Chapter 9 – Exploring the Town Part 2
When Trowa said he knew how to drive stick, I just assumed that he was comfortable with that type of transmission. I was not expecting him to be someone who seemed born driving a manual. Duo's the only other one I have met who is this comfortable in a vehicle. Which, is saying a hell of a lot, since all my friends know how to handle a motor vehicle as well as most professional drivers.
As we pull out of the parking lot, I direct him to swing past the lot where we had last seen Heero's SUV. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I really wanted to know if they had actually managed to make it out of the parking lot before they jumped each other. When we pass by I start laughing helplessly. Trowa looks past me and see Heero's SUV, break lights on, Heero in the driver's seat, leaning towards the passenger's seat. We can't see his face, but there is little doubt in my mind that he's doing something with Duo.
We get moving again, leaving Heero and Duo to their private time in the public parking lot so we can get food for our rumbling stomachs. I direct Trowa to the breakfast shop and, as we pull into the parking lot, I am relieved to see that the new students haven't found out about it yet, seeing as the parking lot is relatively empty. We get out of the car, walk into the restaurant and get a table. The waiter takes our drink order and lets us pour over the menu until he returns.
The waiter puts a carafe of coffee and a carafe of orange juice on the table and I smile happily as I decide which liquid I want more at the moment. Trowa and I put in our breakfast orders with the waiter. I get the black bean chili omelet, a short stack with strawberries and whipped cream and side of home fries. Allah, I look like a pig, but Chinese is only so filling, and I really haven't eaten all that much in the last two days. Thankfully, Trowa orders something just as insane, settling for a ham and cheese omelet, a side of French toast and hash browns.
We talk a bit about his time in the circus fraternity. He used to do a lot of floor gymnastics routines as well as some trapeze and high wire acts. I find it all fascinating and realize that his graceful movements come from his acrobatic background. My thoughts briefly flit back to the night where I offered him a clove after he traversed several balconies to reach mine.
Shit, the cloves. They have got to be disgusting having sat out in August heat and humidity for over a day. I tell Trowa that while we're out I want to stop at the smoke shop to refresh my stash, and he asks that at some point we stop at a crafts store so he can pick up some supplies. He remained vague about what sort of supplies he actually wants, but it would give me a chance to pick up some yarn. Hopefully, if I get it ahead of time, one of my sisters will be kind enough to make baby blankets for the newly born Khushrenada twins.
When the food arrives, we stop talking and practically inhale our meal. I knew I was hungry, but with the first bite of omelet I couldn't think of anything past consuming everything on my plate.
It isn't until I've finished my omelet and pancakes that I actually look at my dining companion. We give each other sheepish smiles, noticing that we both only have potatoes left. "We were hungry." He states and snatches the ketchup before I can. I wrinkle my nose at him in a silent growl, and he laughs out loud and hands me the bottle after dousing his own potatoes. I pour some out over my home fries and finish them up.
I lean back and sip my coffee, feeling almost too full, but it was so good I don't care. Eventually, the waiter brings the check, and I ask Trowa if he is ready to go. With a nod to me, we leave our table, and I pay up at the front. "So we'll go hit up the crafts store. Anything else on your list?" I ask as we walk to the car.
"Probably the supermarket. I don't have any real food and I'm not keen on cafeteria food being my only option."
The comment causes me to laugh. "It actually isn't bad. Especially since crown prince and princess of Sanc are at the school. It wouldn't be smart to prepare less than spectacular food for the children of the man who helps to pay the staffs' very nice salaries. I'm sure though if those two left the quality of the food would diminish a bit."
"Ah, good reason to keep the food decent." He chuckles quietly and we get into the car. "So how do we get to where we need to go?"
"Pull out of the parking lot and turn left." I grin at him. "Then go straight through the traffic light." He nods. "So you don't need any home goods or other things of that nature?"
