wakes with a crick in his neck, reluctant to let go of his oddly warm pillow. ((Cont. from this ))
Christian
has
somehow wrapped his arms around Reuben in his sleep. He makes a small noise, a moan of annoyance perhaps before shifting slightly, arms_
tightening.
opens his eyes in shock at that; he's pretty sure pillows didn't hug back. He winces at the light before glancing blearily about. First_
things first: where was he and what was he sleeping on?
's eyebrows furrow and he grumbles something along the lines of, 'Stop moving Bruce.'
freezes, swearing internally. It *would* be Samuel. There's a flush of humiliation rising on his cheeks as he tries to find a way to_
extricate himself from Samuel's hold.
arms grip Reuben's shirt... and then he frowns, blinking awake. That was not Bruce. Staring at Reuben, he blushes slightly and keeps a_
a tight out of hoim out of shock. Reuben was like an animal, if you spooked him then you were going to get hurt.'M-morning' he whispers_
with a small smiles, not trying to let the other know how... worried and awkward this makes him feel.
flinches slightly at his voice. He closes his eyes for a moment, hoping he's still asleep. No such luck. "Morning," he responds at length.
laughs lightly, looking down. 'Comfortable?'
grunts shortly. He can't honestly agree, even if the warmth is nice. He kinda needs to move. "Not exactly."
lets go then, blushing as he realises how tight he was holding onto the other. He mumbles a 'Sorry' tilting his head back to look at the_
ceiling.
sits up, rubbing his neck and looking away. If he's entirely honest with himself, he misses the warmth.
pulls his arms back, standing up with a small sigh. 'Coffee Reuby?' he asks, looking towards the TV... he left it on stand-by and is now_
feeling guilty.
Reuben
is
fumbling with his shoes, trying to put them back on. "Please," he answers distractedly before wincing slightly. He hadn't really meant to_
accept; it would only serve to draw out the awkwardness out further.
grins, 'You'll welcome to a shower too, if you want one.' He stretches to crack his back before wandering off to the Kitchen, coffee_
Christian
was
sounding wonderful at the moment.'
You're *Fails*
Reuben
thinks
a shower *does* sound kind of appealing. He stands reluctantly, rolling his shoulders for a moment before traipsing into the hall, peering_
around the kitchen doorframe. "Towels?"
grins, back turned away from Reuben.'There are clean towels by the bath.'
probably should have figured that. He kicks his shoes back off by the door before heading to the bathroom.
goes ahead with the coffee, turning the pot on before going to catcha shower himself in the master bathroom. Being a surfer/swimming, he's_
wuick and returns to the kitchen, dressed.
quick*
isn't quite so quick. He needs the relaxation and time to think. Eventually, he emerges, clothed in the same outfit he was wearing before,_
futilely rubbing his head with the towel in an attempt to dry his hair. He makes his way to the kitchen, back to some semblance of normal.
's hair is dripping from the shower dampening his shirt. His little Ahoge is still perky however. He turns to Reuben, holding out a mug._
It's made just how he likes it.
would frown at Samuel knowing that, but is frankly too glad for the familiarity. "Thanks," he mumbles, blowing on the surface of the dring.
*drink.
leans against the counter, shaking his head. 'Don't mention it Reuby.'
Reuben
will
mention it anyway. The coffee is close to perfection, but he's not going to mention that; Samuel'll have to make do with the thanks.
would probably just laugh. He doesn't think his coffee is all that great... and his head stays small that way. 'Anything planned for today?'
shrugs, still mostly intent on his coffee. "Not that I'm aware of. You?" He glances over the rim of the cup.
can't remember and so shakes his head. 'Nothing~' he replies, gulping his coffee.
snorts softly. Evidently they are both horribly boring people.
Christian
thinks
... 'So we should do something, don't you think?'
