Original (Universe C): Because, Eventually

[coprime_writes]

Title: Because, Eventually
Author: coprime
Fandom: Original (Universe C)
Pairing: David/Justin
Rating / Word Count: PG / 1,684 words
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: Belongs to me!
Summary: "You still planning to go through with your idiot venture and meet the bastard?" Mercy asked.
Notes: I have a couple different orignal universes in my head. This one, Universe C, has a modern fantasy setting. This scene got written because I felt like playing around with my characters.

~Because, Eventually~

David hated visiting his hometown. He only ever went back to see his father, who spent the time either critiquing or ignoring him, or to see Justin's parents, who loved their son but were about as welcoming as the cynical nurse that glared at him whenever he brought Justin to the ER because he'd managed to injure himself yet again. However, Justin had been insistent about wanting to meet his father, and David hadn't been able to find a good excuse to exclude Justin on his upcoming visit.

About the only positive he could come up with was that, because Justin was coming with him, Justin could be the one to drive.

He spent the night before the trip outside despite the slight spring chill, trying to store up his reserves with the little garden he'd planted. He could feel the energy from his plants—happy, clean energy—and it welcomed him. He fell asleep almost immediately, vanilla scented, nightblooming cereus opening gently next to him.

Small disruptions in the garden woke him late the next morning. David recognized the cause and smiled.

Justin crouched down next to him. "I know you're awake," he said. "And I can't believe you slept out here without even a blanket."

David opened his eyes. Yes, Justin was leaning over him, looking faintly aggravated and gorgeous. He reached up and cupped the back of Justin's head, pulling him down for a languid kiss.

When they parted, Justin started rummaging in his backpack for something. David looked at him curiously. Eventually, he emerged triumphant with a pack of cinnamon gum clutched in his hand.

Ahh. David took the proffered stick and chewed. "I wasn't cold," he said.

"Yeah, well, you're a bit of a freak like that," Justin replied.

David had thought he was too relaxed to show his reaction to his father's favorite insult, but apparently not. It took Justin a few moments to work out why he'd gone tense, but when he did—

"Hey now! You know I don't mean it like Vincent does." Justin peered down at him anxiously. "You do know that, right?"

"Yes." David sat up, his relaxed mood gone. "Let me get my bag, and then we can leave."

David headed inside to his bedroom with Justin following. Justin, to the surprise of no one who'd ever met him, started talking. About the current traffic and weather report for the weekend mostly. Of all the people living in the house, David had been the only one to decorate his room in such a way that anyone entering knew immediately what sort of magic he had. A phytomage needed plants, and the stronger the mage, the more plants they surrounded themselves with.

David's bedroom was practically a conservatory.

And tucked into one corner next to the closet, a twin bed sat as the only spot bare of greenery. Justin stayed in the doorway while David crossed the room. A few of the more curious vines—who'd been gradually making their way to the hallway while he'd been gone—shrunk back upon encountering Justin's nullifying magic. His field didn't extend far, only an inch or so from his body, but distance wasn't an issue what with Justin leaning against the door frame that the vines had been trying to escape along.

"You really don't want me to meet him, do you?" Justin asked.

"No." David placed a neatly folded shirt in his bad next to his socks and underwear. "But you're persistent." He added pants to his clothes for the weekend. "I don't understand why you want to either."

"Well, okay, the way I see it—"

Mercy walked by then. "You still planning to go through with your idiot venture and meet the bastard?" she asked.

Justin huffed, "Yes. And I don't see what business it is of yours."

"It's my business 'cause I have to deal with his grumpy plants while you drag him off to do something he doesn't want to do in the first place."

David took the opportunity afforded to him by Mercy to slip into the bathroom. He tossed Justin's gum away then freshened up. While Justin and Mercy had never got along—Mercy didn't really "get along" with anyone—their sniping had gotten even worse since the incident last semester. He'd hoped they'd get over it in time, but that didn't seem to be happening.

Finished, David realized he'd left his clean clothes for the day in his bedroom. He shrugged mentally and wrapped a towel around his waist. Maybe he could distract Justin enough to forget this ill-advised trip.

Mercy was thankfully gone and Justin on his bed when he came back in.

Justin grinned. "I ever tell you I appreciate how much time you spend outside?"

