Time After Time

"Do you want some apple and cranberry juice, Gustav?"

"Oh, yes please, Rose, thank you."

It was another day on Rose's house. Summer was coming and Lestat was outside, chewing his chew toy while Gustav and Rose stayed inside. He was reading newspaper on the sofa, wearing white A-shirt and shorts. Rose brought two glass of apple and cranberry juice and put it on the table in front of the sofa. She looked comfortable in her oversized T-shirt and boyshorts. She went out to call Lestat because it was time for grooming. Tristan Prettyman's "Love Love Love" was playing from her iPhone dock.

Lestat ran in, barking and jumping.

"No, Lestat, come here. It's time for your grooming."

Gustav put down the newspaper from his face and stared at Rose and Lestat. He chuckled then he took the juice to drink it. Lestat was still refused to lie down so Rose could groom him and he barked at Gustav. Not only that, he decided to jump at Gustav who was holding the juice at that moment.

"Lestat! Stop!" she shouted.

But it was too late. Lestat was trying to sit on Gustav's lap and the dog made him unable to keep holding the juice glass steadily in the process. Gustav chuckled, "Whoa. That's… cold."

Rose groaned, "You bad doggie! What do you think you are, a chihuahua? You're a big Samoyed, Lestat!"

Gustav somehow managed to laugh, "I'd better change my shirt now…"

"Yeah. I'm so sorry, Gustav. Give it to me, I'll wash it right away. That red-purple… ish color looks pretty scary on your shirt. Sorry about that, really… Lestat can be pretty… stupid sometimes."

He chuckled, "Lestat just wants you to see me topless."

"And what is that even supposed to mean?" she chuckled.

He chuckled, pulled off his shirt and handed it to her. Rose took the shirt and her iPhone suddenly rang. She took it from the table and picked it up without looking.

"Rosey? You're home, right? I'm going there. Now." It was Gabriella.

"What? You're coming now? Well I am home, but—"

"Oh good, so you're at home. I'm opening your door now."

They could hear footsteps outside the door.

"No! Gabriella… wait!"

The door was opened and Gabriella Hay stood there. She didn't say anything but both Gustav and Rose could see that her eyes were widened. Gabriella stared at Rose first. Rose obviously looked as if she didn't expect any guest with her big T-shirts and boyshorts and her long hair was messy and untied. Then Gabriella stared at Gustav. He was in the background and he didn't wear anything except his shorts. She stared Gustav for a while and Rose felt like they were in the middle of bear attack or something. They both shouldn't move or else the bear, aka Gabriella, will start to attack them.

Even though they didn't move, Gabriella screamed out loud not long after.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!? WHYYYYYYYYY?"

Rose was freaking out, "Gab! Don't… scream that loud! I can expla—"

"HOW COULD YOU? I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!"

"It's because—"

"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO ME? HOW CAN YOU STAND THERE IN YOUR STUPID OVERSIZED T-SHIRT AND THERE IS AN ACTUAL REAL MISSING SUPER AWESOME GUSTAV FUCKING WOOD OF YOUNG FREAKING GUNS STAND IN YOUR HOUSE?"

Rose could hear Gustav chuckled behind her and she could feel her face got red.

"Gab… calm down… I know this is—"

"IS HE REAL? LIKE REALLY REALLY REAL? NO, HE CAN'T BE REAL. IT'S JUST SOME DUDE WHO LOOKS LIKE GUSTAV WOOD, ISN'T IT?"

"Gabriella Hay—"

"THERE IS NO WAY THAT THAT IS REAL GUSTAV WOOD!"

"Would you stop shouting?" Rose groaned, she was completely ashamed.

"B-but… HE IS WALKING TOWARD US? WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD DO? IS THIS DREAM? BUT YOU ARE ROSE LETTE! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE NAME OF ALL TIME LOW'S VOCALIST! ROSE, HE IS WALKING HERE."

It sounded like Gabriella was narrating a soccer match where someone running with ball through enemy's defence and about to score a goal on a very important match. She was completely freaked out and Rose could hear Gustav laughed. It was hilarious if she didn't feel like she want to shut Gabriella up from screaming.

"Hi. I'm Gustav. Rose told me about you," he said calmly as he stood next to Rose.

Gabriella made weird sound that probably was a combination between choked sound and screaming sound.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Gabriella shouted, again. Her eyes were completely fixed on Gustav's face.

"In short? I moved to that house in front of Rose's place a couple of months ago and we became friend."

"WHAT IS THIS? A FAN FICTION? I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! ROSE! I DEMAND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!"

"What? Of what? Gab, people would think I'm going to murder you or something if you keep shouting like that!" Rose muttered.

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU WEAR ANYTHING? I MEAN, ANY SHIRT? BUT YOU ARE GUSTAV WOOD I CAN'T BELIEVE MY EYES SHOOT ME IN THE HEAD AM I DREAMING?"

