Just Say Yes

Severin fiddled with his curly blonde hair as he entered his home. He was quite irritated with the events that had been occurring all week, and couldn't seem to keep his mind off of it. Why had he become the target of all of Gage's annoying stalking? What did he do to deserve this?

Frustrated, Severin grabbed a Peach-Mango Italian Soda from his rather large, wooden plated refrigerator. He took a crystal glass out from another cabinet. The glass was tall and slender and looked to be rather fragile, with a few intricate engravings at the top of it. He began to pour his soda into it.

Severin was eighteen, and since he was still attending high school, he lived with his parents. They were very well-off, and their house clearly showed it. It was only two-stories high, but it was evident that all of the rooms were overbearingly spacious. The outside of the house was a mix between brick and stone, with random French ornamentation scattered around. During Summer and Spring, the front of their house would often explode with colors of reds and greens. That was Severin's fault, mainly. He loved gardening - but mostly, he loved rose bushes.

The inside of their house was as equally eloquent as the outside. Dark cherry wood clung to the sides of the living room walls, with a deep beige carpet and rich burgundy furniture. The kitchen was tiled in shades of brown, and the counter tops were a medley of earth tones made out of granite. The cabinets and the 'fridge were all plated with cherry wood. Deep, rich colored patterns continued throughout the entire house.

Severin's room was plastered with different forms of grays and blacks. There were black and white photographs of buildings all along his wall, and a rather massive looking keyboard sitting near a large bay window.

He gingerly sat on the side of his black-covered bed, holding his Italian Soda. Taking a sip, he let the cold liquid surprise his warm mouth and slowly and relished in the feeling of light bubbles invading his throat.

Severin never did homework, he had stopped doing it when he was around 11. He quickly realized that he was intelligent enough to blow off his assignments and still ace the classes. He had recently transferred to Anders Academy, simply because he had nothing better to do with his schooling. His original intentions were to waste his parent's money, but he realized the kind of money they were spending on his schooling wouldn't harm their finances at all.

Because of his lack of motivation in schooling, Severin had a lot of free time and didn't quite know what to do with it. He didn't particularly have any hobbies, besides playing piano, and in truth he didn't really enjoy it. Being forced to play something for 15 years of your life doesn't exactly mean you'll begin to enjoy it.

Severin had always been slightly introverted, but he had started to become much more reclusive within the past few years. His parents were hardly ever at home, and he spent most of his time barricaded in his room anyway. He didn't dislike people, he just didn't know how to handle them. He was bad at social interaction and somehow over the years that had translated into him being a complete ass. He started becoming detached from emotions or concerns, and could accept harsh words or criticism simply because he stopped caring. The easiest way to survive, he had decided, was to give up care.

Gage had irritated him immensely. He was loud, obnoxious, and couldn't take a hint even if Severin had screamed it out for him. Severin was so used to being left alone, that Gage continuously following him had become a huge nuisance. What the hell would it take to get this guy off his back, he wondered as he slowly swirled the liquid in his cup around.

Severin set the glass of soda down on his bedside table, letting the wetness that had clung to his hand sit there for a moment. He held his hand to his face and began inspecting it, turning it around and slowly clenching the fingers up and down. These hands had done so much, let him do so much, they had cursed him. These were the same hands that....

He broke his thoughts off and sighed heavily, allowing himself to fall back onto his bed. He really did hate playing piano.

---

Evening had arrived, and Severin could feel the emptiness in his stomach. As usual, his parents weren't home and he was far too lazy to cook for himself. He had grown accustomed to trying out various restaurants for dinner each night.

He lived about 30 minutes away from Anders Academy, and had been working his way up to eating at restaurants near it. He had already decided on Asian cuisine for this night, preferably someplace with sushi. He listed a few of the well-known Asian restaurant names in his head.

After a few minutes of debate, Severin chose The Flying Fish. It was about five minutes north of Anders Academy and he had heard a lot of great things about it, despite the ridiculous name.

Grabbing the keys to his car and slipping on a thick black pea-coat, he headed downstairs to hop into his Volvo. He drove an old, shitty, nearly broken down Volvo that he loved dearly. It was white and boxy, with only a few scratches and dents. His parents had tried to convince him numerous times to get a better car, saying that his current one sent off "the wrong image." What they meant to say was that his car was embarrassing to them, because it did not showcase how rich they were. In a way, Severin probably only the loved the car so much because it brought his parents so much grief.

