– some people wanna watch the world burn. } Crystalfrost ♥︎

[thehobbit9007]

» Plot: Love « || » Coupling: Rory & Gabriel «

"As I said at the beginning of quarter, occasionally in this class we will have group assignments."

There was a collective groan in the classroom, rows of desks filled with students who were less than pleased at the immediate news, class having not even started less than five minutes earlier.

"And today, I'm sure you'll be happy to hear, we will be having one of those said group projects. So, class, stand against the far wall in the room, and as I call your name, gather with your group number. Understood? Now- Trisha, group 1."

The names were called off, one at a time, until the last few were still standing against the wall, now looking uneasy having been saved for last. Their peers eyes were on them, and while some welcomed the attention, others, such as the brownish-orange haired boy who kept his head ducked down, did not.

"Rory, group 3."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory grimaced and glanced at group 3 before walking over to where they were gathered. A second later he realized that Gabriel was in the group as well. He remembered him from when he'd shown up at his father's funeral, but he hadn't spoken to him since. He didn't even know how their parents knew each other, but he got this weird feeling whenever he saw his dad looking at that guy--Seyong? He thought that was his name.

An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he watched Gabriel. He didn't know why, but he didn't really want to get to know this boy, whose father had a history with his. He didn't really want to deal with anything at all, not after Kris' death. It was too fresh. Really, over the past few weeks, his teachers had started to worry about him, enough so that they called his father and got him to go see the school counselor. Of course, he hadn't said a single word to the woman, and by the end of their first meeting she was already frustrated. He'd been in their twice more, silent as the first time.

[thehobbit9007]

Continuing to keep his head down, Gabriel sat at the desk, chair tipped back so it rested on its hind legs, with his hands in his hoody pockets. He, just as Rory, felt uneasy about his father's relationship with some mystery man. He didn't remember the man's name; could barely even recall his face. But that was how Iriel ran. He didn't focus on details, only on the important things. And right then, having been attending a funeral when he met the man... Well, he would sooner rather than later forget everything about that day. Death, darkness, decay was not his thing. Despite the fact that he was wearing mainly black. It was only his school getup. Some would say as soon as he returned home he was an explosion of color; a confetti cannon gone haywire.

Glancing up when a newcomer sat down opposite him at the messily joined table, the Asian boy quickly frowned at recognizing Rory, before returning his gaze to the recently cleaned desktop. This would make for an interesting project. And by interesting, he meant dreadful.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory merely listened while the rest of their small group discussed the project details. When the others addressed him, he nodded, but he didn't say anything. He rarely did. He had his notebook open, but instead of taking notes he was doodling on the already doodle-covered page.

[thehobbit9007]

"So, I think we should split it off into two sections, and we each pair off into two teams so we can get it done faster." Kyla hummed, a go-for-it, get-it-done kind of student with her glasses resting on the tip of her nose and her charcoal rimmed eyes appraising the two boys who were sitting back doing basically nothing with a stern gaze.

Gabriel nodded, having nothing else to say, though he was tempted to respond. However, every time he thought about it, or was spoken to directly, a panic always rose in his throat, prompting him to let out some sort of scream. Holding it back was only a small part of the fear. The panic, and realizing that the panic could be realized. That was the true fear. He knew he'd always be made fun of if people knew just how terrified he was of them. And they didn't even have to do anything.

"Alright... Well, Jason and I will pair up, and... Are you two alright with pairing up for the first half?" Kyla glanced first at Gabriel, then at Rory, waiting for some semblance of acceptance or resistance. Though, with how military she could become, she was sure they wouldn't have much of a problem.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory glanced at Gabriel uncertainly and then gave a small shrug. Still, he said nothing. He didn't have the will to argue anymore. About anything.

[thehobbit9007]

Kyla nodded, pleased with the answer. She was used to Gabriel not giving any answers; at first she considered it rude, but now that she had spoken with her friend several different times and learned the truth, she brushed it off and knew that as soon as they were alone together, Iriel would be all kinds of talkative.

"Great! Then you two figure out a date and time to get started, and let us know when you're finished. Jason and I will be starting today after school." She fixed him with a glare, enough that Jason, who had been sitting back and daydreaming up at the ceiling, jolted and nodded, despite having not cleared it with either of his parents.

"And remember!" She pointed a threatening finger at the both of them. "This project is due in three weeks. Don't squander our time. I don't want to get a failing grade because you two can't get over a little social interaction with each other. Just imagine what presentation day will be like; that'll get you two kicked into gear."

Gabriel paled.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory grimaced but managed to keep his anxiety from kicking into overdrive from that thought. He'd always hated public speaking, but he'd long since learned to get over it. These days, the only time people heard him talk was when they forced him to in front of large groups. And, oddly, he was more comfortable now in those situations than talking to someone one-on-one.

[thehobbit9007]

Class ending, and it being the last class of the school day, much to Gabriel's relief, all the students were departing from their groups into their smaller friend zones, crowding at the doorway while the loners, such as himself, stayed at the back of the crowd, or behind. Still gathering his items and placing them in his messenger bag, undeterred by the rowdiness of the suddenly cheerful peers he had, Iriel was content to sit back and gaze around at the slowly clearing room. He wouldn't say this aloud, but he was in love with an empty school. It just appeared so magical and calming to him without all of the students roughhousing in the halls, screaming in the auditorium, and generally making a ruckus. The teachers would wander through the halls doing their work like they were nuns gliding across the linoleum floors; not a peep was heard, apart from the occasional classroom that played soft music. He was often staying after class for several hours, just to enjoy the quiet and serenity that came with an after-hours school.

