Author: Kimmie Fandom: Daria Type: long fic, ongoing Rating: PG-13 (so far)
Disclaimer: Daria was not written by me! I only wrote this fic.
Summary: A "What If?" What if Trent moved to Boston after the end of the canon timeline?
Trent heard Tom come in and decided to stay in the kitchen. He worked on prepping the rest of the fruit they had purchased as Daria led Tom upstairs to hopefully let him down at least kind of easy. Trent didn't really like the guy, but he'd felt like his heart had been ripped out before, and that never felt good. The shouting started just after he finished slicing the kiwi. As much as part of him wanted to run upstairs to comfort Daria, the rest of him consoled his ego that he could be there after the fact and cause a lot less damage to the situation. Since it didn't seem like they're really gotten to the heart of the argument yet, Trent started on dinner. Rice in a large pot to cook, timer set, meat in a mix of teriyaki sauce and powdered ginger with some of the smaller bits of pineapple to marinate, and vegetables chopped and ready. He added oil to a large pan that looked almost like a wok and let it heat up while he listened carefully to what was happening upstairs. He didn't think that Tom would get physical, but some guys went crazy when their girlfriends broke up with them. Max had gone to jail for that once.
When the oil got hot, Trent dumped in the onions and the chopped bits of a carrot he'd salvaged from the vegetable bin in the fridge. He found a wooden spoon to stir with and kept half his attention on the pan, and half on what was happening almost above his head. Things seemed to be starting to calm down as he dumped the zucchini into the pan. He added a sprinkle of salt and a measure of pepper and kept stirring, trying to tell if things were over yet. He glanced back in the pan and noticed that the onions were translucent, so he added the meat with the pineapple and kept up his stirring. The timer went off, and Trent turned it off, ready to check the rice just as he heard a door slam lightly. Had Tom made it downstairs already?
Jane came into the kitchen, pouting. "Horrible day. Don't ask." She raised her eyebrows as she looked in the pan on the stove. "Food? You know how to make food?"
Trent laughed. "You were away from home for so long this time I had to learn how to make something. I watched a lot of Food Network. I can make my *own* pizza now."
"And I thought that nothing good would come out of this day!"
Trent took a moment to check that the rice was actually done before removing the pot from the stove and turning off the burner. "I won't ask, but if you want to vent, I'll listen."
Jane sighed. "The TA that I liked to fantasize about is gay, not that *that* is such a surprise, but his boyfriend came to class today and it seems he's some big art critic and he thought my piece was horrible."
"What were you working on?"
"Well, it's printmaking class. I was working on this subtractive monotype piece. It was of my sculpture prof making out with a live bee."
Trent raised an eyebrow and went back to the stir-fry. "So, it was kind of a joke, then?"
Jane sighed an leaned against the counter. "Yeah, I guess? I was actually going to give the resulting print to Daria. It's kind of an inside joke thing. But now I don't know if I want to because this critic guy said it was horrible."
"He probably likes that guy who did the spears through paper plates."
Jane smiled. "Thanks, Trent. That was exactly what I needed to hear." A door slammed upstairs and Jane looked upward with alarm. "What's going on up there?"
Trent nibbled on a piece of onion he'd lifted up with the spoon. "Daria's breaking up with Tom."
"Whoa." Jane headed toward the freezer. "I'd better make sure we have ice cream."
"She's kind of breaking up with him so she can be with me, I think." Trent scratched the tattoo on his forearm briefly, avoiding Jane's gaze.
Jane closed the freezer door. "Oh." A smile lit up her face. "This is great! I mean, you guys took way too long to get to this point considering I was trying to get you guys together back in high school, but yes!" She hugged Trent tightly, then let go to twirl around the kitchen. "Oh, damn. This means Tom is going to move out, isn't he?" She bit down on her thumbnail, and made a face. "Yuck, turpentine. But, still, we'll have to get another roommate and Daria doesn't like anybody."
Trent coughed. "Um, I could take his room, you know. I even have references now."
"Yes!" Jane pulled down two plates from the cupboard and set them near the stove. "Food? Ready? Now?"
Turning off the burner beneath the stir-fy, Trent stood back and let Jane attack the food with fervor. "I just hope this doesn't get too crazy tonight."
Tom chose that moment to come into the kitchen, frowning. He glared at Jane and then turned his attention to Trent. "You asshole. If you hadn't come here, things would have stayed like they were."
"Hey, man. It doesn't seem like everyone was happy with how things were." Trent stood his ground, though every fiber of his being was telling him that Tom was going to hit him.
Daria came down the stairs a moment later and entered the kitchen. "Tom, stop. Yes, Trent was a catalyst for this, but it wasn't working anyway. I thought you knew that."
"I knew I loved you!" Tom slammed a fist on the counter and sighed. "I was doing everything I could to make it work."
