A/N: Another fic inspired by completely random conversations. Many thanks once again to werepuppyblack for giving me the prompt "Truth Potion", and helping me along with this!
"Okay, let's start out with something simple – full name?" Hobbes narrowed his eyes. "Oh come on, it's not that bad."
With a cringe Hobbes muttered, "Nikolai Metus Hobbes." Ethel laughed.
"I thought your name was Nicholas?"
"As far as anyone else is concerned, it is."
"But Nikolai?"
"Leave it, Ethel." She nodded, still smirking.
"Alright, a little more personal – where are your parents?"
"Prison." He already looked like he was plotting her murder, fighting to keep the words from coming out. "As is my stepfather. My mother's completely insane."
Ethel gave a mildly sympathetic look. "I'm sure everyone has thought that about a parent at least once."
"No, I mean it. She's completely mental. Into torture and all that."
"Hobbes, I'm-"
"Don't. Just... next question."
Ethel nodded, looking at the notepad in front of her. "What did you do that would have stopped you from gaining entry to the school?"
He looked at her for a long moment, completely silent. Eventually he sighed. "Do you really want to know?" At that she shook her head.
"I'll let you off with this one, Nikolai."
"Ethel, you just discovered that my mother is certifiable. Do you really want to take the chance that I haven't taken after her?"
Ethel rolled her eyes. She began stacking the various notes scattered on the floor around her.
"What are you doing? We're not done?"
"Actually, we are," she flashed a quick smirk as she stood. "I've got more work to do."
"Ethel," Hobbes moved around in front of her to block her path to the door, "the idea was we both make a truth potion and test it on each other. To find out which was strongest?"
"Yes, well," she stepped around him, reaching for the door handle, "like I said – I have things to do. Perhaps another time?"
"Perhaps," Hobbes said through gritted teeth. He dropped onto the edge of his bed as she left, gazing at the left over mess from their potions experiments. His lips spread into a wide smirk when a small, half empty bottle caught his eye. The door opened again, and Ethel poked her head in.
"One more thing."
"Yes?"
"Have you completely fallen for Mildred Hubble?"
"Yes. Wait." Her smirk was completely unbearable as she left again. "Ethel!"
...
Nick Hobbes was making coffee. At any other time Ethel would have feared poison as a retaliation of the truth potion. But it was far too early and a Saturday. And he made damn good coffee.
"What's the occasion?" Millie asked as he handed her, Ethel and Cas (who sniffed the contents suspiciously) a mug each.
"Just thought I'd be nice," Hobbes shrugged. "After all, I do owe Ethel for her help with a potion we were making." The look he gave the girl in question didn't register until she had already taken a sip. She choked, eyes widening.
"You didn't."
"Didn't... what?" Cas looked between them, confused. Hobbes all out grinned.
"Oh, nothing. Tell me Ethel, who are you completely and totally lusting after right now?" All eyes were on Ethel, who had her hands clamped over her mouth.
"Hobbes?" Millie looked at him. "What's going on?"
"What's going on, Mildred, is Ethel has just had a sip of revenge." Even with her hands covering half of her face, Ethel still rolled her eyes. "Now answer the question, Hallow." She shook her head. "Ethel."
"Come on Ethel, it can't be that bad?" Cas laughed. Ethel grew tense, glaring daggers at the red-head. Looking between them Hobbes laughed.
"Oh, brilliant." He marched over to Ethel, wrenching her hands away. "Ethel, who do you completely fancy?" She bit her lip, shaking her head. "We don't have all day, Miss Hallow."
"Oh for heaven's – Cas! Alright?" She pushed him away. The other girls were stunned as Hobbes grinned wickedly. "Happy?"
"Well, I owe Wraitheright a fiver, but yes, quite happy." He ducked as Ethel's hand swung at the back of his head.
"At least that means I wasn't imagining those looks," Cas grinned, lowering her own mug of coffee. "Good." Ethel blinked.
"I thought... you would have just put the potion in mine?"
"Ah, no," Hobbes crept up behind Millie, taking her cup away from her, "no, I didn't."