The phone released a pained ring as the receiver was slammed back down in its white, plastic cradle. "I won't, I will not call him." Steven was worried, nervous. Picking himself up from his bed he changed into a long sleeved blue shirt and lazily hoisted his bag up from the floor and on to his shoulder. Steven headed towards the library somberly, he knew that if he stayed in his dorm room he'd end up calling Charlie and that would make him feel like a petulant girl and probably irritate the hell out of Charlie.
Charlie had sent him no word for a little over a month-scaring Steven out of his mind; worried that he's unintentionally chased Charlie off. "Hey Stevie!" He almost didn't hear his shouted name or the footsteps running behind him. He did, however, snap back to reality when he was smushed in a tight hug. "I gotcha something!" He recognized the chipper voice and with his best face on he turned to face his brunette friend.
"Hey Stacy-"
"Don't look so sad!" She cuffed his shoulder even though she knew of his plight. "How can you be sad today?" She asked, pouting and already knowing the answer. Steven didn't say anything as he visibly deflated and she rested a hand on his arm, her bubbly tone smoothing into something much more solemn. "Hey, look, smile today, alright? You're twenty-two!"
Meeks's head snapped up to look her in the eyes. 'What?"
"Duh Steven!" She smacked her forehead, "Happy Birthday!" She handed him a present in plain brown paper and tied off with a wide, gold ribbon. It was heavy, he realized as she gingerly placed it in his hands and looked like it could be a vase. He stared at the present, "You for got it was your birthday, didn't you?" His eyes met her somber face soundlessly. "Where you headed?" she asked with an incline of her head.
"Library. I have to write-I have to write…something." He hesitated. He had an essay that was due in a week and a column that needed editing for the school paper but he'd probably just hit something out that captured his frustration, confusion and Charlie.
"C'mon," She linked arms with him. "I'll walk you."
Stacy was one of Steven's most trusted friends at Columbia. She was there for an art major and despite their very different classes; they still found time for each other. He liked that she was so much fun. Scrape away at that happy exterior and he was left with a person who was worth much more than she looked, he liked to call hr a modest philosopher but with a shake of her short hair and a boisterous laugh, those vulnerable moments melted away like hot butter.
She had recently ended a tumultuous relationship with an Italian. The most Steven had told her was that he was having relationship problems too, that his "girl" was being more or less fickle and he didn't know what to do. Even though he trusted her, Steven didn't know how she'd react to Carrie actually being a Charlie. Sure, Stacy had met Charlie before but Steven only bashfully introduced him as a close friend.
"So," She started, hesitating as they continued to walk through the college. Her eyes met him and they shared a brief smile. "Is that too heavy?" She motioned to the gift he was holding with two hands and he shook his head silently. "She hasn't called you yet?"
It took him a second to realize she meant Charlie and then shook his head again, slower. "Nothing. I'm afraid I…I'm afraid I messed up." He finished in a whisper, truly scared that he had. He remembered how angry Charlie had been. Maybe Charlie had just used him, one last fuck to seal the end of a relationship and he'd be on his way.
"How could you "mess-up"? You're the most thoughtful person I know!" She exclaimed, reprimanding him for thinking so negatively of himself.
"I guess that's part of the problem." He mused bitterly, pushing open the glass doors to the library with his back. They proceeded to walk far back into the bookshelves, a dead area where rarely anyone appeared.
Steven sighed, leaning against one of the shelves. "I over think everything." He complained and Stacy rolled her eyes. Her fingers gently touched his arm.
"You are perfect the way you are. If she can't see that, maybe you should consider expanding your horizons." She rubbed his arm soothingly as Meeks clutched her present to his chest, aching for comfort. His melancholy eyes met with her somber ones and they stayed like that for a while. "I'm going to take advantage of the fact you have something breakable in your hands."
"Wha-" He was cut off by her lips on his, her hand snaking up to cup the back of his head. For a few stiff moments Steven stared down incredulously at his friend.
