/-/ Kill me now. This chapter is so long. dkjfkdjnfs.
Incorporation of strange headcanons of mine in this chapter. I stayed up way past when I should have gone to bed to type this up for you guys, so you had better appreciate it. \-\
Chapter 3 -
"Mnh..."
"Wake up."
"A little longer..."
"English, it's time to go. You can crash when we get back to the apartment."
"Is it morning?"
"No. It's been about two hours. I'm fine though, thanks for asking."
"You're lying."
"I'm serious as a stroke."
Jake lifted his head and looked out the back window. It was dark and ominous outside, except for streetlights and the blinding headlights racing down the street. Dirk looked at him as if to say, 'I told you so'. The ebony haired male groaned and sat up, fixing the position of his glasses. Everything was foggy. He rubbed his eyes, blinked a few times, and nodded slowly.
"Alright, alright. Let's get going."
"You're telling me."
Dirk began climbing over his seats to the driver's side. He could hear his companion behind him groggily tripping over seat belts and cushions in an obvious struggle, but all he could do was chuckle. His head ached only slightly but he was sober, and that was all he needed to drive. The occurrences from before were fuzzy and unclear, and for some reason he felt a slight tingle in his lips. He could not put his finger on exactly why, but it did not matter. The car responded quickly as he turned the keys, and soon enough they were pulling out of the parking lot and on to the main road. The ride was silent, probably because each of them were both immensely exhausted. However the air seemed to be thick, and the origin of the tension seemed to come from the passenger seat- or more specifically, the person sitting there.
The ride seemed a lot quicker than it had coming there. Not a word was exchanged, not even a heavy sigh or yawn entertained their ears as their groggy legs carried them up to and through the building. Jake collapsed on his air mattress. Dirk peeled off his undershirt, put away his sunglasses (making sure to snatch Jake's prescription frames off of his face and file those away as well) and crawled in to his bed. His eyes shut, and he was beginning to drift off when Jake suddenly spoke.
"That was my first."
"First what?" Dirk responded, cracking open one eye.
"Kiss."
Oh god. Did you kiss him?
Guilt and panic struck the Strider straight through his chest. His eyes shot open wide, and he felt sick. Did he really steal his best friend's first kiss in a drunken fit of selfishness? He would never be able to forgive himself. He had never, ever screwed up something so bad in his life. He was about ready to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness, but he figured he did not deserve it. Not for something as bad as that.
"Bro, I'm so sorry, -"
"Don't worry about it Strider. I don't mind much, you just surprised me is all."
"Jake, don't belittle this. I am so sorry. That was really stupid of me. I like you a lot, Jake. I always have, and I probably always will, but I never meant to intrude on you like that. If I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat. I stole something extremely special from you because I'm an idiot and I try to tell myself that I can handle just as much alcohol as the next guy, but I can't because I was born with a Strider body and we're sensitive and weak. I should have never let myself become so selfish. If I would've known... God... I don't deserve you at all..."
"Stop it. You're making quite a big deal out of nothing here, I really don't mind! Yea, I would have preferred it to be a bit more special, but what's done is done! I won't have you put yourself down like this. You're the dogs bollocks Strider. And in case you didn't know, that's silly British tongue for you're totally awesome!"
"Jake, I-"
"Don't."
Dirk set his jaw. He wanted to argue, to protest. He wanted to convince his best bro that he was terrible, that he was not worth the dirt underneath the sole on Jake's boot. But if he wanted to believe otherwise, Dirk was not going to drag things on more than they absolutely needed to be.
"Thanks, Jake. You're a great dude, you know."
"I guess."
"You are, don't deny it. Now get yourself to bed, I know you're falling asleep. I can practically hear you snoring already."
"I don't snore!"
"Yes you do."
Jake must have fallen asleep, because he made no sound after that. Dirk lay awake for a while, criticizing himself and his actions, going over what went wrong and what went right(which was not much). He was surprised at how well his friend took the situation, but it only made him feel even more guilty in the end. Eventually he exhausted himself mentally and decided to get up. Since the room was dark, he had to make quite the journey to his door. From then however it was all memory, and soon enough he stood in the doorway of his extra room and admired his many masterpieces.
