We're All Just [Claude&Kida] Victims of Love

[Sarah]

Bell rings, students file out. Not what happens in Mr.MacDonald's first period mathmatics class. Bell rings, Claude Kepp jumps for the door. Anything to keep away from the little blonde, Greek boy. Also known as Nakita Peterson. Also, also known as trouble. It wasnt exactly his preferance to keep away from the smaller boy, but more of a 'have-to-do-to-survive' thing. Highschool, even private, all boys' highschools such as Eddingborough, lived by a food chain. If you wanted to live, you had to avoid the predators, or whoever could lower your status in the food chain. Kida was the latter.

Sure, the little sleepovers hadnt ended, but Claude had brought a brief stop to those as well, having not stopped by in over a week. But, that much wasnt by choice, or by social status. Kida wanted him to improve in math? Well, he took it upon himself for once to do just that. So, maybe he was also avoiding their tutoring sessions --they were much too public-- but he had never liked them anyway. Kida knew that first off. So, not so much of a surprise there.

Still, he darted for the door, before MacDonald could stop and lecture him about 'Holding his horses' or some bull shit like that. Also before Kida could stop him. He'd have to apologize soon, he knew it, but... not today. he needed this to blow over. Jadie was all ready suspicious, (Claude knew that Jadie knew,) and the rumors spread by a certain Haley Badger was all the cause of it.

[marriedinthesunx]

Oh no, not today, he wasn't. Not if Kida could help it, anyway. He was going to catch that boy and demand some answers.Nobody had to alert him that Claude Kepp had been avoiding him. Since the day of the math room lock down, there had been rumours spread everywhere.Rumors, which ninety five percent of the time were false, suddenly rang true. It had happened exactly as Haley Badger had said, and there was really no use fighting it as afar as the blond was concerned. It'd blow over soon enough, there were plenty of other kids here that did stupid things. They'd be old news by the next week.

So he waited, impatient, packed ten minutes early and waiting for the opportunity to dodge at the older boy, who Kida had noted, was tapping his foot and staring at the clock. A sigh, chest heaving and staring straight on ahead to the front row. Right where they had been positioned, right where they had been desperately kissing one another. Oh, he remembered the way Claude had lunged at him, he remembered the taste of his mouth, and the demanding nature of his body. Instantly color rose in the fifteen year old and he cleared his throat, index finger pulling at his shirt collar as if to air himself. Hot. Very hot. But, the chances of this happening again proved to be very slim.

Especially with a boy who had even skipping their tutoring sessions, and most hurtfully, put a halt to their bedtime routine. That boy had come over four nights in a row previously, in which both of them passed out in each other's arms. It felt good to have someone in bed, and, well, Claude wasn't a very active boy in his sleep. The bell rang. Kida lunged up for his seat, and he totally ignored the look he recieved from a pleased Haley Badger sitting a couple of seats to his left.

Unfortunately for Claude, by the time the brunet stepped out of the door, Kida had managed to catch up to his side, books shove tight against his chest and tie hanging a little crookedly. "Hey Claude," he began kind enough, not wanting to discourage conversation. "I can't help but notice you haven't been showing up for tutoring." He wouldn't mention the evenings. Not out loud anyhow. Pah. More like, 'not at first anyhow.'

[Sarah]

Claude had known that one of these days, his brilliant works at diversion were going to fail him. Only, he never knew it'd be coming this soon.

Claude had breathed a sigh of relief when he walked out that door. He was in the clear. Able to walk calmly to his next class, careful not to pass by the dark room in any such case. Too many memories. Sure, it meant taking quite the detour, but that was better than remembering what kind of activities had happened in that room. He had especially learned to avoid all possible interaction with Haley, seeing as he'd just add fuel to the rumor flame that he had started. Claude and Kida were just two matches; Haley had struck them to life, building this fire Claude couldnt exstinquish.

Still, he could only try.

Just, his attempts were only making it ten times worse.

He should just live up to the rumors, they were true, after all. Just, they werent the most flattering, as just about every rumor. Just about every rumor that had ever been spread about him, at least. Nope. Claude was stupid, this point he had made quite clear to Kida, and was just digging himself deeper into a total shit hole. You're facing shit the entire way you try to escape, digging down. Then, when you decide that you want out, you get even more shit. What fun?

Hearing that voice was a great thing to hear. Even more pleasant that hearing Jadie play his guitar, which he did quite often. To add emphasis to his point, however, you had to hear him play. This was no half ass guitarist here. But, hearing that harmony this time, was not so sweet. He heaved a sigh, still walking briskly. "I didnt know we were still doing those," Claude lied, a whole step ahead of Kida and barely moving his lips as he spoke. To most, it appeared he wasnt speaking at all, let alone to the first year.