Stacy gently tongued his lip and Meeks released a noise of disbelief. "Mtmy…" He muttered her name into her lips as he took a step back and they broke apart. She looked up to him, vulnerable, as she gripped his sweater pleadingly. "Stacy I-"
"There you are!" Steven cringed in shock and ducked away at Charlie's loud voice, gripping his chest in panic as he whispered an elongated swear. "I've been looking for you…" He looked over to Charlie, his expression and tone were much darker than what they had been a second ago. Charlie blatantly ignored Stacy and grabbed one of Meeks's wrists, hauling his ass out of the library.
"Ch-Charlie?" His voice cracked as Steven let himself be dragged away. "The Hell-what are you doing-doing here?" Better than a phone call for sure but somehow it seemed that everything wasn't going to be all cuddles and sex.
"Were we having fun back there?" Steven's stomach dropped, his mouth drying into cotton instantly. This was not going to be good. "I leave you for five weeks!" Charlie kept walking at a harried pace, emphasizing his time away with a wave of a spread hand. "Five fucking weeks and you can't behave?! It was just five weeks!" Charlie dragged him through the college campus, short cutting across damp patches of flawless grass. As he continued his tirade, Steven was very aware of bystanders with tilted heads and bemused expressions but he couldn't find it in him to care. Right then, he was absolutely petrified that this was it, it was all over. Charlie was going to take him into and alleyway and kil-"Were you listening to a Goddamn thing I said?"
"Huh?" Steven was vaguely aware they're in the parking lot. Charlie's face was red through the duration of a pregnant pause and Steven meekly adjusted his glasses. "Ch-" He was abruptly thrown against the side of Charlie's green Morris Minor and boxed in.
"Get in the car." Charlie said, growling dangerously and Steven mutely complied, disappearing into the passenger seat, still clutching Stacy's present close to his chest. All he could think was I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry-it wasn't my fault! I didn't know! You're a bastard Charlie. This is your fault.
Charlie has driven out of the parking lot before he speaks again, not looking at the anguished redhead. "Who is she?" He asks bluntly, no longer growling or yelling.
"Fuck you, Charlie," Steven sliced, shifting uncomfortably when he swore and stared out the window. He sounded much more confident than he felt, "Who the hell are you to vanish for five weeks, come back and throw a fit? I don't have to tell you shit." He makes a point of scowling at Charlie in the mirror as Charlie's hands twisted angrily on his thin steering wheel.
"I could kill you." Charlie whispered, Meeks continued staring out his window mutely. "I could fucking kill you right now." Steven wants to say he's sorry just to make this heavy rolling feeling in his stomach go away but he's not in the wrong. He didn't invite Stacy to kiss him and he hadn't dropped off the face of the earth for five weeks. Steven wasn't sorry. "So is that it? Are we done?" Steven chewed at his cheek, refusing to be goaded into a reply.
There was a flurry of movement that Meeks saw out the corner of his eye. His eyes flicked to Charlie and it looked like he was wiping his face-was he crying? Oh Jesus.
"I…I-I'm sorry Ch-" Steven was being sincere when he started to apologize but was cut off by Charlie's cracking voice, telling him to please shut the fuck up.
Their fifteen-minute drive came to an end; Steven didn't know where they were other than the quieter part of the city. There was a park to his right and a row of older homes lined after the road to his left. "What are we doing here?" Steven's voice was quiet, concerned and Charlie had his face in his hands. "I'm sorry Charlie…she kissed me-I would never-" He fell silent at Charlie's placid expression, anger in his brow.
"I could kill you." Steven didn't know if Charlie was being serious or not. His response was to mutely bite his lower lip nervously. Charlie ripped off his seat belt expression murderous as he stared intently at his passenger. Steven would have given any earthly possession to hear what exactly it was Charlie was thinking at the time. The analog clock ticked dispassionately through the car.
Charlie lunged towards Steven, attacking as Steven immediately reacted and hit him back, trying to get away from the aggression he was being faced with. "Stop it Charlie!" Charlie's claw like hands breached Steven's defenses, clapping around Steven's head and crushed their mouths together. Steven stopped fighting instantly.
