Akimbo ✓

13 : Tried

Ignatius really didn't mean to stare – really! – but his eyes fell on the large black tattoo of a dragon on Thrill's back, winding its way around his right shoulder blade, and he was unable to look away. It was a pretty simple design, strangely feminine, and sat perfectly on his toned, tanned body. There was also a smaller tattoo on his left flank, of a heart encased in a mess of thin, curved lines.

"Like what you see?" Thrill said, and for the umpteenth time, Ignatius wanted to kill himself. He looked away so fast, it nearly gave him whiplash. Thrill let out a laugh and pulled the car out on the road.

Ignatius felt his face grow hot, his throat was dry and his heart was thundering in his chest. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Thrill's hand on the gearshift; his fingers were long, his knuckles and palm wrapped in bandages and it was clear from the toned muscles on his arm that he worked out –

"Are you hungry?" Thrill asked out of the blue.

Ignatius' gaze snapped towards him, feeling like he was caught red handed doing something shouldn't have been doing. "Uh..."

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

Thrill's gaze was out on the road, while Ignatius was somehow struggling to keep his eyes on Thrill's face. Why he was getting so bothered was beyond his understanding, but he did know he wanted Thrill to wear his damn shirt!

"Are you uncomfortable?"

Ignatius felt raw shame wash over him. "W-What?"

"You know," Thrill briefly glanced at him, "with that." He pointed at his nose.

Ignatius felt like a gigantic fool, but he was glad Thrill wasn't talking about what he feared he was talking about. "Uh yea – no... I mean, a little."

Thrill smirked at him once before looking out the windshield.

The rest of the way was incredibly uncomfortable. Ignatius kept his gaze strictly outside the window, wondering why his heart was erratically beating in his chest.

Soon after, Thrill pulled into a fast-food restaurant called Food Fair. It was a small place, decorated in poor taste and filled with clearly-broke college students. Ignatius wondered if it was safe to even get out of the car.

"Come on," Thrill said, turning off the engine.

"Uh, can we go someplace else?"

Thrill rolled his eyes. "You mean to one of those fine dining places your friends and neighbors and relatives go to all the time? We could go there," he nodded, "if you want to risk being seen with a broken nose, or worse, with me."

Why did that make so much sense? Thrill was so sensible sometimes, it was fucking annoying. Wasn't he supposed to be some jock of sorts who never used his brain?

As if to prove Ignatius right, Thrill chose to walk into the restaurant without putting on a shirt. It blew Ignatius' mind! It was a public place, for fuck's sake, but he did not know how to ask Thrill to put on a shirt without making it sound... weird.

Hesitantly, almost fearing for his life, Ignatius followed Thrill into the restaurant, cringing at the strange, fowl scent in the air. Old pop songs were playing through the speakers, but the loud chatter overwhelmed most of the music. Someone whistled at Thrill, who chuckled and returned a wink to a group of rowdy-looking youngsters taking up the entire side on the left. They burst into snickers and laughter.

Thrill took a seat on the right, away from most people – as far away as one could be in such a small place – and Ignatius sat down opposite to him, careful not to touch the tabletop (who knew how dirty it was?).