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Paint. Paint was so fun to play with. It was surprising that there were no caretakers to stop him. Even that too nice, and too pesky junior couldn't interrupt this. Not when class was still in session. Ditching class? Yeah, he did that. It was a near weekly occurrence. Would have been weekly, but...well. Teachers were hard to pass by

The hybrid eyed his handiwork, adding an extra red streak onto the white wall. Perfect. He snickered to himself as the letters "B U T T E" littered the half of the wall that he was able to reach. That would show the teachers who was really in charge.

A pink shape caught his eye and he turned, confused, his smile falling. They---did they have a face?! The hybrid's body shuddered. Creepy. "What are you looking at?" They held the paintbrush defensively against their chest.

What? Looking at nothing? Their face was directed right at them. Of course they were looking at him. Zeke scowled, his geist tendrils flaring in annoyance. He wasn't a fool. "Then why are you looking this way?" he asked, a hard edge in his tone but otherwise, smooth. Clear. Showing anger was going to get him nowhere. It never had before.

But he could mask it with a smile and kind words. He could play this freshling's game. "Oh, math. I know where that is." The hybrid nearly purred as he dropped the paint brush into the can and walked over, draping an arm on Di'o's shoulders heavily. Even if he did know how to see, Zeke could always lead them in the wrong direction. Or in circles. He nudged Di'o forward, and towards a nearby room. The girls bathroom, that is.

"What's your name? You new here?"

"Can't see, huh?" Likely story. Likely story. Zeke wouldn't believe it for a moment. He stared at the boy's mask, cocking his head to the side. Well, that might have been the issue. "Maybe if you poked a few eye holes into your mask, you'd be able to see. Why do you wear the thing anyway?" His fingers twitched. It was all too tempting to try and take off.

The touch from the other freshling made Ezekiel tense up. Why was he leaning up against him? He didn't give him permission. Di'o sure was playing the act pretty well though. Unless...they couldn't actually see. Weird. "Second day, huh? How did you get in the building since you can't see? Did someone carry you in here?" His thoughts flashed to the joyful junior he had met a few days ago, making him scowl. The idiot would be one to think to help out. He probably got help from someone else.

Take their hand? "What? What am I, your boyfriend? No. This'll do. Only couples hold hands." A blush bloomed across his cheeks, making him look to the side. This kid was going to pay for making him uncomfortable. "Go on into the gi---math class. " He smiled hoping his blunder wouldn't be caught, his hand pushing Di'o towards the door.

He bet that Di'o was just faking it. He really wouldn't go in. would he?

Ezekiel snickered, his shoulder's shaking. "So you're ugly behind that mask." he nearly boasted, smirking at the freshling. Ugly. That was one of his favorite words and one of the words that people used with him too. "You're a freak." He wanted to see the person behind the mask, to see if he was really without eyes or not. "Why not draw on your actual face?" He snickered. With permanent sharpie. It would be the best. But, he'd file that prank for later. The school may have been big but he was pretty sure he'd meet Di'o again.

"Your guide isn't much of a guide. Guess I'll sacrifice my time and effort in directing you to where you need to go. I promise not to leave like they did." At least, not yet. Ditching Di'o did sound like fun little prank. With the young kid being defenseless...stranded...without being able to see. Ezekiel's lips curled into a smile at the freshling. Yes, maybe later.

Right now, the pink freak needed to go through the girl's bathroom entryway. "That's different. They're adults. I'm not an adult. " They paused, pushing Di'o towards the bathroom. "You hold hands with your teachers? That's so weird." Ezekiel laughed, to themselves, watching the freshling go in.

They didn't expect them to come out, without emotion. While being with a junior. What the heck. His smile faltered into a scowl. "Just a bathroom. Sorry, I thought you had to go. " he tried clearing his throat to sound lighter and more upbeat. "That was my bad. I'll show you to the right place." The hybrid placed their arm around Di'o's waist this time snugly, digging his nails into the freshling's clothes while directing him to somewhere else. Now just where would he take him to next....

