Outfit

What a day. So much had happened in the last thirty minutes alone that made him exhausted. Vulpes still couldn't wrap his mind around why he had done what he had done. It seemed to be all right, but he still hated himself for it. Although it probably wasn't a big deal. No one had seen it, no one had to know. Unless they started dating. Then it wouldn't matter if people knew...

'No, stop thinking like that,' a voice in his head spat.

Vulpes gave a great sigh as he stepped into the common room. It was well past curfew, and it was likely with exams most people would already be in their dorms. Luckily enough, he was able to escort Aurora up to Gryffindor, say good night, and make it back down without being caught. He thought about that walk up there, she had held his hand the whole time. And she didn't pull away when they had kissed.

As he stepped across the common room, he made an involuntary motion for his headphones. But then he remembered his sister still hadn't returned them since the 31st. Vulpes let out a low groan as reached the window to the lake and planted his forehead against it with a dull thunk.

Music would have been really useful right about now. He could chase the thoughts away with something else. But now, he stood staring into the pitch black waters like they would hold the answers to the universe[1], struggling with emotions he wasn't used to. What if he and Murphy started dating? It seemed like Aurora herself may have considered whether or not she had feelings like that for him - and what if she did? It wouldn't be fair if he dated Murphy after doing something like that. But then, what if while he was dating Murphy, if that ever happened, he still held feelings for Aurora? He couldn't deny anymore that he did. In which case it wouldn't be fair to Murphy.

Vulpes looked down at the hand that had held Aurora's earlier that night, and sighed. In a sudden surge of rage, Vulpes threw his fist into the glass, which reverberated loudly. "Damnit!" he hissed, spinning around and leaning against the still shaking window. Vulpes closed his eyes and tried to count the beats of music he could remember.

Unfortunately everything he thought of was in the tempo of a waltz. And that brought back the thought of Aurora. Which brought him back to square one on his Aurora Murphy debate. If he wasn't completely sure in his feelings for one of them, it wouldn't be fair to either.

Vulpes let out another sigh. "Certainly a day of days..."

1.

42

Huck was in a good mood. Despite the crazy evening encounter with the bonkers Swedish girl, or whatever she was, he was totally content and going about his nighttime activities with a little spring in his step. He'd taken a brilliant shower and was still rustling his hands through his hair to dry it out. Despite its shortness it actually took quite a while to dry as it was very thick and luxurious.

I ought to just bite the bullet and buy stock in Jockey, he thought idly to himself. He must have owned twenty of the plain white t-shirts and they were the bread-and-butter of his entire wardrobe. Maybe they'd sponsor me if I ever made it pro.

He reveled in the fact that he smelled lightly of shaving cream. It was one of his top ten favorite smells and along with his Lynx deodorant he smelled like a damn champion. As he pulled on his t-shirt and boxers, he jogged back out to the common room to retrieve his hoodie from its resting place across an arm of the big couch. He also brought with him the shiny red-and-yellow apple he'd been saving all day for his chill-out time.

Annnnnd Vulpes Connor.

Since he'd just been lectured at- vehemently- about how different he was from Vulpes Connor and why that was somehow a bad thing, his hackles were slightly raised at seeing the boy leaning against the window. Part of him wanted to turn around and jog back to his bed and go to sleep and end the day without any drama.

That part was vastly overwhelmed by the urge he had to crush the notion that one had to dress like a member of a screamo band to be considered an individual. He rubbed the apple on his shirt like an old-timey schoolboy and took a very gratifying bite. Eyeing the other boy up and down, he finally decided to be the Huck he knew he really was. "Smile, why don't you, Connor? God hates ugly."

"I'm sure God doesn't give a damn!" Vulpes snapped back at whoever had spoken. The fact that someone bothered him when he so obviously wanted to be left alone set him over the boiling point. He opened his eyes, which shone with unusual rage, to see whom had bothered to talk to him. Usually the Slytherins left him alone, and he actually liked it that way most of the time.  Huxley Ward... Vulpes gave a huff. Definitely not who expected, or who he wanted to talk to.

"Oh son of a... What could you possibly want?" Vulpes spat at him. Huxley never spoke to him unless he was going to make some remark about his quirks. And after seeing that he had made Aurora upset, along with the rest of what had happened, Vulpes really lacked the patience for the boy right now. "I suppose it's some other pointless remark about me?" He glared at Huxley.

