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If only...

Howl mentally sighed as he looked over the relatively stale looking dorm. It was just about lights out, so he was getting some quality writing time, making certain to make his letters look as elegant as possible. However, the letters only seemed to hold so much interest for the lad this evening. If it weren't so close to lights out, maybe he would have ventured out into the hallways in search of intelligent conversation. Yet, Howl was not the sort of lad who would walk around in public in his boxers. It would have helped distract him from other things on his mind.

...maybe just a peek...

His cool eyes fell upon the picture frame on his desk. The picture frame that was face down so you couldn't see the picture in the frame. He paid not mind to the world around him for a moment as his fingers crept up to the frame. His pointer finger and thumb pressed over the edge of the small novelty frame.

Wait. No.

His fingers retreated as he recalled that he wasn't supposed to do such a simple little action. As if he was mentally trying to separate himself from the picture frame, he pushed his chair back and once more looked at the room. Howl needed something to distract him. He was desperate, though his features gracefully hid such a sensation running through the lad.

"Franz, my dear boy, how is practice going for you and your boys?"

Howl was quite aware of the can of worms he was about to open up.

One of Howl's delicate brows seemed to twitch slightly as Franz relocated himself on Howl's bed. It must have been too much to hope that his room mate would have been a bit more mild before bed. Yet, it was just further proof that one never knew what to expect with such a fiery spirit.

It was thanks to Franz that the long-haired lad had learned a bit more about each of his classmates. On the mention of poor Simon, he chimed in "I still find it surprising you were able to convince Mr. Ferris to join up with the Polecats this year. He just never came across to me as the athletic type." Or the type to want to make a spectacle of himself. A silly little image of Simon dancing seemed to flash through his mind, but he quickly shook that image away. It had a lasting effect of a small humored smile upon his lip. The subject had managed to do as Howl had hoped and distracted his mind from other subjects.

Until Franz asked the question.

With a gentle sigh, he gestured for his room mate to take up the frame. "She's the girl I had to leave behind when I came to this school."

Howl was not delusional and was extremely aware of the reality of the situation he had left behind. He was hoping his vague statement would work in his advantage. The last thing he needed to talk about was how she was indirectly the reason why he was at Hillworth. In an effort to seem more convincing, he looked away and said in a slightly hurt tone "...I am trying to forget her..."

A smug little mental smile found its way into Howl's mind as the blonde took the bait perfectly. He nodded his head heavily, as if he was feeling the weight of his friend's sympathy. Only some of the sympathy was really deserved though.

"You got it correct, my friend." She also wouldn't have anything to do with him before Hillworth as well, but Franz did not need to know this. As his roommate recalled his own prior experiences in romance, he couldn't help but smile kindly.

"That was harsh," he sympathized sincerely. Amelia more than likely did something similar in regards to Howl. At least Howl wasn't on Facebook, so he couldn't be completely embarrassed.

"If it means anything, Franz, I think you are a 'cool' guy." As he casually pondered the slang term he just used while also patting Franz on the shoulder in a gentler manner than the blonde usually did.

Quite adjusted to the bro grabs, Howl took the hug (he refused to call such a "bro grab" of his own accord) willingly. Of course, when Franz retreated and sat on Howl's place of rest, his lips went down to a neutral expression. As much as he enjoyed Franz as a roommate, sometimes he couldn't help but wish that he had a slightly less rambunctious companion in the dorm.

"I know you were not aiming to play for sympathy, my friend. You are not the type of lad to do such. You are too strong-willed to do such a thing." Howl paused and nodded. The blonde didn't really seem to be the type to whine about any little thing. He just tended to whine about the big things, like possible conspiracies in the world.

He casually lifted up a hand and shook it slightly at the mention of the mourning period. "There is no need, my friend. I just need to work through my own feelings at my own pace. I rather enjoyed meeting Miss McMahon. She is quite polite." Manners were something Howl could appreciate, and in Hillworth, such essentials like manners were nearly extinct.

Glancing at the closest clock, Howl could see it was minutes away from lights out. Turning to face his desk, he made certain to close his journal and to tuck it away inside a desk drawer.

Howl stood up and slightly tussled his hair a bit while pushing in his chair. It was quite nice having such soft and long hair, but somewhere in the back of his mind, the boy knew that it would be a pain to brush out in the morning. Ah, the price of beauty was sometimes quite costly.

He couldn't help but chuckle at his companion's analysis of the situation. It was a very unpolished analysis and quite inaccurate, but that was partially his own fault. Sitting down on his own bed, his hair fanned out slightly over the sheets. "Alas, sometimes I do wish there were more Amelias in the world, then the women would have strong personalities as well." He sighed. Amelia really had been a very strong and independent woman with exceptionally rare beauty. It was what had enchanted him to begin with. The way her hair shimmered was always so ethereal...

Howl stopped himself and shook his head slightly. Again, it was that thinking that got himself into trouble. At least when it came to Amelia. In an attempt to refocus, he gladly replied to Franz's assessment of Miss McMahon. "She was quite pretty, but I would not imagine dating her until I got to know her a bit better." He decided not to mention the fact he'd probably never ask the girl for a date. She seemed beautiful, but she lacked a certain charm that he appreciated in women. He lay himself down on his bed while pushing the hair away from his face so it wouldn't pull or get tangled.

"However, that could prove interesting." He chuckled a bit at the thought of dating the girl just so his friend could also date a Crystal girl.

As the room darkened, Howl's eyes eventually found their way to the ceiling as well. Soon enough he'd be dreaming, and this little spot in hell would be the furthest thing from his mind. It was quite sad that his dreams were the only place he could find real true happiness these days.

Upon the question that Franz liked to ask (like a broken record), he shook his head (though his companion would not be able to see it).

"Alas, the Polecats are just not my calling, my friend. I need to work with our feeble attempt at a fencing team. There is much work to be done to make them worthy of competition."

He sighed, suspecting that Franz was going to mention how he was going to cheer for the whole fencing team, and that would be the whole reason why they would win. Poor Franz would just never fully comprehend that these matches did not require a cheerleading squad.

"I think I will turn in now. Goodnight, Franz." With those words lingering in the air, the thin lad carefully turned himself so his cheek was gently laying against the pillow.

[FIN]