"You don't have any bodyguards today?" Tristan asked as he fastened his seatbelt. Considering the size of Hibiki's bodyguards, it would be a feat not to notice, but he had expected to see them waiting outside at a second car. Instead Hibiki shook his head and smiled, typing on his phone.
'I'm going with you, so I won't be alone'
Tristan nodded at that answer, figuring it was straightforward enough, but he couldn't quite make sense of it all. Didn't he tell me that he wanted to be rid of them? For a day? This seems like a very convenient day... Slightly nervous his hands gripped his knees, and he couldn't help but throw a sideways glance at Hibiki who by then had put the keys in the ignition. It's his birthday though. And he's right, I am here, and so will everyone else be once we're there. Maybe I shouldn't challenge it? He could get mad, and he seems happy now.
Hibiki looked up at him and smiled, and in that moment he knew he couldn't find it in him to ask any further and take that away. So he smiled back, putting his doubts to rest and going with the moment.
Rather suddenly however, he saw Hibiki realise something. A little confounded he watched as he plucked a backpack from the back seat and plucked out a brand new book. With a smile Hibiki handed over the Scandinavian detective novel to him. While he typed some clarification, Tristan already set to reading the back.
'Maybe you can read it on the way there? Since we can't chat'
"Oh, that's a brilliant idea." He answered, not even having considered how awkward over an hour of silence would be. "It looks interesting."
Hibiki grinned and gave him a thumbs up, proud that his book choice was approved.
'Do you like it?'
"Er?" Tristan mumbled as he looked up, already having turned to the very first page while Hibiki had been typing. "Well I can't say yet, but it looks like it's written quite well. It's been a while seen I read a current book, so the everyday English is refreshing."
Hibiki's wide smile slid into a soft chuckle, hearing Tristan admit that.
'Welcome to the 21st century'
"I'm know I'm old, but not that old." He responded with a smile, but immediately Hibiki shook his head.
'You're not old at all'
"I feel old."
'You're wise, that's different'
Tristan chuckled slightly and then shook his head, but Hibiki just kept smiling at him telling him to take the compliment. So instead he smiled back, letting it rest. With another text, Hibiki changed the topic and broke that lingering moment before it could get too soft.
'Have you had breakfast?'
"I had some scrambled eggs, you?"
'Nothing yet, so I'll buy something for on the road. Do you want coffee or so?'
Tristan thought about it for a second, but then shook his head.
"It's a bit too early, maybe a cup of tea?" He asked, still unsure about asking anything from Hibiki, but he immediately nodded and smiled.
"So then, we're going?" He confirmed that their chat was indeed over, causing Hibiki to look at him and smirk, before tossing his phone over to Tristan to signal he had nothing left to say. He pointed at the glove box, gesturing for him to put the phone away, and Tristan did albeit a little reluctant to touch the pristine looking dashboard.
"Do you want me to start reading?" He asked a bit unsure, but Hibiki nodded from behind the wheel as he drove them out onto the road. With a decisive head nod, Tristan tried to get his confidence up before setting to reading.
He was halfway through chapter one, when Hibiki drove into a petrol station. From the passenger seat, he watched as Hibiki topped off the car. He'd offered to do it, but Hibiki was adamant that he wanted to. Since there wasn't much else to see at a petrol station, he decided to watch him figure out how to do it on his own. In a strange way it was comforting to see that Hibiki too struggled with some things, especially ones he considered so mundane – it was like he had been let in on a side of him that normally wouldn't be seen. He didn't mind him being there, and he didn't mind to be there either, and the realisation sank in of how close they had gotten within a mere month.
A rattle broke the quiet, and made him look up to see that Hibiki had figured it out surprisingly quick considering how confused he had appeared at first. Tristan continued to watch, while he put the nozzle back in his place and stretched his arms out above his head apparently unaware of him. Or maybe he was and didn't care that Tristan saw his jumper lift up an inch or two above the waistband of his jeans.
Hibiki hadn't been lying when he said he was in shape, as even a small glimpse was enough to see the soft rise and fall of muscle caressed gently by his skin. Naturally his eyes had seen the expected first, including his navel and the dark hairs leading down. But then he saw the contrasts against his light golden skin; a few darker moles that dotted him, and what looked like several round, pale scars that edged up under the jumper. He wasn't sure what to make of it, part of him was curious about what could have caused those scars, but he felt like he should just forget he had ever seen it at all. Caught up in thoughts, he looked down and let his fingers drift over the edge of the book, taking a few deep breaths hoping that his blush would subside.
A tap on the window startled him, not even having realised that Hibiki had walked around. He looked up to see Hibiki point at him, make a walking gesture and point towards the store, before he smiled and drew a question mark. Realising that he was asked to go with, he smiled back and nodded despite still feeling his cheeks burn. He laid the book away on the dashboard, and could only hope that the cold air outside would hide how flustered he was.
The petrol station was on the larger size, with a chain coffee store attached to it. Since it was early on a Sunday morning, it was calm and quiet. As they entered, Hibiki gave him a tap on his shoulder and pointed towards the coffee store, then handed him a tenner. It took Tristan a second to get what he was saying, but then he nodded and took the money.
"What do you want?"
'A latte'
"Alright, thank you." He said, genuinely grateful. His only answer was a bit of a huff and a playful shooing gesture, waving him in the direction of the coffee store. Despite sighing and shaking his head, he still smiled as he walked over to make an order.
While he waited for a very uninterested looking employee to make the order, he checked his phone. As per usual there were a few new mails, and a few messages in the group chat they had made for that trip specifically. While typing out an update for the rest, he inadvertently let out a yawn.
T: Hey guys, we're on our way out of Oxford now.
K: You already left?
T: Hibiki picked me up.