Quickly, Vulpes raised his hands and used them to push himself off the glass, taking a few steps towards Huxley. "Or maybe," he said with barely contained rage. "Maybe you're going to explain to me why you had the nerve to upset Aurora so much? I'm guessing you were your normal arrogant self?" Vulpes spat. He really hated being so angry, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

He gave a frustrated sigh, and lifted his left hand next to him, clenching it into a fist. "Have you ever though for a second that no one really gives a fuck about how cool you think you are?" Vulpes flinched slightly at his language, he noted mentally how angry he must be to be speaking like this. "Have you ever stopped to think 'hey, this shit won't matter in a few years'? No, of course not, because you're probably too wrapped up in yourself to stop and think about something that isn't about you."

Vulpes turned and walked back to the window, crossing his arms, breathing heavy. He felt his nails digging into his skin, which was quite a feat considering he still had his robes on. "So," Vulpes shot over his shoulder, eyes still facing out into the murky depths of the lake. "I repeat, what do you want?"

He hadn't expected all that out of the weird little guy who never said 'boo' to anyone. When Vulpes had launched into his diatribe he jumped a little. A part of him had suspected that when Vulpes finally snapped he'd take all of Slytherin house down with him, not just yell and stomp his feet.

In truth, he did think he was cooler than most people. He was of the mind that money had an inverse relationship with coolness, so, going by that factor, out of the entire student body he was definitely in the top ten percent coolness-wise.

The whole thing sort of just perplexed Huck. Yeah, he'd been mean to Aurora, but he'd never been really mean to Vulpes. The usual ribbing comments, but that was just what kids did to each other. They ripped on each other.

Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it.

"Look, Connor, I'm not sure exactly what I did to get your knickers in such a twist, but whatever it was wasn't on purpose. I think you might need to take a little nap. You seem fussy."

He shrugged his shoulders into the navy blue hoodie and rubbed his arms a little. Despite it being June, he was freezing.  He thought vaguely that he must be getting sick.

Vulpes turned viciously on the spot, hand twitching to grab his wand. Never in his life had wanted to curse someone so badly. He quickly contained the motion though, he had only recently been in the Deputy Headmasters office for using his wand. Vulpes didn't want to get in trouble for it again. Besides, this time he wouldn't be able to say it was self defense.

"Oh come off it!" he snapped. "Like you don't-" But he stopped as something clicked in. His expressions changed from barely controlled rage to wild disbelief. "Did you actually use my name for once?" He asked harshly, letting out a malicious laugh. "Definitely a day of firsts."

Vulpes gave him a wry smile. "But regardless, don't give me the 'it was an accident' bullshit." Again, he gave a short, cruel laugh. "After five years of you insulting me on an almost daily basis, I doubt you're clueless a to why I'd be rather unwilling to be civil with you. Plus, I doubt your," his smile turned into a wicked grin, "intentions, are for my personal well being."

Assuming he'd understand the reference, Vulpes strolled past Huxley to the couches, and calmly sat, crossing one leg over the other. "So now that we've accepted that you're an arrogant prick, that I don't like you, and that your intentions are less than pure," he held up both his hands and gave another mocking smile. "I'll ask for a third time what it is that you want."

Huck's gaze flattened to a sardonic stare. Of course Vulpes was Aurora's friend. They were two peas in a pod. Weird, dramatic, bipolar. It was like watching a soap opera that followed you around and called you a prick all day. His mistake for getting involved with the social pariahs of the school.

He really didn't get why Vulpes was so upset. As he tried to recount some of the things he'd said to Vulpes in passing, he couldn't think of one instance where he'd done it with venom in his voice or malice in his heart. They were only jokes. He was only treating him like he treated his friends and family, only they knew how to laugh at themselves and shoot one back at him.

"Give it a rest, mate, if I was trying to insult you you'd know it." It was the truth; it didn't often happen, but when Huxley really wanted to hurt someone's feelings he did it brutally. It had happened tonight, yes, but not with Vulpes and that had been the first time all year he'd done it. "It wouldn't be a throwaway comment about how your hair looks like you fell facedown into a bucket of smurfs."