"Yes." David straddled Justin's lap, but Justin leaned back. David followed, his towel slipping down his hips. "But you normally prefer to show me."

Justin skimmed a hand up David's back and then down, resting it above David's hip. "You know it," he said warmly, "but we don't have time right now?"

"No?" David kissed Justin deliberately, nipping his lip lightly. "You're sure?"

David could feel Justin's resolve wavering and waited, his fingers playing with the hem of Justin's shirt.

Except when Justin finally made his decision, he turned his head and said, "I'll go buy snacks from the gas station, so you can finish getting ready. We'll leave when I get back." Justin looked at him. "Now let me up, please?"

David did as asked, although he contemplated—for a moment—testing Justin again. He did, however, make sure he kept his back turned as Justin left. He got dressed in a hurried, annoyed fashion, showing his arms into his sleeves and yanking his jeans up. The only thing more frustrating that thwarted lust, he decided, was lust thwarted in order to do something he was dreading. The venus fly trap a couple feet away, sensing his mood, snapped angrily at the empty air.

David forced himself to calm down, at least enough so his fly trap didn't break its head off snapping. That plant had always been sensitive to his anger, although he didn't think that was a trait of all fly traps.

Packed, dressed, and clean, David went into the living room to wait for Justin. Ira passed through once on her way to the kitchen, but seeing as she was mostly non-verbal before her coffee, she didn't bother him.

David heard Justin's car in the driveway, and his hand was already on the doorknob when Justin honked. Justin's flashy, red car was also the safest possible, where the safest had been chosen Justin's parents because they wanted nothing but the best for their baby. (Oh no, he wasn't feeling bitter at all.) He shoved his bag in the back and sat in the passenger's seat.

Justin took a moment to put the car in park. "Hey," he asked, "are you mad at me?"

David looked away. "No."

"You sure?"

David reached over and squeezed Justin's hand, the tingle of Justin's magic oddly reassuring. "Yes," he said.

"Right, well. Here's to a good four hours of driving." Justin shifted his car into reverse, and they were on their way.

~

---

~
Silence prevailed for the first hour of the drive. Or, David amended, no conversation prevailed. Justin had been singing along to the radio since they'd left the neighborhood. After the current song ended, Justin turned down the volume.

"Grab me a granola bar?" he asked.

David twisted in his seat to try reaching the plastic bag behind Justin.

"I never really answered your question about why I want to do this. You still want to know?"

"Yes." David unbuckled his seatbelt to give himself the extra reach necessary to get the snacks.

"Okay, so. How long have we been together?"

David handed Justin a granola bar and opened his own cinnamon raisin one. "Three years," he answered.

"Right," Justin said, biting into his bar. He took a second to chew then continued. "Three years is a long time. I took you to meet my parents after, what, four months?"

David corrected him. "Five months. The asters were blooming."

"Five? Really?"

"Yes."

Justin drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "Either way, my point still stands. I introduced you to them because I was—I am serious about you. And I get that you don't want me to meet Vincent—I get it, I do—but after three years, I don't think I'm going anywhere soon. At least I hope I'm not. So I figure—"

"I understand."

And he did, truly. He had to admit it was silly of him to think he could have Justin somehow just never meet his father.

"You do?" Justin sounded surprised. "And you're not mad I forced you to do this?"

"No, I'm not mad." David turned to watch the minimal forestry along the highway as it sped by.

Justin was quiet for almost a minute before he asked, "You're sure? Because we can go back if that's what you really want to do. You could do the introductions next year when you graduate. Vincent's at least coming to that, right?"

Ahh, Justin was nervous as well. It was reassuring in a way. He'd thought Justin was joining him while blithely sweeping away his concerns, but no. Justin just had more sense than him.

David realized he'd been woolgathering for too long when Justin worriedly asked, "David?"

David sighed. "You're right. This is something we need to do. And I'm still not mad," he added before Justin could ask.

"Good. Hey, there's a park," Justin said suddenly. "Let's go visit."

"I thought you wanted to arrive early?" David asked curiously because a park did sound nice right about now.

"No. I wanted to get going early so we could stop along the way some."

"You've really thought this out more than me, I must admit," David said contemplatively.

Even without turning his face away from the window, David knew Justin was grinning blindingly.