you're always scratching at the eight ball...

[nextinline]

Jay: Saturdays are the most unstructured day of the week at the school; no classes, no Mass, rarely anything mandatory at all. Which is why Michael was looking forward to sleeping in late, after he and Tim ditched the crew in the theater very early this morning. But waking up alone was not part of the plan, and Mike was unable to convince himself that he could pass out again, and Tim would be there when he woke again, so he spent the day mostly trying to find ways to distract himself, which mostly didn't work. A heavy snowstorm came in over night, but around noon he breaks down and goes out to have a cigarette, afterwards returning to his dorm soggy, hungover, and generally displeased. He strips off his jacket as he comes in, kicking open the bathroom door with a little too much force and tossing the article into the shower, to dry off.


Jackie: While Jesse had slept well the night before, his body is sore from the awkward positioning; he's had an ache in his lower back all day, and all of his joints are feeling weak, as if he had completed a half marathon. Added to it is his general grogginess from being a bit hungover (not nearly as bad as the other boys, though - since he's younger and rebounds like a rubber band), so he's spent the majority of the day in bed, reading his ghost books. He breaks for a late lunch and an eventually a shower, which is where he is when Mike returns - he's done showering, but is still in the tub, toweling dry. The damp jacket hits him through the shower curtain, and he makes a loud squawking noise as he fumbles to get the towel around his waist. "Hey! I'm in here!"


Jay: Having already stalked away, Mike startles a bit at the voice - he hadn't seen either Jesse or Kellen all day, sort of figured they were still sleeping off the previous night's excitement in the backstage area. Turning back to the bathroom door, he peers around it, eyebrow lifted in concern. "Shit, Jesse. I'm sorry. You all right?"


Jackie: Jesse yanks the shower curtain back once he has the towel secured around his waist, and he looks to the door on the far side to see Michael standing there. He immediately grins, because he wasn't really upset about it or anything, and he steps out of the tub carefully before reaching down to grab the jacket and fold it over the curtain rod carefully. "No biggie! Your jacket's wet? Is it snowing outside, again?"


Jay: Relaxing some, Mike steps back, crossing his arms - still chilled from his smoke break. He frowns a little when Jesse hangs the coat up, now feeling like an asshole on top of feeling confused and pissed off. "Yeah. It was hailing, too, for a minute. That's when I decided to come back in. The universe has got it out for me today."


Jackie: Once he's secured the jacket to the shower curtain rod, Jesse glances back at Michael in silent invitation and then pads back over to his bedroom, since there's no way he's hanging out in nothing but a towel, especially with how cold it is. He immediately heads towards his dresser and snags a pair of boxers, which he slips on under the towel, and then fits on a pair of green flannel pajama bottoms. "I don't think it's ever gonna stop snowing. Ever." It's doubtful, but possible - the boy never having experienced long winters like this. But the last comment makes his eyebrows furrow in confusion, so he looks back at Michael in question. "Yeah? What makes you say that?"


Jay: Michael hesitates a moment, not sure he's fit to keep anyone company right now, but he eventually gives in and follows after Jesse because it's better than being alone any longer. As he reaches the other dorm, he glances towards the window; the snow is coming down hard enough that none of the other buildings are visible. "You might be right." Ambling around the room, he goes to lean against Jesse's desk, near the heater. The question gets a little irritable shrug in response. "Just one of those days. Where's your roommate?"


Jackie: Once his pants are in place, Jesse unhooks the towel from around his waist and lofts it over his desk chair to let it hang dry. He, too, looks out of the window after Michael speaks, and he makes a quiet little groaning noise, because he's certainly had enough of this winter; bring on the sunshine and warmer temperatures, please. He can sense his dorm mate's tension, but doesn't address it just yet, instead busies himself in tugging on a sweatshirt. "Kellen's hanging out with Leech and Jimmy, I think. Last I knew, anyways. Is Tim around?"


Jay: Mike keeps his gaze on the windows and the snow outside, a bit distant, though his eyebrows lift as Jesse answers and he turns to look at the younger boy. "That guy is still around? Where the hell did he come from, anyway?" He never really got an explanation of who Jimmy was, or how he managed to get into the school, but figures Kellen's closeness with Leech had something to do with it. For the query about Tim, he only shakes his head, trying to seem casual. He nods at the sweatshirt Jesse's pulled on. "You have another of those I can borrow? All my uniform shirts are in the laundry, and my jacket's soaked."


Jackie: "He's Kellen's friend. From back home, I guess. He's actually pretty cool, although I think he finds me annoying." The way Jesse says it sounds like he isn't at all surprised by it, probably all too aware of how obnoxious he can be. He tugs the sweatshirt over his tummy and yanks the hood down off of his head, and looks ready to go curl up under his blankies and continue his research. Stopping himself for that question, he immediately nods, and goes rifling through a drawer for another hoodie. He snags a black one that is nicely worn in but still has a bit of thickness to it, and tosses it over to Mike. "Here. It's one of Tim's, so just give it back to him. I don't think he knows I stole it."


Jay: His eyebrows lift a bit further for that answer, and he purses his lips consideringly. Taking the sweatshirt with a nod of thanks, he doesn't reply until he's pulled it on. "I'm surprised he noticed you enough to find you annoying. Does Kellen know he's a heroin addict?" Clearly, Kellen has some questionable friends - Leech, for example - but a junkie nearly twice his age is a little surprising, nonetheless. Rather than going back to his own room, Ness pulls the chair out from beneath the desk, settling onto it backwards as usual.


Jackie: Stepping back towards his bed, Jesse clears it from his array of books and notepads, and stacks them semi-neatly on his night stand. He then crawls back onto the mattress and sits indian style, once it's apparent that Michael isn't going anywhere. He briefly grins for that first comment, because yeah, Jimmy's head seems to be in the clouds, but that quickly drops away when that question is asked. He splutters, eyes widening. "He...what? No, that's crazy."


Jay: Mike tilts his head to the side a bit, doing the lip-pursing thing again. He isn't sure if Jesse seriously doesn't believe him, so he just watches the boy for a moment, eyebrow cocked. "What have you seen to make you think it's crazy? Did you think he was just naturally that spaced-out? Not to mention his killer physique and senseless mood-swings."


Jackie: "I...I don't know. I thought he just...like, was kind of spacey. Like that one kid, from grade ten - the one with the shaggy hair." He's talking about one of the biggest stoners from the day students group, because surely that kid is so fucking out of it, 98 percent of the time. He flusters again. "And Kellen's skinny! And Tim has mood swings. I don't think it's heroin." He looks a little more pale, clearly questioning everything (not much) that he knows about the guy. "How do you know it's that? You just met him."


Jay: Mike can't help laughing some, though it's not in a mean way; he's genuinely amused by Jesse's innocence. And grateful for it, because it's the first thing to really distract him all day. "Yeah, that kid. He smokes a shitload of pot, but I think he's on some sort of heavy anti-depressants, too." He shakes his head for the continuation, running a hand over his hair to push back to the strands that the rain disarranged, which keep falling into his eyes. "Kellen's skinny, but he's just barely fifteen; he's still growing. And Tim's got good reason for his mood swings." Which Ness has to keep reminding himself of; the thought of waking up alone crosses his mind again, making him narrow his eyes and scowl for a moment. Forcibly pushing the thought away, he gives a lazy shrug. "I just...know these things. I know the look."