There were trinkets, tools and safety goggles littering each and every corner, but he could never bring himself to clean the place up. It was like he had to savor the messy image, like it were soon to crumble. He drew in a deep breath and made his way to the cluttered work table where he sat at his rotating chair and got to work.
With the necessity of continuing his current project in silence for the night, Dirk was unable to use power tools or anything that made a lot of noise. He did not mind much- the thing he was working on was absolutely marvelous, or at least he hoped it would be. A fully functional robot that specialized in rap battles. It was to be named Sawtooth, he knew it already.
For the next few hours, Dirk busied himself with artificial parts and general blueprinting. There was always something to be improved or tinkered with, but his concentration was something admirable. As time passed his eyelids began to grow heavier and heavier. He was not sure how it happened, but somehow his head and arms made it on the desk in a resting position. He yawned, evidently giving in to his own body when he drifted casually in to slumber.
Jake blinked himself awake. The hot Texas sun poured in through the window above his head, casting a yellow shine on everything it touched. He sat up and groggily yawned. The world was fuzzy and unclear. He squinted whilst pawing around for his glasses, until finally his clumsy hand landed on the thick rimmed pair. Dirk's were still next to his, so he figured that the other had still been sleeping. Slowly, things came clear to the Englishman. He blinked, adjusting the frames slightly. However, by a quick look around, he learned that he was alone. How strange for his companion to deliberately leave his shades when he woke. Perhaps he owned another pair? English decided not to worry about it, though he was kind of curious about where the enigmatic blonde was.
"Dirk?" Jake called out softly. His throat felt dry, so he coughed and tried again.
"Strider? Where are you off to? Dirk?"
When he got no reply, Jake rolled off of his mattress and on to his feet. They felt heavy, and yet he continued through the door and down the hall, checking the rooms along his way. "Dirk?" he would call in to each one with no luck. Finally there was only one room left. He gripped the handle, pushed the door open and peeked inside. For some reason, this room seemed dimmer than the others. It had been cluttered and messy. There were about three tables in there, but only one seemed accessible. Atop it was a snoozing silhouette, with its arms curled underneath its head.
"Strider, honestly. That can't be very comfortable!" Jake exclaimed, earning himself a bit of a stir from the other. "Come on, it's morning! You don't want to sleep the day away, do you?"
"Mmn...J-Jake?"
"Yes, it's me. Now get your blasted butt out of that chair! Christ, I can't believe you slept here," he crooned, nearly tripping over some tools, "I don't even know how you made it to that desk!"
"It's because I'm skilled, like some kind of super-awesome ninja. You wouldn't understand."
"Well, it didn't take long at all for you to shake off the morning."
"Why should it?"
Jake looked over, his lungs immediately regretting the decision. He had forgotten that Dirk was not wearing his glasses, and with the glossy look on his already stunning eyes from sleep, it took the shorter male's breath away. To make matters worse, they were staring straight at him. He could feel his face heat up.
"N-" he choked, "No reason." Dirk did not seem to notice his slip up, or at least he did not even care.
"Holy shit. Did I even eat last night? My stomach is about as empty as a watering hole in the middle of the desert some time in July. I don't even want to think about any more hilarious and awesome wit right now, my brain can't even function I need food oh my god."
Jake chuckled quietly, his face brightening in to a smile. It was strangely, and yet so realistically refreshing to see his best friend act as he always had. English did not hold anything against the guy for the night before, but it was good to know that the silly and dorky blonde that he met so long ago was still in there.
"Go get some then. Stop running your blimey lips and use them for something you actually want to do!"
"Looks like I already did last night."
"Strider, you confounded little-"
"It's too bad I don't remember it very well. I know I kinda stole something special from you, but aside from the guilt I still wish I remembered. I'd been wanting to do that for a long time."
"Don't bring this up Strider, honestly..."
The frown on Jake's face instantly shot the blonde with heavy remorse. He stood up, made his way with skill and effortless grace to the disappointed looking raven and placed a lean palm on his shoulder.
"You're breaking my heart with that expression of yours. I'm really sorry, Jake. That was uncouth of me."
"My problem isn't what you did, it's that you keep beating yourself up for it! You're my pal, I don't want to see you all down in the dumps."
