never coming home

“Oh, is it not familiar?” He started, eyes finding their ways over Kyungsoo’s side-profile. It wasn’t as though he’d been imagining the boy bludgeoned to death, but he’d certainly pay to watch some humiliation.

What’s this? He’d never hated a person in his life, yet here he was, a brink away from referring to the other’s pure-blood as fruitless.

“I wouldn’t even try to shake a stick at it if I were you - as it takes a certain amount of…capability rather than natural accommodation to understand.” Jaehyuk spat under his breath, with so much disdain dripping from his lips that it’d practically pooled around their ankles.

“Oh, I didn’t know it takes that much effort to understand such simple contents. I see how it is for you then.” He tilts his head, fake smile on as his voice translates what his face doesn’t. He thinks it wasn’t such a bad offense, but it’s just the start.

“Also,” he continues, closing the book on his chest, pressing it firmly against him as he made sure to show its title, “If you didn’t see it already, it’s related to Salazar Slytherin, which means anyone from his house would have enough abilities to explore its insides. Maybe that’s why you seem so apprehensive about it.”

A finger placed underneath the Slytherin’s chin, nails brandishing the female’s house colour, her house pride always part of her demeanour regardless of her mood; Sojin tilted the boy’s chin up slightly, her head tilted to the side to observe him. A hum sounded in the back of her throat. Appreciation. 

                                                                      “You’re actually kinda cute, you know?” 

“Is cute supposed to be a compliment?”

@slyksoo //

Christo strolls down the halls of the castle. His feet make no noise as he leisurely takes his time walking toward his destination. Exploring the halls at night had become a habit of his, he liked the silent atmosphere more when most of the students were tucked away in their beds, the only other students he’s ever heard wandering the halls were usually other vampire blood students whose quiet steps his sensitive hearing he could pick up, and therefore was able to avoid. 

Christo stops walking, tilting his head slightly when he can hear the groundskeeper a few corner turns away, cleaning up a mess that a student had left earlier. Tucking both hands into the pockets of his black jeans, Christo leans against the wall and waits. He wasn’t in any particular hurry– after all the flower he needed for a spell he was secretly working on would still be there, he just needed to gather it while the moon was still high, full, and the Phoenix constellation is clearly visible. 

As he waits for the groundskeeper to finish up his thoughts wonder to Kyungsoo and if the Slytherin had already made it out of the castle, perhaps he had already gathered the other temperamental ingredients needed that could only be found in the Forbidden Forest or in the depths of the Great Lake. On the other hand, the boy could also still be stuck inside waiting for a chance to slip outdoors. 

Outside, he looks up at the full moon at its peak, cursing under his breath because he should have gotten out earlier, but it was a difficult task seeing as his roommates can often smell when he’s up to something. Kyungsoo still has doubts over their offer for help ever they tried to just gather information to rat on him once. It’s a relief, though, when he realizes Christo hasn’t arrived and hes not the only one with problems getting out of the castle.

Grabbing the pouch he carried hidden underneath the black fabric of his robes, Kyungsoo takes out the muggle compass he totally didn’t borrow without permission from one of his muggleborn friends. Inside the pouch, there’s also rock salt and some sort of hibiscus concoction that he has to mix together under the clear sky and dip the compass’ needle - it’s supposed to help find their flower, what with the amount of the salt rocks used being the same as the Phoenix constellation stars.

Well, inevitably - seeing as they attend the same school, same year and…many of the same classes…Nonetheless! Jaehyuk finds himself head-to-head with the other once more; too late to turn back now, as their eyes had locked in a glaring-competition ever so childish. Not that it wasn’t unwelcome, as far as Jaehyuk felt. He’d even say it was rather quite amusing how he could push Kyungsoo’s buttons…

It all started with their initial encounter, at the library one day in the first commencing months. Jaehyuk was picking at the files having to do with the Dark Arts - having just arrived, he’d many questions to be answered, but was accustomed to scavenge through alone. Jae held a book open; spine cradled in his right hand. His left turning the pages. Skimming along with new words jumping off the pages at him, he brought a finger to slide his glasses more centered up his nose, and hadn’t noticed Do Kyungsoo of the Slytherin House enter through the - what looked to Jaehyuk as mahogany - doors.

Not until, that is, he heard the other’s voice emit through the large space that was the main premises for studies and study-groups; what with the lighting so fit for focused reading, and enough room to cram even a few more book-shelves. Turning a pointed stare towards Kyungsoo, Jaehyuk made certain not to look away till his classmate reciprocated the acknowledgment - whether in distaste or good character.

He remembers bumping into said roommate’s best friend, who refused to give any information, and Kyungsoo still doesn’t regret scaring him with Medusa later that week. What’s most memorable from that day, however, was how he had an inkling feeling someone was watching him ever since he stepped inside the study place. It was unsettling, to say the least, but honestly not unexpected from a magical school. Except it had no magical source.

Turning his head just the right way, he ends up locking eyes with that Ravenclaw student who seems to be everywhere, all the time, and just that fact alone it’s starting to annoy Kyungsoo. No longer in the mood to wander around the castle, he walks in a straight line away from the doors and towards that Jaehyuk kid, glare set on his face. He realizes now, though, while standing a few centimeters shorter than the other student, that he has nothing valuable to say. Instead, he huffs and turns to the bookshelf, grabbing a random book and opening its pages, only to deepen his frown even more, as it seems to be about the Dark Arts - least favorite subjects’ list. 

And then something happened.

