Welcome to Gaia! ::

The message had not been entirely unexpected, though it had come faster than he'd thought. Ezekiel sat back in his chair, pushing his glasses back up his nose, and chuckled to himself as he read it over. again. "Apparently I left a lasting impression, eh Laggy?"

{You are awful, boil.}

I know.

Of course, even having received the message, he hadn't gotten up immediately to head down to room 131. He'd finished reading the page he'd been in the middle of, jotted down his thoughts on them, and took his time in arranging his desk back into it's usual spotless state.

Then he would stand, dropping his phone into his pocket, and headed out of his room and down the hall.

When he reached Zac's door he leaned, shoulder against the wall beside it, and wrapped out the wood with the backs of his knuckles.

If anything, the delay in the door opening was amusing. Zeke's head tipped as swung inward, and a brow twitched upward when Zac's small frame retreated back from it without a word.

When he followed he'd find the Sun sinking into a chair, cheeks flushed, and gaze very determinedly looking anywhere but at the Mist as he closed the door behind himself.

"Someones on edge," he commented dryly, arms crossing across his chest as he took a few steps closer. Not actually invading Zac's personal bubble this time, but close enough. "What's up, buttercup?"

The smile grew, infuriatingly easy, but if Zac really wanted to open this box, he'd have to get used to the teasing sooner or later. Ever took it in stride, dishing it back effortlessly. Zac was a ball of nervous, so tightly wound Zeke was sure he'd twang if he moved too quickly.

"Alligator?" A brow arched.

He was just going to go ahead and assume pashing meant ********. That in mind he dipped his head in a nod, gaze flicking off thoughtfully as he let his arms drop again. The amusement dimmed down to a tolerable level as he looked back down at the Sun. "Alright. I'm here. You wanted to talk to me."

Another step closer, and his hip came to rest against the edge of the desk, palm coming down flat against the top in support. "Where do you want to start?"

At least he was honest. Zeke appreciated honesty.

"Accepting that you like what you like doesn't mean you have to suddenly advertise it." He let out a sharp breath, exasperated, and his free hand came up, thumb and forefinger making a pass over his temples.

"You're kind of over thinking all this, making it a bigger deal than it needs to be." He turned his head, pegging the shorter man with a look. "Nothing really changes here, it just opens your options up" Hazel eyes narrowed. "So why are you stressing?"

He hooked a foot on the bass of Zac's chair, dragging it over until he was sitting in front of him. "What do you want to do?" He sounded vaguely annoyed, but he also wasn't heading for the door. "Have an existential crisis, or...?" Brows lifted, the shadow of a smile returning.

While nervous, flustered, Zeke had to admit Zac had more brass than he'd been expecting. He was still angry, at himself, or the situation, but he wasn't running this time. Patiently, Zeke leaned back against the desk, an waited for the other shorter man to make up his mind.

When he did, when Zac came up out of his chair to lay a hand on his chest, Auburn brows lifted, impressed.

He could have made a comment, teased or mocked, but this time he didn't say anything. Just brought his hands up, one sliding around Zac's side as he leaned in, the other coming up to to the side of the smaller man's face; fingers lost on dark blue hair, thumb tucked under his chin to lift his head up.

As kisses went, it was chaste, by Ezekiel's standards. A warm pressure against Zac's mouth, tongue sliding along his lower lip.

It was tentative, hesitant, but receptive, and after a few seconds he seemed to sink into it. Maybe he'd feel the grin on Zeke's lips before he was pulling away, or see it before he was turning his gaze up ceilingward.

"Did you expect it to?" His voice was low, amused, but it didn't hold that same biting edge it had held in the library. "I told you, it's not a big deal."

Men, women, it didn't make any difference who a person chose to spend their time with.

Zeke hadn't let go, and his hand was a warm weight against Zac's side as he talked. The other hand lowered, resting lightly on the edge of the desk. "it's not," he commented dryly, head tipped softly to one side. Everything was a big deal to high schoolers--most high schoolers.

The curse got a twitch of brows, a small tug of lips. "You are."

He used the hand on Zac's side to move him over a step so he could drop into the chair the smaller man had vacated moments before. Then he, grinning, he gave his thighs an inviting pat. Teasing again, just a little. He just couldn't really help himself.