Reuben
thinks
on that for a bit. "Any suggestions?" He's thinking of movies; Samuel promised him popcorn.
hums, 'What's on at the cinema?'
shrugs noncommittally. "Your choice, this time. Means you get to look it up," he teases.
knows the listings and quickly replies, 'Iron Man 2.'
shrugs. "Sure." He's really more enthusiastic, but doesn't want to seem too eager. "How long 'till the next showing?"
replies '.... we missed the first showing at 2.... the next one is at 8?' He looks over to the other, 'We could grab something to eat_
before it?
winces slightly. It's later in the day than he thought. "Sounds like a good idea."
notices the wince, 'We could put it off for another day?' It is a bit late after the night they just pulled off.
shakes his head. "It's not a problem," he smiles. He winced more at how late they'd slept; frankly, he's more than well rested.
smiles brightly, Brill.' He puts down his coffee, 'Wanting to go to a place that serves an all day breakfast?'
sighs, tipping his head back, finishing the last of his coffee. "Sounds perfect," he responds with a smile once finished.
smiles, gulping down the rest of his. 'You're paying~' he chimes.
pouts slightly but acquiesces, nodding his head. Samuel's going to be paying for the movie, after all.
cheers, punching the air. 'You're the best Reubarb.'
smiles at his enthusiasm, even as he feels a faint blush rising from Samuel's words, not that he meant anything by them. "Ready to head?"
nods, sliding his arm into Reuben's with a big grin. 'Ready if you are!' he chimes, already tugging him int the direction of the front door.
Reuben
is
a little uncomfortable with the proximity, but finds himself unwilling to disengage their arms. He allows himself to be dragged along.
Christian
is
surprised he hasn't protested yet but decides to let it be as it is for now, shutting the door behind them both. Walking down the path, he_
looks down at Reuben, 'Don't you have paperwork?'
blinks up at him. He probably does, but..."Nope," he says, innocently. Surely a day's procrastination wouldn't amount to much. "You?"
laughs, nodding. 'Uh huh... but the current PM has been given an ultimatum... so there's no point in doing paperwork that's going to be_
useless.'
makes a small noise of sympathy. "You seem upbeat about it," he observes. It might just be the getting out of paperwork, though.
hums, he's good at keeping what he wants to himself. The guy had been full of empty promises...'Weelllll, it means I get to skip out on_
work~'
sorts softly, smiling. Figures. He's fairly content to keep walking like this, except..."Where are we going, again?"
blinks.... 'For food. A place that does an all day breakfast'
sighs, shaking his head. Evidently he'll be letting Samuel lead the way then. "Never mind," he smiles
looks towards the other, 'What do you want to eat?'
glances back. "Breakfast sounds great. Why would you prefer something else?" He's not sure where they're going is all.
shakes his head, 'Nope... there's this really small place owned by an elderly couple quite near the cinema that makes really good pancakes_
and bacon rolls... I can't go all that often though, they might click onto the fact I'm not getting any older. Soooo, you better feel_
priviledged, I don't just introduce anyone to the Smiths.'
does, funnily enough. He gives Samuel an appraising look, smiling softly, wondering how he'd earned this much trust.
isn't about to tell them... 'Just watch out for the missus, yeah? She likes hugs... a lot.' He kind of blanches, remembering last time._
Hopefully she wouldn't coo as much this time.
blinks, laughing slightly at Samuel's expression and the induced mental image. "Thanks for the warning," he answers, smiling.
shrugs, smiling brightly. 'They'll probably forget about me when they see you~' he teases, turning the corner. The place is on this street.
Reuben
is
, admittedly, a little worried now. He looks up at Samuel, nudging his side with his elbow. "What does that mean?"
laughs, 'It means your cuter than me... kinda like a kitten that everyone coo's over, you know?' He pushes open the door to the cafe, a_
small bell alerting the owners to their presence.
makes a noise of protest to that, biting back a retort as they enter. He makes a mental note to kick Samuel for that once they're sat down.
sees the old woman come out and then he's starring at the wall because she's hugging him very tightly. 'Samuel... aww, you're still as_
young as I remember. So dashing, although I wish you'd take off that plaster once in a while.'
smiles, suppressing an honest laugh at Samuel's treatment. He's glad to see Samuel's got people who care about him, though.
hugs the woman back... before she notices Reuben. With a playful glint in her eye, she asks, 'And who have you brought Samuel?'
