Agatha
I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take.
The griffin was flying away now, but the lawn was burning, flames spreading toward the drawbridge. Ebb was putting them out- "Make A Wish!"
It kind of bites, knowing that at any moment, your boyfriend could die in a ball of fire. Especially when you know you just don't care enough. Not in the right ways.
I love Simon- I do. But not enough. Not like that.
A happy ending isn't what I want anymore.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
I trudge up the stairs, kicking open the door at the top of the turret, and drag myself into the room.
Baz is sitting at his desk, reading a book. Reading a book. After a griffin just nearly slaughtered half the school. Fucking unbelievable.
I mean, it's not like he didn't try to help- he did, in his way. And I guess it's cool that he can keep his head in a crisis- which is annoying as hell when we're fighting, but good when, I don't know, a griffin attacks the school. But still.
"What are you doing?" I demand, shoving the door closed behind me.
Baz looks up from his book, raising one eyebrow at me. "Reading, Snow. You should try it sometime. Might help."
I can't deal with him right now. I actually can't. I pass him on the way to my wardrobe, and he crinkles his nose in disgust.
"You smell like a bonfire. Could you shower? Or at least change? The whole room's going to reek of smoke."
"Fuck off," I snap, which is my standard reply when I don't know what else to say (And he knows it, the bastard- he's smirking).
I grab a clean uniform and duck into the bathroom to change before dinner.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
I leave the room as soon as Snow closes the bathroom door. The less I have to deal with him right now, the better.
Not that it will help. Avoiding him has never worked before.
I make my way down to the dining hall, even though it's still ridiculously early. The only people there are Bunce and Wellbelove, sitting at their usual table on the other side of the hall from mine.
I ignore them.
Instead, I sit down at our table to wait for Dev and Niall.
o-o-o-o-o
Penelope
Baz is sitting alone, at his usual table.
Agatha is sitting next to me, complaining.
Agatha is one of my best (And admittedly, only) friends, but her whining does get on my nerves. Today, it's the Humdrum. Tomorrow, it'll be Simon. The day after that, it'll be Baz, and soon after that, it'll be Simon constantly talking about Baz.
Usually, I tune her out. Today, we're early, and there's no one else to talk to (No Simon to talk to).
"…keeps sending these creatures to Watford, and I just wish it would stop already, you know?"
"Yeah," I say. "Have you seen Simon?"
"No," Agatha says, somewhat waspishly. "Should I have?"
"Well, you are his girlfriend. And he did almost die."
Agatha shrugs, turning away from me. "Simon's always about to die. Hasn't happened yet."
What? I don't get the chance to inquire about that one, though, because Simon chooses that moment to appear in the dining hall. This is always the point at which you can predict, down to the second, exactly what will happen.
First, Simon's gaze will sweep the dining hall. He'll see us first, and his face will light up, but he won't stop looking. He'll make eye contact with Baz, across the room, who will already be looking at him. They'll glare at each other for a second, and then Baz will look away, Simon will sit down with us, and we'll have dinner.
Sure enough, that's just what happens. Like clockwork. Every meal, every time one of them enters a classroom.
It took me a while- to figure out what to make of it. But it all makes sense, really.
No one's that obsessed with someone they hate.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
I sit down at our usual table, with Penny and Agatha. They both already have plates laden with steak, green beans, cornbread…
I fill my own plate, and grab a couple of scones for good measure.
They've both cleaned up, since the battle. Penny's got a cut on her arm and Agatha's sporting a few bruises, but they look ok, considering, well. Considering I torched half the grounds when I went off.
"You both alright?" I ask anyway.
"Yeah. You?" Penelope says, giving me a once-over. Checking for blood and broken limbs.
"I'm fine. Honestly, Pen."
Agatha hasn't said a word; she's picking at her food, cutting steak into smaller and smaller shreds.
"Aggie?" I say, reaching for her free hand. She lets me take it, but she's still not looking at me. "Is everything ok?"