He drove the whole way there in silence, as he didn't enjoy most music and rarely turned on the radio. Even classical music wasn't something he enjoyed listening to in his free time, simply because he felt his life revolved enough around piano already. Severin took to listening to the noises around him, instead. The revving of engines, honking, squealing breaks, shouting people, and so on. It reminded him that he was still alive and surrounded by waves of people.

Tiny snowflakes began to invade the air. The sky had darkened to a solemn gray color and suddenly the universe seemed to be enveloped in a blanket of cold. Snowflakes danced in the air until they made their way to a surface, where they slowly melted away. They even found their way to Severin's window, and made rain droplet patterns along his windshield.

The ground had not yet cooled enough for the snow to stick, but Severin was relishing in every moment that a snowflake fell from the sky. This marked the beginning of winter for Severin. He mentally made plans in his head to grab a cup of warm cocoa and cuddle up in his bed when he got home. Somehow, when it snowed, the world seemed to brighten for Severin - even though it darkened everything else. He was thankful for winter, because it gave him a form of happiness.

---

Gage was weary from the week, as he had had a particularly large amount of work, plus his new task of becoming Severin's friend. It was Friday, which marked the beginning of a shitty weekend. It meant he had to go to work.

Over a year ago, Gage had grown increasingly annoyed and impatient with his parents, who could not support themselves - let alone their 6 children. Because of their financial standings, they had Gage work numerous jobs in order to help pay their bills. Eventually, Gage had decided he could make it on his own better than he could with his parents, and opted to move away.

That was how he ended up in his apartment. He loved his parents, but he knew he could push himself more if he were able to dedicate his time to studying rather than doing hard labor. He had chosen an apartment near Anders Academy, as he had applied to be a scholarship student and got accepted. Lacking a car, he knew he would need a residence nearby.

Gage didn't care for intricate or "fluffy" ornaments, as he thought of them. All he needed was a place to sleep, a shower, a working kitchen, and he would get by happily. To him, there was no need to waste money and time decorating.

Since he had decided to dedicate his time to studying he also understood that he needed to keep a steady job in order to pay his rent, along with any other extra expenses he may need. Luckily for him, he was attractive and could be charming. He chose to apply for a job at a fairly high-class restaurant, assuming he would get better tips and not have to deal with as many irritating customers. He, of course, bagged the job - and was mostly right about the tips and customers.

Grabbing a worn down stick of eyeliner, he quickly swiped a line across both of his lids. He had done it so often, that it became easy and almost habitual for him to do on weekends. Wearing eyeliner wasn't a requirement at his job, but Gage had practically convinced himself that the eyeliner was the reason he got such great tips. Plus, he was masculine enough to pull it off, without being mistaken for a female.

He grabbed his dark-rimmed rectangular glasses and placed them atop his nose. Gage's vision wasn't horrible, but he did often have to strain to read. He once forgot his glasses at work and had read a customer's name completely wrong, thinking it was Cokk instead of Coék. Needless to say, when he went to thank the couple and blurted out, "and I hope Mrs. Cokk had a wonderful evening as well" they were a little more than offended. Assuming Gage was trying to make a commentary on their behavior by discretely calling them dicks, they left the restaurant in a huff and did not return. Gage never forgot his glasses, or addressed people by their last names after that. Sometimes rich people could be so high strung.

Gage glanced at his alarm clock and walked into his room to grab some black slacks and a button down white shirt. Since it was a higher end restaurant, they required the dress code be slightly formal. Gage could get away with nice black slacks and any form of button down shirt, though this certainly wasn't his first choice for attire. Too lazy to unbutton and then button his shirt again, he merely slipped it on over his head. This ruffled his hair slightly, and he raked his fingers through it quickly. Grabbing his apartment keys, he headed out for work.

---

Gage had arrived precisely at 5:59 - perfect timing. Gage was always punctual, and was reliable because of that. The restaurant opened every day from 4 in the afternoon until 1 a.m., but Gage's shift started at 6 on Fridays and ended when the restaurant closed. He often stayed afterward to help clean up, or do any other menial tasks that would help the restaurant out and keep his job stable. He couldn't afford to lose this job, so he made sure to do everything in his power to please them. He would even get calls on Saturday or Sunday asking him to come in earlier to take a longer shift, and he would always oblige.

