The dawn came all too soon. Weekends were for sleeping in and playing around! Who wanted to get up early on a Saturday when one didn't HAVE to?
That was probably the most rhetorical question of the day, but he didn't dwell on it. He was more concerned with the quiet snoring in the darkened room...
...Along with the elbow nearly trying to bend his spine into scoliosis proportions.
"Dude...move over." He grumbled, pushing that arm away. With a groan, it flopped over his shoulder and he batted it away again.
Oh if he had a camera, Chass would never live it down.
And he would never live to see his twenty-third birthday.
"Come ON man..." He moaned, edging over. All he wanted to do was sleep...was that too much to ask?
The hand flopped in between the little bit of space as his bed roommate inched over a little bit in his sleep.
"If he thinks he's holding Gretta..." He sleepily growled, eyes squeezing. There would be harsh retribution to pay if his friend was thinking about his girlfriend in his sleep.
For a guy, that normally meant one thing.
He grimaced and shoved the covers away. "That's it, I'm up." He muttered, putting a hand against the wall to steady himself. He gave a brief yawn and traced the wall till he cleared the bed, walking around the junk on the floor.
Now in the middle of the room, arms stretched and popped a few joints to wake them up. He yawned again and looked at his attire, wondering if it was okay to go out in. T-shirt and boxers.
Sleepily blinking, squinting at the morning rays escaping the confines of dark drapes, he ambled for his bag and pulled out a pair of sweatpants.
He grabbed a room key and headed into the main hallway. It was a good idea to get breakfast. Dark eyes quickly spied a clock to check the time. After all...it wasn't even nine yet.
Silently plodding down the hall barefoot, he headed a short ways to the elevator and gave his eyes another rest on the way down.
As he strolled across the ground floor, dark eyes took in the area. Enticing smells of breakfast drew his nose and, being a growing boy, followed it to quell his stomach before it growled.
The place was rather nice for the price it was to get a double queen room. The four of them chipped in to get one for the weekend, for what had to be the most important event in the history of their young lives yet. That didn't say much for Chass as he was the youngest of the group, but it was still big.
Big, big. Huge!
'The musketeers shall go to the 'End of all summer concerts-the Alternative Blowout' and get THE best seats in the house, damn it.' A sleepy grin appeared as he took in the breakfast area. It was a cozy little nook, he had to admit. To top it off, there was only one person in there and that was a worker.
All that food was his for the picking.
Dark eyes instinctively roamed a female figure. A charming grin tipped his lips.
The body was a little big, but wasn't unattractive. Layered, ash blond hair went to her shoulders. When she turned, and mildly startled from his entrance, he came face to face with light blue eyes.
It was too bad he was already taken, or he would've tried his chances.
Dark eyes took in the girl's motives and narrowed in calculation. A hand scratched the back of his head, expecting his normal braid to be there. He mentally slapped himself at finding near stubble instead. 'Damn dares. You'd think I wouldn't fall for it that easy.'
"Oi ojou-san...is the area closed?"
Light blue blinked before she smiled. "Breakfast closes at nine sir...but if you want, I can let you have something before I clean up."
He was given a smile in return and couldn't help the charming grin that eased another notch. "Thanks. I'll do just that." He passed her and looked at all the goodies, settling for junk food this time rather than his normal. He smirked. The guys were going to sleep right through breakfast. This was going to be priceless!
Adding creamer to coffee, he sat at the table and grabbed a set of tv controllers at the table over and flipped through channels aimlessly.
He wasn't really paying attention, as he rarely watched tv much, unless it was with the others. He didn't watch it at breakfast, as his family had compulsions against having one in the dining room area.
Finally turning the tv off, he set the controllers down and sipped his coffee.
A few minutes later, immersed in total quiet, he heard a voice he SWORE he recognized.
He almost burnt himself on his coffee.
~*~*~
"Good morning, thank you for calling the Miami Hyatt. How may I help you?" Deep green followed her friend as the girl passed the front desk with breakfast supplies and idly listened to the person on the phone. She sprang to attention and went to the nearest computer, pulling up the availabilities.
A phone rang as she booked another room and Sammy breezed out and answered it in the same friendly voice with the same introduction.
After hanging up, she sat back in the high stool set there for front desk clerks and not even a second later, the phone rang again.
As she hung up with another call of many, she gave Samantha a look. "What was that look for?"