"Yes- of course it is," Agatha says, pulling her hand free. "I'll see you both later." And then she's gone.
I turn to Penny, looking for an explanation, but she just shrugs and goes back to chasing green beans around her plate with a fork.
"Seriously. What did I do?"
Penny sighs, putting her fork down and turning to face me. "Simon, she's not happy. Surely you can see that?"
"Well, yeah," I say, frowning. "How do I make her happy?"
"I'm not sure you can."
o-o-o-o-o
Agatha
I have to do it.
My parents will kill me, of course- but I have to. They'll get over it.
Ok, they probably won't. But I don't think they'll disown me. And when would they find out? Summer? It's only January. I've got time.
But I can't do this anymore. I have to break up with Simon.
I think he sees it coming- I mean, I'm miserable. Which has nothing to do with him, and everything to do with the circumstances, but it is what it is.
So when Simon follows me out the doors of the Weeping Tower a few minutes later, I'm sitting on the grass, watching the sunset. I can see Ebb in the distance, calling in the goats.
"Hey," Simon says, sitting down next to me.
I don't answer.
"Look," he continues, "Whatever it is I did, I'm really sorry-"
I shake my head, stopping him before he gets any further. "It's not your fault, Simon."
"Yeah, well, clearly it is," Simon says. "I want you to be happy, Aggie. And if you're not, it means I'm… I dunno. Not doing my job, I guess."
"My happiness isn't your job, Simon."
"It kind of is. I'm your boyfriend, aren't I?"
I take a deep breath. Now or never, I guess.
"Simon, I don't think we should be together anymore."
He blinks, opening his mouth, then closing it again. "What? Why?"
"It's not your fault, Simon. Really," I assure him. "I just think we'd be better off as friends, you know?"
"Um," Simon says. "Yeah, I- um. If that's what you want."
"Ok then," I mutter, staring at my shoes. I'm not really sure what happens from here. What we do now. "I've got homework- I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"
"Yeah. Sure," Simon says, but he seems dazed. For a moment, I wonder if I should leave him alone out here, but he's not a baby. And honestly, how much trouble can he get into, sitting on the lawn outside of the Weeping Tower?
So I go back to my dorm room, and do my homework.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
I… Have no idea what just happened.
I mean, I do know. Agatha just broke up with me. I'm not sure why, or how, but she did.
It came as a shock, and I feel like it shouldn't have- I feel like I've been missing warning signs, and if that's true, then Agatha's right, and we're better off as friends.
I should be more upset about this. I should want to try to get her back.
But I don't. I just… Don't. I don't care that we're broken up.
And that bothers me more than anything.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
By the time Snow makes it back to the room, it's ten minutes to curfew, and I've already turned out the lights and gone to bed.
Of course, he doesn't care that I'm trying to sleep. Snow comes stomping in through the door, turns on every light in the room, and gets in the shower.
Magic forbid I get a decent night's sleep. Just this once. It doesn't seem like to much to ask.
When he's done in the bathroom, he turns off the lights and gets into bed, back to me, curled into a ball. Thank Crowley, it's the middle of winter, so he's actually wearing a shirt. I can't deal with that right now. I don't have the mental circuitry left over.
When it comes to Simon Snow, I never have enough mental circuitry to deal with anything. Maybe if I did, I wouldn't be so hopelessly in love with him.
o-o-o-o-o
Penelope
At breakfast, all it takes is one look to tell what's happened. Nicks and Slick, it's about time. Simon and Agatha's relationship… Well, it's seen better… Years, I guess. I don't think either of them has been happy together since fifth year. When they got together.
Baz is watching Simon from across the room, and I know he's only risking it because Simon is too busy filling his plate with waffles and bacon to notice. Simon doesn't notice much, when it comes to Baz.
"Ready for the exam?" I ask when Simon sits down. Agatha doesn't look up from her tea. She's been quiet all morning.
"Exam? What exam?" Simon demands- at least, I think he does. It's kind of hard to tell, since his mouth is full of food.
