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 Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 6:39 pm
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:00 pm
He was hunched over Amory's impeccable social studies homework when he received an unexpected text.It was from Oz.
Howard couldn't figure out why he had gone all lightheaded, not until he realized he hadn't taken a breath in at least a minute. It had been more than a year since he'd last seen the baphomet, though it was not for lack of trying. Oz's room had remained vacant every time Howard had passed, and he hadn't answered a phone call or text since the night of the haunted house.
See you soon, he'd said as they'd parted. It'd been a lie.
Assuming that no one was hacking Oz's phone, the only conclusion Howard could draw was that this was not. Oz was back and Howard had no idea what to feel.
The chimera stared at the message, throat dry and heart beating fast. Unable to come up with anything witty or personal, he eventually decided that generic was better than nothing.Quote: Text to Oz:
where are you?
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:01 pm
His phone buzzed insistently on the flat rock Oz had perched it upon, and for a moment the baphomet couldn't figure out where the sound had come from. He tried to push away the tingling excitement that coursed through his gut when he realized it could only be Howard's reply, but when he reached over and confirmed that it actually was, the tingle took over despite his best efforts, pulling a grin from the nightmare. He could already envision the disapproving frowns he would be on the receiving end of in the very near future, but he didn't care. He hadn't been forgotten. Oz's grin lingered as he tapped out a brief reply.Quote: Text to Howard:
back. i said :)
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:02 pm
Howard couldn't help himself. In the space between his text and the trill of Oz's reply he began to fidget. He tried to calm down before reading it by telling himself he was an idiot, but it was no use. His time with Oz might have been brief, but it had been the most fun he'd had in the entirety of his life. Flying in the hills, strolling by the river, pushing Amory on the swings. And, by Kallistos, the boy was an excellent kisser.
The chimera shook his head. That was beside the point. Oz had proven to be a good friend, and Howard was a worrier. He wanted to know everything that had happened while Oz had been away, just to make sure that none of it was bad.Quote: Text to Oz:
back _where_
i'll find you
[ 142 ]
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:03 pm
The baphomet chuckled as he read Howard's response. He could picture the chimera scowling at his phone after rereading his reply, and while he was tempted to send something catty or provocative back, he decided to up the anticipation instead. It was only a twenty minute walk from where he was now to where Howard should have been, provided he hadn't moved in the interim. Oz wanted to surprise the other nightmare as best he could, so he remained silent.
It took him a good five minutes less than his estimate in the end, and it was a good thing too. Halfway there a bit of guilt set in, and while he wished he had been a little more forthcoming with his proximity, it was too late now. Standing outside of Howard's dorm, a wave of nervousness washed over him. He'd given the chimera a number of reasons to be angry. Oz hoped those reasons seemed small when compared to his return.
He pulled out his phone and typed out one final message.Quote: Text to Howard:
open your door
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:04 pm
In theory, Oz had taken a bit of a gamble in coming here. Howard could have moved to another dorm or might have simply been out doing something else. But he wasn't. He had spent the last fifteen minutes thinking, staring straight ahead as he worried over what he would do or say once he saw the baphomet face to face. Howard was afraid he might slap him. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.
He was startled out of his negative thoughts by yet another text, one that he was suddenly reluctant to open. What if this had all been a joke? What if someone had picked up Oz's phone where he'd left it on the counter in some coffee house and had sent jokey texts to some random nightmare on his contacts list? Howard tried to breathe deeply. Even if that was the case, he could handle it.
"Okay. Here goes. I'm opening the text and it's going to be just like any of the thousands of other texts I've received. Meaningless."
Within seconds of reading his phone, Howard was bolting away from his desk, nearly turning an ankle on one of Ellis's rolling toys in his haste to reach the door. He threw it open, and before he had registered much more than ruddy hair and graceful, spiraling horns, he had thrown himself at the shorter nightmare. The chimera pulled away from the embrace as soon as he had initiated it, the apples of his cheeks swiftly shifting to a darker green.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what..."