Samantha didn't look away from the screen she was using. "What look?" Ash furrowed in confusion.
"The one you had on your face earlier when you brought supplies back to the fridge."
A sly grin lit Samantha's face. "Wouldn't YOU like to know..."
"Fine, don't tell me."
"Okay - you twisted my arm." Putting the screen on the main index, light blue eagerly met green. "There's this guy -"
The phone rang and her hand snatched it first. "Good morning, thank you for calling the Miami Hyatt. How may I help you?" Not waiting that long - knowing their gossip could wait, Samantha left her to the call and headed back to the breakfast area.
She was done by the time the girl returned and waited long enough for her to put everything away and come back out. "You were saying?"
Samantha paused in front of the door and gave a look to the manager's door nearby before shutting the front desk door. A wide grin sprouted and she pulled up another chair. "Okay as I was saying...there's this guy in the breakfast area. Cute as hell! He was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants...but you wanna talk about sleep-ruffled sexy!"
She grinned and fought not to laugh at Samantha's behavior. If her friend hadn't mentioned to stay single until her senior year when most of her credits were accumulated and the stress was lowered, Samantha would've already had a boyfriend with as much as those eyes roamed.
Another call came up, ending their small talk and Samantha put the stool aside and headed out, partially to see if the young man was still around. She was proven correct and fought to keep an even composure. He was just sitting there, sipping his coffee as if he had all the time in the world.
"Oi ojou-san...where's your front desk at from here?"
Samantha stopped at the counter and turned with a blink. "It's a little ways down the hall and to your left sir. Is there a problem?" Ash furrowed. The two friends had the same morning shift and nothing went wrong if they could help it.
A disarming smile appeared. "No, no problem. I just heard a voice I thought I recognized. Thought I'd go check it out for myself."
Ash show up to Samantha's hairline. If only she was that lucky... But that raised the question...where did K know this cute guy from?
Some girls had all the luck.
A smile popped up as she started heading back. "You're welcome to look around sir. Just understand mornings are pretty busy on the phone."
Downing the rest of his coffee and licking his fingers of the pudding-filled donut, he tossed everything in the trash and followed. Rounding the corner, his steps halted as if he ran into an invisible wall.
It was HER!
Black brows furrowed as he watched her talk to the blond before being interrupted by a call. There was no question about it - that was the same girl he saw only a few days ago. Then what was she doing working...here...
His eyes closed in amusement as his head shook. Talk about good advertisement!
So...the chick - K if he remembered rightly - held down two jobs? How responsible.
A hand quickly tried to put his unruly hair back in order. With a swipe to his mouth to make sure everything was clear, he cleaned off his hands and strode over, a charming smile on his face. Not a good, long-lasting impression to look like a TOTAL slob first thing in the morning...
~*~*~
"Oh god, don't look now K, but that guy is walking this way!"
Deep green instinctively looked up and widened. It was HIM!
Deep brown furrowed as she looked away and finished putting the screen on the index for future use. Quietly clearing her throat, she glared at Samantha when the girl lightly kicked her behind the high counter and went to the breakfast area.
Leaving them alone.
The little matchmaker!
With a thumping heart, she pasted on a courteous smile and folded hands on the lower section of the desk. "Hello sir, we meet again."
His arms rested on the top that reached his chest as he leaned on marble. "So it seems. Nice advertising job there." He joked, sending a wink.
She fought not to blush as she subtly eyed his face. Samantha was highly correct about his sleep-ruffled appearance!
Mentally slapping herself, she sat back on the stool. "Well you asked and I was just offering someplace I knew of. At least the Hyatt is a pretty nice joint as far as hotels go. You could've picked worse."
He grinned. "I'm sure I could've. So...you work here in the mornings and that coffee place at night?"
She felt a little discomfited at telling this Inaki something about herself, especially since he was a customer. Customers didn't need to know details about her life.
"No I - I only work here on the weekends. The weekdays I work at Coffee Works at night."
A black brow rose. His stare to her dark eyes - one he was trying to pinpoint the exact color of - was taken off as the blonde strode back with another armload of food.
"Then what do you do with all that other free time?"
She felt like fidgeting. Mentally, she wished Sammy would come up front and butt in to save her.
Why hadn't a phone RUNG yet? All morning, ring, ring, ring...and now NOTHING. She felt like sweating. Especially under that stare he was giving. But under morning light, she knew what color those eyes were. Dark brown. So dark you could barely see the pupils.