Anger, frustration and hurt were forced through the kiss as Charlie pressed into Steven. It was only when Steven extracted himself, his fingers insistently tugging on Charlie's collar, bringing their foreheads together as they panted they were both somewhat mollified. Mistakes were made on both sides-silent apologies were made as they stared at each other; Steven pressing another kiss to Charlie's dry mouth in reassurance and fingering away some of the snail trail tear tracks.
Charlie laughed, foolishly and humiliated as he moved back into his seat. "Happy birthday, Steven Meeks." Charlie inhaled, his breath hitching. Wiping his face again, he turned to look at Steven with red eyes. He cleared his throat, eyes landing everywhere but on Steven. Charlie regained his composure, inhaling deeply and flexing his fingers-only Steven flinched at the noise of cracked joints.
Steven was utterly bewildered; staring at Charlie he couldn't help but ask quietly, "Are you going to kill me now?" He exhaled relieved when Charlie started laughing albeit bitterly, alleviating most of the tension in the car.
" I probably should." He laughed and Meeks inclined his head with his signature slanted grin.
"You'd ruin my birthday…" Steven placed an apologetic hand on Charlie's thigh, rolling his eyes at his immaturity he sighed, "Look, I'm really sorry-she honestly did corner me I didn't-I didn't know!"
"Oh shut up," Charlie pushed Steven's head lightly, breaking the dramatic moment. "I was being stupid-five weeks is hell of a long time but," Charlie unbuckled his seat belt returning back to his usual self and offering Steven a signature smirk. "If you come with me, you'll find out what I've been doing." As Charlie's green door shut, Meeks threw his head back in the head rest, inhaling deeply.
Too many emotions too fast.
"Hey," A knock was administered to Steven's window. "You coming?" Steven bit back a groan as he undid his seatbelt and bit back the urge to remark I have a bad feeling about this. He followed Charlie across the street, silently admiring the small, houses pancaked next to each other. "Here…" Charlie was unlocking one as Meeks watched with a perplexed eyebrow.
The exterior was finished nicely in a gray, textured stone with a large stained glass window to the side that hid what looked to be a staircase. The door was white with a cracked finished that creaked lightly as soon as Charlie unlocked it and pulled Steven inside.
The inside was bare, soft fractures of colour bled onto the wood floor from the coloured glass window. There was the faint smell of paint as Steven looked around entranced. There was a single forest green sofa in a carved wood frame in front of the empty fireplace.
"Meorr!" Steven's head snapped to the delicate mew and the jingle of an excited bell to see a little cream and brown ball of fur rolling around on the floor, peeking out under the couch with a little ball.
"What the-" Steven looked back to a placid Charlie who was too busy staring at the ceiling. "Charlie?" Their eyes met-Charlie grinned at Steven's perplexed expression. It made him feel accomplished.
"She's yours-if you want her." Charlie said, shrugging indifferently. Steven knelt down next to the Siamese kitten and cradled her to his chest.
"Hello there, you look like a raccoon!" He cooed, the kitten looked up at him with wide blue eyes before she started pawing at his nose. Charlie joined soon after, his eyes on the ground. "Thank you, Charlie-"
"'m not finished yet…" Charlie mumbled, his hands flexing agitatedly.
Really, Steven hardly thought there needed to be anymore. He sat expectantly, cradling the Velcro-esque claws of his new kitten.
"Move in with me." Charlie's voice was quiet, hesitant yet it still knocked the air out of Steven's lungs. "I'm serious, move in with me."
"You're crazy." Steven replied, mouth dry and in a state of disbelief. Charlie quirked an eyebrow and gently pushed Steven.
"This is it, what I've been doing. I-I transferred, I got this apartment that well, I certainly can't afford on my own and that little darling," He gestured to the kitten, "Happy birthday."
"I...I don't...what should I say?"
"Yes would be a great start."
