The Academy

[Neon]

One thing led to another, it seemed, and soon Saint was rolling his Mercucio on top of him, seemingly the complete reverse of what Rose had tried to do so shortly before.

[Raven]

Mercucio rolled off, shaking his head. He wasn't even sure how that would work.

[Neon]

Edrin, being his paranoid self, assumed the very worst, that Mercucio didn't want him, not that way or any way. He rolled onto his side, and away from Merc.

[Raven]

Mercucio hugged him. "Can't we just cuddle?"

[Neon]

Saint sighed but nodded and cuddled.

[Raven]

Mercucio smiled, and cuddled.

[Neon]

Saint decided that he liked cuddles more anyway, and snuggled under the blankets till he fell asleep.

[Doom]

Benedict strolled away from the play in the clothes he'd been wearing before (having been wary enough to hide them whilst changing), laughing with triumph. Rose had acted precisely as Benedict had predicted, and the attempted rape of Mercucio had not only been witnessed by a certain out-of-the-way individual, but recorded. Seeing as how Rose was already perfectly trusting of Benedict, it was no trouble at all for the conniving boy to use his power to make his presence entirely unnoticed. Regardless of whether Rose saw or heard him, Benedict had witnessed the entire confrontation, and captured every minute on film. (Trust me guys, he isn't going to sell it as porn.)

With incriminating evidence against Rose, Benedict immediately made his way to the principal's office. Seeing that the principal was currently busy, he decided to wait outside. Unfortunately for Benedict, the hallway outside the office was prowled by a menace who had been spurred into a fitful rage by events that occurred there earlier in the day. Events involving two other students who had been sent to the office from their dance class...

Moments before Encore and Cristel's arrival at the principal's office...

With a curved talon of ice extending from his index finger, a boy sat facing the wall beside the door of the principal's office, etching a fairly deep groove into the door frame. Hearing approaching footsteps, he glanced over his shoulder to see who was coming. Seeing the general smugness on the face of the boy and the general irritation of the girl, Barnaby guessed that the two of them had fought and had both suffered the consequences. He grinned, standing and casually leaning against the wall, tucking his clawed hand in his arm, so as to conceal it.
"Fresh meat," he mocked as the two came close enough to hear. "Haven't seen you two here before. Get in a fight or something?"

[Gifted]

"I punched him in the face." Cristel said in a cold tone that clearly stated she did not regret her actions.

[Gifted]

the following day Portia didn't say a word to his partner, or anyone else in music class, either. He didn't even look up from his work all class.
The day after, Portia was five minutes late for class. His eyes had dark circles under them and he barely looked up when the teacher bade him sit down, answering with nothing more than a quick. "Sorry, Ms. Leviticus"

[Raven]

Symphony was extremely worried. What was he doing? How could he be late? She had been here an hour earlier than she normally was. And it looked as though he'd been up all night! Did he want her to fail, regardless of what it did to him? "What are you doing?" she asked, when Mrs Leviticus let them go to work.

[Gifted]

"Sorry." He muttered, rubbing his eyes and trying to look a little less half-dead. "Lost track of time." He slid the paper across the table.
They had several weeks to finish this project. He'd stayed up all night and finished the lyrics in two days.
He hadn't decided yet if he wanted her to actually understand them or not, to realize the meaning behind the metaphor or not. The last thing he wanted was for her to believe he was trying to mess with her head or something. But at the same time...
His weary eyes watched her face as she read over the lyrics.

I walked through the graveyard alone,
Every day I'd read the stones,
You'd say, I could be there, some day.
On top, of, the world so high,
Didn't believe that I could die
until the day you, gave me, my name.

You hand me the gravestone of my dreams,
Expect me to treat it like a trophy,
Held over my head...
Held over my head...

But all... I... all I want to know--
Is how... do... how do I crack this stone?
I want to watch the rubble 'til the end,
Feel it cascading down on my head,
It ain't something you can mend, and I know,
That's when I will finally let go--.

Some mourners came today,
Standing 'round, admiring graves,
And they don't know, how lucky, they have it.
Young and full of wild dreams,
just like I used to be
before death, with nothing to, atone for.

But apologies are worthless from me,
You left me six feet under, but seven feet deep
But they do all say a dead body smells sweet...
Sickeningly sweet.

But all... I... all I want to know--
Is how... do... how do I crack this stone?
I want to watch the rubble 'til the end,
Feel it cascading down on my head,
It ain't something you can mend, and I know,
That's when I will finally let go--.

You hand me the gravestone of my dreams,
Expect me to treat it like a trophy,
But they do all say a dead body smells sweet...

But all... I... all I want to know--
Is how... do... how do I crack this stone?
Smash the symbol of the end,
Take it beyond what you can mend,
believe me I would, I'd fight back if I could...
Take on the world, give it one more whirl,
I'm chained to a grave but rest assured,
Until it breaks I will never let go...
Please, I want to finally let go--.

[Raven]

Symphony almost felt guilty for thinking that he'd been wasting their time. Then she reminded herself who she was sitting next to and clenched her fist. She didn't even really read them at first, but about halfway through she slowed down, as though a word had caught her eye. "It's good, I guess," she said, after she had gone back and re-read it. In truth, she loved it, but she didn't want to tell him that. "I don't sing, though." Even though he hadn't been in her music class before the incident, he definitely would have heard her sing. She had done it everywhere, it was the one thing she could carry with her, without using her arms to hold it.

[Gifted]

Portia raised his eyebrows momentarily, surprised. He remembered her singing quite often. But then... it must be too painful because of her mother. He fell back into a neutral expression. "Then I'll do it. You just have to play the piano piece." He told her quietly. He honestly didn't think it was advisable he go up and sing this, but whatever.

[Raven]

"Can you sing?" Symphony asked, sounding dubious.