Chapter 9: When It's Gone Away
November, 2014
Something's starting today.
Where did he go? Why you wanted to be?
Well you know, November has come
When it's gone away…
Gorillaz – November Has Come
11:23p.m., November 27
Knock, knock. As soon as the front door of Francis Bonnefoy's house slung open, a bag was tossed into Leon's arms.
"There you kids are," The Frenchman laughed. "Not too late, but you kept me waiting."
"We told you we were going to come as soon as we can." Emil brought up. "At least Nathan has been keeping our spot in line."
"That's true." Francis sighed as he walked past, ruffling Emil's hair, and heading to the car door. "Oh how this holiday is shit, Arthur…" He turned around, eying the door. "Arthur!" He called again. Leon and Emil glanced over at the door as Arthur Kirkland peeked out back at them from inside the house.
"I'm not going." He muttered, taking a sip from the beige-colored mug in his hands. "I already told you."
"But Arthur!"
"No!" Francis had gone quiet after Arthur's stern reply. He took a couple of slow, weak steps towards them before dramatically throwing himself onto the ground. The others watched as Francis pressed his face to the ground and started loudly fake crying.
"But Arthur! You were already going to stay home alone today. I can't just leave you alllll alone again. I'll even buy something for you! Come on! Think of the kids. Emil and Leon came out to have a good time and they're going to be sad if you don't come with us." Arthur looked over at Leon and Emil, who stared blankly back at him, as confused as he was. "I'm sure the rest would be just so devastated."
"You…" Arthur shouted, shutting him up. "Need more employees." He grumbled as he walked back into the house. A few seconds later, he came back out wearing his jacket. Francis rose up and jumped with joy.
"I expect you to bring me home." Arthur told him as they got in the front seat.
"Will do!"
6:03a.m., November 28
Lukas woke up early Friday morning, tangled up in his blanket and his necklace chain in his mouth. Due to the severe discomfort of sleeping in a tent instead of his own bed, he had managed to wake up several times to fluff out his pillow or find someone to rest his head on that would give him more relaxation. Arthur Kirkland, who was passed out since midnight, still slept under Lukas when he had gotten up along with everyone else except Mathias and Nathan.
The tent entrance was zipped open and Lukas could make out the figures of the two. He stretched his arms out and slowly crawled towards them.
"Oh, you're up." Mathias scooted away from Nathan to make room for Lukas to sit down. He settled down close in between them and stole part of Mathias' blanket to shield himself from the cold air.
"What time is it?" He asked, yawning.
"6 in the morning." Nathan answered.
"The mall doesn't open until 9." Lukas sighed. "How many people are here?"
"Tons."
"Tons?"
"There's no more room on the sidewalk for more people." Mathias laughed. "Thank goodness we got here first."
"Well, almost first." All three pairs of eyes laid on the tent in front of them.
"Damn Alfred Jones." Lukas grumbled.
9:07a.m., November 28
Nathan and Mathias had run off to go look at shoes while Lukas dug through a table of new shirts that were 70% off. He made sure to fold each shirt that he had picked up before setting them back down. The Macy's employee next to him already look like they were about to cry as they picked up each abandoned, unfolded shirt left behind by snatchy customers and he didn't want to cause them a breakdown.
Under the pile of unfolded clothes, Lukas spotted an attractive turquoise shirt. As he grabbed one sleeve, the guy in front of him grabbed the other. Looking up, Lukas caught his glance.
"Let go." Lukas demanded, holding straight-faced eye contact with the other.
"I don't think so." The other grinned, tugging the cloth away from him but Lukas stood his ground.
"Listen," Lukas started, gasping and looking away when a hand was placed onto his shoulder.
"Lukas," Mathias was next to him now, holding up a pair of shoes. "Don't these look nice?"
"Not now, you idiot." Lukas growled as the shirt sleeve was jerked from his clutch. "Shit!" He screamed.
"Oh, oh!" Mathias pulled the shoes away from him. "I'm sorry Lukas, I didn't know I was interrupting something."
Lukas took a deep breath, turning to him. "It's okay, Mathias. It was just a shirt."
"Yeah, I'm sure you can find a better teal shirt like that one somewhere else."
