[Filtered to Herbert]

[greenmoonrising]

[Lots of ink splotches from where he's been holding the quill over the page while trying to write, chewing on his lip the whole time]

Hey.

Are you all right? You've been scarce...



Did I do something to pi offe





Did I piss you off, somehow? I haven't seen you in days and that's a bit weird when we're in the same dorm...

Comments

[greenmoonrising]

[Frowns a bit at Herbert's response but shrugs it off and follows quietly]

You bother to make the trip to the Shrieking Shack for me, the least I can do is give you an apple.

[preanimator]

That's different. I'm not sick. [stubbornly, hunching his shoulders in a little] Anyway, have you started the research for the essay yet at all?

[Such a smooth topic transition, he is the SMOOTHEST.]

[greenmoonrising]

[Falters again and answers quietly:] Um... yes, I'm almost done with my rough draft...

[preanimator]

[relaxes just a little] Good. Did you look at the Wrexham text? It has some really useful bits on the use of insects to increase the longevity of certain draughts.

[And if possible? Herbert is going to keep things totally focused on schoolwork. Which is a little unusual for him - he might not be a chatterbox or collector of gossip, but he usually is a little more personal than this. He isn't really smiling at all, either, which is not strange for him with other people, but he usual loosens up a bit around Bruce, and he doesn't seem to be doing that.]

[greenmoonrising]

Yeah? I'll have a look at that then... [Seems subdued with Herbert's stand-offish behaviour. Trying to figure out what he did to invite this attitude towards him.]

[preanimator]

[Once they get to the library. Herbert's all business. He does seem to relax a little when they are talking about the essay, and he seems a little more like his normal self, but he'll start becoming animated and then seem to remember himself, pulling in again. He doesn't seem angry, particularly - that's easy to tell, because he gets pissy and vocal when he's angry - just ... uncomfortable, and a little tired.

Poor Bruce, all you did was do the same thing you've done most of the time you've known Herbert - be in love with Tony Stark.]

[greenmoonrising]

[Finally sets down his quill on his unfinished essay and sighs.]

What did I do?

[preanimator]

[looks up, blinking, the glances down again, fiddling with the bridge on his glasses] What do you mean?

[greenmoonrising]

You're behaving like we're back in our first year where you didn't like me and avoided talking to me whenever possible.

[preanimator]

If I was avoiding talking to you, I wouldn't be working on this essay with you. [But, damningly, isn't meeting Bruce's eyes.]

I've just ... got a lot on my mind. It's nothing to do with you. [fiddling with his quill nervously] You shouldn't worry and take things so personally.

[greenmoonrising]

When one of my closest friends suddenly gets scarce whenever I'm around, I tend to take it personally.

[preanimator]

[glances up, with a stricken, almost panicked expression] Please don't. It really hasn't got anything to do with you, I promise.

[Hey, Bruce? If you've got any particular enhanced smelling stuff going on right now, Herbert's just started sweating. He really, really doesn't want the werewolf finding out what's really bothering him, but he's just not socially adept enough to think up a good lie to cover.]

[greenmoonrising]

[Nostrils twitch a bit, noting the increase in sweat and frowns, wondering why Herbert's so nervous. Then comes across a though and asks, uncertain and just a bit hurt:]

Is it... the werewolf thing? Grossing you out?

[preanimator]

[genuine startlement - he forgets how sensitive Bruce is about that] What? No, of course not! Why would I want to help you if it bothered me? I think it's interesting. [A little too interesting, truth be told.]

[greenmoonrising]

Then what is it? [Looks increasingly concerned.]

[preanimator]

I told you, it's nothing to do with you. [looking away again] There's no reason to talk about it. It'll be fine. Can't we just get back to this homework?

[greenmoonrising]

I hate to sound like a needy girlfriend but you don't talk to me any more.

[preanimator]

I've been busy. And what is there to say? You've got [gestures vaguely] other concerns now, and maybe this makes me a terrible friend, but I don't really want to hear you gushing about Stark.

[staring fixedly at the tabletop]

[greenmoonrising]

[Looks for a moment like he's been slapped. Hard.

Then asks in a quiet voice:]

... So this is about me dating Tony?

[preanimator]

[sighs, and pinches the bridge of his nose under his glasses ... but at least Bruce doesn't seem to have figured out that he's jealous. Maybe he can make this work for him.] Bruce. You know we don't get along. I recognize that you've wanted to get with him for a really long time, and it's lovely and all that's it happened for you, you deserve to be happy, but that doesn't really mitigate the fact that Stark is a complete prat who always gets whatever he wants the moment he snaps his fingers. I think you can do loads better, and I think it's shite that Stark gets handed someone as good as you on a silver platter, and I doubt he'll ever even really appreciate it.

[looks up, and the expression in his face is tired, a little sad, and probably older than should be on a 16-year-old's face] But you're not going to want to hear that, which is why I wanted to avoid this whole stupid conversation.

[greenmoonrising]

[Looks equally tired and a tad sad but earnest as always.]

I know you don't really get along and yeah, I'm not too fond of hearing people telling me how bad Tony and I are for each other but... It's not as if my life revolves around him, we can still talk and not have it keep going back to our relationship.

[preanimator]

Isn't that pretty much the most important thing in your life right now?

[greenmoonrising]

It's important but it doesn't have to take precedence over everything. [Shrugs.] I mean, it's my sixth year, exams are coming up soon, and I have other friends I hang out with.

[preanimator]

He sleeps in your bed with you. It's a bit hard to avoid when we're in the dorms. [points out, fiddling with his quill again as he looks at the tabletop] I'm all right with this, when we're studying, but ... it sort of does take precedence when you two are in the room together.

I'm just trying to be a good friend, and staying out of it right now. You can have your little [can't help the slightly bitter twist in his voice, but he tries to keep it off his face, at least] honeymoon period, and then things will go back to normal, I expect.

[greenmoonrising]

Tony's been sleeping in my bed for years now, why should it be any different now? It's not like I'm going to have sex with him, especially when he's a minor.

[Mistakes the bitterness as Herbert wanting a relationship of his own and fidgets a bit]

If it makes you that uncomfortable I can get him to stop using my bed...