I wake up the next morning to dishes being moved around as Egbert is making himself breakfast. He is never quiet when he gets ready in the morning and he always gets up way too damn early. I might be a lazy son of a bastard, but at least I know it and I make sure to only schedule classes in the afternoon so that I can get my beauty sleep. Usually I don't get out bed; I just turn over and snuggle back in. It's really tempting this morning, but then I remember last night. My feet hit the floor and I slip a clean shirt on. My sleep pants will be fine because I am planning on coming back to bed after seeing the derp off.
I find him standing at the sink with his back to me. Sounds like he's munching away at a bowl of cereal. As much as I'd love to go up behind him and hug him and kiss him on the neck in a nice sleepy good morning greeting, but I'm not sure if he's ready for that. Instead I open the refrigerator and pull out a chilled apple juice.
"Dave! What are you doing up?"
"Apple juice." Okay, I might be vertical and moving around, but that doesn't mean that my brain is fully functional yet. Short bursts of speech are all that I can manage. I crack open the seal and take a big gulp of cool deliciousness.
"I can see that. But I'm still shocked to see you up before noon. Is everything okay?" He's set the breakfast bowl down and comes over to me. I just softly grin at him and wrap a casual arm around his neck. I give him just enough of a pause to escape but he doesn't move away. I pull him in close and kiss him lightly on the lips. At the contact he leans towards me, pushing until my back is up against the refrigerator door. His hands are on my hips and I bring my other arm up over his shoulder as well, dangling the juice bottle behind him. He tastes like Lucky Charms and milk and John. Despite the movement to a solid vertical surface we keep the pace of the kiss slow and languid.
We finally part. "Good mornin', babe."
"Good morning, Dave. What a way to wake up, huh?"
"I'm not wakin' up. Kiddin' me? Not even noon. Just wanted some juice."
"You are going back to bed as soon as I leave, aren't you?"
"Duh."
"Was it really for the apple juice?"
Instead of answering like a sap, I kiss him again. Like a sap.
"Have fun with your fuck ton of classes. Seven sharp." I push him off of me and stumble back towards my room.
"Yessir!" I glance over at my shoulder and yep, he's doing a salute at me with a wide goofy grin on his face. Fuck, I love this kid.
Five minutes. I absolutely hate being the hero of Time some days. I can feel every minute drip down my spine, every second crawl along my skin, every microsecond itching in the back of my brain. I am parked a little ways down the street from the apartment building. I snuck out of the apartment just before the derp got out of class. I had some last minute errands to run before I picked him up. I'm pretty sure it might be overdoing it but unfortunately Egbert will absolutely enjoy every overdone cliche that I'm pulling out.
Four minutes. I glance over at the passenger seat. A single red rose was wrapped up blue tissue paper. Fuck, that's stupid. I should get rid of it. He isn't a girl. He won't want to be treated like one. But it's romantic. And he likes romance. And I am trying to romance him, right? Fuck.
Three minutes. I start the car. A good song is on. Good music calms me. See, I'm not tapping as hard on the wheel as before. I check the console for the tickets again. Yup still there. Like they have been since 5. What if he doesn't want to see this movie? Fuck! No, that's fixable. If he hates it, we can pick another one while we are there. There are a couple good options out. I think he'll enjoy this one the best though. I should have bought tickets to all of them to give him options. No, that's just stupid. Fuck!
Two minutes. I check my email on my phone. Yes the reservation was confirmed. I even called them on top of the automatic email response. And I made sure they don't serve anything with peanuts. I would go ahead and plug the address in, but I've already memorized several routes to get there. There are a thousand ways I can fuck this up but so far I am running good. Oh fuck I shouldn't have thought that. Now I am going to jinx this.
One minute. Why the fuck is my phone buzzing?
TT: Congrats bro.
TT: And I am not sorry.
TG: to quote the wise and honorable vantas
TG: fuck you
I turn off my phone.
T-minus thirty seconds: I pull out of the spot and zip down the road.
T-minus twenty seconds: I pull up to the apartment entrance.
T-minus fifteen seconds: I grab the rose and get out of the car.
T-minus ten seconds: I need to get rid of the rose, don't I? Fuck! Karkat would tell me to keep the rose, but would he be saying that as a relationship guru or as a fucking annoying kismesis?
T-minus five seconds: I keep the rose.
Seven o'clock. I am on the other side of the car, leaning casually against the door. Red high tops, black straight legged pants (that make my ass look good according to many witnesses), red button down shirt with the top buttons undone, black blazer with the disc cufflinks John got me last Christmas, and of course my shades. The rose is casually hanging from my fingers like is not in a death grip because I am not nervous in any way, shape, or form. I'm getting real cozy on those river banks, aren't I?
At ten seconds past seven, I have to remind myself that only Aradia would as in tune with time as I am. Egberts probably still tying his shoes up in the apartment or something.
At twenty-three seconds past, the doors open and my brain turns off.
I am greeted with blue. He keeps doing that, making my entire thought process a color. But it's a gorgeous color and I love that color because it's his color.
He's wearing a blue blazer jacket that I'm questioning what thrift store he managed to find that treasure in until I see the Breath symbol neatly embroidered on the lapel. So it must be a gift from the in-house fashionista. I'll have to give Kanaya some awkward flushed gesture in gratitude. Underneath that is a white button down, buttoned up close but without a tie. Flattering khakis cover his long legs and neatly cover the tops of some sensible brown dress shoes.
