I'm baaaaaack! Spent a few days at my parent's to see my family for my birthday so my writing groove was thrown off a bit, but I'm back to my everyday crap so...
Also, it was suggested I put the song list at the beginning of the chapters for the option of listening along when the song is mentioned so here it is:
1. Chattanooga Choo Choo- Glenn Miller and His Orchestra
2. Strangers In The Night- Frank Sinatra
3. Silk- Rick Braun
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Petra didn't really know how to respond to the text message the night before...so she didn't. Now, almost a whole day later, she was driving to the club for that evening's work and she was nervous as hell trying to figure out if she was reading too much into his words or if he'd really meant what she thought he'd meant. She parked her car and went inside semi-confidently, knowing he wouldn't show up until the last possible second.
"Hey, Petra!" a chorus of voices echoed her name as she entered and she felt a sense of relief at the sound, she loved it here and Auruo was not going to ruin it for her.
"Hey, you guys," Petra greeted them happily, waving at the band since they were already getting ready on stage. Reiner waved back enthusiastically and jumped off the stage to make his way over to her with an odd look on his face. "Hi, Reiner, what's up?"
"Just getting ready to play for the night, but I wanted to ask you if you'd like to go to Hanji and Moblit's barbeque with me on Wednesday?"
Petra didn't know what she had expected him to say but she wasn't really ready with a reply! She hesitated for a moment and seriously considered it...Reiner was a very handsome man with shoulders that wouldn't quit and beautiful blue eyes...and she was one hundred percent available so...hell, why not?
"You know what? Yeah, I'd love to." She gave the large blonde a smile and he looked like he'd just won a million dollars.
"I TOLD YOU SHE'D GO OUT WITH ME!" he hollered back towards the stage and Ymir rolled her eyes and flipped him off, but she grinned a little bit as the drummer made his way back over to rejoin the band.
What Petra was unaware of was that Auruo had made it work moments before and had heard Reiner's triumphant announcement, but when she turned around and saw him watching her with a very confused expression, she immediately regretted saying yes to Reiner.
What? Why? It's not like you owe him anything! He's not your boyfriend, you barely know the guy...you're a single woman who is free to roam as you want!
So why did it suddenly feel like such a terrible thing to do?
She didn't have time to mull over the situation because Gunther unlocked the front door right then and she had to rush to get back to her desk in time to greet the first customers. Luckily, Auruo's assigned tables were all the way in the back by the bar so she would only see him when she took a customer to his section, Marco was the waiter closest to the doors.
The band was playing away, the familiar tune of "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and several people in the crowd were singing the words along with the band, everything seemed fairly normal with the exception of one waiter...Auruo was off his game tonight, she noticed. He wasn't flowing around the tables as easily as he usually did, his tone was less openly friendly and more professional and curt, his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
Petra sighed heavily and realized she really needed to talk to him about the text message that hung heavy on both of their minds.
"Hey, Petra, what's up with you and Auruo tonight?" Marco's gentle voice cut into her thoughts and she turned her head quickly to look at him.
"What do you mean?" she asked, she knew her tone sounded evasive but she couldn't help it. How could she explain something she didn't fully understand herself? "I'm just fine. You're right though, Auruo look a bit flustered or something."
"So you've been watching him?" Gunther came up on her other side and she was trapped at her desk between two very nosey men.
"God, what is this, the Spanish Inquisition?" Petra squeaked, glaring at Gunther and hating that she was being teamed up on.
"I don't think Auruo is the only one who's flustered tonight," Marco pointed out, and Petra saw him give Gunther a wink, "Petra, you've been looking a little out of sorts too."
"I'm not out of sorts!"
"April at the diner told me Auruo was there with a new girl yesterday," Gunther informed her, "Date not go well?"
"It wasn't a date, you moron!" Petra's voice may have been inappropriately loud at that moment so she looked around to make sure no one was looking and then ducked her head down conspiratorially, "Look, he was texting me and we were both bored and he asked me to go get coffee with him, that's IT."
"Kind of like how Reiner is JUST taking you to the barbeque?" Marco teased.
"I am free to go wherever with whoever I so choose," Petra hissed, "I'm a free woman!"
Gunther looked at her strangely for a moment and then stood up straight, his eyes strayed across the room to where Auruo was talking to a young woman in his table section.
"So...you like Reiner?" he asked offhandedly.
"What? Well...I...he's handsome," Petra offered her lame reply and realized how shallow it must have sounded. No, to be honest, she wasn't interested in Reiner but the thought of showing up to the barbeque with a very handsome, very large man next to her was appealing.
"You go for the big burly type? Big, blond and beautiful?" Marco asked from where he was still leaning on her desk.