Entering in through the back, he was met with friendly smiles by the few coworkers he ran into. He grinned and gave enthusiastic greetings to people. Misty, in particular, made sure to go out of her way to say hello to Gage.

Misty was a cute girl, who was short and slightly awkward. She was around 5'4" and always had to stare up at Gage to meet his 6'2" frame. Her dark hair was short and choppy and was scattered with dyed blonde streaks. She always made it a point to greet Gage and have as much interaction with him as she could. She was also a fan of the weekend shifts, because that's when she knew Gage would be working.

"Oh, Gage!" she exclaimed, almost dropping the tray of drinks she was holding.

Gage put on grin and turned his attention to her. "Misty, hi. Be careful with those drinks. You wouldn't want to spill that hot tea all over yourself and scald your pretty legs, would you?" Sometimes Gage spoke out of his ass.

Misty giggled a little and there was a noticeable change in her skin tone, as her cheeks became slightly rosier. "You're right, sorry. I'll be more careful. I was just surprised to see you - there was only one minute until your shift was starting and I was beginning to think you weren't going to show. You were cutting it close, Mr. Saber"

Gage continued to smile at her as he silently wondered if all girls were this annoying. Nodding his head politely to her, he walked out of the curtain to glance at how busy the restaurant was tonight.

As soon as he had stepped out of the curtain, his heart sped up as he caught a glimpse of a very familiar blonde haired boy. Severin had come to The Flying Fish for dinner? This was.....this was absolutely perfect.

Straightening his posture, Gage quickly strode over to the front of the room where Severin was waiting to be seated. Severin seemed to be completely oblivious to his surroundings until Gage's figure cast a shadow of his face. Severin turned and his eyes were immediately met with Gage's.

"No," came Severin's voice immediately. He began to turn around and walk towards the door.

Gage shot his arm out quickly and grabbed Severin's shoulder. "No? What!? Where are you going?"

Severin glanced back over his shoulder, "No as in 'no way in hell am I eating here now that I know you work here.' And I'm going home. Or to another restaurant."

Gage used his other hand to readjust his glasses, not letting his grip on Severin falter. "No, no, don't let me drive you away! This restaurant is really good, you'll enjoy it. I promise! If I bother you that much, it's not like I'll be your waiter. You're already here and it's getting chilly outside. Stop being so stubborn and just eat here."

Severin shifted his body so that Gage would drop his hold on him. Pulling at his pea coat collar gently, he turned around. "Fine. But I'm only staying here because I don't feel like searching for another restaurant that seems decent and serves sushi. What areas will you be waiting on tonight? I was planning on having a quiet meal, so it would be ideal to stay away from large crowds ...and you," Severin looked at him pointedly.

Gage nodded, pretending to listen intensely. "Ah, well would you like to sit in the traditional seating areas? That is the closest thing you'll get to quiet - they are all blocked off by curtains for an intimate feel," he said.

Severin let out a slow sigh. "Yes, that's fine."

Directing Severin over to a corner with a curtained off seating area, Gage extended his arm and bowed slightly. "Shall I accompany you into your seati--"

Before he could finish, Severin had already walked past him and made himself comfortable. His fingers idly stroked the sides of the menu as he searched for his meal. Gage couldn't help staring at his fingers for a few moments longer than necessary. Snapping back to reality, Gage left the area and headed towards the front of the restaurant once more.

When back at the front, Gage leaned into the girl who had been seating customers and keeping track of who was waiting on what sections for that evening. He grabbed her wrist gently, and flashed a warm smile her way.

"There is a boy I've just seated in that room," he broke off his speech to point in the direction Severin was located. "I want him."

The girl knit her brows together and looked at Gage questioningly.

Gage blinked. "That is to say I want to wait on him. He is a friend from school," Gage finished smoothly. "Will you do that for me?" he asked, as he gently stroked her wrist.

The girl nodded feverishly. "Yeah, sure Gage, you don't even have to ask for things like this. Of...of course you're allowed to wait on whoever you want!" She scribbled down Gage's name on her sheet to show that Severin's area was his territory for the night.

