His foot found its way into a stray pile of leaves as they crossed the threshold into the park. He had a broad smile on his lips as they entered the park. Fabio thrust his gangly arms up and folded them behind his head to watch the leaves as they pass. “I guess if I did not have confidence myself doubt would probably make me believe I would fail. I would rather ride the rails of high self esteem dude. As for the audio thing, well...” Fabio closed his eyes imagining the western genre canon romance cover with the addition of Kavi riding a horse. The next words that flowed out of his mouth came with a slight hint of accent that belonged to his roommate. “It was night again. The Waystone Inn lay in silence, and it was a silence of three parts. The first was a hollow, echoing quiet, made by things that were lacking. if there had been horses stabled in the barn, they would have stamped and champed and broken it to pieces. If there had been a crowd of guests, even a handful of guests bedded down for the night, their restless breathing and mingled snores would have gently thawed the silence like a warm spring wind. " He opened his eyes slowly, letting them readjust to the day light. Still with his head tilted towards the trees his smile seemed to deepen. That is why he felt confident.
He'd expected facts, statistics, anything that his roommate would have heard during class, but not the words of the book he'd introduced to him mere weeks ago. Turning soft golden eyes to the shaggy-haired boy as he gazed off into the sky as a smile spread across his features as easily as peanut butter over warm toast, Kavi found a frown coming across his own. "Dude, that is weird. It is like you are a tape recorder or something." Reaching out a hand he gave Fabio a light shove, "but if you remember your classes like you remembered the book I guess you are actually ready for midterms."
Fabio turned his head and looked at Kavi. His smile turned into a line that soon turned into a frown to match Kavi's. It should have bothered him, to be called weird but it did. He let the blow land and retaliated with one of his own. “I told you not to worry, dude. Though I still have to read some stuff that is not covered in power points, and go over my notes.” With that he shoved his hands in his pocket and found other things to occupy his mind.” It wasn't until they had reached the area cloaked in the smell of freshly grilled meat that Fabio was regretting his choice to go for a walk. Being walled in a room helped his will power, but the park was like being on the beach during D day. “Hay, lets walk some place else?”
Fabio was quick in his attempt to part away, but Kavi was quick to get a hold on his arm and keep him at his side. "This is the destination for the walk," He commented smoothly as he made a bee-line for the hot dog cart. He was positive that their trip seemed like nothing less than torture to Fabio, but he was aware that the other would be more than happy by the end. "Do you know why I brought you here?" "To be tortured by the worlds greatest food?" A laugh nearly escaped him at the comment, but his attention was stolen when he tried to flee in the other direction. "No, I brought you here so you could have a hot dog. You have been doing well by abstaining from meat, but even I can realize you haven't been feeling well, and I'm not cruel enough to keep you from what you need to feel better "
The emotional roller coaster had led them to the Hot dog cart. He was both overjoyed and yet slightly dismayed. It was like a double edge sword. It would assuage his feelings and cravings, but ultimately he would want more. Fabio saw himself falling off his horse in the desert of no meat all for a mere hallucination. Finally he turned towards Kavi, the shock still on his face, but slowly it turned into a small line before it twisted into a grin. He bounced over to the window pressing his nose against the glass like a child. He opened his mouth to order but then remember the deal, if he broke his word Kavi would not read to him any more. “But I want you to keep reading to me.” He said letting his excitement deflate. The other assured him that the other would not. His eyes widened and he ordered two with the works. He twisted and jumped hugging on Kavi. "Thank you dude, you should eat one!"
He nearly fall back at the flying mass that was his roommate. Even he was not prepared for the excitement from the recently lethargic and ill acting Fabio, but he decided that his high of excitement for his meaty treat was better than not. Easily Kavi pushed the other away, having to pry the lanky body away. "Don't push your luck. I do not fancy eating meat, and even if I were to indulge in the protein it would not be from a hot dog cart." He turned the boy around so he faced the cart once again before giving him a careful push forward. "Now order your dog so we can go, the smell is sickening."
