KinnPorsche at Hogwarts

Time x Tay x Tem [5]

Dating a legilimens taught Time to read nonverbal cues. Especially cues that came from Tay. Which was why he got the hint, the moment Tay jumped into the conversation, holding onto Time's arm as he apologized for a nonexistent crime.

Why hadn't Tay wanted him to ask Tem? Was he rethinking giving Time permission? Was it weird? It probably was. Normal people didn't apologize for assault and then ask for a date in the same breath. Whatever the reason, Time went along with it. Tay didn't want to ask, ergo, Time didn't ask.

As Tem ran off again, Time looked at Tay.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's different." Tay's face was scrunched up in a frown as he tilted his head from side to side.

"The worst that could have happened was if he said no."

"I couldn't- something's not right with him."

Worried, Time looked up, just as Tem turned into another hallway and disappeared.

"I feel..." Tay shook his head. "I can't seem to get a read on him."

"You can't sense anything?"

"Not even emotions. I'm looking at him and I know he's annoyed about something, but there's nothing there."

"Look at me. What can you read?"

Tay looked at him, eyes narrowed in concentration. Tay blinked and then his eyes grew wider.

"See? There."

"What?"

"For a moment, there was nothing. I couldn't hear you. But then, like someone suddenly turned up the volume, your mind just opened up to me."

"Has that ever happened before?"

"He couldn't have..." Tay said to himself.

"He couldn't have what? Talk to me, Tay."

"It didn't feel like an occlumency spell."

"Occlumency?"

Oh damn it. Tem knew about Tay. If Tay couldn't read his mind then he was-

"He's blocking me out. It's too soon. He couldn't have mastered Occlumency in a couple of weeks. He's using some sort of totem."

"Okay," Time turned to Tay, rubbing his shoulders up and down to calm him down. "Let's not jump to conclusions."

"We shouldn't even be considering this."

"He wasn't rejecting us."

"He was rejecting me."

"Wanting privacy is not the same as a rejection. If we never ask-"

"If we ask, it'll get weird. His friends are now our friends and everyone is intertwined. If things don't work out, it could break up the whole group."

"You're being dramatic."

Tay blinked, calming down as he looked at Time.

"Am I?"

Time smiled.

"A little bit."

Tay hugged Time to his chest, and Time let him. When Tay got shaky about something, which wasn't very often, Time liked to be a pillar, a rock for Tay to settle into. He hugged Tay back, patting his back softly as they stood in the lonely hallway.

"If you don't want to do this, we don't have to."

"I'm scared."

"What's the worst that could happen?"