---

Severin sat in silence as he waited for his waiter to show up so he could finally order. He was starving. He rested his head in his palm and began tapping the table slowly with his right index finger. It wasn't a gesture of impatience, but rather a habit he had formed from listening to metronomes so often.

Severin glanced sidelong as he saw some movement near his seating area. Emerging from the curtained off area was Gage.

"Ready to order?" Gage asked with a grin.

Severin pressed his lips together and turned to look at Gage. "What happened to you not being my waiter? I thought that was the deal. I stayed to eat, you left me alone."

Gage shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, there happens to be a shortage of waiters tonight, so they forced me to take your area. I tried to protest, really. And if you'll recall, I never technically said I wouldn't be your waiter. I simply said something like, 'It's not as though I'll be your waiter for the evening.' Turns out I was wrong. But, really, let's face it - I'm the best looking waiter here anyway. You should consider yourself lucky."

Severin raised his eyebrow slightly. "I see. And how does your makeup play into this role of 'best looking'? Man by day, closet drag queen by night?"

Gage was struck for a moment at the fact that Severin had even noticed that slight change in his appearance. He stared at Severin for a moment before reaching his hand behind his head and striking a model pose. He batted his eyes and then glanced back at Severin. "It suits me, don't you think? It increases my adorable factor by about 30 percent."

Severin was mildly entertained by Gage's display, but forced himself to suppress any signs of amusement on his face. Before the conversation could continue further, Severin cut him off. "I'll take shrimp tempura and seaweed salad for an appetizer. For the main course I'd like a Godzilla roll, a California roll, and a spider roll. Also - to drink, I'll have sprite."

Gage dropped his model pose and looked at Severin. "For someone so little, you sure have a big appetite. And sprite? When you come to a restaurant like this, it's usually customary to order green tea."

"Large appetite? I haven't even gotten to the dessert menu yet," Severin, still resting his head in his palm, gave off a slight smile. "And, no, I hate tea."

Gage's eyes softened as he looked at Severin's half-smiling face. Gage mentally jotted down what Severin had ordered and turned to leave. As he was just about to walk past the curtain, a wave of nausea invaded his stomach. His eyebrows knit together and he leaned forward slightly to cup his arms around himself. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, breathing slowly in an attempt to regain himself. This was so sudden, Gage didn't know what to do with himself.

As he kept trying to calm himself, Gage slowly noticed his breathing was increasing rapidly. He slid down against the wall, and sat there clutching his knees to his chest. His breathing was become more rapid and he felt hot and nauseous. He could feel his fingers shaking ever so slightly, and he quickly realized what was happening. He swallowed hard and thought about what awful luck he was having. He hadn't expected this to happen at work, let alone in a public place - it had only ever happened when he was alone before.

Gage couldn't look up to meet Severin's eyes, but he didn't see himself getting up to leave either. He wasn't incapable of moving, but the thought of standing sent more waves of nausea and made his heart pound even harder. He was embarrassed to be seen like this in front of Severin, but if he had looked up he would have noticed Severin's concerned and panic-stricken eyes laying on him.

---

Yay! Thank you all again for reading! I hope you're enjoying it so far.

In this chapter you got to see a bit of insight towards Gage and Severin ^^ I'm happier with this chapter than the first two because, to be honest, I got so excited about writing that I really rushed the first two (and I think it's very noticeable). I won't be rushing anymore (even though I get all antsy about cliff hangers - for some reason, I hate leaving readers on cliff hangers because I'm like, "I must tell them what's going on!!!") but hopefully I'll get over that =P. So, yes. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

CaFFy - Which is Italian? Sev's first or last name? If it was the last name, I already addressed that issue last chapter ^^ My mistake! Thanks for bringing it up though.

Sekre - Yeah, poor Gage - having to do more work than he planned! Thank you! ^^

ariesgirl - Haha, I'm glad you thought their conversation about architecture was intellectual! They're both very smart, which means when I write about them talking about stuff I have to know what I'm saying (oh, bother!). That means I have to stay away from math, science, computer science, and things like that xD. And, China has basically replaced America's role. Go China!

Anna Belle - Thanks for bringing it up, I had a lapse in judgment or my brain was shut off or something? Haha, anyway, I addressed that issue already ^^

Child of the Darkened Moon - Thank you very much! I hope you like where it's going.