A Long Friendship (Closed for Katamari Roller and me)

[Dynosius]

Fifteen years.

From babies aged three to almost adults at the age of 18. That’s how long they’ve been friends. And he was sure that they would continue to be friends for a long, long time after high school was over. It just seemed to connect between them. Through rough times, through easy times, together they went.

Leon Nash was reflecting on it all as he slowly dozed off in the warm sun. Alice Tanner, his friend for all those years. He could share his secrets with her, and she could share hers with him. The best of friends, forever.

Right... To Leon that sounded a bit cheesy, but it was also how he felt it. The 18-year old opened his deep blue eyes. His hands were folded behind his head, warmed by his neck length black hair. Leon was an average student. Having been so his entire life, he did not otherwise come to think of it. Ok, he trained a bit, but the girls didn’t really see that. No matter how hard he tried, the jocks were always better, like in so many soaps, novels, and movies he had seen.

Oh well... At least he still had Alice. Leon did not know what to do without her. She was two months younger than him. Her auburn-colored hair was long, most of the time tied in a pony tail. Her eyes were framed by a pair of square glasses. But not the nerdy type, she had more stylish glasses, yet not the designer style either. It gave her a sort of youthful appearance. Her body was slim, leaning towards the athletic side. Alice was involved in some sports. Her favorites being volleyball and basketball. She had another hobby. Reading, especially comics, sci-fi, and historical novels.

And now they both were dozing off in the midday sun. They lay in a T-shape, her head on his stomach. The air was clear, a few white puffy clouds dotting the sky. Every now and then a nice breeze flew past, cooling them off just enough. All in all, it was getting real close to perfect...

Leon relished this kind of moments, experiencing them as good and nice. He felt the need for a conversation, one of the many he had with Alice.

“Say, Alice... What do you want to do when you graduate?”

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice reopened her eyes, blinking a few times, slowly. She had almost fallen asleep. This wouldn't have been the first time she did, not with Leon. His company made any place... a comfortable place. Even the dentist's waiting room.

"Dunno... perhaps, go to college... I don't know what to do, though. I'm good at maths, perhaps I should go for engineering..."

Alice rolled onto her side, her head still on Leon's stomach. Her jeans brushed against the grass, as her hand took her glasses from her face so as to not crush them. She looked sleepily at Leon, grinning vaguely, relishing the physical sensations she felt at the moment. The warmth of the sun, the bulk of Leon's body under her, the fabric of her jeans and her short red blouse showing her midriff, and the grass tickling her skin.

Leon's company was, of course, the best of them all. He was just... someone to trust. It is difficult to find someone you can truly trust in this world, someone who will take your matters seriously and offer help. And Leon was one of the few Alice really trusted. Leon Nash...

"And what about you?"

 

[Dynosius]

Leon closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He felt Alice's head on his stomach and smiled. It took him a moment to answer, not sure what to say. He had several plans actually, some made just in a whim, others carefully thought off. Leon could be rash at times, not really over thinking his actions before he acted.

His best plan for now... Hard to decide, but certainly made on another whim. He opened his eyes to the sky, before turning them to Alice. He stared for a moment in her eyes, feeling his heart skip a beat. With her glasses off she was just so...

"Hmmm, I was thinking about a few years in Australia, or maybe New Zealand... But I don't want to leave everything or everyone behind."

Leon smiled warmly. His eyes were half-shut against the sun. Slowly he let his gaze slide over his friend. Leon watched her midriff and stomach gently rise and fall with every breath she took, keeping his eyes focussed on her belly button for a heartbeat or two, before he caught himself and averted his stare quickly.

And even though he did not want to, Leon blushed. He so hoped Alice wouldn't see it.

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice smiled, feeling flattered by his words. She had never been sure of how much she meant to Leon, but his blush...

It wasn't that Alice thought she wasn't important to him. It was just that she expected him to have males as his best friends, even if the two of them spent most of their time together. Alice had always thought that Leon must have a male friend he considered as special... but, thinking about it... all the time spent together, how long they'd been with each other... it did make sense to think that the two of them were, as a matter of fact, friends.

