Vile Attraction (Floyd Leech/Yuu, Jade Leech/Yuu)

19 ~ You're Weird

Floyd was bothered. Something wasn't right. He aggressively passed a basketball to one of his teammates, though instead of receiving his pass, the ball smacked him square in the face and he collapsed to the ground.

Everyone gathered around the student who was obviously unconscious, but Floyd couldn't care less. He moved to the bleachers and sat down, gnawing at his water bottle as he thought.

'Why was Jade there?'

By there, he was referring to when he concealed himself to eavesdrop on the bullies that were planning to beat up his dear Little Shrimpy. He pretended to be fine with it, but it didn't make any sense. Jade never did anything without a reason, and no matter how hard he thought about it, Floyd couldn't figure out what that reason could possibly be.

He was long past the point of feeling bad for slipping the potion into her drinks. It was all routine now. No one had caught on. No one knew.

'Except...'

Floyd sprung up from his seat on the bleachers and sprinted out of the gym without a word. Jade would probably be at the Mostro Lounge, waiting tables and faking being polite to earn tips.

Jade was the only other person who knew. He wasn't sure how, but it all felt connected. He ignored the peculiar looks that the other students in the hallways gave him as he sprinted as fast as he could to the Mirror Chamber, hopping through the mirror to Octavinelle.

When he got to the Mostro Lounge sweaty and out of breath, he wasn't sure exactly what he meant to do. Find Jade, yes, but what then? He knew his brother was up to something, and it involved Shrimpy, but he didn't know what.

"Floyd? What are you doing back so early?"

Right before him was the exact person he was looking for, yet the person he least wanted to see. Floyd stared at him, expressions shifting on his face as he thought of what to say. Jade patiently waited for him to speak, standing across from him silently.

"You're... weird," Floyd finally spoke, a long pause between his words.

"I'm aware."

"No, like, you've been weird lately."

"Is that so?" Jade wore an unreadable smile.

Floyd furrowed his eyebrows. "You know what I'm talking 'bout, Jade."

"I'm afraid I don't. Was this really so urgent that you had to leave your club early to confront me about it?"

"Yeah, 'cause it involves Shrimpy."

Jade's cool exterior fell for a split second, but it was long enough for his twin to register. "What's goin' on with you and Shrimpy?"

"Why are you assuming something is going on between us?"

"'Cause..." Floyd trailed off. He knew something was off, he could feel it, but that was the problem. He didn't know why he was feeling it. All he knew was that he was, and his instincts were always right. "I just know, okay? Now tell me what's goin' on, Jade, or I'm gonna—"

"—You're going to what?" Jade asked innocently, though his smirk was mischievous and taunting. "You have no idea what's going on, if something is even going on. What are you going to do to me?"

Floyd grabbed the collar of Jade's uniform, snarling at him, "I'll squeeze the livin' daylights out of you, that's what."

"Do you really think I find that to be a threat?" Jade responded as his smirk grew, bringing his hand up to squeeze Floyd's forearm.

Before Floyd was able to spit out his next retort, he was interrupted by a familiar demanding voice cutting through the jazzy Mostro Lounge atmosphere. Azul held his scepter in his hand threateningly, his expression contorted with anger.

"You two, my office, now!"

The twins sat on the couch across from Azul, trying their best to not show the boredom on their faces as Azul lectured them about how they were scaring away the customers and how fighting in the Lounge is forbidden and other things that they couldn't be bothered to pay attention to.

Azul let out a deep breath, finally finishing his lecture. "What do you two have to say for yourselves?"

Jade and Floyd both glanced at each other at the same time before turning back to Azul. "In my defense," Jade spoke, "Floyd started it."

"If there's nothing goin' on, then prove it," he growled in response.

The housewarden raised an eyebrow. "Nothing going on in relation to what?"

A small smirk appeared on Jade's face as he answered, "Floyd's convinced that something's going on between his dear girlfriend and I. Based purely on a gut feeling."

"Y'know why I'm so sure?" Floyd snapped, turning to Jade. "'Cause this whole time, you haven't even tried to deny it!"

"You two had better not start fighting in my office. If you must, take it elsewhere," Azul interrupted sternly.

Floyd leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling. "Jade, quit staring at me. I'm tryna think."

"Apologies. Shall I take my leave? Perhaps cook up an apology dinner for you while I'm at it?" Jade answered drily.

"Just shut up and gimme a sec," Floyd hissed again, his eyes fluttering shut. Azul gave Jade a knowing glance, but Jade simply ignored it, his eyes scanning the books on the walls to occupy the time.

'Jade... Shrimpy... I have to give Shrimpy a new potion soon... Jade's been skippin' work a ton lately... Why was he spyin' on that conversation, too..?'

Many thoughts floated through Floyd's mind as he tried to piece them together in a way that could sensibly incriminate Jade. His eyes shot open as a horrible, horrible idea entered his mind, one that he hoped to the Sevens was not true.

"Jade..." Floyd started slowly. His tone sent a shiver down Azul's spine, though Jade simply shifted his gaze over to him. "...You have a crush on Shrimpy, don't you?"

A soft laugh escaped Jade, but he didn't answer. Floyd clenched his jaw and grabbed Jade's collar again. "Answer my question, Jade!"

Jade's mouth shifted into a grin that exposed his teeth and he calmly pushed Floyd's hand to the side, rising and walking over to the door before turning to answer over his shoulder.

"Can it really be called a crush if it's reciprocated?"

A/N: dropping by to pay my child support (feeding you guys this chapter) hope it's enough for the next few months BASHFDJSDFHHH