Inspired by the Caterpillar's post on CP Coulter's Tumblr…how everything could happen. Or, in some cases, when the plot just blew my mind, could not happen.
Whenever Micah is upset, he heads to the library. There have been many disappointments through out his life, and, thus, many libraries.
Tonight, he follows his instincts, past Dalton Academy's cafeteria and past Warbler Hall. Micah's expression is serene, the only giveaway to his unease the tight way he grips the worn red book in his arms, holding it close to him with white knuckles. After a few patient minutes, Micah finds a pair of oak and brass double doors and slips through, feeling presence of the books on the other side.
It's late, but in the low lighting Micah catches a glimpse of a few boys in navy blazers, clustered around a table stacked high with books and papers. Frowning, Micah steals unnoticed toward the shelves, headed towards the back of the library.
Julian Larson is curled up in an armchair, flipping lazily through a dog-eared script, when he notices the newcomer. The lean, brunette boy is not wearing a uniform, which strikes a chord in the actor, worried as he is about his angry stalker.
But the male in front of Julian doesn't look dangerous. He just looks lost- emotionally, not physically- and he hasn't even noticed Julian yet.
So Julian just watches through narrowed eyes as the boy stares out a dark window, seemingly lost in thought, absently stroking the book in his hands. Julian can just make out the faded gold title on the book's spine- Romeo and Juliet. How terribly cliché, Julian thinks, mentally sneering. Of course this pretentious new kid would bring the most over-rated romance of all time into Julian's territory. Putting the boy out of his head, Julian returns to his contemplation of a particular scene in the script, reading again through the lines detailing his on-screen marriage.
It's the smell of coffee that brings Micah out of his daze, dragging him from the deep internal stupor that he had fallen into after his conversation with Shane earlier. Micah hates coffee, is really more of a tea person, and the drink's acrid smell makes him cringe a little and prompts him to search for the source.
Turning slowly, Micah finds the origin of repugnant taste coating his mouth. There is a Dalton student directly in back of him, absorbed in a thickly bound stack of papers, clutching a thermos with blatant disregard for the library's ban on food and drink. Micah thinks that this vaguely familiar boy looks ridiculous, brown hair mussed by a pair of aviators perched on the crown of his head. Who wears sunglasses at 11:00 at night? thinks Micah, thoughtlessly touching his own gold-rimmed glasses, annoyed with the arrogance that this figure exuded.
Suddenly, Julian's gaze snaps up, meeting Micah's irritated stare with hostile intensity.
"What are you looking at?" the actor snarls as he leans forward, oozing aggression from every pore.
Micah bristles. He's emotionally exhausted, and all he wants to do is find some piece and quiet, not fight. But the boy's attitude is simply too rude to ignore. Micah searches for an appropriately scathing response, but his head is still cottony, his thoughts foggy.
"That's great," Julian says after a moment of silence, his sarcasm hitting Micah like a slap in the face. "Really nice explanation. Very eloquent. Now can you please articulate why you look like you want to punch me?"
"Tempt not a desperate man," says Micah, words from the book before him sliding out of his mouth, completely unbidden.
Julian considers this for a second, leaning back with a tired smile.
"A little out of context, don't you think?" asks the actor coolly.
"Not particularly," Micah replies matching Julian's indifferent tone.
A thick silence descends, hovering in between the two as they continue to stare at each other. Julian breaks first.
"That line would have been better suited for Macbeth," he says, watching closely for Micah's reaction. "Star-crossed lovers aren't supposed to feel desperate."
In front of him, Micah relaxes his features, glancing at the book in front of him expressionlessly. "Act five, scene three. There's nothing easy about love."
"I thought it was earlier than that- act four, maybe," Julian challenges, choosing to ignore Micah's second comment.
"No, five," replies Micah calmly.
He opens the book, quickly finding the page, and pads across the room, presenting the page to a surprised Julian, who takes the book slowly and begins to read out loud, his smooth and emotive voice echoing slightly off the shelves.
"I must indeed; and therefore came I hither.
Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man;"
This line is punctuated with a glare at Micah, who bends down over Julian's shoulder to read along.
"Fly hence, and leave me: think upon these gone;
Let them affright thee. I beseech thee, youth,
Put not another sin upon my head,
By urging me to fury: O, be gone!"
Finished reading, Julian closes the cover a little more forcefully than necessary, shifting slightly in his chair in order to return the book to Micah. Looking up over his left shoulder, still holding the book, he pauses, startled by the other's close proximity. They're mere inches away, and Julian can feel Micah's breath hitch. They are locked in yet another stare, different this time, both of the boys caught off balance.
Micah leans forward a little.
And Julian surges up, their noses bumping awkwardly as he instinctively finds Micah's lips. The kiss lasts for no more than a moment- it's Julian who pulls away, a tinge of red gracing his checks.
The kiss was awful; Julian can feel the wrongness all over him and can't help be embarrassed for both of them.
He should have known better than to kiss somebody who actually enjoyed Romeo and Juliet.
Micah thinks that Julian tasted like coffee, and resigns himself to several rounds of teeth-brushing later.
"You should go," says Julian softly, placing the book into Micah's hands.
"Couldn't agree more," states Micah flatly, and turns on his heel, slipping out of the library as quietly as he had come.