So, yes, Alice felt flattered that Leon thought he shouldn't go abroad and stay here instead. With her. Her smile widened.

"Hey... if you really want to go, you should. Although I don't really want you to, if it is what you think is best for you..."

 

[Dynosius]

Leon thought about her words. He didn't want to leave her. Alice was special to him, more than he ever could describe to her. Between the two of them, there was a certain connection, chemistry even to say in a cliché-style. Such a bonding would be unwise to separate.

Sitting up a bit so he leaned on his elbows, Leon stared at Alice. Thoughtfully, undecided, and yet so happy to see her. He smiled, shaking his head.

"No... I couldn't leave you here..."

Leon took a deep breath, letting it out in a content sigh. He found himself almost mesmerized by her eyes, now they were not framed by her glasses. Her whole face seemed so different, yet still the same. He smiled vaguely, staring almost absent-minded at her.

It really did not help to get his blush away...

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice blushed slightly, staring at him. She grinned, showing her pearly white teeth, despite the slight worry that came with the doubts about the future. But Alice ran away from those dark, depressing, insecure thoughts.

"That's very nice of you to say..."

Sitting up, Alice put on her glasses, and patted Leon's stomach, feeling really good after the almost-nap, and his words. All around them, people talked before going home. Some on cars, some walking. Alice and Leon were privileged in both being close to the school, and close to each other as neighbours and best friends. And Alice wouldn't have it any other way.

"Hey, how about we go to my home and play some basket? And perhaps we can watch a movie afterwards..."

Alice had rented 'Shaun of the Dead', a parody of zombie movies which she hoped Leon would like.

 

[Dynosius]

Leon watched Alice put her glasses back on. A smile slowly formed on his lips, her eyes still looked the same (of course they did, but still) and Leon stared deeply in them for a moment. It struck him then and there that she was quite... Cute and attractive. He had to shake himself back out of his thoughts before giving a reply. He was a tad confused by his thoughts, stammering out his first few words.

"Eeh, yeah... Sure. I bet I'm going to beat you this time."

He grinned, sitting up so that he was behind her back. Lightly he touched her side, teasingly tickling her. He was sure she would beat him instead though. Thinking that thought, Leon tickled her sides again, just wanting to feel her squirm under his fingers.

Leon knew she was very ticklish, finding out at an early age. He used it often "persuade" her. Like when she was getting a shot on the basket, if he tickled her then... Then the better part of her shots went wide. And they went rolling on the ground, laughing and making fun.

Just like now...

 

[Katamari Roller]

When Leon touched her skin, Alice shivered... then trembled slightly, and yelped.

"Hey! Hey! Ow!" Alice already started laughing as she rolled onto her side, away from Leon. His tickling never failed to 'amuse' her, and she kinda liked to feel him that close... which was a strange thought, now she brought her mind around it. "Already playful, Leon?"

Alice threw herself on top of him, managing to knock him back onto the ground as she tickled back at him, her fingers slipping under his clothes to go right for his armpits. The hair there didn't bother her at all, not when she grew up together with him and playing like this for so long. Her fingernails scraped his skin as she laughed, enjoying their game...

 

[Dynosius]

Leon was indeed playful. So he thought as his grin broke into a smile, laughing. He squirmed under Alice's touch, a touch that felt so good and right. Her fingernails left little shivers behind on his skin. Slowly goose bumps formed on his skin, but Leon did not bother. He would cause them to her too!

With her sitting on top of him, he had the perfect chance to tickle her sides. He rested his hands on her waist, smiling mischievously at her. Leon was still squirming under Alice's fingers, but soon she too would be squirming.

"He-heh, gonna-ahahah give up soon?"

Leon's fingers began moving around frantically over Alice's sides. Up and down, left to right, everywhere he could tickle, he did. And gently his fingers began to slide under her shirt. Leon tickled her skin, but it slowly turned into a very tender caress. Why?