It was hard for Jake to form any words at all, since those enchanting and citrus-colored eyes were staring right in to his own emerald ones, and they were so close and those lashes were so long and they blinked so slow and everything about the gosh darn things was mesmerizing, but somehow his mouth knew what to do without the help of his brain, which was now futile mush.
Dirk stood there, blankly staring. Half of his thought process was on what were the right words to say, and the other was on how fantastically adorable Jake looked with bedhead. In the end the word-savvy Strider had nothing to say and he still had an empty stomach. So, he slipped past his crush and in to the hallways with not a single word's retort. It was the thought of steamy, fresh pancakes that motivated his feet down to the small kitchen at the front of his apartment. Perhaps he seemed upset or rushed, but Jake made no effort to follow him. Instead, he went to the bedroom and grabbed a fresh set of clothes, only to head for the shower as soon as he could. Curious, he peeked in the mirror on the wall above the sink for a moment. He looked tired and distraught. His hair was in a turmoil, sticking out every which way more than usual. Two large front teeth stuck out and pressed gently in to his bottom lip. His eyes were large, maybe even childlike. Here he was, an adult with the face of a kid and now the romance issues of a teenager. He pulled at his cheek just to see if he belonged to some sort of sensible reality, and was not sure if he was happy or disappointed when he discovered that he was.
Jake could hardly believe he had not even been on American soil for 24 hours yet.
In love? With him? Someone like Dirk Strider in love with an awkward, short, crooked-smiled Brit like Jake English? It was absurd. He could not believe it.
No matter. Right now he was in need of having a shower. In no time he had stepped out of his shorts and boxers and was slipping his shirt over his head. A pair of rectangular glasses sat on the edge of the sink. A shiny metal bar with a green skull inside the transparent end hung from the indent in Jake's abdomen. His torso was lean and lanky. The muscles on his arms were small, but they were there. It was obvious that he did more running than heavy lifting in his life. He ran a hand through his jet-black tresses and turned the water on, patiently awaiting it to warm up.
The smell of fresh pancakes did nothing to ease Dirk's mind, much to his dismay. He stood in front of the stove top, his mind heavy at work and his arms moving as if they had been attached to puppet strings. Though his body had been there, his thoughts were in another place and it was hurting.
He decided that no, he did not want to remember that stolen kiss. They would start over like nothing had happened. He would seize his kiss at the right time, with no regrets and remorse. It was the only way. His heart burned with a tiny flame, its orange glow being made entirely of hope.
Jake felt so much better now that he had showered. The tension in his limbs was gone, and for some reason every color seemed brighter then. It took him a moment, but he realized that this was how he had seen everything the day previous, before any...
No. It was over now. It was time to forget. And so, with renewed optimism Jake stood in front of the mirror and began to towel dry his hair.
Dirk had to bite his tongue to hold back a string of alarmingly loud obscenities. In his aloof state he had accidentally touched his fingertip to his hot frying pan for a few seconds before noticing, and wow hell did it hurt. He ran the blistering skin under cool water for a minute or two, feeling the worst of the burning slowly slip away. Relieved, he made his way to the bathroom to fetch the burn spray so that it would not damage his flesh any further.
Jake was just buttoning up his pants when the door swung open. His body tensed, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted a clean and unworn shirt. A clean and unworn shirt that, if he was lucky, would have been on his body by then. But alas it was not, and his cheeks burned because of it.
Dirk nearly fell over and had a heart attack. He did not really think much about where exactly Jake might have been, and now here he stood- shirtless in all his glory and oh shit was he hot and was that a belly-button piercing?
Keep cool. Keep cool.
"I, uh, burned my..."
Smooth.
Jake was glued to his spot. The sensation of warm blood rushing through his face felt odd, but he had managed to lift his head and face his intruder, whose stunning eyes were wide, ears were red and casual stare was... oh no, it was checking him out. Immediately the Englishman's self-consciousness flew through the roof.
"Is that a belly-button piercing dude?" Dirk asked stupidly.
"Y-yes, it is," Jake sputtered, "I don't really remember why I got it, it was maybe a little stupid to do."
