[Johnny] Hungover. Trees are nice. Maybe closed?

[twiff]

((I would LOVE a third-year to reply to this post – especially if your character was “involved” (even though this has never been roleplayed out) in the party. Someone who will ask awkward questions and who would be able to weasel things out of Johnny and embarrass him. I think Seb would be awesome, since he needs to find a way to break Johnny, and this could possibly be it. ANNA: If you’re reading this, tell me if you want it, if not, I’ll make it open to the public. ))

There were a couple of words which were applicable to Johnny Paige at the moment. Hung-over, though, was the first and foremost at the front of his mind, the pulsing brain reprimanding him so much that his thoughts could not even drift past the fact. The previous night had found the energetic boy invited into town by a sporadic array of third years, set to party on a Thursday night. The second year had been far too flattered to turn down the opportunity, and had proven himself worthy of the admiration by the amount of entertainment that he provided. Most of it was purposeful, but some was due to his inability to hold liquor very well, and bring the boys inhibitions to barely any. He was positive, though, that he had never felt so bad in his entire life, and vowed off heavy drinking forever – the rolling in his gut and the pounding in his head was simply not worth it.

At the moment, he was taking the opportunity of a free period to bask in the pleasant, dappled sunlight from beneath a nice, shady tree. He’d tried crawling back to his dormitory, and lying curled in a tiny ball in his bed. But the dark had made him focus so heavily on his agony that he’d made his way into the sun, only wincing slightly before breathing relief under the natural shelter. His progress towards the tree had been humorous though, unable to walk in a properly straight line, stopping every few moments to dry heave uneasily. Now that he was lying, stretched beneath the plant, he was feeling much better. Maybe it was due to the several headache tablets he’d taken, and the constant swilling of the icy water bottle that lay haphazardly beside him. Either way, he wasn’t complaining.

The sun soon proved a little too hot for him, though, and Johnny sat up, pulling a strangely subdue button-up green shirt over his head and curling it into a ball, so that he could lay back down and rest sore head on its softness. Sitting up had made him dizzy, and he subduedly lay back down, closing eyes and breathing deeply to regain any kind of dignity he had from hurling out of his mouth. He’d kicked off his shoes earlier, they sat a couple of metres away, randomly apart, socks scattered behind him as if he’d just yanked them off and flung them in any direction. Which, charmingly, was true. All that was left on the boy was a pair of thoroughly stained jeans. They reeked of alcohol and smoke, and a disturbing musky scent of sex. In fact, one couldn’t rightly distinguish one stain from another. Usually Johnny wouldn’t let himself get into such a disgusting state – but hey, he was in no mood to wash clothes at the moment.

As his headache cleared and became less of an issue, Johnny was free to think over the nights events. It had all started off so very well, he’d thought, but unfortunately the effects of alcohol on him did not include a loss of memory, so Johnny was spared no detail. One of the third years – he was sure it was Sebastien, but it could have probably been that James Monroe guy – knew a girl in town. The plan had been to get as much alcohol as possible, gather a possie and party on, with the promises of more local girls as well. Personally, he hadn’t been in it for the girls, but rather the fun, and the trouble. And he’d gotten trouble in spades. He couldn’t help it, sometimes he was just a beacon for rednecks with nothing better to do.

Before last night, he had barely touched alcohol, and certainly not in such copious quantities, but it had loosened him up and the party was going off without a hitch (sure, they were loud and rowdy, and the cops had probably been due to show up, but in Johnny’s mind it was all going swimmingly.) He’d had a jam with some guy, lazing on the couches in the middle of bedlam playing acoustics guitars, and was ever the life of the party. Maybe, a little too much. He didn’t know how it had happened, but the little sexually confused boy had found himself in a distinctly feminine room, with a very willing and pushy and demanding girl.

Most red-blooded boys, he was sure, would have banged her right then and there, no questions asked. But – but Johnny was different. He didn’t know, wasn’t sure whether she was even the right gender, let alone whether he liked her enough to be getting this close to her. But before he could open his mouth to protest (actually, his mouth was open, which caused the troubles that follow) she kissed him. Girl or boy, boy or girl, it still felt good, even if only for the split second it took for the girls boyfriend to barge in the room and rip them apart. All his warm, good feelings had evaporated right then and there. Luckily, several of the Eddingborough blokes had followed the boyfriend up, or else Johnny would have gotten worse then just a bloody lip – especially the way he was mouthing off as they pushed him down the stairs.

