Introduction
It comes and goes
I need direction to perfection
A college freshman, and a jock who thinks he deserves everything the world has to offer him. Two people who would never otherwise have crossed paths; but when college rooming forces them together, they have no choice but to share a living space.
Now comes the issue - one is bisexual, and the other would swear up and down that he is straight. However, given the circumstances...it's not his fault that he can barely resist staring at his roommate, and imagining what it'd feel like to brace him against the wall and kiss him senseless. But these aren't thoughts befitting of him, and so he resorts to the only way he can to avoid his feelings - bullying.
And that's where the nightmare begins. Living with someone who seemingly hates your guts and is out to make your every living moment miserable is hell. One boy is miserable every day, and seeks to avoid his roommate as much as possible, and the other isn't exactly ecstatic about the turn of events either, but the ends justify the means, right? As long as he can keep his reputation as a straight, popular man, what do the hurt feelings of one boy count?
That is, until events force them ever closer, and they have to face up to their feelings for each other...
Tory Han | played by: SleepingInTheGardens | fc: Luhan
Adam Riaz Cocteau | played by: juliebarnes | fc: Zayn Malik
- 24 posts here • Page 1 of 1
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 2 authors
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Waterford College. Per Studia Mens Nova - through study the mind is made new. Adam glanced up at the words inscribed on the administrations building that loomed imposingly over him as the taxi he'd hired pulled away, dousing his belongings in dust. Muttering under his breath - he should've asked the driver to stay, so he could have a ride over to the dorm building - Adam hauled his luggage upright and headed inside, the wheels of his bag clattering over the cobbled paving.
"Hi." Adam leaned on the counter, flashing the lady behind it a smile. She was probably - what, in her fifties? - but his charm worked, and she smiled back.
"How can I help you?"
"Just here to collect my information. Adam Riaz Cocteau?"
After some minutes, she finally produced a sheaf of papers, sliding them over the counter. "Right, you're in Lenz Court, this is your information, a map, some other things you might find useful. Have a good day!"
With a parting grin, Adam set out to find the building, staring at his map in an attempt to gain his bearings. Ten minutes and two guides later, he was standing in the doorway of his room, which appeared to be devoid of any other belongings. His roommate probably hadn't arrived yet. Running a hand through his hair, already tousled by the heat, he surveyed the room and chose the bed on the right, unpacking his things.
A figure loomed in the open doorway. "Let's see, are you Adam or Victor?"
Adam straightened up, hands on his hips. "Adam, and who might you be?"
"Colton, I'm Lenz Court's RA. I'm just here to welcome you, make sure you're settling in okay, you know what's going on, all that stuff. First day is always a little scary, I'm sure, but you'll settle down quickly, like everyone else. Anyway, I won't hold you up, my room is at the end of the hall on the second floor if you want me, okay? See you around." Just as quickly as he'd appeared, Colton vanished.
"Yeah, sure..." Adam's words trailed off, directed at an empty doorway. "Okay."
Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford College
outfit
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Toryβs round eyes scan the passing scenery of dorm room doors and luggage. This is now the fourth? Fifth hallway he has been down? And yet is still as hopelessly lost as he was when he started. He may have been blessed with many skills, but a good sense of direction was not one of them. And his best friendβs complaints on the other side of the phone line are certainly not helping his cause.
βMhm, where have I heard that before?β he mutters absentmindedly, reading every passing room number in hopes that the universe will cut him some slack have his room magically appear in front of him. Heβs in the right building, that much was made clear by the excessively large letters above the main doors. The problem is the room numbering. It would probably make more sense to a kindergartner than it does to him.
βTory, Iβm serious! Everyone deserves a second chance, don't they?β
βAnd you deserve betterβ the small boy responds a bit more alert now, propping the box his cell phone is being balanced on with one knee. βyou can find someone better, Emily.β It feels like this argument has been used before way too many times, and it still fails to seep through the girl's brain. Tory figures he'll need to come up with something better because clearly, common sense doesn't do the trick.
"That's easy for you to say, you're prettier than half the girls on campus!" an automatic eyeroll takes over Tory's features as he makes a sharp left. That's not the first time he's heard that, and he knows all too well his friend is only using it as a way to divert his attention from the main issue. Which has nothing to do with him.
"I'm not-" coming to a sudden stop, all arguments are thrown out the window the moment he spots a familiar looking number. After checking the papers once, and then twice to make sure his tired mind isn't playing tricks on him, a sigh of relief emanates from the deepest part of his soul. His arms ache from holding up the heavy box of photography equipment and his body is running on less than three hours of sleep. If he would have had to keep searching, he wouldn't have made it much further."Oh thank god..." After saying his goodbyes, and assuring his friend that the conversation isn't over but merely on hold, he ends the call and drags his belongings inside.
A quick glance around the room is enough to tell him his roommate has already made himself at home. Not that it's surprising, at this point the boy might have started to think he'll be getting the room all to himself. After placing the heavy box on the unoccupied bed, the blonde takes a second to survey the room. It's not as small as he'd imagine it to be. There's a good amount of space around the room regardless of how crowded with furniture it is, and the large window between the beds gives them a nice view of the campus. It's also very clean, but that probably won't last for long. Tory would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous, but at least what he imagines to be the hardest part is now over.
Deciding to leave the unpacking for later, he turns for the bathroom, unexpectedly coming face to face with a figure. He's several inches taller, tanned skin and a sharp, handsome face. In other words, the complete opposite of Tory's looks. The latter smiles softly, ignoring the startled gasp that left his mouth. If he didn't feel small and frail before, well he certainly does now.
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Half an hour, and 'Victor' - who would be his roommate, if Colton's words were anything to go by - had yet to show up. Having put all his belongings away neatly in the drawers and closet available to his half of the room, Adam considered the space left. If 'Victor', like Adam, wasn't too messy a person, he'd have a bit of space to install a few more things for himself, like maybe a bulletin board, or an extra lamp...