"The Elocution exam. The one we've been studying for all month. Please don't tell me you forgot."
"No… course not." He did.
Oh well. He's my best friend, but I'll be the first to tell you his grades are shit.
"You need to put more time into schoolwork, Simon. This is important."
"Come on, Penny," Simon says, but he's not arguing with me. Probably because he doesn't have the energy- I know he doesn't think schoolwork is all that important. "We'll be late for class."
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
I end up at the football pitch after classes, because I don't have anywhere else to be.
It's cold as a witch's wit out here, but the football team is still practicing. I'm sitting in the stands with Penelope and a few others, mostly devoted fans of the game who always watch practice.
I don't always watch practice. Just when I feel like I need to keep an eye on Baz.
He's good, I won't lie. Probably the best player on the team. I'll never understand how he does it. Looks so… I dunno. Strong. Graceful.
I play football with my friends, when the weather's good. None of us can hold a candle to Baz- which is why he's on the team, and we're not, I guess.
Anyway. Penny wants to know what happened with Agatha, and I tell her, trying not to make it look like I'm watching Baz at the same time.
"It's for the best, Simon," she says. "You guys never had the greatest relationship, romantically. I agree with her- you're better off as friends."
"I didn't say I disagree," I object, still watching Baz out of the corner of my eye.
"Really? You don't?"
"No. I mean, it was a bit of a shock, but I thought about it, and I guess maybe…"
I'm not fooling Penny. She follows my gaze and snorts with laughter.
"I can't possibly imagine why you might come to that conclusion, Simon."
"What are you talking about?" I ask, turning all of my attention to her (Ok, like eighty percent).
Penelope shakes her head as she stands. "You really are clueless sometimes, you know that?"
o-o-o-o-o
Penelope
Honestly. Simon is just so oblivious.
It doesn't take a genius to work it out. It's not rocket science.
They watch each other, constantly. When the other isn't looking, and sometimes when he is. They almost seem to orbit each other, like the sun and the earth. Like magnets, pulling each other in (What's that they say about opposites attracting?).
I can't decide if I even want Simon to figure it out.
On the one hand, he's head over heels for Baz. He might be happier, knowing that, especially since Baz feels the same way.
On the other hand, I'm banking on Baz not being as evil as he's seemed, all these years. I'm counting on there being an explanation.
Because if there isn't, Simon's better off moving on with his life.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
Bunce and Snow came to practice again. I listened in on some of their conversation- I'll admit, these vampire senses are good for something.
So Wellbelove broke up with Snow. I can't deny the giddy feeling that gives me- not that it matters. I don't have a chance.
I never had a chance.
Or if I did, it's long gone.
I'll drive myself mad, thinking this way. Wondering. Not that I need to drive myself mad- I have Snow for that.
I make my way back to our room after practice, because I know Snow won't be there yet. He'll go straight to dinner, and then he'll come back to the room. Of course, by then, I'll be long gone. Off to the catacombs to drain a half dozen rodents.
So it's a surprise to find Snow collapsed on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I demand. He doesn't bother to look at me. Good.
"It's my room."
"Yes, Snow. I'm aware. Shouldn't you be stuffing your face in the Dining Hall?"
"It's awkward."
I roll my eyes, even though he's still not looking at me. "So I heard. Trouble in paradise?"
"Fuck off. It's none of your business."
He's my roommate, and the love of my life, and… It's none of my business.
Won't stop me from prying, though.
"What happened?"
"She broke up with me. What's it to you?" Oh, Simon Snow, you have no idea.
"Nothing. What do I care about you or your girlfriend?" I don't bother waiting for a response before I leave the room.
I hunt rats in the catacombs for an hour, and then I end up sitting outside of my mother's tomb, resting my head against the stone wall and trying not to think.
o-o-o-o-o
Agatha
Simon didn't come to dinner.
This was unusual enough that I ask Penelope if he's ok. I've never known Simon to skip dinner before.
