Carter's Vanguard - 4. Chapter 4

"Andrew," he greeted, "I see you finally housebroke your pet."

Andrew shrugged, heading for the stairs, "He can do tricks, too."

Will spluttered indignantly, "Excuse me? I'd rather you not discuss my sex life with my roommate, if you please..."

Andrew turned and pulled twice on the tie drawing Will in close and wrapping his arms around him, "Uh-huh."

Will rolled his eyes. "You just want to get laid," he commented.

Brody looked between the two of them and groaned, "For God's sake, you two are worse than newlyweds. Just go get a room, already."

"What?" Jared asked, standing in the doorway with a 12-pack of beer with a suspiciously French label on it. He looked over at Will in Andrew's arms and he groaned, "Oh no, not again!"

Andrew sighed a little in frustration, but gave Jared a warm smile as he walked over to shake his best friend's hand. "How's the captain of the team?" he asked with a big grin.

"That's not been decided yet," Jared replied, balancing the beer under his arm as he shook Andrew's hand. "Coach Thorburn says it will be announced at the sports banquet at the end of the year."

"Excuse me," Brody stated, squeezing past Andrew to liberate the beer and already restocking the fridge with it.

Andrew leaned on the wall and studied his old friend. Jared had changed little over the last year: still a lanky powerhouse of a goalie with a dark complexion to match his inquisitive dark eyes, all tucked under the distinctive Condor's baseball cap.

"You're Assistant Captain now," Andrew reassured. "You've got it in the bag, don't stress too much over it." He clapped him on the shoulder and smiled, "I was scared to death waiting to find out if I had been named Captain."

Jared rolled his shoulders, "Sure, whatever--it's'all good. How about you, how's varsity at UNB?"

"I didn't play," Andrew replied, accepting the beer Brody handed him.

"Oh," Jared said, the tone of his voice sounded like he had just heard someone had died.

Andrew shook it off, "I didn't try out because I wanted a year off, and I don't want to play hockey the rest of my life. I had a pretty intense year, what with my courses and everything."

Will came up behind Andrew and rested a hand on his shoulder. It had been a difficult decision for Andrew to make. He had spent long hours on the phone long-distance talking it through with Will who couldn't offer much by way of a perspective, but had acted as a sounding board. Andrew had always been strong academically, but the transition from high school to university had thrown him for a loop, and it had taken extra effort for him to maintain a straight-A average. It had come at the cost of his hockey dreams.

"Enough doom and gloom," Andrew said, forcing them all to change the subject. "Hey, where's Lisa?"

Will winced as Jared suddenly looked like he wanted to be anywhere but right there, and everyone was looking at Brody rooting through the fridge to make room for the last of the beer. "Wha?" he asked, looking up seeing everyone looking at him.

Andrew seemed confused, uncertain if he should repeat the question or ask Will later in private. He shrugged, and decided to just ask. "What happened with Lisa?" he asked, choosing his words with deliberate care.

Brody sighed, pulling a beer out of the fridge and twisting its cap off, "It was all a miscommunication," he protested.

"A girl called," Will explained, "looking for Brody."

"So?" Andrew said, not quite understanding.

"Yeah, well Lisa was here," Will continued.

"She went crazy," Brody finished moving across to fall heavily into a chair at the kitchen table. "All mad and stuff because it wasn't her."

"Ah," Andrew said, drawing a conclusion.

"I said that it wasn't as if we were in a real relationship anyway," Brody continued, taking a pull from his bottle. "She got madder at that."

Will shook his head, "That's an understatement."

"It's not like we were monogamous or anything," Brody complained, trying to sound innocent and blameless; as usual that only served to make him sound even more guilty.

"Yeah, when he told her that she got really mad," Will shot back, putting on the kettle for a cup of tea; it was too early in his mind for beer, not that he was particularly fond of drinking, anyway.

"And I don't get it," Brody said dismissively. "Did I say I was in a relationship? They expect me to just know these things and get mad when I don't."

