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The Dean’s “spirits” lingered in the halls of the abandoned wing, the place Duke, Pluto, Morella, Lenore, Berenice, and Eulalie would go to play hooky; more commonly known as skipping class. Though, this time around, Pluto and Duke were ahead of the other’s. For what reason? Dunno.
Duke kept Pluto ducked behind him, keeping watch for the dark figures that wandered. Once out of sight, Laurent walked up the remaining steps, pulling the other with him.
Pluto straightened once his hand was let go of, scowling as he looked down the hallway, evidently unsure of the whereabouts of the rest of the group. “Duke–Why’re we going ahead of ev’rybody-? Shouldn’t we…I don’t know…wait for them?”
A smirk formed on Duke’s face, pulling the wooden door open and stepping aside to let the other enter first. “Oui, I suppose. But that would completely ruin what I have in store for you…and them.”
“A surprise? If there’s a surprise, then why don’t you only go ahead instead of just us?”
Duke laughed, closing the door behind him. “Absurdité.”
“It isn’t, though! It makes no sense for you to only pull me along if there’s some sort of surprise for all of us.” Pluto huffed, his hands shoving themselves into the pockets of his jacket. “What is the surprise anyway?”
“Tu dois plaisanter, mon minou!” scoffed Laurent. “The whole point of a surprise is that no one is supposed to know!” He stepped forward to walk beside Pluto, curling an arm around his shoulders. “Your joie de vivre must still be missing in that head of yours.”
“Yeah right–! Stop saying I lack that–”
“You humor me. Do you even know what I’m saying?”
“I–yes, I do, Duke.”
“Then what is it?”
“...”
“Very well.” Duke snickered. “Your joy of living is still missing.”
Pluto’s eyes rolled, about to turn on his foot to leave before he’d gotten pulled by his arm. His hand instinctively clasping around Duke’s that grabbed him in the first place.
A light chuckle left Duke’s lips at the surprised expression, mimicking it in a more exaggerated way. “Stay on your guard, mon minou.” He winked.
For a reason that seemed unknown, Pluto felt his face flush at the action, turning his head away sheepishly.
“Close your eyes, Pluto.” advised Duke.
Looking up, Pluto gave a look that read: Are you serious?
“I said close your eyes. I have a surprise, non? Can’t be a surprise if you get peeks, amour.”
The raven paused, his gold eye lingering on Duke for a moment longer than intended. The nickname seemed to hook onto Pluto. Different than what he was normally called; and, quite frankly–anyone could tell that Duke’d said love. …why?
Despite his confusion, he blindly let Duke lead him. Down the hallway, up the spiral stairs, the narrow corridor to reach the room that he would hang out in with everybody. The directions and movements he made to reach the familiar place.
Once the two had made the turn that would go into the hooky room, Duke placed a hand over Pluto’s eye. His other hand moving to the small of Pluto’s back. Laurent felt the latter’s body shift slightly, but chose not to pay any mind to it.
“We’re here, Duke. I can tell. Why’re you not doing anything–?” Pluto asked, subconsciously leaning back into the other.
He smiled, turning his gaze down to Pluto. “Suspense, minou.” He whispered, his eyes narrowed–as if to be cunning for the raven despite his sight being blocked. Cheekily, Duke uncovered Pluto’s eye, fixing himself to stand beside the latter.
As Pluto’s vision focused—as much as it could—he tilted his head, his arms dropping to his sides. “It doesn’t look any different.” He commented, confused. Looking over, a brow raised. “What’s the surprise s’pposed to be?”
“That we’ll be alone for a moment or two.” Duke answered simply, shrugging lightly as he stepped forward.
“What—?”
“Mes dieux, Pluto. Have your ears stopped working?” He accused. “I said the surprise is that we’ll be alone.”
“I–I know that.” Pluto scoffed. “But how is that a surprise??” The raven watched as Duke steadied the golden phonograph, music quietly beginning to play. Following after the latter, his hands placed themselves into his jacket pockets.
Duke turned, looking down at the other. “It’s a surprise because I’ve been meaning to steal a moment with you. Surely it isn’t that hard to catch onto, non?” He asked, tilting his head.
Pluto’s arms crossed in response, turning on his foot to walk away. He crossed the room to the small balcony of the room, pushing open the two glass doors. A chill breeze rushed into the wing, blowing through the sheer curtains that were hung up on the windows that could be opened.
Laurent followed behind Pluto, placing a hand over his shoulder to turn him around. Duke’s head tilted at the other, a grin forming on his face. “I don’t suppose you could give me a reason as to why I’m getting the silent treatment, minou?” He peered, raising a brow.
As he turned, Pluto’s eye shot up to Duke. His brows furrowed, scowling for a moment before his expression rested. The raven opened his mouth to speak, but trailed off, taken aback. A stutter of a word left his lips, but nothing more than silence following. For a moment, he could’ve sworn the world disappeared. The academy, where they were, the breeze outside silencing. Like there was…nothing left. Just him and Duke. Pluto turned his head down, clearing his throat as he felt his face grow warm.