Hey, he didn’t know she had a boyfriend! He didn’t even know how he’d got there.

But all the blokes were suitably impressed (“Bagging an older chick, niiiice.”) and though he wasn’t exactly glowing about the circumstances, he basked in their approval and even, if reluctantly, staggered back up to the school singing loud, rude songs, to which he made up the lyrics about teachers. No harm done. Well, until he sobered up a little and the hangover hit him, which lead to the predicament under the tree. He let his thoughts drift back to that girl though, trying to imagine her naked. Her with him. But the face kept changing in between, someone painfully familiar. Someone he didn’t particularly want to be thinking about in that way. He couldn’t help being turned on by it, however, and let a hand drift casually across his stomach, letting out a low moan that could be just mistaken for a hung-over murmur.

[Sarah]

ooc: Claude kins could very likely been at the party, if you dont mind. ^^ He'd be having quite the hangover too.

[Anna]

ooc. BABY, SEB IS SO IN.

---

Schemes were beautiful things, especially when they worked out wonderfully. There had been a time or two when one of Sebastien’s half baked plans had gone terribly awry, but last night had not been one of those nights. He had taken special care that it went perfectly, but doing something completely unSebastien-like, and putting a great deal of thought to it.

It wasn’t that hard to find a party – the boy’s cell phone was always buzzing with opportunities, half of which he passed up, and half of which he heartily accepted and disappeared to in the middle of the night. Getting Johnny invited, however, was a bit of a different story. He couldn’t invite the boy himself. No, if he wanted his plan to work, he had to remain the trustworthy one, not the one who dragged Johnny off to stupid parties to get sloshed off his mind. So, he’d recruited. Bartered, negotiated, and blackmailed to get a group of his ‘friends’ (well, customers, but still) to extend a friendly invitation to the boy.

Sebastien was surprised Johnny had accepted. Really, the group of boys he’d sent to invite him weren’t the most upstanding sort. The perma-haze of their eyes should’ve been the giveaway, but it seemed fate was on Sebastien’s side. The acceptance was interesting enough – Johnny didn’t seem like the party sort, so why had he so readily agreed to go to a sleazy party? Was he looking for trouble? Friends? Too nice to say no? It was a question of the ages.

The party had proved successful on Sebastien’s terms. Drunk people were the most interesting specimen, really, ranging from loud and obnoxious, to whiny, to shameless. People would spill secrets when they were drunk, supply windows into souls, and reveal everything they normally wouldn’t let slip through in the light of sobriety.

No, Johnny hadn’t revealed some grand secret to his human essence, but it was anything but a hindrance in progress. If anything, Sebastien now felt miles closer to his final goal, because, really, who was more vulnerable than a miserable, hung over boy?

Speaking with Johnny last weekend in the courtyard, no matter how brief and shallow their conversation had been, gave him an opening to approach the boy now. With a plate of crackers and honey (his personal favorite DIY cure) and some B complex vitamins in hand, Sebastien cheerily approached the boy out in the courtyard and easily took a seat beside him.

“Here,” he said in a quiet voice. Man, it was so tempting to keep his voice loud and jolly, his choice method of torture for hangover victims. Sebastien was always the one to make hangovers worse for those unfortunate enough to have them. But no, he had to play nice. “It’ll help.”

Innocent conversation for now. Short and sweet. He wouldn’t pepper the boy with questions until after his peace offering.

Fuck. Sebastien knew slow and steady won the race, but it was so difficult when everything about Johnny was just begging to be broken in a single snap.

[twiff]

Johnny was jerked quickly out of his fantasy, a deep blush splotching over his cheeks and down his neck in embarrassment. The sudden bright light caused a resilient pounding to start up in his head once again and he groaned, in true pain this time, as he was cast forth from his reverie. God, he was in no mood to even be spoken to, but the voice had an appropriately soothing effect and wasn’t bright and chipper, which is how Johnny would be towards someone who inflicted this on themselves. His head tilted to the side, hand reaching up to shade his eyes from the sun while he took in who it was. He could almost tell it was Sebastien by the clean smell of him, and the neat and tidy clothes, but just to double check he allowed his blurry vision to focus on the face.

