"I think it's hard to tell stuff like that without ever actually experiencing it. ...It's like saying you understand excatly what people go through when they're raped when you've never been there yourself. I honestly think if I cared about someone that much I'd still be pining for them in some sad little corner or my mind. Even if I met other people, the fact that they were once there for me, warmed my bed, told me they loved me... it's not something I could just pretend never happened and still hang out and have fun with them. I'd probably honestly rather never see them again then risk the chance I would do something stupid like make an ass out of myself trying to change their mind."

Romeo nodded solumnly. "That we are. I just wonder if the differences will end up working like magnatism or make us feel like we're trapped on two different sides of a canyon."

He pulled to a stop in front of Gavin's apartment and shut off the car. Sitting in silence and drumming his fingers to the beat of B.Y.O.B. by System of a Down while he tilted his head, looking out the front glass for a moment at the light filtering down from the streetlight just ahead of them. He turned towards Gavin, stilling his hands for the moment and smiled.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, we should do it again sometime. I mean, you know, not just eating stuff...we should go do other things too. Like, couple stuff... bowling, skating, rock climbing, skydiving, I can't really think of anything else off the top of my head, but there's bound to be SOMETHING you like to do that we could do together. That is, if you think you're up for it."

"You're quite welcome. Sleep well, Gavin."

After the door had been shut, Romeo started the car back up again and looked behind him before pulling out onto the street. He had already started thinking about their next date. There was less thinking and more plotting involved. He didn't even know if Gavin had a prefernece. Well if he was going to start being picky, then next time he would let Gavin decide what they were going to do.

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It was a bit chillier than most days. Gavin had finally managed a day off and Romeo skipped work so he could spend more time with him. He wasn't really skipping because he wasn't ever required to be there on the weekends. But it made his underling's jobs easier if they needed assistance, and he never used to have a reason to use the weekends off anyway. He kept his on-call phone in his pocket just in case. He sat outside Gavin's house hoping he remembered to get comfortable clothes like he mentioned before and sang Forest in a slightly off-key voice, drumming the palms of his hands on the steering wheel, waiting for Gavin to finish getting ready and get out of his apartment.

"I'm sorry I had to wake you up so early... but this really is better done when there's enough light to see what you're doing."

Romeo laughed and instead of getting out of his car and going around to the door for the backseat he just stood on his seat and turned around, his butt, which was covered in mesh-like shorts and ended up being suspended in mid-air while fishing through the containers in the back. His long hair was cascading down like a waterfall all around his broad shoulders which were covered in a thin white t-shirt. He made a few thoughtful noises and resumed his origional seated position and offered two sandwiches in seperate plastic bags to Gavin.

"One is tuna and the other is egg salad. I don't know what you like best or even if you liked any at all... but I figured I'd try. There's some beef jerky in the back too if you're not a fan of either."

Romeo slid back over his seat to put the additional sandwich back up because he had already eaten breakfast and strapped himself in. He checked his mirrors just in case he bumped it while he was splayed across his seat and pulled out after checking traffic behind him. He got onto the road and as soon as it was possible hit the highway.

"It's a little ways away, I hope you don't mind the car ride."

"I didn't even think about that. Sorry.. I honestly wish I had known that you would have jumped straight out of bed, I would have picked up some breakfast for you to eat on the way there."

Romeo laughed a bit uncomfortably, but pulled over to the side of the road anyway to fish out some more food and something to drink. He pulled out his sack of travel food which consisted of crackers with canned cheese, trailmix and beef jerky and handed it to Gavin. He also pulled out the sodas and set it on the center console, getting out an Addrenaline Rush for himself before settling back in front of the steering wheel.

As they got out of the vehicle, Romeo noticed Gavin's change in posture immediately. He supressed the urge to tell him that he'd make up for dragging him out here to face his fears, even though he was planning on doing it anyway, and set his face in the same kind of sternness that showed up when he was determined to get something done. Romeo knew that Gavin could conquer his fears if he only started facing them one by one. He bit his lip. He had a feeling that if he gave Gavin an option of not doing it he would take it. He also knew that he wasn't keeping Gavin prisioner because if Gavin said he didn't want to do it they could always just go home.

Romeo earnestly hoped they would though. It had been a little while since the last time he had gone rock climbing and certainly a lot longer since he had gone with anyone but the instructors. He walked towards the building behind Gavin hoping that the man wouldn't be angry at him when all was said and done with. Just past the front doors was impressive. It looked like the face of a cliff in the middle of the desert. There was a deep pit of sand at the bottom and the rock looked like it came right off the side of a cliff. It went up pretty high and where the second story would have been there was an outcroping meant for people who didn't have a lot of experience to stop and rest for a bit.