Jackie: Jesse opens his mouth to maybe add more situational proof to his case, but he's stopped by Mike's logic. He hums a bit when he thinks about that stoner student - his name might be Andrew - and has a vague memory of smoking the kid down with Kellen behind the chapel, at the end of fall. "Yeah, but --" Jesse can't find any argument that would make sense here, since Mike's undoubtedly right. Still, he's shocked to think that Kellen hangs out with a junkie - not just a pot head, but a full-out heroin addict - and he looks a little uncomfortable, like he isn't sure what to think. He purses his lips and furrows his eyebrows, looking back over at Michael with an expression that clearly shows he's displeased, and a little concerned. "How come you know the look?"


Jay: He can sense how unnerved Jesse is by this revelation, and almost feels bad for bringing it up, so he backpedals a little bit. "Kellen might not know, either. I don't know how long he's known the guy. But I am baffled by the fact that he got in here, and is still here, without someone on the staff noticing." He shrugs again for that question, crossing his arms on the back of the chair and resting his chin there, picking at a spot where the varnish has worn thin on the wood. "This girl I dated for a while was pretty heavy into it. Some of her friends, too." And Mike himself, but he sure as hell isn't about to come out and say that to Jesse. "Someone stays on it for a while, there's a certain appearance they get. I mean, looking at that guy - did you notice how wide his shoulders are? He'd probably be a pretty big guy, if he wasn't stick-thin."


Jackie: Jesse's growing concern is more and more evident as Michael continues on, and he sucks his lower lip into his mouth to chew on it, even as he talks. "Well, he's...still Kellen's friend. And I mean, it's the weekend, and they're hanging out downstairs. Not like anyone is gonna see them." He shrugs again as well and works to wrap a blanket around himself, still cold despite the warm shower and thick, fuzzy clothes. He doesn't break his gaze from Mike's face, and is maybe looking at him in a different light; there's no doubt Mike's had plenty of experience with alcohol, and pills, and reckless sex - but heroin is pretty heavy, and it makes the younger boy uncomfortable. Even before he can figure out if his question is inappropriate, Jesse is asking it, head tilted. "Have you done it?"


Jay: Lifting his gaze from where his fingers are picking at that wood, Mike arches an eyebrow. "Downstairs. With Leech? He's cool with smuggling in Kellen's way-overage junkie friends?" He sounds a bit doubtful, because even if the guy obviously plays favorites with Jesse's roommate, this is a little above and beyond. Another thought occurs to him, and he smirks faintly, a little bitter, (not coincidentally avoiding that question). "So I guess that explains why we all managed to spend the entire night in the theater without getting caught. Looks like Kellen picked the right staff member to cozy up to."


Jackie: Jesse makes a little face for Mike's insinuations, but he's careful not to let out any details about Kellen's and Leech's actual relationship, because undoubtedly that would cause some drama - and the brothers would probably want nothing to do with him afterward. "Leech is actually a pretty cool guy, once you get to know him. He's still, like, scary. And I don't get why he likes to wear skirts, but-- he's not all that bad. And he let us have a birthday party for Kellen last night, and let Lars join, too. So, he can be nice, even when he's kind of scary."


Jay: Both eyebrows dropping back to normal, Michael gives Jesse a sort of flat, disbelieving look. "Maybe to you, he can be. I'm pretty sure he'd be only too happy to skin me alive." But he waves a hand, sort of dismissing that; Jesse will certainly never see his side of the argument unless he's undergone some of Leech's more diabolical punishments, which Mike hopes won't ever happen. "Is Lars still around, too? Maybe that's where Tim is. Maybe they're hanging out downstairs, too." Doubtful, since if they were, Jesse would likely be there, too.


Jackie: Again, Jesse wrinkles up his nose and lips for that idea, scrunching his face in disgust because he doesn't like to think about his guitar teacher like that; aside from letting him and Kellen get away with a lot, Jesse's grown to appreciate Leech, since he's undoubtedly gotten much better at guitar since taking his class. He easily allows the conversation to pass, and he snags a pillow to hug towards his chest. He looks a little confused for Mike's words, but isn't too worried, yet - Tim's been prone to venturing off on his own, lately. "Nuh uh. Lars left this morning, said he had some tattoo training appointment or something. I thought Tim was with you? You guys - lamely - left the party early last night." Despite it being very, very late in the evening, and Jesse was nearly asleep against Kellen's chest when Tim and Mike decided to call it a night.


Jay: "Oh." Mike tries to look not too disappointed when this latest excuse is shot down, shaking his head. "No, I haven't seen him since we went to sleep last night. Or, this morning, actually. He was gone when I woke up." He doesn't manage to sound completely unaffected by this, and goes back to picking at the varnish on the chair. "I thought he might have gone back to the theater, to hang out with Lars before he left, but everyone was gone when I checked."


Jackie: Although he tries not to look too disappointed, there's still traces of it on Michael's face - and Jesse easily recognizes it. He shakes his head softly, but tries to remain up beat. "Oh...well, maybe he had another appointment, or something. I haven't seen him around, anywhere. Probably has another meeting with the guidance counselor, or something." Unlikely, since it's the weekend, but Jesse has no other real ideas about where the boy could be. He tilts his head to the side, curious. "Where'd you two go last night, anyways? You were gone for a while."


Jay: Michael grunts quietly, noncommittal, for that suggestion. He's pretty sure Tim isn't at a counselor meeting. The following question, and the memories it brings up, clears the disappointment from his face - he doesn't quite smile, but he has to press his lips together to prevent it. "Oh, just...upstairs. Exploring, you know."


Jackie: Jesse doesn't dispute against that grunt, probably he agrees with its doubt, and he instead raises his eyebrows for that other response. He can tell that Mike is holding back, and even if that smile isn't released, there's still traces of it in the boy's eyes. He doesn't buy that answer for a second, and talks flatly - pretty uncommon, for the otherwise nutty boy. "That's the worst cover up I've ever heard in my entire life. You guys were gone for like, hours." And because he's so asexual, he doesn't think about what the underlining suggestion offers, and what most other people do when they're sneaking away for hours on end.


Jay: This time, Mike lets the smile show, if only a little bit. Readjusting, he rests his chin on his crossed wrists, looking straight across at Jesse, eyebrow arched as always. "All right, you caught me. What do you think we were doing?"


Jackie: Absolutely beaming for that barely-shown smile, Jesse's teeth shine brightly in contrast with the rest of the room, which has an overcast light to it, thanks to the wicked snow storm outside. But then he's pinpointed into actually saying it, and that's just awkward, so he shrugs a shoulder and looks off to the side. "Canoodling." He lowers his eyes to watch one of his hands draw lazy patterns on the blanket he has criss crossed over his body, and avoids looking back at Mike.


Jay: Making a noise of stifled laughter, the smile cracks enough to show teeth, but Mike lifts a hand to half-cover it. "Canoodling. That's a fun word. I'm not sure what it means, though. What does canoodling consist of?" Crossing his arms again now that the smile is fought back some, Mike continues watching Jesse, interested, and amused, because the kid seems more embarrassed about whatever might have happened than Ness is, himself.


Jackie: Since he's so fucking awkward when it comes to sex, even if he isn't the one partaking in it, Jesse squirms in place and makes a little strangled noise, clearly uncomfortable with that question. He opens his mouth to respond, but then stops himself, because this is so damn awkward, and then makes an odd little hand motion. "Like...you know." That does absolutely nothing to actually answer Mike's question, and Jesse knows it, so he eventually drags his eyes back over to the boy and raises his eyebrows, as if finally understanding that they probably went all the way. "...did you guys have sex?"


Jay: Jesse's totally prudish nature amuses the hell out of Mike - it's not unlike Tim's discomfort when talking about anything sex, except with Tim, that ends with the actual activity. Mike's glad to have such a good excuse for grinning like an idiot, because he wouldn't be able to help it, when that question is asked. Biting at his lower lip to keep the grin somewhat under control, he nods briefly. "We did."


