Canine Chemist

     “I didn’t say she wouldn’t be all over it. I just said I couldn’t see her wearing them. Hell, I’m sure she’d fully embrace the boho chic look.” The wizard’s lips curled downward as the subject found its way back to creatures of the water. His annoyance was clear as day, eyes drooping into a blank stare as the other spoke. “They’re not so bad,” Castor repeated, mocking Joaquin with a pitch a couple octaves higher than his best friend’s. “My mind is open. You’re not going to magically enlighten me, Moony. I already don’t get along with your not boyfriend. He’s ruined it for me.” Sighing once more to emphasize his boredom with the subject, he looked off into the crowd of students. “Good. You’re finally seeing just what you’re putting me through, right? I don’t think you talk about anything other than Soren anymore. Hello?” He waved his arm in front of the other who was seemingly in the clouds. “You sound unsure.”

     “Who cares about the crowd? I would love it. I couldn’t see her wearing those kinds of clothes though. Mermaid friend? What is it with you tow and anything that comes from the sea?” Shaking his head, the male sighed. “A picture? They would never. They’re all too scared.” He said loud enough for surrounding classmates to hear. “Water folks aren’t very appealing in my eyes. I’m not a huge fan of the wet dog scent.” Caspian raised a brow at the other. “You think? God, Joaquin. I have literally never heard someone talk about someone else as much as you talk about Soren. I’m not complaining, because it’s actually pretty hilarious, but seriously dude? That’s all you’ve got? You think? You do you I guess.” Castor wasn’t one to be talking about relationships. He had never actually been in one - or wanted one for that matter. Ew. Shuttering at the thought, the wizard went back to talking to his best friend. “What does that mean? A good exception? You mean you want to do more than bang him?”

“Sol would be all about that boho chic look or something.” He laughed at the mention of sea friends and shrugged. “They’re not so bad. Maybe if you opened up your mind, you’d see that.” It was true, the student body was always so terrified of the wolves or the vampires even if they’ve proven themselves to be friends and not foes many a time. “I don’t know. Soren doesn’t smell so bad to me....aaaand there I go again, huh?” He laughed and then let out a small sigh. He thought about the last kiss Soren and him shared and the weight behind it. “I’m not entirely sure. I like him. That’s definitely for sure. I just...Sol just got out of the hospital and sh’e’s finally figuring out the real world. I really just think she should be my number one priority...”

      “Our very own Steve Nicks. She most definitely has the vibe and more importantly the attitude for it.” The thought of Soledad being the lead singer in a band like Fleetwood Mac caused a soft smirk to tug at Castor’s features. His thoughts shifted momentarily, realizing that she wasn’t with them. Brows furrowing together, the wizard quickly looked around the lecture hall, placing his cigarette back in its spot between his teeth. “Speaking of our favorite, She-wolf, where is she?” Glancing over at the other with a proud smirk, Castor shifted in his seat to face Joaquin. “Looks like I’m finally rubbing off on you. Took long enough.” Taking one last draw from the short cigarette, the male allowed the smoke to linger in his lungs for a little while longer as he enjoyed the last few moments of a good smoke. Letting out the puff and tossing the butt into a nearby bin, he popped a piece of gum into his mouth, offering one to his friend. “Just friends? You’re still keeping up with that story? Okay. Water folks? No. I have really got to introduce you to an Incubus.”

 “She really does. Sol really makes a great Stevie. The crowd would love it, for sure.” Since her release from the psychiatric facility, Joaquin hadn’t thought of her dating anyone seriously or anyone at all but now that she was here and in school with all of them, it felt surreal. He worried about her well-being and the people she became close to. As spunky and confident as she was, she carried a very vulnerable side of her that only he, Castor and Soren truly understood. “Probably hanging out with that new mermaid friend she made. Cute girl with the purple hair? Sia? Sina? Anyway, they’re best friends now or something.” He chuckled and then laughed louder as people still gawked at Castor. “A picture lasts longer.” He raised a brow and they all looked away. Joaquin took a piece of gum from his best friend and popped it into his mouth. “Water folks are fine as hell. Don’t even begin to argue with me on that.” Joaquin sighed. “I think I want to see where things go with Soren…I don’t know. I’ve never really done relationships but he’s…a good exception.”

