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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 19, 2010 17:29:47 GMT -5
They walked most of the way to the restaurant in silence, and Hitoshi wondered it maybe it would have been a good idea to get a bit of space from Alex during the trip, given that little incident. On the other hand, unless he switched rooms with someone else, he doubted it would actually help. And maybe he was being masochistic, but he didn't want to switch room with anyone.
The two of them finally made it to the café, a tiny restaurant on the corner with a sign in Greek. The primary thing served seemed to be crêpes, though there were a few other more traditionally Greek foods like baklava.
Hitoshi glanced back at Alex. The other boy had dressed much more warmly than he had, since Alex tended to burn at the slightest hint of sunlight. Between the hat and sunglasses, most of his face was concealed. Hitoshi, on the other hand, was dressed rather lightly for himself, in shorts and a light t-shirt. He'd tied his long hair back off of his face and neck, and abandoned his usual tennis shoes for a pair of sandals.
"Would you rather eat outside, or inside?" he asked, looking back at the other boy.
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 19, 2010 19:03:23 GMT -5
Alex smiled at the smell of crepes wafting through the air. After so many years of practice, he was actually fairly cool in his beige long-sleeved shirt and jeans; the hat looked a little silly on him, though.
"It's so gorgeous here, and it's still early," Alex answered. "Unless you want to go in?"
He had also thought of splitting up from Hitoshi for a day, but he hadn't seen any undramatic way to say that in front of Professor Yogo.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 19, 2010 20:18:40 GMT -5
Hitoshi shrugged one shoulder. "Outside is fine with me, if that's what you want." Hitoshi took a seat at the nearest empty table and peered around for the waitress, still not quite able to look Alex in the eyes. "Since you said you found a way around the language barrier, it might be better if you ordered. I can't actually read the menu."
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 20, 2010 1:21:31 GMT -5
Alex frowned deeply. He sat down, and realized he'd been worrying the spot between his thumb and index finger on one hand with the other.
"I'm not sure I'll be as good with writing, but let's call that part of the adventure," he said drily. He took out the menu and stared at it for a moment, concentrating on the shapes of the letters, then closed his eyes and listened to the world around him.
His magic flowed out and snatched snippets of conversation, syllables, words, phrases, constructing a sense of the structure of the language, reaching up through it and himself and out into something Alex visualized as being the first sound, mother of all meaningful utterances. Time and sensation seemed to stop for a moment.
When Alex opened his eyes again, the menu was completely coherent. He focused for a moment on the conversation going on between three old women behind him; they were talking about their children and what they were going to do later in the day.
He smiled at Hitoshi and spoke softly. "I think that worked. I didn't, ah, I'm not speaking..."
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 20, 2010 1:58:17 GMT -5
Hitoshi sat quietly, watching Alex. He could almost feel the ripple of magic in the air, and he wondered whether it was just that magic was more noticeable here, or if he had spent so much time around Alex that he was more sensitive to it. (It also occurred to him that it might have been another strange, prophecy-related thing, though hitoshi pushed that to the back of his mind. Hitoshi had been trying his best not to think about that since the breakup.)
Hitoshi looked speculatively at Alex, tilting his head slightly. "I can understand you just fine, if that's what you're asking. Can you read the menu?"
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 20, 2010 2:05:02 GMT -5
Alex nodded. "Wonderful. I kept messing that part up..."
"There seem to be several kinds of crepe toppings, something I think is muffins, some sort of sweetbread thingies, Belgian waffles, three different things involving honey... and coffee. Lots of dessert coffee." Alex's eyes brightened greatly. "What do you feel like?"
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 20, 2010 2:26:26 GMT -5
"Coffee does sound good," he admitted. "Some sort of crêpes with fruit would be nice. I'm not in the mood for chocolate." He shrugged. "You know most of what I like. Why don't your surprise me?"
Hitoshi smiled slightly. It was nice to see Alex happy again, and he couldn't help but feel slightly impressed by the translation magic. He wasn't sure he could have managed that, and he'd been doing magic for a much longer time than Alex.
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 20, 2010 2:37:08 GMT -5
Alex's smile twitched, and he hid his reddening face behind the menu. It was so easy to be with Hitoshi. It was like nothing had changed at all... in fact, it was more like nothing had changed since September, back when he was sneaking glances at Hitoshi and wondering if the boy would notice, if past the icy wall of willpower there might be some feelings in there.