"He's fine," Penny says. "It's just weird right now. No thanks to you, of course."
"I figured you'd be happy I ended it," I say. Penny snorts in laughter.
"For Magic's sake, Agatha. You don't think I'm interested in Simon?"
I look down at the table, unwilling to answer. The truth is, I really don't know.
"I'm not," Penny says. "I have a boyfriend, remember? And I am glad you ended it, but only because you were both miserable."
"Simon wasn't miserable," I protest.
"If you believe that, you were an even worse girlfriend to him than he was a boyfriend to you."
"Penny, what are you on about?"
She stars at me, blinking in shock. "I thought you knew. Isn't that why you broke up with him?"
"Knew what?"
Penny sighs and turns back to her roast chicken. "Forget it. It's not important."
I grab her shoulder, spinning her around to face me. "Fuck yes it is. What do you know?"
"I don't know anything- really!" Penny snaps at the skeptical expression on my face. "Look-" She sighs, pulling her arm away from me. "It's none of our business, either of us. Seriously, Agatha. Let it go."
o-o-o-o-o
Penelope
I can tell Agatha's not happy.
She spends the rest of the meal pissed off and quiet, to the point where I seriously regret opening my mouth (I thought she knew)(I thought the whole school knew. I still do)(Honestly, how thick can they get?).
Finally, I get sick and tired of her sulking and go back to the Cloisters early.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
I lay on my bed for hours after Baz leaves, and I must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing I know, I'm having a nightmare. The worst I've had in years.
I'm standing in a forest, and it's burning down, all around me. I jump back as a flaming branch crashes to the ground at my feet. Sparks fly, swirling up through the air. Behind me, someone is calling my name.
I turn, and there's Watford, untouched by the flames. Agatha, Penny, and the Mage are standing at the edge of the burning woods, calling out for me and waving me towards them. I could make it. There's a clear path to them through the fire- I could leave. There's danger surrounding me on every other side.
But I can't shake the feeling that there's something else in that forest. Something I can't leave behind.
So despite every instinct telling me not to, I walk farther into the woods. The voices behind me fade, and I'm left to dodge sparks and flames and charred wood, coughing up the taste of ashes.
There.
Huddled under one of the burning trees is a figure, arms wrapped around its knees, sobbing.
Somehow I know that if I don't get to whoever it is soon, they'll die. I call out, but the roar of the flames swallows my voice.
I run, leaping through rings of fire and dodging the sparks that are blowing everywhere, and kneel before the huddled figure.
It's Baz.
"Baz," I gasp, grabbing his arm, trying to drag him out of the flames. But he won't move. Why won't he move?
"Baz, come on. We have to get out of here." Nothing.
I'm screaming his name now, trying to get him out of here, to save his life, when a spark lands too close to his pale skin, and he goes up in flames.
I wake up, sweating and shivering, gasping for breath.
Hours must have passed. Baz is laying in his bed on the other side of the room, asleep, safe and unharmed. I get up and move to the window, pushing it open- he'd closed it again, the prat.
The cool air feels good, drying the sweat on my face. I rest my elbows on the windowsill, still thinking about my dream- which makes no fucking sense. Why would I save Baz- risk my life for him? I mean, I don't think I'd leave him to die… but I also don't think I'd risk my life for him, so… It doesn't make sense.
I realize I'm crying, tears running down my cheeks and dripping off of my jaw. I don't hear him until he's right behind me.
"Snow?"
I turn, and there's Baz, watching me cry. Fuck.
"What do you want, Baz?" I ask, knowing there's no hiding my tears now.
"I… nothing." He starts to turn away, to go back to his side of the room, but I reach out and grab his hand. I'm not sure what makes me do it.
He freezes, and I let go. "Sorry," I murmur. "Nightmare."
"Oh," he says. And I don't think either of us knows what to do from there. He's standing in front of me, and I'm staring at him; not that there's anywhere else to look, but still.
