Chapter 9: Don't You Think That You Need Somebody?

Notes: This is set in November some time. I know the timing doesn't exactly work out, but go with it. Anyone who doesn't nitpick gets a cookie.

Saturday

The Bash Brothers appear at Luis' door carrying a plant. They heard that Averman was ill and have come to see him. They don't actually say it, but Luis believes they are also here to check he is ok and not thinking of killing himself. Luis is touched.

Averman sneezes four times in a row, and the Bashes refuse to sit on the bed with him for the next round of Plant Death Match due to his "lurgi". Luis says they can sit on his bed and he'll sit with Averman. Averman falls asleep three books into the game, his head on Luis' shoulder.

The Bash Brothers exchange significant looks.

Sunday

Luis goes to the cafeteria and smiles winningly at one of the cooks until she caves and makes chicken soup for Averman. He feels very proud of himself.

Averman falls asleep halfway through eating the soup.

Later that day, Luis tries the same trick and successfully obtains two bowls of Strawberry Swirl ice cream. Again, he is proud.

Across campus, Annie desperately tries to tell the object of her desire that she's gay. She fails and instead babbles on about cheerleading. She does not feel proud.

Monday

Averman wakes up for three whole minutes. He sneezes twice and Luis tells him to stay in bed while he fetches the nurse.

The nurse detains Luis for forty-seven minutes exactly (he knows because he kept an eye on the clock the whole time), asking him how he's feeling since his recent bereavement. Luis finally yells "My roommate is dying!" to get her attention.

She keeps him talking for a further nineteen minutes about the feelings that a death can cause, such as paranoia and the fear that other friends will die.

At 10:03 a.m. Luis finally manages to get the nurse to visit Averman – who is once more asleep. She decides it's flu, and then checks that Luis is aware that the flu is not fatal. Luis points out that it can be in certain circumstances. More talking ensues.

Luis finally goes to class at 11:17 a.m. He has a note from the nurse to excuse his absence.

In return for an agreement to go to counselling.

At 1:00 p.m. Luis charms the cook into giving him soup for Averman. As he carries it up the stairs it occurs to him that he hasn't thought about Mindy all day, despite the nurse's attempts to get him to open up. He wonders if this makes him a bad person.

By the end of the day, he decides that his isn't a bad person, but makes a mental note to discuss this with Averman when he's conscious. He stops at the cafeteria to get ice cream for Averman's throat.

Further down the hall, Charlie and Adam hit an all-time low, and begin to divide up the closet, drawers and desk with duct tape. Charlie storms out, Adam continues taping and accidentally rips a photo of Charlie and Terri to pieces with an errant bit of tape. He hides it and hopes Charlie won't notice.

Tuesday

Aisha corners Luis at his locker and asks if Annie's ok, she's been acting strangely recently. Luis has a fit of guilt and skips class to go find Annie. Annie claims to be fine.

Luis is caught lurking in the dorm hallway by Mr Stiles. He is given detention for that afternoon. He smugly points out that he cannot attend because he has an appointment with the school counsellor. Mr Stiles grudgingly lets him off. As Luis walks away, he ponders which may be the lesser of the evils, detention with Mr Stiles or talking to a stranger about his feelings.

At 3:00 p.m. the cook is ready and waiting with ice cream. She says they're out of Strawberry Swirl, but have Raspberry Ripple instead. Luis wonders idly if he's becoming predictable.

At 4:00 p.m. he turns up promptly to Mr just-call-me-Bill Robson's counselling session. Just-call-me-Bill asks several questions about school and his grades as a gentle warm-up. Luis notes that just-call-me-Bill uses Luis's name at both the beginning and end of each sentence. He also notes that just-call-me-Bill is wearing purple Converse sneakers with a brown suit. A supposed attempt at cool. He dimly remembers reading a Stephen King book with a tries-too-hard counsellor in it and can't remember which book it was. He makes a mental note to ask Averman (should he be awake at any point that day) which book it was. Just-call-me-Bill casually says "Luis, you don't want to be here, do you, Luis?" Luis vehemently agrees. Just-call-me-Bill replies "Well, there's the door," and make a nonchalant gesture. Luis thankfully walks out, leaving just-call-me-Bill wondering what the hell just happened.