"Turquoise." The man called, flaunting the top almost mockingly. "This is a turquoise shirt, you idiot." Lukas was on top of the guy within seconds, aggressively grabbing two handfuls of hair before being pulled off and escorted out of the store by cops.
10:56a.m., November 28
After almost two hours of fighting through the crowds, all Lukas had was 3 and a half shirts, an incredibly ugly turtleneck sweater, fluffy slippers, a few hair strands from the man he attacked in Macy's, and a shitty "how to draw manga" book that he found the idea, at the time, of wrapping it up and giving to Emil for Christmas amusing.
It even had detailed instructions on how to draw 'baras', whom Lukas knew in his heart that Emil would love to know how to draw.
Mathias ended up with furred boots, a stick of salami, a skirt, a sketchbook and a bottle of rum. He appeared happy about his findings and bragged about them when they ran into Berwald and Tino.
They found a spot in the crowded food court next to Subway for a break. Berwald kept something hidden under his shirt, and before Mathias can try questioning it, Tino's constant attempt to snatch it from him told them it was probably his birthday present.
"So, what have you guys found so far?" Lukas asked.
"I got a new phone case, a scarf and Kindle for my mother for Christmas, and a few things for Peter."
"And whatever is under your jacket." Tino grumbled, glaring at Berwald. "I got a few beanies, a stuffed bear, a tiny Christmas sweater for Hana, and a biker jacket."
"By a few beanies, he means five." Berwald added.
"It was a special sale!" Tino snapped. "Do you want one?" Berwald looked over at him, giving him a disapproving look before smiling slightly.
"Yeah, sure." He answered. Tino dug through his bag and pulled out a dark blue one and stuck it onto Berwald's head. Part of his bangs were under the beanie, but the rest stuck out wildly from under the fabric.
"You might want to adjust that some." Mathias laughed. Tino took a black one out and tossed it to him.
"You can have one, too."
"Wow, thanks!"
He tosses a light grey and white striped one to Lukas. "You, too."
"Thanks Tino." Lukas said, putting on the hat.
"The last two are for me and Hana." He announced, taking out another and putting it on himself.
"Wouldn't it be too big?" Mathias asked. Tino pulled out a very small beanie and waved it around some. "Oh."
1:02p.m., November 28
Tired, Lukas decided to call it quits. Mathias was starting to get a little pouty, but Emil and Leon were still full of energy and being indecisive about what games to buy for their new 3Ds'.
"I think I have enough for Super Smash Brothers and Animal Crossing."
"Yeah, and then we can both play if I get Smash, too."
"But then again, I've been dying to play Fire Emblem…"
"Holy shit, Emil," Lukas muttered under his breath. "Just choose."
"Maybe if I find one of them used…"
"How about I just chip in?" Mathias offered.
"I can't make you do that." Emil complained.
"Yes, you can." Mathias sighed. "I just want to get home,"
After purchasing the games, the four pushed through the crowds to get to Mathias' car. They succeeded in shoving as much as they could in the back and the rest crowded Leon and Emil in the back seat.
It took them about an hour to drive all the way back to the apartment.
4:17p.m., November 28
Lukas woke up laying uncomfortably on the couch with a blanket lazily thrown over his face and just missing his freezing, bare feet. Lukas curled up attempting to get at ease and his feet warm. He must have fallen asleep when he arrived home. He hoped Mathias and/or Emil had the decency to unpack everything without him.
He felt an unfamiliar sensation on his neck and his hand involuntarily went to scratch at it.
Oh right, he was still wearing the necklace Mathias gave him the day before. Lukas trailed his finger down the chain and found the ring. He felt along the words engraved into the front.
"Beter laat dan noit." Better late than never, he translated in his head after speaking the words aloud. He wondered if it had any deeper meaning to it, maybe a hint.
Of course it did, Lukas wasn't stupid.
His mind wondered what it could possibly mean to him. He thought of his dreams of Mathias. He wondered if he should tell him. He wondered if he should take a step back and think about what they could possibly mean to him.
But feelings were complicated. He wasn't new to them or anything, though. He's had a couple past committed relationships, and they all started out the same. Friendship, close friendship, relationship. Never 'love at first site', he never dated someone he barely knew.