Daria screamed, her hands in fists at her sides. "That's just it! So was I! And it wasn't working!" She exhaled loudly. "We tried this time and it didn't work. It happens. Would you rather we try until it's time to go to grad school and then inevitably break up then for the same reasons we did before?"
Tom looked to be on the verge of tears. "You're the only girl I've ever felt anything real for."
Jane rolled her eyes as she finished chewing a bite of food. "Thanks, Tom!" She set her plate down and stood, walking toward him. "Now, let's get all of the cards on the table. Daria came to talk to me two weeks before Trent moved in, asking how I would feel if she dumped your ass, only she was nicer with the wording. I told her she should because your ego is larger than your bank account, but she convinced herself to give it one more shot. You should be happy that you got this long with her *and* that she let you in her pants." She cleared her throat. "Now, let's discuss when you'll be moved out."
Defeated, Tom slumped against the counter and turned his head to Daria. "I'll go to a hotel tonight. I'm sure I can get a place this week, even though it's short notice. I'll call to let you know when I can come to get my things." He stood tall suddenly. "It'll be nice to live closer to campus, anyway."
Daria sighed. "Tom, don't give me that. I already know that your parents have a condo half a mile from Bromwell to which you have the keys. It's where your parents stay when they come visit. Elsie told me."
Tom rolled his eyes. "Well, I was *trying* to make you feel bad at least a little."
"That's just it, Tom. I do feel bad. I feel horrible and have felt horrible since we started going down this path again. It's always great in the beginning, and then it goes downhill so fast that it's in freefall. I don't hate you. I don't want bad things to happen to you. What I want is for you to meet a girl that you can have a good relationship with and forget all about the misanthrope you were dating until today. I want us both to be happy, and even if you *are* happy with me, I'm not happy with you. And, yes, I'd like to try dating Trent, but I wanted to do that years before I met you. He isn't the reason. I am the reason why I am dumping you. Please get over yourself, stop insulting people, and go to your condo with the maid who comes by once a week whether anyone stays there or not." Tears were flowing down Daria's face now and she wiped them away angrily. Tom reached out a hand toward her face, but she shook her head.
"I'll go get packed." Tom walked off, but paused in the doorway, looking back over his shoulder. "I'll send someone over tomorrow around lunchtime to get my stuff and leave my key."
Daria nodded, letting her arms wrap around herself. "Just have them leave it where the spare key used to be."
Tom pursed his lips and walked away.
Daria let out a shuddering breath and exhaled sharply when arms surrounded her. She looked up to see Trent holding her tightly and she returned the gesture. There was a comfort in the warmth of his embrace that she'd never felt before and it helped fuel the tiny spark of optimism she felt for her future. Trent released one arm and waved Jane over. "Come on, Jane. You know you want in on the group hug."
Jane laughed. "Of course I do!" She dashed over and grabbed her best friend and brother in a bear hug, grunting slightly as she did so. "So, Daria, Trent said he'd take over the rent on Tom's third."
"I had thought he might, but didn't want to assume."
"Hey, I even still have enough money to give Tom enough to cover his part of the deposit."
Daria raised an eyebrow. "We didn't have to put a deposit on this place. The owner heard the name Sloane and decided we must be good people." She shrugged. "Hey, who am I to disabuse someone of their notion to not take my money?"
Trent smiled. "Cool. Then I'm going to buy a new couch for the living room. That thing is murder on my ass."
Jane snorted. "Then Daria will probably want to chip in on that, you know, to preserve her interest in your assets."
Daria laughed softly. "I could go for our first piece of furniture other than shelves that weren't pre-owned. Although, we'll need a new TV in the living room, too. That one is Tom's."
"Oh. Then I guess I'll let Jimmy know I'll buy his after all."
Jane was the first to retreat from the hug. "And is Jimmy selling this TV out of the back of his van?"
"Nah. He's my manager. He just bought a new TV a few weeks ago, one of those really big ones, but then he bought a new car last week and they were throwing in TVs. It's a 42 inch, I think, and he's selling it for something like $150."
Daria relaxed her embrace and leaned back to look at Trent. "Looking at your life is almost enough to make me believe in karma, but then I remember high school." She gestured toward the stove. "Can we eat now?"
Trent headed to the cupboard to grab another plate. "Yeah, but remember to save some for Jeff."
Jane returned to her plate. "I don't know, Trent. This is actually pretty good, and as a starving artist, I'm not sure I'm up to sharing."
Daria raised her eyebrows. "Starving artist? Says the girl who ate an entire pizza in one sitting last week."
"In my defense, it was a medium. Also in my defense, it was delicious. Oh! Did Trent tell you he learned how to make pizza?"
Giving a rare smile, Daria looked up into Trent's eyes. "I can see this being a very happy relationship after all."
End: Chapter 7.