Bzzt. Bzzt. Adam spun on his heel, and nearly tripped over the foot of the bed, catching himself just in time after letting loose a series of curses. The screen of his phone, left on the desk, read Dad. Sighing, he picked it up - but it wasn't his father's baritone that greeted him.
"Adam! How's Waterford? You didn't call, and dad forgot to give me your new number, so I stole his phone. Why didn't you call me? You know my number. I haven't changed it in five years. I'm beginning to think you just don't want to talk to me."
He wasn't sure which was more annoying, at this point, but he held the phone a few inches away from his ear and let his younger sister talk rapidly down the line at him. "Ariel, breathe," he ordered. "I haven't called you because I've just settled in." That was a lie - he'd been here for a few hours at least, but he was none too eager to call home. "Of course I want to talk to you, I'm just busy. Does Dad know you have his phone? You know how he gets when he loses his stuff - or when he thinks he's lost his stuff. Call me from your phone next time. Waterford is okay, I'll send you a picture of my room."
After having answered Ariel's seemingly endless questions, Adam decided he'd entertained her for long enough. "Look, Ariel, I've got to go, okay? I'll talk to you soon." Ignoring her protests, he ended the call, tossing his phone onto the bed.
After a moment's consideration, Adam decided he'd succumb to the heat and take a cold shower. He hopped into the bathroom, nearly sighing in relief as the cool water beat down on his back. Outside, a high but unmistakably male voice sounded, and Adam thought he heard the room door click, so he tugged on a pair of pants and a shirt and opened the bathroom door, rubbing a towel through his hair.
The mop of blond hair that greeted him bobbed a few inches below eye level. Adam took a step back, lowering his eyes to see his roommate better. "Hey. I'm Adam. Adam Cocteau," he began, sticking a hand out awkwardly.
Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford College
outfit
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The small boy blinked awkwardly once, twice, before shaking the hand offered to him. "Tory" he says with a genuine smile, causing his eyes to form into small, shimmery crescents. "Tory Han". He probably should have introduced himself as Victor, but Tory swore to himself he'd never use that name unless absolutely necessary. There's no sad or complicated story behind it, he just really dislikes the name itself. "I guess I was lost longer than I thought..." he mutters, more to himself than anything while surveying the room. Adam has been here for at least a few hours, if the neatly stocked belongings are any indication. Taking a step back towards his designated bed, Tory decides to start unpacking. Standing so close to his tall and ruggedly handsome roommate makes him feel a bit more nervous and uneasy than he would like to, though it probably has a lot more to do with the first day of college nerves. That'swhat he's deciding to chalk it up to anyways.
The camera and it's pieces comes out first. After setting his guitar case aside, Tory inspects every inch of the photography equipment with careful consideration. It has been stuffed into that box for hours and having been bumped into and dropped a few times, it wouldn't surprise him if something comes out in more pieces than it should be. Fortunately, everything appears to be in mint condition.
He can subtly feel Adam's eyes on him as he moves about, only adding to his already riled up nerves, but instead of ignoring it as he normally would do he decides to try and make conversation. "What are you majoring in?" he asks, genuinely curious, while making himself comfortable on the small bed. There's a bright stream of sunlight seeping in through the window which happens to land right on his already pale face, causing him to look almost transparent. Squinting a bit, he shifts his sitting position to leaning back on his palms . It's not as comfortable, but at least he won't go blind.
One look at Adam and Tory would probably guess he's here for sports or anything related to them. But he's always been taught not to judge a book by it's cover. For all he knows, the boy could be passionately into drama and theater, or maybe even a music major. It's possible they could have a lot more in common than he expects.
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Fuck, this boy is pretty.
Adam's expression doesn't change, but time seems frozen for a moment, him standing over the petite boy, the kid smiling up at him like some damn puppy. His hand in Adam's is soft and smooth, and Adam wonders briefly if this kid has ever done any rough work in his life - Adam knows his palm by contrast is more lined, not rough by any means but definitely indicative of more labour at his hand.
"Tory. Tory Han." He notes that the kid - sorry, Tory - didn't use Victor, like Colton did. Maybe he prefers the nickname to Victor, though Adam can't imagine why, because Victor is a good, solid name. Unlike this waif of a boy, in whose direction Adam is almost scared to breathe too hard in, in case he blows him out the damn window. On that thought, maybe Tory is better for him after all.
"Yeah, I already settled in. Hope you don't mind," he responds gruffly, following Tory out into the main area of the room. "If it ruffles your feathers a lot we could swap over."
Adam drops into his chair at his desk, still rubbing his hair every which way with the towel, watching Tory as he unpacks. He's almost girly, Adam notes, eyes tracking the boy's gentle movements, taking in his soft hair, his pouty lips, his slender fingers... Shaking himself away from those thoughts - bordering into dangerous territory there, buddy, we like girls, remember - Adam turns back to his table, fidgeting with a few knick-knacks he'd set out earlier.
"What are you majoring in?" The question catches him off guard, but he supposes he should have seen that coming, given that it's a common question posed to anyone meeting for the first time in university.
"Astronomy and astrophysics, with a minor in classical humanities." He sits back, allowing a brief streak of smugness to cross his face. Lots of people don't think Adam is worth much, at first sight - Adam, who looks like he has more muscles than brains, who spends his time either singing with his band or partying, who puts his hands on girls more often than he curls them around a pen, but they're all wrong about him, because he's this side of brilliant, really, and their jaws always drop when the words fall from his lips - yes, that's right, I'm actually worth something, I have the brains and the looks, take a shot at me if you can.
"Let me guess, you're a photography major?"
Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford College
outfit
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"I guess you got the looks and the brains here, I'm starting to feel a bit intimidated." he mutters only half-joking, eyes fixed on the camera in his hands. At this point the contraption is well put together, but it acts as an excuse for him to avoid eye contact. It's no secret Victor Han has never been fond of his own looks. You can thank his elementary and middle school peers for that. He doesn't view himself as unattractive, but he's never looked the part of a nineteen year old boy. Simply put, he's attractive in all the wrong ways. And now, knowing that not only does his roommate have the physical makings of a male model, but he's highly intelligent also, well...it certainly doesn't help the wavering self-esteem.
"Victor? Victor Han?" Tory's round orbs immediately land on the owner of the voice calling his name. A tall, slim figure standing right at the dorm room's entrance. Carefully pushing himself off of his sitting position, the small boy meets it half way. "Yes?"
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up." the man jokes, to which Tory responds with an embarrassed grin.
"Yeah, sorry. I...things happened. This campus is ridiculous, I kind of got lost and...anyways I'm here now!" he responds, finishing the sentence with a bit of extra cheer. The man, who introduces himself as Colton, their building's RA, quickly explains his being there before he says his goodbyes and disappears just as quickly as he had appeared. Tory is left staring at an empty hallway for several seconds before pulling himself back inside. "Alright then..." he responds much too late, an almost amused smile on his lips.
The room is silent for a couple of beats and Tory can't help but feel out of place. He's practically mute, compared to the chatter box that he is typically known for, but he can't think of a single thing to say at this point. Adam's overall aura is intimidating enough to rid him of coherent sentences. Fishing a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants out of his baggage, he decides to escape for a few minutes. "I'm going to take a quick shower, if any of my things are in your way just toss them over to my side." he calmly explains, pushing his blonde locks out of his face with one hand. Maybe a relaxing shower is what he needs to help him ease back into normality.
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Adam notices the surprise that tinges Tory's expression, and puts that memory away carefully to gloat over in future. He knows he received a pretty good lot in life, and he's proud of it - he's never truly worked too hard in the past, but he's gotten this far now, he's not about to give up and settle for mediocrity.
"I guess you got the looks and the brains here, I'm starting to feel a bit intimidated."
Adam smiles and shrugs nonchalantly, feigning a bit of modesty for his roommate's benefit. "Thanks. I mean... space is cool, right? My dad was kinda hoping that I'd be an astronaut, so he could brag to all his friends about his son going to space, but honestly, I'd rather keep my feet on the ground."
Colton's arrival keeps Adam from speaking his next words, but he turns to watch Colton prattle off his introduction - probably practiced in front of a mirror, Adam thinks with a slight scoff - and then display his vanishing act a second time. Then Tory ducks into the shower, and Adam loses his chance to ask Tory about his photography a second time. Jumpy little boy, that Tory. "Sure," he replies carelessly, certain that Tory hasn't encroached on his space anyway.
Adam's getting curious about his roommate, so while the boy is busy in the shower, he edges towards his side of the room, casting curious glances at the camera. He doesn't think very much of arts students, because he'd never been quite able to understand art anyway, but photography, at least, is something he can get behind, because he knows about the composition of photos and stuff like that. Technical talk he can understand.
A thought crosses his mind unbidden - if Tory is gay, or even bisexual. Given his feminine appearance and gentle demeanour, Adam can't help wondering if perhaps his roommate prefers boys to girls, a dilemma he's been struggling with himself. Not that he'd ever confide that in his roommate, of course.
T O R YxxH A N
Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford University
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After pulling on a pair of light gray jeans, (which he notes are tighter than usual as a result of his legs getting too much exercise at work), and while t-shirt, he steps out of the steamy bathroom. His blonde locks fall in thin clumps over his forehead, almost reaching his eyelashes. Perhaps, he thinks to himself, it may be time for a hair cut.
For reasons unknown, the small boy half expects Adam to be nowhere to be seen by the time heβs finished, but his roommate is still there going about his business. The bronze manβs looks strike Tory again, as if this were the first time seeing him, and he finds himself wondering if this is going to happen every time they see one another, because damn he is painfully attractive.
Donβt even go there, Tory.
Pushing all dangerous thoughts from his mind, he grabs the thin towel and drapes it over his head, tossing his hair every which way for a few seconds before deciding to just allow it to air dry. A few drops of cold water fall on his shoulders as he pushes the locks out of his eyes with a swift flick of his hand. As heβs setting the towel aside, his gaze falls on his phone, carefully placed on top of his own pillow. The screen glows blue and gray with a message notification and the name Emily written in bold. He can almost guess what his friendβs message reads. Either some sort of a guilt trip to try and get him to go somewhere with her, or a request for details about his new roommate, which she had avidly asked for before Tory even reached the living quarters. But, much to Toryβs surprise and utter horror, itβs neither of the two.
From: Emily
Message: Heyβ¦soβ¦.I kinda sorta may have told Jake your room number. Donβt kill me.
Toryβs eyes feel like theyβre going to roll into the back of his head as he supresses a loud sigh. βYou've got to be kidding meβ¦.β he mutters, more to himself than anything. An egotistical, cheating ex-boyfriend coming to find him to mend burned bridges is not something he planned on including in todayβs agenda, especially since he has zero intentions to mend anything. He makes a mental note to strangle Emily for this later.
Calculating he probably has a few minutes before the unwanted visitor arrives, Tory hurries to put on his light blue converse, hoping to escape in time. Unfortunately the universe deals him the bad hand, and a mop of light brown hair over six feet of mildly tan skin shows up at the door step.
Using the bathroom door to hide, Tory makes sure to capture Adams attention first before mouthing the words βIβm not hereβ, and desperately hopes his roommate gets the idea and sends the ghost from his past in another direction. As far away from him as possible.