Rose had it. She pulled Gabriella inside and closed the door.

"Sit and speak normally! You guys are both my guest!"

Gustav chuckled and sit on the sofa. He looked like he enjoyed this so much and Rose was a bit relieved that he didn't think Gabriella was actually annoying or something close to that.

Gabriella sit and she was still staring at him.

"You're a real, aren't you?" she whispered.

"I surely am. You can touch me, you hear me speaking… I am indeed real."

"But you're Gustav Wood!"

"You seem to know me in my… old days. Unlike your friend Rose here…"

"Do you really need to embarrass me, Gustav?" Rose snapped.

Gustav laughed while Gabriella was still staring at him.

"I know everything about you! Well, almost everything… I came to almost all of your last tour with Young Guns in Australia… well, I didn't come to the ones on Brisbane and Adelaide, but still… why? How could you land next to this old lady's house?"

"Coincidence," mumbled Rose.

"I'd say fate," Gustav chuckled.

"Are you okay now?" asked Gabriella.

Gustav smiled and he looked a bit sad, "Well, I don't think I'll ever be 'okay' again, but I'm quite happy right now. I'd be happier if I can wear a shirt as soon as possible but I can wait." Gabriella was still staring at him. "Let's introduce ourselves properly, okay? Hi, I'm Gustav Wood," he gave her his right hand.

Gabriella shook their hands together, "I-I'm Gabriella Hay. This is surreal, isn't it, Mr Wood?"

Gustav laughed and Rose laughed as well.

They chatted for a while before Gabriella needed to go because she had work to do. Gustav promised her that he wouldn't mind seeing Gabriella's boyfriend so they can talk about being in a band. After Gabriella left, Gustav talked to Rose.

"I remember when you mention her, I thought she would be that kind of really scary fan. But now that I met her, I can see why she's you're friend. She's a kind person, deep down beneath… all that shouting," he chuckled.

She smiled at those words.

***
There was nothing special for the rest of the day. They went for evening walk with Lestat and spend the rest of the night by making dinner and play chess after that. They get bored and tired at 11 pm and that was when Gustav stood up announce that he was going back home because they both needed to sleep.

Rose walked to her front door with him. She opened the door and he walked out.

Then she touched his cheek.

Gustav chuckled. "Huh? Is there something on my cheek?" he asked, rather sleepily.

She shook her head, "I just want to make sure that you are real… that I actually just beat Gustav Wood in chess match."

"I'm always real. How can you say that? You've spend months together with me…" he said.

She stared down. "I know, I'm acting stupid, I'm just afraid that someday you will disappear into thin thin air… and I'm just dreaming about someone from Gabriella's magazine…"

"Rose?"

"Yeah?" she raised her head, staring at him. He smiled. She could see him sleepy and tired, just like her, but the smile brighten his face. That kind of moment never stopped to feel unreal for Rose Lette; the moment where she stared at Gustav and he stared back at her with those pale blue eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked.

She chuckled lightly, "Sure. Go right ahead." He had kissed her a couple of times in cheeks and forehead now, so she didn't really understand why he did even ask.

But Gustav kissed her on lips.

She gasped on his mouth and her pupils were dilated.

"Mmfff! Ngf?" she mumbled with his lips on hers.

He pulled back and stare at her, "What's wrong? Don't you like it?"

"I-I… i-it was… I'm not…"

How could I not like it, for God's sake?

She wanted to say that but Rose was too confused.

There is no way he just kissed me on the lips… she thought. It felt good. So good. Too good. She wanted him to kiss her again and she could feel that her feeling was shown on her face because then he stared at her and he smiled. He looked the same way as her and she could feel it.

"Just let me do it again…" he pulled her face closer and this time, she closed her eyes before she wrapped his neck with her arms.

It was the best feeling in the world. She was even dizzy because she was so happy. She could feel his hand on her nape, sliding up from her back and she leaned on him because her legs felt weak.

She didn't remember how long it lasted, but when they both pulled back, they were both panting.

"Gustav," she whispered, staring at him. There was nothing that she wanted to do more than kiss him again. And then she wanted to be closer. And closer. And closer. And closer. And even closer.

He stared back at her. He looked puzzled but his expression was warm.

"I'm sorry I kiss you on your lips," he chuckled. "I'm feeling guilty. But you are very dear to me, Rose, I… sometimes I just can't thank you enough and I just want you to understand what I feel…"

She nodded. She never wanted anyone, anything so much like this before.

"Don't go," Rose plead.

Gustav stared at her, "Don't say that! Do you know how hard it is to hold myself—"

She kissed him now and then they went back in without letting go of each other. It was unreal. It was so unreal yet so real at the same time. Everything was so real; the touch, the warmth and all the little details that she knew she would remember for the rest of her life.

And that was one of the night where they eventually did what people in love usually do.