"I...no...not usually," Petra admitted, "Look, I don't know why this is any of your business, Marco! Don't you have customers to attend to?"
"Yes, I do," Marco admitted, sounding a little sad, "I can see you're not going to tell me what's really going on so...back to work for me."
He gave her a knowing smile before he returned to his tables and began fulfilling the needs of the guests. Petra realized she had her fists clenched under the hostess desk and she growled slightly before letting them loose, but then Gunther turned to her again and fixed her in a serious stare.
"Wh...what?!" she yelped, feeling very guilty for some reason because his dark eyes almost seemed to peer into her soul.
" Auruo told me..." Gunther started but he looked a bit unsure if he should say what was on his mind.
"Told you what?" Petra perked up, very interested in what he had to tell her.
"Did he send you a text last night pretty late?" Gunther was squinting slightly, trying to judge her reactions.
"Maybe..." Petra eyed the bouncer warily, wondering just what he knew that she didn't.
"Ah, so he worked up the nerve to send it?" Gunther looked far too pleased, "And what did you say?"
Petra blushed brightly and looked down at her desk in shame.
"I...didn't say anything," she sighed.
Gunther let out a very indignant sound that made her look up again, he was staring at her in disbelief.
"You never said ANYTHING back?" he asked, sounding utterly shocked, "You've just left him hanging this whole time? Don't you think that's...kind of cruel?"
Petra groaned and buried her head on her crossed arms.
"I'm not trying to be cruel...I just didn't know what to say!"
Gunther patted her on the shoulder and sighed.
"You don't like him?" he asked, sounding a bit sad about the whole deal, "Shit, I should have told him to wait a bit longer before he sent you that text...he asked me if he should last night."
Petra was starting to feel even worse about the whole thing the longer Gunther talked. She felt like a total bitch for leaving Auruo hanging now.
"Ugh, Gunther, I don't dislike him," she tried to reason through her own jumbled thoughts, "I just don't know if I like him back yet or not! I enjoy his company and he's funny and I don't think he's a jerk anymore...but I haven't even known him a week yet!"
"Yeah, it's a bit quick," Gunther agreed, "But I don't know, sometimes a few days is all it takes to know you want to get to know someone better."
"I do want to know him better!" Petra defended herself.
"I think that's all he's asking for right now, don't you?" Gunther nudged her in the shoulder because a guest was at the door, "Maybe you should just tell him that, it's better than nothing!"
"You're right, Gunther, I just panicked a little, I guess," she agreed and stood to go greet the newcomer, "I'll work it out, don't worry."
Unfortunately, this particular guest was a fan of Auruo and asked to be seated in his section so Petra found herself facing him a lot sooner than she planned.
"Auruo," the guest greeted the waiter with friendly familiarity, "How are you, darling?"
The way the woman said the word was more like "Dahling" and it made Petra feel a flash of dislike for the woman in her expensive furs and sequined gold dress. There was no denying this woman was beautiful with her tall, slim figure and her ruby red lips, her golden blonde hair pulled into a tight, perfect bun at the base of her skull. Auruo seemed to know her well because he took her hand in his and bent low to press a kiss to her knuckles, his hazel eyes locked with hers the entire time.
"Mrs. Ludlow, it's been a while since you graced us with your presence here at the Wall," he said, gallantly.
"Oh, yes, darling, I've been so busy lately," Mrs. Ludlow dramatically put her hand to her brow to wipe away pretend sweat, although Petra doubted a woman of her social standing ever worked hard enough to sweat, "I've been running to so many events and important social meetings, it really is exhausting, you know? No, I suppose someone of your caliber would not."
Petra felt a cold chill go up her spine at those words and her fists clenched in rage at her sides and she glared angrily at the back of the woman's head. How dare she say such a thing to Auruo, who was quite possibly the most hardworking and good-hearted man Petra had ever had the fortune to meet...this woman was suddenly less than dirt in her eyes.
But Auruo was giving Petra a look that clearly ordered her to hold her tongue and not get involved, he nodded his head slightly in the direction of the front doors and Petra took it to mean he wanted her to get back to the hostess desk and leave this to him. Petra gave the woman's back one last death glare before turning on her heels with a huff and heading back to her work zone. She heard Auruo begin talking again, his voice light and friendly to that horrible snob of a woman...and she hated that he had so much control over his emotions; she suddenly felt immature and easily offended because of her anger.
It wasn't too much later that Auruo's name began to rippled among the crowd and grew into a demanding rumble and he made his way up on stage, but Petra noticed he lacked his usual flair and showmanship, this time he simply stepped up and spoke to the band about the song before taking the mic stand in one hand. The music began and Petra recognized the tune immediately...it was an old Frank Sintra song: Strangers in the Night.