There was no mistaking.

He accepted the vitamin tablets thankfully, sitting up in a half lean to gulp them down with an icy blast of water, and he even went for the crackers with honey (because he could never turn down food,) when his stomach heaved again, and all he could do was smile apologetically. There was no way he was ready to consume anything just yet, not if he wanted to keep it down for longer then a second. “Thanks Seb.” He murmured, slumping back down to the ground with a stifled noise. The familiar turn of name came all too easily off his lips, forgetting protocol in his agony. “You’re a good mate.”

He was positive that anyone else would be laughing in his face right now, or yelling in his ear to provoke more pain. He tried to remember if he’d seen Sebastien drinking at the party, he seemed too fresh at the moment, too composed, and realized he’d barely even seen the third year amongst everyone else. He’d probably gone off to do better things, or do someone. He didn’t doubt that was the ultimate motive of going down to the town. “Crazy night, hey?”

[Anna]

Sebastien almost felt bad about preying on someone so vulnerable. It wasn't as if he was completely sadistic, the sight of a disheveled hungover boy causing waves of pleasure to wash over him. He wasn't that awful. But as far as he was concerned, Johnny deserved what was coming to him. The only thing that gave Sebastien a moment's pause was how different the boy seemed out on the grounds in comparison to in the bathroom.

"It's only the right thing to do," he said modestly, in response to the compliment. Sebastien? A good mate? Hardly. The only person who might be able to say that with a little bit of truth would be Haley Badger, and even then, Sebastien's abilities as a good friend were questionable. "You should try and eat something, though. It'll settle your stomach."

That was the truth. Sebastien wasn't about to feed the boy such obvious lies. The blond knew all the makeshift hangover 'cures' as well as he knew how to handle his alcohol. There was a reason, after all, why he was sitting there perfectly refreshed awhile Johnny was a mess the morning after. Sebastien knew how much to drink for all varieties of occasions. How much to get buzzed, how much to get stupid, how much to blackout, and when to stop to avoid a nauseating headache the next day.

Besides, he hadn't exactly gotten drunk off his ass the night before. If he had, how would he have been able to keep an eye on Johnny? The party had been all business. Well, all business until Johnny left, then it was all play.

"Crazy? Not for me," he said mildly, taking up one of the gifted crackers for his own, and taking a small bite. "I'm not a huge partier. What happened to you? I didn't see you much -- only when you got there with Sam and Anthony. I didn't know you were friends with them."

[twiff]

Johnny leant heavily against the trunk of the tree, letting his head hang back eyes drift close, completely unaware of Sebastien’s manipulation. He expected no sympathy from anyone; it was him that had gotten himself in this mess in the first place – though Sebastien’s “care” was a welcome surprise. Body shifted, uncomfortable but reluctant to force any huge amount of movement on an aching body, trying to ignore the gnarls that were digging into bare back. His chest heaved up and down in uncertain gulps of breath, and the occasional pause to allow stomach to settle. He really was an amusing mess on the night after a party.

“Ha!” He protested, grin curving his lips in the first bit of healthy Johnny seen all morning, “You’re not a saint, even if you’re a mate. I bet you’re just buttering me up for a favour.” He didn’t say it meanly, just with a little bit of a laugh. “Everyone else has no pity. Don’t blame them either; they didn’t get me into this state.” At least he got brownie points for not being a sulk after attention. “And usually I’d have eaten those crackers and your hand as well – I don’t think I can stomach anything though.” As much as he loved honey, and crackers, and all food in general, the mere thought was sending waves through his stomach unpleasantly.

Sebastien’s next words, however, made him open his eyes a crack and peer at the other. Now, he was hung-over, and sometimes a little naive, but he wasn’t stupid. Sebastien was practically the god of what every second year wanted to be – his reputation practically proceeded him. Once Johnny had asked around, it seemed everyone knew the other. Not a partier? Johnny had heard stories in the past week that were definitely not for the weak-hearted – and while he took all this with a grain of salt, it was hard to see why Sebastien would deny any of the rumours. “Really? The whole student population must be full of shit then.”