Jackie: Even though he asked the question, Jesse isn't at all prepared for the answer - despite knowing, deep down, what it would be; both boys returned to the stage a little more flushed than how they had left, their clothing wrinkled and marks on their necks. Still, those two words make Jesse's cheeks immediately flush, and he looks at Michael with wide eyes. He can't honestly say that there isn't a tinge of jealousy there, if only because Tim is his best friend, and he's obviously growing closer and closer to Mike. His voice is a little lower when he talks. "...oh." An eyebrow furrows, like he's actually confused. "So...like. What's that mean?"


Jay: Michael blinks. He was expecting questions, but not that one. The grin disappears as he considers it for a moment or two, and he doesn't like the answer that immediately springs to mind, so he doesn't say it aloud. "I'm not sure. Why should it mean anything?" Shifting, he sits up, gripping the chairback with both hands. Just antsy. "Don't get me wrong; it was great. I really enjoyed it. But it's not that different from what we've done before."


Jackie: Jesse's eyebrows raise a little bit, surprised by the question that's shot back; for a moment, Mike sounds the tiniest bit insecure. He stops fidgeting his own hands by clasping them together in his lap, but he still looks a little tense. "Well, I mean, Tim isn't the kind of guy that sleeps with someone casually, isn't--" He almost says 'isn't like you', but that sounds unintentionally mean, and he's able to stop himself before it's said. He corrects himself by asking a more gentle question. "Don't you want it to mean something?"


Jay: From the look Mike gives him, he seems to know just what Jesse stopped himself from saying. But he just smirks, a little bitterly, and moves on; lifting one hand from the chair back to wave it exasperatedly. "I thought it did mean something. Until I woke up alone." He tries to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but might not entirely succeed. "I mean, I know - I thought I knew, that he isn't like that, doesn't sleep with anyone unless it matters. But the way he acts sometimes, I'm not sure what anything means."


Jackie: Even if Michael doesn't look too offended by his almost-slip up, Jesse still feels a stab of guilt for that smirk, and does his best to give a brief, silent apology with his eyes. He's more than a little surprised to hear that it was Tim that skittered off in the morning, and doesn't for a second believe that it was done without a totally reasonable answer. But surely, if there was an emergency, Jesse would have heard about it, as well. "Oh...he wasn't there?" That sounds damning as all hell, to a point that even Jesse can't make up an excuse. He purses his lips to the side, in thought. "Maybe he just had to go to an appointment, or something. I mean, like...Tim's not like that. Especially not after he's slept with you."


Jay: Mike exhales heavily through his nose, somewhere between a sigh and a snort. "An appointment. Yeah, no doubt. Or maybe baseball practice." Which is flatly impossible, in this weather, and an appointment isn't much more likely. Running a hand over his hair again, pushing the rogue strands back into place, he looks downward. "I don't know. Maybe you're right. But if it was something like that, it seems like he would've told me."


Jackie: Jesse's eyes start to warm into sympathy, because this isn't at all how he'd expect Tim to act, especially when it's so fucking obvious that the boy has feelings for Ness. And it's not like the ran away immediately having sex - the two of them returned to the stage post-sex, so it's odd for the boy to duck out after a few hours of rest. "I'm sure he's around, ya know. Maybe he's down in the gym, or something. He said something about conditioning for baseball ramping up, soon." Really, Jesse's trying to find any justifiable reason for his friend's disappearance, but he at least doesn't sound like he's full of shit. This time, he sounds more sure of himself, without sounding like he's only saying it to ease Mike's worry. "He'll be back around in no time."


Jay: Looking just as unimpressed with that suggestion as the other ones, Mike shrugs a shoulder, still not lifting his head. "Of course he will, not like he has a choice." That, at least, comes out sounding sort of amused; at least Tim can't leave town, or anything. He leans forward again, finally looking at Jesse. "Do you know anything about his past relationships? I mean, I never got the impression he's the type to fuck around. Seems like he thinks about it for a long time, before showing any sort of affection."


Jackie: Jesse kind of half-grins, because it's true - Tim won't be high tailing it out of here any time soon, and severely doubts that the boy even wants to, anyways. Still, the random disappearance is odd, and makes Jesse want to find the boy and snuggle with him, force him to open up about whatever it is that's holding him back. He'll save it for another time. For now, he just shrugs a lazy shoulder, only looking back at Mike once he's nearly done talking. "For as long as I've known him, he's only been with Lars. Like, as boyfriend, I mean. And Lars is like...he's...a lot like you, actually." He doesn't say whether that means promiscuous, or dangerously alluring, or a goofy kid with a tough facade, but he does lightly laugh after saying it. "And they were like, together-together, for more than a year. But it took a while for Lars to actually...get him, ya know? There'd be so many times Lars would just show up at my parent's house, climb the gutter and crawl into my bedroom to talk. He'd lay in my bed and just go on and on about him, until they just...got together."


Jay: Mike's mouth crooks up some as Jesse finishes that story, because he definitely knows where the guy was coming from. "I guess it's just your lot in life, to be the couples-counselor for all of Tim's would-be paramours. At least you don't have Lovato opening his heart to you." Because surely that would ruin anyone's day. Tilting his head, he grows more serious again. "What do you mean, 'as a boyfriend'? Was he with other people, not as boyfriends? Or girlfriends or whatever."


Jackie: Jesse immediately grins for that, taking it as a badge of honor - perhaps even feeling like he's part of the obstacle that the boys have to get through, in order to get to his best friend. "Heck no, I wouldn't even allow Tony in my room, let alone spend time with him, listening to him lament about Tim. I'd stab my ears with paper clips before I let that happen." It certainly sounds like hell on earth. The following question makes the boy shake his head animatedly, and he lifts one hand to wave in the air. "Oh...no, not that I've ever seen. I mean, I guess he hooked up with a staff member here, but other than that, I've only ever seen Tim with Lars. I've never seen him just casually...mess around with somebody."


Jay: "You'd do better to stab him, with something more damaging than paper clips." Not that he thinks Jesse could ever do such a thing, since the kid's such a pacifist. He hums in thought as Jesse goes on, feeling a little jolt at the mention of the staff member - he'd actually forgotten about that - then shakes his head in confusion. "Things must've gone okay with Lars, though, they're still friends. So it wouldn't be like he's afraid of relationships, right? He's just..." Trailing off, he lifts both hands to rub the heels of the palms into his eyes, smearing what little eyeliner wasn't washed off by the snow earlier, then running those hands back over his head again. "I guess I should just lay it all out. Ask him in some official way...write up a goddamned contract or something." He doesn't sound pleased by the prospect at all.


Jackie: Yes, since he is such a pacifist, and probably doesn't handle copious amounts of blood all that well, stabbing Tony is pretty much out of the picture for Jesse. That isn't to say that he doesn't consider getting someone else to do it. Clutching the pillow into his form a little tigether, Jesse lowers his face to hide it against that pillow, probably smiling a bit because Mike is being pretty adorable, right now - all frustrated and confused and even talking about wanting a relationship. He wills himself to look back up, and holds out on smiling idiotically at the boy for the suggestion of using a contract. "A contract could work. You could laminate it, to make sure it lasts a long time." He rests his chin atop that pillow, sinking a bit with the giving lump of feathers, before sobering a bit. "Just...talk to him. He wouldn't have had sex with you, all casually, if he didn't...want it to be something more. Or something like, at all. Get him away from any of the distractions and just tell him how you feel. He's compelled to honesty, when the same is given to him."


