Knock unbidden on the door ((Schön))

[losthunter]

The evening on which Schön and Hunter had agreed upon a TV marathon to watch 'Twilight Zone' episodes had come very quickly, even though it had been a couple of days since the Spring Fair and the last time they had spoken.

Hunter had a lot of artwork to keep himself occupied in the time between the two events. There were a couple of sketches in his notepad from the evening of the Spring Fair that he had wanted to get on canvas. Some are watercolors. Some are color pencils. Some are using the rose petals, soaked in paint. In all aspects, he had been busy.

During the day, before Schön would arrive at the apartment, Hunter had been quite busy finishing a charcoal piece depicting an elderly couple sharing an intimate, and touching moment. He wrapped that up right before he was expecting Schön, so had to jump in the bathroom quickly to get cleaned and dressed for the evening.

Then he went into the kitchen to bring out the snacks that he had prepared for the evening. There are delights such as cranberry pretzel clusters, brownie batter popcorn, assorted chocolate-dipped fruit (bananas, kiwis and strawberries), and a cheese platter. For a wine choice, Hunter had selected a Wild Vines strawberry white zinfandel.

With everything else in place, Hunter does one more walk-through of his apartment, to make sure everything is prepared for his guest.

Comments

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I can assure you, Hunter, I feel neither fear nor disgust toward you. Although I do sense our conversation has moved out of the abstract, hmm?"

[losthunter]

"I know you don't." Hunter's voice gets soft. "And I do care about you. I won't hide that truth."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Won't hide it? Schön isn't certain the lad could hide it, but he's a little too tactful to say as much. "I care for you, as well," he replies, "although I fear I may disappoint you, with the form my care takes. For all the passion I hold for art, I am not much the romantic type."

[losthunter]

Hunter chuckles softly. "I am not disappointed. I am rather touched that you would be concerned about my emotional welfare."

He reaches out to take one of Schön's hands in his own. And meets the other man's eyes with another soft smile. "I admit that I am very attracted to you. But, even in the short time we have known each other, I have gotten the impression that you weren't the romantic type."

"And yes, there might be a sad part of myself that mourns the fact that romance is not in the cards."

"However, there is a much larger part of myself that is very content to have someone so compassionate in my life as a friend. That means the world to me."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Hunter's answer draws a smile from Schön, and he squeezes the younger man's hand. "Friends, then, and gladly. Which, here, may be more than any single world."

[losthunter]

"It is such an incredible thing to have so many great people in my life, whom I consider to be close friends." Hunter smiles again. "Friends who I know would be there when I need someone to lean on. Whom could count on me for the same."

"I truly feel that I can be open with everyone of my friends."

"And since I am still a romantic at heart, in case you hadn't noticed..." Hunter winks, because he knows Schön has already assessed that little fact. "...I still have faith in my heart that someday things will align where someone special will enter my life that could lead to romance."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön chuckles. "Have no fear, I am confident your faith will be rewarded in time. I am a firm believer that there is, indeed, someone for everyone--perhaps several possible someones. It's why I never deal in love magic."

[losthunter]

"Well I hope you hadn't worried about me hoping for a romantic liaison from you."

Hunter is one of those people who can love his friends just as deeply as he would love in a romantic relationship.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I had considered the possibility," Schön admits, "but I find it better to address such matters when they arise than to persist in uncertainty or deception. In the main, I was concerned that I might upset or disappoint, should I decline."

[losthunter]

"I am glad you addressed the issue." Hunter wouldn't want Schön to be uncomfortable.

"Fair warning, just like how I might behave around Verity or Rhys, another of my friends, I am a comfortable friend flirt. Very comfortable with gestures of affection, including touching and hugging."

"But rest assured, I don't expect a romantic response at all."

"That is just... me." Hunter laughs.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"We can only ever be ourselves. I do not begrudge you your amiable nature," the thin man assures Hunter. "Indeed, given the path you have tread, your open heart is a wonder to behold. Embrace as you will."

[losthunter]

"That is a great relief." Hunter smiles softly. He is very glad that the TV show had brought them to this conversation. It had made them even closer friends in a way.

"Shall we continue with the next show?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Indeed," Schön agrees. "This next is another favorite of mine. You may have noticed that some of the twists rather disfavor the protagonist, but this next one... I shall wonder what you make of it, when we are done." That said, he queues up One for the Angels.

[losthunter]

The next show is very well written, like all the others. Watching first how the protagonist thinks he has outwitted death... then does everything in his power to make things right is very touching.

Hunter, being the soft-hearted type (one of the drawbacks of wearing your heart on your sleeve), has to reach for the Kleenex at the ending. It is just so beautiful. The sacrifice the protagonist made is remarkable.

"Simply... beautiful."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"A moment to be savored," Schön agrees, discreetly dabbing at his own eyes. "It is a gift, to transport an audience from the depths of craven avarice to the peaks of compassion. For some, the tale of how a man outwitted death might have been enough."

[losthunter]

"It was also so surprising in its own way, for there are many people out of there... who would have been satisfied outwitting death."

"It makes the tale even more touching."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I am reminded of a line from another film, sage advice offered to one who courted immortality: 'it's not living forever. It's living with yourself forever.'" Schön gives Hunter a sidelong look, with a fairly good idea his rhetorical question's answer before he poses it. "How long could you stand to live, knowing that you had traded the life of a close friend to do so?"

[losthunter]

"It would weigh on me heavily every second until I could fix things. But hey... I am the guy who tried to help the witch who cursed me." Hunter shrugs lightly. "I couldn't live with myself if I had hurt someone else intentionally or unintentionally."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Indeed." Schön regards him thoughtfully for a moment, before daring to ask, "was this always the case?"

[losthunter]

Hunter shakes his head, getting a slightly sad look in his eyes. "No. There was a time when I would have... walked away from that hospital and that little girl."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I am pleased, then, not to have met that man. To have found you, in his place--or more rightly, in your place."

[losthunter]

"You had once asked about if I could change my appearance back. Back a few months ago, I had my old appearance back for a couple of days due to a different lesson given by Kendra."

"Even then, I didn't feel like me. That person was not me anymore. Even that face... was not the one that I have come to embrace."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön gives a contemplative nod. "I am not surprised. Quoth the poet, 'you can never go home again.'"

[losthunter]

"Every show I have seen have been incredible. I am so glad that you have exposed me to such wonderful writing."

"These shows are so much better... than the ones my dad produced."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön smiles, always pleased to have an appreciative audience for something he's chosen to share. "I'm glad you like them. Dare I ask what sort of work your father turned out? It wasn't," he pauses, and it's hard to tell if he's mocking or being seriously dire when he concludes, "reality television, was it?"