He took in Sebastien’s face, waiting for some sign to see whether his words had an effect or not. “Considering you seem to be so talked about.” He shrugged, mildly, not wanted to press. For all that Johnny didn’t appreciate liars, he was also of a mind to please everyone, and he didn’t think that would please Sebastien. “I was around. I don’t know them well, they just know of me, really...” He grinned, a little sarcastically. “Johnny Paige, life of the party.” Hmmm, someone detect resentment there, perhaps? The hang-over causing a little slip in the facade.’’

He twisted his head, raising a brow. “Surprised you didn’t hear what happened. Trouble just follows me without an invite.” There was a roll of his eyes, the chill and mellow Johnny back in play as he relaxed, stomach settling down in time for him to sneak a had to the crackers, crunching down on the sweet taste. “I don’t even know how I got up there...it was so.. so- fucked up.” Upbeat turned sour, confused and a quick shake of the head dispelled the feeling. He wanted to ask Sebastien, after all, he was pretty sure from what he’d heard that he was open minded. But he didn’t, couldn’t and wouldn’t.

There was no such things as secrets here.

[Anna]

Johnny was a likeable guy -- Sebastien wasn't about to deny that. He could see where people would like his easy nature, how smooth conversation went with him. However, once the blond boy was on a mission, a little bump in the road, even in the form a nice guy, wasn't going to throw him off course. In fact, it made him all the more excited to reach his final goal. How rewarding would it be to find the ugly side of Johnny Paige? How good would it feel to demolish that trust that he would work so carefully to earn? Nice guys always had to finish last, and Sebastien would be delighted to prove it to him.

He countered Johnny's good natured laugh with one of his own. "I'm telling you, Johnny, it may not feel like it, but eating will actually settle your stomach. I promise," he assured, and tossed his eyes lightly at the accusation. "Oh, ye of little faith, how do you know I'm not just a good person? What could I ask of you, anyway? A favor. Really. You offend me."

He gave the plate a nudge toward him. "Trust me."

At the mention of his apparently infamous reputation, he ducked his head with a small chuckle and smile, both of which were surprisingly genuine. It pleased him to know that he'd made a name for himself, even if the rumors were partly untrue. Sebastien would never call himself a partier. He knew partiers, and they were stupid. Sebastien hated to lose control, hated to black out and wake up the next morning not knowing what he'd done.

"The rumors of my reputation," he said truthfully, "have been greatly over exaggerated."

He was more a patron of the art of partying, enjoying watching it fuck up other people's lives, enjoying making money off of people's addictions to it, and enjoyed showing up for the spectacle. That was his idea of pleasure. Sometimes that included recreational drinking and drug use, sometimes it didn't. It all depended on his mood.

But he wasn't there to talk about himself. He hardly thought he needed explanation. If Johnny cared to know more, he could ask, but Sebastien wasn't about to launch into a truthful speech about his philosophy on partying.

The small inflection in Johnny's voice when he announced himself as 'the life of the party' made Sebastien turned to study his face. There was a brief shadow of resentment that passed over it, so quick that he may have imagined it before it disappeared again. But no. It must've been there, and christ, it was beautiful. There it was. The small crack in the foundation that Sebastien could wedge himself into.

"Life of the party. That's what I heard too. You've got quite the reputation yourself," he said. He briefly considered going to sentimental route, the cliche 'How does that make you feel?' But it was too soon. Johnny wouldn't tell him anything yet. Seb had to keep it casual. "But hey, at least your reputation is better than mine. Life of the party is better than .. guy who gets shitfaced and stupid at all the parties. That is what they say about me, right?"

He allowed his voice to return in equal resentment that had colored Johnny's tone, the boy would pick up on it. What better to bond over than bitterness at the way the world viewed them? It was only too perfect.

