Chapter 2

He walked into his apartment, not at all surprised to find it still empty.

Chances were Helbram had ended up at someone's house. Either a friend's place to crash or with a willing participant in the very activity he'd just turned down.

King groaned, slumping his shoulders as he dragged his feet to his room. What was wrong with him? Why would he turn down probably his only chance to be with a beautiful woman like her?

Because I actually like her, followed unbidden in his mind as he collapsed on his bed.

His thoughts were fuzzy, but at least a part of him knew that if they would have continued they might not have taken the time to get to know each other any further. And King wanted to get to know her. He had a good time tonight. He enjoyed talking to her and hoped he could see her again.

He hoped she would want to see him again.

King sighed, pulling of his sweatshirt and crawling under the covers. He drifted off to sleep. His mind occupied with thoughts of a certain brunette beauty.

"Harlequin!"

King grabbed his pillow and shoved it over his head to drown out the sounds of his roommate returning. He didn't care what Helbram did the night before, as long as his friend was safe, but when the green haired man returned in the morning, did he have to be so fucking noisy? King's bedroom door opened and he cursed under his breath.

"It's like three in the afternoon!" His best friend said much too loud. He jumped on the bed, shaking King's shoulders. "I know you like sleeping but this is a bit much, even for you." He ripped the pillow from the ginger's hands.

"Go away, Helbram." King glared up at him. "I'm not feeling the greatest." He attempted to roll away.

"OH?" His friend's green eyebrows shot to the ceiling. "Are you…" He leaned in close, forcing one of King's probably bloodshot eyes open. "Hungover?"

He slapped his hands away. "Maybe." He grumbled.

"What? How?! Did you go out without me?" Helbram harshly prodded his chest repeatedly with a deep frown.

King had turned his friend down numerous times last night when he'd asked him to go drinking. The ginger didn't like going out all that much. His tolerance was low in comparison to his more seasoned friends and he was almost always the first one to get sick because of it.

"Ouch! Knock that off would you?" King sat up, knowing he wasn't going to get anymore sleep. "No, I didn't go out. I didn't even leave the building."

"You drank by yourself?" Helbram made a face. "That's not like you."

Heat started to rise on his cheeks. "Didn't say I was alone."

"Wait, what? With who?!" The green haired man began to bounce up and down on the mattress in excitement. "Was it a member of the opposite gender?!"

King gulped, mentally preparing himself for the onslaught of questions as he nodded his head.

"HOW!" Helbram practically bellowed.

He flinched, placing a hand on his forehead to hopefully stop the pounding. "Accidently, mostly."

"Well that's lucky."

"We both know I have shit luck."

"Doesn't sound like last night was one of those instances." Helbram countered with a grin as he studied him. "Now, give me details!"

"Uh… well I was trying to study-"

"Ya nerd."

"-and then our neighbor came home around eleven and started blasting crappy love songs." King ignored his interruption. "I gave it about an hour before I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't even sleep!"

"Musta been really loud then." Helbram nodded his head sagely, knowing full well how easy it was for King to sleep most nights.

"So I went over there to try and talk them into at least turning it down. They didn't answer so I… uh… kinda let myself in."

The green haired man's jaw dropped in disbelief. "You what?"

He shook his head, the embarrassment of basically breaking into her house, returning. "I turned down the music before the person bothered showing their face." He gulped as he remembered how she'd looked underneath the pile of pillows. "Turns out our neighbor is the most breathtaking woman I've ever seen."

"Wait. You talking about 4A?" King nodded his head and Helbram's eyes widened. "I've seen her before! The brunette, right? With large amethyst eyes, a great rack with curves and an ass to match?"

King scowled at his description but dipped his head.

"You lucky son of a bitch!" Helbram slapped his back. "That girl is stunning! What happened next?"

"Well, she asked me what I was doing. So I told her that the music was way too loud and she didn't answer the door. She accused me of breaking and entering and then somehow… invited me to drink with her."

"No shit?!" The astonishment was clear in his friend's voice. King couldn't blame him. He half wondered if he'd dreamt the whole thing up.

"Nope." King said simply as he climbed out of bed. He pulled on a clean shirt and made for the living room, hoping that would be the end of this whole conversation.

"So what happened? What did you guys talk about?"

No such luck.

"I don't know. Why she was blasting bad music and… random things I guess. We made it through almost three bottles of wine, the smaller details are a little fuzzy." King told him as he grabbed a water from the fridge.

"Three bottles between the two of you? No wonder you look like shit." Helbram leaned against a nearby wall as King walked into the living room and sat on the couch. "So, what's this lovely lady's name?"

King's eyes widened as he realized he never got her name. Did I really never ask? He racked his brain, trying to recall if she'd ever said her name. Or if he had given her his own for that matter. He hadn't.

"Wait," Helbram studied his expression, "you don't know her name?"

King groaned, collapsing backwards on the couch. "No... and she doesn't know mine either."

"How? That's like the basics of the basics man!"

