again, I ask…"

"That is so sexy."

"Ah." The wicked grin was relieved, now. "So that would be a good 'Oh my God'."

Gabriella reached a tentative hand out, but quickly drew it back. "Can I—?"

"Uh-huh. Just be, um, gentle. It's still a little sore."

Gabby placed her palm on Troy's chest and felt his heart beat against her palm. Breathless, she stroked the nipple and its piercing with her thumb. Troy closed his eyes and sucked a breath in. "Oh wow."

It was Gabriella's turn to laugh. "I cannot believe you did this." Another stroke, a tiny tug with the edge of her fingernail. Troy made a helpless noise in the back of his throat. "I cannot believe how hot this is."

"You're telling me?" Troy said. "Gabby—oh! You should stop."

Gabriella was utterly transfixed. "Mm-hm."

"No, really." Troy took her wrist in a firm grip, tickling her pulse point as he pulled her hand away from his chest. "'Cause that makes me want to—well. Do stuff that shouldn't be done on your mom's couch, especially when your mom's going to be home in an hour."

Gabby bit her lip and tried on her best pout. Troy's resolute expression softened a little, but then he squared his jaw. "Gabby…"

"Well it's hardly all my fault! Put a shirt on if you must!"

"Oh." Gabby had been close enough to melting into a puddle of goo without the help of Troy's boyish grin. "Sorry." Troy turned his sweater right-side-out and tugged it on over his head. Mournfully, Gabriella watched Troy's chest disappear under blue cotton, but was cheered to realize that now that she knew it was there, she could see the outline of the piercing.

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A half an hour later, the pizza box was out with the trash and Troy and Gabriella were sitting at the kitchen island again, waiting for Gabby's mother to come home.

"If she's in a good mood, maybe you could sleep over," Gabby suggested. Laura Bolton and Carla Montez had, several months ago, put their heads together and devised a set of rules for their children, one of which was that coed sleepovers were allowed so long as bedroom doors were left open.

Troy brightened. "Yeah, that'd be nice. I missed sleeping with you." His cheeks flushed. "I mean—"

"I know what you mean," Gabby said, and smiled. "I missed it, too. You make a very good teddy bear."

"I do try my best."

"A little sexier than your average teddy bear…"

"I'd hope so!"

"…but our most recent census has shown that to increase retail value, so…"

Troy made an exasperated noise and hopped off his seat to come and crowd Gabriella in hers. He stood between her knees and linked his hands behind her. "You are punchy-happy, Miss Montez."

Gabriella wrapped her legs around Troy's hips and tugged him in even closer. "In case you hadn't heard, Mr. Bolton, my boyfriend just got home. And he brought a pierced nipple with him."

"Oh, man, I've created a monster." Troy shook his head, amused. "We'll see a rise in your desperate attempts to get me shirtless, I bet."

"Psh! My desperate attempts!"

Troy had the grace to look abashed. "Fair enough. I didn't try anything tonight, though!"

"Because you're on a whole new cosmic plane of jetlag! Pull the other one, Bolton."

"Well, it's your fault for being so totally gorgeous," Troy said seriously.

Gabriella blushed and buried her face in his shoulder. "Troy!"

"You always get so embarrassed when I compliment you." Troy tickled at the skin just above her waistband at the small of Gabby's back. "You know that only makes me want to do it more."

"Tro-oy…"

"When I see you, you know all the things I've done…"

Gabby giggled half-nervously and hugged Troy tighter.

"…and I'm blinded, like I'm staring down the sun.
When I see you,

When I see you,

When I see you, it's like I'm staring down the sun
..."

"Our love is so right,
I can't waste a minute here tonight.

Our love is so right,

And tonight my dance is all about you
," Gabriella countered.

"Oh, I like that," Troy said. He sounded like he meant it. "I've never heard it before."

"Dave Matthews Band," Gabby said. "Kelsi's trying to convert me. Learn something new every day, huh?"

"You know it." Troy pressed his cheek against Gabby's and sighed. "What's another we could do?"

"Same band?"

"Doesn't matter."

Gabriella thought for a while, then started singing, still leaning tiredly into Troy:

"While I'm far away from you, my baby,
I know it's hard for you, my baby,

Because it's hard for me, my baby,

And the darkest hour is just before dawn
."

"That's nice," Troy said, and joined in on the harmony for the next verse.

