Carter's Army - 21. Chapter 21

December

It was the first time they had been together since the cat had escaped the proverbial bag. Will felt nervous, as he remained standing, back against the rail overlooking the now quiet ice rink. He had decided to hang back as the others rushed down to congratulate the team and participate in the merriment. He hadn't felt a part of it, being the one to nearly cost the team a game - an unforgivable sin in the minds of most Canadians.

But Andrew, equipment bag slung casually over one shoulder, his hair hanging damply over his forehead, had known exactly where to find him. It came with the territory of loving Will. Knowing when the younger man was going to be exuberant, and when he chose to be reserved. When he let himself relax, and when he chose to feel guilty.

He set the bag down on the floor of the small café/bar and laid his pair of sticks down on top of it. He had the same smug smile on his face that he had worn that first day in the library, the one that said 'I'm Andrew Highmore and you can't do anything about it.' He kept his eyes on Will as he stepped around a couple of older men intent on shaking his hand and congratulating him. He was polite, but made it clear he wasn't about to stop for them.

He crossed the floor and reached out to pull Will against him.

Will was startled by the sudden display of public affection; the two men who had been trying to talk to Andrew were now staring in shock at the two of them. And Will leaned in to whisper;"You did that on purpose," in Andrew's ear.

Andrew, for his part, glanced over at the two startled men and flashed them an unrepentant smile, "Yep," he said, turning back.

"Oh, sorry, boys." Brody stated as he walked into the café, holding his hands up as if to apologize but the grin on his face said he was nowhere close to apologetic, "Lisa's cornered Jared and she sent me to find out if you two would like to get away from all this madness, catch a victory dinner... you know girls and their..." he stopped considering who he was talking to, "...ok well maybe you don't know girls, but they have this need to celebrate stuff like this. Or maybe you do know," he tossed them a wink, "Let me know, ladies..."

The corner of Andrew's mouth quirked a little at Brody's unique sense of humour, "Where are we going?"

Brody thumbed behind him, "Back to mine, with a slight detour to the Depanneur. I'll pick up something to eat and whatever."

Andrew hadn't let go of Will the entire time he was having his conversation with Brody; it was as if he were making a bold declaration that there was nowhere else he would rather be at that time. "Sure sounds good, I'll bring Carter with me." He sized him up, "I might as well get some use out of him as a baggage handler."

Brody chuckled, "Yeah, I use him as my own English butler at home; he cooks, he cleans it's great!"

Will flushed slightly under the teasing, "Hey... I..."

He felt Andrew chuckling, a soft vibration in his arms that were tightly wrapped around him as he pressed in close. And he stopped his blustering as he sighed in mock frustration, "Damn Canadians," he murmured.

He helped carry Andrew's equipment, fortunately not the kit bag that was easily as big as he was and probably weighed about the same. The battered Mustang had seen better days, and when Brody saw it he whistled.

"That's a nice car," he said as he glanced about to look for Lisa.

Andrew smiled again as he opened the trunk to wrestle his gear inside, "My father restored it; sometimes my mom used to complain he spent more time in the garage with this thing than he did with her..."

Will sensed Andrew tensing at the memory of his father, it was a subject that they just didn't talk about. But then they hadn't really had an opportunity to just talk about anything since the night in the car.

Brody, typically, didn't notice as he bent down to take a look at the twisted fender, "Banged her up pretty good, but nothing that can't be put right with a hammer and a bit of time." He stood up and patted the car's roof.

Fortunately Lisa joining them spared Andrew any more uncomfortable discussion on the subject, and Will jumped on the opportunity to start a new conversation. "No Jared?"

She seemed distant, "Oh, he's coming, he's just..." she looked behind her obviously troubled.

"Everything okay?" Will pressed in concern.

The sun had gone down and it was getting cold in the parking lot of the arena, most of the other students were piling onto their buses or already in their cars. He shivered, and immediately stopped as Andrew wrapped an arm over his shoulder protectively. It was a subconscious gesture, but it warmed Will to realize that Andrew was so relaxed.

Lisa turned back, "Yeah," she said, "Jared's just breaking up with Charlene. He didn't like what she did to you," she looked up at Andrew, "and so he's breaking up with her."

"Go, Captain Backbone." Brody said firmly, and realizing that Lisa was giving him an annoyed look, shrugged, "What?"

Andrew let go of Will as he closed the trunk of the car and stepped up, "I should go find him..."

Lisa shook her head, "No, you guys go, and Brody and I will wait for him. We'll catch you back at the house..."

Andrew stuck his hands into his pockets, "Alright," he nodded. "Tell you what, we'll swing past the store and pick up the stuff, that way we should all arrive at the same time."

Brody looked indecisive for a moment as he reached out to touch the Mustang's roof again. Seeing Andrew look puzzled he shrugged apologetically, "Hey, it's not just a car, it's a masterpiece, a work of art. Like a da Vinci, or the Parthenon or a Harley-Davidson."