"It… just never came up I guess…"

Helbram hummed, a wicked smile on his face. "There's only one instance where that has been true for me. So did you guys-" He began making obscene gestures with his hands.

"NO!" King bellowed as he bolted up. He instantly grabbed his forehead in regret. The movement too fast for his aching head. Way too much wine last night. "I told her that I… wanted to take her on a date first."

"Dude, that's chivalrous and all but that girl is drop dead gorgeous." Helbram hunched down to stare him in the eyes with a worried expression. "What is wrong with you?"

"I've been asking myself the same thing." He sighed heavily as he laid back down. He had no doubt in his mind that he'd probably never see her again. Not like he had last night anyways.

It was a depressing line of thinking.

He had really wanted to hang out with her again.

"Man, you've got it bad."

King cracked an eye open to see Helbram hovering over him with a curious expression. He rolled away from him, digging his face into the back of the couch. "I don't know if I'd say that." The ginger grumbled in response.

"Of course you wouldn't. You'd never say that." He could hear from his tone that Helbram wasn't amused. "You know where she lives, go ask her out."

"I can't do that."

"Why?"

"You said it yourself… she's gorgeous." King began to wallow in self pity. "What would she want with me?"

Helbram sat down by his hip. He placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing King to look at him. "Despite what you seem to think about yourself, Harlequin. You are a good catch. You're handsome, you're funny, you're smart AND," a smile tugged at his friend's lips, "you're going to make a lot of money once you graduate. So at the very least you have a major attribute most women and men are looking for." He wiggled his eyebrows.

King glowered at him. "Was that supposed to be some kind of pep talk?"

"The peppiest!" The green haired man chirped back with a wide grin.

"Yeah, well you suck at them."

An evil grin spread across Helbram's face. "Well I have been told I'm really good at suc-"

"Fine!" King pushed him off the couch, not needing to hear the rest of that statement. His face was red in embarrassment. "I'll talk to her."

"Good!" The green haired man poked his head up from the floor.

The ginger rolled back over.

"What are you doing?"

"Going back to sleep. My head is killing me." King responded stubbornly. His stomach was in knots just thinking about getting to talk to her again. Nevermind that he'd officially be asking her on a date this time.

"No. Go talk to her now."

"No."

"If I don't make you do it now, you'll talk yourself out of it." His best friend pushed his shoulder gently, his voice completely serious. "I'm not going to let you do that."

King knew he was right.

Ugh. He hated it when Helbram was right.

"Now, either get off this couch on your own, or I'll drag you out this door and hold your damn hand until you ask her."

He narrowed his amber eyes at the green haired man. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

"That's what I strive for!" Helbram beamed brightly. He hopped up and pulled King off the couch.

"I'm going, I'm going!" King yanked his hand away. He dragged his feet as he went to the door. His roommate pulled it open, not giving him the time to contemplate anything other than walking out.

Just like last night, King stood in front of the apartment next to his. Except this time, he knew who was behind the door. A beautiful woman who he really wanted to like him. A woman that he was going to have to ask out on his own or risk Helbram interfering and making things worse. His hand hovered, poised to knock.

He took a deep breath and rasped his knuckles against the door.

It seemed like an eternity before she answered.

His breath caught in his throat as she looked up at him with wide amethyst eyes. She was wearing a pair of cotton shorts and a small tank top. Her hair tousled from sleeping still somehow managed to fall perfectly around her face. He hadn't realized it was so long when it was up last night. Where her pigtails had brushed her shoulders, her hair now fell down to the middle of her back.

"You came." She whispered in disbelief.

He opened his mouth to answer, unable to find words. It had all been so much easier last night. "I… uh… yeah…"

A small smile formed on her lips. "Well, what can I do for you? Did you forget something?"

He gulped, shaking his head. How was he supposed to even began to ask her out?

"So this is her huh?"

He felt himself flush as he realized Helbram was watching. This was already difficult enough as it was without his friend offering his help. To his surprise, the beautiful brunette just went with it.

"This is me!" She smiled politely at the green haired man. "You must be Helbram?"

"Ah, he talked about me?" Helbram cooed stepping out of the apartment to join the awkward pair. He wrapped an arm around King's shoulders. "He really is such a good friend."

"Too good if you ask me." She gave King a secret smile.

"Oh, I know that!"

She tilted her head, looking back and forth between the two. King should have locked Helbram in his room before he came out here. Or found someway to keep his best friend from interfering. Could this get any worse?

"He told you?" The smile fell from her face slightly.

Yes. It could always be worse.

But King didn't get a chance to say anything before Helbram continued. "Not really. I just know him well enough to know that he wouldn't do something like that. Let me tell you," he leaned in closer to whisper, "he's a better person than most of us."

Her expression uplifted and King let out a sigh of relief.

"No kidding!" She laughed. "Do you know how dumbfounded I was when he said we should wait?" King flushed at the evil smirk she gave him. "I mean you should have seen me last night! Minus the puffy eyes I was smoking hot!"

