He Bleeds Flame ✔️

18. up in the air

e i g h t e e n
"Ad astra per aspera." - motto of Kansas

UP IN THE AIR

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As Roy walked down the fairly crowded hallway of the London Science Museum, his shoes clacking against the marble floor, he watched William Brown. Not because he liked William Brown; that thought alone was concerning, but because William was staring at someone else.

Anyone else looking in at William might have thought the stare to be cold, though Roy often prided himself on his ability to read other people. His cole eyes dragged over the blonde standing opposite to him, eyes locked on Lucien as the professors were currently giving the students orders to follow once again.

One might think his gaze cold, hostile even, yet Roy knew that look. He'd given that look, even.

Roy nudged William's shoulder. "Staring at him won't get him to fall in love with you," he whispered. "Just a thought."

Slowly, almost begrudgingly, William's eyes slid over to meet Roy as he arched a single brow. "Says the boy who spends every lunch break staring at a certain redhead."

Roy felt his lips part open. How could he have noticed that? "Stalker," he muttered.

William was grinning. "It was just a thought."

A few seconds later, Professor Thompson finally ceased his chattering, and the boys were off, handed a packet to fill out as they would wander the exhibits. He wondered if the packet would be counted for a grade. If not, Roy would definitely not be filling it out. Maybe him and William could convince the two prefects to do it for them. Then again, those two fuckers were rule followers, so it appeared Roy would in fact be filling it out.

In silence, Roy, William, Owen, and Cyrus walked down the hallway, the two prefects leading the pack as Roy and William slowly fell behind at a strolling pace.

For some reason, Roy felt he could trust William not to speak to others about this. In some ways, him and Roy were very much alike. He didn't think that was a good thing, yet he still spoke. "Ah, the advantages of unrequited love, Will."

"Don't call me that," he grumbled. "And, it's not unrequited. Simply-" He threw his hands upwards in a slow, small gesture-"impossible."

"That's rather pessimistic."

"Or realistic," William said.

Roy frowned. He'd never seen this side to him; William was always a confident-arrogant-person who never doubted anything.

"So, you're infatuated with Henry then?"

Roy did not want to answer that question. After all, Henry was one of William's best friends. "I do find Henry rather interesting."

"Interesting?" William's eyes narrowed into slits. "If you're just playing with his heart, you can go fuck yourself, Roy. Henry doesn't need that in his life. Not after the past summer."

Roy didn't know what had happened to him last summer, yet he did know he wasn't simply playing with his feelings. Roy wasn't the type to. "I'm not," he said. "I don't want to hurt him. He's rather fragile, isn't he?"