White universe ficlet

[estirose]

This was a ficlet that tptigger and I wrote. It's set in the "White is the Color of Guilt" universe, after that story, so if you're not familiar, you might get a bit lost. Like the rest of the storyline, it's part of the Hayley Opposites Attract AU.



Fast Food
by Tptigger and Estirose
c 2006

Trent got home from the Cyberspace to find Tommy whistling and stirring a pot of sauce.

He whistled. "Tommy, you look sharp. Were the Queer Eye guys here and no one told me?"

"Aisha helped me out with the outfit," Tommy replied.

"Oooh," Trent said. "Something going on, or you just being stylish for the heck of it?"

"Hayley's coming over for dinner," Tommy replied.

Trent eyed his guardian carefully. "There anything you want to talk to me about?"

"That's my line," Tommy replied with a straight face. "Shoo."

Trent glanced at the table, noticing it was set for two. "If you wanted me to crash at Ethan or Conner's you should've said something."

"Nah," Tommy said. "I figured it was good for you to be here." His tone was jovial, his eyes reflected a small amount of worry.

"So you want me to chaperone?" Trent asked. "From upstairs?" He wondered, absently, if he should call Rocky and ask him to pop over and rescue him. Or ask Hayley to give him a lift over to Stone Canyon.

"I figure you can go entertain yourself if needed," Tommy said. "And it's not like it's a romantic dinner or anything."

Trent cocked an eyebrow at him. "It's not? Since when did you dress up for Hayley. Also... um..." Trent shifted. It was fine if Tommy wanted to have a romantic dinner with his girlfriend. It was! But if it wasn't... then why only two places?

"Hayley said something about her wanting to make sure you had something to eat," Tommy explained. "I think she wanted it to be a surprise."

Trent's eyes flicked to the table again. Yes, he definitely only counted two place settings. A timer on the stove went off.

"Be right back," Tommy said, moving to the stove. "Just another...." A light and sound interrupted him as Hayley teleported in.

Tommy's eyes lit up. "Hi, honey."

Hayley smiled. She was in a dress, a nicer dress than Trent usually saw her in. "Had to close the Cyberspace a little early, so decided to come a little early too."

Tommy grinned, looking a slight bit flustered.

"I, um, have a history paper," Trent said, beating a hasty retreat up the stairs. Tommy had about twenty minutes to remember his existence and then he was calling Rocky for a lift to Stone Canyon and some dinner.

Or he could sneak out in the jeep for a Big Mac. It's not like Tommy was gonna notice.

Arriving at his bedroom, he was surprised to see the door mostly closed. He was even more surprised to see a large bag with a fast food logo on it.

Trent stared. "You beat me to it?" He opened the bag, half expecting to see a really big salad.

Instead, there was a hamburger and fries, still warm. In fact, it was an everything-on it hamburger. There was a smaller, hamburger-shaped package that was marked "cheeseburger". Behind the bag was a chocolate shake.

Trent glanced towards the door. "Is Tommy okay?" He shrugged, opening the hamburger eagerly.

The door didn't answer. He had to suspect Hayley's or Rocky's complicity in the food; he really doubted that Tommy would have been too keen on it. As he opened the hamburger, he noticed a box at the bottom, a white styrofoam carry-out box. He opened it cautiously, to find a cheesecake inside.

"Dude," Trent said. Then paused. "I've been hanging out with Conner way too long." With that he settled at his desk to savor his first junk food since Justin's last visit.

A knock interrupted his pending enjoyment, and he hurried to hide away all the food before Tommy came in and saw it.

"I know about the food, Trent, can I come in for a second?" Tommy asked. His voice was all smiles.

Trent flushed. "Yeah."

"Hayley said that I should let you enjoy some junk food once in a while, just before telling me what she left in your bedroom," Tommy said. He was still smiling.

"Can you *please* tell me what's going on?" Trent asked. "This is a little spooky. You're not bawling me out and... well, usually if we're having company for dinner, I know about it in advance. Especially..." he trailed off. It was *fine* that Hayley and Tommy wanted some private time. It was!

"I didn't want to get you all worked up, Trent. You're too old for a babysitter - though Rocky threatened to kidnap you and feed you dinner - and I just wanted to give you some time where I'm not hovering, that's all." He had such an earnest expression on his face that Trent suspected he'd been the subject of some fierce lectures from both Rocky and Hayley.

"Okay," Trent said, smiling tentatively.

"I didn't realize Hayley was going to sneak in junk food, however," Tommy said sheepishly. "I don't think it'll kill your diet for one night, though."

"I'm on a diet?" Trent asked.

"You are when Justin's not in town."

"You know about that, too?"

"I know all, I see all," Tommy replied.

"Great," Trent muttered.

"And I know Justin a little too well," Tommy added. "Including the trips out to fast food places when I wasn't looking."

"Did you come up here for something?" Trent asked. "I mean, Hayley's waiting for you and you're both all dressed up and..."

"Came to check in to see if you were all right," Tommy said.

"I'm fine," Trent said.

"... And I wanted to see if Hayley really did manage to teleport in up here without you or me noticing," Tommy finished.

Trent laughed. "She's sneaky. In one second, out with all my stuff the next."

Tommy smiled. "That's what you get for living with a guy who's dating a Tomorrow Person."

"Yeah," Trent said with a smile. "And speaking of our favorite Tomorrow Person, should you be keeping her waiting? And... Nah, never mind."

Tommy cocked his head. "And what?"

Trent looked at the floor. "Not that expect veto power or anything but if you were... um... going to ask her... well, you'd mention if she were gonna be moving in or wearing diamond rings or something right?"

"Yeah," Tommy said. "I would." He looked out towards the hallway. "Not the world's safest thing to do right now, even if she *can* teleport."

"Huh?" Trent asked.

"I don't want Mesogog using Hayley as bait. I don't want her to get hurt."

"Oh," Trent said. He wondered how much difference that would make, since she'd been helping with the zords and everything.

"Right now Mesogog sees Hayley as a friend of mine, not a lover... er, girlfriend. If he knew the truth, Hayley wouldn't be safe, no matter what she believes."

"Lover?" Trent echoed.

Tommy blushed. "Trent."

"Okay, so not going there," Trent said, holding up his hands. "So, are you going to go down there, or what?"

"You sure you're okay, buddy?" Tommy asked.

"Fine," Trent said. Meaning it. As long as there were no Earth shattering changes coming to his life anytime soon, he'd be okay.

"Okay," Tommy said, obviously reluctantly. "Hayley and I'll be downstairs, yell if you need us."

"I'd rather not, thank you," Trent replied.

Hayley appeared in a flash of light. "He'll be fine, Tommy."

Trent flushed.

Hayley took Tommy by one arm. "We'll be downstairs," she said. "Have fun with your homework!"

Trent chuckled. "I will."

Hayley hustled Tommy out the door, throwing Trent a big grin. She waved before the two of them disappeared out of sight.

Trent laughed, attacking the junk food on his desk with gusto.

-end