Reuben
is
torn between introducing himself and the urge to hide; he's not sure he likes that look. "Reuben," he says, awkwardly extending a hand.
watches as she takes the hand and uses it to pull him into a hug. 'Ohhh, Samuel! He's simply adorable. You've outdone yourself.' He shakes_
his head, facepalming. '... We're... We're not quite like that Jenny' >////>
Reuben
is
shocked by the hug, so it takes a moment for her implication to set in. His eyes widen as he blushes profusely, dismayed by the assumption.
hears the woman tut, looking towards him with in disapproval. Samuel shifts, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Could we have your all day_
breakfast?' he asks, smiling politely. He hopes Reuben just lets the idea go.
Reuben
has
absolutely no plans to bring it up, even if it persists in hanging around in his mind. He'll just follow Samuel's lead and try to forget it.
watches as she gives them both a final look before sighing. Pinching Sam's cheek she chimes, 'Anything for you.' and disappears into the_
kitchen, leaving Australia to pick a seat which he does, plodding down with a small, fond sigh.
shakes his head, smiling a little again. He proceeds to the table Samuel picked. "Someone seems fond of you," he remarks, teasing slightly.
blushes, hands in pockets. 'I bet she makes a big fuss out of everyone... it's why they're still in business.' His small smile tells a_
different story, however. 'She seems fond of you.'
snorts. "Pretty sure it's just you. You should be glad of it." He smiles, prodding Samuel with his foot.
blushes some more for good measure, nudging him back. '... it's kind of nice,' he murmurs, rubbing at his cheek... 'To think that someone_
would miss me.'
starts to smile sympathetically before quirking a frown. He pokes Samuel again. "Of course you'd be missed. Don't ever think you wouldn't."
laughs leaning forward on the table. 'Uh-huh,' he starts with a smile, 'I'd miss you too~'
snorts, leaning forward. "Nice to know," he replies, smiling.
widens his smirk, hand creeping forward to run across Reuben's arm. 'The truth usually is~'
looks at him pointedly, frowning again but not breaking eye contact. "Really? That's not how it usually goes..."
Christian
thinks
about it, finger trailing along to his hand. 'I'd rather have the truth than be lied to...'
sighs a little. "Who wouldn't? Doesn't mean the truth won't hurt." He flips his hand, catching the finger to try and hold it still.
snorts, amused. He laces his fingers through Reuben's bringing the hands between them both, 'You get to deal with it if it's hurts though.'
continues, 'You can't solve the problem if you don't know it exists.'
stares down in shock, freezing and flushing. "Maybe. Maybe not. Not every problem is better once solved," he says, stuttering slightly.
grins~ 'You okay there Reuby?' he asks, raising an eyebrow. He gives the other's hand a small, innocent, squeeze.
makes a small noise of protest, pulling his wrist back slightly. Not nearly enough to break their hold though. "I'm fine," he mutters.
smiles loosening the hold so that Reuben can let go if he wants to. He glances at their hands, raising the other. 'If you're sure?'
*other eyebrow
doesn't move, despite the flush. "Yeah," he replies, gritting his teeth a little and grinning over at him. ""Pretty sure."
tilts his head, smirking. 'That's good then~' because this was rather nice... despite the teeth gritting.
doesn't mean anything by it. It just took that extra bit of courage to keep his hand where it was. Because it *was* rather nice, however he_
tries to deny it. "It is," he smiles, more decisively this time, meeting his eyes.
blinks when his eyes are met, caught off guard. Thankfully, Jenny returns and he lets go of Reuben's hand to smile at the woman... 'I'm_
sorry miss... but I thought your older sister was bringing out the food?' he asks, teasing lilt to his voice. The woman responds with a_
flush, 'Samuel... you only get extra the first couple of times you use that line.'
drops his head, quickly removing his hand from the table. He glances up at Samuel's line; he really is incorrigible. He can't help but smile
smiles happily, 'But Jenny, everytime I see you, you just seem younger.' The woman laughs, placing the plates on the table and ruffling_
*before ruffling Sam's hair... 'You can have some extra toast... but only because you brought such a nice looking young boy with you this_
time.'
can feel himself blushing. He's just gonna stay quiet in the hopes of not being noticed any more. They've probably not helped disprove her_
suspicions, what with the way they've been acting. He could kick himself...