He waved over the waitress, and after a try or two switching into Greek, he ordered Hitoshi a round of pomegranate crepes and some kind of cappucino, and himself a fluffy chocolate crepe, a small sweetbread, a piece of baklava, and a latte.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 20, 2010 3:13:56 GMT -5
There was an easier atmosphere around them now, and Hitoshi could have almost forgotten that he and Alex weren't together anymore. A part of him wondered if it might have been easier if he'd just never agreed to go out with Alex in the first place. But then he looked at Alex, and remembered last Thanksgiving at Alex's house, or the winter dance under the mistletoe, or after when Hitoshi had kissed him until his lips went numb...and Hitoshi couldn't imagine giving any of that up.
It didn't take long for the coffee to arrive. Hitoshi dragged the tip of his pinkie through the froth, drawing little star-burst designs on top of the drink. It smelled delicious, and faintly like hazelnut, though Hitoshi wanted to give it a moment too cool before he tried to drink it.
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 20, 2010 3:44:43 GMT -5
Alex leaned forward a little and inhaled the delicious coffee fumes before spooning out a bit. He blew on it, and the steam fluffed up into a soft white cloud the size of Hitoshi's head and blew off. Alex covered his mouth with his hand and looked down at the spoon in bewilderment, then decided that the better part of discretion was valor and sipped the coffee.
It was a little chilly now, but tasty. "Hmmph," he grumbled.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 20, 2010 4:09:23 GMT -5
Hitoshi took a sip the cappuccino. The foam, which was most of the drink, was light and sweet; the actual espresso beneath was much more bitter, though he could taste the warm blend of milk, hazelnut and vanilla beneath. It was nothing like any sort of coffee he'd had at a Starbucks.
Hitoshi watched Alex curiously for a moment. "How is yours?"
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 20, 2010 4:27:48 GMT -5
"Good. How's yours?" Alex smiled softly at Hitoshi. He'd thought he'd ordered a plain one, and he couldn't tell whether that's what he'd gotten or not, but it was good.
The waitress came over with the food.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 20, 2010 4:36:52 GMT -5
"Good. It's hazelnut and vanilla, I think. You can try a sip, if you want." Hitoshi set the cup back on the table and reached for the plate of crêpes in front of him.
The dish was elegant, with simple designs drawn in compote over the plate and the crêpes. Hitoshi ran a finger through one of the lines of red syrup, then brought it slowly to his lips to taste to. It was a familiar fruit, but not one Hitoshi tasted often. He smiled. "Pomegranates?"
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 20, 2010 4:40:26 GMT -5
"I guess I do know what you like..." Hitoshi was smiling again? Actually smiling? Alex tried not to look too...
He was finding it rather hard to remember why he'd ever decided this was a good idea, and he wasn't sure whether "this" meant breaking up with Hitoshi or not avoiding him afterwards. His face reflected his thoughts for a brief moment before he looked away and took a bite of his bread as if nothing had happened at all.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 20, 2010 5:06:50 GMT -5
Hitoshi picked at the crêpes a bit, lost in thought for a moment. He tapped one of the pomegranate seeds on the side of the plate and rolled it back toward him, then looked back up at Alex.
"It's weird, but..." He shook his head slightly and stared off into the distance. "My mom used to read Hitomi and me stories before we went to bed. It was usually fairy tales, but we got bored with those, so she started telling us tales of Greek myths. I have this really vivid memory of my mom telling us the story of Hades and Persephone, and about how she had to stay in the Underworld for half of the year because she ate pomegranate seeds from the Underworld. I don't know what it was about it, since it wasn't exactly my favorite myth, and I don't remember anything that out of the ordinary happening that night." He shrugged.
"I was about eight or nine, I think. Hitomi asked for a love story, and my mom got this really strange look on her face. After the story Hitomi asked my mom what a pomegranate was, and the next day my mom went out and bought some, even though they were out of season and really expensive. Neither of us could figure out how to eat them, and Hitomi threw a tantrum over it and said she hated them, and instead of getting mad at her my mom just laughed."