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Having satisfied his curiosity about Tory's belongings, Adam flops down onto his bed, propping himself up on a pillow, cradling one of the books he'd brought from home. He's still in that position when the bathroom door opens and a cloud of steam billows out, revealing his new roommate. For the most part, Adam ignores him as he putters around his own space, focusing instead on his book. He's not quite used to to sharing his space with someone else, and a stranger no less, but he figures he'll get used to living with Tory soon. Probably.
The peace doesn't last for long, because Tory mutters to himself, clearly in distress, and dives for his shoes. Adam barely resists the urge to glance up, but does allow himself an eyeroll, trying to keep his concentration on his book. It's likely not Tory's fault to some extent, but the small space means Tory's movements catch his eye easily, and it's not exactly something that Adam can ignore easily.
Someone knocks at the door, and Adam sets his book down with an exasperated sigh. The universe does not want him to be productive today, apparently. Since Tory is closer to the door, Adam expects he'd deal with the visitor, whoever it is, but the boy has ducked behind the bathroom door instead, mouthing words at Adam. He can't quite hear the boy, but he understands the meaning of the words, judging by the trapped look on the boy's face.
Hauling himself to his feet, Adam goes to open the door. Another boy stands there, this one almost - almost - as tall as he is, looking rather confrontational. "Yes?"
"I'm looking for Tory Han?"
Honestly, it's a surprise this stranger hasn't shoved Adam out of the doorway yet, the way he's peering over Adam's shoulder as if he expects Tory to be cowering behind him.
"No Tory here," Adam responds, as convincingly as possible, then makes to close the door on him.
"Wait. Are you sure? Are you hiding him? Is he hiding? Tory?" One hand placed flat on the door, the boy looks into the dorm room, almost forcing his way inside.
"No, I'm not," Adam says very firmly, "and if you don't get lost I'll have the authorities in here. I don't know who that is. Get out." With that, he closes the door and locks it, the click loud enough that whoever is on the other side of the door should have heard it.
"So." Adam turns to Tory, pushing the bathroom door open wider. "Who's that?"
T O R YxxH A N
Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford University
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He stares wide-eyed at a curious Adam for several seconds, while pushing all unnecessary thoughts from his head, before managing to form words.
βoh, just... a cheating ex, that doesnβt know when to give up.β he sighs as he leans against the bathroom door frame. He decides to save the guy the gritty details, considering he shouldnβt have even been involved in this in the first place, and leaves it at that. βThank you for the help, and Iβm sorry for involving you in it.β he adds, the corners of his lips quirking up into an apologetic smile, revealing small but noticeable dimples.
Tory knows he should have handled it himself, but itβs been a hell of a day and having to put up with someone like Jake at a time like this is not something he wanted to experience. Not to mention it probably would have sparked a heated argument that Adam has no business hearing.
And then thereβs the elephant in the room, because Tory has no idea how Adam feels about different sexualities and for all he knows, the guy could be against everything Tory stands for and then some. He doesnt say anything about it, though, assuming that if Adam has any problem with it he will mosr Afraid to find out the answer, Tory quickly slips past Adam before he has the chance to say anything about it, and fishes for his cell phone. Heβs highly tempted to give Emily a piece of his mind via text and emojis, but decides that face to face will have a stronger affect. Not to mention he can yell as loudly as he needs to.
Instead, he types up a quick Weβll talk after workβ¦. and sends it her way, before plopping down on the bed. He has to be at his new job in less than two hours and is already feeling drained of a desire to do anything.
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"I see." Adam doesn't reveal that Tory's basically just revealed the answer to the question he's been puzzling over for the past few minutes - the presence of an annoying ex confirms that the boy's at least somewhat interested in guys too. For reasons he can't quite comprehend, Adam feels weirdly triumphant, but doesn't show it, instead letting a small smile grace his features.
His roommate brushes past him, sitting down on his own bed, focusing his attention on his phone. Adam watches him go, noting the relative coolness of the boy's skin as it touches his arm briefly. He's not done with the boy yet, though.
Following suit, Adam sits on his bed, then maneuvers himself around so he's lying upside down on it, head hanging off the edge of the mattress, legs resting against the wall. "I won't pry into your business," he begins, his smile widening into the cocky grin he's known for sporting when he's found something he wants - usually a girl - and won't leave until he's gotten it, "but what are you going to do if he comes back? He's gotten our room number somehow, and he's going to come back looking for you. Also, I figure you owe me a favour for getting rid of him, hmm?"
Already he's wondering how far he can push Tory, because while the boy doesn't seem too secretive about liking guys (there goes the hold he has over him, Adam realises) he seems like a good source of entertainment for a while at least. This one incident basically gave him all he needed to start messing with Tory - some might call it sociopathic, the way he messes with people and tosses them aside, even those he calls his friends, but it's not like he's really hurting anyone. Probably. See, the issue is, Adam's never really been one to make emotional connections. His real friends are few and far between, and those he stays loyal to, but aside from them everyone else is just a game to him, guys, girls, whoever. It doesn't matter to Adam, and it never really has, and as far as he can see he's not going to be bothered much with how people are affected anytime soon.
His phone pings, and the screen lights up with a text message. Can you come in? We need you for a couple hours. He groans. "So, I have to call in to work for a few hours, but we'll talk terms when I'm back." Adam stands and pulls off his shirt, trading it in for a more formal button down. The pants he keeps. With a wink and one final toothy smile, he's out the door, swinging his backpack onto his back.
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Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford University
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Not only did Tory not expect the reaction, but he hadnβt thought far enough to be able to answer his question. What will he do if Jake comes back. Or more like when JaKe comes back, because thereβs no doubt in Toryβs mind that the bastard will not give up until heβs found what heβs looking for.