"Well...I attend college during the weekdays...and I've got classes this afternoon." Why was she telling him this? Was she rambling like this on PURPOSE?
Samantha blurred past, a smug smile on her face and she fought not to clench her hands and teeth, or glare.
'Samantha Merth - you are SO dead when I get five minutes!' She darkly vowed. Even if she wasn't going to outright kill her best friend, Sammy would be buying groceries by the time this conversation was over with!
His lips pursed as he stared. She didn't seem very comfortable for someone who was supposed to deal with a lot of people on a daily basis. Was it him? Or his questions?
"Hmm...that sounds incredibly boring...what do you do for FUN around here?" He noticed how she shifted a little bit and looked away. How that smile drooped the tiniest of degrees... "That's a total tourist opinion. I need to find something to do till tomorrow rolls around. Know of any place?"
She blinked, but searched her mind. It was required that she know favorite hangouts in the city for tourists who asked that question. "Well...that depends on what kind of stuff you like to do. We have plenty of strip malls here and a few big ones near FSU. There's the coast halfway across the city in case you like water. We have nature trails that stretch for a few miles... There's bars, dance clubs... Plenty of things." She shrugged.
She didn't know half of what she mentioned; only knowing because it was in the phone book or because Sammy went there. The only thing she ever did for fun was walk the trails or sit on the sand and watch the waves. Though she didn't like water, she liked watching the waves as they rolled in and out of the shore.
A call nearly startled her to attention and with an apologetic smile - one she didn't really feel - a hand whipped to the phone. "Good morning, thank you for calling the Miami Hyatt. How may I help you?"
Samantha walked back and set the last of the things in appropriate places. As soon as she walked to the front to see how the two were getting along, fighting not to grin at how everything set itself up, she was met with murderous green. Blinking in stupefaction, Samantha wasn't given time to head back to the breakfast area. In half a dozen steps, K crossed the area and latched onto her hand.
"If you will excuse me sir -"
"Inaki. I told you last time we met."
"- ah...Inaki. I must discuss something with my co-worker." After a strained smile, she drug Samantha to the kitchen area and spun with a fierce glare. She waited for ten seconds to make sure Inaki at least left some of the area before starting in. "You are SO gonna get it!" She growled.
Samantha grinned. "What's the matter? Got a crush on him already?"
Her face tinged and she looked away. "I am NOT dating a customer!" She denied. "Not to mention that guy told me he was mainland! That wouldn't work out! And -" She stopped and put a hand over her face. "I am not explaining myself to you."
That grin widened. "Good, because I suggest you ask him out."
"WHAT?!" She squeaked, voice cracking. Hands slapped over her mouth to keep her voice down, fearing she'd been overheard. Deep green momentarily looked to what she could see in the front desk area.
"You heard me. You're still young and your hearing works perfectly." Samantha answered, ignoring another glare. "Ask him out."
"Read my LIPS. N - O. No is no and EQUALS no and will REMAIN no!" She retorted, crossing her arms.
"Come on, what's the big deal??" Samantha burst out, trying to keep her voice down. An ear remained for the phone.
A sullen look appeared as she looked to a nearby window. "What if he's got a girlfriend?"
"Then ask him. If he does, you saved yourself further embarrassment of asking him out."
"NO I wouldn't...asking Inaki if he's got a girlfriend tells him I think he's dateable material in my mind and is the SAME as if I asked him out!"
Samantha smiled. "So...calling him Inaki already?" A thoughtful frown appeared. "By the way, is that his first or last name? The dude doesn't look American..."
"Oh get outa my way! We have to be watching the front." She pushed around her friend and sullenly occupied the chair again.
Seconds later, Samantha copied. "I'm just saying...what could hurt? You'll never know and what if he IS single? You would've let one damn fine man go to waste."
She sent a sharp glare over. "He's MAINLAND. Who knows how far away that is!" She was saved when the phone finally rang. "Good morning, thank you for calling the Miami Hyatt. How may I help you?"
~*~*~
He let himself into the hotel room and tossed the key on the nearest dresser. He jumped upon finding a pair of eyes watching him. "Shit dude, don't SCARE me like that!" He retorted, trying not to spill his coffee. He added it to the dresser and sat on the bed he shared with Chass.
"Where'd YOU go dude?"
"Hmmm? Man shut up, I'm trying to SLEEP."