He reached out and nudged him a bit playfully. "No, I didn't hear anything about what happened. I'm sure whatever it is will blow over, anyway. The people who go to those parties aren't the type to gossip. They're the type to .. " He let his eyes wander over the boy's face, giving a soft smile ".. deliver a solid bloody lip, and forget about it. So I wouldn't worry."

[twiff]

Johnny allowed his mouth to gape open in mock shock (after he had chewed and swallowed of course, he was very conscious of etiquette around Sebastien,) a brow rising in accusation. He was a comical boy, even without trying sometimes, but this was very deliberate and exaggerated, slightly melodramatic. “What could you ask of me? Are you saying I’m without talent?” He seemed to think about it, before letting a grin cross those lips and shoulders rise in a shrug. “Nothing that could be utilised, really. Unless you have an ache to learn a musical instrument or something else pointless that I know.” Now that he had started eating, he was on a bit of a roll and reached eagerly for another cracker, but this time he savoured the flavour rather then being in an impossible rush to fill his stomach.

“I have no doubt it takes more to offend you.” A wry statement seemed so out of place with his impish delight and natural candour, even more so with that grin over the top of a crunching mouth. He took in the pleased smile at the words he’d been certain would draw a frown, chewing thoughtfully. Every myth had a grain of truth, and he wondered what Seb’s truth was. Maybe the drugs? The boys? The girls? The adventurous life of Sebastien could not possibly be all true, and he acknowledged the statement with a nod, tongue flickering out to make sure he had gotten all traces of the honey from his lips.

His laugh came (thankfully) after he’d finished the cracker and the amusement was clear on his face. “A reputation – I sure do. Unfortunately, the rumours are exaggerated as well.” If he listened to all the rumours, he was a real ladies man, certainly not a virgin. It was funny how people translated his ease with girls for something other then just having a bucket load of sisters. “And nah, not that kinda stuff.” He shifted, a little uncomfortably. He didn’t particularly want to bring up the sex, or the drugs, or anything else that was said about Sebastien. “You’re actually held in pretty high esteem.” Some of the boys, he was sure, would lick Seb’s shoes if they had that golden opportunity.

He let the nudge push him to the side a little, wry grin on lips. “You’re probably the only one who hasn’t then. Everyone probably knows now. You know what this place is like. One person knows then the whole floor is ripping on you. It won’t last for long but I’d rather curl up and forget it.” It was all to easy to confide in the other, all too easy to be comfortable around him. “And hopefully you’re right – I wouldn’t welcome a repeat performance, of either that girl or her boyfriend.” And there it was, his innocent words could to utterly twisted into innuendo.

[Anna]

Sebastien was bored. Anyone else would've been thrilled by this interaction -- the boys seemed to be getting on fine. More than fine, actually. They were joking, smiling, laughing, bonding. It seemed it could be the start of a very nice friendship. It was promising that Johnny responded well to Sebastien's act, but that didn't take away from the fact that pretending to enjoy these new blossoms of friendship wasn't a completely boring job.

But Sebastien would have to grin and bear it, because without a friendship, there would be nothing to shatter. And so he listened, pleasant as can be, with rapt attention as the boy spoke. He was the perfect listener, never letting his gaze stray away to betray his boredom, always nodding and humming in the right places. A perfect conversationalist.

He grinned humbly when the boy said he was viewed in pretty high esteem, locking that thought away so he could use it again Haley somehow. He knew he could turn it into a method of torture somehow. Perhaps if the other finally decided to play Sebastien's game right back at him, withholding sexual favors like Seb was so fond of doing, the blond could simply shrug and say, "Well, Badge, apparently I'm held in pretty high esteem here at Eddingborough, so I'm going to find someone else who wants to make art with me. Call me." A wink, and he could stride out. Oh, Seb.

He'd briefly tuned out of the conversation with Johnny, but luckily, it wasn't hard to piece together what he was going on about. The fight. Well, the sad excuse for an almost-fight, really. Of course Sebsatien had heard about it. He wished he could say that the girl had been part of his master plan, but really, she was just a beautiful coincidence. It seemed fate was on Seb's side.

Sebastien gave a slight chuckle at the boy's inneuendo, completely unaware that it hadn't been intentional on Johnny's part. Well, if he wanted to be a friend, he had to joke like one.

