the art of being a slag pv comp.

@Gem Stuart

Contrary to his boyfriend’s opinion, Rafa despised Transfigurations.

The reason was pretty simple – he’d never been fond of math. While some people saw it as a puzzle to be solved, Rafa saw it as a problem to be avoided. It simply hurt his head. Like, what kind of Sadistic person would put math in magic? It was completely insensible, and even more boring. Boring, boring, boring…

He often found himself zoning out in class. Maybe he could have been paying attention, but really, he couldn’t find the motivation in himself to keep his eyes on the board. He would admit, he had a bit of a discipline problem. He simply liked breaking rules for the fun of it. On top of this, he couldn’t bring himself to take Lian seriously – she was blind, for Chrissakes. It was like taking candy from a baby, or something. Besides, discipline never scared him – it was one of his biggest weaknesses.

And, at the moment, he really should have been working on his paper – he was one bad grade away from a P. He just couldn’t find the motivation to write anything – the idea seemed nearly impossible, comparable to climbing Mt Everest without a coat on, or taking on a Basilisk in a staring contest. His focus was awry anyways, the sound of the clock and pens scribbling reverberating around his head. He had the strange sort of feeling that could only be described as wanting to do something, but having no motivation to do anything.

He was terribly, terribly bored.

There was one thing taking his attention, though. Gem fucking Stuart, to be exact. The Ravenclaw boy was sitting in front of him, apparently very focused on his work. Humming something, vaguely familiar. He was just so distracting, for a large number of reasons. And he probably didn’t even know it. Rafa allowed a wry smile to come to his face – though the thought embarrassed him, he couldn’t deny that he had lost sleep over him.

On a whim, a rather impulsive idea came to him – being the Gryffindor boy that he was, he acted on it without much thought. Without a sound, he quietly ripped a piece off his parchment. Carefully rolling it up, he deftly aimed, and tossed it at Gem, hitting the boy gently on the back of his head.

The Ravenclaw turned around abruptly, a suspicious look in his big brown eyes. For a moment, Rafa partially felt bad, distracting his boyfriend from his work and bringing him into his rebellious activities. Nonetheless, he shot Gem a funny sort of look, a massive grin plastered on his features.

Another idea hit him. He wasn’t sure where it came from – maybe it was the way Gem was singing, or maybe it was the scribbling of pens. Gem likes poems, right? Rafa, embarrassingly enough, didn’t have an ounce of poetic talent in his body. Nonetheless, he ripped another piece off his paper, considering it for a moment. After some thought, he gave it his best effort, scribbling something on the parchment in neat letters. Then, in a deft movement, he launched the paper over at Gem.

It landed on the other boy’s head again, and Rafa felt himself grinning at the situation. It was quite humorous – he was glad Lian couldn’t see them. Though, he found himself waiting anxiously, biting his lip in spite of himself. In the least, Gem might find it entertaining.

@Rafael D'Spacito

Gem almost said something, but Rafa's grin motivated him not to. His lips remained sealed, and his eyes drew back to his parchment, nearly half finished. He hadn't quite expected much else, so he'd slowly began to drift back into his educational state, stuck on a question he didn't know the answer for until--

another goddamn piece of parchment hit the back of his head.
Abruptly, he turned around and looked at it, a faint dotting of ink indicating there was something there to read. Again, narrowing his eyes, he bent down in his seat and plucked the paper off the floor, unfolding it so he could read it. No matter how determined he seemed to stay angry at the fact he was being pestered during class, he couldn't help but feel the corners of his lips turn up at the poem Rafael had written him. It was hard to keep it repressed, but it comforted him knowing the 'perp' couldn't have seen him smiling all stupid big like that.

He pulled a fresh parchment out from under the one he was working on, scribbling a poem on it to return it. Once done, he folded it into a neat square, turned around, and threw it right at his boyfriend's forehead, whipping back around before he could see him move too much. Gem was the opposite of slick, but he figured the words he used could forgive his clumsiness for a second.

Roses are red,
You're really stupid,
I would be mad,
but my heart's been shot by cupid.

P.S.: please don't take that seriously. I've never hated anything more than 'roses are red, violets are blue' poems. They're the epitome of all I despise.
P.P.S.: DO YOUR WORK.