Some things, were just too complicated for words. Claude saw this situation as so, only Kida didnt.

[marriedinthesunx]

It took a great deal of effort to catch up with Claude. Not only were the halls unbearably crowded, but the older boy certainly had a longer pair of legs than Kida did. He was clumsy, books shoved up against his chest and wading on through, feeling like that one cartoon character. You know, that one Bugs Bunny cartoon in which the big old bull dog with a hat and cigar is stalking past, and a smaller dog was bouncing after him? Oh, it was such a long time ago, but it was fresh in his memory.

A huff escaped his lips, managing to press past another faceless character before meeting back up at that side. Eyebrows furrowed at the other's statement, knowing full well that the older boy was trying to brush him off. "What are you talking about?" the blond insisted anyhow, feeling his heart drop a fraction in his chest, but continuing on. "We made an agreement, Claude," he insisted, suddenly apologizing to another student who he had come into a rather uncalculted collision with.

"Do you want to work on it after classes?" Kida offered, perking up slightly and seeming relieved as the strain of students eased. "My dorm is available. Red-headed pug-nosed kid isn't around." A smile, cute and winning. If there was an award to be won for mere adorable qualities; Kida would be taking first place time and time again.

[Sarah]

"No," Claude responded much too quickly. Ooh, shatter the little boy's self esteem. "I dont know what you're talking about, kid. Get away." Ouch. That had to hurt, and Claude even winced internally as he said it.

Blue eyes stared only ahead of him as he walked, not allowing them to move the fraction of an inch it took to look down at Kida. No, the guilt was severe enough all ready, he didnt need to see Kida's expression to confirm it. "I..I dont know you." He murmured. He was beyond glad when the crowd started to thin out. Had he been a bit more bright, he might have even broke out in a Hallalujah chorus. Well, if he was more bright, and maybe not so careful of what he said and did now.

[marriedinthesunx]

Claude's snarky refusal left the younger boy in a state of panic. This was different from any thing else, wasn't it? Sure, it wasn't unusual for the older boy to put him down, to smash his hopes, but he had never done it in such a dismissing manner. The brunet usually had the decency to offer him some more cruel words with a hint of smile. This time it was plain, simple, and it hit Nakita like a tonne of bricks.

'I don't know what you're talking about, kid. Get away.'

Blow after blow and the fifteen year old felt like he'd tip over. Things just didn't make sense and all at once he grasped at the other, grabbing hold of Claude's arms and stopping him in his tracks. Whether it was to stop him, or whether it was to keep him upright, he didn't quite know and all over a sudden he found himself so breathless, and so hurt that he couldn't even think straight. Those eyes that glanced, briefly, into his own were unwilling and it seemed that all the progress they had been making, those late nights in each other's arms were going to waste. "Don't be an idiot, Claude!" The fifteen year replied, voice thick and trying to keep his emotional state together.

"What is the matter with you?" The rumors had escaped him by this point, and all he could do was take personal offence. "I miss you," he added, although he wasn't too sure what good that would do. He could feel some eyes on him, like it really mattered. Who CARED if they were associated together? Oh, right. Claude did.

[Sarah]

Claude's cold response was simply that, cold. No, more than that, unfortunately. It was unexplained, unplanned, and hurtful, to Kida at least. Claude hadnt necessarily been staying up those nights when he wasnt with Kida cooking up these heart breaking responses. But, those last three words that Kida had uttered, though Claude had heard them many times spoken by other people, (Keep in mind they were never to him, no one missed Claude.) were possibly one of the most heart breaking.

'I miss you.'

He'd heard the phrase over a million times, in movies, books, life. Not once to him. Maybe he was just indulging himself in the idea that someone could miss him, for once, but he glanced down for a minute, fighting to hold up his act of annoyance with him. Sure, the halls were clearing out, but one could be certain whatever he did, Haley Badger would find a way of getting his hands on. Eyes couldnt afford to look at him for too long, though. But, he definitly knew this: If that boy started to cry on him, he was going to loose it.

"I guess you do know me," He murmured. "You know enough to know I'm an idiot." Even now, he could take a hit at himself, all while proving Kida wrong to the people around him; proving that he and Kida had nothing to do with one another. Nothing on a personal level, at least. His eyes whizzed around, noticing people were staring. Without saying anything, he tried again, trying to escape Kida without a scene.

But, of course Kida wouldnt stand for that, surely.

[marriedinthesunx]

For a moment it seemed as if Kida had gotten a favorable reaction out of the third year. The small, genuine sentiment seemed to render Claude defenseless, and the blond really wanted to win this round. Really wanted the other to just stop behaving like a five year old and just...just get over it! Kida could get over it, or at least he'd try. The visuals in Math Class would never leave, he was assured of that much but, come on, what was there honestly to be ashamed about? If anyone should be embarrassed, it really ought to be Kida. Running down a hall half naked? Come on!