"Are you kidding me? It's hot. Besides, I'm right there with you on that thought," Dirk moved aside the sleeve of his tank top to reveal a glimmering silver collarbone piercing, and soon showed the other side to match. He supposed that it was too dark the night before for it to have gone noticed, and he had slipped the shirt he was wearing now on before he had left to start working.
"Ha. Would you look at us? Leave it to blokes like me and you to make decisions as silly as this," Jake joked. His humor seemed to loosen his joints up enough for him to pull his shirt over his head- a dark green tee that contrasted his tight fitting black jeans well.
Dirk had nearly forgotten about his burn, but when his phenomenal view was taken from him the nagging throb was back. He made his way to the sink, opened up the cabinet behind the mirror and pulled out a small can labeled "burn spray". The refreshing stream felt fantastic on his wound, and he soon forgot the ghastly thing.
"I made pancakes. You hungry?"
"Sure am!"
"Then come get some before I eat them all."
"I don't understand how you can eat so much and still be as thin as you are, Strider!"
"I don't either," he mumbled ominously under his breath and exited toward the kitchen. Jake followed close behind, his black hair damp still but not wet enough to be dripping down the back of his neck. It was beginning to return to its natural unkempt, spiked appearance. He wondered how Dirk kept his hair looking so neat and picture-perfect all the time. It must have been a Strider thing. Jake decided not to worry about it, since it seemed like a frivolous thought and at this point all he could really focus on was the mouth-watering smell wafting in to his nostrils. Dirk soundlessly handed his guest a plate which was towering with fluffy flapjacks and then proceeded to prepare his own serving. Jake sat at the dining table pushed against the wall, which was conveniently already garnished with syrup and softened butter. He immediately dove in to devouring the pancakes, which were buttery and warm and light on his tongue. Relishing in their delight, Jake had to bring himself to admit that the blonde Texan had a way with cooking, and his taste buds could not help but to agree.
Dirk peeked over, happy to see that his best friend was thoroughly enjoying his cooking. He took a seat just as Jake was shoveling a hearty mouthful past his gaping lips.
"Thesh are absultly farntastic!" he struggled to say with his cheeks full of food. Dirk raised a thin, angular brow in amusement, his lips curling in to an enigmatic smirk. "Glad you like my cooking bro," he uttered with a bit of a tease to his tone but enough genuine thanks to be believable. Their breakfast from then on went talk-free. This of course was mainly due to the fact that they were quite unceremoniously stuffing their gluttonous faces. However, there was still a bit of an unidentified tension in the air, a bit of a disquieting thickness to the atmosphere. It was understandable to say the least, granted they had more than a few awkward moments in the past 24 hours, but it was strange nonetheless. Best friends should not be so distant, right? It was absolutely unnatural.
"Bro. What's up with this silence between us? It's pretty uncalled for, don't you think?"
Jake exhaled immediately; he looked a world relieved. Dirk had not even noticed the tension in his shoulders until it was gone. "Thank leaping lord you were the first to say something. I was beginning to dread that the whole trip would be like this! I don't know if I could stand another minute of such awkward air."
"Sorry man."
"Don't beat yourself up over it there Strider! It's nothing you can't fix!"
"I guess you're right man," Dirk admitted. He had casually stood and collected their tainted dishes and carried them to the sink. For once in his life, he felt oddly comfortable without his shades on. That was something that he had noticed about the atmosphere as well, although he was surely alone in the feeling sue to Jake's inability to understand the unique self-consciousness of being a Strider when it came to the subject of eyes. Dirk was an outcast, a freak of nature, a weir-
Deep breath. He exhaled calmly and collected his emotions from off the ground. A sharp jolt of pain pierced his stomach, nearly causing him to keel over. He swallowed the sensation and wrote it off as plain nerves.
"So what's there to do today? I'm kind of in the mood for the outdoors, you know? What do you say Strider?"
"I can take you to the park if you want."
"That sounds absolutely smashing!"
Dirk bit back a grin and nodded to his foreign companion. "Alright, don't get your girly panties in a twist, let me at least get dressed first."
What a perfect opportunity. A day alone with Jake English? Dirk could hardly contain his own excitement- though that would stay in his mind and his alone. This time, he promised himself, he would not screw things up. He could not; it was his last chance. Or at least it could be, and he had plenty of reason to worry. Worrying was his enemy, however. He needed clear thoughts for anything to work properly, let alone himself. It was vital to his plans and he would be devastated if they went haywire again.