Oh, goodness...the significance of the song was not lost on Petra and she wondered if he'd chosen it on purpose. A song about people meeting and falling in love in the course of a short time...and the look he gave her as the song ended, a question obvious in his eyes, confirmed to her that it was no accident he chose that song.
"Interesting song choice."
"Damn it, Gunther, I said I'll handle it!" Petra almost screamed this at him but she managed to keep it down to a threatening growl and Gunther put his hands up in a peaceful gesture and backed away with a grin.
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As the evening wore down and the band started playing their farewell for the night song, Silk. It had been an uneventful night full of well behaved patrons so Annie and Gunther had it easy, the flow of customers hadn't been crazy like some nights and it seemed like mostly regular club attendees had come and stayed most the night with little turnover.
And now, as the last customer was making their way out the door, Petra began to work out in her head what she wanted to say to Auruo when they spoke. She watched as he began cleaning his tables and she steeled herself and walked over to him.
"Want some help?" she asked and he actually jerked in surprise despite how quietly she had spoken, but he recovered his composure quickly and nodded.
"Sure," he mumbled, "You can round up the candles if you want, there's a basket in the back of the kitchen where we throw the used ones."
Petra nodded in understanding and went around the area blowing out the still lit candles and gathered them up in her arms to take into the back. Kicking the door open proved to be a mistake because it collided with Jean's face rather loudly.
"Oh, Jean, I'm so sorry!" Petra blushed brightly and apologized profusely as the young chef leaned against the wall and held his now tender nose.
"It's o'tay," Jean's voice was funny sounding as he squeezed his nostrils together to staunch the flow of blood that was dripping out of them. Petra ran and dropped the candles in the basket and then grabbed a towel to hand to him, which he accepted gratefully. "Damn, next time maybe just sort of back into the door if your hands are full, yeah?"
"I will, I promise," Petra said quickly, nodding like an idiot.
And, unfortunately, that happened to be the time Auruo decided to enter the kitchen. He took a quick look at the situation and started to laugh at Jean's misfortune and Petra's embarrassed expression.
"Oh my god, Petra, don't take it out on poor Jean," he said with a wink.
"Jeez, Bossard, control your woman," Jean groaned as he removed the towel to examine the amount of blood loss.
"WHAT!?" Petra shrieked loudly at the brazen young man's words.
Auruo was giving Jean a death glare and he grabbed the youth by the shoulders and almost literally kicked him out of the kitchen through the swinging door, then he turned to Petra and she saw that he was blushing all the way to the tips of his ears.
"I...uh...really don't...I don't know what the hell he meant by that!" he defended himself quickly because Petra's look was absolutely seething, "I swear to god, I didn't say ANYTHING!"
Petra rolled her eyes, but she understood...
"It was Gunther and Marco, most likely," she said, crossing her arms, "They were both all up in my business about that text of yours last night. My money is on Gunther."
Auruo looked at her in silence for a moment and then ran his hand nervously through his shaggy hair, messing it up in an adorable way that made Petra want to giggle, but she maintained her silent and aloof air.
"Yeah...about that..." Auruo began slowly, "I...I'm sorry I sent you that."
"You are?" Petra's arms fell to her side and she looked at him unhappily. She hadn;t expected him to take it back or deny anything...and she didn't like it that he had.
"I...well...no, no I'm not," Auruo sighed and his shoulders slumped forward in defeat, "I mean...I'm not sorry for saying it, I'm just sorry for not waiting a little longer, I guess. I didn't want to freak you out or anything but Gunther said I should just go for it. I understand completely if you don't feel the same...I mean, if you don't want to hang out anymore..."
"Auruo, shut up for a second?" Petra had never seen him look so unsure and self-conscious before. He stopped speaking and clamped his mouth shut almost comically. "I'm really sorry I didn't answer your text last night, I just didn't know exactly how I felt about it. But...I've been thinking about it and...I want to get to know you better. I really, really do. I've enjoyed our talks and our coffee trips and hanging out after work, so why shouldn't we continue that? If you still like me in a few weeks once we know eachother better, feel free to ask me out on a real date."
Auruo stood in stunned silence, his eyes a little bit widened in surprise and the corners of his mouth slowly curving into a delighted smile.
"You've known Reiner only as long as me and you told him you'd go on a date with him," he complained, almost a little bit whiney.
"Because he's only taking me to the barbeque at Hanji's," Petra informed him, "You'll be working anyway, and it's not a real date. When...sorry, if...if you ask me on a date then I have a feeling that would feel more like the real thing. I'm not interested in Reiner, we're just going to hang out."
"So...you're not interested in Reiner...but you're interested in me?" Auruo looked like he couldn't believe it, "I mean...Reiner is..."