Luis returns, wakes Averman up and asks about the book. Averman swears fluently, sneezes, coughs and falls asleep again.

Adam returns to find all of his possessions duct taped to the ceiling. He tentatively asks Charlie, "I take it you found the photo?"

Wednesday

Adam accuses Charlie of being a "megalomaniacal bastard". Charlie responds that this is typical of Adam "using snooty words that nobody understands to be insulting". Adam retaliates, implying that Charlie is stupid. Violence ensues.

Adam turns up at the Shoebox, asking if he can stay for the night, since he and Charlie will kill each other if they have to stay in the same room much longer. Luis enquires why Adam can't stay in another room – any other room in the entire building would be (a) bigger; and (b) free of the flu virus. Adam tells him that nobody else wants to get involved. Averman wakes up long enough to observe that "Charlie is staying all alone in the biggest room on campus and the three of us are stuck in the Shoebox."

Adam is not happy to be sleeping on the floor. He asks why Luis and Averman do not share a bed, but gets no reply.

Thursday

At 2:14 a.m. Averman wakes Adam and Luis up to inform them that he feels better. He then tells Luis that the book he was trying to think of was Apt Pupil and that the counsellor's name was Ed, and the kids called him "Rubber Ed" and David Schwimmer played him in the excruciatingly bad adaptation. He adds as an afterthought that the kid who played Todd Bowden's best friend looked a lot like Charlie.

Luis can't remember, so they start rummaging in the closet for the video to check.

Adam enquires why Averman would have a copy of a film he hates, but gets no reply, as Luis and Averman are fully involved in the search for the illusive tape. They step on him four times.

By 2:21 a.m. Adam decides he'd rather face Charlie's wrath than deal with Averman and Luis.

At 2:22 a.m. Averman flops back into bed exhaustedly and says, "Well, that got rid of him".

Luis laughs for the first time in over a week.

Friday

Luis returns from class to find Averman awake and looking relatively healthy, and throwing books at the plant that the Bash Brothers left behind. Luis is overjoyed that Averman is well again, and he gathers up every book in the room for a very aggressive Plant Death Match.

"I'm bored." Averman announced, in a voice that was still croaky from the flu.

"Me too," Luis agreed.

"This campus sucks, there's nothing to do."

"Well, let's get off campus. Neither of us have left since September, except for… that one time. We need a change of location," Luis said, catching himself just in time. He didn't like to mention Mindy, it still hurt. Averman's illness had kept his mind away from the topic, but now that he was well again, and Luis wasn't constantly running to the cafeteria for ice cream and soup, or to Julie for notes and homework, Mindy was able to flitter back into his mind and catch him off guard.

"I suppose we could go to the mall, maybe see a movie," Averman suggested.

"That sounds good."

"Do you want to invite Annie?"

Luis paused, his instinct had been to instantly say no. He didn't know why, but he didn't want to share Averman today. He was only just feeling better, and Luis did not want to have lots of people around – or even just one extra – now. He and Averman hadn't had a decent or lucid conversation for about two weeks and now that they were both up to it, he didn't want another person to infringe on that. "Um… I think she said something about spending time with her mystery love interest today," he replied casually.

Averman smiled in response.

Twenty minutes later, the two of them were sitting on the hopper bus that endlessly circled between the mall, the school and various residential areas. Averman was bundled up in scarf and gloves at Luis' insistence. Luis realised that Averman was staring at an old woman, about four seats ahead of them.

"Do you know her or something?"

"Starting to," Averman replied.

"What?" Luis asked, completely baffled.

"I'm working out her life-story." Averman told him. "It's a lot of guess work, but there are a couple of clues."

Luis shook his head. "I don't get it. What do you mean?"

"Ok, I think she's a widow – that's just a guess based on the fact that she's alone, but wearing a wedding ring."

"Her husband could be at home," Luis suggested.