“Um–why did you want to steal a moment with me?” asked Pluto.
“Because I’ve been meaning to talk to you, alone, preferably.” Duke answered, tilting Pluto’s face up with his knuckle.
The raven stammered, his eye narrowing at Duke. His nose scrunching at the feeling of the other’s hand. It felt different, sudden, new. But not exactly unwelcome.
A silence strung between the two, one that was unintentional, but comfortable. Duke’s eyes softened while Pluto’s body loosened. Fingers intertwined into a hand hold at their side. The moment had felt as though it were going on for eternity, but ended when Duke cleared his throat, moving to turn away from the raven.
“..wait–Duke–” He spoke up, his hand still holding onto Duke’s whilst he had begun to let go.
Laurent looked over without a second thought, a curious look forming on his face. “Oui, minou?” He asked, taking a small step closer.
The raven’s words got caught in his throat again, his mouth agape as he stared up at the other. His gaze wandered, flicking between Duke’s eyes. A shaken breath left him, hands instinctively clasping around the folds of Duke’s vest, pulling Duke down and himself up to close the distance between them. Pluto’d pressed a kiss to the other’s lips, his body leaning into Laurent.
Duke was caught off guard incredibly. His face had flushed and his stomach began to feel like it was twisting. He was almost thankful Pluto’s eye wasn’t on him. Laurent’s hand wrapped around Pluto’s waist to steady him, his other hand going to reach for the latter’s face.
Though the raven had pulled away before Duke’s other hand could reach him. His gaze was wide, fingers slowly uncurling from the latter’s vest. Avoidant of Duke’s eyes, he looked down, mumbling something under his breath.
Laurent felt like a weight was lifted off of him at the kiss, but was soon pulled back to reality upon subconsciously standing upright. His brows furrowed, growing concerned at the…fearful look Pluto seemed to have. “Minou? Are you alright?”
“Sorry–” He managed. “I shouldn’t’ve done that–”
Duke’s head tilted. “Quoi?” He questioned, leaning down to try and look Pluto in the eye, but he had already slipped from Duke’s hold.
“I wasn’t thinking–I..damn it.” Pluto murmured, his hands placing atop his hand and fingers closing into his hair.
“Pluto–” Duke tried, turning on his foot to follow after the other. “Minou, you needn’t be sorry. I had–”
“..no, no–I already know what you’re going to say–”
Duke was persistent, still trying to follow after Pluto to convince him otherwise. But he kept turning, denying, and outright avoiding Duke. But despite it, his avoidance wasn’t something that would get in the way. Not after doing something that weighed so much more than he could have anticipated. When Duke managed to get close enough to the raven at the right time, he grabbed the latter’s bicep, turning Pluto to face him.
“Regardez-moi, minou!” He pleaded, his face painted with concern for the other.
Pluto’s face was flushed, his breath shallow, eyes darting across the room before they sharply locked with Duke’s gaze. “I–I can’t! I acted without thinking–I didn’t mean to. I mean–I did, but I didn’t mean to express it like that…I hadn’t asked–I just did it without saying anything–”
Ironically enough, Duke thought without thinking as well. In the midst of Pluto’s panicked apology–or, confession?–he pulled Pluto closer a second time. One hand slipping around the latter’s waist while the other cupped his face in the palm of his hand. He pulled the raven into another kiss, leaning down into him. With a small bit of hope, Duke planned the second time around to be the one that Pluto would take as a sort of…yes, or an acception for the stuttered apology he was so badly trying to get out. It was a little humorous. Cute, even.
For however long their shared moment seemed to last, all good things must come to an end, unfortunately.
--
A light knock was heard at the open entrance of the hooky room, Lenore peeking into the room with her head tilted. Her gaze wandered before finding Duke and…Pluto–? Ah, that’s where he had gone. Eulalie peered into the room over Lenore, her eyes looking curiously at the two boys as they straightened themselves.
“Are we…interrupting–?” Lenore asked, her eyes locking with Duke’s.
Duke and Pluto had been in a momentary hug, enjoying each other’s company after getting their feelings across the river. Not in the most ideal way, yes, but it was still done until it seemed right to stop.
“Mon amie–” Duke laughed breathily, his fingers hooking onto the collar of his shirt. His brows furrowed, catching the eye of Berenice and Morella behind Eulalie and Lenore, Berenice covering Morella’s eyes whilst snickering to herself. His eyes rolled, running a hand through his hair.
“We weren’t–uh–” Pluto stammered, his face becoming noticeably flushed.
“Is that why you guys had gone ahead? To spend some extra time together?” Eulalie questioned, her head tilting cluelessly
Through forcibly hidden laughter, Berenice answered Eula’s question before Duke could. “Yeah, totes, Eula, dear. They wanted an extra couple minutes to themselves before we turned up.”
Pluto sat down in a pile of pillows, slumping until his jacket covered the majority of his face. “...whatever.”
Lenore chuckled, raising a hand to her mouth. “Enough teasing, Berenice. Let them gain another moment to breathe.”