"Could you…" I have no idea what I'm asking. What I'm doing. But I never think. "Do you think…"
"What, Simon?," Baz says, but there's less malice behind it now. And he called me Simon.
"What did you dream about?" Baz has never spoken to me like this- his voice sounds like music in the darkness.
"I… Don't know. Fire. Watford." No way was I telling him what I'd really dreamed. He'd laugh, and then he'd mock me for the rest of eternity.
"Did you go off?"
"Maybe… The dream started with fire."
"Where?" Baz is looking at me with this expression on his face… I've never seen it before.
"The Wavering Wood. Everything was burning… Penny was there, and Agatha, and the Mage… And I ran into the forest."
"Why the fuck would you do that?" Baz asks, but it's not malicious, I don't think.
"Because-" Because you were there. Because you were dying, and I had to save you. "I don't know."
Baz studies me, then nods. "You need to get some sleep."
I walk back over to my bed, then hesitate. Baz is still standing by the window, looking like a gilded statue, with the moonlight shining on his face. "Will you…" I'm not sure what I'm asking.
"Use your words," he reminds me. I hate it when people say that. It's so much easier to shrug, or nod, or flip someone off. I'm pissed enough that I spit it out.
"Stay?"
Baz hesitated, then nods, slowly. I crawl into my bed, leaving enough space for him, and he sits down next to me.
For all I know, he'll kill me tonight, Anathema or no. I've got no reason to believe he won't try. But I can't just go back to sleep alone. I need him.
"Lie down, you idiot," I say, pulling the covers over myself. He obeys, and I throw the blanket over him, too.
I can't remember the last time I slept so well.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
When I wake up, it takes me a moment to remember where I am.
At some point, I must have moved closer to Simon- or he moved closer to me. Our knees are pressed together, and we're practically hugging.
So this is what it's like to wake up in Simon Snow's arms.
Right at this moment, there's nothing I want more than to stay here forever. Wrapped in Simon's embrace, even if he is asleep. I'm still not sure why I agreed to this- it's only going to be more painful now, remembering. But I couldn't help myself.
It's probably best that I not be here when Snow wakes up. I disentangle myself from his arms and change in the bathroom, as quickly as possible. He's still sleeping when I leave.
Sleeping, and completely unaware of the fact that he holds my heart in his hands.
o-o-o-o-o
Penelope
Simon wanders into the Dining Hall a few minutes later than usual, and this time, his eyes immediately seek out Baz, who is looking anywhere but at Simon.
Did something… happen between them?
Simon sits down at our table. Agatha ignores him, and I lean forward. "What happened?"
"What do you mean?" Simon asks. Heaven's snakes, he's really going to make me say it.
"With Baz, of course! What happened?"
Simon looks completely flabbergasted.
"How do you know that anything happened?"
"Simon," I sigh. Agatha's paying attention now. "You two couldn't be any more obvious if your eyes literally turned to hearts every time you looked at each other. Merlin."
"What are you talking about?" Nicks and Slick, he still hasn't realized it?
"Oh, Simon. Isn't it obvious?"
"Um. No."
"You like him! And he definitely likes you." I figure it's too much to use the word love.
Simon nearly spits his mouthful of tea across the table. Agatha actually does.
"Agatha! For Merlin's sake," I complain, pointing my ring at the front of my soaked blouse and casting "You're getting warmer!" to dry it.
"Simon doesn't like Baz," Agatha protests. "Baz is evil!"
"I don't hear Simon arguing," I point out. And it's true. Simon is just sitting there, playing with his food, which is really unlike him.
"We slept together- not like that," he adds, at the look on Agatha's face. "I had a nightmare, and he… helped me. We both slept in my bed- that's all, I swear."
"But you don't like him, do you?" Agatha insists.
"What do you care if I do? You broke up with me," Simon says.
"So you do like him?" Agatha gasps, disbelieving.
Simon lets out a long, low sigh. "I don't know."
It's a start.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
Baz has been avoiding me.