Trowa shakes his head, his light brown hair swishing over his face, in that way you want to reach over and gently brush the hair back. Bad Quatre! Control is the name of the game. "I should be ok. I have all the furniture type things I need. Got them all my freshmen year. Granted, the apartment is a lot bigger than a dorm, but I really don't need all that much."
"You have a couch?" I ask, wondering how he had gotten all this furniture from the States to Sanc.
"Actually, it is a futon. The dorm beds were horrible, so I had my bed lofted and stuck the futon underneath it.
"So you brought everything with you from America?"
He chuckles. "Yeah. Everything I own, including my car, got loaded into a sea container and shipped here. I put some of the stuff I'd want sooner rather than later into my car, and everything else went into boxes. When the container got here, they helped me move the big stuff into the apartment and the little bit that is left is in storage." I want to ask why he moved everything he owned to Sanc if he was just going to have to move it back to America when he finished school, but for some reason, I get the feeling that he has no wish to return. Maybe it has something to do with his parents, but that really isn't a conversation to be having right now.
"That works. Turn here." I point to the right. "And follow the parking lot around. You'll see the sign for the smoke shop on the left. The crafts store and the supermarket are in the next mall over." Trowa pulls into the oddly shaped strip mall, as it looks more like a half circle than a strip, and parks in a space not too far away from the quaint little shop.
We don't take long there. I grab two packs of cloves, and he grabs some exotic fruit flavor cigarillos and we pay. Despite the fact that the shop is small; the stock is quite diverse and the help friendly and knowledgeable. If I was alone, I would probably have stayed for a while and chatted about cigars and such. Cigar aficionados never cease to amuse me, and I find it fun to banter back and forth with them about something I'm not all that versed in. They humor me and teach me things at the same time. It is not unusual for me to leave the shop with a smile plastered to my face, but since I'm with Trowa, we say friendly farewells and leave.
We get back into the car and head to the other mall. As Trowa pulls into a space, my brow wrinkles as I see Duo's car parked a few spaces down from us.
Trowa glances at me and his brow furls in response to seeing mine doing the same. "What?"
"Duo's car is over there." I say pointing to the Mazda as we get out.
"So?" Trowa looks confused. That was a good question. Why was I worried? Might have something to do with I'm not ready to be picked on because I might actually be dating someone. "You afraid of what Duo is going to say if he sees us acting like a couple?" He asks after a moment of watching me fidget.
"No. Not afraid." He gives me a piercing gaze, and I fidget some more, still trying to figure out why I was even having issues with the possibility of running into my best friend.
Then he smiles and grabs my hand, effectively shaking me from my mental argument. "Then stop worrying and let's go shopping. He might not even be in there. He could be in one of the other shops here." Okay, that is a valid point, and I stop worrying and interlace my fingers with his. Emerald eyes beam at me and a feeling of elation washes through my body. I pray this whole thing with Trowa doesn't backfire on me.
"So yarn for me. What are we getting you?"
"I'd like to pick up a nice sketch book and some pencils. Then maybe roam around a little and see what else they have."
"Sounds like a plan." I give his hand a squeeze, and he lifts my knuckles to his lips and kisses them. As he pulls away, he playfully nips at wrist and I flush bright red. Without thinking, I grab the front of his shirt and pull him into a kiss. Fuck it. I missed kissing so much, so now I have to make up for lost time.
I'm not sure how long we stood in the parking lot swapping saliva – that is kind of crude isn't it? – but when we part we are breathless and flushed. "Come on, let's go shopping before we end up molesting each other in the parking lot." Trowa chuckles and takes a step back.
A stupid, happy, content grin plants itself on my face, and I let Trowa drag me into the crafts store. We both grab a hand basket while continuing to hold hands. There are some large grins on a group of girls we pass as we enter the store. Whether it is the idea of a gay couple openly showing that they're together, the fact that we're pretty boys or both, I don't even want to know. Trowa snickers, leans over and kisses my neck. The simple action causes a delightful shiver to run down my back while a soft breath escapes. The girls titter and skirt off before either one of us decides to make a comment.