Love,
Gem.

@Gem Stuart

Gem didn’t seem too pleased with his rebellious activities.

In fact, he looked a bit pissed, having sent him a bit of a withering look at his last attempt at entertainment. Rafa watched in suspense as the other boy picked the parchment off the ground. He had turned around after that – Rafa mentally groaned, slouching back in his chair a bit, a disappointed look on his face. He had really been hoping to see that reaction.

He didn’t have to wait too long, though. It couldn’t have been a moment later, and a piece of parchment – very neatly folded, he noted – was thrown back in his direction. Due to his lack of attention, it had hit him right in the forehead – his sudden reaction almost caused him to fall out of his seat. The fucking jump scares. By the time he recovered his senses, he noticed that Gem had turned himself around and gotten right back to work. Rafa plucked the parchment off the ground, taking it in his hands and opening it carefully. Then, without much more thought, he read what Gem had sent him:



He read the paper three times over, not really sure what to make of it. He really should have been upset or something, having disturbed Gem the way he had – a part of him did feel a bit guilty. That part was sorely outweighed, though, by the amusement he felt from the little poem. He thinks I’m stupid, he thought proudly, a goofy sort of grin slipping on his face. He's just the best.

Though, he didn’t have too much time to dwell on his feelings, as his attention was drawn to the second half of Gem’s message:




He really hates them that much? Rafa couldn’t hide the feeling of amusement now – it came bubbling into his chest, and into his throat. He barely stifled the laugh, his lip bit to keep his grin at bay. One with expert senses could have heard it, he was sure – he would have to be more careful in the future. But really – he didn’t think Gem could hate any kind of poem. Even the cringiest little rhymes. It gave him a humorous sort of feeling that was a bit hard to put into words. His lips settled into a little smile, reading over the letter a few times more.

Deciding to leave Gem alone for the time being, he pushed the little piece of parchment into his back pocket, working his way around his robes. He then grabbed his pencil, looking back down at his paper with an ounce of contempt. He had quite a length to go, but it couldn’t be that hard.. right? He focuses his gaze on his book once, beginning to scribble answers onto his paper.

About five minutes in, he got bored again.

He looked back at his boyfriend, all focused on his work. Come on, conscience, say something, he pleaded. Alas, he heard nothing. With a sigh, he tore off another piece of parchment. He began thinking quite hard, his pen tapping against his paper in a rhythmic pattern. Gem seemed to despise his last poem, so how could he entertain him now? His brow furrowed in thought. What kind of poems even are there? He couldn’t think of many, except the boring little snippets of poetry he memorized in elementary school. Oh, he remembered this one kind of poem one of his pseudo-uncles had shown him. Will Gem even like a haiku? He shook his head a bit, a grin coming to his face. He really shouldn’t be doing this. But since when did he regard he rules?

It took him about five minutes of thinking – he revised it about three times, even going out of his way to get more parchment. He almost felt embarrassed - it was a bit sad, how much thought he had to put into three fucking lines. Though, he tried not to think about this too much. Tired of looking over his ‘masterpiece’, he wadded his parchment up and tossed it skillfully to the other boy. It hit the Ravenclaw in the back of the head again. Quickly, Rafa looked down at his paper in the most innocent way possible, scribbling the first things that came to his head. Though, there was no doubt in his mind that Gem knew the source of the terrible poem – his barely-repressed grin gave him away.

@Rafael D'Spacito

In a sense, Gem hoped that Rafa wouldn't leave him alone at all - but alas, to his fake irritation's pleasure, Rafa had become (to what he could only assume was) dormant. He spent the next five minutes or so writing, attempting to ignore the nagging thought to write his boyfriend another dumb note and throw it behind him, hope for the best.

His least favorite thing about Rafa had to be how easily he was able to completely reroute Gem's train of thought(s). He could be doing the most important thing ever, and then Rafa could stand near him or something, and then Gem would be completely out of line and never be able to focus on that thing ever again. That being said, he'd been a lot happier, his mood was always elevated, he felt a lot better about doing things, even if he didn't really want to.

