Selcouth Wakings | brightwin |

T: 17

If Off could remember clearly, blinking was his worst habit of all his unwanted quirks.

He does it when he's tired, perplexed at something he shouldn't be; and now—when the need to do it doesn't come.

In front of Gun's laptop was a written number of internet fraud scams in the past month alone. A total of 120 glared back at him in alarming font while his ears picked up on the constant blaring of keypads being hit repeatedly.

"Jumpol is this the link?" Gun was somewhat there. No, he is there; right by his side with crumbs of broken pretzels between them. If it wasn't now their supposed distance would paint a ridiculous curve on his mouth but somehow, Off can't do it. Not now at least.

"Wait," He reaches to stop Gun's finger from accessing it as he shoves the laptop in front of the other instead. "Look at this first."

Just the same expression morphs into Gun's sulking mouth while he sinks his teeth further against his lips. Off feels his eyes burn as did something that was close to his chest.

"This is just insane and just for a whole month alone? That makes it approximately four weeks only for all these cases to pile this much."

"What I was thinking too; I figured there must be some kind of trend behind this and the sudden influx is just too suspicious not to look into." The two settled side by side on the short study bench while the food crumbs dug against their jean covered thighs. "Anyway, check the link out now."

It started out as a blank screen of black pixelates they remembered on explicit warnings. The crunching sound was low and overbearing at first until it gradually stretches into a full blown series of moans, screams and a headboard bruising against a wall.

"Ugh, don't stop..."

"Faster...oh...right there..."

They didn't know what reddened first—both their cheeks or the librarian's face when she deliberately marched straight to their desk to shut the blasting laptop away.

"Out."

Gun puffed out an embarrassed breath, hands raising to apologize for the noises they didn't know would erupt out of that link. "Ma'am—I can explain...it was a mistake..."

"We didn't know it would lead to that..."

"One, two, three...I'm counting needles here so help me if I reach five and you're still staring back at me. Out. Now." The librarian continues with a firm finger against both their chests.

"I said I was sorry!" It was a hoarse whine at this point. After departing the silent establishment with blatant stares and gummy smiles hidden behind thick textbooks; the unfortunate pair painted the hallways with their familiar bickering.

"Will sorry fix my reputation? Will your sorry erase the look on everyone's face back there? I think the fuck not, Jumpol." Off groans into his fist as he chases Gun's strides that were too short for him.

"I didn't even check that link before hand either. I wanted to open it with you so stop pointing fingers when we're both clueless."

From a far, Tay's broad back could already be seen as he conversed with his newly fond blockmate whose white lab coat blinded the two bickering bodies.

"Clueless my ass you're just dumb, Jumpol." Gun shots his last fire before the sight of New talking animatedly with Tay relieved him to the core. "Oh, thank God you're here!"

Standing beside a smiling Tay with a more pronounced frown the longer Gun clings to New without a care; Off retaliates the fire. "See, this is what I'm saying! You're okay with everyone else unless it's me. Am I responsible for your failed growth sprout that you dislike me so much?"

The four of them, to each in their own take with the sudden situation grieved in silence while their eyes did the talking. New stared at Tay with a slight bump to Gun as if to ask if the small blabber mouth he was referring to was really Gun. Off, parallel to them stares at Gun and New's interlinked arms wondering if him and Tay got played at the same time.

"Are you dating?"

"Is he the guy you told me about?"

Synchronized groans sailed out of their mouth before the ridiculous scene started to make sense. It was New first who played the lead as the first half of laughter spilled out of his lips followed by Gun who was clearly feeling the vibrations of his friend's laughter. A burp of mild cackle until all of them were bent down in a very odd laughing fest.

"Wait—this is so weird, us dating? The hell, Jumpol." Gun was the first one to recover. Off wiped at his eyes before nodding at their linked hands which the two boys were quick to detangle.

"If it's not even obvious yet, this geek's pretty smitten with your friend over there."

The loudest relieved sigh punctuated the air while the owner of it pushes his friend before him. "Here, take Tay and just kiss or whatever. I don't care." Off groans with a hand against his face even while his eyes communicated with Gun's who looked even more ready to get away from the blossoming couple. "Attaphan?"

"Let's just leave them, Off."

They part with animated smiles cascaded behind tight lipped frowns of both their mouths; when the university gates dimmed a shade darker signaling for the dominion of the night classes. Off wanted to ask, wanted to slip his words for a quick bite of anything they could get their hands off but he figured they'd have more days together.

More days, and if Gun lets him.

Gun's parting words were, "Keep the laptop with you. I'm done with all my revisions." Even if the latter never tried to meet his eyes.

"You called me Off today."

Gun never looked back at him but his smile stayed upon walking away.

He tells himself that was the very reason why his steps were mismatched; why they were disoriented in a fun way and why there are little skips to his steps. If he notices their dorm building in front of him, Off was quite doubting himself as the setting sky above him looked so endearing. But he fails to proceed when he heard gleeful footsteps running down the deserted street.

Between, were hands clasped in a tight hold—the type where each finger was to seek home between the spaces of the other and when Off takes his time to look at his long time friend; his happy walking falters as did the strumming of his heart.

Bright under the dimmed night and passing street lights; smiled a hundred lifetimes of happiness he never got to have before.

He holds it, flicks the smooth screen until he was able to slide a finger across it. Off could taste the baddest cheese and everything that could make a bile rise from his throat until the ringing ceased. He pauses at a second while his stomach slurs with; "Sir Chivaree? There's something you need to know."