"Yeah, but look how much shopping she has. If I was that old and my wife was going shopping for that many things I would go with her to give her a hand," Averman replied. "She's just been Christmas shopping for her grandchildren."

"They could be for the kids next door who she baby-sits for," Luis replied, not being difficult or argumentative, but wanting to hear Averman's reasoning.

"That's true, but I don't think so." He lowered his voice and shuffled slightly closer to Luis for fear of being overheard, and potentially offending the lady in question. "See her scarf? It's worn and coming unravelled. If she can't afford to replace it, it means that her money is spent on other things, bills, birthdays, Christmas… things like that. She's not completely impoverished or anything, she just realises that if she wears a slightly old scarf, she use the money she would have used to replace it on other things."

"Maybe it's just an old favourite. Or maybe it only just started to wear this week and she hasn't noticed – or just hasn't had time to replace it."

"She's just been to the mall, if she wanted a new scarf, she's been to the perfect place to get one. And if you look closely you'll see that some of the wears have been sewn up. In different coloured cotton. Different wears, different patch jobs." He grinned at Luis, then continued. "She's got at least three grandchildren, boys and girls, just not sure of the ratio."

"How do you know that?"

Averman nodded at the shopping bags piled at the lady's feet. "She's bought a Barbie, an Action Man and something else. I'm not sure what it is, but it's brightly coloured and if you look closely, you can see the age is six months and up."

Luis noted that Averman was right. He'd have never noticed that you could see quite a few details through the thin plastic bags if Averman hadn't mentioned it.

"So what does that mean, oh all-knowing one?"

"Well, I know my Gran would never buy an action man for my sister, and generally people of the same age have the same mindset over things like that. So that means she's got two grandchildren around the same age, one boy, one girl. The other toy is for a younger kid, what gender I don't know."

"What else?"

"She's an organised person." Averman replied. "It's November, and she's done her Christmas shopping. Since it's the middle of the month, I'll assume that she paid her bills first – at the beginning of the month, then went shopping with what she had left over."

"What else?" Luis asked, positively intrigued.

"Well, that was as far as I got before you started asking me questions. Let me think a moment. I'll see what else I can work out."

At that moment, the bus came to a halt, and the lady gathered her shopping and got off the bus. She said goodbye to the driver, and he told her to have a good weekend. He called her Mrs Parsons.

"What do you make of that?" Luis asked instantly, but Averman was peering out of the window, watching the lady walk away.

Averman continued to watch her until the bus pulled away and she vanished from sight. "What do you think?" He asked in return, turning his attention back to Luis.

Luis shrugged, but thought about it. "That she's probably one of those really nice ladies that always has treats for trick-or-treaters," he decided.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because the bus driver knows her name. That makes me think that she's the friendly sort who would strike up a conversation with a stranger." His eyes lit up as he expanded on this. "Which might mean she's lonely. That certainly lends credence to your widow theory."

"See, not so hard, is it?"

"Was I right?" Luis asked.

Averman shrugged. "Who knows? I think you probably are. I think she's independent and has a loving family, but doesn't see them as often as she'd like."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because the road she went down is residential, there aren't any care homes down there. Therefore, she's independent, and her family probably comes round to see her on a regular basis. Since she's the friendly sort, it's out of love, not duty. But it must get lonely living by yourself."

Luis smiled, suddenly very glad that they hadn't invited Annie along. This was the kind of thing that he didn't want to share. Averman could be very interesting and intriguing when alone, though in a crowd, he seemed to slip back into his default mode of entertainer. He could be very amusing, but was not really… himself. Luis doubted the rest of the Ducks knew that Averman people-watched, and he felt rather special that he knew something they didn't. "So who's next?" he asked eagerly.

"Luis, old bean," Averman slipped into a passable English accent. "There is no time, we have arrived. But rest assured, you may choose the next candidate on the way back." He gave Luis a hearty clap on the shoulder, then got to his feet to exit the bus.