Will blinked, looking at the car and looking back at Brody's overt display of emotion towards a piece of metal. He didn't quite understand; a car's a car, right? But the look of understanding that passed between Brody and Andrew said there was more to it than that. He didn't question it as he got into the passenger seat and closed the door.

As the car pulled into the LOEB grocery store parking lot, Will realized he had been staring thoughtfully out of the window the entire time. He started when Andrew nudged him, and he sheepishly grinned as he got out and followed Andrew into the store.

"You sure you're up to this?" Will asked as they collected a small cart, "You look knackered."

Andrew frowned at the Briticism, "Huh?" he asked with a smile. He was growing used to Will's strange word choices.

"Tired," Will corrected. "Sorry, I have to watch that..."

"Why?" Andrew looked at him puzzled as they passed through the produce section, "I like it, it's part of what makes you so... unique."

Will felt himself begin to blush; he was doing that a lot lately and he hated feeling like a girl, so he willed himself to remain centered. "Thanks, but you're dodging my question."

Andrew nodded, "Yep," he said with a patented grin as he held up a couple of pre-made pizzas, "Think these'll be good?"

"They should be," Will replied as he rested on the bar of the cart watching as Andrew put in two hearty looking pizzas and motioned for him to move on, "I haven't had a chance to say sorry yet..."

Andrew had the capacity to look in control no matter where he was. He was walking alongside the cart with a sense of direction, looking about him with eyes that seemed, at least to Will, to be watching everything without appearing too interested. His eyebrows raised at Will's sudden apology as he looked at him, "Don't be sorry, you have nothing to apologize for."

Will sighed, somehow that didn't make him feel better about being responsible for turning Andrew's life upside down. He said as much.

Andrew reached over the cart to add a couple of bottles of pop to his shopping list, "Look, you tried to warn me right at the beginning; if you want to get technical, Greenwood catching us should have warned me as well, but..." he leaned closer to Will, "I enjoy this too much..." he kissed Will gently.

Will was getting used to the startled gasps, and he looked over Andrew's shoulder as a mother quickly tried to push her seven year old boy away from them. The look of delight on the kid's face was priceless.

"Mommy," he said tugging on her arm, "you didn't tell me boys were allowed to kiss too...." His mother shot him a pained look, and Will surmised she would have a few sleepless nights of worry ahead of her after that comment.

Andrew rolled his eyes, "You realize one of these days I am actually going to be able to kiss you without being disturbed."

"The Canal," Will countered as he resumed pushing the cart. "We kissed there without getting caught."

"Great," Andrew murmured dryly, "I have to drive into Ottawa every time I want to kiss my boyfriend..."

The word was out really before he realized it, and Will nearly rammed the cart into a salsa display in shock. "Huh?" was all he could manage.

Andrew reached out a hand to steer the cart around the display, affixing Will with a look that said 'uh...yeah!' as if it was something he had just taken for granted and expected Will to have done the same. When it dawned on him that Will hadn't he grinned lopsidedly.

"You... you really don't know what to think about us do you?" he asked, the perma-grin he was wearing broadened in delight, realizing that Will really was clueless about the whole dating issue.

Will shrugged, "Well, I mean I know that... well what I mean is..." he struggled to find the right words.

Andrew chuckled, "Yes, you're my boyfriend..."

"Cool! Mom, boys can be boyfriends with each other too!" the young kid's voice was in obvious awe as they rounded the corner and came face to face with the scandalized mother and her overly enthusiastic son. She flashed them a look that would curdle milk as she took a firm hold of her son's hand and had to drag him with her.

Will cocked his head following the woman's passage as she abandoned her trolley of groceries and made a direct line towards the store's exit. "I think you just converted another one," he said in an offhand comment.

Andrew followed his gaze as he laughed, "Well I have that affect on people it seems."

Will turned back to him, "So if I'm your boyfriend does that mean I get a second date?"

"I think you're getting ahead of yourself, Carter," Andrew replied as he guided the cart to the checkout line, "I mean, imagine what dating you will do to my reputation."

"Yeah," Will shot back, "I mean, imagine you a senior dating a lowly sophomore. People might not approve of the age difference."

"Oh I doubt that will bother them," Andrew replied, casually unloading the cart, "I think the fact that you're English will bother them more."

"Wow, do they ever hold a grudge!" Will commented with a grin, "Just 'cause we mopped the floor with the French all those years ago, you'd think they'd be over it by now."

"Hey now," Andrew replied in mock annoyance, "I'm half-French you know."

"And I don't hold it against you," Will said as he smiled sweetly.

Andrew rolled his eyes, "My mother's gonna just love you." He shook his head as he reached up to pay the very amused clerk, who gave them a knowing look as he handed them their bags.