"Dude I have been meaning to ask if that was a cultural or religious thing, 'cause I have never seen you follow any organized religion." He said taking the others advice and getting his tasty treasure as quick as possible. He bit into his long begotten friend, savoring the taste of moist meat between his lips. All of his cares seemed to drip away with the falling golden leaves. When Fabios world stopped moving as if he were in a slow motion movie, he quickly gobbled up the rest of the meat between the buns. Licking his messy chops he delightfully turned towards Kavi. "Thanks man... I really mean it. Any time you need a favor just ask, it is yours ... like if you need me to leave for when your hottie mc hot hot comes to the dorms I am there." Fabio did not want the walk to end. It meant the two of them going back to endless amounts of studying. He turned his feet towards the park side walk and gestured for the other to come with in search of spontaneous adventure.
"It is neither cultural nor religious, but a personal choice. I do not follow a religion, and my culture only ever said not to eat beef, but I abstain from all meat." The brown colored eyes were caught by a falling leaf, the wind carrying it with a determined precision, and yet the leaf wished to defy. It played, and twirled around, and yet never strayed from the path the wind had for it. In truth it was beautiful, but as Kavi turned his eyes back to his roommate the moment was ruined. One would have thought the boy had never eaten anything in his life by the way he choked down the hot dog, and it clashed with the beauty of the autumn day. As did the next words that passed from Fabio's mouth. Firmly, he pressed his palm to his forehead as the other finished his food. "To be correct you would not be there, but I assure you I will not call upon a favor then. Instead I will use it now, and request that you do not call my girlfriend 'Hottie Mc Hot Hot' anymore." Setting a serious look over to the curly haired other he merely received a gesture to follow. Pursing his lips into a thin line as he watched the fleeting back for a moment, Kavi found himself submitting to the will of the his roommate and following after dutifully
Fabio looked at his roommate with narrowed eyes. “Denied! Hottie mc hot hot is Hottie mc hot hot until I deem other wise.” He crumpled up the wrapping from his feast finding the nearest trash can to throw it in. “Thanks man, I really needed that.” Fabio managed to gobble down his second dog while still standing at the trash. Once he was finish and the residue of chilli was smeared on to his sweater, Fabio found himself looking for anything that would keep the pair away from the dorm even if just for a few moments more. His eyes came to a grouping of tents and banners flapping in the wind. He moseyed over to the happening. “Hay Kavi, lets go see whats up.”
He'd grown tired of the crisp autumn wind and familiar crunch of the leaves and desired to return to the familiar textbook pages as well as the cozy interior of their dorm. Fabio, on the other hand, seemed to have other plans, heading straight for the colorful signs and flags hanging down from light poles. One of few times, Kavi actually found himself feeling rather curious to the origin of the banners and commotion in the center of the park. Despite himself, the man found himself following after his roommate without complaint. The closer they drew to the crowds the louder it became. The soft strumming of a more rustic sounding guitar could be heard whistling along with the wind and leaves, and the normally chill scent of the fall was filled with a mix of robust foods and spices. Completely intregued, Kavi did his best to look over the small mass of people heading for the hub of it all. "Dude, is this a fall fair or something?"
Not only did his roommate use his favorite colloquial term, but he seemed to temporarily put aside his aspirations to study in favor of thee small cultural festival in the park. Fabio grinned like a child that had gotten just what he wanted for Christmas. “Why yes it is.” He said directing Kavi to the nearest stall. “We have them when the park permits mostly in the spring and fall and summer. There is also a farmers market.” His eyes fell onto an array of glass beads. While the vendor was helping a woman out, Fabio held a beaded hemp bracelet to the sunlight twisting it to view the designs. He thought the brown looked lovely with Kais eyes, and blinked realizing that his roommate probably was not secure enough in his sexuality to accept such a fine piece of adornment. Like a crow, Fabio was enamored with the shiny pebbles. He bought some and stuffed the one for Kavi into his pocket before the man could see it.
Quite easily he allowed for himself to be led by his roommate, his judgement and knowing of where they were was more than he could ever hope to know. He watched people pass, curiosities and handmade items in hand, as well as bags full of the market's fresh produce. It made him wish he was back home, and he had a kitchen at his expense. He let out a soft sigh as he found that Fabio halted them in front of a makeshift stand, smooth and glittery beads all strung and woven into a mix of necklaces and bracelets. Carefully reaching over Fabio's shoulder, he plucked a rosy colored ankle bracelet from its stand. "These are beautiful, the weaving is intricate." He turned it over in his hand, looking at the unmarked surfaces of the beads, unbeknownst to the sticky fingers of his roommate. "Do you think these are worth the price?"