Despite their conversation on the bus, acknowledging that Christmas was approaching, neither of them were prepared for the extensively festive atmosphere of the mall. Small silver trees were suspended from the roof. One large one stretched from floor to ceiling in the gaps created by the mezzanine and was visible on all three floors. Baubles, wreaths and garlands laced every single available space. Signs proclaimed that Santa's Grotto was This Way with a helpful hand pointing the way. Averman noticed that someone had graffitied the sign so now the middle finger pointed the way, instead of the first. Everywhere they looked, the mall staff were dressed as elves (their smiles varied in levels of genuine enthusiasm), and were handing out leaflets to anyone stupid enough to venture too close to them.

"I've died and gone to hell," Averman said finally. "It looks like the Ghost of Christmas Present threw up in here."

"They do realise that it's not Christmas until next month, right?" Luis wondered.

"I bet the decs have been up since the beginning of October," Averman said. "This is why I prefer to shop on the internet. Or I would, if my mother would just trust me with her credit card."

"Eden Hall is beginning to look really appealing."

"We can't just stand here in horrified awe," Averman decided. "We should find a shop to lurk in."

"Where do you want to go?"

Averman shrugged. "There's a junky bookstore around here somewhere. I like to lurk in there. People don't usually go in there because they can get nice new shiny books from Barnes & Noble. I like to look for plays and stuff in there."

"Lead the way," Luis instructed, and Averman did so. "I suppose I'd better start my Christmas shopping." He commented.

"Valid point. I must get my Secret Santa present today." Averman agreed.

Every year the Ducks did Secret Santa, it was easier that way. On the first of December they would put their names in a bag and then pick someone at random. The limit was ten dollars, which made it easier on the wallet. Buying a nice present for one Duck was far better, and potentially cheaper, than buying twelve little things. Generally most of the Ducks bought their best friend or roommate a present also.

"We haven't picked the names yet." Luis pointed out.

"I know, but I always get a gift voucher. In Freshman year I got Julie, so I bought her some really expensive bubble bath and girly things, and she was allergic to it, her skin blistered."

Luis laughed. "So you were to blame. I always wondered who that was."

Averman continued. "The next year I got Connie, and didn't want a repeat performance, so I got her a gift token."

"You've convinced me, I'm buying a token too. I can't believe I didn't think of that before, I spent weeks shopping with Annie last year trying to figure out what to buy for Portman."

Averman nodded wisely. "My plans always rock. After a lot of trial and error."

"So are we doing gifts for each other as well?" Luis asked. "Just so I know."

"Yeah, why not. I've spent far too long skiving off buying proper presents." Averman replied. "But just as a warning, I'm going to have to start rummaging in your rubbish and reading your journal to get ideas."

"I don't keep a journal."

"Damn it, Mendoza! Do not make life difficult for me," Averman replied sharply, though he was smiling. "And now it's settled. I'm buying you a journal for Christmas. Ha!"

Luis snorted. "Fine. Buy me a journal."

Averman eyed him seriously. "You're trying to trick me. You think that if you say that I won't buy you a journal. Well, I fell for your mind games once, but never again. You're getting a damned journal."

"That's ok. I want a journal now."

"Good, 'cos you're getting one."

"Good."

"Good!"

Luis and Averman eyed each other for a few seconds, then broke into laughter. It felt to Averman like a very long time since they had laughed together. He hoped this was a sign that life was returning to normalcy. "Let's get these gift tokens," he said, realising that they were outside Barnes & Noble.

"Ok."

Averman led the way to a counter with only a minimal queue, and they waited patiently to be served. "Are you sure you don't want a journal right now?" he questioned. "We could get one here."

"No thank you. I'll wait for Christmas day and then fake surprise when I open your gift."

"You'd fake surprise for me? That's so sweet!"

"Can I help you?" the obviously harassed sales girl asked.

"Two ten dollar gift tokens please," Averman replied politely, then turned to Luis. "Last chance to get yourself a journal."

Luis grinned. "For the last time, no."

"He's a little shy. Sensitive soul, but very shy," Averman confided to the sales girl.

"Averman, do shut up," Luis replied.

"See what I mean?" Averman said to the bemused sales girl.

"Do you want to choose cards to put these tokens in?" She gestured to a rack of cards.