"You didn't have to do that." There is mock reprimand in my voice.
Trowa practically snorts and I glare at him. "No, you're right, I didn't." He leans over so that his lips are brushing against my ear and I feel his breath on my neck. "But your reaction is just so wonderful." As he talks, another shiver travels down my spine and a soft, almost silent, moan escapes my lips. "I think I will enjoy seeing how other parts of you react to something that simple." He plants another kiss on my neck and stands up straight.
The flush I can't seem to be rid of for any length of time resurfaces and all words fail me. A shop clerk stands off to our right looking at us sternly. Kind of like: Please don't make out in the store, but if you really have to, don't make out right by the entrance. With a soft tug, I pull Trowa with me towards the back of the store, stopping in the art supply aisle.
My green-eyed beauty puts his basket down and squats in front of the lower shelves full of drawing journals of all different sizes and paper qualities. I feel a gentle brush against my ankle and look down to see Trowa's fingers gently teasing my skin. Allah, when the hell did I lose control of this situation? It is such a simple gesture, but I start to feel warm all over and I know I have to get him to stop before I embarrass myself in the middle of the store.
"Um, Trowa?" My voice sounds weak at best.
"Hum?" Green eyes look up at me as his fingers still brush against my skin.
"You have to stop that." He looks a bit disheartened. "Not because I don't like it. In fact, it is because I like that you have to stop." His fingers disappear for a moment under the hem of my pants, and he draws a light circle on my calf and the warm feeling in my body surges a bit stronger than before.
"Okay." Trowa smiles and stands up with a small and large cloth bound drawing journal. His eyes quickly dart over the pencil selection and grabs a package of regular and colored sketching pencils "Yarn?"
I nod and we clasp hands again and venture to the back of the store where the yarn is kept. As we near the back, I stop and stare at the exit/entrance to the customer bathrooms and see Heero and Duo walking out into the main part of the store. Allah, I don't even want to know. Heero's carrying a basket with some things in it. Mostly yarn, but I can see some other things. Who knows what they are. For all I know, they are having nude arts and crafts time later. Heero's other hand seems to groping Duo who is wearing a pair of cut off jean shorts that should be banned from public wear.
Trowa looks at me with a raised brow and all I can do is shrug back. A soft yelp from Duo turns my attention back to my friends who have somehow managed to put rabbits to shame. Duo's head is thrown back, and his arms are around the Japanese man's neck to help maintain his balance. Heero is biting his boyfriend's collar bone while his free hand roams freely across his back side. I clear my throat as the same attendant who glared at me and Trowa in the front, glares at us again and casts a nasty look to my friends initiating foreplay in the back of the store.
"Hey Q-Man." Duo grins and bounces towards me, my hand still locked with Trowa's. "Whatcha doing here?" He turns his back partially to Trowa and winks at me, which lets me know that he's not so distracted by Heero that he didn't notice that Trowa and I are holding hands.
"You know Duo. The staff doesn't appreciate you making out in their store."
Duo leans closer. "All things considering we are as well behaved as possible." He whispers and backs up a hop and grins at Trowa. "So ya didn't answer my question Q." Duo pries and Heero walks up quietly behind his boyfriend slipping an arm around the tattooed man's lithe waist.
"I needed new journals and pencils." Trowa offers Duo a look into his basket.
"And I need to get yarn." Heero raises and dark brow. "I'm going to try to enlist one of my sisters to make baby blankets for Treize and Lady. So I figured I would have more of a chance if I already had the materials when I went to beg."
"I was thinking of making something for them too." Heero says quietly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"You're such a woman Hee-chan." Duo says teasingly, which earns him an icy glare.
"That's not what you were saying earlier you fag." Heero snaps back quietly.
"Uh-huh. You crochet and you cook better than most women I know." Duo replies, not missing a beat.