He did not know...

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice had to gasp for breath between the laughing, the smirking, the tickling... "Don't dream on it!"

She felt his fingers tickling her here and there, making her whole body burn with the excitement. Every now and then, the two of them would get into tickling matches, which Alice usually lost. But that was Ok, there was something more to it than winning or losing... it was about establishing bonds. Their friendship had survived a lot of things. Separations, fights, misunderstandings...

Speaking of misunderstandings. Alice suddenly went stiff when she felt Leon's fingers touch the skin right under her breasts. Then she threw herself away, onto her butt, staring at him with a dark blush appearing on her cheeks, her mind trying to figure out what just happened and only hitting itself against the walls of her skull.

 

[Dynosius]

Leon's eyes went wide. Did he just...! No, right? He didn't touch them... Or did he? Whatever he did, Alice bolted off him. One minute he felt her weight upon him, the other minute she was sitting beside him, blushing heavily. Leon suspected himself to blush equally if not more. God, what had he done...

Sitting up with a jolt, Leon rested the palms of his hands on his temples. He was at a lose as to what he should say or do. He didn't mean too, really! It was the furor of the tickling, he was sure of it. Still breathing heavily from the tickles, he stared in Alice's eyes, really hoping he could make it up to her.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I swear!"

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice stared at him, trying to work out just what she should do. But, anger was found to be the fastest solution. She frowned at him, glaring daggers.

"Men!"

Standing up, she grabbed her backpack and started walking home at an energetic pace, not bothering to look back and say goodbye. Men! You give them a bit of leeway, and then they walk off the fuckin' plank! Ok, so Alice was going to forget this soon... but until then, it wouldn't do to just brush this off.

 

[Dynosius]

Leon watched in shock how Alice left. He wanted to stop her, trying to catch her hand. But she was too fast and he felt on side. Leon let his head hang, he had done it now...

Goddammit!

He punched his fist in the grass, getting nothing but a jolt of pain in his hand. For a few minutes Leon lay in the grass. He did not quite know what to do or how to make up. Sure, they've been through rougher times, but this was different. He had never touched Alice in such way, and he never thought he would. More minutes passed as he thought about it.

Leon got up, slowly. Taking his backpack with him, he walked to Alice's house. He was unsure, somewhat afraid, and totally undecided as to how to make it up to her...

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice entered her home, still fuming, and dropped her backpack on the chair right beside the entrance. The nerve of him! Good thing her parents weren't here to notice her bad mood. She simply decided to burn some aggression and energy playing some basketball. Yeah... that would help her cool down a bit...

Alice moved to the kitchen, but stopped midway to look at herself on the mirror, in the hallway. Why had Leon done that? She didn't really look too hot, did she?

"Hmmm... I have Ok breasts..." She mused to herself, cupping them gently. "... but really..."

Alice sighed. She was not among the prettiest girls in the school, which had been a source of much frustration to her. It was always the retarded little misses sluts and cheerleaders that got the men. Even though Alice had specifically gone for those that were not just jocks. She had tried the ones that were both smart, or sensitive, and generally pleasant to the eye. But damnit, they always were pining for the other beauties. And Alice was not one of them.

She wasn't ugly, or at least that was what she thought. Not fat, nice curves, medium-sized breasts for an 18-year-old... perhaps it was the glasses?

Sighing again, more morose than angry, she slid a frozen meal into the microwave, and stepped out into the backyard of her home. It was a two-story building, wooden, nothing too fancy but still pleasant to the eye, just like Alice was. A hoop and an orange basket ball, and it was on...

 

[Dynosius]

For school is was quite useful to have their homes so close by. But when trying to figure out what to do, it was plain unlucky. Before he knew it, Leon stood for Alice's front door. Everything he thought off sunk right down his shoes. Leon never guessed it would be so hard to apologize. After all, he had done so many times before. Yet, this time it was different, more a mature matter.