“pfft, of course not.” He said watching the vendor to make sure they were out of an ear shot. “of course not, but they are pretty, and people must make a living so hence the price. “ He found himself smiling. “Though if they make some one else happy then I am sure they are worth the price.” Fabio watched Kavi a moment longer before his attention started to wane. His eyes traveled further down the place where there was live music. He let the remains of what was in his hands slide back into their spot before turning towards the faint percussion sounds. “Are you going to buy something for hottie mc hot hot?”
Clearly he could hear the jovial music one would associate with the renascence echoing in the back, most likely near the center of the bustle so anyone could hear. Still, the brown eyes hardly strayed from the lightly marbled stones lest he looked up to see if Fabio had strayed away. When proposed with a question he shrugged. "I think I might. It seems like a nice thing to get for her, but I don't know if she would really like it." Turning it around between his fingers again he was torn in his decision, but evetually he found himself placing it back onto the stand from where it came. He turned back to Fabio. "I will look around a bit more, there is always time to buy her something anyways," he commented smoothly as he set his hands into his pockets. "Where to next?"
Fabio idly slipped his hand around Kavi's arm, linking the two of them together. He had a wide grin on his face. He pulled the other down the rows of colorful merchandise, past the home made goods into the giant circle near the stage. The music was local, and not the greatest in the world, however it had rhythm and an upbeat groove. He could not help the broad grin on his face. “Do you dance Kavi?” he said moving his own hips to bump into the others. He was sure he had not seen his roommate so much as gyrate before.
He allowed the linking of their arms, knowing that trying to persist the eccentric roommate would only end in doing something more dramatic. Instead he tried to focus his attention on the home spun and kitschy items that passed by much too fast for him to achieve a good look, let alone contemplate purchasing anything. The music grew louder as he was led through the crowds, and by the time they came upon the orbicular plaza of it all others could be seen dancing, and as the one beside him took to gyrating, Kavi pushed him away. "No, I am afraid I do not dance. The commotion and idea of such...rowdy and raucous actions have never appealed."
“Holy freaking what ever deity you worship dude!...” He could not help himself. Most of the adjectives that Kavi used could hardly describe this crowd. First it was Karaoke, then it was his slow reluctance to even venture forth outside and now this. Fabio felt as though he could not take it any more. He caught the fish before it had time to escape and with his other hand he smoothed his fingers over the side of Kavi's hips bringing their bodies close. Using his own hips he moved the other into a twisting motion . “raucous my butt.... Conservative!” He said with a broad grin. “And rowdy... no dance is suppose to do that.” He let go of Kavi's arm in favor of bracing his shoulders. “Come on move your freaking hips, its not that hard to dance and its fun if you let it be.”
"There are plenty of rowdy dances," Kavi objected, "Think of concerts, they get so raucous at those kinds of things." He found that he'd been hoping for too much when he thought his comments would allow for him to get off the took and avoid the crowd of swingers and twisters and whatever other kind of dancers there were, and instead was pulled closer to his turning roommate. As the hips took their spot on his hips, he took to turn away, or at the very least dislodge said appendages from where they came to lay, but it did neither intention, and he was sure it appears as some odd type of dancing. Certainly jerky. Begrudgingly, Kavi took to swinging his hips to match with both the rhythm of the music and Fabio's swinging when he found himself unable to escape
“I've never been to a concert.” He confessed. “Well not of a major band. Been to a few local gigs at a couple of bars but they were certainly not … raucous.” his fingers slipped from Kavi's hips to around his back side. Together he pulled both the bodies further into the small crowd. “You sound as if you were traumatized by crowds as a child. Did your mother leave you at a concert?” He ventured amusingly. Now that the bodies were closer, Fabio attempted to twist in a salsa like motion. “I bet you have some great moves, we need to go clubbing some time over break.”