Heero looks amused. "That's not saying much love, since all the women you know refuse to be the 'little woman in kitchen'. I'm pretty sure that Noin could out-cook me any day. She just doesn't because she doesn't have free reign of Zechs' kitchen anymore." Heero presses a kiss to his boyfriend's lips, effectively shutting him up.
Heero's kinda cute when he does things that don't quite fit with the persona he shows to everyone else. His actions are usually a little awkward, but almost always well meaning. I know Duo did that to him. I was able to see beneath Heero's prickly exterior, but Duo was the one that cracked it and found a warm and loving teddy bear. I always find it amusing when that side pops up, now being one of those occasions.
Duo slinks up to Heero and slips a hand into the back pocket of his boyfriend's more appropriate jean shorts. Heero doesn't seem to take notice of Duo wiggling next to him and absently begins to fondle one of the skeins of yarn in his basket and I move to take it out of the basket to look at it, but he stops me. "Ah." Heero's eyes go wide, and he quickly takes a step back and after angling the basket a little he hands me one of the skeins. "Here."
I take the soft skein from him, curious as to what the cause for the panic was and look it over. It is a dual colored thread; a royal purple mixed with a cobalt blue. "You really are something Heero." I hand the skein to Trowa to look at.
Duo grins. "He's such a romantic, he just doesn't know it." Heero growls softly and Duo kisses him gently on the cheek, whispering something softly into the Japanese man's ear before pulling away. "So wadya think Trowa?"
As I turn my head to look at Trowa, I see him twining the yarn around his long fingers. "I think the yarn happens to be in the same color family as both of your eyes."
"Rather astute I must say." I glance at Heero, who seems to be semi uncomfortable and ready to drag Duo out of the store by his braid.
"There has got to be some blue/green yarn around." Heero lights up at Trowa's suggestion. "Sort of like a theme." Nice save by my not yet boyfriend.
"I think that is a good idea." Duo chimes. "But Heero and me have got to get going. Lots of things to do today." He says a bit overly animated, almost like he's up to something.
"Ok." I say uneasily and Heero gives his boyfriend an odd look.
"Well we do." The man with the braid replies with a wry grin.
"Hn," is Heero's only response as he lets Duo drag him away.
"Later Q-Man. Later Trowa." Duo says loudly over his shoulder as they walk towards the registers.
I sigh and shake my head, Trowa looks at me, his eyes asking to be told what is going on in my mind. "They go from being prim and proper in public to being obscene. I don't get it. A day ago Duo was telling Heero that they were breaking up, and now they are groping each other in the arts and crafts store." I say a bit quieter.
"It looked like Duo was doing most of the groping. Heero looked a little uncomfortable toward the end there." Trowa grins, laughter in his green eyes, which melted away when he realized I had grown quiet. "Hey." He tilts my chin up and places a comforting kiss on my lips. "You ok?"
"Yeah." I mumble. "We can talk in the car." I'm not so sure why I am suddenly so melancholy. Needless to say, it worries me a little, but I think talking it out will help. I was ok, more than ok, until I saw Heero and Duo being so cute and lovely.
"You're thinking too much." Trowa whispers to me.
I look at him confused. "How do you know?"
"Because you got quiet and there was a distant look in your eyes. I could, of course, be wrong." He wraps an arm around my waist, and I push my depression away for a bit longer. With a little bit of force, a smile teases at my lips.
He chuckles and gives me another kiss. "We can come back and shop for yarn."
With a nod I agree. "We should still go to the grocery store and then get back to the apartments so we can get you settled in."
"That works for me." Trowa says with a small nod and gently takes my hand.
We go up to the front and Trowa pays for his things and then we head across the parking lot to get some groceries. It is a quick run, and he just gets a hand basket worth of supplies. I ask him if that's all he needs, and he assures me it is all he needs right now. It might be because I am feeling self-destructive, but for some reason it seems like he's just being nice and putting up with my change in mood.
Remaining pleasant company is proving to be difficult, and I don't want him to think that I don't like him. Fuck, I should be happy. Elated that someone has come along that seems to want me for me, not for my name or my fortune. But I'm not, and it frustrates me to the point where tears threaten.