"Each night before you go to bed, my baby,
Whisper a little prayer for me, my baby,

And tell all the stars above,

'This is dedicated to the one I love'.

Love will never be exactly like we want it to be.
I could be satisfied, knowing you loved me,

But there's one thing I want you to do especially for me,

And it's something that everybody needs:

While I'm far away from you, my baby,
Whisper a little prayer for me, my baby,

Because it's hard for me, my baby,

And the darkest hour is just before dawn.
"

"That was lovely, you two," said a new voice. Gabriella and Troy looked up in surprise. Carla Montez was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, gazing at them fondly.

"Mom!" said Gabriella, making only a cursory attempt to disentangle herself from Troy. "We didn't even hear you come in."

"Yes, I know," Carla said. "I didn't want to interrupt – that song is one of my favorites, and you two sing it very well. Hello, Troy."

"Hi, Ms. Montez."

"Welcome home! It's a shame your vacation was cut short, but we're glad to have you back."

"Thanks, Ms. Montez."

"You look exhausted, Troy. Were you traveling all day?"

Troy cracked a smile. "A whopping sixteen hours."

"Actually, Mom," Gabriella interrupted as politely as she could, "we were hoping Troy could sleep over tonight."

Carla smirked and rolled her eyes. "Of course you were. It's fine with me. You guys know the rule."

"Bedroom door stays open," the teenagers recited dutifully.

"Well, go on," Gabby's mother said. She made a shooing motion with her hands. "Troy looks like he's falling asleep on his feet."

"Come on, Troy." Gabby scooted to the edge of her seat and slid down Troy's body to the floor. Taking his hand, she tugged him towards the stairs. "Good night, Mom."

"I'm coming! Good night, Ms. Montez."

"Good night. See you in the morning."

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While Gabriella changed into her pajamas, Troy washed his face and brushed his teeth – he had his own toothbrush at the Montez'. Then they switched. When Gabby got back to her bedroom, Troy was stretched out, wearing only his spare pair of sweatpants, in the middle of the bed with his hands behind his head.

"Oh God, Troy," Gabby groaned when she caught sight of the barbell.

"That's so Pavlovian!" Troy marveled, turning onto one side and propping his head up on a fist as Gabriella puttered around her room.

Gabby shot him a dirty look. "Do you even know what that means?"

"Yes!" Another look over her shoulder as she hung up a shirt prompted a "Mostly. Maybe."

"Well?"

"It's like, um, a predictable reaction in response to a certain stimulus. Right?"

Gabby turned off the overhead light and came to sit down on the bed next to Troy. "I have taught you well, young grasshopper."

"See? I listen. And I even learn big words." Troy gave her his best innocent look, and then snaked a long tan arm around her waist to pull her down next to him.

"Ack! Troy!"

Troy arranged them comfortably, snuggling up behind Gabriella to fit her back to his chest and her hips against his. "Mm. That's nice." His nose bumped her neck, and Gabby could feel his breath at the top of her spine just before he placed a slow kiss there. "All right?"

"This is good." The arm around Gabby's waist tightened as Troy lifted the hem of her tank top to splay the palm of his hand against her bare stomach. Gabby squirmed with pleasure and heard Troy groan behind her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, you tease."

"This from the boy who comes back from Paris, flaunts his new piercing at me, and then says 'look, but don't touch'."

Troy snickered. "That's not… exactly… what I said."

"You might as well have! I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight."

"Again, I say, tease!" Troy bit down gently at the nape of Gabby's neck. Gabby shivered and put her arm on top of Troy's on her stomach.

"Night, Troy."

"Night, tease."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and let that one go. She'd have the last word next time.

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The next day, Troy and Gabriella woke up late and made French toast before Troy headed home. Gabby showered and dressed and settled down to work on some extra-credit Advanced Chemistry homework. Sprawled on her bedroom floor amidst her textbooks, handwritten notes, poster board, construction paper and glue, Gabby had only been at work for half an hour before Troy called.

"Pining for me so soon?" she asked in lieu of a proper greeting.

"No," said Troy a little breathlessly, and then checked himself. "I mean, yes, I am, of course, but that's not why I called. I did it, Gabby."

Gabriella sat up. "Did what?"

"Resigned as Wildcat Captain."

"Oh!" Gabby put a hand to her chest and bit her lip. "So—is this—it's what you want?"