Turning and throwing his pack over his shoulder once his peers had cleared the room and most probably the hallway where his locker was located, the teen started toward the door only to be stopped by a calm call from his teacher. Turning to face Ms. Cho, he smiled when he approached her desk. If anything, most of his friends were the adults, rather than the students. Growing up surrounded by them sorta did that to you.

"Yes, Ms. Cho?"

"I'd just like you to know that if you have any problems with this assignment, you let me know. I know presenting can be scary, but I also know it's much more terrifying for you. I haven't been a teacher for thirteen years and not notice that kind of thing. So, if you'd like, you can present your assignment to me after class. But discuss it with your team first."

"I don't think Kyla would be very happy about that."

Ms. Cho gave a signal with her hands that was clearly 'I surrender'. "It's up to you, then."

He nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now shoo! I have work to do."

Chuckling, he nodded once more and turned, exiting the classroom and wandering down the hallway, trying to keep as much time and distance between himself and the exit of that school as he could.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory wandered slowly to his locker and packed up his backpack with the things he'd need to do his homework that night. The world around him seemed to blur into silence as the people brushed by him, paying his no mind. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and started toward the commons. He'd have to wait until 4:30 for his dad to pick him up, since Ronin didn't get off of work until 4:15.

[thehobbit9007]

Waiting to be picked up, too, by his father once he had gathered his things from his locker, he made his way toward the side of the school, glancing at the large glass doors that led into the auditorium before sitting at one of the outside tables, setting his things on the seat beside him and pillowing his chin on top of his hands. His father, unlike Rory's, got off of work at 3:30, being a professor at a nearby school. It was odd to think about, seeing as he had noticed the pictures in the frames at home; his father being on stage, with a mic in one hand and an unfamiliar bracelet on the other, surrounded by men he wasn't familiar with, but who looked like his father's buddies, and a crowd of people who looked to be enjoying themselves. However, he wasn't sure if it was something his father had done at college, or a previous life that his father would rather keep quiet about. After all, every time he'd ask, Seyong would get a sad look in his eye and give him a half-hearted smile, but would never answer.

Humming, he took out his journal, a leather-bound black thing, and an ink pen and began to doodle absentmindedly on the first page, the journal being otherwise untouched due to its newness. If he was entirely honest, he hoped that his father had had a previous life before being a teacher; it made him seem cooler, in a way. Though why Seyong appeared so unhappy about the memories, he wasn't sure. He knew, if he was to grow up and have a chance like his father did, he would seize it, and never look back.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory kept his head ducked close to his notebook. Unlike Gabriel's leather-bound journal, he had this ratty old thing that was half falling apart. It was almost full, though, which meant he could get another one soon. His father always kept him well supplied, even if he didn't buy him nice, expensive journals. They couldn't afford it. He scrawled words across page after page, hardly pausing to think, his eyes moving back and forth as his hand moved across the paper. He unconsciously chewed his lower lip as he wrote, his eyes narrowed somewhat as he focused.

He didn't mind waiting for his father. He could pass the time just fine writing in his notebook, and soon Ronin would come and take him home, and they'd have dinner together like always. The only thing was Kris would no longer be sitting at the table with them. How had everything gone so terribly wrong for his family?

[thehobbit9007]

Hearing a familiar honk nearby, Gabriel lifted his head and smiled a bit when he saw the familiar Toyota coming into view. The truck pulling into the lot and halting in front of his sitting area, the boy stood and put his journal away, hurrying to the passenger side of the car, where the window was rolled down.

"Have a good day at school?" Seyong called out, shades covering his eyes and a blinding smile on his face. He wasn't an odd-brained teenager, but he had the guts to admit that his father was attractive. It was one of the things that made him question just why his father was so against getting together with someone; no matter who was interested, his father acted as if they weren't looking at him in such ways, or trying to get his attention. He assumed it was for the sake of his son, but... He still found it peculiar.

"Yep!" Hopping into the passenger side, the orangish-brown haired boy took one last look at the school, and now noticed Rory sitting inside the auditorium at one of the tables, he too drawing in a journal.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory glanced up when he heard the honk and frowned when he recognized Seyong in the driver's seat. As he studying his face, he pondered the connection he had to his father. For a moment, he thought about asking Ronin about him, but something told him that wouldn't be a good idea.

[thehobbit9007]

Waving at Rory with a small smile, he turned back to the controls, while Gabriel hesitantly smiled, waving a hand and greeting him only minutely before he was back to facing front, and the two were on their way.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory dipped his head again after they had disappeared from sight, focusing his attention back on his journal. He still had almost an hour before his father would be here, and most of the other students were beginning to leave. Soon, he'd be mostly alone, the way he liked it best.

[thehobbit9007]

: INTERIOR - THE LIBRARY, 4:22 PM :

Having gotten the stuff set up (tri-fold poster board laid out on the far side of the table, markers and colored pencils close by, looseleaf paper for notes, and an empty section for his project partner's equipment), Gabriel waited patiently, hands intertwined and resting easily underneath his chin, both index fingers set comfortably against his lips.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Rory entered the library and glanced around, easily locating Gabriel--since the place was mostly empty--at one of the tables. He walked over and dropped his backpack onto one of the empty chairs and then sat down across from the other boy.

[thehobbit9007]

Looking at him nervously, he gave a strained smile before speaking. "Hi." His voice was quiet, and he cleared his throat to get it to be a bit louder; a confidence boost, of sorts. "So... How should we begin?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Not that it's super important, but what kind of project are they working on? lol)