"No repeat performance?" he asked coyly, joking as if he were with Haley. "Was she that bad? But I wouldn't rule out the boyfriend 'til you've had a go with him, you know -- it's only fair to give him a shot, yeah? He might be better than the girl."

Sometimes the best plans were the ones that Sebastien was completely unaware of, and as he spoke these words, he had no idea that perhaps they'd be the things to give Johnny his first little shake.

[twiff]

Johnny had lapsed into a comfortable silence, staring out at Eddingborough with a non-committal interest. As much as he could talk, he could sit exchanging no words. Adaptable old Johnny, really. While Sebastien picked up the speech, he looked around as if for the very first time. He took in the scenery now that his stomach wasn’t trying to crawl through his mouth and his head had decided to keep quiet for a moment. It really was a pretty school and the trees were qu-

”He might be better than the girl.”

And then he lost his train of thought.

Sebastien’s words had begun to wash over him, and it took a second or two for his mind to click into place what he had said and what he’d implied. His lips stumbled haphazardly over words, caught out and not prepared for the defence, all the while a slow and steady blush prevailing up his neck and flushing across his cheeks in acuate embarrassment. Jesus fucking Christ. He had no idea that’s what the other had been thinking about – had no way to realize he’d set himself up for the quip. Was everyone around here so bloody focused on one thing?

“i..Uh. No, I mean. Shit.” There was a crack in the perfectly mellow boy called Johnny Paige. Whatever had Sebastien said to cause such apparent stress? “I should really go – cl-class and all.” His chest heaved slightly and hands were a panicked flurry. Fingers slid over the fabric of his shirt, trying to stand and making a complete and utter mess of it. Ungainly, he straightened and the dormant stomach rebelled against so harsh of movement. But Johnny paid no heed. He had to get out of there, things were getting into dangerous territory and he was not feeling up to retaining that perfectly cultivated persona everyone knew him by.

“I’m sorry Seb.” A grin, seemingly too stretched over his lips. “Can’t be late though!” Too enthusiastic, trying to brush past the others words.

[Anna]

There was nothing so blissful as striking gold when you weren't even looking for it. The response he'd gotten from his simple, unassuming joke was completely unexpected, but thrilling all the same. What had it been? The reference to guys? The general blatant sexual nature of it? Either way, it was glorious. It meant that Johnny was either a homophobe or a prude, both of which were easy fears to milk. Oh, this was all too brilliant.

The color that rushed to his face was brilliant, and for one brief second in time, Sebastien was able to understand the strange satisfaction Haley got from torturing his roommate. The gratification that rose when he saw what his simple words could do to another person .. really, there was now a flicker of method to Haley's madness. So this is why he spent so much time playing with his roommate.

But Sebastien couldn't relish the feeling like Haley could -- Haley didn't have a game plan. He could keep swatting and playing with Ernest until he got bored of it, but Sebastien has something to maintain. So instead of laughing and adding on another sexual comment to the suddenly retreating boy, Sebastien put on his most caring face, pushed himself up from the ground and grabbed his elbow before he could escape.

"Wait, hold on," he said apologetically. The laugh that punctured these words was wholly unmalicious, completely friendly. "I'm sorry. I kind of talk out of my ass sometimes -- I didn't mean to say something that would make you uncomfortable. Don't don't say I didn't," he added with a grin, "because class doesn't start for fifteen minutes, and I know you don't walk that slowly."

[twiff]

He’d twisted, ready to sprint away if need be before he felt that touch on his elbow and felt the inability to take another step. He regretted drinking, if only for the lapse in ability to mask, conceal and adapt – never mind the complete, gut wrenching feeling. But now he’d dug himself that hole and would have to face it, and his feeling was that Sebastien had a good “bullshit” metre. But heedless, he’d attempt it, and allowed a calming breath. He hated being flustered. The colour slowly seeped from his face and a lazy smile replaced the manic grin of seconds previous.