Andrew nodded with wide eyes, glancing over at Will, "Which reminds me: Will, we're monogamous."

Will glanced up, "Don't I get a say in that?"

"Nope," the three other guys in the room said at the same time.

Jared kicked off his shoes to wander into the living room and claimed the end of the couch, changing the channel on the TV. It was pretty much accepted that he was a member of the family; it seemed he spent more time at the house than he did at his home, and during the school year Will appreciated the company when Brody and Andrew were both off at University.

Jared was one of those harmless souls who was typically Canadian. He drank beer, watched hockey and came rushing to help his friends whenever they needed him. And despite the fact that he had become a permanent fixture on Brody's couch whenever there was a hockey game on, he seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time with Will. Probably because Will often ended up working on their homework while Jared watched the game.

Andrew made to follow him, the telltale sounds of the sports network coming from the living room. And Will cleared his throat to catch his attention. He paused and grinned, suddenly torn between his two loves, hockey highlights and Will.

"Oh, go watch the damn highlights," Will stated, crossing his arms as the kettle began to boil behind him.

Andrew shot him an apologetic look before slipping into the living room. Will rolled his eyes as he made himself a cup of tea and picked up a book he was reading for class, walking out onto the front steps and sitting down to enjoy the sunny afternoon.

* * *

He was getting sunburned and enjoying every moment of it. So when the screen door rattled on its hinges behind him, he threw a disgruntled look over his shoulder, squinting up at Andrew towering over him.

"Hockey done?" Will asked.

Andrew nodded as he sat down next to Will on the steps, "I'm sorry; it's just I really missed just hanging out with the guys. I'll make it up to you."

"How?" Will said, closing his book and moving a little to sit closer to Andrew, smiling at him.

Andrew was taken aback a little; he hadn't prepared for that and he thought about it for a second, "Umm, well, whatever you want."

"Anything?" Will asked, a distinct tone of excitement entering his voice.

"Sure, whatever you want," Andrew reaffirmed.

Will's face broke into a broad grin as he looked directly across at the Mustang parked in the driveway.

"No..." Andrew said, his heart sinking to that low point in the stomach where it knotted up into a lump. That kind of fear that came with knowing he was stuck by his own promise. And he licked his lips, "Not that, please?"

Will stood up and stuck his hands into his pocket, a habit that always made Andrew grin when he saw it, except this time he didn't like what it implied. Will walked over to the Mustang and leaned down to peer into the driver's seat, before he reached out to open the door and get in.

"Aww, come on," Andrew sounded helpless. "Not in my car..."

"But you will teach me?" Will asked, leaning out the open window and smiling across at him.

"So long as it's not in my car," Andrew caved a little. "Just not my car." His eyes were filled with concern as he again pictured disaster when Will turned his car into an expensive pile of scrap metal.

"Where are we going to find a car?" Will asked looking about, until his eyes settled on Jared's little apple-red Toyota parked behind the Mustang. He glanced back at Andrew, who had seen the look.

"He's not going to say yes," Andrew said firmly.

* * *

"Yes," Jared said.

Will glanced at Andrew with a particularly smug look on his face. Jared could never say no to Will. His kryptonite was the way Will said 'please' in that close-clipped British accent of his. It always sounded so earnest, and like the typical laid-back kind of guy he was, he naturally agreed without a second thought.

Brody was watching the proceedings, highly entertained by Andrew's reluctance at Will's excitement. He cleared his throat as he dramatically got to his feet and extended a hand to Andrew. "Dude, good luck. One thing I've learned," he smirked, "never teach your girlfriend how to drive."

Andrew hung his head in dismay, "Think if I gave him a fifty and told him to go buy himself something pretty he'd forget about it?"

Will arched an eyebrow and indignantly crossed his arms, looking unimpressed with the statement.

Brody looked at Will, then back at Andrew, "Better make it a hundred."