Romeo made himself a mental note to check with Gavin once they had gotten that far to see if he was ready to go home or not. He quickly walked past Gavin, brushing his arm lightly and smiling at him before he walked over to where the instructors were waiting to suit them up. They both immediately recognised Romeo and waved as he approached.

"Hey Romeo! Look who finally came back! Where have you been and who's your friend?"
"His name is Gavin, he's a first timer, so don't be so hard on him, all right?" Romeo turned around and waved for Gavin to come closer. "They'll suit us up and get us ready for the climb."

"Am I right in guessing there's a deeper cause to your solitary silence?"

Romeo had finally made it up to the halfway point just after Gavin had climbed up there. The entire way up the only emotions he could feel coming off of Gavin were fear and anger. Romeo had been silently cursing himself for trying to think that whatever problems Gavin had with heights were something that was just going to go away by him facing them down. Gavin seemed strong enough to face down whatever issues he COULD face down by facing them by himself without any prompting. But if whatever it was that was making him this angry and frightened really was that horrifying... Romeo had to wonder why he just didn't say no in the first place to keep from having to deal with it.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to... and I'm sure that whatever it is, it can't be fixed by me. But, at least you'll have someone who will listen to you without judgement or pity. Someone that will hold you, not because I think you need the strength, but because I know everyone wants someone to be there for them during the tough times." His eyes were nothing but tender as he spoke. "Even if they don't want to admit it."

With every passing word and each shaky breath, Romeo's eyes got wider and he became more outraged. The only thing that kept him from finding out where Gavin's father was and beating him into a bloody pulp was the fact that Gavin was sitting there crying in front of him. Well, and the fact that he was a floor and a half up a rock wall on an outcropping.

He took a deep breath and forced all of his anger inside of him to the point where his veins were no longer protruding from his skin. The moment he forced all of that anger inside of him he pulled his arms around Gavin's chest and pulled him up so he was partially laying on Romeo's lap and chest. He stroked Romeo's hair and just let him cry. Once Gavin's sobs had died down a little, Romeo started speaking in soft, gentle words.

"Well I'm very happy you didn't. You're a very strong person to have survived that. I'm not even sure if I could have. Just know this, I will always be there for you. And if something ever happens where he gets the chance to try anything again and he does, even if it doesn't work... well... my family has connections to the Japanese mafia. Just say the word and you won't have to worry about him anymore."

Romeo nodded once and continued to hold Gavin. It was nice, being this close. While he knew there was no place he'd rather be. He had a feeling that the sooner he got Gavin down off of this ledge, the better the chance that he wouldn't stay pissed off at Romeo forever for talking him into being this far from solid ground.

"Do you want me to ask them to get a ladder? Or can you can make it down the way you came up?"

"I'm pretty sure I can get you back in my arms later after we're back on the ground." Romeo winked. "Maybe not tonight, maybe not tomorrow.. but soon." He chuckled. "Besides, it's getting close to lunch time and I'm fairly certain if we don't get down soon then the ice that's cooling the food will all melt and it'll go bad. I don't know about you, but I'm far too hungry to see that go to waste."

He stood up on the ledge and looked down, signaling the instructors that they were ready for their descent. He re-adjusted his gear, giving Gavin's a once-over to make sure it was still nice and tight before rolling his shoulders back and causing a series of pops to sound in responce. He squeezed Gavin's shoulder and gave him a crooked half-smile.

"I'm ready whenever you are."

Romeo went fast enough in his descent that he was right below Gavin. If Gavin wasn't in such a sour mood on the way up he definately would have commented on how nice his butt was to look at. But on the way down Romeo wasn't even thinking about it. All he could think about was making sure that Gavin got down and NEVER asking him to do this again. Everytime he closed his eyes he saw Gavin's tear-streaked face and it made his heart break. Romeo made a vow to do everything in his power to keep from being the cause of those tears again.

"Just remember, if something happens, the tainers have hold of the rope, even if you miss your footing, you won't fall. If for any reason the equipment gives out, I'll make sure to catch you."

"Had I known... you know that I never would have even suggested this, right?"

He said the words after they were already in the car and on their way home. A CD was playing faintly in the bachground through the stereo. With System's "Atwa" playing at a fraction of the volume it should be at it only seemed to heighten the mood of despiar that filled the car. He turned the radio off and started drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"I didn't want to apologise before because I didn't understand your reasoning behind the way you acted... but I want to now." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry... will you forgive me?"