grins happily, 'Thank you Jenny~' And then he kicks Reuben... because he should be saying Thank you too
jumps slightly at the kick, before getting the message. "Th-Thank you. Very much, Miss." He looks up, smiling, trying not to flush as much.
smiles at the woman too as she coos before wandering off, a small wink thrown in Sam's direction. After she leaves his attention turns to_
food, 'Christ, this looks good.'
would agree wholeheartedly. "You're not kidding," he says, more than happy to focus on the food instead of Samuel.
grins, picking up a fork. 'Well dig in, we skipped breakfast and lunch...' he chimes, before doing so, this stuff is delicious enough to_
distract him from teasing Reuben.
follows suit, taking a bite. He makes a small noise of surprise; it's amazing. He savors it, neglecting his previous response.
laughs at the surprised noise, taking another bite. He swallows before saying, 'Told ya.'
Reuben
is
going to ignore that laugh. Mostly. He nudges Samuel under the table again just to be sure. "I'll have to trust you more often, then."
nudges him back picking up a piece of Bacon to eat. 'You didn't trust me before?' he asks in mock surprise.
prods him back out of habit. "Somewhat. Probably not with food, though." I mean, he didn't love Vegemite. Why *would* he have trusted him?
Christian
has
tastebuds thank you...He pauses a moment before getting up and grabbinga bottle from behind the counter. Placing a Vegemite bottle on the_
table, he says, 'Don't say I'm not nice to you.'
works hard to suppress a smile. "Why would I ever do that," he says, grinning, spreading the stuff liberally on some free toast.
makes a face as the spread before returning to his food. 'Just mind...' is all he says, grabbing a piece of plain toast to munch on.
can't quite help but laugh. He licks the spread off the knife before replying. "When do I ever not?"
Christian
thinks
... 'When you're calling me a sore loser.'
laughs again before responding teasingly. "What happened to 'the truth is good to know'?"
frowns... 'It's good to know what you think of me... makes you easier to tease~' He ends the sentence with a smirk, delving back into the_
food.
almost grimaces but, in the end, a grin wins out. "Evidently I'll have to stop with that, then. Keep you in the dark some more." He watches_
Samuel a moment more before returning to his own plate, shaking his head slightly.
snorts softly in response but keeps eating. He wants to finish this before it turns cold and the film starts. He glances_
briefly up at the other and then back down to his food.
savours the rest of his food, content to stay quiet until they're both finished. It's probably a good thing he hasn't got a watch on. He's_
not going to remind Samuel that he volunteered to pay, but surreptitiously attempts to locate his wallet.
finishes, fishing out his own wallet. He'd forgotten the other was meant to be paying. He places a hand on the table, about to stand up as_
he calls out, 'Jenny~'
worries his bottom lip between his teeth for a moment. He'll feel guilty letting Samuel pay; though, he could always pay him back later...
chatters with Jenny for a while before paying. He looks over to Reuben once he's done, 'Ready Reubarb?'
Reuben
has
been keeping quiet, but made the effort to catch the price of the meal and has the same sum of his own money sectioned out from his wallet._
He stands at Samuel's words, sighing at the nickname. "Always."
flushes a bit at the answer before berating himself. There was no reason for his stomach to drop so he should just ignore it. 'Well we_
should, Iron Man isn't going to wait for us.' He turns to Jenny, leaning over to give her a quick peck on the cheek as though it were_
normal. 'Don't be giving anyone else free toast, I might think you don't love me anymore.' He fakes a pout, laughing when she hits him with_
a spoon. He makes his way to the door after that, holding it open for Reuben.
hangs back, smiling slightly as he takes the opportunity to observe Samuel as he talks. He straightens as Samuel turns, nodding his head in_
thanks rather than feeling patronized. He'll take it at face value, since it's such a nice day. He stops just outside, waiting.
slides an arm around Reuben's when he reaches the other, smiling happily. 'I think Jenny likes you~' he teases, leading the way to the_
cinema.
attempts to look a little disgruntled at the closeness, but isn't entirely successful. He only sighs in response, edging slightly closer.
