@epxander

Something had been nagging at Lucas, a sensation that was twisting him from the inside. With every new day he could feel the weight grow heavier and heavier, the pain more unbearable than the previous day. Gray had asked him what was the matter, he was extremely observant to the subtle changes in Lucas’ behavior. There wasn’t much Lucas could say in response. The truth might hurt the one he loved most. His response was to kiss his boyfriend on the top of his head before excusing himself, saying it was late. He knew he was confusing the other but it was for the best. The less Gray knew, the better. For a Gryffindor he was quite cowardly, this thought sat bitterly in the back of Lucas’ throat for the rest of the night. As he lay awake, mind too busy to sleep, he came to the conclusion that the only thing he could do was confess. To try and make things right.

Now that he was here, he wasn’t sure what his plan was. He was standing in front of the library, staring at the boy. It was in that moment that, as he looked upon him, all the memories of the two together came flooding back in. He swallowed hard, forcing the bitterness back down. With every step forward that he took, a new memory, a new regret.

They had started out as friends, since day one there was something in the boy that drew Lucas in. He couldn’t help but want to stick by his side. Before they knew it, they were inseparable. Then came the glances, the slight touches, the blushing.

He knew it was wrong, to take advantage of one of your best friends, but he couldn’t help it. Every time Xander glanced at him, something disturbing stirred in Lucas. It was a feeling that tugged at him until the only thing Lucas could do was act on his own impulses.

@epxander

he figures it's the round cheeks that guides him here, to this abandoned corner in a flimsy hall; he reasons it's the thin eyes, the way his shape shrinks into innocence -- with the pride beat out of him, he looks small. or maybe it's the house xander belongs to; the prevalent kindness; their selfless nature; not weak, but not strong, not how it should be.

he figures it's all these things that make him care beyond the initial fits of anger; the mindless rage that emerges only to escape. it's elusive as much as this warmth is, this caring.

"at least you're not dead. no broken bones -- just a fright."

his words fall like stones against the floor -- rattle as they settle more than they comfort. it's his hands that do the most work, that tend with careful fingers, pull apart fabric to check if blood had sprouted; that blot away at the red spot of xander's split lip; that neat line that nearly makes jongin's heart ache. but he recognizes their roles, their positions. jongin is an aggressor -- part of the climax, never the resolution.

except now that he almost has xander in his arms. his face twists, not with sadness, but confusion; he's always lost when time becomes gentle, falls in slow sheets of snow rather than relentless storms. jongin brushes away some hair from his forehead, lets the tips of his fingers linger over the pale patch of skin.

4: Forehead Kiss (Xander)

The Gryffindor dorm was controlled chaos. Every bed except one was pristine, neatly folded, every corner tucked into place and every pillow fluffed. The middle bed was in a complete state of disarray, a pillow was missing, the sheets were rumpled and the area surrounding the bed was littered with books, candy wrappers, chocolate frog cards and empty bottles of butterbeer. Xander might have complained about the state of things if he hadn’t had a rather large Gryffindor male swathed around him completely. Lucas had him in his lap, arms holding him tightly, face buried in the crook of Xander’s neck. It had only been a few hours and yet the two boys had made a mess of things, Lucas had made a mess of things. Still, it was the rare days like this, where Lucas could convince his dorm-mates to leave early so he could sneak the other in, that he treasured.

It was moments like these where he let his façade slip, he allowed his vulnerability to show. It was moments like these where he tricked the other into thinking that he liked him back. With his tender touches and gentle voice. He did whatever Xander wanted to do, just because. He never made any advances towards the other, that's not what these days were for. They were for childish bickering, “lets read this book- I want to know what happens”. They were for noticing minute details in one another, “you have a beauty mark on the inside of your left thumb”. They were for doing nothing at all, just spending time with someone you cared for, and Lucas cared for Xander, he just didn’t love him. Bathed in the velvety glow of a wintery afternoon, they could spend eternity like that. With Lucas reading over Xander’s shoulder, asking a question every once and a while.

Truthfully, Lucas was content with this, content with Xander. But these moments are fleeting, they aren’t meant to last forever. Stomachs growling with the need for some real food, and the wintery light from outside was starting to fade. Lucas knew at some point someone would start to ask questions, wonder where either of them was. He couldn’t take that risk. They had to make an appearance at dinner or it would be too obvious.

@epxander

out of all the things her wand? it really felt like forgetting a shoe would have been more probable than her wand.

but she had done it.

there were still some minutes left to spare before her next class, so after a lot of complaining inside her head jooeun turned on her heels and started backtracking her way to the greenhouse. she tried going as fast as she could, but the terrain wasn’t much of a friend of hers. some years before the girl would have run and fallen with a smile, but she just kept fast walking with a frown and furrowed brows the whole way down.