Ringing the doorbell yielded no answer. Either Alice was not home, or she did not open. Leon sighed deep, letting his head hang again. Should he just avoid her for a while? Let it pass over?

No, he had to make his apologizes. There was no way around it, he did not want to risk 15 years of friendship only because Leon was to afraid to say he was sorry. He also decided against text-messaging her. It was not enough to simply send a "I'm sorry to touch your breasts"-message to Alice.

Leon rang the doorbell again, softly cursing himself under his breath.

"Come on, open up... I'm such an idiot..."

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice felt all her body warm up with the exercise. Throw, again and again and again. Do anything to slowly forget what had happened. Let the situation's seriousness and awkwardness slip away. Just the ball in her hands, and the glasses before her eyes...

The doorbell rang. Alice scored a triple, and let the ball bounce down on the floor and start rolling away. She looked right at the house, as if she could see through it. You didn't need to be a genius to figure out who was there, and Alice was still a bit angry at him. But what the hell. It was fifteen fucking years! You didn't throw fifteen years away over that.

She hurried to answer the door, and opened it with a neutral face. "Come in."

 

[Dynosius]

Leon held his breath when he heard the door open. Thank God! At least she still opened the door for him. He couldn't blame her if she did not. Leon looked up, his eyes slowly following her body. He met her eyes, shaming his ass off.

Slowly walking inside, Leon suddenly felt like an intruder in her house. He had been with Alice here for more than a few times, but it felt different now. Leon hoped the feeling would pass.

He stood a bit clumsy in the hallway, staring at his feet. He was like a child, having broken a vase or something. Leon suspected Alice to go off at him. His face was red with a mix of blushing and shame. What should he say? He really wanted to make it up to her, tell he did not mean to...

"I'm sorry, I... don't know what to say or do..."

 

[Katamari Roller]

Alice took a deep breath, a bit in exasperation. She had hoped, in part, not to see this. Leon saying he was sorry. She would have preferred to start cracking jokes.

"Look, just go to the living room. There is 'Shaun of the Dead' on the table. Put it in the player." Alice leaned forwards, and tapped Leon's chest with a fist, almost playfully, but her face didn't indicate any sort of forgiveness or joy. She simply still felt a bit embarrassed by what had happened.

And what if someone had noticed? Rumours would spread. Alice and Leon already knew each other too well, and everybody knew that. It would only be a matter of time, probably...

Bah, fuck them. Alice entered the kitchen, and quickly grabbed the plastic platter beside the microwave at the same time she opened a drawer and fished forks and knives. The meal was lasagna, which she would complement with some chips. Now, the idea of having a meal with Leon had sort of sprung up of its own accord, and Alice wasn't particularly opposed to that. Why not? It had just been a stupid mistake on his part... she had made her own, too. Perhaps she was over-reacting...?

 

[Dynosius]

Leon simply nodded and did as he was told. Turning on his heels, he walked to the living room, leaving his backpack in the hallway. Pfff... Luckily she didn't slap me... He knew he deserved it, more or less. It was strange, he felt guilty for it, but... It was just so inexplainable. He sighed, part of relief, and part of confusion.

Forget it, put the movie in the player and wait for her. Leon knelt down in front of the dvd-player, turning around to pick up "Shaun of the Dead". He opened the box and grabbed the dvd , before placing it in the open drawer. He wasn't sure what to expect, but knowing Alice, it would be a humorous movie.

He took the remote, sitting down on the couch. On this very couch they had been sitting many nights and days, watching tv and movie-marathons, talking to each other, playing board games. Especially the movie-marathons were good. They would snuggle against each other with popcorn and soda, maybe a blanket or two, some cushions... Once, Alice fell asleep half-way through a marathon. She slept so cute and peacefully. Her body against his, the weight having a reassuring feeling to Leon.

God, Alice was indeed his best friend. Without her, he was nothing. All those thoughts passed through Leon as he stared absent minded at the title screen...

