Carter's Army - 11. Chapter 11

December 5th

It was a sort of half-and-half establishment, a restaurant with a bar. Smoky bronze mirrors and comfortable seating. There was a pool table tucked off towards the back of the restaurant that really looked more like a bar than a restaurant. Luckily no one questioned them when they went in, and the waitress, a stout blonde woman with spiky blonde hair showed them to their table and went off to fetch them a couple of drinks.

Will had kept his gaze firmly on the mug when it arrived, adding a couple of creamers to it and a couple of spoonfuls of sugar. Andrew, he noticed, had ordered a cup of tea. He looked at Andrew questioningly.

Andrew strained his tea bag and looked over at Will, "Strange isn't it, you're the one that's supposed to be drinking tea, and I'm the one supposed to be a coffee fiend."

Will shrugged, "I've always liked coffee better, tea just tastes funny over here. It's like they don't make it properly." He sat back into the chair near to the window and looked up at Andrew, "Why me?"

Andrew stirred a little milk into his tea as he thought, "I don't know. I started to notice you last year, this scruffy British kid who hung around with Jared."

"Jared and I don't really hang out..." Will said thinking about the Storm' goalie whose party had started this mess.

Andrew shrugged, "He thinks of you as a friend. I asked him about you once at the start of the year."

"You what?" Will asked incredulously, "but..."

Andrew winced, "No, it's not like that, or I didn't think it was like that..." He blushed as he looked away, "I mean it wasn't gay or anything, I was just... Curious, you know?"

The waitress saved him from further embarrassment, coming over to take their order before disappearing again. And Will tried to relax; they were both getting strung-out over this. It had just been simpler in the car talking about life without the pressures of the big "L" word hanging over their heads.

"No, I understand," Will said after the waitress had vanished again, and he offered Andrew a smile.

"No," Andrew said as he shifted in his chair and fiddled with a teaspoon, "I mean right up until the other night," his voice dropped, "in the car, and I had my arms around you..." he again shifted, "and then I kissed you..."

"Yeah I remember that," Will said with a shy grin, as his eyes met Andrew's. It was hopeless, their situation. It was just another stolen moment and could lead nowhere, but the way Andrew was sitting, relaxed in his chair, those eyes just piercing into him searching for some sign that his feelings were returned. Will couldn't understand why it was him, there were better looking guys at school. "You still haven't said why."

Andrew accepted the burger the waitress handed to him and watched Will's caeser salad with chicken strips, and he gestured with his fork. "This is why; you're not a carbon copy of every other person in school. You're interesting, you have depth above cars, boobs and parties." He sighed, "Want to know why I was out on the rink rather than getting drunk with the guys?"

Will nodded, "Okay, why?"

"Because it's not me. I told you in the car that I don't want to be one of those guys. I'm better than that, I have to be." He shrugged, "And you make me realize that."

"I don't get it." Will said truthfully, "I'm just that scruffy British kid..."

"Who trusted me with his life," Andrew finished. "Who outside," he gestured in the direction of the parking lot, "just had to touch me to feel safe. That's why it's you, Carter."

Will looked down at his plate of food. "Oh." His voice was quiet as he searched for some kind of answers under a lettuce leaf, and unless the answer was a crouton he wouldn't find it in his salad. Was he gay? Everyone thought he was now, everyone said he was. But he had always shied away from gay thoughts. He'd had the usual curiosity, and like the other night, he had dreamed about it. But that didn't make you gay, what made you gay was wanting to be with a guy. He looked up at the guy he wanted to be with.

"What about school?" Will asked, "You don't want that..."

Andrew's brow creased as he chewed on his fries thinking, "Look Will, neither of us really know what we want right now. But we can't just pretend that we don't feel anything. If you want I'll get up on a table at school and scream it for everyone to hear..." he sounded sincere, and that scared Will a little.

"You're that sure?" Will said glancing about him furtively, but the waitress was too far away to hear them.

"Carter...Will," Andrew leaned forward across the table and his hand touched Will's, "It's my fault you're in that mess at school. I shouldn't have kissed you... I was confused...am confused about all of this. But I know that I'm not confused in how I feel. If you told me to do that I would..."

"I'd rather you didn't." Will admitted reluctantly that he enjoyed the reassuring feeling of Andrew's hand on his own. He turned his palm outwards and Andrew immediately took it into his own larger ones. He stared at it for a long time.

"Refill on your coffee?" the waitress asked, not even bothering for a reply as she refilled his mug. She looked down at the two hands and threw Will a wink, "Shame," she said softly as she walked off again.

Will blushed scarlet as Andrew tried to hide his laughter. "See, I have good taste," he said with a grin, not letting go of Will's hand, "I love you, Will Carter."

"I think I love you too." Will said, the knot in his stomach threatening to curl him into a little ball from the fear of actually acknowledging the feelings he had locked deep inside.

Andrew suddenly looked relieved, as he let out a long breath he had obviously been holding. "Wow," he said again, "I've never been that nervous before."

Will blushed again letting go of Andrew's hand and picking up his coffee cup. The admission calmed him, and he squared his shoulders looking across the table at Andrew who was battling heroically with his banquet burger.

"So what now?" Will asked.

Andrew grinned as he put the burger down, "I could kiss you again..." he shrugged, "But after all that garlic in the salad I'd rather not..."

Will laughed, "That's not what I meant, I mean with us?"

Andrew sighed considering it, "Well why don't we just see where it takes us. I mean technically we've only kissed once and this is our first date..."

Will shook his head, "Oh no, this isn't a date!"

Andrews face fell slightly in disappointment, "Oh?"

"No, if you are going to take me out on a date I expect it to be done right," Will said, sitting back in his own chair. He felt ridiculous, boys weren't supposed to go on dates, hold hands, kiss. But there he was doing all of those things. If he were a cheerleader he would be doing backflips by now. If he were a cheerleader he would be on his back by now.

He was shocked at the sudden thought, and blushed bright red. Andrew caught it, but didn't ask. He just sat chewing on his burger in an overtly masculine way, one arm on the back of the chair beside his own, the burger clutched in the other. And those eyes weighing him up.

"Mister Carter," he said in a formal sounding voice, "I would cordially ask to take you out for one night of dinner, dancing and romantic walks."

Will stopped himself from smiling and straightened up, "It would be both an honour and a privilege to accompany you sir." He forced a formal British accent that made him sound like an old school professor.

Andrew nodded, "It's a date then."

After they had finished eating and Andrew had driven him home, Andrew walked him up to the porch of Brody's house. He stood hesitant for a moment in the quiet night, snow again drifting down around them. Will took a deep breath knowing what was to come, but nerves took over and he began to talk.

"Well I had fun tonight, and I'm sure that we can ..."

Andrew kissed him again cutting off his nonsensical banter; it was a playful kiss, soft and teasing, and he went to return it as Andrew pulled back. "Night, Carter."

He leapt down the steps, sliding on the snow in Brody's drive, till he hopped into his car. He threw Will one last wave and the car swept off. Will shook his head as he opened the door and walked back into Brody's place carrying all his bags.

Lisa and Brody sat on the couch, Brody refusing to look at him, and Lisa looked constipated. Like she couldn't wait to say something. He barely noticed as he got out of his shoes and went to go upstairs.

"Oh, no you don't!" Lisa said with a happy tone in her voice, "you don't kiss on the door step and not tell me all about it."

Will looked back down at her, and at Brody who was laughing into the couch. He flushed red, they'd seen him. He shrugged, "I don't kiss and tell." And he jogged up the stairs to put his new clothes away.