The small boyβs rounded eyes watch as Adam makes himself comfortable on his own bed, throwing yet another question in Toryβs direction, and once again itβs one he canβt quite give an answer to. Of course heβs grateful for Adamβs help, but thereβs nothing Tory has that his roommate could possibly want considering he already seems like heβs got it all and then some. The blonde shifts nervously, gently biting at his bottom lip while his brows furrow together in thought. βI uhh-β his small and unsure voice is cut off by a subtle ping. Realizing his phone isnβt the source, he watches silently as Adam checks his message, claiming heβs needed at work, and all too quickly pulls himself upright. The sudden flash of tanned skin doesnβt fail to add a pink tint to Toryβs rounded cheeks, forcing himself to look down at his own hands.
ββ¦weβll talk terms when Iβm back.β For reasons he canβt fathom, that statement brings a subtle chill up Toryβs spine. Because itβs not what he says, but rather how he says it that has the boyβs nerves running wild. And regardless of how badly he wants to speak out a response, all he can really manage is a nod before Adam is out the door and out of sight. Itβs not until then that Tory releases a breath he hadnβt realized he was holding. His body falls limply onto the mattress, eyes fixed on the ceiling over his head while he wallows in confusion because, was Adam just flirting?
Now youβre just getting ahead of yourself, Tory.
Still he lays there, arms at his sides and eyes wider than the sky as he tries to make some sense of his roommates subtle yet sudden change of behavior. That is, until he realizes heβs got less than thirty minutes to make it to the restaurant where heβs now working part-time and gathers himself in a frenzy, shoving all thoughts of Jake and Adam to the back of his mind until further notice.
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A couple hours drags on into the rest of the day, and it's dark outside, way past dinnertime when the store finally closes and Adam's allowed to leave, the owner apologising to him the entire time about keeping him back. Adam doesn't mind all that much, really, because the pay is good and his colleagues are friendly people. But still, the main reason for his being called back was his colleagues' absence, and despite the shop's relatively small size, he was basically kept on his feet all day shelving books and hunting for requests from customers.
"Sorry again, Adam," his boss says. He waves her concerns off, pasting an amiable sort of smile on his face. He knows the store is her baby, and she works hard to do what she's always dreamed of doing, so he doesn't quite resent her for her attachment to the bookshop. While waiting for her to lock up, he lights up a cigarette, hanging around outside the darkened shopfront.
"That's alright, Kerry. I'll be in next week at the same time, then, unless you still need me in."
"Oh, I don't think I will! At least, I hope not," she calls after him as he puts out his cigarette and starts down the sidewalk, hands tucked into his pockets. The evening is uncharacteristically cold, even for this time of year, and Adam briefly regrets not bringing a jacket with him when he left. So much for cool exits.
The walk back to Waterford is slow, and absolute hell on his aching and swollen feet. His stomach growling, Adam surveys the shops he passes on the way back, trying to decide what he wants to for dinner - if eating at nine in the evening can be considered dinner. Eventually he takes the easy way out and drops in on McDonald's, bringing a greasy paper bag full of fast food back to the dorm so he can eat in peace.
It takes some fumbling, but he eventually manages to wrench open the door to his room, collapsing almost instantly into his chair, still clutching his bag of food, aware that he smells faintly of smoke. He hasn't bothered to close the door behind him, and light from the hallway streams in. He waves a hand in front of his face, trying to dissipate the smell of smoke. Tory might not like that too much, but he hasn't looked around to see if his roommate is in yet.
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Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford University
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"You did great, Tory! How'd you like your first day?" the question almost flew past the blonde's head as he fumbled around for his belongings, ready to be back at the dorm and get some much needed sleep before his classes began. In the end, all he could do was put on his signature smile and assure the girl that "Everything was great!" because, really, what would complaining to her about what customers choose to do with their mouths do? She can' t exactly tell them what not to say because, as it goes, the customer is always right.
The bus ride back to campus seemed to drag out longer than it should have, which could have a lot to do with how exhausted Tory is. A long day on top of a long night does not make for a good combination. He's mildly surprised to find that, as he's turning the corner, Adam is just walking into the room. His first thoughts go to wonder what his job is and why they kept him so long when he said he'd be a couple of hours. That leads to the thought of what he said before leaving about "discussing terms". It could have been just a joke on his part, which was probably the more likely option, but that didn't keep the subtle nervousness out of Tory's stomach. After deciding he's most likely overthinking things, he heads up the hallway, stepping into the room a few minutes after Adam had.
His large eyes examine Adam's form for a moment, determining that he's probably just as exhausted as Tory feels, before his lips morph into a soft and tired smile. "Hey, how was work?" he asks as his belongings are tossed aside, before moving to take off his shoes and unbutton the black shirt he's required to wear. Maybe his roommate doesn't feel like making conversation at the moment, but it's a habit of Tory's to always ask how someone's day has been, especially when they look so warn out.
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Adam opens his eyes when footsteps sound at the door, and the question aimed at his wellbeing almost makes him smile. He's too tired to give any response, so he just shrugs and shakes the bag of food at Tory, a silent invite to share his fries - probably soggy by now, but it hardly matters.
Without waiting for a response, he turns to the table, stabbing a straw into the cup of soda, which begins condensing all over his desk. Using a newspaper as a buffer between the oily surface and the rest of his desk, he tears the bag open and pours the fries out onto it, then begins devouring his burger, which disappears in a matter of minutes.
"Help yourself," he mutters, gesturing at the fries, still lying untouched on the paper bag, then rises and grabs a change of clothes, slouching into the bathroom. He's aware that the way he's acting right now is a little erratic - jumping from task to task - but that's the way his brain works when it's tired, barely able to focus on any task at one time.
The warm shower is heaven on his strained muscles, so good he almost wants to sit down and fall asleep there. The jet begins losing its warmth after a few minutes, though, and that jolts him back to reality, turning off the water and toweling off so he doesn't waste too much of the remaining hot water. A little more conscious at this point, he emerges from the shower, eyes landing on Tory.