He smirked. "Well you three lazy asses won't be sleeping much longer when you learn that breakfast closed at nine."
"What??"
"No! I'm getting hungry!"
"Damn it! NOW what're we supposed to do?"
Dark brown rolled to the ceiling. They could've rolled across the entire hotel room at such a stupid question. "You three are going to starve. There IS no food outside this hotel." He sarcastically muttered, going for his coffee. "What do you THINK you morons? We can go OUT and eat. Fast food if necessary." He eyed the trio who hadn't even moved. "Shit, by the time you get up, it'll be LUNCH."
"Kiss off. Just because you're an early riser doesn't mean WE have to be."
He gave an snort and resisted the urge to pour his coffee over Robert's head. Early riser...yea RIGHT. "I DIDN'T get up by CHOICE. I got up because Chass kept snuggling against me in his sleep!"
"I did NOT!"
"Didn't know you had a thing for Inaki."
"Maybe it's just guys in general."
The two snickered as Chass grabbed both pillows and hurled them at the other bed. "Shut the hell up! I could say the same for YOU two sharing a bed. Should I be writing the wedding invitations now?"
"Oh you did NOT go there! Ugh!"
Taking initiative, two other pillows launched across the room and smacked Chass in the face. With the other two pillows, Robert and Kelar used them and rolled to their backs.
He smirked and sipped his coffee. As immature as they were, they were his best friends - and he was the same way. If it was him in Robert's or Kelar's spots, he would've gotten up and hit Chass personally for that comment.
"Come on guys, let's get up and get going. Whoever intends on taking a shower can do so now before it gets later. I got a few tips on what we can do before tomorrow morning, so we've got the day to waste."
"Tips?"
"On what? From whom?"
"I don't need a shower."
"And I don't either. So Rob, Kelar, you two fight it out, but do it quickly."
"Tips from who dude?"
"I'll take first shower."
"Fine, just be quick about it. Now - who'd you talk to?"
He snorted against his glass and downed the rest. "You're like an old hen, you know that?"
"Cluck, cluck -"
"Shut up Chass."
Another pillow went sailing across the room with perfect aim.
He snickered as the shower started up and stretched. Standing, he went for his bag to find more suitable clothes. "Some chicks from the front desk." He looked up with a grin and met Robert's eyes. "They're both pretty cute. One I've already met before earlier this week."
A hand scratched Chass's unruly hair. "How? When was that?"
"Remember when I said I was coming down to find hotels near the auditorium so we were closer to the tickets?" He got a few yawns and nods as the two sat up and stretched. "Well I ducked into this coffee shop somewhere in part of the downtown area and spotted her." A grin appeared. "She's pretty cute, if not daunted by my questions."
"If that means shy, then you'd better stay away from her."
"Yea, we all know shy chicks are one of your weaknesses. Mostly because you can't not having them talk to you. If Cam knew you were flirting with other chicks, she'd slap you upside the head."
He shrugged and went for the waistband on the sweatpants. "Cameron's not here. Plus, I behave... It's not like YOU don't look Chass. You've been with Gretta for half a year now. We're guys - that's our excuse."
"If Jolette heard you talk like that, she'd probably drop you."
"Before or AFTER she lectured my ear off on female emotions?" He dryly retorted, getting the final pillow in the chest. He caught it with quick reflexes and - with sure aim of a throwing star - sent it back at Robert in the face with enough force to knock him back.
The shower turned off a second later and he discarded his t-shirt next to the bag. A lithe hand dug around and pulled out a striped button up, one he left partially open. The weathermen said it was going to be hot today. He looked up when the bathroom door opened and tossed a thumb in its direction. "Get your lazy ass up and get in there." He idly ordered, digging for shorts.
"Yes officer Castro..."
Tossing a crude gesture to his good friend, it was returned with casual efficiency before Robert took Kelar's place.
"Such love in this room...I'm so glad I'm apart of this group." Chass muttered, flopping back on three pillows.
"Hey! Don't go back to bed you idiot!" Striding around everything on the floor, he reached out and yanked all pillows from under his friend's head.
"Hey!"
"Get UP. When Rob's outa there, I wanna get going." Dark brown checked the clock. "Come on dude, it's already ten thirty!"
"Fine, fine. Mother."
A pillow quickly sailed in the air and hit Chass's face with perfect accuracy.
**I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.**
Translations: Oi-Hey Ojou-san-Miss