Emil told him he was demisexual, and maybe demiromantic, too. He explained to Lukas it meant he was only attracted to someone he deeply connected to. He shared the bisexuality/romantic identity with Tino, who was okay with dating people he didn't know for a while, until Emil made him realize that there was a difference with their preferences.
Demisexual and demiromantic or not, Lukas never thought Mathias would ever be someone he would fall for. Since the dreams became more frequent and Mathias had moved in, he had a harder time about it.
And his stuff could still be in the car, too.
Lukas sat up and pulled the blanket it off of him. He then noticed it was the same blanket Mathias had when they were camping out by the mall. He also noticed his bedroom light was on. He got up and dragged the blanket down behind him as he trailed into the room. Laying next to his overnight and shopping bags was Mathias, snoring away on his bed still in his shoes and jacket.
Lukas grabbed the shirts, hung them up, threw the slippers by his bed, the book and bag of dvds and new video games was placed on the floor by the slippers along with his overnight bag from the night before. He laid the blanket across Mathias as he sat next to him.
Sometimes I forget how so much more matured looking his is now compared to when we were in high school, he thought. He absentmindedly placed his hand on Mathias' cheek. He paused for a moment, but went ahead and moved his thumb on the lower side of his face.
His cheek was warm, and nice. Lukas couldn't make sense that a cheek would be nice.
But it was Mathias cheek.
He frowned. How stupidly sappy.
Lukas just hoped he wasn't going to wake up.
His hand dropped to his shoulder, his eyes wondered elsewhere to his arms and back up to his face. The high school jock look wasn't something he had eyes for or ever really thought of as attractive but there was something else about Mathias.
"It's because I know you." Lukas whispered. Mathias stopped snoring and sluggishly opened his eyes.
"What was that?" He asked, blending his words a little due to his tired state, but Lukas could still understand.
"Nothing important," He responded.
Mathias shifted his eyes over to Lukas' hand that was resting on his shoulder, then back to Lukas. "How long was I asleep?"
"I don't know, I just woke up, too."
"I figured. You passed out right when we got back." Mathias looked around. "I brought your stuff in."
"I know, thanks."
Mathias smiled at him, relaxing again and pulling the blanket up to his shoulders. Lukas slowly pulled his hand away from him.
Mathias felt the need to reach out and stop him.
"I'm going to check on Emil and Leon." Lukas spoke up, sliding off the bed.
"Alright." He answered back.
November 29
Business was back up again the next day as usual, though Mathias had granted permission to wear beanies from now on. Berwald brought Peter to work, making the excuse that he was tired of leaving him home with a babysitter and wanted to be around the boy more now that he was getting older.
Mathias was hesitant at first, but agreed as long as Peter didn't get in a way of anything. Which, despite getting pouty with Tino trying to hold him for prolonged periods of time when he wanted to watch his dad clean, he was behaved and customers absolutely loved him.
November 30
Mathias decided it was about time to start setting up for Christmas. Everyone arrived two hours before they opened to help. Nathan and Berwald set up the lights inside and outside, Tino brought out the winter themed mugs, napkin holders, and tiny Christmas trees that replaced their normal table attire, and Mathias set up the winter coffee menu and decorated the counter, with some help from Peter. Lukas and Emil had tree duty, but everyone helped decorate the tree after it was set up as usual.
After they opened, Arthur came by with boxes of Francis' seasonal goods, and at the same time, Alfred Jones came in for some other reason. At first, Alfred wanted to help set up the last pastries in the window, but he dropped two cupcakes and Arthur declared he lost his pastry privileges.
After Arthur left and Alfred purchased a peppermint shortcake, ate it and left crumbs on the floor, he brought up a lovely idea. Since his store and Mathias' sold the same things, they could arrange their hours differently, bring more business without competing at the same time, and give themselves more time off.
Alfred had grabbed Emil and Lukas' attention, made Berwald stop what he was doing, Tino quickly turned and looked at Mathias with eagerness and surprise, and Peter appeared confused on why everyone suddenly went quiet.
Mathias said he would consider it.