C Traveling Merchant (w/secretsparrow)

[Lovebite]

"Something you don't need to know about."Howard replied weakly, turning his head and looking over the shelves that surrounded them in the storeroom. Then looked to Aden when he questioned him further,"I got caught up... Dragged across the country to get my ass kicked and crawled my way back here."he grimaced and tilted his head back, fingering the bandages covering the wound and wincing some,"I had meant to send a message, but... I don't know..."He sighed, not looking when the young man disappeared and closing his eyes when he was forced to take in some fluids. Not even noticing that it was quiet, he almost fell asleep, before looking up at the other male,"I'm sorry."

[secretsparrow]

Aden couldn't be mad at that, it was impossible. "It's alright just rest." He put the water to the side and stood shutting off the light. "If you need anything just call I won't be far." Aden was worried about him, well truthfully he was worried about a lot of things but mostly at the moment about Howard, he had done what he could to fix the wound and he didn't think it would kill the man but there was always risk of infection. Things could aways happen.

[Lovebite]

All Howard needed was sleep at the moment, he knew it, he would be fine in a few hours. It was true, the next morning, he was up, limping, but up as he got off of the cot he was placed on. His mind was a bit gone and he was still exhausted, but he needed to do some things first, like talk to Aden and find his bags again. He wiped his face and pushed his hair away from his eyes, looking down at himself, he needed to clean up, badly. The man moved towards the stairs where he knew the upper floor of the shop was, where the owners family home was. "Aden?"he called, stumbling slightly when he made it to the top of the stairs, leaning against the wall.

[secretsparrow]

The door at the end of the hall was cracked open but nothing moved the lights were still off, Aden was still asleep. He had been up late last night fixing a few things with both his parents gone all of the responsibility fell on him. He didn't mind, but there was a lot to do. Aden shifted slightly when he heard his name but he didn't really wake up more just pulled the covers over his face and relaxed again. Howard would probably have enter the room if he wanted to wake the boy properly.

[Lovebite]

When there was no response, he simply continued forward as he searched for his bag, finding it and crouching beside it as he dug some clothes out. Grimacing and holding his side as he pushed himself back up to his , taking his things into the bathroom to get cleaned up. He was quiet and took his time as he did, not wanting to disturb the peace of the place that wasn't his. It took him a while to actually get all the blood off and get some new clothes on before heading out again, throwing out the bloody, torn fabrics and then searching the kitchen for something to eat.

[secretsparrow]

Aden awoke just awhile latter, he got dressed and headed down stairs, he would probably take a shower after breakfast. When he reached the kitchen he was surprised to find Howard already up. "Morning." He said softly. "Hows it going?" He asked looking him up and down. Aden's hair was messed up he still had a sleep look about him but he was smiling much calmer now that Howard seemed to be alight.

[Lovebite]

Howard looked back, he had been shoveling yogurt into his mouth with a spoon and looked like a deer caught in the headlights when he heard Aden. He wiped his mouth and swallowed,"Mornin'"he looked down at himself, the bandage that was visible through the tee shirt he wore,"I've been better." The man looked just as tussled as the other, his own hair was a bit matted in some places and stuck up in others, he hadn't taken a shower. "You?"

[secretsparrow]

"I'm alright." He said quietly unable to keep from chuckling slightly at Howard with the yogurt. Aden grabbed an apple off the counter and washed it off "So, what happened?" He tried asking again now that Howard was more then it then he had been yesterday. "I'm glad your ok, but you were gone for so long.." He understood it wasn't the mans fault but he was still a bit upset. "Do you want eggs or something?" Aden asked stepping around him and biting into the apple.

[Lovebite]

The older man licked his lips and finished off his cup of yogurt before tossing it in the trash and licking off the spoon, he looked towards the other when he asked him that same question. His lips pursed and he leaned against the fridge as he thought for a moment,"I got into a fight with some...animal."He said simply, then looked towards him after trailing off,"I'm glad I'm okay too."He said, moving towards the other only slightly as he leaned against the sink counter,"I said I was sorry, and I am."He was going to reach out to him before he stepped around him and his brows furrowed slightly,"Yeah, sure."He replied, then moved towards the table.

[secretsparrow]

"I know you are." Alex reached over cracking 4 eggs into a pan. "I was just worried." he admitted without really saying much else. Aden wondered what type of animal and how he had gotten attacked in the first place. Aden sprinkled salt and pepper into the pan continuing to cook the eggs when they were done he turned off the stove and got two plates. He set them both down on the table along with the pan and gestured towards one of the chairs.