It's been a week since the incident, or whatever we're calling it, and he hasn't said one word to me. He's never in the room when I fall asleep, or when I wake up. I only know he's sleeping there at all because I got up last night to take a piss, and he was there, half-buried under the pile of blankets on his bed.
I don't know if he was asleep.
If he hadn't been slowing up in classes, I'd have thought he'd died- I mean, really died. But he hasn't missed a single lesson.
He just doesn't talk to me.
And I… want him to?
Was Penny right?
She may well have been, because for some reason, I miss him. And I won't lie, I've thought about kissing him before… And I've dreamed about him, almost every night.
Merlin. I'm done for, aren't I?
o-o-o-o-o
Agatha
I'm not sure what to make of this. Any of it.
Is there even anything to think about? To make sense of? I'm not sure.
I'm not entirely sure it's my business, even if there was something going on. Simon was right- I did break up with him. I don't get to change my mind because he's moved on.
Not that I have changed my mind.
I watch them, over the next week. I watch Simon watching Baz, and Baz watching Simon whenever he knows Simon isn't watching him. I watch Penny looking at the two of them and practically facepalming.
So maybe Penny was right. It wouldn't be the first time.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
I've been avoiding Simon for a week.
I'm not sure why, honestly. If avoiding him helped, I'd have gotten over him years ago.
Simon Snow is unavoidable. You walk into a room, and he's like the fucking sun. Lighting everyone else up. Leaving everything else in shadow.
Or maybe that's just the way I see him.
I just can't stand to look at him and see the hatred on his face. Not after what happened last week. And I know that if I do look at him, hatred will be the best I can hope for.
So when he stops me in the hallway outside of Magic Words class, I know I'm done for.
"Fuck off, Snow," I say, pushing past him. "I'm not in the mood."
"Not in the mood to torment me? Who are you, and what've you done with Baz?" Simon asks, grabbing my shoulder and forcing me to look at him.
"Seriously. Get lost," I snap, yanking my arm free. Simon doesn't follow me this time.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
He can't avoid me forever.
I'll make damn well sure of it.
I mean, we're roommates, for Merlin's sake. We live together. He has to talk to me sometime.
It'll be sooner rather than later, if I have anything to say about it. And, luckily enough, I do.
I go back to our room after dinner, and I wait. I know he's sleeping here- he'll have to come back at some point.
So I wait.
I do some homework, and take a shower, and clean up my side of the room, and I wait.
And then I wait some more, because it's almost midnight, and Baz still isn't back.
I'm just starting to think I should go look for him when the door opens.
Baz steps into the room, closing the door behind him. He notices that I'm still awake and frowns.
"Snow. What are you doing up at half past twelve in the morning?"
"Waiting for you," I answer. Honestly.
Surprise flashes across Baz's face, there and gone so fast I'm not sure I didn't imagine it.
"Well, don't bother," he says, throwing open the doors of his wardrobe and grabbing a pair of pyjama bottoms. He disappears into the bathroom, and I pace back and forth between our beds.
Finally, Baz comes out of the bathroom, ignoring me as he moves back over to his side of the room.
"Baz," I say. "Are we just going to pretend that didn't happen?"
"Nothing happened, Snow. You had a nightmare; I helped you, against my better instincts. That's all."
"If nothing happened, then why have you been avoiding me for a week?"
Baz doesn't respond.
"Will you please talk to me?" I ask.
"You've never wanted to talk before. What's changed?"
"I don't know."
Baz snorts with laughter, still looking anywhere but at me. "You don't know. What a refreshing change, Snow. Let me know when you figure it out." He climbs into his bed and turns to face the wall, effectively declaring the conversation over.
Fine. For now.
o-o-o-o-o
Penelope
"Have you thought about it?" I demand, not even giving Simon time to sit down with his plate of eggs and toast.
"About what?" he asks, already with his mouth full of food.
"About Baz!" I say, shaking my head in disbelief. "And what I said the other day?"