Jay: Mike gives Jesse a look for that first bit, that says he's really not helping, though in actuality he appreciates being able to talk this through with someone who isn't making fun of him for it. The part about having sex 'all casually' makes him go thoughtful again, staring at the wall behind Jesse with an eyebrow arched. He nods some as the kid continues talking, but it's obvious he's not entirely paying attention. "You don't think...maybe it's..." This comes out slow and distant, before Mike snaps back to awareness and looks at Jesse again. "I mean, he was pretty fucking wasted. Maybe he regrets it?" He sounds quite worried by the idea, and doesn't know how it didn't occur to him earlier.


Jackie: Truth be told, Jesse is a little flattered that Michael has taken to him as a person he can trust, at least when it comes to his dramas with Timothy. And while Jess isn't as overbearingly protective about his best friend as Tim perhaps is, there is still some part of him that likes to keep a watchful eye on him, just so he doesn't get hurt by anyone. He looks immediately drawn back to full attention when Michael starts talking, his tone showing the worry and concern there - which, of course, sparks Jesse's interest even further. "...was it, like. Did he...were you guys--" He sighs a bit, not sure how to word this without sounding too accusatory. "Did you go up there with the intention of...having sex?" He doesn't at all think Mike over stepped any boundaries, not with the way Tim looked so at ease and even happy later on in the evening, last night. "Maybe he's embarassed? Even if he was drunk, Tim's still really good at like...behaving."


Jay: Rubbing at his face again, because his head is actually starting to hurt a little from all this circular thinking, Mike shakes his head. "No...not exactly. I mean, it wasn't like, hey, let's go fuck! but I'm sure his reason for avoiding everyone else was the same as mine. We've done it before." Occasional instances, when everyone would be gathered somewhere - eating dinner, hanging out in the common area - and Tim would sneak off with Mike for some privacy. "What do you mean, behaving? He wasn't faking anything." About this, Mike sounds smugly certain.


Jackie: "Wait...you guys have had sex before?" Clearly, Jesse is a little confused, having taken Mike's 'done it before' comment as statement that last night wasn't their first time. If this is the case, Jesse doesn't know what to think - he'd hope that any bigger developments, even if not detailed, would be shared with him from Tim, even just a simple 'yeah, we're together' would be enough. Looking a little flustered, if only because they're talking about sex again, Jesse shakes his head, and squirms a bit atop his bed. "What? No, I didn't...mean it like that. I meant more like, Tim doesn't do things drunk that he normally wouldn't do sober."


Jay: Immediately shaking his head for the question, Mike sits back up to wave a hand. "No, just the going off together, while everyone else is distracted. This was the first time we slept together." He nods thoughtfully for Jesse's clarification, going back to staring at the wall as he thinks. Tim didn't seem to act like he regretted it, last night, but then he was still drunk last night.

Before he can pose any other questions, the door opens and Kellen bolts in, quickly closing the door behind himself and then standing still, closing his eyes, and shivering a little in pleasure. "Ahhh, it's so warm in here. The hallways are fucking freezing." Blinking his eyes open, he belatedly notices that more than Jesse is in the room. "Hey, Mike. What're you guys doing?" He extends the question to Jesse with a look, as he crosses the room to his closet.


Jackie: Jesse's shoulders unhinge a bit for that clarification, having tensed up during his own confusion. He thinks, briefly, about last night, and where the boys had wandered off to; it's a little strange, in his mind, to have sex anywhere that isn't a bedroom, or even a car, so he can't imagine where the two boys ventured off to - wouldn't guess they'd sneak off to the balcony and fuck on top of one of the booth tables.

Before he can speak, the dorm room door is opening, and Kellen is quickly inside, looking cold but otherwise all right, and Jesse smiles. He immediately scoots over in bed and pats the extra space, inviting him over warmly. "Hey! We're just hanging out. Whatcha up to?"


Jay: Pawing through his closet, Kellen snatches a slightly oversized Bad Religion hoodie with a picture of two naughty nuns making out on it, pulling it on a bit frantically. Catching the gesture from Jesse, he hops onto the bed and immediately wraps both arms around the other boy, ducking his head to bury his face against Jesse's shoulder in an attempt to warm up quicker. "Turning into a Kellen-sicle. Why don't we have a hot tub?"

Mike, having given some sort of noise in response to Kellen's greeting, tries to loosen up and relax, having become remarkably tense during the discussion. "Maybe you should go ask a priest for an impromptu sermon on hellfire and damnation. Warm you right up."


Jackie: Jesse squawks when Kellen dive bombs onto the bed, and he falls back a bit with the force of that embrace, struggling to get back upright and half-heartedly nuzzles back. He unhooks one arm to wrap around his older room mate, and starts rubbing up and down his back in a weak attempt to warm him up. "Could you imagine if we did? I'm pretty sure Lars would never leave." Since their last rendezvous with a hot tub was over break, and Lars certainly enjoyed himself then - enough that he went back to Tim's bed and made the kid moan all night, at least to Jesse's knowledge.

Picking his head up, he peers over at the clock on his nightstand and sees that it's almost time for dinner. Surely, this will please Kellen. "You can get some chilli cheese fries from the cafeteria. And some warm soup, too."


Jay: Kellen laughs at that suggestion from Ness, not unburrowing himself as he answers, so his words are a little muffled. "Fuck no, then I'd just be frozen and bored." But the comment about Lars makes him hum thoughtfully, eventually lifting his head to rest his chin on Jesse's shoulder. "I could live with that. Ya know, I'm almost sure he thought about coming to bed with me this morning -- although, prolly best he didn't, since I was too fucked up to do anything about it if he had." In fact, Jimmy pretty much had to carry him backstage, where there was a giant, thick gymnastics mat to make a bed of. However, the kid doesn't seem to be suffering a hangover at all.

Mike groans some, rolling his eyes. "Kellen, trust me on this: you'd be way out of your depth with that guy. Stick to the minor leagues for now." Ignoring the way Kellen snorts and flips him off habitually, Mike stands up, pushing the chair back under the desk. "Food sounds like a good idea, though. We should go do that."


Jackie: Tugging on the blankets, Jesse is able to get a few corners loose, and then drags the thick material up and around Kellen's form, to further his attempts at warming the boy up. He laughs lightly about those details, and ignores the whatever-it-is pang he feels in his gut for the idea of Lars seducing Kellen; mostly, it chalks it up to being left out, even if he isn't a sexual creature. "Lars is a gentleman. I'm sure he was only thinking about getting you safely back to your own bed." Doubtful, so very doubtful.

He then picks his head up to look over at Michael, grinning for his first comment even if it pisses Kellen off - there's no doubt it was funny. He nods enthusiastically, a rumble in his tummy agreeing with that latter suggestion. "Yeah, I'm hungry. We should head down soon."


Jay: Picking his head up to glare at Mike, though mostly in jest, Kellen speaks in a cutting voice. "An' how would you know, Ness? Mebbe you're just so easy I didn' bother giving you my best, hey?" This makes Mike laugh a little, because the kid is just so unabashed, but he is glad that Tim isn't around to hear it. Turning back to Jesse, Kellen narrows an eye at him, trying to decide if he actually believes that. Apparently, he does - but Kellen doesn't speak out against it, only reaches up to rub Jesse's short hair affectionately. "You always think the best of everyone."

Still smirking in amusement, Mike stuffs his hands into the pockets of the borrowed hoodie and nods at Jesse. "I'll be right back, then we'll head down." Turning, he disappears back through the bathroom.


Jackie: Even though Tim isn't here, Kellen's retort makes Jesse's nose wrinkle, and he gently shoves at the boy in retaliation, perhaps feeling a little more protective over Ness due to their recent bonding. "Be nice." It isn't said sternly, and luckily Ness doesn't take Kellen's response seriously, so Jesse is able to quickly go back to general nuzzling. He manages to squirm his face down into Kellen's neck, while both of his hands continue to rub up and down his spine. He grins toothily for the next statement. "It's true! Lars is a class act. Honest. When Tim lost his virginity to him, Lars made him breakfast in bed." Probably not the type of information Timothy would want shared so publicly, but Jesse gets a bit gabby around these two.