Christian
thinks
he's picked up a lot more of England's traits than he himself has. Stepping inside the cinema, he asks, 'Seats in the back row?'
shrugs; it's really Samuel's choice. He's slightly more concerned with surreptitiously slipping the money to cover dinner into Samuel's_
back pocket...
pouts as his taunt is missed, buying seats fairly close to the back. He prefers being able to see the whole screen. Stepping away from the_
hand hovering around his arse, he asks, 'Popcorn?'
retracts his hand quickly, trying his best to look innocent. He berates himself internally; he shouldn't be feeling guilty for trying to_
return money that's owed. He forces a smile. "Isn't that how you talked me out here?"
nods, smiling. 'It is, isn't it.' He buys the popcorn, a lrge bucket between them and hand sover their tickets to the usher by the entrance_
of the screen. He points to their seats and Sam nods to Reuben, letting him go into the row first. ((Let's presume they got other_
junk too, if that's desired? ))
Reuben
has
evidently had his plan foiled...for now. He sidles past Samuel slightly awkwardly to take his seat, shifting slightly to get comfortable as_
he waits for the other to do similarly.
slips into the seat next to him, looking around the theatre. There are a few people but it's not exactly busy. He leans over to whisper_
over the adverts, 'I love coming towards the end of a films showing, the cinema is always quiet.'
blinks at the screen a moment or two before looking around. He hadn't really been paying attention. "It really is, isn't it?"
nods, smiling as he pops a piece of his popcorn in his mouth. 'It brill,' he says, turning his attention to the screen.
Reuben
feels
like a bit of an idiot for his lack of observation, but smiles, relaxing a bit more. "Could get used to this," he says, kicking his feet_
up on the chair in front.
Christian
is
glad Reuben has caught onto the idea. He slings his legs half over Reuben's leaning against the opposite arm of the chair, 'I already am.'
Reuben
gives
him a look, not quite able to muster a glare, before sighing and tipping his head back. "Must do this often then," he muses.
laughs, offering him popcorn. 'Mostly alone...' he muses, unless someone invited him to the cinema. He blushes slightly remembering the_
last time he was here and shifts slightly... Ohhh look, the film is starting.
*invites
Reuben
feels
a bit of a strange twinge at that, which is ridiculous; he'll blame it on being full, shaking his head slightly to the offer of popcorn_
before turning back to the screen.
relaxes eventually, quickly falling into the swing and feel of the film. He noms on the popcorn, quietly before something strikes him. 'If_
it wasn't for the popcorn, would you even be here?' he asks in a whisper.
Reuben
is
pretty content to enjoy the film. The question catches him a little off guard. "Course not," he whispers in reply, voice heavily laced with_
sing-song sarcasm. He reaches over, flicking a stray piece of popcorn at him before taking a handful for himself.
frowns softly, handing him the box after taking the handfull. He turns his attention back to the screen with that, not sure why he's_
annoyed or if he even has a right to be.
unexpectedly finds himself with an armful of popcorn; he blinks at it for a moment, frown deepening as he tries to puzzle that out. Wincing_
upon realising his mistake has offended the other, he contemplates a way to repair it. He flushes as an unwelcome way or two comes to_
mind, before making his move. He reaches over the armrest, gingerly to grasp gently at Samuel's hand. "Don't ever think it," he whispers,_
still not looking at him. He's kinda prepared for the apology to be rejected, really.
Christian
is
about to tug his hand back, more out of shock than anything else. He's usually the one that initiates the touching. He leaves it there_
though, squeezing the hand back softly with a small hmmm. He hopes the other realises he's accepted the apology of sorts that he isn't sure_
he should even need but appreciates none the less. His blush turns darker, watching Reuben out of the corner of his eye as he shifts so_
that they can hold hands more comfortably, not really willing to let go.
tries to stay very still, staring determinately at the screen. He's still irrationally almost terrified that Samuel will...he doesn't even_
know, really. He's an idiot, but he's not going to risk it.
settles back into the film, sitting their hands on his stomach which is currently a flutter. He threads their fingers, still staring at the_
screen... even if he can't concentrate.
isn't faring too well with his concentration either. He can't quite bring himself to look at Samuel yet, thanks to his own stupidity. He_
Reuben
feels
the heat on his cheek rise further as Samuel laces their fingers; he reverently, almost imperceptibly, strokes the back of Samuel's_
hand with his thumb.