The closet seemed good enough.

"Have any other nicknames freak?"

Well, the mask didn't change a thing. It was weird either way. "You're a freak with the mask on and off. There's no need for it." Ezekiel, strangely enough, smiled at Di'o without any malice tinging his feelings. "People can draw on your face. You'll still be able to wash it off." he snickered to himself. The only issue was, it wouldn't be as easy to wash off. But that was an issue that could be dealt with. He could deal with it.

There was one thing that he could barely deal with. This kid's naive positivity. A raucous laugh left his lips and echoed down the halls as he clutched his own stomach with his free hand. "Get better at it?" He cracked open an eye to stare at the mask. "How are you going to train something when you can't even see, no eyes?!" Zeke's chuckles died down, shaking his head. That was ridiculous. He was going to fail. That familiar was only going to lead Di'o into trouble.

Actually...that would be interesting to see. "What's this familiar look like?" He nearly purred, coggs slowly turning in his head. Holding it for ransom seemed like a good idea. But maybe he could train the familiar too. To ruin Di'o's day. That seemed like a great idea.

Oh geez, this guy was such a sucker! Ezekial nearly snickered but contained it as he covered his mouth with the flat of his fingers, head bobbing. Di'o was too easy to fool. "It's this way." he walked towards the nearby closet, fortunately only a few feet away. Man. Good thing the hall monitor was sick with a coincidental stomach ache. This would have never been possible otherwise.

"The name's---E---" The hybrid paused, momentarily stopping in his tracks. He could always tell him a fake name. It's not like he'd know any different! "Easy." he let out. Lame. But what else was he going to say? Di'o was gullible. He'd probably believe it.

He wasn't the one training them? Ezekiel rose a brow and gave the freshling a dubious look. Was this---Okay. This freshling had to be an "Idiot." The hybrid shook his head. Man, he couldn't believe how dumb this kid was! "If you aren't training them, then who is. You already lost them!" His eyes trailed towards the closet. They were so close. So close. Almost there.. His grin widened.

But it was weird. It was like...he was actually relaxed with this kid. What in the world was going on? Zeke had to get over this...this friendship. Whatever this was.

"A fennekit. I'll be on the lookout." But not to give them immediately back. No, he had a bit of his own training to do with the little creature. If it was a fennekit. For all he knew it could have been a fluffy vespercat. Or another familiar. Who knew. It wasn't like he knew all of the familiars that wandered around the world. Heck, he barely knew a handful.

"You believe everything that you're told, don't you?" It was believable for him. This was the second time he was showing the kid towards a door that was definitely not math class and yet the brat was none the wiser! Weird. Strange. It was an opportunity he couldn't miss though. That brat was his to torture.

Zeke could only roll his eyes towards the skies. Miss class? Jeez, this kid was really dumb. Who would even want to go? There were better ways that they could spend their time. "Oh no, we can't possibly miss math." They ushered Di'o quickly, further towards the closet.

"Anyone who makes fun of me I beat up." One of his arms flexed. Although, there was little to no muscle there. Honestly, he had never gotten into a fight with someone older than him and won. His brain was much more sharper than his body was primed to fight. Freshling fights, he could deal with though. That was easy. He shrugged off the freshling's hand, looking at them with doubt. Why was he so-so---nice?! "Thanks." He guessed.

Once they were there, they jiggled the door knob. And beamed as he heard the click of the metal leaving the frame. It was open!

"Here it is!" he opened the door for the freshling, doing a slight bow as he pushed on the small of the freshling's back. "It looks like they're having a test so you gotta be quiet, okay?" He tried to whisper. But really, Zeke had never been great at whispering. It came out more like a low murmur.

It was time to get rid of him for good. As soon as Di'o was in the room, he slammed the closet door shut and let out a laugh. "Have fun counting the bottles of bleach!"

Oh man, this was too good!