               “ it’s never seemed to bother you before. ” sören quipped back, hopping to ease the other’s frustrations. they were complicated, and sometimes they had their spats  —  but he cared about joaquin. no matter how complicated they were. “ calm down, we’ll get this figured. ” the blonde reassured before adding, “ just don’t freak out if we don’t get it all figured out today. ” granted he wasn’t going to be heart broken if his newest roommate had to disassemble his gaming computer just after setting it up. “ this can’t be impossible. ”

Were they doing this? Were they flirting out and in the open? After their last kiss, it was unspoken territory. It wasn’t like they hadn’t kissed before but that last one was something else. “You have a knack for finding my weakness.” He chuckled and tossed the paper into the nearest wastebasket. “Thanks. We have to wait 48 hours for a room change request to go through and hope they don’t screw us over again.” He looked up at Soren and smiled. “Hey, what are you doing tonight?”  

                sören would admit, sometimes joaquin was a hassle to live with   —  but that was instantly forgotten at the prospect of living with the pc gamer that was setting up shop in what he thought was joaquin and his room. “ i guess i’m not the only one confused with what’s going on. ”  sören spoke up as he walked up behind the other, peering down at the room change, “ finally got tired of lugging me around, varg? ”

“Don’t.” He held up a single finger, annoyed with the situation and not Soren who didn’t do anything wrong. “You can’t be cute out in public like that.” He whispered and crumbled up the paper in his hand. “It was supposed to be us two, senior year. How are going to fix this?” Admittedly, they hadn’t labeled whatever they were and they were both fine with it but no labels or commitments didn’t mean Joaquin didn’t prefer rooming with his musical prodigy of a friend.

      “Who said the pack needs a name at all? We aren’t a band. Although, I’m not saying that we couldn’t form a band because I would definitely be up for that. Sol can be the lead singer.” Chuckling at the idea, Castor flicked the end of his cigarette off, watching it fall to the floor. Hearing the groans of their classmates, a smirk replaced the blank expression plastered on the male’s face. “Picture books,” he huffed. “Good one. Very original.” Nudging the other back, he shot a quick wink Joaquin’s way. “With Soren, huh? You mean that guy you say you hooked up with once and don’t like at all, but talk about literally all the time? You know Wolf packs don’t normally take in fish. We eat them. Fish are food, not friends.”

“She’d love that, I’m sure.” Joaquin smiled at the mention of his twin sister who was probably hanging out with the new mermaid girl that he met at registration. “She can be our Stevie Nicks.” He smirked at the reaction of the other classmates. Surely they didn’t know Castor. He did whatever he wanted and even the professors refrained from telling him otherwise. When Soren was brought back into conversation, Joaquin slid into the seat beside Castor and smirked again, letting a sign fall from his lips. “Did I say once?” He laughed and leaned back. “We’re just friends. He was supposed to be my roommate this year but something happened. And I have no problem eating that fish...” He then looked over to Castor. “But that’s all that is. It ain’t my fault all these water folks are hot as hell.”

     “How is one supposed to enjoy being here when they can’t do anything fun. Maybe I should go all wolfish on the class. Rile things up a bit. Add some spice.” Taking another drag from his cigarette, the male turned to the students passing by, letting out a massive cloud of smoke in their direction. Castor detested everything about this place. The people especially though. “Do I look like someone who reads to you?”

Joaquin smirked, leaning against the wall, wondering where Soren had gone off to. “Naw. Giving the pack a bad name like that?” He joked and then chuckled at the idea. Their professor would love that.  As much as the usage of their powers was encouraged, Joaquin knew that most of the professors were insanely uptight. He laughed at the student body’s reaction when Castor puffed some smoke in their direction and shook his head. “Picture books maybe?” he nudged his friend. “If we don’t make the last year fun then that’s on us. There are tons of parties going on this weekend. I say we go from one to another. Me, you, Sol, and Soren.” 

     “I don’t have to go to class. The first day always drags on, after all. Syllabus this, syllabus that. No talking in class. No smoking in class. Nothing fun. Only boring things alowed. Once you walk through that door you’re my bitch.” Castor inhaled, smoke filling his lungs like a breath of fresh air. Nictoine was his favorite of all his vices. “It’s fucked up.” The male continued, cigarette hanging loosely from his teeth. 

Joaquin was actually excited about class. How could he not be? It was his last year, he was going to hook up with plenty of guys, he didn’t have to worry about not acing his classes because he was just that good, why bother with complaining? “Just enjoy your last year in this place.” He smirked as he watched the student body pass by. “Besides, it’s Literature. Can’t be that bad, right?”