"You do it. You're a girl, you're genetically crafted to have better taste than us," Averman said.

"I resent that," Luis said indignantly, then turned to the girl in question. "Not that I was making a slur on your taste or anything," he added apologetically.

"Luis, don't insult the staff, it's not nice. I apologise for my friend, I think he's a little snitty because I told you what a sensitive soul he was."

She grinned as she chose two cards. "Is that everything?" she asked Averman, "or does your friend want a journal?"

"Don't encourage him," Luis told her sternly, getting money out of his wallet. "I do apologise for… well, every word we've said in your presence."

"That's ok," she said cheerfully taking the money from them both. "You've been the best customers I've had all day."

"You're having a really bad day," Averman observed.

She laughed. "Merry Christmas."

"It's November," Luis pointed out.

"And we've had next year's calendars in our stock room since May. Time means nothing."

"In that case, should I sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas?" Averman enquired.

"No," Luis said sternly, grabbing his jacket and hauling him out of the store. "Again, I apologise!" he said over his shoulder.

"Luis! I must have this book!" Averman said enthusiastically, shoving a large and dusty book under Luis' nose.

"What's so special about it?" Luis asked, resting the book on the table in front of them so he could see it clearer.

"It's The Never Ending Story." Averman informed him. "In hardback. In copper silk. With the Auryn on the cover. Just like in the movie."

"Never read or seen it." Luis admitted.

Averman picked up a paperback from the table and smacked Luis firmly on the head with it.

"But now that you mention it, I will make a supreme effort to remedy the situation," Luis added, rubbing his head. "Especially since you're buying this book."

"There isn't a price on it," Averman told him. "Go ask how much it costs."

Luis sighed. "Why me?"

Averman lowered his voice. "Because the owner of this shop terrifies me. He's evil." It was true, the owner always made Averman feel like a thief or worse. He had a way of peering over his spectacles that was eerily reminiscent of Mr Stiles. Or possibly Satan. Assuming Satan wore glasses, that was. "I'll come with you for moral support."

"You want the book, you have to ask," Luis replied.

Averman brandished the paperback again.

Luis sighed once more. "Unless, of course, you threaten me with violence. Then I'll change my mind."

Averman put the paperback down and followed Luis to the counter. "You're so my bitch," he gloated.

"Don't push it, Averman." Luis set the book down on the counter and smiled winningly at the guy standing there glaring at them. "Hi, this book doesn't have a price on it, could you tell us how much it costs please?"

The owner cast a cursory eye over the book. "Ninety dollars," he responded shortly.

"Ninety dollars! For a book?" Averman was stunned. In an I-should-have-expected-this kind of way. He had been hoping that since the book was in a used bookstore it would have been cheap. Most of his purchases from here had been under five dollars.

"It's not just any book. It's hardback. Bound in copper silk. With the Auryn on the cover. Just like in the movie," he replied smugly, and Luis suspected that had Averman not reacted so enthusiastically to finding the book, the price would have been a shade lower.

"The question now is, do you want the book or do you need it?"

Luis turned to Averman, anticipating the answer.

"Ok, right this second I'm teetering on the edge of need, but the second I walk out of the door, I will go straight past the realm of need and be stuck in the void known as obsession. It will take over my mind and I will become increasingly crazy and I will pelt you with pretzels while you sleep chanting 'I must have that book'."

Luis turned calmly back to the bookseller. "We need this book."

"Ninety dollars."

"I don't have ninety dollars," Averman replied, turning hopefully to Luis. "Do you have any money I could borrow?"

Luis checked his wallet. "I have forty."

"I only have ten," Averman counted sadly. "And some change."

"Well, that makes fifty," the bookseller replied. "Which is forty less than you need."

"Can't you sell it to us for fifty?" Luis asked. "Wouldn't you rather sell this book to people who really appreciate it, rather than some rich person who will buy it for their kids who will scribble all over it in crayon?"

The bookseller shrugged. "I don't really care about the books after they leave my shop."