"I have not been to a concert either, so no, my mother did not lose me at a concert. Though you are wrong in your assumptions, crowds are not very traumatizing for me." Feeling the hands begin to venture around his backside while puling him further into the crowd, Kavi reached forward to take Fabio's shoulders in hand, and to gently push him away. The pull deeper into the dancing mass of people, much to his dismay, happened anyway, and a dancing twist from his roommate seemed to seal the deal as he found them too far into the crowd for an easy escape. "If I rarely dance how would I have any 'moves'?" Kavi rolled his eyes to himself without bothering for an answer. "I do not believe I would like to partake in clubbing though, but if you wanted to hang out during break I am sure that could be arranged."
Fabio threw his hands in the air wiggling them with a joyous laugh. “Because there is not much to dancing. You just move how your body thinks it should move.” His own body began to move in a motion that mimicked the crowd. “That is how you get moves.” He said bemusedly. Fabio paused nearly tripping over his wobbling feet. “Dude, how can you say you hate something if you don't try it at least once?” He picked back up his dancing. “If you are scared and intimidated that is fine dude, but don't use hate as an excuse to not try something. For all you know you might like it.” For Fabio it was as simple as jumping in the leaves, and he would find away to get Kavi out of his box and into the world, one begrudging step at a time.
Begrudgingly he found himself shifting away from his introductory dancing to the beat of the music to mimic the motions of everyone else in the crowd, though he was sure his lack of enthusiasm was obvious to any looking his way. "Now now, I never said I have not danced before, just not very often or recently. Nor did I say I hated it, just that I did not like to partake in the activity." He watched Fabio stumble around and reached out an arm to his shoulder in an attempt to steady him. "You seem to be clumsy though, is it even safe for you to be dancing around all of these people?" He actually offered a smile at his joke, though smothered a laugh that attempted to emerge.
A faint flush covered his face while he tried to regain his composure. He nearly fell again, listening to the sound he was very unaccustomed to. For a moment he was not even sure he heard it since it became hidden beneath a warm smile. A broad grin slipped onto Fabios lips. Now that he knew his roommate was just as human as the rest of the world he would aim to make the other smile more often. “About as safe as eating high school cafeteria food.” He said as he continued to move lucidly. “You should live on the wild side Kavi”
"If it's that dangerous maybe you should evacuate the dance floor," He suggested with the punctuation of rich laughter as the music paused in its upbeat grooves to take up another with a just as strong beat to keep the crowd dancing. "The wild side does not sound very appealing though, Fabio. Some are meant to take on the persona, but others I feel as if they aren't. Let's take you for example. If you so choose you could be wild, doing what you were to describe as "wild", you are the type of person who could pull it off. Wanting to become a teacher for young children, the energy, enthusiasm, and willingness to partake in most anything thrown in your way gives them a way to enjoy class and learn what they need to learn. It almost gives you an immunity of sorts. Still, not everyone is like you, and if they were to act wild it may not suit them, though the definition of wild differs from person to person as well."
It was some where close to a complement, or as close to one he had heard in a long time, even though it was stated in Kavi's factorial way of speaking. “This is not wild for me...” He said with the blossoming of a smile. Another stray body propelled him into Kavi before he had a chance to gather his wits and make a counter argument. His hand reached up and curled around the others, even his wild side knew when it was quitting time. Sadly just as he had gotten Kavi to loosen up it seemed they had to burrow their way out of the massive crowd. Once they were on the edge of the ring, and the stalls were in sight, Fabio let out a breath turning to Kavi and smiled. “You know, I would like to see some proof of your theory.” He said “I think Kavi has a wild side, it is all up to your inhibitions” Inadvertently he had pulled the other close, not letting go of his hand.
As his heart calmed down he opened his mouth many times to ask the other what would keep him from being wild, surely the obvious answers of his parents expectations and his girl friend but each time the words came to the edge of his throat they floated away like effervescent bubbles. Letting the fingers slide from his, he followed as the other took one last round about the park. Just as they were ready to head back to the dorms, fabio paused, gently tapping Kavi on the shoulder. Warm golden light bathed the park and its inhabitants and he did not want Kavi to miss a second of he beautiful sunset just beyond the trees. “Not every one can be wild, but every one needs a day to jump in the leaves.” He said leaning in close, saying the words softly for only Kavi's ears.
