No Happy Ending

Theoretically, Warren shouldn't have rolled his eyes when he saw Will Stronghold sitting in the Paper Lantern. Respect the customer and all that stuff, y'know? But Warren didn't hold much respect for that kid. In fact, the only thing he had going for him was that he was Layla's best friend, for some mysterious reasons, and he couldn't believe that Layla's judgement was just that poor.

But then, the girl was pretending to date him, which, if you asked him, was pretty shitty judgement.

Anyway, he would absolutely have turned around the second he laid eyes on the guy, but he was working. So with a more or less discreet sigh, he walked to him, just in time to see him dejectedly closing his phone.

"What are you doing here?"

Will started and looked at him, seeming confused for a second, then gave him a brief, vaguely embarrassed nod.

"I'm, uh, looking for Layla."

Mouth warm and shy as she softly pressed her lips against his.

"Do you know where she is?"

Fingers hesitantly grabbing his shirt as she pulled him just a little closer, resulting in her back getting pushed against the walls.

Warren shook his head to get the memories instantly triggered by the mere mention of her name. Fuck, he knew he had it bad, but really, now was not the time.

"How should I know?"

That absolutely delicious sound escaping her throat as his hands possessively closed around her waist without even thinking about it and his tongue darted out to explore her mouth.

"You're taking her to homecoming," Will replied with a smile, and Warren felt like shit, not for the first time in the past few days.

Dude was a nice guy. Like, a genuinely nice guy. Pretty stupid, sure, as he'd noticed, but he certainly didn't deserve….

Eyes fluttering close, her fingers gently making their way up his arms to get entangled into his hair.

"Oh, yeah. Right."

That was pretty much all he could get out with those fucking thoughts running through his mind. Pretty unenthusiastic, but also pretty harmless. No risk Will would think anything bad about it, except maybe that Layla deserved a guy who'd be a little more happy about going to the dance with her — or actually, deserved a guy who'd be more happy about her even gracing him with her presence, which Warren would totally agree with. The girl deserved the world and more, if you asked him.

And apparently, even if you didn't ask him, since the thoughts seemed to worm their way in his brain completely unprompted.

"Well, you don't have to worry about me ruining your night," Will continued, and Warren wondered what it was about him that made people think they should pour their heart out to him. It was one thing for the broken-hearted girl who he had barely noticed before, but it was one completely different thing for a guy he'd tried to murder. But apparently, he'd completely lost his intimidating aura. He'd have to work on that.

Soon. People needed to stop talking to him.

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm not going."

He's the one to pull away. Not because he isn't enjoying what's happening, but because it doesn't make any sense. The deal is that she's into Stronghold, not him.

He'd be lying if he said he wouldn't like it better if it wasn't like that, but that's what he knows. She can't change the rules of the game just now.

"Hang on, hippie. Why are you doing this? Stronghold isn't even here."

Indeed, the hallway is completely empty. There isn't even a chance for the word to get back to him.

Layla blinks, and she looks absolutely innocent, and her cheeks are deliciously pink, her lips parted and her breathing quick and he wants to go back to kissing her right now. He probably doesn't look much different, or at least he feels pretty much like a mess as well, but he'll be damned if he admits anythingabout the emotional turmoil she makes him feel.

He wonders if it makes her want to kiss him again as well.

"Hm. Well, that sucks."

Warren barely even blinked before continuing his sentence. His shoulders vaguely tensed for an instant as he forced the words to leave his mouth, because they were killing him, but he at least didn't make it look hard.

"Because we're only going together to make you jealous."

"I know," she says, voice hushed though really, no one can hear them. "It's… It's practice. In case we have to, you know?"

Practice. Somehow, in Warren's brain, it makes sense, though to be honest his brain isn't at his most performing right now.

"Huh?" That moron's eyes widened, and Warren resisted the urge to face-palm.

"Dude, you're so stupid. She's totally into you."

She pulls him close again, this time her arms wrapping around his neck.

"We should get a little more," she whispers, and then her mouth is on his again, and it's his time to close his eyes.

Sure. Practice. In case they need to make Stronghold jealous. That's it. That's really all there is to it.

Warren gritted his teeth. There. He'd said it, his work was done, Layla and Will would live happily ever after and—

"Not after tonight." Will let out a shaky laugh, and it was only the sadness in his voice that kept Warren rooted in place. Shit. He couldn't abandon the guy like that. "I wouldn't be surprised if Layla or any of the other guys never want to talk to me again."

That really shouldn't have triggered that little burst of emotions in his chest. Not just because he shouldn't be having any sort of feelings for the girl he was supposedly dating just to make that guy jealous, but also because it was incredibly shitty of him to be happy, even for a split second, about the thought of Layla never wanting to talk to Will again.

Layla…

Her body arching against him as he gets a little more assertive, using his height to tower over her and pulling her a little closer to him — because if it's practice to make Will jealous, they have to give some sort of a show, right?

"Yeah. You must have been a real jerk."

Warren could not believe he was actually doing that. Actually trying to comfort the guy who was no doubt, if he had even half a brain-cell functioning, going to get with the girl he… Well. The girl.

The surprise sound followed by a little giggle as he tilts her backwards slightly, and the way she clings onto him as he does.

"Because no matter what I do, I can't get 'em to stop talking to me."

Or other stuff.

The feeling of her body, surprisingly warm even for him — or maybe he's the one who's burning up and communicating it to her.

Will smiled, and gave him a happy nod, and once more, Warren felt like shit. "Thanks."

He just shrugged it off as he walked away. This was probably for the best, actually. That way, two people could get their happy ending. Not so bad, out of three. After all, he knew, he'd always known how the stories ended.

Bad guys didn't get the girl.

Guess who watched Sky High and just. Fell so hard, again, for the Warren/Layla ship. Considering making this a two-shot actually (so Warren could get his happy ending). Feel free to review and let me know what you think!