It was odd just how nice it was to talk to someone about his mother. He felt as though a weight had been lifted off of him. A strange combination of contentment, relief, and sadness tugged at him, and he realized that, as much as he kept it bottled up -- and he'd refused to talk about it for years -- it felt really good to tell someone about her.
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 21, 2010 1:52:10 GMT -5
Alex sighed and rested his head on one crooked arm.
"Your mother sounds like a very interesting person."
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 21, 2010 1:59:35 GMT -5
"Yeah," he agreed quietly. "She was."
Hitoshi took a few more bites of his crêpes, then looked back up at Alex. "Do you want to come with me to the museum, or...?" Hitoshi bit his lip slightly and glanced away. "If you'd rather do something else, I can always ask Hitomi or my uncle to come with me. I doubt Tristan is doing anything."
Hitoshi didn't want Alex to feel like he had to come with him, but a part of him really did want to spend the day with him. It had been a long time since they had spent time together like this.
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 21, 2010 2:02:00 GMT -5
Alex realized that he really wanted to hug Hitoshi right now.
"Do you... think that would be a good idea? I want to, but..." He looked down and prodded his half-eaten baklava with a chocolate-covered fork.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 21, 2010 2:09:54 GMT -5
"I don't know." He shrugged slightly and pushed the remaining half of a crêpe around his plate. He was quiet for a moment.
"I'm sorry," he said. "For earlier, I mean. And...if I've done anything else I need to apologize for."
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 21, 2010 2:10:48 GMT -5
"You..." Alex raised his head and looked at Hitoshi. "Why would you need to apologize?"
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 21, 2010 2:33:43 GMT -5
"Just...I don't know. If I have." Hitoshi shrugged slightly.
"If you're done eating, do you mind if I pick up the check? I read that the museum had a new exhibit opening today, something about Macedon and the empire of Alexander the Great." He set his fork back on the plate and looked back up at Alex. "I really would like you to come with me, even if it's just to see the exhibits. I think you'd find some of it interesting."
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 21, 2010 2:45:34 GMT -5
Alex's eyes flickered between Hitoshi's and his plate. He still felt a little hungry, though he'd been distracted; he held up one finger, then folded up the rest of his crepe and munched on it, thinking and considering Hitoshi. When he finished, he wiped his mouth off and made a concerned noise in his throat.
"You keep apologizing. Now you're offering to pick up the check. You act like you're offending me, or even that there's something worse, and..." Alex looked pained. "And every time I try to make you feel better or anything, it's just- you look hurt, or something, and then you hide it like there's something really wrong."
"I can't- whatever this is, please, please don't do this to yourself. I'm sorry if I'm presuming something..." He sat his fork on his coffee-saucer and stared at it, crossing his arms on the table.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 21, 2010 3:02:04 GMT -5
Hitoshi sighed and pushed his plate away. He should have known better than to expect Alex to just let him change the subject.
He felt his throat tighten slightly, and he swallowed. "It's just..." Hitoshi shook his head slightly, not quite sure what to say. He looked up at Alex's searchingly. "Why did you break up with me, really? I don't feel like I ever got an answer."
It wasn't what he had meant to say, and he really hoped that his tone of voice didn't come out hostile, but the question had been weighing heavily on him for weeks.
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Post by Alex Meriweather on Jun 21, 2010 3:26:34 GMT -5
Alex licked his lips and thought about how to answer.
"Because it felt like I was always dragging you along behind me. Because you act like you can't imagine dating anyone else, like this... stupid high school thing is so important to you. Because I'm scared." He clenched his hand into a fist for a moment and continued. "Because to be honest I have no idea whether I like you like that or maybe I just pounced on the first attractive boy that would let me date him. I don't know how this works, and you..."
He looked away again.
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Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Jun 21, 2010 3:46:34 GMT -5
It was about what Hitomi had said a few weeks ago, though he had admittedly focused more on a different part of that conversation.
"What do you want me to say, then?" he said quietly. "I've never been interested in anyone else. And maybe after enough time I could be--a few months, a few years, who knows--but right now, I just can't see it. And maybe I just latched onto you because of that stupid prophecy or...whatever it was." His fingers clenched on the table slightly, and he stared back at Alex. "Maybe I'm scared, too."
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