An epiphany! Suddenly her eyes resized to the size of teacups! “Do … Kyungsoo?” A lip bite here and there, preposterous arguments zooming around in her head, but she resisted groveling. No, quite contrary she stormed closer, tilting her head slightly. “How foolish of me, how couldn’t I–” She cleared her throat and looked at him with a resolved mind. A renewed starting point! She clenched her books, a sudden excitement burgeoning in her stomach made the moment almost too painful not to spoil. The moments flashed before her eyes, her senses overtaken by the power of time and human capacity of memory. 

Was he, perhaps, the one going insane? He highly doubts she was correct for having childhood two-weeks memories of him when he knows for a fact they are classmates in some classes. Still, he giver her the benefit of the doubt, trying not to internalize Hogwart’s population huge misconception about any of the houses - he’s been told multiple times about how Hufflepuffs can be off in the head and tries not to believe it, but it’s hard sometimes.

it wouldn’t be a lie to say that the costume was a little, er, bizarre, to say the least. he was sagging in places that weren’t, by merlin’s will, meant to be sagged in. but it also wouldn’t be a complete lie to say that it was kind of cute. in its weird, freakish, wrinkly way.

it was thus that peter raised a single index finger, outstretched ceremoniously and deliberately curved in slight. if he was any more celestial, it would have seemed as if there were a soft glow just at the end of the tip.

he pressed the finger against kyungsoo’s forehead.

Instead of replying (or stating the obvious about Peter being too tall to be the alien), Kyungso closes his book and turns to the younger boy, eyebrow ticking by itself because that costume really is an ugly one, if only too realistic to handle.

“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.” He complains to himself, mumbling a lame excuse such as only going with it for not having a halloween costume prior to this, or anything along the lines as he picks up the red hoodie and wears it above his own clothes. Truthfully, Kyungsoo misses wearing red as most of his house-mates refuse to wear the color on what he calls free-uniform days, but the reason he’s doing so isn’t the best of all.

He charms the book to go back to his dorm with a quick flick of his wand before he’s stepping up to the bicycle, getting ready to ride it even though it doesn’t seem safer than a broom.

She trudged forth, closing in on the other student. Her posture at that moment would have called for a compliment from her mother. “I’m Bora Yoon. Seventh year,” she replied matter-of-fact, eyes unwavering. It was an odd situation, where bitterness prevailed over empathy. It was like finding a stranger in your room, playing idly with your favorite toy. “Frankly, I don’t recognize your face, but this situation is making me squeamish.” Her eyes fell to the watch wrapped snuggly around her wrist. Tick tock. “It’s difficult to feel at ease when you’re constantly surrounded by people. I considered this place as a sort of private space of mine.” Her lips thinned. “But I guess not.”

Standing up from his sitting position on one of the stools, he stares her down, eyebrow raised enough to show how unpleasant he feels. Kyungsoo’s positive he’s not taller than the girl, maybe they’re about the same height if he’s thinking on the optimistic side of it, but he’s thankful for the unleveled floor because she’s standing somewhere below now. “Squeamish.” He snorts, almost rolling his eyes on instict and ruining his cool on the process, the word coming out as if it tastes bad on his tongue. It irks him that she doesn’t recognize him when he’s so sure they had classes together, even this year. He only lets that one pass because he doesn’t like being a show-off and draw attention to him during a lesson, so maybe she really didn’t see him. “There is no private place in a boarding school, you know.” His voice sounds dry even to his own ears, the bitterness taking over him quickler than it should.

okay, in the sense, peter was a mama’s boy, first and last. the guy had a terrifying oedipal complex as a child, which, obviously, had passed, but the love for his mother never ceased; it was a complete and utter adoration rivaled only by his intense love for halloween (second to christmas) and recent obsession with an old muggle film he had just seen. it was thus that on that rare occasion peter phone home (his words, exactly) that he combined all three affections: hi mom, it’s me. over. i need a halloween costume. over. e.t. over. it’ll totally make my friend kyungsoo swoon. over.

and on that day, by merlin’s grace, peter was wearing the ballsack skin e.t. costume his mother had (reluctantly) mailed him while holding a carefully folded pair of kitschy 90s jeans and, of course, the red sweater.

guess what kind of expression was on his face. just guess.

Really, he should have seen it coming. 

When Kyungsoo feels this weird ticklish tingle on the arm he broke two years prior, it usually meant it was going to rain or shit was about to happen. It had been brightly sunny day, not even a cloud in the sky. Once he hears Peter’s voice coming from... that... everything clicks together.

Her prowess in handling the rush hours in the halls was lacking, and so Bora found herself usually avoiding the tight situations where the likelihood of a maelstrom happening were significant, hence her active search for an alternative exit. The rate of her heartbeat would always rise when the creeping feeling of apprehensive proliferation would make her hair stand on end. 

With godforsaken books and rolls in her arms (with their esoteric subjects), she attempted to open a wooden door with one shoulder, and after huffs and several shoves, she succeeded. “Finally,” she grumbled, adjusting her grip on her belongings with aching muscles. This route behind the astronomy tower was always deserted, like a parallel dimension decorated by floral wonders with the spectrum of colours. It was soft of her own little secret or sanctuary.

Still, it takes him off guard when he hears the door opening and a student coming in. He’d politely say ‘hello’ and maybe find somewhere else in case she has quietly sat down or done whatever she wanted in there, but in his eyes, she had been rude, and so, polite Kyungsoo was out of the way. It doesn’t help that before this moment he has had to deal with one of his so-called friends annoying him to no end.