As we drive back to the apartments, I get even quieter and the only sounds that can be heard are those of the air conditioning and the soft hum of the engine. Trowa keeps glancing my way with a worried expression on his face. I draw my legs up to my chest in the passenger's seat and hold them close. So it isn't exactly a very safe position to be in while the car is moving, but at least I am wearing my seat belt. That's something, isn't it?
Trowa finally pulls into my parking space at the apartments, shifts to reverse, turns off the car and looks at me. "Quatre?" His voice is gentle, but laden with worry. "Are you ok?"
I nod weakly, still clutching my legs to my chest.
"Did I do something wrong?" Oh shit, I didn't think he would think that my mood was a result of something he did.
"Oh, no." The answer comes out in a rush as I look at him.
He scrutinizes me for a moment and finally nods. "Come on, I'll take you upstairs. You look like you need to rest."
"I should help you un-pack." I whisper.
"It's ok. I really don't have a whole lot to unpack, just biggish stuff, and I don't need any of it right now. So come on." Trowa pulls the keys out of the ignition, gets out of the car, gently closes his door and walks around the back to open mine. I turn my head to look at him, and he reaches out to gently brush my hand trying to coax me into letting go of my legs. With a long sigh, I do and undo my seat belt, letting myself more or less, slide from the car.
Trowa catches my hand and helps me to stand up straight. He's so gentle. Why aren't I smiling? Why aren't I kissing him silly? Why am I not happy? One of his strong arms wraps around my waist and he guides me out of the way of the door, closes it, set the alarm and starts working his way to the stairs. "You ok with the stairs?"
I nod weakly again knowing that it will be a hassle trying to get myself up the stairs, but it was closer than going to the elevator and I don't want to be any more of a problem for Trowa than I've already been.
The beautiful man next to me keeps his arms around my waist as we ascend the stairs, and he doesn't let go as we stand in front of my apartment door. "I need the keys Quatre." I nod again and fish the house keys out of my jeans pocket and hand them to him, wishing I could say something. Anything at all, but the words just don't come. Like talking takes too much energy right now.
Trowa opens the door walks me in. "You want any help? With anything?"
I shake my head. "No, thanks though." I wrap my arms around him tightly. "Please don't think you did anything wrong. I'm sorry." Tears begin to sting my eyes, and I nuzzle my face into his shirt in attempts to hide the fact that I am about to start crying.
His arms wrap around me just as tightly. "Do you want me to stay?"
"Not right now. I think I'm just going to curl up in bed." I tell him quietly.
"Ok, but promise me if you need anything call me or come and knock on my door." I nod and he pulls away from me slightly, his arms not leaving my waist.
"I don't want to be a burden." The tears sting a bit stronger, but they aren't flowing yet.
He leans down slightly and kisses me. "You're not. So promise me."
"Ok. I promise."
He kisses me again. "Alright. I'll come by later tonight and check on you."
"I'll probably be asleep, so don't get worried if I don't answer." I know I'm not going to do something stupid, but I know I'll probably be crashing soon despite the fact that it is only around two in the afternoon.
Trowa bestows another kiss that lingers a bit longer, and I return the kiss to show that I do appreciate it, but the energy really isn't there to put the passion into it. With a tight squeeze, we finally separate. His green eyes linger on me for a moment, and then he smiles and leaves my apartment, closing the door softly behind him.
I stand in front of the door for a minute or so then finally lock the dead bolt. Slowly, I make my way to my room, shedding my clothes haphazardly as I go. Before entering my room, I drop the temp on the AC down a few notches so that snuggling in my bed is that much more comfortable. Upon entering my room, I shed boxers and replace them with a pair of pajama bottoms then crawl into bed, pull the covers up and curl into a tight ball. I start to cry, but for the life of me I can't figure out why, everything is wonderful. Finally, I fall into a fitful, miserable sleep.