Citrus Corvidae
𝑨𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒒𝒖𝒊 𝑳𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆
If someone had told October Sargent even a week ago that he would be waiting outside of the locker rooms to meet a jock, on purpose, well, he wasn't sure what he'd have done, but he certainly wouldn't have believed them. Possibly he'd have been offended that anyone would even suggest he was interested in the type: shallow, entitled, brainless. But here he was, leaning against the wall in the lower athletics hall and praying to every deity he could think of that no one he knew spotted him here. If he weren't being paid for this, it sure as hell wouldn't have been worth it.
It had begun as a stupid joke. Matty had been rambling about some random drama that Toby had no real interest in, but the moment Reese's voice joined the conversation in that conspiratorial, syrupy tone that meant she was plotting something devious, he'd been forced to tune in. They were all plenty aware by now of the rumours surrounding the suspiciously unconfirmed sexuality of some jock—they were the School Queers, it was their business to know every such rumour—but Toby hadn't heard his name until now. With dramatic false innocence, Reese had suggested they put the rumour to the test and set him up on a fake date to observe.
"And who do you plan to throw into that hellpit of a scenario?" Toby had snorted derisively. Wrong move. Reese had turned to him with that mean little sparkle in her eye and shrugged; a lie. "Dude, no. What? No way." But she hadn't looked away from him, the influence of her gaze boring a hole in his skull; he could hear the others beginning to snicker, collectively deciding along with Reese that it would be fun to see. "I don't want to date some idiot meathead, even for a joke!" He'd whined, shook his head, effectively put his foot down. "No freaking way, you couldn't pay me—" Another wrong move. He should have known, as much of a bitch as Reese was, that she'd find a way. He still regretted all of his life decisions as he watched the locker room door open and the line of endorphin-fuelled zombies trudge out, but at least he wouldn't leave empty-handed.
Toby shoved away from the wall and threw himself into the crowd of mouth-breathers before he could second-guess as soon as he spotted his target. His height (or lack thereof) and small size helped him weave easily between people until he caught up with the boy he was looking for, and he fell into step beside him, announcing his presence a little flatly.
"Hey. It's, uh, Fraser, right?" Wow, he was really tall, and Toby was not in the least bit impressed by that, obviously. He would have to raise his price for going through with this if he was going to spend the entire time craning his neck just to meet the guy's eyes. "I'm Toby."
cultmentality If you haven't noticed already, Toby is a bit of an unreliable narrator and I love him for it skdjfh
It had begun as a stupid joke. Matty had been rambling about some random drama that Toby had no real interest in, but the moment Reese's voice joined the conversation in that conspiratorial, syrupy tone that meant she was plotting something devious, he'd been forced to tune in. They were all plenty aware by now of the rumours surrounding the suspiciously unconfirmed sexuality of some jock—they were the School Queers, it was their business to know every such rumour—but Toby hadn't heard his name until now. With dramatic false innocence, Reese had suggested they put the rumour to the test and set him up on a fake date to observe.
"And who do you plan to throw into that hellpit of a scenario?" Toby had snorted derisively. Wrong move. Reese had turned to him with that mean little sparkle in her eye and shrugged; a lie. "Dude, no. What? No way." But she hadn't looked away from him, the influence of her gaze boring a hole in his skull; he could hear the others beginning to snicker, collectively deciding along with Reese that it would be fun to see. "I don't want to date some idiot meathead, even for a joke!" He'd whined, shook his head, effectively put his foot down. "No freaking way, you couldn't pay me—" Another wrong move. He should have known, as much of a bitch as Reese was, that she'd find a way. He still regretted all of his life decisions as he watched the locker room door open and the line of endorphin-fuelled zombies trudge out, but at least he wouldn't leave empty-handed.
Toby shoved away from the wall and threw himself into the crowd of mouth-breathers before he could second-guess as soon as he spotted his target. His height (or lack thereof) and small size helped him weave easily between people until he caught up with the boy he was looking for, and he fell into step beside him, announcing his presence a little flatly.
"Hey. It's, uh, Fraser, right?" Wow, he was really tall, and Toby was not in the least bit impressed by that, obviously. He would have to raise his price for going through with this if he was going to spend the entire time craning his neck just to meet the guy's eyes. "I'm Toby."
cultmentality If you haven't noticed already, Toby is a bit of an unreliable narrator and I love him for it skdjfh