 

[Katamari Roller]

The microwave beeped, and Alice opened it. Sliding the meal onto the platter, she sniffed at it. She loved lasagna, maccaroni... all kinds of pasta. And nothing like it for when she wanted to be with Leon. Then, she reached into the cupboards to grab a bag of chips.

As she opened it and poured some onto a dish, Alice decided that, definitely, she was going to forgive Leon for earlier. A silly mistake, and he looked like shit for it, so she guessed he had learnt his lesson.

Platter, meal, two forks and two knives, a dish of chips, two opened cokes, and Alice all appeared more of less in that order in front of Leon. Extending the plastic legs, Alice put the platter down on the table and sat back on the couch. The lasagna was still steaming a bit. Alice grinned at Leon as she scratched her head.

"So, hungry?"

 

[Dynosius]

Leon was shaken out of his deep thoughts by Alice's entrance. He watched as she set down the different foods and drinks. Many a meal had been shared between them. Nothing to really be surprised off, they shared many things before. Joy and sorrow, secrets and gossips, foods and drinks.

Leon sat back on the couch, holding his stomach. You could say he was hungry. He hadn't eaten since last break. Which was an hour or three back... And even though he had time enough to eat between classes, he had been too busy with fooling around with Alice. Come to think off it, probably that fooling around made him hungry.

"So... It's all good now...?"

He looked at Alice. She smiled, that was a good sign. Leon waited for her to take first serve, not wanting to do anything wrong now. If anything, he tried to act like a gentleman.

As far as he could be...

 

[Katamari Roller]

"Yeah, it is..." Alice took some lasagna onto her fork, and ate it. It was damn tasty. "But I will take my revenge through this lasagna if you don't eat up."

Alternating with the chips, Alice enjoyed the movie. It was a parody of zombie movies, with the main character and his fat friend surviving a zombie apocalypse. Nothing too funny, until they started throwing vynil records at two of the undead. That made Alice sputter on her coke...

 

[Dynosius]

Leon sighed off relief, laughing softly as Alice threatened him with the lasagna. He leaned forward, picking up a fork and some lasagna. It was hot, but not piping hot. And the food tasted pretty well for a microwave meal.

Time went by, just like the movie. Leon got more comfortable, eating chips and lasagna. He flushed it down with some coke. On a few occasions he grabbed chips and sat back down a little closer to Alice. Now there was only a few centimeters between them. Nothing they hadn't done before. Leon tried to focus on the movie, but he kept glancing every now and then at Alice, trying to imagine what she was thinking. All in all, things were back to normal again.

Well, normal... With a sputtering Alice beside him, he couldn't help but laugh. Leon softly poked her side, turning to stare at her, a grin on his face.

"Alice, you animal!"

 

[Katamari Roller]

"Mmfff...! Hahah! Hahahahahah!" Alice laughed out-loud, gesturing with her arms for Leon not to come closer, in case he got wet too. Some of the coke had sprinkled onto her blouse. Not much, thankfully. She just set it down on the platter, and rose to grab something to clean herself.

"Sorry, sorry!" She dried herself off as best she could, and felt her hands already start getting sticky. Alice disliked that intensely, as did anyone with a bit of common sense, but could do nothing about it. She sat down again beside Leon, and had some more lasagna. This time, the movie was around the part where the main characters were leaving their car and the zombies started surrounding them.

"Ok, Ok... I think I'm Ok now..."

 

[Dynosius]

Leon shook his head, trying to suppress a fit of laughter. As he watched Alice's attempt to dry herself, Leon's grin turned into a content smile, warm and friendly. He sat back, waving a hand through his hair. Without much thought, he laid his arm on the head rest of the couch, behind Alice's head.

Turning his attention to the movie again, Leon sat close to Alice, their legs touching. He did it almost subconscious, guessing she wouldn't mind. He looked to his side, his eyes trailing over Alice's face. Strangely enough, he looked at her in a different way. But he thought nothing off it and decided to watch the movie again.