bites his lip, distracted by the almost imperceptibly movement. He glances at their hands then at Reuben before turning his gaze back to_
the film, intent on registering some of it, if not all. They were just holding hands afterall, why should his chest tweak a little when_
Reuben doesn't pull back and even responds in kind. He internally sighs, confused and annoyed at himself for it.
still can't really look at Samuel, not quite believing what he's just managed to do. Still, he doubts it means anything to the other. He_
refuses to dwell on it; thinking about it will only ruin things. He's happy, or something similar, like this and content to be selfish for_
a while.
tightens his hold on the other's hand during one of the more romantic scenes without realising it. When he does he turns a furious red_
refusing to look towards the other (( No Notif ))
doesn't quite notice this, a little too preoccupied with his own blush. He needs to get better at suppressing these thoughts. ((No prob))
((again ;; ))
somehow survives until the end of the film, letting go of Reuben's hand when the credits come on. 'Well, that was... interesting.'
makes a small noise of agreement, not quite looking at him yet. He's not entirely sure what happened during the movie. "Yeah...interesting,"
manages. There's still popcorn in the bucket; he proffers it in Samuel's general direction, wondering if he wants some.
((Just plain fails))
shakes his head, rather full. 'Nah I'm fine.' He places a hand on the small of his back, more in a ploy to get him to move out of the row_
and then cinema rather than anything else, and starts guiding him out.
shuffles awkwardly out of the row, not entirely able relax with Samuel's hand on his back. He carries the popcorn, not entirely sure what_
to do with it, but unwilling to waste it.
takes it out of his hand, dropping it in the black bag by the door. He thanks the Usher asking, 'Are you wanting to use the guestroom_
tonight?'
grimaces slightly at the reminder of where he spent last night. "Nothing to sleep in. Or, for that matter, to wear tomorrow." He shrugs.
makes a small sound of understanding. 'I suppose.... Well, to the airport it is?'
quirks a small half-frown. "I guess so." He walks a few more paces before continuing, awkward and honest. "Thank you. It's been...fun."
follows him unsure why he was frowning. Was he meant to take the rejection negatively? Ruffling Reuben's hair he replies, 'No problem, I_
had fun too... shame you don't have any clothes here though.' Pause. 'You should bring a few changes next time you're over.'
finds himself suppressing a smile. Next time...sounds promising. He's not quite so reluctant to leave any more. "I'll do that," he agrees.
smiles, 'Brill. We can go diving next time in the Great Barrier reef and go see the Fairy Penguins~.' He sticks his hands in his front_
pockets, 'Just don't wait till you run out of vegemite next time.'
Reuben
was
wide open for that one, admittedly. He almost laughs. "Promise I won't. Sounds fun." He yawns briefly, wondering vaguely what time it is.
hums, 'I think it's about 11?' He pauses, 'We're almost there?'
nods. Sounds about right. "Thanks again. And you didn't have to walk me so far." He realises he's taken Samuel out of his way for this.
doesn't mind at all. 'It's not safe out at night.'
looks up at him, a little sharply. Samuel still has to get back home..."All the more reason not to, surely?"
laughs, shaking his head. 'I'll be fine, it's you I need to worry about.' He ruffles the other's hair before stopping infront of the airport
frowns slightly, de-ruffling his hair. "No, it isn't. You sure you'll get back fine?" He's worried, despite himself.
nods, 'I'm fine.' He gives Reuben a small shove towards the entrance, 'Now go on and catch your plane, one should be leaving in about_
45 minutes.' He isn't about to say how he knows that.... he's not familiar with the plane times to New Zealand at all.
blinks slightly, frowning at the shove. "Fine. I'll go. But I'll be holding you to that." If Samuel doesn't get home safe, he'll know why._
He sighs, making his way in to the building, sparing a last glance and wave over his shoulder at the other.
waves back, watching the other go. 'Take care Reuby.'
quickly adds, 'And call me when you get home.'
manages a small, worried smile over his shoulder. "Will do," he calls, entering the building. "Take care, yourself"
nods as he teases, 'Just for you I might~' He waits until he can't see Reuben anymore before getting home to nap on the couch and wait for_
Reuben's call.