Oh, now he knew what this was all about. He smirked broadly. "Oh, I get it," he said with satisfaction, folding his arms. "Hit a nerve, did I, Connor? I've harassed your girlfriend, is that it? I stand by what I said. My intentions might have been prickish in nature but I'm pretty sure yours are ...different. I don't believe for one second you'd willingly traipse about with that Swedish Short-Snout unless you had an ulterior motive. Even if you didn't know it at first."

Of course, Huck had friends that were girls, but he found them infinitely more pleasant to be around. And they listened to decent music, for Jesus's sake.

Vulpes rolled his eyes. "Just because you and everyone you know would have an ulterior motive for being friends with a girl, doesn't mean I would." He leaned his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes. 'Except I ended up having one...' his mind snapped back at him. Vulpes opened a weary eye and looked at Huxley. "And, she's not my girlfriend, Hux," he said in a bored voice. "She's my best friend. I'd be just as annoyed if I found out you, or anyone else, upset my sister." Vulpes leaned forward and gave him a rather thoughtful look. "We're pretty different but I'm sure you can relate to that."

He huffed ran his hands through his hair. "So, yea, you struck a nerve, but it's also just bad timing." Vupes shrugged and leaned his head against his hand. "On top of O.W.Ls, my sister, and other personalmatters, having my first, best, and so far only friend come tell me someone upset her," he sighed and rubbed his eyes. "And then. To have the same person who upset her, come talk to me like we were friends..."

Vulpes gave another huff and stood. "Sorry, but that's going to set me off. Maybe if my sister didn't steal my bloody headphones so I could drown it out..." He shrugged and bit his lower lip, contemplating whether or not he should formally apologize. For a moment he thought he could taste Aurora as he did. Vulpes quickly wiped his mouth with the back of his left hand and held out his right. "So, sorry for being so snappish. It gets so me sometimes."

He thought of his sisters and smiled a little to himself. His eyes always twinkled when he thought about his sisters. "Well, no, Connor, I don't relate to that. Because if you had hurt my sisters, you'd be too busy drinking your meals through a straw to have this conversation with me now." He'd roughed up a few students for making even passing comments to Veronica and Penny, and had even gotten into a fistfight with a sixth-year earlier in the term for whistling at Veronica in the hallway.

With a note of triumph, he watched the wind go out of Vulpes's sails. He prided himself on being able to both infuriate and defuse people, often within minutes of each other. He took the hand that Vulpes offered him and gave it one firm shake, the manliest of all handshakes. "No worries, mate, happens to the best of us," he said lightly, taking another bite of his apple. It was a great apple. Not at all mealy or unpleasant like some apples tended to be.

"Look, just for the record, I'm really not trying to actually hurt your feelings. I just think you take things too personally. I'm just takin' the piss, y'know?"

Vulpes gave a slight snort as he shook Huxley's hand. "Actually, the thought of hitting you in the face with a blasting curse crossed my mind." he gave a slight grin. "If I hadn't been in the deputy headmasters office for 'dueling' about a month ago, I may well have." Vulpes gave a slight shrug and yawned into his hand. "Contrary to how I may look, I'm a pretty good fighter."

He laughed slightly and looked upwards, thinking about the inevitable duel with Vex he would have later this summer. "My next go with Vex should be fun..." he muttered to himself.

Vulpes dropped his gaze back down to Huxley. "Anyway, it probably would have been easier to not try  to harm if we were actually friends, or something." He waved his hand dismissively and glanced at his watch. It was really getting late. "But if it's not malicious intent..." Vulpes cocked his head to the side. "I guess that makes you better than the others." His mind flickered through images of all the people who had jeered over the years, and he shuddered slightly. Not a lot of pleasant memories.

He gave another yawn into his hand and sat down on the arm of the couch. "So, what did you say to her, exactly? Aurora? She didn't really specify, and I didn't think it would be a good idea to push it."

Huck laughed and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure," he commented. "I know I'd be shaking in me boots to run into a desperado like you in a dark alley."

He was about to reply to the second point, but pursed his lips. "Look, we all do that to each other. When I talk to my sisters and my best friends, we say way harsher stuff than I've ever said to you." It was true. He seriously doubted Vulpes would have the stomach to hang around with his family. Or his friends, for that matter. "And I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I'm going to stop making stupid jokes about you. It's gonna happen. The comments, I mean."

