Fangs - LGBT, manXman

4

"So, did you have problems at your last school because you're gay?" Daniel asked Scott after a few moments silence, taking a second muffin.

"Yeah. I... I told my parents, and my younger brother. The next day, I found out my brother had told his friends, who had told their friends, and it just spread round the school. Mum and dad were a little bit iffy about the whole thing, but I thought they were going to be alright." Scott paused, looking sad. "A few days after I told them, the names started. First behind my back, then to my face. Then my little brother was beaten up when he tried to defend me. My tyres were slashed, and my windscreen broken. Mum and Dad couldn't deal with everything that was happening, so they sent me to live with my aunt." Daniel reached across the table and squeezed Scott's hand gently, wondering how to comfort him. Scott's sad expression cleared suddenly, and he smiled.

"Is your brother alright?" asked Daniel after a moment, lost for something to say. Scott smiled.

"Yes, he's fine. He had to spend a few nights in the hospital." Daniel sipped his hot chocolate, and was about to say something else when Scott cut him off. "You've got a whipped cream moustache." Daniel quickly raised a hand to wipe his mouth, when Scott caught hold of his hand and lowered it. Before Daniel could react, Scott's other hand gently pulled Daniel towards him, tilted his chin up, and kissed him.

Daniel almost pulled back in shock, but Scott's firm fingers beneath his chin held him still. After a moment, Daniel began to tentatively return Scott's kiss. Scott's other hand slid up Daniel's arm and curled into his hair, pulling him closer. Scott's tongue rubbed gently along Daniel's upper lip, before he gently begged entrance to Daniel's mouth. Daniel pulled back, smirking at Scott.

"You think I'm going to go French on the first date?" He chuckled. Scott mock-frowned at him.

"Do you not want me to cheer up?" He asked sadly. "Because French would help."

"Would it really?" Daniel smiled, before he drained the last of his hot chocolate and began piling the remaining muffins into a bag. "We have to get back. Weekday curfew is nine o'clock."

"We have to be back in our rooms by nine?"

"No, back on campus. In our rooms by eleven on weekdays, twelve at weekends." They wandered back up towards the school together in a comfortable silence.

"Well, I've got to go and finish unpacking. It's been a long day. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Alright," said Daniel amiably. "I'm going to go and eat muffins. Do you want some?"

"Can I take the strawberry one?" Daniel fished it out of the bag and gave it to him.

"I had a nice time." He smiled at Scott.

"Me too." Scott stared at the muffin for a moment. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Perhaps. We don't have any lessons together, but I might see you at lunch." Scott nodded affably. Daniel turned to go to his room, when Scott called him back.

"Don't I get a goodnight kiss?"

"No."

"Not even a little one?" Scott asked hopefully. "Just a peck?"

"Nope." Daniel darted into his room before Scott could reply.

Nicky looked up as a grinning Daniel came in. He saw Daniel's happy smile and felt a wave of jealousy wash over him. Surprised, Nicky quickly quashed the feelings, and managed to smile at his roommate.

"Have a good time? What's in the bag?" Daniel emptied the muffins onto his bed.

"We found that cake shop you mentioned. I couldn't decide which flavour to have, so I got one of every flavour. You were right; they're great muffins." Nicky rolled his eyes. "Want one?"

"Erm... what have you got?"

"Chocolate chip, banana, vanilla, cherry, double chocolate, white chocolate chip, peppermint and a plain one with cream and sprinkles."

"They do a peppermint muffin?" Nicky asked, frowning at it. Daniel nodded. "Alright... I'll try that one." He nibbled the mint muffin cautiously, decided it was nice, and tucked in. "So, do you like the guy?"

"Scott? Yeah. He's nice." Daniel flopped down on his bed and flipped open his homework diary.

"Homework already?" Nicky grinned. "I didn't get any." Daniel stuck out his tongue.

"It's only reading a chapter for geography. And thinking for art."

"Thinking? About what?"

"Who I'm going to use as my model. It needs to be someone I can recall easily from memory. I'm thinking about using my brother, Damon. He has beautiful eyes." Nicky looked up at the sketch of Daniel's older brother.

"So, you just need to draw someone for your art exam?" He asked. "Sounds pretty easy."

"Could you do it?"

"Sure. If I could draw, which I can't. But if you can draw, isn't that really easy?"

"It's not just one drawing, or one painting or whatever. We need to do different drawings of the model in different poses, from different angles, in sketches, watercolour paintings, pastel paintings, all sorts. And when we do our final piece, a large drawing of the model, we have to explain why we've used watercolour or pastel or whatever, and show the development of our technique throughout our coursework." Nicky grinned.

"No offence. But that sounds really boring." Daniel smiled.

"Listening to it like that, it does. But it's fun. We don't have to concentrate particularly hard, we can talk and eat and listen to music in the exam." Daniel shrugged. "Do you have any exams like that?" Nicky stuck his tongue out. "Help yourself to muffins," Daniel said, pulling out his geography textbook and immersing himself in reading.

"Boring." Nicky flicked his pen lid at Daniel, who mock-scowled, and continued reading. Nicky turned back to his notebook, and continued writing his novel, occasionally stopping and chewing his pen thoughtfully, gazing blankly out of the window, before continuing.

*

Half an hour later, after reading his chapter and making notes on it, Daniel put away his schoolbooks and stretched out on his bed. He selected another muffin and nibbled quietly.

"So, why aren't you out with your friends tonight?" He asked. "I thought you guys were big on running."

"We enjoy jogging," said Nicky absent-mindedly. "But not every night. Sometimes I just like to relax in my room. What about you? Why aren't you with your friends, or with Scott?"

"Scott needed to finish unpacking and then wanted an early night. My friends... I don't really have any friends." Nicky glanced up at him.

"I'm sure that's not true."

"It is. Didn't you notice how I always sit by myself in classes? And at lunch?"

"I never really noticed," said Nicky, frowning. "Kieran mentioned it when he saw you were my roommate; he said you were a loner, but I haven't really noticed." He felt faintly guilty, and smiled sheepishly at Daniel. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Not noticing."

"Why would you notice me?" Daniel asked. "It's not like we have much in common, or even many classes together. We've never had the chance to socialise before." He shrugged amiably. "Besides, I kind of like being by myself. I mean, not all of the time. But most of the time."

"You do?" Nicky asked. "I don't. I'm usually a people person. It's-" Nicky broke off suddenly, scolding himself. He had been about to say it was part of the wolf's nature inside of him, a pack instinct.

"It's what?" Daniel asked curiously, seeing Nicky's sudden awkwardness.

"Nothing." Nicky looked at him for a moment, before he hauled himself of his bed. "I'm going for a shower."