"Big, burly and handsome?" Petra offered.
"Uh...yeah," Auruo looked a bit insulted, "And I'm, obviously, not..."
"Auruo..."
But at that moment, the kitchen door swung open and Jean returned to throw his bloody towel in the garbage. He stopped in his tracks and looked between the two of them and then nodded in understanding.
"Sorry to intrude," he muttered and threw the towel away before heading back out the door. But the moment was broken and Petra watched unhappily as Auruo followed Jean out to the front and left her standing by Levi's office door. There was nothing more for her to do but return to the front as well.
By that time, most everyone was heading out and Eld was wiping down the bar and putting glasses in the rack to be washed the next evening.
"Hey, Eld, need any help?" Petra offered, not wanting to go home yet.
"Naw, Petra, I've got it handled," Eld responded with a grin, "You two go on ahead and get home."
Petra noticed then that the only people left in the place were Eld, herself, Levi and Auruo...Levi was heading for his office so she knew who Eld was referring to.
"Well, goodnight, Eld," Auruo called out and headed for the backdoor without waiting for Petra at all so she ran to catch up to him and followed him out to the parking lot. "See you tomorrow night, Petra. Have fun at the barbeque, I mean it...give Reiner a chance, yeah?"
He turned and headed for the sidewalk before Petra could respond and she knew better than to ask if he wanted a ride tonight...he obviously needed a little space to think and so did she, to be honest. She unlocked her car and slid into the driver's seat, searching her song list for music to drive home by and settled on the complete opposite of the night's smooth jazz: Dubstep.
The mesmerizing wub-wub noises and the electronic, repetitive rhythm put her into a comfortable trance as she drove uptown to her apartment, it was good music to think by.
By the time she reached home, her mind was full to the brim with every pro and con she could think of relating to Auruo Bossard...and, so far, the pros were far outweighing the cons. He was funny. He was a hard worker. He loved his family. He was honest. He was enjoyable to spend time with. He was handsome. Yes, he was...but not in the way Reiner was, in all his large, blonde, perfect bone structured glory...no, Auruo was handsome in his own unique way. The way his smile effected his entire face all the way to his eyes and the way they seemed to blaze with emotion, the way his brow furrowed when he was confused, the already forming lines on his face that made him look older than she knew he was, his shaggy, wild, ash-colored hair,...yes, Auruo was handsome. It was an odd revelation.
"Hey, Marty, I need some serious cuddles tonight," Petra sighed as she shut her apartment door behind her and hung up her keys. Marty meowed as if she understood and Petra headed for her bedroom immediately to change out of her work uniform and into her pajama pants. She realized once again that she'd forgotten to return Auruo's cravat to him as she took off her tie, it was still lying spread out where she'd left it the previous week.
After changing, Petra picked up Marty and headed for the familiar comfort of her bed, collapsing among the pillows and holding the furry. black creature on her chest. Marty's loud purr filled her ears and drowned out all other sounds from the house. Except for one.
Bee Doop!
Petra sat up to grab her phone and Marty jumped off her chest with an indignant mew, leaving the room with her tail held high in dismay.
1:24 AM: Get home safe?
Petra smiled. She'd left him hanging yet again after their discussion in the kitchen, but here he was still concerned about her safety. She texted back immediately.
1:24 AM: I did indeed! How about you?
1:25 AM: Of course. Even though I had to go all that way by myself because someone didn't offer me a ride home tonight.
1:27 AM: I'm sorry...I was going to offer you one but I thought maybe you wanted some time alone.
1:29 AM: I was alone all day :(
1:30 AM: Oh geez, Auruo, are you trying to make me feel guilty?
1:31 AM: Is it working?
1:32 AM: Yes.
1:33 AM: You could make it up to me.
Petra eyed the latest message with a distrusting squint for a moment before typing her reply.
1:36 AM: How, exactly, could I do that?
1:37 AM: Go on a date with me?
1:38 AM: Auruo, we talked about this...
1:40 AM: I know...but I'm going to keep asking you until you give me a chance.
Petra smiled gently at her phone and shook her head slightly. He was determined, she'd give him that much.
1:41 AM: Ok. Now, get some sleep because you've got to be up in a few hours for work.
1:42 AM: I work at 8 tomorrow, not 6. So I get a couple more hours tonight.
1:43 AM: Well, then take advantage of those extra hours. Goodnight, Auruo. I'll see you tomorrow at work.
1:44 AM: Fine, nag, I will. And I look forward to it.
1:45 AM: G'night.
1:45 AM: Night.
Petra wouldn't tell him to his face yet...but she was looking forward to seeing him at work as well.
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Soon and very soon these two are gonna realize they can't fight it. They belong together and WE all know it and so does Gunther!