With nothing but a nonchalant salute, Dirk left his friend in the small kitchen and headed for his bedroom. He tore open drawers to his dresser frantically and yet quietly, searching for clothes that fit the occasion. Vest? No vest? He never thought picking out an outfit to go to the park in would be so difficult. Eventually he had given the thought of carefully picking out his clothes up completely- mostly from a fit of frustration- and slipped on a t-shirt along with a pair of slim fitted black jeans. His belt was a bright orange color, and the baseball cap graphic on his shirt matched the color entirely. He pushed his shades on to his face, and although he felt reasonably comfortable with them off, the instant his unique colored eyes were shrouded by the pointed glasses a weight had fallen from his shoulders.
"Are you about ready in there Str-"
Just in that moment Dirk had swung the door open and came face to face with a very astonished looking Jake. His jaw was dropped, shocked by the sudden entrance of his best friend. He took a moment to shake off the look on his face and quickly replaced it with a toothy grin as vast as the sea. It was clear and obvious that he had been more than excited for the day planned ahead of him. Dirk wondered if he would feel the same if only he had known what he was planning to do.
"Sheesh, give a guy some time to change. You're impatient as hell."
"Oh. Oh! I'm sorry, I-"
"Don't sweat it bro."
"Dirk, I have a quick question for you."
"I have an answer."
"Well, I was just wondering... this morning when I was looking for you, I noticed in one of your rooms you had quite an impressive display of clubbing equipment. And, well-"
"That's it? Yea, I used to book a lot of DJ-ing gigs. It kind of used to be my thing. I quit a while ago though, personal reasons and all. It's no big deal."
"Well that sure is exciting! I doubt there's been much you haven't seen."
"We'll save that for another time."
By that time they had exited the apartment and were making their way to the front door of the building and outside. It was a pleasant day; not too hot, with just enough wind to rustle the leaves. The sun was mild in its brightness with each ray cutting through the clouds like an angelic beam. All in all, a picture-perfect day for staying outdoors.
They were about to cross the road to the parking garage when Dirk had an idea. He proposed that he and Jake would walk to the park instead, using the excuse that he could show Jake around the bustling and lively city a little more, and perhaps they could find places to visit on later days. In reality Dirk had just wanted to spend all the more time side by side with his crush, his companion. Much to his own delight Jake had adored the idea. In fact he had been thinking the same thing but was too shy to ask it himself. With that they began their journey down the sidewalk.
Most people were already at work- comfortably in their cubicles, clicking on their computers and slaving their days away to the office life. As a significant result there was not as much foot traffic as the evening hours. This was beneficial to the two of them since they did not have to waste the effort of weaving through congested crowds of people. As they walked they would talk of common things. Of Britain and how different it was. Of things they saw, of interesting people. Rows of shops inched by as their feet carried them toward their destination. Jake stared in awe at many things, as was natural for outsiders- the sheer size of the buildings flabbergasted him. Dirk figured his fascination would diminish over time, but it would not bother him either way.
It took a short while for them to near their destination, but eventually the grassy landscape which was decorated with trees and peaceful flowers and park benches was just in their grasp. The open air felt refreshing, and much less constricting than the limited space between the massive buildings behind them.
"Well, here we are," Dirk introduced while his shaded hues scanned here and there for some sort of entertainment. A pair of tall and lanky males about their age stood with their backs to them, playing guitars together and singing aimlessly of love and earthly desires. One appeared to have a bit of an accent, and his hair was pushed back. Glasses framed his eyes and a purple streak ran through his dark locks. The other had unkempt black tresses and a lazy slur to his tone. There were coins and bills of assortment in their guitar cases and a few bystanders were watching with admiration.
Jake's eyes were immeasurably wide. It was almost puppy-like how he stared so avidly at simple things like he had never them before in his life. It was nearly clear that he had grown up in solitude and this was his first time in public. Dirk diagnosed it as a natural sense of curiosity and left it at that.
"So what's to do here then? Anything exciting?" English inquired, his smile broadening.
"Well we've got the local entertainment here," Dirk joked while jabbing a finger at the other pair. Jake observed them for a moment or two, then turned his head elsewhere.
