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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 0:15:30 GMT -5
Dastan stepped into the Great Hall well after the usual crowd had dissipated; He didn't like going to meals with so many people crowding the tables and trying to speak with him. It was irritating, and gave him massive headaches.
Luckily, the meals at Hogwarts extended until fairly late, and then the kitchens were open if you knew where to find them, which Dastan hoped to find one day. Dastan had come at a time that was JUST shy of the Great Hall's closing hours. There were still a few people, but at least it wasn't quite as crowded as the earlier times.
Taking a seat at the Slytherin table, Dastan grabbed some food and piled it onto his plate. It was amazing pretty amazing; even though it was nearly closing time, the food was still fresh-tasting and warm.
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Post by Astin Descartes on Jun 15, 2010 0:27:59 GMT -5
Astin stumbled into the Great Hall a lot later than he had planned. He'd just gotten so caught up writing home that he had lost track of time, and now he was barely short of running the risk of not getting to eat at all. He briefly scanned the tables for someone to join, but only a few fifth years remained at the Hufflepuff table. However, someone else caught his eye; a Slytherin-- Dastan.
The only thing was, the houses were supposed to sit independently. Astin looked around. Who would care, really? Besides, since when had he cared for rules like that which made absolutely no sense, anyway? As long as he was being friendly instead of trying to make enemies, there shouldn't be a problem. Right? Right.
With that thought, Astin quickly jogged over to try out a new insult.
"Hey, Dastan! Guess what. 'You remind me of the ocean-- you make me sick.'" Ha. Okay, that had sounded so much smarter inside his head. He shrugged inwardly; it was better than anything he'd said so far.
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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 0:37:35 GMT -5
Dastan was stuffing his face (gracefully, of course) when Astin jogged over to his table, looking eager to say something. Keeping himself silent, Dastan finished taking a bite before the other boy spoke.
"Hey, Dastan! Guess what. 'You remind me of the ocean-- you make me sick.'"
Dastan choked. Literally, he choked, the food finding its way into his throat as the insult hit him and he felt a laugh overcoming his body. As the food lodged in his air-pipe, his face turned red. He couldn't quite decide which was worse: the fact that he was still laughing even as he choked, or the fact that he was choking at all. Neither of which helped his current opinion of Astin.
Finally managing to pull in a breath, Dastan tried to speak. "I...that was the worst insult I've ever heard!" he coughed a few more times, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice. "I said to talk to me when you'd come up with better insults. Not worse ones! Jesus, you're useless!"
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Post by Astin Descartes on Jun 15, 2010 0:48:03 GMT -5
Astin sat down, ignoring the slightly confused but mostly annoyed glares from other Slytherins. He shrugged-- outwardly this time-- and grabbed a roll to munch on, hoping he looked the slightest bit thoughtful.
"Well, it's not my fault," he said. "I usually don't have to argue with anyone." He shot Dastan a sidelong glance. "You just suck that much, I guess. Hmm, how about this: 'you used to be arrogant and obnoxious. Now you're the opposite. You're just obnoxious and arrogant.' It's kind of long, but..."
It was kind of hard to pretend that he wasn't on the receiving end of some pretty nasty looks. Granted, he was sitting at the pompous and elitist Pure-Bloods-only house, while he was a loser Hufflepuff and a "Mudblood" at that. Finally, he snapped. "What, you guys haven't ever seen anyone smart sit here before?" he asked shortly. That didn't help his case much. With a sigh, he resigned himself to a dinner of piercing looks.
Well, at least it was better than family reunions, in any case.
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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 0:57:13 GMT -5
If Dastan were being completely honest, he was surprised to see Astin sitting at his table. He hadn't exactly given the boy an invitation, and he was withstanding some pretty brutal glares. Some even rivaled his own. And yet, something about it made him glad.
He smirked, even as his fellow Slytherins glared and made nasty comments about a loser being at the table. He had to admit, he agreed about Astin being a loser, and he didn't exactly like that now he would likely be labeled as a pariah amongst the upper years for hanging out with a 'loser Hufflepuff,' at their table, but he would get over it. He would prove himself worthy with his skill, and not his social life. Besides, he thought it was kind of cool that Astin was willing to say 'screw you' to the rules and the accepted social norms. He never would have thought it possible. Still. Astin didn't need to know that.