"It was fine, turned out to be way longer than expected because my colleague fell sick," he explains, a belated response to Tory's earlier question. He flops onto the bed, leaning against the wall so he's facing his roommate. "Sorry I used up most of the hot water. How was your day?"
His attempt at small talk surprises even himself. Adam's never really been one for making light conversation, but it seems...this is what is brain wants to do, right now.
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Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford University
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Tory watches Adam go about his business almost as if heβs on auto pilot. The only words thrown his way are a quick invitation to the fries that are supposed to form a part of the guy's meal. And by the time Tory is finished settling his belongings and deciding whether to accept the food or not, Adam has disappeared into the confines of the dorm room bathroom. The blonde blinks at the fries left on the table before choosing to take Adam up on his offer and scoop some into his hands. He hasnβt exactly had dinner yet either, though itβs close to midnight now, and his petite figure needs more nutrition.
He simply plays the waiting game now, making himself comfortable on his own bed and every so often taking a fry into his mouth, until Adam emerges from his shower. Adamβs eyes meet Tory's long enough to cause his head to shift down, his gaze now on the remaining French fries in his palm. Something about Mr. tall, dark and handsome makes Toryβs nerves react, but rather than figuring out what it is, he decides to just ignore it in hopes that it will go away on its own.
Though his steady voice is enough to bring Tory out of his thoughts, heβs forced to go back in and wrack his brain for what it is Adam is talking about. By the time heβs realizes itβs a response to his question from earlier, Adam is speaking again. Luckily Tory is able to catch enough of the sentence to put an answer together, albeit a bit delayed and stumbled, but an answer nonetheless. βHuh? Oh, uh- itβs okay.β He presses his back against the cold wall behind his bed, his rounded eyes landing on Adamβs for a fraction of a second before switching back down.
βOther than being asked are you on the menu? a hundred times at workβ¦β he states calmly in between munching on his last fry. βIt was good.β Had it been said differently, Adam could have thought Tory was bragging about being flirted with, but the perturbed expression on the small boyβs face should be enough to tell him otherwise. Normally Tory isnβt a fan of being flirted with, because how is he even supposed to respond? And the fact that his cheeks morph into ripe tomatoes each and every time it happens surely does him no good. He's still thankful that Adam missed that earlier, though he can feel them threatening to do the same now just from thinking about his day at the restaurant and makes sure to keep his face low.
Thereβs a short pause during which Tory panders getting up to shower, but his body is much too comfortable and his mind much too tired to function. He brings his knees up to his chest, arms wrapped around them as his chin rests in between them, his face propped up towards Adam and he dares to make eye contact for a bit longer this time, trying hard not to mind the odd feeling in his gut. βThanks for the friesβ he says, tossing in a soft smile on automatic. βAnd for earlier... with Jake I meanβ¦I didn't have much of a chance to tell you butβ¦β he gently bites his lower lip, contemplating his next few words. βYou really saved me a lot of trouble.β. Thereβs only so much cheating and posessive ex boyfriend drama someone can take and Tory has long since hit his limit.
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Adam responds to Tory's smile instinctively, grinning back before his brain catches up to what his face is doing. "You're welcome, I guess," he replies, nodding. He doesn't know what being on the receiving end of that sort of behaviour from an ex is like - truth be told, he has been that ex a couple of times - but the boy seems relieved, and that's a good thing, probably.
"You can talk about it if you want to," he offers. Instantly, wishing he hadn't just offered to act aunt agony to his new roommate, he shoves a few of the remaining fries into his mouth, avoiding eye contact with Tory. Suddenly, he's wide awake, wondering how he got himself into such a situation and how to get himself out of it.
"Do you like...exclusively like guys?" Adam starts, trying to change the topic. "Should I be weirded out? I feel like it'd be weird to date guys. Do you go to pride events, what's that like?" He shifts restlessly, bouncing up from his bed and walking to his desk, then his closet, as he talks, trying to look busy. He gathers up books and stacks them on his desk, shifts the other things on the desk around, and puts them away in the small cupboard above his desk.
"I mean, y'know, you do you, I guess. Only, if you're planning to bring anyone back here you should let me know early, alright?" Somehow the thought of Tory bringing anyone back fills him with annoyance, but he attributes it to annoyance at the thought of two guys banging in his dorm room, shared or not. He doesn't allow thoughts of what happened the last time he dated a girl come to mind.
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Dialogue: #e6e600
Location: Waterford University
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It's not unlikely. It's happened many times with straight guys before for it to be anything new to Tory. He's usually able to handle it with ease, making him feel a little less uncomfortable within a couple of minutes, but something about the way Adam's questions sound is making him a mildly uneasy. He shifts awkwardly on the mattress, large eyes focused on Adam. "Pride events?" he pauses for a second, brows furrowing together in thought. "I've never been to any." There's that same misconception from his hometown. The idea that any guy that isn't as straight as a ruler is automatically extra, flamboyant, involved in any pride parade they can find and impulsed to flirt with every male whether they are homosexual or not. Not that there's anything wrong with being that way, but that's not Tory, and it never has been. His personality, whether he likes guys or gals, remains the same.
"I promise I'll give you enough warning" he adds as he pushes himself off the bed, referring to Aadam's comment on bringing someone back to the dorm. Not that it is something that will happen often. Tory isn't the type to sleep with someone he is not dating, and as of this moment, he hasn't dated in over a year. A jam packed college schedule only makes the odds of that happening even thinner. After deciding to finally step into the shower, Tory gathers his clothes and a towel. His body aches from head to toe and only hot water running down his skin can help that now.