[Lovebite]

Howard didn't know what to say then, he pressed his lips together and nodded,"I know you were..."he watched as he cracked the eggs. The silence now was noticeable and he had no idea how to fix it. When he came toward the table and gestured, he took a seat carefully, still holding his side where the wound was though not complaining. As he watched Aden plate the eggs,"You shouldn't worry about me."he said after a moment,"You shouldn't waste your energy on someone like me." A sigh escaped him and he sat back, fiddling with the fork on the table.

[secretsparrow]

"Thats not true."Aden said without a moments hesitation he got them both a glass of water. "You are a good person. You just," ADen was quiet for a moment as if he was trying to decide weather or not he wanted to speak. "you just try to push people away to much. I don't think you mean to but you do it. I don't know why, I mean your nice enough you don't really give people a reason not to like you.

[Lovebite]

Howard looked genuinely confused when Aden said that, looking up at him as he came back with water, he wanted to spill all of his secrets to this person. It was the first time he's felt that in such a long time. He waited quietly for a moment for the other man to finish his sentence, though when he did the feeling hadn't left. It was something deep in his chest and he couldn't ignore it for it was growing, he looked down at the plate in front of him and dug the fork into the steaming eggs silently.

[secretsparrow]

Aden began eating as well, he was quiet now. However, the silence wasn't unwelcome in fact Aden didn't really mind it this time, last time he had tried vary hard to get Howard to talk to him and this time he really didn't mind the quiet. When both of them had finished Aden got up taking the plates and setting them in the sink. "You can stay around here if you want my parents are gone but I don't think they would care.

[Lovebite]

The other man moved to stand up a few seconds after Aden did, he nodded simply and came up behind him to hold his shoulders gently. Then turn him around to face him, looking over his face and body, before lifting his chin as he looked into his eyes, his thumb ran over the side of his cheek,"I appreciate you."he told him softly,"You're...too good for me, you shouldn't be. You don't know me, you think you do."his brows furrowed and he let his face go,"Thank you."

[secretsparrow]

Aden looked back at Howard "Then, tell me about your self, If you think I don't understand, then tell me so that I can." Aden reached foreword catching Howard's arm and sliding his hand down until he was holding Howard's. "I want to understand." He said vary quietly it was almost a whisper and his gaze no longer fell on Howard but on the floor.

[Lovebite]

He looked frustrated then as he was grabbed and allowed his hand to be held as he leaned forward slightly so he was chest to chest with the young man. "Okay."he said after a long moment, he lifted his face again and kissed him softly, or tried to as he held his hand in return. His other hand came up to wrap around his waist, holding him for a moment there then moving his hand up his shirt slightly. He had felt something different between them, something he couldn't out his finger on. "I want someone to know too, and if you're up to the task, I will meet you half way."his fingers were traveling further up the others over sized shirt, tilting his head and looking downwards slightly, though stopping as he removed his hand again.

[secretsparrow]

The moment had been great until he realized Howard would notice his belly they had gotten close, to close. Aden watched him pull away but he didn't move. It wasn't just his looks he was self conscious of the way it had happened everything about it was.. crazy he had had not been like this a few months ago. Aden stood still waiting to see if Howard would say anything half hoping her would that maybe, he could provide some sort of.. reason for this. Aden moved away to the other side of the room laving the dishes in the sink to deal with later. "it sounds like a deal then. I'll meet you half way just tell me what you need.."

[Lovebite]

Howard didn't say anything, just narrowing it down to his own imagination, the difference wasn't that big and so he forgot about it soon after. Checking his wrist for the time and then looking outside, the dust was settling and he bit his lip for a moment,"I need you to keep an open mind about whatever I say to you."he moved to leave the kitchen and grab his bag, opening it and moving towards the couch to spill the contents onto it. There were obvious things that Howard used on a daily basis, and then there were other...technologies that looked nothing like anything Aden could have seen before. It all slowly came together as if being attracted by some magnetic force. Leaving some pieces that were obviously not part of it behind as he stared, it came to form a sort of...half molded chest piece. "This is...one part of an entire set."he started, looking back.

[secretsparrow]

Set of what exactly?" Aden found himself asking. He relaxed after a moment realizing Aden really hadn't thought anything of what had just happened, he was just being paranoid. He had no clue what Howard was about to try and tell him but he tried to keep an open mind, it couldn't be anything to bad could it?