Jay: Kellen snorts for that, because he knows Ness well enough to know he won't be taken seriously - just as he doesn't take Mike seriously, most of the time. Giving a little trilling, purr-like noise for the nuzzling and warmth, Kellen ducks his head into the blanket, nose still feeling frosted over. That information unsurprisingly makes him laugh aloud, infectious as always, but he manages to contain it after a moment - while undoubtedly he's smoked some today, he isn't at the giggly-stoned state where he can't shut himself up. "Dude! The lucky bastard. I totally didn't get breakfast in bed when I lost my virginity. Actually, I'm pretty sure she made me go canvass the rest of the party to bum a cigarette for her, and bring her a beer." But this also makes him laugh, so apparently his feelings weren't badly hurt.

Unburying his face again, he looks to what he can see of Jesse's face more seriously, lowering his voice sekretly. "So, what's going on? Was Mike unburdening his feelings to you again? Is he planning to propose, or what?"


Jackie: Kellen's laugh undoubtedly makes Jesse smile, and he picks his head up to properly look down at his room mate, since he's still hunkered down and nuzzling in for warmth. He moves hand one down to the back of Kellen's head and rubs gently at the nape of his neck, eventually laughing for the boy's enthusiasm, and he cocks an eyebrow curiously, albeit not all that interested in hearing the details. "That's too bad. Lars makes a good breakfast." Jesse definitely remembers; most summer weekends, Lars would throw parties, and Jesse and Tim would inevitably stay the night, and were woken up to an array of breakfast goodies that far exceeded cereal and milk.

Blinking down at Kellen's face, he calms down his amused smile and glances at the door, making sure Michael isn't near, before he shrugs a shoulder and lowers his voice. "He's just confused. I feel kinda bad. Tim and him had sex last night, and now Tim's been MIA all day."


Jay: Kellen shrugs, unconcerned. "'s okay. I don' know if I'd trust her to cook anything, anyway. And after that, she probably could've asked for anything she wanted and I would've got it." Because Kellen was naturally grateful and overawed and enamored at the time, though thankfully that didn't last.

All amusement flees his face at Jesse's response, and he grips his roommate's arm, a little harder than necessary, his eyes widening. "They did what?" He's belatedly glad that his voice can pass for blank shock, instead of the horror that curls up in his chest immediately. Taking evasive measures, he drops his head, burrowing into the blanket to hide his face. Whatever Leech might have given Tim permission for, Kellen doesn't imagine he'll be complacent about this, especially with his mood lately. Keeping his voice low and relatively blank, he manages after a moment: "God...God. Are you sure?"


Jackie: Jesse startles a bit for Kellen's initial response, and his eyebrows furrow inward as the boy's hand grips fiercely at his arm. At first, he chalks up the boy's shock for surprise, and he nods carefully, still keeping his voice low. "Yeah...like, last night, when they disappeared for a bit. But when Mike woke up this morning, Tim wasn't around. And he hasn't been around all day." The latter point is Jesse's main concern, and he goes back to rubbing at Kellen's neck, now with both hands, figuring the boy is still working to warm up fully. "It's what Mike said, at least. He wouldn't lie about it. It's good, but...I feel bad for Mike. He's really confused about it.:


Jay: Kellen swallows hard, a couple of times, mind racing and his previous good mood more or less destroyed. He doubts he can entirely hide it, but there's no way in hell he's owning up to the real reason - and no way in hell he's telling Leech about it. He makes some sort of noise, acknowledging Jesse's words. "Serves him right. Those assholes, having sex at my birthday party! I didn't even get a fucking hand-job!" He snorts his disapproval, lifting his head some to rest against Jesse's shoulder - though still not where the boy can see his face. "I didn't realize things had gotten that serious."


Jackie: Once he's done talking, Jesse sucks his lower lip back into his mouth again, and gnaws on it contemplatively; why would Tim duck out all day, after having a fairly eventful night with Michael? It's not as though having sex with him should be that much of a surprise, given how sexually active Mike is, and how much Tim likes him. He's stirred from that train of thought by Kellen's next, slight outburst, and Jesse immediately releases that lip for grin, even letting out a little chuckle as he squeezes his arms around Kellen affectionately. "No, but you did get to snuggle with Lars." An easy consolation prize, he thinks. "Whatcha mean? I mean...we knew they were hooking up. Mike said Tim was pretty drunk, but that shouldn't have too much impact...it was kind of bound to happen, sometime."


Jay: "Ha." Kellen sounds singularly unamused, though in fact snuggling with Lars was quite pleasant. "And Jimmy drooled on me in his sleep. How lucky am I." Restlessly, he digs his way out of the blanket and goes back to his closet, snagging a pair of pajama pants and a comfortable t-shirt, tossing them onto his bed. He shrugs tensely as Jesse goes on. "Well, I dunno, it's just...I dunno. I guess Mike was probably different with me." As good an excuse as any; he'd rather have Jesse suspect he's a little jealous, than have to explain his true reasoning. Going back to his bed, he empties the books out of his backpack and stuffs the clothes in instead, occupying himself to avoid looking at his roommate. "Weird that Tim took off, though. Maybe Mike's just actually really lousy in bed."


Jackie: "The luckiest! The luckiest of the lucky to have ever lucked." Jesse's enthusiasm is as exuberant as ever, and he starts to shuffle towards the edge of the bed just as Kellen gets out, although he doesn't yet get to his feet. He absolutely buys that jealousy bit, since he has no reason not to believe it, and he looks at the boy with a bit of sympathy. "Mike really, really likes Tim. It seems like it's different for him, this time around." And good thing, too - since Tim really, really likes Mike back. Scooting off the bed, Jesse stands upright and meanders over to his closet, to find a pair of moccasins to slip on. He lets out a quick snort of amusement, and shakes his head. "Doubtful. Tim looked way too pleased last night to not have had good sex." Not that he's the expert, or anything.


Jay: "Well, good for him. I wish them a pleasant white-picket-fence life and hundreds of fat babies." He doesn't sound bitter when he says it, just flippant, careless. Ducking to get the weed stash from under his nightstand, he shoves that in the bag, as well. The latter comment makes him laugh more naturally. "He did look pretty happy with himself. Mebbe we shoulda guessed. And fuck knows Mike's had enough practice to make the national Olympic team." Zipping up his bag, he tosses it over a shoulder, finally turning to face Jesse again now that he's more under control, glancing towards the bathroom door. "Ness, are you ready yet?"


Jackie: Jesse actually giggles at Kellen, the mental images of Mike and Tim owning a house and domesticated pets strangely amusing to him - although the idea of fat babies is nothing short of terrifying. Not needing any additional layers of clothing, he hovers near the bathroom door and peers through it to locate Ness, and half-glares at Kellen for that last assessment. "Maybe so. But he hasn't, not with anyone else, in months. I think that says something." Before it can be disputed too much, Jesse then calls out to the other room: "Mike! C'mon, I'm huuuuungry!"


Jay: Kellen snorts quietly for Jesse's attempted glare, his mouth curving up on one side in an unusually restrained expression of wry amusement. "I'm sure it does. But that doesn' mean he hasn't had a...ahh...checkered past." Over the first shock of hearing about Tim and Mike's liaison, he's able to suppress the anger he feels on Leech's behalf and appear more like himself, if not quite as upbeat as he was when he entered the room.

"Yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming..." Calling from his own room, Mike appears a moment later, having maybe left a note just in case Tim shows up before he gets back from dinner. "All right, let's go." Kellen, having barely waited for Mike's arrival, already has the door open and leads the way into the hall. The usual dinnertime rush has slacked off, since it's a weekend, and some students will likely go to eat later.


Jackie: "It's not like Tim doesn't already know that. I mean, like, everybody knows it." Jesse and Kellen included, of course. More and more, Jesse is starting to think that his room mate is jealous over Tim and Mike's growing relationship, instead of upset over it, and Jesse files that back in his brain to think about and question later. He grins a bit as Mike reappears, and he then skips out of the room excitedly, hopping around Kellen as they head down the hallway. "What'd you do all day, Kellen? Hang out with Jimmy? I got so much research done. I can't wait to get another night in the bell tower. I have some excellent tricks we can try to coax the ghost out."


Jay: Kellen waves a hand in acceptance of Jesse's words, obviously not disagreeing with him at all, but he doesn't continue the conversation once Mike shows up. Shifting his backpack on his shoulder, he nods for the question. "Napped a lot, mostly. What sort of tricks did you find? Do ya think we should try for a full moon, again, or something else? The lunar phase might not have shit to do with it..."

Mike follows mostly silently, stuffing his hands back into the hoodie pocket, because Kellen was right - it is freezing in the hallways. Maybe because of this, they all unconsciously pick up their pace - whatever the reason, they reach the ground floor and the cafeteria pretty quickly, and Mike jogs to hold the door open for the younger boys.


Jackie: Since he lazed around most of the day, Jesse is full of energy, and he has to actively stop himself from letting it all explode out of him, because it's unlikely that his room mate or his dorm mate would want to deal with it, right now. He slips through the opened door with a nod of thanks to Ness, but redirects his full attention to Kellen. "Yeah, definitely. The full moons help, I guess. But we can burn other stuff to help attract the ghosts to us. I forget the herbs, but there was a list...sage, maybe? And it said to try with smaller groups. So maybe it can just be you, me, and Justin next time. Since our last two partners were totally not into it." This is said with a pointed, somewhat mocking glare to Mike; surely, if he and Tim had been a little more engaged, perhaps the ghost would have been more inclined to come out.


Jay: Kellen nods thoughtfully for that, smirking at the last bit. "Sage sounds right...seems like I remember my aunt Jasmine mentioning that rosemary's fer remembrance, mebbe that would help too." Pausing as they enter the cafeteria, he glances around, reading the entrees listed at the different serving windows before heading off to one that seems palatable, sure he'll catch up with Jesse and Mike afterwards.

"Hey, I never claimed to be any good at ghost-hunting. I only went 'cause Tim did - and he only went because you badgered him." Mike gives Jesse that pointed look right back, but it's somewhat marred by a small smile. Though nothing has been resolved with Tim, talking it all out with Jesse was surprisingly cathartic. He watches Kellen head off, but continues by Jesse's side instead, not too terribly interested in what he eats.


Jackie: "Oh, yeah! Rosemary sounds like a good idea. I took a bunch of notes on it, so I'll show 'em to you later. It's really pretty neat. Plus, like, I really like the smell of sage, so." Clearly, this means that they should burn the sage anyways - if only to help make their dorm room stop smelling like stale weed. He deters off to the side to inspect one of the food displays, and snags a small bowl of mixed fruit, before heading towards the earm foods section. He grins toothily at Mike. "You guys could have at least tried. You just sat there and looked at us like we were mental." Not that it wasn't a warranted expression, of course. "But don't worry, you won't have to come, next time. You'll just miss out on all of the excitement."


Jay: Mike quirks an eyebrow for that assessment, because he doesn't remember a lot of 'just sitting there' - a lot of drinking, yes, but he just shrugs it off. "I think we'll live with the lack. And if you get attacked by ghosts, I'm sure Hollywood's got a better chance of fighting 'em off than I do." Collecting a bowl of chile, along with a handful of crackers and a bottle of water, Mike waits for Jesse to get his food as well before heading back to their usual table. "Try not to get caught this time, though."


Jackie: Opposite of Mike's chilli station, Jesse piles on a large plate of spaghetti, leaving no extra room on his plate for anything except for sauce, which he piles atop the noodles in copious amounts. It's probably enough food for two, but the kid is hungry and still cold and finally has the stomach to handle food - having been a bit hungover earlier in the day. He rolls his eyes for Mike's words, but is still smiling as he takes his seat. "Heck yeah, Justin would be better. He's freaking stealthy." Immediately forking at his food, he starts twirling some noodles onto his utensils. "I'm actually kind of glad we got caught. It was a good learning experience. Now we know what to avoid, ya know?"


Jay: "And probably has strange occult powers, besides." He sounds semi-serious as he says this, but mostly just distracted - he can't help scanning the room in search of Tim, as they sit down. Not spotting him, he focuses back on Jesse's conversation, grinning slightly. "Sure. Avoid priests. Avoid anyone finding out you're not in your dorms all night - no idea how you'll do that, but no doubt Kellen's patron can help."

Reaching the table in time to hear this, Kellen casually flips Mike off as he sits down. "Jealousy's not real attractive, Mike." Arranging his tray, Kellen sets a wrapped sandwich of some sort and a bowl of soup with a lid aside by his backpack, before starting in on his own bowl of soup. "Actually, I've been thinking of it - most of the dorm checks are done by just opening the door and shining a light around, right? There were some pretty convincing wigs in the costume rooms in the theater. Shouldn't be too hard to convincingly stuff our beds. You always just look like a swaddled log, anyway, the way you sleep." Plainly, referring to Jesse's typical blanket-burrito.


Jackie: Jesse snorts and rolls his eyes at Michael, but he obviously looks amused, before stuffing a rather large spiral of spaghetti into his mouth. His cheeks look comically full, but he manages to chew with his mouth closed, and only speaks once he's swallowed. "Maybe you and Tim could help us out, on that end. Make sure our beds look occupied when the priest comes around for dorm checks--" Just then, Kellen joins them, and Jesse scoots a little in his seat, to make more room for his room mate to get settled. He ignores the mild exchange between the boys, since it's becoming more and more clear that Kellen isn't all that inclined towards Ness, right now, and so he instead focuses on the conversation, instead. "Ahh, yeah! That's a really good idea. I was gonna suggest we just get stand ins, like Lars or Jimmy, but...that sounds easier. And we could hide them in our closet for safe keeping, or any time we wanna scare Tim when he takes his early morning showers." This sounds delightfully fun, and Jesse smiles for it.


Jay: Mouth full, Mike tilts his head slightly, taking his time in considering that before giving a shrug. "Sure, I don't see why not. Easy enough - especially if you just stuff them, or whatever. And if it is found out, it's not like we could be held accountable." If he doesn't precisely approve of the plan to spook Tim, he doesn't say so out loud. Maybe he'll just offer a warning, later.

Kellen laughs, shaking his head. "I can imagine they got better things to do than hang out in our dorm to save us from trouble. An' besides, if Lars is ever in my bed, I wanna be there, too." He widens his eyes as he says this, quite sincere - and blatantly ignoring the way that Mike rolls his eyes.


Jackie: Jesse seems all around pleased with this idea, and sits up a bit straighter for it, grinning a bit but trying not to look too happy - there are definitely kinks to work out. Perhaps Malachi can help to create a dummy head that is similar to Jesse's buzzed hair, although it may not be necessary; as Kellen said, he tends to wrap up until he's nothing more than an unrecognizable lump, which may play out to his favor. He takes another large forkful of spaghetti, talking before shoving it in his mouth. "Maybe Lars would stick around in your bed. Like a welcome home present." No doubt, the older boy would - although maybe not in these circumstances.