"And don't worry about feeling awkward." he says. After waiting long enough for Adam to make eye contact he adds- "You're not my type." with a cheeky smile before scurrying off to the safety of the small bathroom. It's all a lie of course. Tory doesn't have a type, and if he tried to tell himself that he isn't the least bit attracted to his painfully handsome roommate he would be lying to himself.
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"You're not my type." Adam remains staring after his roommate, gone so quickly he might as well have left a trail of dust in his wake. "Alright," he mutters to the air, shrugging. Not his roommate's type it is. Not that it matters either way.
In fact, it's better like this.
The next three weeks of class pass in a blur, and before Adam knows it he's made friends - well, they call themselves his friends, at least, Adam couldn't care less about most of them but they're fun people. This many kids living together, there's bound to be a party, and it's not long before Adam's invited to one. The invitation somehow found its way to his roommate too, and so on this particular Saturday night they're in someone's house a little way away from campus, the music loud, sweaty bodies pressed entirely too closely to each other.
Adam is cradling a soda, having ditched the alcohol early in the evening. He's not supposed to be drinking, and while he hasn't quite told his friends why, they're at least respectful enough not to try to force it on him. He's leaning on the island in the kitchen, alone, the cold soda can condensing all over his hand. Somewhere out in the yard he thinks he sees Tory's blond head bobbing among the crowd, but he can't be sure.
Tonight's boring - he'll leave in half an hour if nothing happens. He's not particularly in the mood for partying tonight anyway.
With a soft groan, the blonde sets his empty glass down on a small island and ventures back inside. If he can't find the petite firecracker in the next five minutes, he'd made up his mind to go back to the dorms. If the only reason he's here has suddenly gone missing, then he's got every liberty to leave. Emily is more than capable of looking after herself. Kind of. His eyes examine his surrounding for the familiar face, but instead he catches a different one. Adam, in the kitchen by himself, looking utterly bored out of his mind. Tory quirks a smile in his direction, wondering if he should join him or simply move on with the hunt. Over the past few weeks, the two roommates have grown to be friends. At least, Tory considered it so. While they weren't as close as two peas in a pod, the two got along well enough. Plenty of study sessions, movie marathons and mindless teasing involved. And while he would deny it time and time again whenever Emily brought it up, the nineteen year old couldn't lie to himself. Somewhere along the line, a minor crush had developed. Undeniably one sided because it was perfectly clear to Tory that his roommate was straighter than an iron ruler.
"Never thought I'd see you here." Tory's attention was suddenly snatched, his gaze moving away from his lonely roommate and in the direction of the familiar voice. There stood, stoic and handsome as ever, a very familiar face to match the voice. The young boy felt is lips morph into a soft smile, just as they had when he'd spotted Adam. "Anthony...hey.". The last name just barely escaped him, but Tory knew the guy well enough, and had even asked him on a date, which he so reluctantly had to cancel. Tory's small voice merely cut through the sound of partying way too hard, but was apparently loud enough for the guy to hear as he responded with a dazzling smile of his own. "I was actually just leaving. Parties aren't my thing." he added, his hand nervously rubbing at the back of his neck.
"I see." now that he stood so close, close enough for Tory to catch the fading scent of cologne, it was evident how tall her was. That or Tory was simply smaller than average. "I was actually on my way out too. Need a ride?" Tory's lips morphed into a small oval of realization, having just landed on the fact that without Emily he had no way of getting back. Something Anthony caught onto immediately. "Sure" That single word was like a green light for Anthony as he immediately latched on to one of Tory's hands, leading him through and out of the saturated crowd.
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Having been picked up by friends earlier, Adam realised a little too late that he wouldn't be able to hitch a ride back. Standing on the curb outside the house, he glanced around, wondering if anyone was leaving that he could catch a ride with.
No such luck. Everyone remained indoors, and the few stragglers drinking on the lawn barely spared Adam a glance. Tory seemed to have gone, too, so not even a person who might be willing to walk with him. Nothing for it but to walk. Heaving a sigh, Adam started down the street, in the direction of his dorm.
Fifteen minutes later Adam stood in front of the dorm building, his breath misting in little puffs in front of his face. He hadn't anticipated this cold, and the trek back to campus had been tiring. At this point he wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower and collapse into bed.
As if mocking Adam, the lift was cordoned off, its usual display of 'LENZ COURT - FIRST FLOOR' replaced with 'UNDER REPAIR', the crimson words blinking silent laughter at him. Seething, he climbed the stairs, footfalls echoing through the entire stairwell. The third floor could not have come soon enough.
The door to the room he and Tory shared swung open silently, and for a moment Adam stood frozen in the doorway. For - unless the cold and his tiredness had conspired to trick his eyes - Tory was there with another boy, and the noises they were making made clear the nature of the other person's visit. Adam briefly registered him as Anthony, someone he'd met at a student mixer, but that was of little importance.
"Um, excuse me?" he tried, then when that went unnoticed, raised his voice a few notches. "Hey! What the hell, man?"
The ride eventually came to an end, Anthony very graciously volunteered to walk Tory inside, and the rest became one collective blur. One moment they were standing outside Tory and Adam's shared room, saying their goodbyes. The next, they were inside, Tory's back pressed firmly against the wall and Anthony's hands gripping onto his hips like both their lives depended on it. Perhaps it was the scattered shots of whiskey, the stress that came with university courses, or Tory's prominent need to move past whatever complicated and unrequited feelings he had for Adam, but the small blonde felt as if he had been needing a night like this for far too long. So he allowed himself to be drawn in by every kiss and movement, the possibility of Adam walking in on them completely slipping his mind.
