Straight-Up Not Having A Good Time At Night Raven College: Chapter 1

Bonus Chapter 3: Not Trying To Get Anywhere

Two idiots both accuse the other of 'suspicious behavior'.

Takes place during Chapter 15: An Army Of One, at some point after Kat has gone to bed.
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It was probably about two or three AM.

Grim had fallen asleep on top of his hand-- or paw-- of cards, drooling a small puddle onto the hardwood floor.

Ace sat on the couch, while Deuce was on the floor-- he'd pulled the cushions off the other, slightly smaller sofa in the lounge to create a sort of mattress.

They both sat, sneaking glances out of the corner of their eyes at each other, but pretending to ignore the other when their eyes met.

After a few minutes of this, Ace sat up a little straighter, shuffling a bit.
"...This isn't going to get you anywhere, you know that?"

Deuce blinked, looking over at him with a frown.
"...What?"

"With her," Ace replied, jerking his head up towards the stairs.
"You're not gonna get anywhere. With all--"

He gestured vaguely at Deuce.

"....This."

Deuce frowned, brow furrowing.
"All what?"

"All this...."
Ace waved harder.
"....This. This knight-in-shining-armor nice-guy schtick. All this protectiveness and opening-doors and stuff. It's not gonna lead anywhere."

Now it was Deuce's turn to sit up a bit, giving Ace a suspicious look.
"...What the hell are you talking about?"

"I MEAN," Ace snapped, crossing his arms with a scowl. "That nothing's gonna HAPPEN! Between you two! So-- so... You might as well stop trying NOW, okay?!"

Deuce blinked, taken aback.
Then he flushed, jumping to his feet as he bristled defensively.
"Wh-What the-- What the hell are you-- TALKING about?! Are-are you-- do you think I'm trying to-- to... NO! No fuckin' WAY, man! Don't be STUPID!"

"HUH?!?!" Ace retorted, jumping to his own feet.
"No, no, NO-- What the hell are YOU talking about?! What, you think I haven't NOTICED?! HUH?! How you're always followin' her around, looking at her with those- those--"

He gestured furiously.
"Big, stupid PUPPY-DOG EYES?! And the-- the fuckin' 'ooh, Prefect' this and 'ooh, Prefect' that-- I'm not an IDIOT! You've got the hots for her, right?!"

"NO!" Deuce yelled back, face going redder and redder by the second.
"No, I-- I do NOT have the-- the... I-Is that REALLY what you think?!"

"Well, DUH!" Ace retorted, flinging his arms out angrily.
"Is that NOT it?! C'mon-- look, man, I'm just TELLING you! It's not-- I-it's not gonna HAPPEN, okay?!"

"I'm NOT--" Deuce protested.

Grim stirred, stretching and yawning.
His eyes opened blearily for a second. Then, with another yawn, he rolled over, starting to snore gently again.

In unison, the pair let out a long breath, relaxing a little.

"I'm not TRYING to get anywhere," Deuce hissed, glaring at Ace. "I'm just TRYING to be NICE, okay?! I'm being POLITE!"

Ace scoffed quietly.
"Huh-- yeah, right. What, you REALLY don't have ANY ulterior motives?!"

"I DON'T!" Deuce hissed back, glowering.
"I really, really DON'T-- I just-- I- I think she's really cool, and smart, and... I mean, she looked out for ME, so I'm just trying to... Return the favor, basically! Stop trying to make it-- make it... WEIRD!"