Random Book of Jaric Fluff & Stuff

Scene #8

Well, that went lovely. Aric had presented himself as a drunk psychopath, according to Japeth. At least he didn't manage to completely destroy the twin's life.

Aric rolled his violet eyes, marching down the hallway. After Japeth had pretty much kicked him out of their room, he had no idea what he was going to do, or where he was going to do it.

Ignorant fool, that one. Too reliant on his little serpentine friends, caging his pale, lean body almost to the point of full-on strangulation. Aric ground his teeth, hating himself for thinking too much of that boy.

He was different, but not by that much. There was nothing special about him. No arguments.

Aric rounded the corner and barely avoided body-slamming Rhian and his boyfriend down the stairs.

"Watch it!" The delusional jerk had the gall to snap.

"You watch your mouth, or you'll not have it much longer," Aric replied, underlying his tone with a hint of a growl. The more intimidation, the better.

Rhian shot him a nasty look while Kei darted nervous glances between them. "C'mon, Kei," Rhian finally muttered, dragging the meek boy past Aric.

Just when Aric thought he was relieved of all obnoxiousness, Japeth's brother turned and shot him one final look, dirtier than the last. In response, Aric summoned a serpentine smirk to contest Japeth's, leering with his eyes and mouth taut in a thinly curved line.

He continued on, unsure of his destination. He probably looked like an emotional sap, wandering aimlessly through the building, his thoughts elsewhere.

That was probably why the Dean caught him.

"Aric," she began with a warm smile.

He scowled in answer, lowering his brow and folding his arms.

"I'm glad that you're out and about. Heaven knows the amount of times you sulked in your room day in and day out," she went on, still wearing her dumb smile.

"Yeah, making some improvements," he played along, very conscious of the guards eavesdropping.

"That's wonderful. I'm glad you're progressing, Aric. After all, that's the idea behind this establishment," Dean Brunhilde replied before reaching out and patting his shoulder. He suppressed a shudder, forced a nod, and sped by.

Ick. That woman would one day get what was coming to her, for forcing him to stay in such a miserable place.

Deciding that he'd had enough, Aric paused and melted into the somewhat dark shadows, and waited for a few minutes before doubling back and going to his room. It wouldn't be too hard to face Japeth; they were roommates after all, and had been in worse situations together.

He knocked, steeling himself for a possible battle ahead. Japeth wasn't the only moody one in their dorm.

"Welcome back," the copper-haired boy shouted a few seconds later. "You can let yourself in, I didn't hire anyone to open the door for you, and I don't give a damn."

Aric let himself in, locking the door behind him. "Good. I don't give a damn about you, either."

"Then unlock the door so I can beat the shit out of my brother," Japeth replied, languidly sitting up from his previous stretched-out position with serpentine grace.

"You won't let me have first crack, so this door is staying locked," Aric replied with a hint of his classic smirk, eyeing Japeth. He couldn't help himself; his roommate made it too easy.

"If I cared, I'd open it myself," the twin answered carelessly, watching Aric cross the room to his bunk.

"No need to repeat yourself, I understood you perfectly fine the first time," the sadist swung onto the ladder and settled onto his bunk as the bed creaked.

"Just making sure it got through that thick skull of yours. Thick as the goddamn armor around you," Japeth answered. "Not to mention the walls."

"All serving their purpose without so much as a splinter in years," Aric snorted as he continued the analogy.

"Hmm, I'd say there's been a bit of breaching," Japeth argued as he slithered up the ladder and onto Aric's bunk. He scooted away, towards the edge as thoughts of rolling out entered his mind.

Japeth reclined arms tucked behind his head next to Aric, and the violet-eyed boy made his move, rolling straight off the edge. Or, tried to. He would've succeeded if not for the wall of scims blocking his path.

"Not so fast," Japeth grinned. "I haven't even said a word on such topic that seems to be the one thing you fear."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Emotion," the boy replied easily. "You're afraid to destroy your walls for safe passage to anyone. And I just may be the only someone besides another-who betrayed you."

"Don't flatter yourself," Aric scoffed. "I wouldn't let someone such as yourself through for anything."

"Not even for yourself? You lingered, Aric," Japeth leaned forward, his tone enhancing and voice intensifying. "When I kissed you, you lingered. Don't try to deny it."

Aric rolled his eyes. "I did not-"

"I just told you not to deny it. You lingered," Japeth repeated. "I know; I felt it."

"So that's what it was, hmm? An experiment, covered by a false misunderstanding?" Aric spat, leaning in to make his point. He wanted to hear this for himself.

"You really are daft," Japeth snorted, leaning back and ridding Aric's hoped impact.

The dark-haired boy shook his head. "It-it wasn't?"

"No!" The twin spat suddenly. "It wasn't a damn experiment, and I knew perfectly well what I was doing! You're blinder than Brunhilde on one of her good days! Since you can't seem to figure it out for yourself, I'll tell you: I'm a goddamn disgrace to my family and Rhian knows it! Me not wanting to marry a Foxwood girl makes it worse, because I'm too busy making eyes at a boy! And a dangerous, violent, sadistic monster at that, who just happens to be the only boy in this asylum that isn't a waste!"

Japeth leaned back, breathing heavily as his scims returned to him. "So you can leave now, knowing I'm an abomination," he said quietly. "Go marry a Foxwood girl who spies on you through the goddamn bushes. I'll just kill myself in the Endless Woods, like my family's always wanted me to."

Aric lifted his head, violet eyes penetrating deep into Japeth's liquid ice-blue. "If you're an abomination, I guess that makes me one, too."

Then, before he knew what he was doing, he leaned forward and kissed Japeth, making sure to stay longer than a linger.

Hmmm.... a little apathetic, but he came through in the end, did he not? What did y'all think? Acceptable?