But the best part is that smile he's wearing. It reaches all the way up through those blue blue blue eyes tucked behind those dorky black frames he won't give up. His raven black hair looks like he might have actually attempted to take a comb to it, but it never helps. It's a perpetual mess of soft curls and cowlicks. I love it.
He pauses just in front of me and it takes my brain a second to figure out what to do next. I push off away from the car and stand up straight.
"Sup." With a flourish I present him the rose and his face lights up.
"Dave! You are such a dork."
"I know. Now shut up and take it." He complies. His grin is infectious and I can feel my lips twitching up in response. At least the shades stay in place, at least for now. As I turn to open the passenger door, I catch him bringing the flower to his face to stick his nose in it. And he calls me a dork.
We get into the car and I head out for the restaurant.
"So where are we going?"
"Out."
"Out where?"
"Out's a big place."
"Dave."
"Egbert."
"Where are we going for dinner?"
"Do you have to know?"
"I suppose not. But I want to!"
"Nope. Denied."
"Dave!"
"Just trust me okay? I doubt you even know the place but you'll enjoy it. Just sit back and let me do my thing."
"Bluh! Fine." He crosses his arms and tries to sulk. It is ruined by the care he takes to keep the rose safe. I always knew it was a good idea to keep it.
"So how were classes today?" That should keep him distracted enough until we get to the restaurant. He instantly perks up and tells me the happenings of his classes. Eventually the sun sets and I flick the shades up out of the way. This causes a pause in the endless stream of babble. I glanced over and catch Egbert staring at me.
"What?"
"You... you look really good tonight, Dave." Fuck, is that a blush I feel. Maybe the red evening light will hide it.
"Well, you clean up nice too, Egbert. I like the jacket."
"Thanks! Kanaya made it for me. She even put my sign on it!"
"Sweet. I should get her to do one for me."
"Ooh, you should get her to do it steampunk style!"
"Huh?"
"Well your symbol is a gear. And steampunk a bit anachronistic and you're a hero of time. And you already have slick styled jackets from your game suits. And I think you'd look good in it," he mumbled at the end. Well fuck, if I wasn't driving I'd be texting Maryam for that request right this instant.
"I'll look into it," I reply as I turn into a parking lot. This place is a little out of the way but worth it according to a bunch of friends in my classes and reviews online. It's a fish market seafood place that imports fish from an area that's geographically similar to Washington state. Their smoked salmon is supposed to be particularly good.
I find a fairly good parking spot. I'm really glad I got Dirk to finish teaching me actual flash stepping because I get to Egbert's door before he does and I open it for him. He half scowls, half grins up at my smirk before climbing out of the car. As soon as he is fully standing, I step in and push him against the car for a quick passionate kiss. His head eagerly tips up to mine. My natural coolkid slouch brings me down to the perfect height to kiss him comfortably. Once again I am struck by how right this feels.
I pull back slowly and he follows me for a half second before those true blue eyes open and I swear they glow.
"Come on, I have reservations." When did my voice get that husky. I watch Egbert as he swallows and composes himself until finally nodding.
We get inside and it's actually a pretty nice place for such a nondescript exterior. Everything is lit with blues and greens and there are cool fish tanks along the walls and as dividers throughout the room. We approach the maitre'd stand and I tell them we have a reservation.
"Name, sir?"
"Strider."
"Okay, right this way." The cute little hostess leads us across the room to a nice quiet corner. We sit and I enjoy Egbert looking around with that goofy grin on his face.
"Dave! Look at this place, Dave! It's so cool! I mean they have fish! On the walls! In the walls!" He leans over the table to whisper loudly at me. Like his deep voice doesn't carry at all. I humor him anyways and lean towards him as well.
"Where else would you put them? Now, which one do you want for dinner?"
His smile freezes and slowly dissolves into a look of horror. He sits back in his seat trying really hard to determine if I am joking or not. I simply smirk at him and open the menu in front of me. I've already planned out what I am going to order from the menu that they posted online but it gives me a good excuse to act casual.
"Dave... Dave please tell me that's not what actually happens. None of these fish are big enough. Haha ha ha... ha. Dave, help me out. Please tell me you are lying. Dave, Dave!"
"Jeez, Egbert. No, these fish are just for display. The real fish are imports from the ocean. Just open your menu and look. Do you see any catch-your-own deals? No, no you don't. But I've heard that the smoked salmon is the best thing here."
He manages to calm down but keeps an eye on anyone who gets too close to the nearby tanks. It's adorable. And it's so nice to be able to openly consider him adorable, cute, hot, sexy in my brain without instantly going on mental lockdown because he was off limits. He's not off limits now.
Our waitress comes by and we put in drink orders and I put in for an appetizer. Unfortunately we aren't old enough to legally drink yet otherwise I'd get us a bottle of wine to go with our fish. I'll bring Egbert back later I guess. (I hope.) I help Egbert decide on his meal, promising to share mine so he can taste it. He's excited about the cuisine because the dishes remind him of when Dad and he went to a place called Pike's Market before the game. Egbert is one of the few that can talk happily about life before the game. It's a combination of his natural optimism and idyllic childhood. I'm glad he brought Seattle up on his own because I wanted to give him a taste of home, but mentioning it myself would be uncool. Secretly I am grinning like a mad fool.