The comments slid over him, comfortingly and the other used that soothing, friendly voice that Johnny had gotten accustomed to. His hand on his free arm waved in a languid manner, feigning a sort of indifference. “I just wasn’t prepared for that line of talk.” He murmured, not elaborating at all, but his lips widened slightly into a more relaxed grin and he raised an eyebrow. “Obviously you didn’t see my struggle in order to get to this tree.” He teased, wriggling his arm in an attempt to free himself with the grip. It was making him uneasy how his skin tingled where the fingers were wrapped loosely, and he’d prefer as little contact as possible. Especially when trying keep from blurting out his secrets uncontrollably.

Yeah, that just wouldn’t do.

((Wow, chronic. =) Sorry for the wait.))

[Anna]

This game would be too much fun. Johnny boy, party animal, blushed at the mere mention of anything sexual? It was truly Sebastien's idea of striking gold. The other wouldn't know what hit him. Sebastien supposed he could be patient, supposed he could go through the formality of friendship, and under the guise of his friendship, oh the things he could do. Accidental touches, innocent comments -- it would be a whole different game plan than his overtly sexual nature. How fun it would be to stay under the radar, leaving Johnny wondering whether or not these things were intentional.

Before his plan was even formed, it was working, whether Sebastien knew it or not. An uneasy stomach over an a simple touch to the elbow? If only Seb knew. When the boy twisted out of his grasp, Sebastien leg go easily, allowing his fingers to swipe softly over a few inches of skin in its retreat.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said with a smile. "Want to write me up a list of taboo topics? It will be good to know what to avoid if I want our conversations to last." Innocent, or flirtatious? It was impossible to tell with Sebastien's easy tone and manner. "And obviously I didn't," he added. "I'm not a stalker." Another grin. "But if the trip is really that much of a struggle for you, let me walk you to class at least?"

[twiff]

“Fuck.” Exasperated, and slightly annoyed at himself, Johnny closed his eyes and allowed a self deprecating grin to move over his lips. Once the elbow was freed (and the touch sent a trembling jolt) his hand threaded through hair in a harsh manner. His laugh came slightly forced but evened nicely out into something more comfortable, opening his eyes and staring at Sebastien, picking up the humour and allowed it to soothe his frazzled nerves. He took in a breath, trying to ease himself and his tensed posture slowly relaxed into something a little more comfortable. “Ha! You’re a fucking riot, you know that?” He murmured, shaking his head at his own intense stupidity.

“Debateable considering the amount of time we’ve bumped into each other – you just happen to find me, hey?” His stomach had stopped the queasy feeling, and now he’d calmed down, he realized what a complete idiot he was. He’d been set to leave minus shoes, shirt buttoned haphazardly and without books to boot. For that, he noted, he’d have to trek back to his dorm room, not something he was particularly looking forward to. He didn’t doubt that Sebastien would note the idiocy. Unfortunately at every encounter with this guy he made a fool of himself.

It was a pattern he hated repeating.

“I suppose..” His mouth quirked into a wry grin. “But I need a detour to get my books.” He wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but would have preferred some time to collect himself and lick his wounds before he attended maths (his most hated subject.) where a grilling by his teacher was sure to ensue.

[Anna]

There were little things about Johnny that he so enjoyed in watching—the way he reacted so openly, without paying attention to how he might look. Closing his eyes to allow a smile, running a hand roughly through his hair, seeming to both beat himself down and laugh at himself at the time, in a humble way that Sebastien probably would never be able to achieve, even with his pristine acting skills. Johnny seemed to be able to realize when he’d done something stupid, and was able to laugh at it. Sebastien could laugh at himself, sure, but in his own eyes, he didn’t do stupid things.

“I never said we coincidentally bumped into each other,” he said with a playful smile. “I’m just saying that there’s a difference between stalking and seeking out.” Laughable how flattering that sounded, suggesting that Sebastien had been seeking Johnny. It wasn’t far from the truth at all—he had been seeking him out, just not to spend some quality bonding time with him. But Johnny didn’t need to know that.

He shrugged, and began their walk back up to the school once he had been okayed for joining. His hand returned to his elbow, lingering for a moment, an unconscious movement as if to direct him to take that first step. “I don’t mind taking a detour,” he said. “I’m never on time to class anyway.” He thought for a moment, then added conversationally, “So, you think you’ll be going to another party anytime soon?”