Peering over at Kellen's extra food, Jesse isn't dumb enough not to piece things together, but he does motion towards it with his fork before asking. "Bringing some back to Jimmy?"


Jay: Though he tries to repress it, Kellen can't help showing a little bit of a grin for Jesse's suggestion. "Mebbe he would...then I could, y'know, show my gratitude for his help." The sound of a stifled laugh emanates from his throat, and he ducks his head back to his soup. After a moment of recovery, he nods. "Yeh. He doesn' always remember that food is, like, necessary."

Mike gives a mostly-inaudible murmur for this, something along the lines of 'I bet he doesn't', and Kellen apparently catches enough of the mumble to squint at him quizzically. Mike takes his time spooning up another bit of chili and eating it before speaking up, too blandly. "So is he moving in, or something? A substitute teacher maybe?"

This gets a derisive snort from Kellen, and a brief shake of the head. "No, he's jus'...well, he's staying with Leech a while, really. But he's my friend, too." This is about as ingenuous as he can make the situation sound - although it didn't before occur to him that he might need an excuse for the guy's presence, which seems a stupid oversight, now.


Jackie: Jesse can't hold in his amusement quite the same way Kellen can, so he immediately barks out a laugh and shakes his head, cheeks flushing a bit; it's a good thing he's so non sexual, because his room mate and dorm mates seem to make up for the lack. He seems to miss out on the innuendo made about Jimmy, which isn't all that surprising, and continues to eat. "I don't get how someone could forget that. I freaking love food. Especially in cold weather like this. I could feast for hours."

He glances up and shifts his gaze between Kellen and Mike as they talk, piping in when he has the chance. "I would love, love to see Jimmy teach like...freaking choir. Or home ec. I bet it'd be hilarious."


Jay: Kellen nods in enthusiastic agreement for Jesse's words, his mouth once again full. Luckily, he swallows before Jesse goes on to detail Jimmy's prospective teaching career - if he hadn't, he probably would have sprayed food everywhere when he laughs. The idea is so ludicrous that it takes a few minutes before he can subdue his laughter enough to speak. "Yeh, except then he'd actually have to talk. So that prolly wouldn't work out."

Mike's next comment promptly kills the hilarity, though. "Probably not. Considering how off the wall the headmaster is, I imagine they're not too picky about drug tests - but they'd have to make an exception for some things." His words don't come out nastily, just a bland comment, but he does feel a spark of annoyance - and he's not even sure why. Perhaps it can be chalked up to the bad mood that's hovered over him all day, somewhat. Kellen isn't offended by the comment, but he does hesitate to respond, looking at Mike quizzically.


Jackie: "Maybe he's secretly really, really good at sign language." Not that it would help much - it's not like the students are fluent in non verbal communications, anyways. Still, Jesse is still beaming a bit, having put Kellen into such a laughing fit, and he takes a break from devouring carbs to instead pluck a few pieces of fruit from his small side bowl.

Even if Michael's words don't come off harshly, there's still an air of annoyance to them, and Jesse feels a little protective over Jimmy, if only because he's his friend's friend. "What's that supposed to mean?"


Jay: Mike cocks an eyebrow at Jesse, giving him a look suggesting that he knows precisely what Mike means. The kid had been pretty shocked when he mentioned his suspicions about Jimmy, but by the time the subject passed, he had thought Jesse was pretty convinced by his reasoning. Before Ness can respond, Kellen exhales heavily through his nose - not quite a snort, nor a sigh - and tilts his head towards Jesse, lowering his voice some. "He means, cause'a Jimmy's addiction, he isn't fit to teach." And then he adds a little lighter in tone: "As if some of the headcases we got here are any better."

Looking away from the younger boys, Mike prods at his food distractedly. "You do know, then. I wasn't sure. Does Leech?" Kellen's mouth tucks back at the corner, an expression of distaste, but he does a decent job in matching Ness' off-hand tone. "Leech is pretty observant, so yeh, he knows. What I don't know, is why it matters to you." Which Mike has no immediate answer for, other than a somewhat tense shrug, so he takes another bite to cover up.


Jackie: Jesse's eyes widen a bit for the look Michael shoots him, put a little bit on alert for it. It was a honest question, because if Mike knew Jimmy was an addict, then surely Kellen, and definitely Leech, would know, too - and so he thought there were underlying questions beneath it. He blinks a few times and glances back over to Kellen, then back at Michael, talking in his normal, chipper tone. "Oh, that's silly. There has to be like, at least five other teachers that are on something. And I'm not even counting Leech in that." Namely, the choir teacher - he forgets his name, but he definitely swigs red wine in between classes.

He lets the rest of the conversation sort out, but it feels tense, and it's uncomfortable enough for Jesse to try to shake it away. He forks some more food, slurping a long noodle into his mouth before talking. "I'm pretty sure I'm addicted to gummy worms. Lars bought me a stock pile, when Kell was in the hospital. I went through it all, already. It's like, bad."


Jay: Kellen continues watching Mike until it becomes obvious that he hasn't got an answer, then goes back to his soup. Jesse's words do draw a snort of amusement, though it's a little forced - Kellen doesn't particularly like to think about Jimmy's addiction, and isn't pleased to be reminded of it. "Leech isn' addicted to anything. I'm pretty sure he never takes anything when he's teaching..." Except, he qualifies mentally, when he cajoles Leech into smoking with him before lunch, during the hour Kellen's his 'teacher's aide'.

Likewise, Mike doesn't laugh for Jesse's intervention, but he does look at him fondly. "You know that ain't the same, Jesse. Pretty sure you don't start shaking and sweating and feeling like your body's coming apart when you run out of gummy worms." He's grateful for the enforced levity, and straightens up some, looking at Kellen again. "I was just worried, man. I know what that shit does to people, and I don't wanna see it do it to you."


Jackie: In an effort to lighten the mood some more, Jesse leans over to bump a shoulder into Kellen's bicep, before returning to his plate. He's made a considerable dent, but doesn't look to be lightening up any time soon. He forks another, smaller, mouthful, leaning his head down so he can slurp up more noodles with splattering them all with marinara sauce. "I know, I know. Leech is a good teacher." And he actually means that - silly as it may be, he looks up to the older boy (although not literally) for all he's done to help his guitar playing.

Glancing back over at Michael, Jesse is about to dispute - maybe hint that his gummy worm withdrawal leaves him achey and groaning for sugar, but that just seems insensitive. So he just shrugs a shoulder and sits up straighter, to crack his back a few times.


Jay: Kellen flashes a bit of a grin at Jesse for that praise, appreciating it on behalf of his brother. Ness' abrupt turn into concerned throws him off some, but he doesn't hesitate too long before replying. "Ahhh...thanks? Ya don't need to, though. Worry, I mean. I've seen it, too - obviously - an' I wouldn't ever go near it. I'm sure Jimmy wouldn't ever offer, either. He never does it around me, where I can see, or anything."

Mike nods some at that, not looking entirely convinced, but it's plainly not worth it to drag the conversation out. Collecting his trash and dirty utensils on his tray, he pushes back the chair to stand up. "Well, I think I can sleep off this hangover, finally. I'm gonna head back upstairs. I'll see you guys later."


Jackie: Quickly returning a grin back to Kellen, the younger boy again nudges him, maybe in hopes of drawing out a more fully formed smile, but also doesn't want to annoy the kid. He makes a quiet noise of consideration for that information, since it's true - he never saw Jimmy give into his addictions last night, but there were definitely moments when he could tell that the older boy wasn't in the same state of mind that he was in a half an hour prior. He chalked it up to not knowing him very well - which is at least partially true.

Watching Mike get to his feet, Jesse lifts his fork and waves to his dorm mate with the utensil. "All right, go feel better! If you need tylenol, I have some in my night stand. Lars gave a bottle of it this morning."