[ 261 ]
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:06 pm
Oz kept one arm firmly wrapped around Howard's lower back, even as the chimera tried to disengage and flee. His other hand rose past Howard's shoulder and cheek to fist around his horn and pull him into a kiss. It might have been a little forward, but he wasn't about to waste any opportunity Howard presented, especially one as inviting as this. Oz was rewarded with a small, pleased sound as Howard stopped struggling and returned the kiss with shy enthusiasm.
It was a long time before they parted.
"I'm glad you're not mad at me," Oz said when they did, crossing the room and cracking open a kitchen cabinet. "So, cough it up. How are you? How's Amory?" He reached up, retrieving a bright blue mug that read MAJOR IN PHILOSOPHY - IT'S THE MOST INTERESTING PATH TO POVERTY.
"Is this okay?" He didn't want to stick around long enough to have a drink if the chimera had better things to do. Or if he didn't want him there at all. Oz tried not to think about that.
[ 179 ]
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:07 pm
Howard watched Oz nose around his tiny kitchen in silence, lips tingling from the ferocity of their reunion. How the baphomet could bounce between handsy and homey in the blink of an eye baffled Howard. He couldn't help his own wandering thoughts, so when Oz began to speak, Howard was left in a scramble to pay attention, his mind rewinding what had been said before he could reply.
"I'm... um... life is all right. Amory is well. I still have a tendency toward excessive study, but much of my time has been otherwise occupied as of late, ever since I took Ellis in." Howard softly cleared his throat. "He's technically my son."
[ 112 ]
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:07 pm
"Son?" Oz carefully placed the mug back on the counter behind him, a too-bright grin parting his lips. He quite liked children, and what Howard had done was very admirable and all that, but none of it made Oz feel any less like he had missed a huge chunk of Howard's life by going away. There was no way he could make that up.
"I'm sorry." When the chimera looked confused, Oz quickly continued, his awkward joy turning to concern. "Not in a bad way! I just mean... I've missed a lot." Oz hung his head, noticing a plastic firetruck overturned on the ground near Howard's feet. "I'd like to meet him. Ellis. If you can stand to have me anywhere near him, that is."
[ 125 ]
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:08 pm
"If I... why wouldn't I want you near him? You're not dangerous, you just... you're just a little unreliable." It was an understatement. Although his relief was nearly overwhelming, Howard was more than a little irritated by the baphomet's behavior. It was confusing, longing to shout and blame and shake Oz until his teeth rattled on the one hand, and wanting nothing more than to fold the boy into another embrace on the other.
"Ellis is in class right now, but you can... you can stay until he gets back, if you want?"
Howard was intelligent, he was responsible, he was a father. He was also a socially inept, mildly insecure teenager, and never was that more apparent than it was at this moment.
[ 124 ]
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:09 pm
"I'd like that." Oz crossed from the kitchen back to Howard's side. "I want to say... I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that I was going away. I'm sorry I didn't contact you while I was away. I just kind of... walked off campus one day, and by the time I figured out why, it was too late for apologies, especially since I knew I wasn't coming back for a while. If you'd have asked me to come back and I had said I couldn't, you would have thought it was about you."
He forced himself to stop, to breathe. "Those trips we took to the Bramblewood. My life used to be like that all the time. I was in shock when I got here, and even though I tried to keep cool, it got to the point where I had to go. We weren't enough to keep me here. I couldn't stand to leave in any other way because I would have had to say goodbye, and if I had done that, I wouldn't have been able to go. I could only hope that you would be here when I got back."
[ 194 ]
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:10 pm
Even though he would have preferred to remain stoic, Oz's words warmed Howard's heart.
"I do wish you would have told me, but... I understand." He stepped closer, golden eyes finding the cup the baphomet had abandoned. "I can make you some tea while we wait? I think I have cookies someplace too." He began to rummage around, tail swinging idly as he puttered around the room.
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:12 pm
Oz's smile was rather wicked, but his words remained innocent enough.
"I could have some tea, sure." He moved closer, picking up the cup and waiting until Howard found what he was looking for and Oz had his attention once more. "And I promise I'll never leave without telling you ever again."
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