"To be honest, I'd like to sit down if you don't mind. I didn't know we'd have to walk that far!"
Dirk nodded his head nonchalantly and lead the way to a faded bench. Couples had carved their initials in to the aged wood, others had done the same with with messages of voice and sincerity- exclaims about important matters and various other statements. It felt relieving to sit and relax for both males. Dirk had one ankle resting on his knee. His back was slouched lazily and coolly. Citrus hued eyes grazed over the tops of trees, bordered the grass and examined the cross walk made of gravel. Jake had been sitting upright, his shoulders in straight alignment. From behind rectangular rims his verdant orbs watched with genuine fascination the simple, natural and frankly common things witnessed at a local park. It was not that he had never seen things like that before, it was that he never had seen them in another country. It amazed him beyond belief that the world could be so similar, even with thousands of miles distance apart between areas. The wonder and pure impossibility of it all awestruck him to an extent beyond measure or comparison.
"Bro, what are you thinking about? You seem pretty lost or something," Dirk asked suddenly. He hoped that in doing so he would have a better understanding of how Jake's mind worked, and maybe that way his goal would further become foolproof.
"Huh? Oh!" Jake shook himself back in to the reality surrounding him, "Just of how small the world really is. It's kind of surreal to me I guess. There's so much opportunity for adventure, but things can be so similar too...If that makes any kind of sense."
Dirk blinked, his blonde brows raised. He had never really thought of the world in that sort of way and he had to admit it was a captivating subject in itself. Until then he did not think that his companion was thinking much of anything complex in regards to his surroundings, but now that he knew he was a little shocked.
"It makes perfect sense, English. That's actually a pretty cool way to think of things."
"Is it really?" Green eyes lit up brightly, and a toothy smile came forth to be a little bigger and a little more cheery than before, "I've only begun to think that since I've been here, actually."
For a moment or two, the pair was entirely silent- maybe from lack of things to say, or perhaps from appreciation of their common knowledge. Dirk was the first to break the silence. "So, Britain is a lot like it is here then?" a curious tone inquired.
"In some ways, I guess it is. Like, there's the same kinds of trees, and scampery little critters running around."
Dirk draped his arm over the back of the bench and nodded his head in a sort of sense of mutual understanding. His fingers could feel Jake's body heat just faintly which was warm and comforting.
"Anyways, what do you suppose we should try doing?" Jake asked as he turned his head to address his friend sincerely. He had failed to notice a few nimble fingers involuntarily (though that did not necessarily mean they did not enjoy it) lace in to his tresses.
"I'm not sure. It's up to you, really. There's a few sites with some pretty cool modern art," Dirk replied. He knew as well of a magnificent fountain directly in the center of the vast landscape with multiple descending tiers and sparkling crystal clear water, but that was an attraction better naturally suited for romance. He did plan on visiting it with Jake, however it was something that he needed to build up the courage to do, which would take time. Not to mention that it appeared even more majestic and dreamy at the fall of dusk, and he intended on making the moment absolutely perfect.
Jake seemed to be interested in the idea of visiting the art structures, thankfully. He found it alluring for there to be such a thing so casually constructed in such a public place as a park, but he was excited nonetheless. When they approached the closest one he could not even begin to hide the blinding glimmer in his eyes. It was a strange collection of vibrant scarlet beams which twisted and turned around one another in mesmerizing patterns and ways. For Dirk it had been nothing new- he had seen it many times and there were many others like it. For Jake however, it was like nothing he had ever seen before. The columns were massive, puzzling and extraordinary. In fact it was completely and entirely uncanny.
"Wow! This is...it's fascinating! I thought it a bit cooky the idea of art being here, but this is exemplary! Are you seeing this?"
"Only for about the fifth time. I guess here and Britain really aren't all that similar, huh?"
Jake circled around the monument a few times to observe it from every angle, and finally seemed to be done and over with it. By that time Dirk was anxious to move on, or perhaps it had just been a sudden case of itchy feet. They reached their acquired destination relatively quickly, speaking to one another casually as they would on the way there. At one moment when Jake was speaking of one thing or another, Dirk had been jealously examining a couple joking with one another and holding hands while sharing a few cheerful kisses. He felt light-headed just looking at them but found it surprisingly difficult to peel his eyes away. Jake, who had been lost in his own world, had not noticed at all. Dirk was thankful for this since he tended to try and keep his feelings, especially jealousy, at bay or hidden entirely.