Jay: "Thanks, that might be necessary." Mike nods at both of his younger suitemates, then heads off to dump his trash. Probably he won't bother with the tylenol, and just take a few nips from his private liquor stock.

Watching Mike head off, Kellen shakes his head a bit, but tries to put the conversation and topic behind him. Turning back to Jesse, he tilts his head to the side. "Ya wanna come downstairs and hang out fer a while? I'm sure Leech wouldn't mind. He's...well, he isn't teaching today." Which apparently translates to 'he's pretty fucked up' but after the previous discussion, he doesn't want to come right out and say that.


Jackie: Slowing down in his food consumption, Jesse rests his fork on his plate, needing to take a breather. His stomach is definitely full, but his plate is not empty - naturally, the younger boy feels compelled to finish it, even if it'll leave him feeling like a stuffed sausage. He grins a little for the invite, and how it's worded, but shrugs a shoulder loosely. "Nah...I think I'm gonna stick above ground. This food is totally gonna put me in a comatose, and I was just getting into this really interesting chapter about ritualistic herb burning. Next time, though, for sure."


Jay: And Kellen is helplessly compelled to return that grin, because Jesse's probably the only person he knows who would pass up hanging out and getting stoned, in favor of reading up on obscure occult things. "Arrite. I'll hold you to that. I'll prolly stay down there tonight." Having finished his soup, more or less, Kellen is picking the bread he got to go with it apart, eating bits at a time. All of a sudden, his face changes, eyes widening and lighting up, then grin spreading to something closer to full force. "Ahh, shit, I almost totally forgot with everything else! Guess what?" He waits a second, but not long enough to reply. "I finally coaxed Jimmy into tellin' me his whole name!"


Jackie: Jesse wrinkles his nose gently for that, not displeased, but he always hates staying in their dorm alone, especially after nights of research, when he's more easily spooked by odd shadows and random noises. He goes back to picking at his fruit, seemingly done with his noodles, but he stops himself in favor of giving Kellen his undivided attention. Before he can guess, his room mate is already answering - at least partially - and Jesse immediately sits up straight and widens his eyes, squirming a bit in anticipation. "Ahh what! Really? What is it? I bet it's amazing. I want an autograph."


Jay: Having barely gotten the last sentence out without giggling, Kellen now gives into it, dropping his bread to cover his mouth with both hands and try to repress the fit of laughter. "Ahh, no...fuck...it's so horrible." Another gale of snickering, and he's glad Jimmy isn't here to hear it - the man had been disapproving enough about it earlier. Biting at his lower lip, he fights the mirth back some, taking a deep breath. "Arrite. So...it's Jeremiah -"

No, but then he's right back to laughing before he even gets the second name out. He has to push his tray away, fold his arms on the table and wait almost another full minute before he can speak. "I can't fuckin' say it, it's so bad. Here --" Reaching into his bag, he gets a sharpie and piece of scrap paper and scrawls on it quickly - snickering the entire time - then passes the paper to Jesse before dissolving into full-fledged laughter that makes a few students nearby look at him suspiciously. The paper reads, Jeremiah Sebastian Fitzwilliam Saint-Laurent.


Jackie: Watching Kellen dissolve into a fit of laughter, slowly but surely, Jesse can't help but grin; for one, it's always great, and totally infectious, to watch Kellen fall apart like this. Secondly, his anticipation is edging out to full on amusement - and by the time Kellen is scribbling the name down, Jesse is giggling himself. He takes the piece of paper almost immediately and raises it to eye level, looking over it silently. At first, he makes a little noise of surprise, and then comes very quick, lowly voiced questions of 'what?' 'seriously?' and 'Fitzwilliam?" It becomes too much that Jesse drops the paper and shoves his chair away from the table, hands immediately moving to his face so he can cover it up and erupt into absolutely adorable giggles, which is growing to full body laughter.


Jay: Those noises from Jesse, followed by his disbelieving questions, only make Kellen's laughter continue longer and louder. By now, the pair are attracting the attention of almost everyone in the dining hall, but even the disapproving looks the priest on the other side of the room is giving them don't convince Kellen to calm down. For a while, it's all cackling, interspersed with 'I know!' and 'fuckin' terrible', but eventually he regains some composure - though he's very careful not to look at Jesse, since that would surely set him off again. "God...can you believe that shit? No wonder he didn' wanna tell us." This is followed by an irrepressible snort of mirth, and Kellen has to bite at his lips again. "Jus' imagine...man, Lars would still be laughing."


Jackie: By the time Kellen is talking, Jesse's entire body is shaking; he even has random little outbursts of spasms, where his legs kick out before coming back in. His cheeks are pretty well flushed from his laughter, and he definitely needs to breathe at some point, but right now, all he can manage is more laughter. Once he finds enough composure to drop his hands, he peers over at Kellen cautiously, knowing that he's bound to unravel at even a hint of amusement from the other boy. Luckily, his room mate seems to have at least calmed himself down into being able to at least talk. One of Jesse's hands raises up to rub at his buzzed hair, and he shakes his head disbelievingly. "It's...that like, bad. Bad. It's what you'd read in a book, as a joke. Sebastian!" This, of course, just makes him fall back into laughter again, and he curls his head down to press it into his own shoulder to help suppress it.


Jay: "Sebastian Fitzwilliam." For this, Kellen has to again bury his face against his folded arms, laughing so hard it's nearly silent, before finally - again - tapering off to small snorts and snickers. Lifting his head again, he wipes at his eyes, smearing the eyeliner at the corners. "Ahhh...shit. Poor guy. No wonder he's so fucked up. When he finally told me, I had to go in the other room, cuz I couldn' stop laughing...and then Leech wanted to know why, so I told him, an' he started laughing. I don't think I've ever heard him laugh that much." A somewhat more natural grin forms at that thought, but it's ruined momentarily by another small break-down. "I thought Jimmy was gonna kill us both." Though actually, the guy had borne the humiliation well enough, his displeasure was just very obvious in his expression.


Jackie: "How does that all fit on a birth certificate? I mean...seriously--" The mental image of little Jimmy learning how to spell his name comes to mind, which just results in more laughter. Luckily, it seems like the full body shakes have passed for now, and he's able to scoot back up towards the table, and closer to Kellen. His ribs actually hurt from laughing so hard, but it's a nice feeling - and is even nicer to share with Kellen. He reaches a hand out to rub at the back of the boy's neck affectionately. "It's so much better than I ever could have imagined. He was right - I never could have guessed it."



Jay: Kellen snorts, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth, and shaking his head. "I dunno. Guess his parents were pretty well-off, mebbe they bought an extra-large birth certificate." This makes him snicker again, but not so out of control, and he leans towards that affectionate hand, nodding for Jesse's comment. "Who could? His mom musta really hated him by the end of the pregnancy, or something." Shaking his head again, he straightens up and reaches over to rub Jesse's scalp. "I better get this food down to Little Lord Fauntleroy. I'll catch up with you tomorrow after Mass, yeh?"
Jesse coughs out a smaller laugh for the birth certificate comment, endlessly amused and immediately picturing the hospital having one of those comically large checks - used in promotional pieces, when people are giving money out - but designed for a birth certificate. He doubts it'd be large enough, still. "Poor Jimmy. At least he's nicknamed himself." And the boy seems pleased with it - any time Jesse tried to offer up a new nickname that sounded more in line with Jeremiah, it was immediately shot down. Retracting his hand, he nods and sits back in his chair, not quite done with his food, but entirely fine with eating alone. He grins over at Kellen, showing the boy how much his amusement is appreciated. "Sounds good. I'll see you then. Have fun! Be safe. But not like, boring safe."