"You're smoking hot now, so I can only imagine how good you must have looked last night." Helbram looked her up and down.

King elbowed him sharply in the side to stop him from staring. "Go away."

"Ah, no need to be jealous!" His best friend grinned widely. "I'd never dream of taking such a lovely lady from you!"

"As if you could!" She stuck her tongue out at him. "Someone's a little too confident in his game if you ask me." She smiled even as she poked his chest, playing right along with him causing the green haired man to chuckle.

Bantering so easily with his eccentric friend? If she didn't stop talking and adding to the reasons he liked her so much, King may just have to kiss her.

Helbram smirked at him and the ginger half worried that he'd spoken his thoughts out loud. His roommate had always been rather skilled at reading him, though. It was likely he knew just what King was thinking.

"If you like him, better lay it flat out!" Helbram offered some parting words. "I've been trying to put the moves on him for years!"

Her jaw dropped in a weirdly delighted and disappointed expression. Probably unable to figure out if the man was telling the truth or not.

"He's lying." King quickly assured her.

"No I'm not!~" His best friend sang even as he opened their apartment door. "I've been dropping hints since high school!"

"Helbram!"

The green haired didn't even bother keeping the mischievous grin off his face. "I'm telling ya, he's a keeper. And loyal! I've never once seen him make out with another guy in my presence."

She bubbled with laughter.

"I haven't made out with any guy ever!" King was torn between wishing death upon his friend and admiring the sound of her entertained giggles.

"See! Loyal!" He made wide gestures to emphasise his point.

"Go away Helbram!" King finally snapped. His green haired roommate laughed loudly as he disappeared behind their apartment door.

"So that's Helbram, huh?" She drawled, not even bothering to keep the entertained smile off her face. "Is he always like that?"

"Only to me. And just to be clear. He hasn't tried hitting on me. He's full of shit and a jackass that thrives off making me as uncomfortable as possible." King grumbled, glaring daggers at the closed door.

She laughed lightly. "Can't say I blame him. It is rather fun." She admitted. "I like him."

King's heart tightened in his chest. Why did that make him feel so shitty? Was it a complete waste of time to come over here?

"Don't worry," she smiled up at him, taking a step closer and placing a hand on his chest, "I like you better."

"Go out with me!" He blabbed loudly.

She blinked in surprise.

His hands got all clammy at his sides. He was horrible at this. "Uh... I mean... Will you go out with me?"

"Yes!" She beamed at him brightly and crushed him in a hug. "I was worried that you had changed your mind… I've been pacing the apartment for a little longer then I wanna admit." She mumbled into his chest with an awkward laugh. The brunette then quickly released him before he got the chance to return her embrace.

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you wait. I just got up a half hour ago. Courtesy of my obnoxious roommate."

"I'll have to thank him then." Her smile wouldn't stop as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet.

King would have to thank Helbram too. He hadn't expected her answer to be so instant. For her to be so happy about a simple question. He hoped he could continue to see such a pleased expression on her face.

"Tonight at seven?" His lips moved without his permission following the thought. He wanted to see her for more than this ten minute hallway chat. "Uh, if you're free, that is. I know that you probably still have some classes left. Uh, assuming that you go to school? I guess that didn't come up last night, so I don't really know if you have any test or something you need to-"

She placed a finger to his lips. "Tonight is perfect." She smiled softly, waiting for him to nod before removing her hand. "Where are we going? So I know what to wear." She bit her lip, glancing away.

Oh god... is she being shy? King didn't think his heart could take such small acts of her being sheepish. How could she go from sexy to cute in the blink of an eye.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Uh, somewhere nice." He had no freaking clue. "Wear a dress?" He suggested unsurely.

"Do you just wanna see my legs?"

Yes. Yes he did.

"N-no!"

She laughed, hand tugging at the edge of her tank top. "Well, I'll wear a dress for the mystery place then…" she leaned back into her apartment and checked the time. "I better start getting ready then."

"Okay." He nodded, taking small steps towards his apartment. It would only be a few hours until he saw her again. Why was he so reluctant to leave? "Ah wait!" He spun back around.

She stepped out of her apartment. "Yes?"

"Uh," he rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, "this is probably a stupid question but…" King steeled his resolve and met her eyes. "What's your name?"

Her eyes widened before she giggled. "We never did exchange names did we?" She bashfully tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, a light flush to her cheeks. "I'm Diane. Diane Taylor."

"Harlequin Kingsworth. Most people call me King, though."

"Well, Harlequin." She stepped back into her apartment with a shy smile. "I'll see you tonight at seven."

"See ya tonight… Diane."

A/N: I freaking love Helbram. I picture him being so freaking sassy. He kind of has to be to put up with all of King's shit. XD haha For real though, I love their friendship and am really glad I was able to explore it in this fic even if it was just a little dabble. Sadly, this is probably it for this universe unless some sudden inspiration strikes. Additional one shots are a possibility, but this will be marked complete for now.

Thank you all SO MUCH for taking the time to read this story! I hope you enjoyed it.

Luv~