"If we're being honest, I don't even remember. I don't think I called her a Nazi. Maybe something about how she was... how she had no friends?"

He gave a slight shrug. "Never judge a book by it's cover,as the saying goes. I'm sure my cousin, or my sister, would be able to tell you about the time I broke his ribs." Vulpes gave a small smile.

Yawning loudly Vulpes lied himself down across the couch. How strange that he was having a conversation with Huxely Ward of all people. Well maybe he wasn't so bad, aside from the obvious, arrogant prick issue. He gave a slight shrug at his statement that everyone insulted everyone else. "Well, clearly not everyone does." he said, closing his eyes. "I don't think I've ever said anything insulting about you... well, okay. I've never gone on a daily routine telling everyone you were an arrogant prat." Vulpes lifted his head slightly. "But I don't think people need an active reminder." he joked.

But when Huxley said he said he may have gone on about how Aurora had no friends, Vulpes sat back up, frowning. "Hux," he said in a bored voice. "Is that ever a good topic to bring up or make fun of someone on?" It was a serious question, Vulpes wasn't quite sure Huxley had the tact to think like that.

Huck gave Vulpes a sarcastic little look. He got the distinct impression that the kid was trying to get fresh with him. Or take a morally superior attitude. Huck had said similar things to his other friends almost nonstop for years and none of them had ever tripped so hard. "Well, I'll stop saying it when it stops being true," he replied.

The apple was a sad core. He had blown his apple before he even got to have his little nighttime chill-out session. The thought really messed with his head.

Every night since he was five he'd get into bed, read comics or draw, and eat a fruit. "Well, now that you've handily ensured I'll be no use to anyone tomorrow," he commented. "I can't sleep without my chill-out session."

"Same boat as me mate," Vulpes said in a bored voice. "I don't sleep well without my music." he gave a loud yawn and sprawled back out on the couch, thoughts slipping back to Aurora. It really was frustrating, thinking about something and not being able to derive an answer from it. Maybe if he slept on it.

"Of course I don't have an O.W.L. tomorrow, so it's probably not an issue. I get to cram Potions all day long." He let out a bitter laugh. In all honesty he wasn't sure which one he preferred. Probably the O.W.L. since it was Creatures. Never taking the class, he wasn't sure what the exam would be like. But it seemed superior to potions.

Vulpes sat back up and looked out towards the lakes pitch black waters. He almost wish the giant squid would come say hello. It was always fun to watch as it came by and tapped the glass with its tentacles. Vulpes shrugged for no particular reason and glanced back at Huxley. "What's this chill-out session of yours?" he asked, thinking of nothing better to say.

"Well I just don't see how that's any of your business," Huxley replied, scooping up his sketchbook from the spot near the stairs where he had absentmindedly left it earlier in the evening. "Loverboy."

"For the record, I think you're full of shite. Although I can understand why someone wouldn't find that attractive. She's got...  bug eyes," he said with a little shudder. "But, uh, yeah, tiger, watch your back around that one." He tapped his head with a pointed glance. "There's definitely some kind of developmental disorder at work there. I haven't pinpointed it yet, but I'm working on it, so, ah, rest easy there, mate."

He perched on an armchair and inspected a splinter on the bottom of his foot. "Mother of God," he groaned, trying to grasp the tip of it with his fingernails. His wand was all the way on his nightstand.

A surprised eyebrow quirked up. My, someone was touchy on the subject. Vulpes yawned and gave another shrug. "Don't see why you bothered to bring it up then." he tilted his head to one side and sarcastically added, "And here I thought we were having a nice conversation." Vulpes made a slight clicking noise with his tongue. "You don't honestly think I'd be the type to judge you on something like that, do you?" he asked seriously.

Standing, he pulled his robes off and loosened his tie. It was amazing he left it in so long. Vulpes scooped up his robes and folded them over his arm. He froze as Huxley mentioned Aurora, and how she must have something wrong with her. What an arrogant little... "Hux, I highly doubt you will ever learn anything about her. Not sure if you noticed, but she didn't seem to like you much. Think what you want of me, but I'd keep your thoughts about her quiet, at least in my presence." Vulpes pulled out his wand and tapped his forehead with it. "Especially if you're unarmed."

With a mocking grin, Vulpes slowly made his way back to the dorms. He really didn't want to spend more time with someone like Huxley.