Now they stood in front of yet another structure, admiring it closely. Jake took a few minutes to examine it more closely. His grin and his eyes were wider than the ocean, and Dirk paid more attention to him than to the array of colors and bends before his shaded eyes; the way that Jake became spellbound and excited by each and every angle he observed was positively wondrous, and undeniably adorable.
"Can we go see that fountain next, mommy?" a small child yanked on her mother's shirt, her blue eyes massive and pleading. Unfortunately her voice was exceptionally loud. Dirk's eyes immediately flicked from her to Jake, and...shit. He heard.
Dammit, a disappointed and frustrated Strider thought to himself. He had worked hard and been careful to avoid not only the mention but also the location of the most romantic landmark in the vicinity. His efforts were lost in just a split second, and Jake was already making his way en route to Dirk's position.
"Did you hear that? A fountain! I bet it's grand."
Dirk just shrugged.
"Well come, let's go find it!"
He had to bite his tongue to keep from cursing that girl aloud. "Alright bro. I know exactly where it is, follow me."
Jake's eyes lit up like fireworks. He could not hide the prominent bounce in his step, nor the ecstatic expression on his face and this in all its elegance almost eliminated Dirk's anger entirely. Almost.
Consumed by his own excitement Jake had remained silent for the trip. Dirk chose not to speak; with not much to say but perhaps a string of furious curses, what was the point in wasting his breath? By the time they had reached their destination Dirk had run himself in to a deep hole of disappointment and defeat. However he had not yet lost his sense of diligence and he most certainly was not ready to give up on his plans.
"Gadzooks..." Jake gawked. The landmark was fantastic- it coruscated a yellow glow from the sun and twinkled beautifully. The enchanting way that the clear water fell from each ceramic tier was absolutely and completely breathtaking. English was, in a sense of whole, entirely awestruck from his crown to his toes. Even Dirk, who had been apathetic up to that point found himself entranced by the image before his eyes. This sort of state he had found himself in nearly made him miss his chance.
Jake's feet had carried him to the attraction as if he were naturally magnetized to it. The closer he got the more alive he had felt, and by the time his knees gently struck the edge and the droplets splashed on to his face, peppering his cheeks with moisture, he felt as if he were not even earthbound. As if he were floating, actually.
Dirk had not realized the loss of Jake's presence until the raven was already directly in front of the fountain. This was the Strider's opportunity, and he was determined to seize it at all costs.
With a deep inhalation, a mustering of courage and a faithful step forward, he was on his way. Before he could even think of what he was doing, Dirk was at Jake's side. He carefully slipped off his triangular shades, blinked away the blinding sun and tucked the pair in to his pocket. He had to force his trepidation down to the pit of his stomach, where it began to fester and make his heart race with adrenaline.
This was it. If he blew it that would be the end of it all.
Jake had barely taken notice of his friend's aura. His eyes were too focused on the once-in-a-lifetime scene before him to even acknowledge the tall blonde at all.
That only lasted a matter of seconds.
Jake could feel fingers, followed by a palm slipping in to his own. He was startled by the affectionate advance so much so that it clouded his sense to where he hardly realized he was being spun on his feet to face a familiar figure.
Those bright and unique eyes entrapped his being quicker than he was prepared for. They were lavish with varying emotion- the feelings ebbing from those orbs was almost tangible; they reflected amour, determination and an extreme level of utter, complete and overall terror. Jake never would have guessed that such a collection of expression could be so fantastically stunning. With the sensation of a slight breeze from the rushing water, and already being plunged in to a dream like state, the scenario was in itself a memorable, rich and relishing moment.
"We should start over," a deep and empowering, yet gentle and coquetry tone intruded the atmosphere with a sense of fleeting grace, "Completely. I'd like to go out with you. Nothing serious, I'm not going to push you to do things you may not be comfortable with just yet. Just casual, nonchalant dating. What do you say?" Dirk flashed a smirk that if it had its own voice would be as equally eloquent and radiant as himself, "It can't be much different than this."