"Hey! What the hell, man?" that familiar voice pulled Tory out of whatever airy state he was in, both his and Anthony's set of eyes turning in its direction. Tory's heart felt as if it dropped to his stomach, the heat that spread through his body now concentrating on his otherwise pale cheeks. "Adam..I-" he felt the hands that had become so familiar now slowly release hold of his hips, but his body didn't move an inch. "Cocteau? What are you doing here?" somehow, Anthony's nonchalance didn't make Tory feel any less guilty, even though he realistically had nothing to feel guilty about. "He's my roommate." the boy weakly explained.Anthony's gaze flickered to Tory for a fraction of a second before landing back on Adam's figure. "Ah. Way to ruin the mood, man."
There was a moment of silence while Anthony pulled his shirt back on, thankfully the only clothing article that had been out of place. Had Adam walked in just ten minutes later he may have just killed them both. "Guess it's my cue to leave." Anthony announced, one of his fingers gently tapping against the bottom of Tory's chin. "I'll see you tomorrow." It took Tory much longer than it should have to realize the guy was referring to the date they had agreed on during the car ride, and by the time he did, Anthony was already out the door. Of course, the blonde boy completely missed the sophomore's fixing glance thrown in Adam's direction.
The two were left in silence, and suddenly the room felt as if it were closing in on Tory's person. The pink tint still very prominent on his cheeks. "Sorry...I didn't think you'd be back so early." he admitted, one hand rubbing nervously against his elbow. And once again, Tory had to remind himself that he'd done nothing wrong. It was clear that Adam saw him as nothing more than the person he had to share a living space with.
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Adam briefly registered Tory speaking his name, but ignored his roommate in favour of the other boy in the room. "Way to ruin the mood, man." Adam scoffed, his tiredness and something else he couldn't explain mixing in his stomach to form a toxic cocktail of that old familiar anger. He wanted to yell, to shove someone, maybe break something. Instead, he settled for a terse, low, "Get the fuck out." He didn't move from where he stood in the doorway, forcing Anthony to have to duck past him in order to avoid shoving Adam to make space.
"Sorry...I didn't think you'd be back so early." Adam's gaze flicked up to his roommate, looking unsettled, maybe a little guilty. He entered the room they shared, shutting the door behind him with an audible click as he stepped towards Tory. "Save it. I thought I told you already to let me know. If I'd known you were gonna bring back another - fag," and here he positively spat the words out, letting Tory know how he felt about the entire situation, "I wouldn't have come back so early. But I suppose boning him was all you were thinking about at the time." Without waiting for a reply, Adam grabbed a change of clothes and his towel and entered the washroom, this time letting the door swing shut with a bang. Overreaction or not, he'd had enough of today.
"Save it." the smaller boy's doe eyes regarded Adam's with confusion. Sure, it may have been something unexpected to walk into, but Tory and Adam had been roommates for weeks now, and the latter never showed any distaste for who he was. Tory let his shoulders drop, poising his lips to speak again, apologize and assure Adam something like this would not happen again, but the next words to leave the guy's mouth left his utterly speechless. Like needles injecting venom into his bloodstream. The way Adam spat out the words made Tory's small body and delicate features twist in discomfort and...hurt. Something that he didn't bother trying to hide, because hearing something so hateful out of Adam's mouth hurt like a punch to the gut.
He opened his mouth to respond, but by the time his mind was able to gather enough words, Adam was nowhere to be seen. The loud bang of the bathroom door made Tory flinch, leaving behind bitter silence. The blonde stared motionless at the empty space in front of him for longer than he meant to. In fact, it wasn't until he heard the water being turned on that he snapped out of his daze, letting him body fall back onto the bed, the back of his eyes already beginning to burn.
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All These Things That I've Done
by barnes on Fri May 05, 2017 10:21 pm
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- Last post by SleepingInTheGardens
on Tue Nov 14, 2017 10:11 am
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All These Things That I've Done
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Re: All These Things That I've Done
And yes of course, save that for later. Once the drama and butting heads is started it's all downhill from there honestly, like a snowball effect.
Re: All These Things That I've Done
I think that would only work if Tory was really attracted to Adam, otherwise we'd just be putting him through misery for no reason lol. but don't worry! we'll get to that
Re: All These Things That I've Done
And I can add in one more post for Tory and then let you set up. Or if you wanna have a response to whatever tory says you can do that and then skip ahead. It's up to you! I should have Tory's post up soon tho ^^
And I'm chalk full of ideas! But feel free to always add to them :)
Re: All These Things That I've Done
I just recalled I haven't filled in Adam's history yet, I've got something planned so maybe we could work that into the story as well, bring up old flames and stuff ;) I'm so glad you've got good ideas like this to keep me going, lol. maybe we could just have about one more post each, fade to black as they go to bed, and then I'll set the scene for the party, what do you think?
Re: All These Things That I've Done
So maybe we can fastforward a couple of weeks to when Adam has already developed pretty solid feelings but still hasn't fully realized it. They both end up at this party by mutual friends and one of two things happen;
1) Adam, somehow cohorsed into drinking, has one too many shots. At some point before he could have unintentionally mentioned something to Tory about his past with alcohol so when Tory sees what's going on, being the sweetheart he is, he tries to help by kind of pulling Adam away from everything (still at the party but like in a more private/secluded area) and keeping him busy in hopes that either the party will end or he'll sober uP a bit and realize he needs to stop drinking. But maybe alcohol makes Adam either too emotional or too honest and they somehow end up kissing or some form of PDA. Adam's friends catch him in the act and all hell breaks loose. When he's sober enough Adam realizes what he did and it's all downhill from there.
2) At this party Tory hooks up with one of Adam's friends. Maybe not a close one, but someone he would have considered having a friendship with. Adam confronts him because in his logic, Tory dating someone he knows weird him out. But deep down he knows he's just jealous. So they get into an argument about it and Adam realizes he was dangerously close to blurting out he likes Tory, and once again it's all downhill from there!
That's all I got for now. Let me know if you like either of these ideas or if you've got your own!
Re: All These Things That I've Done
All These Things That I've Done
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