H: You didn't call dibs first
Seeing Hibiki respond, Tristan leant back a little and threw a glance into the store. He was met with a sly grin and a little wave from Hibiki. He shook his head and looked down at his phone again as it pinged.
K: I don't have to call dibs on my best friend
H: Fight me
K: I'll see you in London then
Tristan rolled his eyes and sighed.
S: If you dare lay a finger on one another I'll both throw you in the Thames
Am I clear?
K: Aye
H: Yes ma'am
L: How far are you guys in?
T: About fifteen minutes, not that far.
S: I'm going to leave to pick up you two in five
So we're not that far behind
T: See you in London?
S: How about we meet up in front of Buckingham?
T: Sounds good
He quickly put his phone away as he saw the employee lift up two cups towards him. With a wide smile he took both of them, careful not to burn his fingers. Quickly he hopped back into the first store, walking over to Hibiki who was now queueing behind a man there to pay for his petrol.
"So you're going to fight 'An?" Tristan said with a smirk, eliciting a frown and a huff from Hibiki. "You could share? I can have more than one friend." He suggested, but Hibiki huffed again, as if nearly insulted by the notion.
Even if he had been able to reply, the man before him finished, and Hibiki was occupied with paying. He laid a package of sandwiches and a pack of two chocolate bars on the counter, then held up four fingers to signal the number of the petrol pump he had tanked at. The total rang up a little under fifty pounds, which Hibiki paid without so much as a second glance.
When they walked out, Hibiki took his latte from Tristan, and in return offered him one of the chocolate bars. With a smile Tristan declined.
"I'm not really that hungry." He admitted, and although he was worried that Hibiki would take it the wrong way, the latter simply shrugged as he took a bite of the chocolate bar. Carefully Tristan took a sip of his tea, but he nearly burned his mouth on the scalding hot liquid. As he let out a slightly pained noise Hibiki gave him a concerned look. A little embarrassed, he just brushed it off.
"Sorry, it's hotter than I thought." When he explained himself Hibiki's expression lightened again, and he gave him a soft pat on his shoulder.
Once on the road, he quickly got back into the flow of reading the book out loud. Now he had done it once, it was easier to start again, and with every page he got into the rhythm and writing style more. From the corner of his view, he gauged Hibiki's reactions; although they weren't very clear since he was still focused on the road, he caught him nodding along when something happened that he agreed with, smiling at the fun parts and frowning as the suspense began to build. Tristan hooked into the reactions, and began embellishing a little, using his cadence and tone to draw more responses out of Hibiki.
Bit by bit he caught himself getting drawn into the tale as well, visualising the words on the page as vivid settings and captivating characters that he could give life with his voice. It felt powerful that at the same time Hibiki would share in the tale, albeit with a different mental image, simply because he spoke the words. He wondered what mental images he missed out on, because Hibiki couldn't speak them, or if the writing on his phone was enough regardless. And what subtleties had been lost in translation?
He realised that he had fallen still, and he couldn't help but mull over the possible issues. Hibiki noticed as well, glancing over at him and smiling while Tristan ran his fingertips over the edges of the pages in doubt. He gave a slight, uncertain smile back.
"You're really smart, aren't you?" There was no real reason why that should be his first question, and he didn't quite get why he started off with that.
The only answer Hibiki gave him was a confused look and a possibly even more bewildered smile.
"It bothers me..." He mumbled as clarification. "I want to hear what you have to say? I know there's more to you than some rich rebel."
Hibiki's bewildered smile turned into a one-sided smirk, before giving a single, soft chuckle. Unable to answer, he gave Tristan's shoulder a soft push, telling him to cut it out. He didn't, not just yet. Instead he swallowed his anxiety and pushed the words he wanted to say through.
"Don't hold back, tell me anything. I'll wait if it's a lot to type out." Now he had committed himself to his words, he could only look over at Hibiki and give a determined nod, to say he was serious. "I can say anything to you, and you've helped me with my panic attacks... I want to do the same for you? So... talk to me as much as you want."
For a little while, Hibiki remained quiet, staring ahead at the road. With a slow nod he agreed, before looking at him with a smile. He smiled back, but soon enough the silence allowed his anxiety to overcome him again, so he averted his gaze and looked back down at the book.
Unsure about how to proceed, he remained silent. But that quiet got ever heavier, and soon enough he broke under the pressure.
"Should I continue?"
Hibiki tilted his head slightly, thinking about the proposition. He disagreed, instead pointing out the radio, making a direct gesture with two fingers towards Tristan, tapping twice under his ear and then drawing a question mark.
"Radio? I... listen... oh, what kind of music I listen?" Tristan confirmed his question, and Hibiki immediately nodded. "Hmm, mostly pop music? Things I can sing along to, I like nice ballads and upbeat music too."
He heard Hibiki huff beside him, and looked over to see him shudder and shake his head in feigned disgust.
"It's not that awful, is it?"
Hibiki shrugged once, and then tapped on the digital display, pulling up a music app. With a gesture he signed for Tristan to pick anything he wanted. He was somewhat nervous to touch the display, afraid to somehow stain it, or even worse, manage to damage it. A second gesture from Hibiki in between gear shifts and an encouraging smile pulled him out of that fear, and he looked through the digital library for a song he would like.
He'd never used that particular app, so he was a bit lost, but soon enough he figured out how to navigate through.
"I can put on anything?" He asked, to make sure it was fine. Hibiki nodded immediately, then shrugged to say that it didn't matter. So he picked an artist to listen to, and soon enough the car filled with a simple but peppy beat and repetitive female vocals.
"Don't tell Killian I'm into this." Tristan said with a smile, knowing well enough he'd never hear the end of it. "But, I promised to tell you the truth, so this is what you get." It appeared the music already worked to put him in a better mood, his body language loosening up a little now he finally let himself get comfortable.