Lunch Break

Chapter 5

As they walked down the hallway, passing Paranoia struggling with security, Cancer thought about all the work that still remained. He checked his watch and was shocked to see that it was nearly noon. “Where has the day gone?” he thought. Soon after, the bell rang signaling that it was time for lunch and he suggested they grab a bite to eat. After a quick stop  to drop off the suitcase and posters, they headed to the cafeteria where he chose a table for 2 near the doors. 

“What would you like for lunch?” he asked. 

“I- I don't know. I don't know what they have,” said Suicide. 

Cancer held up his arm, snapping his fingers a few times, and Daria ran over. “Hello, Cancer,” she said, smiling widely at him. 

“Hello. How are you this afternoon?”

“Okay. How are you?” she asked, twirling her hair and looking at him through brown eyes covered in brown eyeshadow. She was flirting with him. Most women did. 

“I am quite well, thank you.” 

“You look very handsome in your glasses, Cancer,” she giggled. 

“Thank you, Dia... err... Daria,” he said, catching himself. 

“You're welcome,” she said, not noticing that Suicide was staring daggers at her. Not noticing Suicide at all, actually.  Cancer, however, did notice. 

“Daria,” he said, “My boyfriend and I are a bit hungry. Would you care to bring us some lunch? Something light, perhaps. Soup and a sandwich sound okay to you?” he asked turning to Suicide. 

“Yes,” he nodded then added, “Yes, Gerard. Soup and a sandwich sounds fine.” 

Cancer laughed inwardly at Suicide's attempt to stake his claim on him. “Well then, Billy,” he teased, “Soup and a sandwich it is.” 

Daria stood stunned, giving Suicide a look that said “How did someone like you ever manage to get someone like him?” Finally, she just nodded at Cancer and walked off to get their food. He looked at Suicide, who sat hugging Malice and pouting, and began to laugh. 

“What?” 

“Nothing,” he said, still laughing. “It is nothing.  It is just... well, you are adorable, Billy.” 

“N-not really,” he replied, smiling slightly. 

“Yes. Yes, you are. And do you know what else? There is no one that can take me away from you because there is no one that I would rather be with.” He smiled and stole a kiss, both of them oblivious to the stares they were receiving and neither of them caring, before being interrupted by Daria. She had their food. 

“Um... here you go.” 

“Ahh, Daria, thank you for that. I appreciate it,” he said. He paid her for their meals and, giving her a large tip for her services, turned to his lunch. 

“I... you don't have to pay for me, Gerard,” Suicide said. 

“Do you not want me to?” 

“It's not that. It's just, well, I don't want to be a burden on you. I mean, first I have to live with you so I'll always be around and you won't have any privacy and then you have to protect me from people like Fever and now you're paying for my food. I just... I don't want you to get sick of me, I guess. You should be allowed to just be my boyfriend without having to take care of me all the time. I'm a bother,” he said, sadly stirring his soup in small circles. 

“Okay. First of all, you are not a bother. Second of all, look at me, Billy,” he said when Suicide looked away. He waited for their eyes to meet before continuing. “Second of all, I want you always around me. It was no one's idea but my own to have you stay with me. And third, well, I wish to take care of you. I wish to court you, Billy. It is... it is my deepest desire.  Should I be successful at it, well... nothing would make me happier than to successfully court you.  I would be... I... well... just... do not worry about it.  I enjoy this.”

“But, I can never pay you back!  I don't make as much money as you and I probably never will.” 

“Billy,” he sighed, “Money means nothing to me. I have more of it than I care to count. As for paying me back, seeing you happy and taken care of is my return on my investment in you. Understand?” 

“Yes,” said Suicide, smiling. 

“Do you still want me not to take care of you? You know, it strikes me now that I did not even ask you if you wanted to stay with me. I just demanded. I am sorry for that. I should have considered your wishes as well. Do you want to stay with me? I can have other arrangements made if you would rather I do so.”  He felt like a terrible boyfriend as he thought about his own selfishness. He was still learning how to be part of a couple. 

“Of course I want to stay with you! I hated staying in the MS dorms!  And you can take care of me if it makes you happy.”

“Does it make you happy?” He had remembered to take Suicide's feelings into account this time. “I'll get the hang of this,” he thought to himself. 

“Yeah,” he answered. “It makes me feel like... like... like maybe there's a chance that you really care about me. I don't know why anyone would but you wouldn't do it if you didn't care, I guess.” 

“A chance that I care about you? A chance? Oh, Billy. There is more than a chance. There is a certainty.”  It was the best that he could do. He hated the idea of making himself vulnerable by telling him that he loved him so that remained his secret. He wondered how long he could keep it. 

“Really?” asked Suicide. He was clearly stunned by the idea that anyone could care about him. 

“Really.” 

Suicide smiled. “I... I care about you, too.” 

Cancer was shocked. He never could have imagined that he would get such a response. “Well,” he said, smiling and rubbing the back of his neck nervously, “I... I will try not to let you down, then.” 

Suicide hugged Malice closer.  “Well still, if I ever get in your way or if you ever get tired of taking care of me, please tell me and I'll just... I'll just go back to taking care of myself, okay?” 

“Deal,” said Cancer, before quickly adding, “But that will never happen. Now, eat your food. It is good for you.” 

Suicide smiled and they both ate in comfortable silence.