"You want to know if I'm in love with my sworn enemy?" He sounds almost amused.
"I didn't say you were in love-" (He's definitely in love)(Anyone with eyes could see that).
Simon rolls his eyes. "He won't even talk to me, Pen. He hates me. End of discussion."
Uh huh. Right.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
When I get back to our room that night, Baz is sitting on his bed, looking at something on a laptop.
"You're not supposed to have that," I say, moving past him to my wardrobe.
"Fuck off." He doesn't even look up.
I take the opportunity to examine him.
He's definitely beautiful, no doubt about that.
He's smart.
Funny.
Hardworking.
I sort of want to kiss him.
No, sod that. I definitely want to kiss him.
He's my enemy. What's wrong with me?
Of course, he chooses that moment to look up.
"What?" he asks, when I don't drop my gaze. "Seriously, Snow, spit it out. I'm too tired to deal with you right now."
"Nothing," I say. It's practically a snarl.
I can't handle him. I actually can't.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
Snow is just standing there, watching me, and I don't know what to do.
I mean, he's looked at me before. Stared, even.
But this is different.
There's something in his eyes that I've never seen there before. Some new depth of hatred, maybe.
I wonder what I'm supposed to have done this time. Then I decide I don't really care. Anything to make him keep looking at me like that.
So I shut the lid on my laptop (enchanted to work at Watford), and place it on my bedside table. I stand, taking a few steps closer to Snow, so I'm on his side of the room.
"Cat got your tongue?"
Snow rolls his eyes. "Honestly, Baz. Surely you've got better ammo than an incident from third year? I mean, you'd almost think I hadn't fucked anything up in the last four years."
You've fucked up my life, I'm tempted to say, because he has. But I don't. Instead, I say, "Why would I do that? This way, I can threaten you, humiliate you, and shut you up, all at once. It's efficient."
Snow throws his hands up in exasperation. "Seriously? You're such an arse sometimes, you know?"
"I'm aware of that, yes," I say. "Could be worse. I haven't come within two inches of setting a bunch of first years on fire, or blown any craters into the grounds, so I'd say I'm doing better than you."
"Jesus Christ. Didn't your parents teach you any manners?"
"Of course they did. Unlike you, they cared enough not to ship me off to some Normal home." I feel bad about it the minute I say it.
"Shut up," Snow growls, and I can feel his magic, beginning to pour out of him in waves. "Just, please, for once in your life, shut up."
I laugh, even though I'd like nothing more than to do just that.
"Make me, Snow."
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
I can't listen to him anymore. I can't deal with him anymore.
It's not that the homes are such a sore point- yeah, they suck, but I'm used to it. I'm definitely used to Baz making comments like that.
I'm just at my limit with him.
I mean, what right does he have, walking into my life at eleven years old, making my life miserable for years, and then making me fall for him like this?
It's not fair, and I can't take any more of it.
I told him to shut up. He told me to make him.
So I do.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
I have no idea what's happening.
Simon Snow is kissing me.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
I don't know how much time passes, or even what we're doing.
I mean, we're kissing. That much is obvious.
At some point, I'd ended up pressed up against the door, and we're still kissing, so I guess that's something.
He's making it hard to think. I can't think when he's kissing me.
o-o-o-o-o
Baz
I'm the one who pulls away, eventually.
Not because I want to- I never want to stop kissing Simon Snow. But because… I don't know. I feel like I should.
"Wow," Simon says, leaning his head back against the door. I have to agree.
I just didn't think he'd be the one to say it.
"Yeah," I say. And then… I don't know.
We stand there, and we stare at each other.
"So what does this mean?" Simon asks.
"I don't know. You kissed me," I point out.
"You kissed me back. Why?"
"Um." I should just say it. If he kissed me… I mean, it has to mean he has feelings for me. Right?
Or maybe this time, he's the one plotting.
"I wanted to." It seems like the safest thing to say, even though it's nothing compared to the fact that I love him.
"Good," Simon says, and then he takes my hand.