Head tilted, hoping to get some verbal assistance from the brunet, waiting and easing his grip on that arm. 'Come on, Claude,' he pleaded inwardly, 'you don't have to be like this.' Sure, there were people, sure there were eyes and--sure, quite possibly one of them was Haley Badger--but people couldn't control Claude's life. For someone who seemed to hate the 'man,' the boy gave into him pretty quickly. As for crying? Wasn't it obvious that the blond was holding it back? His cheeks were coloring, and his breathing was becoming a bit ragged. It appeared that the fifteen year old wasn't holding on to much.

A third time, and it was a bit too much. The boy broke free from his grasp and started off again. It was as if he were invisible, and that was certainly something he was not. And the tears that were prickling at his eyes, and had been since he had grabbed the other were past the threshold, spilling over his cheeks and he roughly rubbed at them with his palms before hightailing it after the other before grabbing him all over again, not intent to let go. "Stop it Claude," he pleaded, voice cracking and leaving him all the more defenseless. "Why do you even CARE?" And all of a sudden he realized something, the pretty little gymnast couldn't change the other. Instead, he shoved the other away, perhaps even roughly.

"I just wanted to help you," he choked out, arms crossing tightly over his chest and heaving deep gasps. "I just want to be your friend!" Well, a little more than that, but under the circumstances, he really shouldn't mention their experiences. "Who CARES if Haley tells? It's SO stupid, and it's..it's not worth it! Stop being so fucking ridiculous!"

Oh, and my bed is really lonely without you.
I washed my sheets, and you're still ebbed in them.
Come home.
That too.

[Sarah]

Wasnt this just the best senario ever thought up by man? Claude wasnt a religious guy, but swore God was testing him...he'd have to ask for Ernest's opinion to be certain.

Kida was just a piece of damn work. Far too complicated for Claude's mind. Or at least right now, he was. Phsychology, not Claude's strong point. To put gently, Claude could just be an idiot some times, and wasnt one to display his emotions openly. But, with that weak plead, voice cracking, who could hide his emotions? The need to just..to just shut him up was unbearable. Not shut him up, exactly, but to comfort him. Claude would think of it as shutting him up, anyway. But, what could Kida expect? He wasnt about to forget about the audience around him, wrap his arms around Kida and kiss him flat out on the lips like they did in the movies. This wasnt hollywood.

Oh, but when his eyes watched as Kida rubbed his face harshly, that was no less than movie-drama material. But, when he shoved him away, Claude's brows furrowed, not expecting it. But, he couldnt blame him. Even Boy-Wonder superheros had their breaking point.

To answer his question he had asked in the darkness quite a while ago, there were many things heroic about Kida. That nickname, could definitely be taken as a compliment.

"I care." Claude said, leaning in to hiss it at the other boy, without anyone hearing. He wasnt supposed to care. He was the rough em' tough em', bad ass third year. He didnt have emotions. Every thing placed on his face had been painted on, none genuine. He must have been malfunctioning. "It matters, to me." He said slowly, backing himself away again.

[marriedinthesunx]

Kida could have dreamed for the Hollywood ending, but even that wouldn't have satisfied him. Right now he was so desperately hurt. How could anyone be so terrible? How could anyone be that way without feeling physically ill to their stomach? The blond couldn't even hold a grudge for an hour, so it was certain that this feeling would pass, but-- for right now? It was an unbearable ache in his chest. The fact that he could see through Claude was probably the hardest aspect of this whole thing. He knew, he could see it in those eyes that he didn't mean it, didn't want to hurt him so.

But the damage was already done and the first year just wanted to just crawl into a hole and never come out. Ernest would never do this to him, Ernest Bruun, his best friend, would never treat him so horribly. Another difference between the two third years. There would be quite a few more along the way. Boy Wonder was so tired of being nice, exhausted of being the world's door mat and he was sick to death of trying to hold onto relationships that slipped through his fingers.

A shudder escaped him, rubbing at his eyes furiously now, and inhaling deeply, trying to calm himself down. Gosh, he trembled like a leaf, didn't he? It took a good long second before Nakita could look the other in the eye and once he did, the blond winced. It was too much. "Fuck you, Claude.." he managed, the words scraped together at the back of his throat and finding that he didn't regret his word choice. Instead he simply just turned on his heels, faced the crowd that had been watching them so adamantly and breezed past them. Where was he going? Well, not to their last class, obviously, because it was down the other corridor.

Kida needed to sleep this off.
He needed that good cry he had been neglecting himself.

Boys like Kida couldn't take the abuse.