Never would Kavi had admit to his roommate that abandoning the books to play in the leaves would have aided in his midterm studies, though he was sure he did not have to when they received their scores and was found himself scoring better than he would have first assumed. He also accounted it to his girlfriend's rapidly approaching visit the week before Thanksgiving break began, and belatedly remembered he ought to let Fabio know of the impending visit lest it turn into more of an abrupt surprise than it undoubtedly was already. Emerging from his final class for the day he headed back to their door with the assumption Fabio would not would not be too long, and he'd share his plans then.
Fabio unfurled his fingers stretching out to the warm sun. It was a beautiful day and he and finally finished his midterms. He bounced happily down the sidewalk pulling his beanie over his eyes as he ran. He made it back to the dorm opening pushing the door aside the make a grand entrance but stopped at the sight of Kavi laying among his blankets with a book curled in his hands. Silently he shut the door behind him and crept up to the bed. He slid his finger in the books binding keeping Kavi from turning the page over and slipped into the bed beside him laying his head on Kavi's shoulder. Quickly he read a few passages from the book relieved that it was not their shared western adventure. Quietly he wiggled until he was resting comfortably listening to the rise and fall of Kavi's chest and the underlying thump that gave him life.
He was not so unobservant or so far delved into his book that he did not hear Fabio enter the room, and despite his attempt at being stealthy the other was clearly visible as he forced his way onto the bed beside him to cuddle up to him like some kind of teddy bear. Had he been much of a nuisance Kavi would have out a stop to it, but as it was he was doing no harm resting against his shoulder and reading over his shoulder at the book he'd picked up from the library; He made an effort to read slower to allow his roommate time to read, but he easily grew bored and laid the book against the bed, the pages spread out enough for he to see as he glanced through for a place to begin reading aloud while he offered a question to his intrusive bed bug. "How did the last day of exams go?"
He had nearly fallen asleep on the others bed. Twisting his head he turned but it only gave him a view of the others jawline. â??It was fun, I am on the correct career path to be coming the best teacher in America.â?? He said â??Though I think I will study more for the finals. A few questions had me worried. What about you?â?? He wiggled a little twisting so his frame fit on the narrow twin bed. "... also would you like me to move?"
"I thought I did alright. There were a few questions over formulas and the protons over atoms that I would have liked to double check, but the time ran out. Otherwise it seemed to go pretty well." Flipping back a page he decided not to read that page and flipped back several more to find the beginning of the chapter. "If you want to study more for the finals though I would be heppy to help, make sure you don't slack off like you did this time around," Looking down he glanced to the twisted roommate laying beside him before he shrugged. "You can stay there if you want, I do not care, but this weekend you should more to your own, I have a visitor coming to stay with us before break."
He pushed himself up looming over the other as he wiggled his eye brows. For a moment he stared into the others eyes but he got nothing in return but a slightly amused quirk of the brow. “oh ho is that so?” He curled his arms under his head and rested once again on Kavi, this time kicking his legs into the air like a girl at a sleep over. “So do I need to clean and hide my stash of novels from your parents?”
A snorted laugh escaped him as he closed the book with a loud sound, "Not a chance, they wouldn't show up except for graduation." Kavi tossed the book onto the bed as he moved to sit up, "my girlfriend is actually the one coming to visit though, so if you were to clean that would actually be very helpful."
His face was mushed against the fabric of Kavi's shirt as the other re-positioned himself. He moved bac, looking up at the other with a slightly slackened jaw,. â??Dude Hottie mc hot hot....â?? The others nod seemed to confirm what he said previously. â??In the flesh?â?? He watched seeing the signs that Kavi's pool of patience was about to end. Before the other could launch into an explanation, Fabio fully pulled himself back on to the haunches of his legs and ran his hands through his lax curls. His eyes shifted towards his bed and the messy side of the room. â??Thanks for the warning... â?? He didn't turn his eyes back towards Kavi. He didn't expect proof so soon and, three was a crowd. â??I guess the last chapter will have to wait till after Thanks giving.â?? His face contorted to that of a kicked puppy. "How much time do I have to clean out the smell of Fleur de fabio?" He said sliding off the bed and quickly grabbing a fallen pair of boxers as he stumbled back to his side of the room."