Simon Snow is holding my hand.
And somehow, it feels like an even bigger deal than the kiss.
"Did you want to kiss me?" I ask.
"If I didn't, I wouldn't have," he says. "Look, Baz…" He trails off, and I swear he's blushing.
"Words, Simon."
"I like you, ok?" He's talking faster now, like he needs to spit this out or he'll never say it (I know the feeling. Only I never do just spit it out). "Like, really like you. Really like as in maybe love. And I get that you hate me, and you're probably going to give me no end of hell over this later, but you should still… know. And-"
"Simon," I say, because if I don't stop him now, he'll just keep talking. And as sweet (and unbelievable) as what he's saying is…
"Stop talking. For two seconds. Just stop saying words." He looks up at me, and he's blushing, and I want to kiss him again.
Really, really want to.
So I lean forward, and rest my forehead against his. He stiffens, from surprise, I think, and then relaxes, reaching up to loop his arms around my neck.
"I love you," I say. "I've known I loved you since we were fifteen, and I've loved you longer than that without knowing it. You… I don't know, Simon. You're everything to me."
We're both quiet for a minute, my words filling the space between us, and I sort of want the floor to open up and swallow me whole.
"I love you, too," Simon says, and then he kisses me again.
o-o-o-o-o
Agatha
At first, I don't understand what all the commotion is about.
The Dining Hall is full of whispers, and everyone is staring at… something.
I'm filling my plate with eggs and toast, so I can't see it, whatever it is. But as I make my way back to the table, where Penny is waiting for me, I have a feeling I know what's happened. The look on Penny's face is a dead giveaway.
Also, Simon and Baz are sitting next to her, holding hands.
"I knew it!" Penny's saying as I drop into my seat. "You have to tell me how this happened! I've been waiting for this since we were thirteen!"
"You have not," Baz scoffs, and it's weird how well he gets on with Penelope. I guess they do have a lot in common. They're smart, they're outspoken on their similar political views, they love Simon.
"I have. Neither of you were ever exactly subtle."
"Penny," Simon says.
"Oh, all right," she sighs, "But don't think I'm not going to get answers out of you two eventually."
"I don't doubt that," Simon mutters. Baz is trying not to laugh.
"So you guys… you're together, then?" I ask. Both boys turn to look at me.
"Yeah," Simon says. "We are."
"Ok then." I'm surprised that I'm this ok with it. "I'm happy for you. For both of you," I add, glancing at Baz.
"Thanks, Wellbelove," he says.
Just then, two familiar boys walk up to our table. "Mind if we join?"
"The Chosen One seems to have seduced our friend," the other says, "And it was only thanks to him that the first years hadn't taken over our table."
"Please tell me you haven't been terrorizing first years," Simon says, turning to face his boyfriend.
"Not intentionally," Baz replies. "I just creep them out." He waves Dev and Niall to sit on his other side.
It's all so weird.
And so… normal?
It's crazy, but so are most of the people at this table, so.
Penny is arguing with Dev about some essay we were supposed to write for Miss Possibelf (whoops), and Simon is kissing Baz (seriously, someone needs to tell those two to get a room. It hasn't even been a day).
I turn to face Niall, who's ended up sitting next to me. "Pretty wild, huh?" I say, gesturing at our friends.
"Not really," he says. "I've kind of been expecting this."
"What, having to watch your best friend make out with his boyfriend at breakfast, or having to tolerate the rest of us?"
"Both," Niall sighs.
"I heard that!" Penny cuts in, and I laugh.
o-o-o-o-o
Simon
"Alright, you two," Penny says, yanking me away from Baz. "We've got class."
"Great," Baz says. "Snow, I don't suppose you're up for skipping Political Science?"
"Oh no," Penny says. "Absolutely not. Simon's failing as it is."
"Penny," I say. "You're my best friend, but please shut up."
She rolls her eyes, but she's smiling as she marches me out of the Dining Hall, the rest of our friends following behind her.
Fin.