"That last insult was better, and made more sense, than the one you just attempted, idiot," he said rudely, taking another bite of his food. "And why are you sitting here? Don't you have your precious friends to sit with? You know, the ones that you were bragging to me about on the Tower?"
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Post by Astin Descartes on Jun 15, 2010 1:11:25 GMT -5
Astin shrugged. Dastan sure did make him do a lot of that.
"I guess they're all early-birds. If you hadn't noticed, we're practically the only first-years in here. I mean, I can leave, if you'd like," he offered. "Not that I would if you told me to." He thought for a minute, before he brightened and a smile spread across his face. "So, did you just compliment me on my last insult?" he teased good-naturedly. He resisted the urge to gently bump Astin's shoulder; that might get him hit.
Astin tore another bit of his roll off and chewed on it, glancing up at the "sky." The stars glittered and winked at him like they knew he was breaking some sort of rule. He shifted. What did the heavens know anyway? Stuck-up, wannabe-omniscient prats.
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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 1:32:09 GMT -5
Dastan contemplated telling Astin yes, he should leave. But of course, he knew that Astin meant what he said. If he told him to leave, he would do the opposite. Just like at the Tower. And besides, he didn't really mind...that much. The prat still gave him a headache. And pissed him off.
"No, I wasn't complimenting your insult. Just making a comment on your deteriorating skills. Even the hair joke beat the rest of those, and it was the first one you shot at me," Dastan said, also taking a bite of roll.
The Slytherins gave him a glare one last time before minding their own business (as they should), which relieved Dastan. He didn't exactly like being oggled, hanging with a stupid Hufflepuff.
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Post by Astin Descartes on Jun 15, 2010 1:40:59 GMT -5
Astin smiled to himself when Dastan didn't tell him to leave; even if it was only because he knew he wouldn't, it was a little heart-warming that threats to force him hadn't started yet.
"Uh-huh," Astin agreed half-heartedly, intimating that he was doing anything but. "Whatever you say."
He squirmed into a comfortable position; he didn't feel so stiff without all those snakes staring at him like he was their next prey. He'd been so unknowingly tense that it was like rigor mortis had decided to get a head-start on him.
He was rather tempted to do something dumb to make them angrier. He wasn't sure why; he wasn't usually such a trouble-maker, but something about Hogwarts made him live life on the edge. Or maybe it was just being around Dastan. Astin glanced over at him; yeah, that was probably it. Even though Astin knew better, he just sort of exuded a bad-boy persona. Astin snorted. He was more troubled (pre)teen than anything.
He needed a good conversation-starter. It wouldn't be good to let Dastan think too long.
"Well, then, if my insults are so bad, give me an example, oh wise one." Might as well venture into more comfortable territory.
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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 2:09:52 GMT -5
Dastan leaned over the table, his lips close enough to Astin's ear that he could whisper. And whisper he did: "When you come anywhere within a mile of me, I feel this odd feeling in the pit of my stomach..."
He paused a moment, enjoying whatever suspense he could create and a smirk coloring his lips as he leaned in some more. "Do you know what that feeling is? It's nausea. Your mere presence is enough to send my stomach boiling and the bile rises in the back of my throat."
Sitting back in his seat, Dastan continued eating as if he hadn't said anything. If that wasn't insulting, well, he didn't know what was.
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Post by Astin Descartes on Jun 15, 2010 2:28:17 GMT -5
Astin's cheeks were set ablaze when Dastan's breath ghosted his hear. He hardly even registered the first part of the comment because of the obvious distraction. His stomach had leapt into his throat, which promptly closed tightly.
"Do you know what that feeling is? It's nausea. Your mere presence is enough to send my stomach boiling and the bile rises in the back of my throat."
Wait, what?
Astin stared at Dastan in utter disbelief as he returned to his seat. Who would even go to that trouble for an insult? Of course, now Astin had to make one of his own crap comebacks, which of course couldn't possibly touch that one.
He examined his newfound rival. When all else fails, return to insulting his hair.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something? I just lost my train of thought because you have so much margarine in your hair."
