Fred and Yvette (BACKDATED about two weeks)

[x-nothungry.livejournal.com]

Fred's still moping in the garage, and this time the Apple Ninja tries to sway him out...



In the wake of talking with Kevin, Yvette had stopped moping long enough to notice a distinctly Fred-shaped hole at meals and the various student activities that weren't part of classes. A hole that had been there since Callie's departure. With some choice words to herself about her failure as a friend, she set out to look for him, several apples tucked into the pockets of her smock-like overdress. He'd mentioned the garage and even though it was a week ago, she thought she'd try there first. It wasn't one of her usual haunts, except when she was helping Kevin in his workshop, and she had to wander around the big, echoing space for a little while before catching sight of her quarry.

"Fred?" she called, tentatively, not sure if he'd welcome the interruption to whatever it was he was doing. "I came by to be saying hello."

Fred had run through most of his older music by this point of his garage sojourn, and had begun listening to Heatmiser as the dulcid tones pumped softly through the radio in his truck. Up to his elbow in what used to be the Flywheel of his Chevy, Fred turned to see
Yvette standing tentatively near him. He mustered up his strongest grin, and waved a gunky and oily hand at his friend, "Hey Vette. Uh, hey yourself..." He winced at his own awkward words, covering it by turning back and setting the old car parts down and wiping his hands on a worn rag.

"I had not been seeing you so much lately, so I thought I would find you," she replied, smiling back at him. "And I brought you the snack. Apple?" She dug in her pocket and pulled one out. "It is the very best one I was finding."

Fred grinned and took the apple, setting it down on one of the few non-stained areas of the workbench, "Hey, thanks Vette. I'm, uh...not too terribly hungry...but I'll eat it..." he paused for a moment before continuing, "Sorry about not being, uh, y'know...around much recently..."

She found herself a place to perch and pulled another apple out of her pocket, removing her glove so she could peel it in one long strip. "As long as you do eat," she said, pausing to wag a long finger at him. "You will get sick if you do not, yes?" Her tone was sympathetic, however. "And it is all right. We all understand it is a hard time for you."

Fred winced before attempting to lie, "I'm, uh...I'm okay. I, uh, I am. Just...had a lot to do, y'know? Lot of papers for class...and the truck, uh, needed a bunch of attention..."

She made a face at him. "I understand if you do not want to talk about it, Fred, but please do not pretend to me, yes? It is all right to feel sad because Callie has left." Boys. They were so silly sometimes.

Fred coughed a little, reaching for his open pack and lighting up a cigarette, "I'm...sorry. The whole Callie thing... I didn't mean to lie or nothin'...I just..." he looked at her, his face sad and stoic all at once, "I, uh...I just...don't know what to say, you know...?"

"It is hard, when the friend leaves. More, I imagine, when the girlfriend leaves. But you do not have to say anything, Fred, if you do not know what to say." Yvette have him a small, supportive smile. "Just do not hide away from your friends forever? We want to keep you company, yes?"

Fred nodded, looking back at the toolbox, "I..." his voice cracked and wavered for a moment, and he went shock still. He wouldn't fall apart. He would. not. Not to Yvette. Not after he told Callie he was fine with her leaving. Not after weeks of keeping it together...

There was movement and then a gloved, long-fingered hand slipped into his, squeezing slightly. "It will be better, in time," Yvette said softly.

Fred said nothing for a long moment, simply doing everything not to cry. Finally, he exhaled, "I just...how do...how do other people deal with this? This...empty..." he didn't complete his thought.

How indeed? Yvette squeezed his hand again, thinking it over. "You try and fill it up with other things," she said at last. "Your friends, the things you like to be doing. You give yourself the time to be healing. And you try not to be alone too much, because that will only make the empty bigger."

Fred chuckled, seemingly unable to keep himself from laughing "Cracking jokes, insight to spare, watching out for everyone...heh, when the hell was it you went and grew the hell up, Vette?"

She smiled at the chuckle. "When no-one was looking, I am thinking," she replied, before tugging at his hand. "Come on, it is the nice day outside and it is smelling of the oil in here. Take the walk with me?"

Fred smiled again, his lips curling up sadly, "You go ahead, Vette. I promise I'll, uh...I'll try and be more social, but..." he sighed, "I need to, uh....think a little more, y'know..."

She squeezed his hand before letting it go. "I understand," she said with a gentle smile of her own. "Your friends will be here, when you are ready." She poked him softly with a finger. "Do not forget your apple, yes?"

Fred, after he wiped off his hand, scooped up the large apple and halved it in one large bite, chewing for a few moments before swallowing. The feeling of the food made him almost euphoric, and he couldn't think of the last time he'd stopped to eat. His smile had a bit more power in it when he leveled it at Yvette again, "Thanks for looking out for me, Vette. I appreciate it. uh, Really."

Seeing how quickly the first apple was disappearing, she pulled the other one out from her pocket and held it out to him. "Any time, Fred," she replied.

Fred smiled at patted Yvette on the arm before turning to look again on the scattered components of his truck. He took a deep breath, and finished off his first apple. Back to work.