"You're a bad, bad ma–" Averman's admonishings were cut off by Luis clamping his hand over Averman's mouth.

"Here's the thing. We need this book, we have fifty dollars, that's more than half. Can't we pay half now and come back next week and pay the rest? Like leaving a deposit?"

"Young man, does this look like a real estate agent's office? Or a used car lot? I am a bookseller, I do not deal with holding deposits."

"Fine, we come back next week with another fifty dollars, you've made a ten dollar profit and made two people very happy? Please. Think of the karmic reward, it's nearly Christmas." Luis couldn't believe he was pleading – and throwing in Christmas – for a book he'd never even heard of ten minutes ago.

The bookseller sighed deeply. "I'm only agreeing because you're both annoying me. I suppose you wouldn't leave my shop until I agreed."

Actually, that thought hadn't occurred to either of them, but it seemed like a good idea to nod. Averman made a note of his details, and the book was placed under the counter. They left the shop feeling very proud of themselves. Averman offered to share a cup of coffee with Luis from his extensive pocket change before they caught the bus back to school.

Halfway across the mall, Luis suddenly stopped dead, patting his pockets frantically. "Gah!" He exclaimed in frustration. "Emergency! Wallet! Gah!"

Averman watched in interest. "Heart attack? I've seen one of those before. Our hockey coach before Bombay."

"No. Wallet! I'm so stupid!" Luis hit his head to accentuate the point. "I left it in the store. I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you." Averman offered.

"Oh no you won't!" Luis replied. "I want my cup of coffee. You go buy it, I'll catch you up."

"Fine. I'll go buy the coffee. I'm not hurt that you don't want me around."

"I do, but only for your coffee, now go buy some or I'll find someone else to shop with."

They grinned at each other and set off in opposite directions. Luis' grin was just a little wider than Averman's.

Thank Yous:

Carla: Thanks for the beta-ing. It was needed. Now, where's the follow up to "On Being Real"?

Schiz: Thank you for the feedback, although I'm horribly disturbed by the fact that you saw Mindy-in-the-clouds-like-Mustafa. That's a really scary thought! And thanks for saying that I'm the Averman fangirl! Eriks gave me the mini-Duck Aberman to hang on to. I'm so proud!

Percussion: Hey, I don't actually like Banksie, but I will admit, he's being useful in this fic! *grins*

Kristine: Shakespeare got thrown over for me? *goggles* That's kinda cool. Then again, Mid Summer Night's Dream is evil. I remember doing that play in drama and being confused out of my skull.

Melissa: Glad you like the pairing. They really grow on you, don't they?

Anne918: Averman is a sweetheart. What's not to love about him?

lycanthrope: Thank you honey, and blame my beta for the good chapter, she rules. Carla is a fabulous help (not to mention, a wealth of knowledge about Barnes & Noble too!). Rain is good, I love the rain. I really want a nice big thunderstorm now, one to knock out the power! And I did keep thinking about your fic when I wrote the rain. Then again, your fics tend to stay with me whether I'm referencing them or not. Hence so many things creep in to the fic. And yay! I'm Duff's girl. Schiz keeps chanting "cornrows" at me to help me get over my Axl obsession. Duff and Gilby still rule! I was watching Estranged last night and thought of you when Duff said "That's my biggest fan!"

Elf Toshiba: Glad you're still reading this! *grins* I'm still writing, sometimes this fic flows without effort, sometimes it stops dead and I panic. But I'm not giving up on it.

Q: You're still here and reading! Yay! I think you need your own Alan Frog. Which you will once you marry him and have Marko as the Maid of Honour! Has Bill come back yet? If so, is your room divided with duct tape yet?

lrigelbbub: Thanks for the comments about the funeral. Actually, my knowledge comes from working as for a Funeral Director for a couple of years. But funerals make me really nervous still. Glad you enjoyed the angsty chapter.

Queen C: Oh, we should lend him our SVH books! That would be nice of us. He could read the idiotic things that the Wakefield twins get up to. And I'd never trade you in, so I feel very good that you won't trade me in. I'm going to upload my new lj icon tonight and you will see how much I adore you!