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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 3:06:11 GMT -5
Dastan snort-giggled (though he would never call it that; giggle was not in his vocabulary). "Again with the hair?" he said, smirking. He knew he had won this battle, but that was hardly a surprise. Astin was probably too nice (ha, Hufflepuffs) to actually insult with any finesse. Insulting was so much more fun when you set things up, and then ripped the rug out from underneath the victim. Much like he had. He hadn't missed the look on Astin's face.
Dammit, there was that weird guilty feeling again. But the guilt dissipated when Astin made the comeback about his hair. Clearly, the insult, while shocking, hadn't been too insulting. And frustration then reared its ugly head. Why did he care anyways!? Stupid Astin. Making him feel stupid emotions.
"But I will say," he stated a moment later, "That the margarine in the hair is better than just saying my hair looks ridiculous. Maybe you have potential. Idiot."
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Post by Astin Descartes on Jun 15, 2010 3:26:44 GMT -5
Astin opened his mouth and closed it again. He racked his brain for any insults he'd ever heard. He needed a good one. He had to put this idiot thing down. Immediately.
"Has anyone ever told you how astonishing your face is? It kind of looks like it caught on fire and someone tried to put it out with a fork."
Take that, you stuck-up jerk-face.
That said, Astin nodded satisfactorily and turned to his food. He'd like to see a comeback for that one.
Crap. He just screwed himself over, didn't he?
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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 3:39:52 GMT -5
Dastan was completely unaffected by the insult, and also slightly amused at the expression of fear that suddenly seemed to show up on his face as he likely realized that he'd just poked a tiger with a stick. Still. Dastan found the insult interesting.
"I didn't know you'd taken the time to study the exquisiteness of my face, Astin. I'm rather flattered," he said, smirking as usual. He hadn't had this much fun in ages, he realized suddenly. Huh. Who knew he had even wanted to have fun? Apparently, he had a few more things to rethink about who he was and who he wanted to be perceived as.
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Post by Astin Descartes on Jun 15, 2010 3:57:22 GMT -5
Okay, so MAYBE Astin had been studying his face a little more than necessary, but that was only because... because... oh, who was he kidding? He wanted to-- okay, his brain had never been down THAT dark alley before.
He wanted to wipe that smirk off Dastan's face. With his mouth.
That was weird.
And the more he thought about it, the better of an idea it seemed. Maybe it would even get him to shut up. And on the bright side, hey, good-bye lip virginity! Oh no. This was a bad idea. Baaad idea. But Astin couldn't stop himself now that his body had decided to take control of itself.
He gripped Dastan's robes and smashed their lips together awkwardly. It lasted only long enough for Astin to realize that, yes, first kisses are awkward, and also that they weren't joking when they said crushes gave you butterflies and sparks.
He held up a finger and said somewhat weakly, "I'm not gay," before going back to his food. I'm not gay, he repeated in his head. Dastan just likes confusing me, is all.
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Post by Dastan Cross on Jun 15, 2010 4:10:26 GMT -5
Dastan had expected a lot of things. Cursing, spitting, annoyance, getting ignored...but never, in all of his life had he expected that he'd get kissed. Ever. And not by a boy. And not at the Slytherin table by a loser Hufflepuff. And not in retaliation to what was supposed to be insulting and frustrating.
His lips were tingling now. His robes were crumpled in the front where Astin had grabbed him.
"I'm not gay," Astin said, seeming more like he was trying to convince himself of that than convince Dastan of it.
And Dastan found it to be a useful weakness. It didn't mean anything. Nothing at all to him. But to Astin? It may have meant a lot. And Dastan had to answer the indignity with another insult that would hurt Astin way more than it would hurt him. He reached across the table, his fingers reaching out to tilt Astin's chin up. "Is that all you got?" he said.
Dastan tried to make his expression look sultry. Seductive even. But at eleven, he didn't have much practice. Still, it was quite a feat for him to force that sort of look on his face while examining a little Hufflepuff loser. And then he gently lifted the other boy's face to his, kissing him soundly on the mouth and ignoring any sort of struggle the boy tried to put up. When they parted, Dastan smirked down at him, straightening his robes.
There. Talk about insulting. And with that, he returned to his meal, satisfied that he had won yet another battle with Astin. Until he realized what he had done. He fought down a blush, which was yet another unfamiliar sensation. Damn this kid and his ability to get under his skin and make him decide weird things!
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