"Well, I wasn't totally sure," Troy said, "but the second I got home my dad sat me down and showed me this crazy schedule for the rest of the semester and I just knew I couldn't be the one in charge of it. All the other guys on the team, they can miss practice once in a while, they don't have to come all the random workouts, but I'd have to be at every single one. After school every day, all of my free periods, my weekends. Basketball isn't my top priority anymore, Gabby, I know it."

"I totally get it, Troy," Gabriella said. "So—what did you do then?"

"Dad sent me upstairs to call all the guys on the team, let them know, so I just called Chad first and explained it to him."

"How'd he take it?"

Troy sounded bemused. "Fine! He wasn't mad, or even surprised. He was just like, 'Yeah, man, I kind of figured'. And then he said he'd take care of it for me with the other guys, and he asked me who I wanted to vote in for Captain and I said him, of course, and that surprised him. So I think we're good."

"Are you worried about what your dad's going to say?"

"A little," Troy sighed. "I mean, there's not much he can do except glare. A lot. I don't want to disappoint him, but I know that if I stayed on as Captain I'd be doing it for him, not for me, and – well, that's not fair, right?"

"No, Troy. It's not fair to you at all." Gabby hesitated before adding, "I think you did the right thing, Troy."

Troy laughed. "Oh, yeah? Yesterday you were telling me to think it over!"

"It had to be your decision, Troy," Gabriella said. "I didn't want my opinion getting in the way."

"Oh." Troy sounded thoughtful. A long moment passed before he said, "Well, next time… If there's a next time… Your opinion matters to me, Gabby. I can hear what you have to say and make up my own mind."

Gabby smiled and pulled her knees up to her chest, curling herself around the phone. "Okay."

"Okay." Troy's voice had taken on that affectionate tone that Gabby knew was only meant for her. "Then… I should probably go, I guess. Homework. Dad-dodging. You know the drill."

Gabriella giggled. "Yeah, all right. Do you maybe want to come over again tonight? Or tomorrow?"

"Of course I do. I probably shouldn't sleep over two nights in a row, though. It's fine with my mom, but my dad doesn't like it much. You want to come here? Hang out, watch a movie at my house one last time before my dad finds out I willingly gave up the Captaincy?" Troy's tone was light, but the words were serious. Gabriella ached for him.

"It'll be okay, Troy. You know that, right?" Gabby wished she and Troy were talking face-to-face. The uncertain furrowing of his brow, the nervous toss of his hair, the way his gaze would flick back and forth without settling: all these mannerisms made Troy easy to read. Over the phone it was more difficult.

"My head knows. It's just my heart's having a harder time," Troy said. "Thanks, Gabriella. I mean it. I'll see you later, all right?"

"All right," Gabriella said softly. And here was the part she disliked: hanging up. Not just because it meant saying goodbye to Troy, but because there was always an awkward pause where they should have exchanged I-love-yous, if only Gabby had gone ahead and said it more than a month ago when she first knew. "Bye, Troy."

"Bye."

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FIN

Chapter 2

first posted March 11, 2007

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Disclaimer, Mock Deux: The songs were, in order: 1 "Blinded", Third Eye Blind; 2 "So Right", Dave Matthews Band (up one octave, of course); 3 "Dedicated To the One I Love", The Mamas & the Papas. I'm trying very, very hard to find songs that a) are in the characters' real range, b) are plausibly pleasant a capella, and c) fit the story. Also, I personally hate fics that are as much song lyrics as they are actual prose, so do let me know if you think the music is overwhelming the story.

I hope you all enjoyed the sexiness. I had a good time writing that, not just for the sake of writing sexy, but because I like Troy and Gabriella and want them to have a good time. I'm trying to define the line between raunchy and realistic; neither Troy nor Gabriella seems the type to go straight for TEH SEX, but neither could either of them ever be considered to be without passion, so I'm figuring out what they want from each other. I imagine we'll be coasting at this rating level and below for a while. If it's likely to get explicit I'll warn you. Also: how did the make-out scenes read? I don't want the who-put-what-where logistics to get in the way of the smoochies.

Talk to me about characterization, if you wouldn't mind. It's Gabriella I'm most worried about. She's so bloody shy in canon, but I can't bring myself to believe that what we're shown in the movie is the extent of her personality. I want her to be believable, though – is the way I'm portraying her a realistic expansion on what we already know of her?

It's called crime and punishment, Bolton. Beside, proximity to the arts is cleansing for the soul.