So now, he decided that Rafa bothering him could be the best thing to happen right around now.
And speak of the devil, he felt a piece of paper hit the back of his head. When he turned around, he spotted Rafa looking down at his paper, poorly acting like nothing had happened at all. He bent down with a curt grin, uncrinkling it with a curious crinkle in his eye. He didn't catch a pattern at first, but the format was weird-- it wasn't until he read it a couple more times that he realized it was in the form of a haiku. It'd barely struck him Rafa was writing in various poetic forms because he knew Gem liked poems. Great, not only was he distracted, but he was was touched, too. Quite the mix.

He got a whole paper out, tearing a generous amount out, beginning to scrawl down the very best he could;

Many years ago, a young boy with dark, bland, brown hair and the eyes of a bird felt lost. He wandered around a thicket of confusion, sadness, and darkness in the deserted land he lived in, where not a single heart dare beat. It wasn't until he got a glimpse of light that he realized he needed more, and he went out to search for it.

The path he followed was long, turbulent, and seemed unworthy at times, and yet he pushed forward, knowing the light that lead the path would motivate him further. He almost forgot the face of the light, but he saw it when he slept, when he opened his eyes, and with every tedious afternoon, he allowed it to lead him closer to the happiness it promised to engulf him in.

Months had gone by, and the dull-haired boy had felt only duller. He slept in the dirt, and while he watched the stars, he wondered if it ever made sense. He wondered if he'd ever see his light, the thing that lead him all the way up hills, mountains, troubles, joy, gave him friends and took them. It all seemed like a fuzzy sort of blur in his head, something to recreate himself. He had travelled so far, that he laid still for three days. The leaves swallowed his arms, he became a part of the earth, and his faith left him slowly.

On the fourth day of his stillness, in the night, he could feel his eyes grow heavy. He felt that it was it, that he had nothing more to give the earth but his heart and his body-- he had poured too much care into the prize and not the adventure, and he had given up. Just as he held that realization in his chest, a body laid beside him. He was almost too weak to turn his head, but as he did, he saw the shining features of his treasure;

Soft, lively brown hair and eyes, smooth skin, the color plucked out of a sunset, and an upturned nose, a quirky smile that brought all the hope back into his heart. He no longer felt dread, only a light feeling in the tips of his fingers-- it almost seemed too good to be true.

"Is this a dream?" The dull one asked.
"No," replied the treasure, "not if you don't want it to be."

The dull young man thought, and to the very best of his ability, turned on his side to rest his face in the chest of the one he'd longed for for months of his life. Using his final breath, he spoke;

"I don't think it should be."


NOTE: I don't write haikus, but I write dramatic interpretations of our relationship. I love your poetry, maybe you should be shipped off to literary school.

Kisses,
Gem.

Amused, Gem folded the paper up and tossed it behind him, avoiding knocking Rafa in the face to the very best of his ability. He was quite good at being a terrible knockoff of a prince from the Victorian era, he thought.

OOC: im so sorry this is the most dramatic thing ive ever made gem write

@Gem Stuart

Rafa didn’t really get a chance to catch Gem’s reaction, as he was so incredibly focused on being inconspicuous. He was having such fun, pretending to do his work. His paper was currently littered with random words and doodles - he had always been a decent doodler, having had had years of practice during his elementary school classes. Of the things he had doodled, there was a shooting star, Kyle DeRook’s name in bubble letters (it was better not to ask questions), and a pair of eyes. Gem’s eyes in particular, the only ones he liked to look at.

He was a bit lovesick, he realized. All this Gem on the mind must be unhealthy, or something. Was it even possible to overdose on love? If so, he was dangerously close. But he just couldn’t help himself – thinking about anything else just felt positively tiresome. He reasoned, though, that having Gem on the mind would probably make him a better person. He had always been on the rough side attitude-wise, but Gem seemed pretty stable about that stuff. And he was poetic, too, in the most perfect sort of way. God, he loved Gem. There was nothing more to say about it.

Speaking of poetry. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the note Gem had tossed him, landing on his paper soundlessly. Thank fuck, because it didn’t startle him nearly as much this time. He didn’t wait for a single second, picking up the note and deftly flipping it open. His eyes read over the text carefully, taking in every detail of the monologue Gem had sent him.

Rafa had never actually read one of Gem’s poems before. Not counting the ‘Roses are red’ one, of course. But, sitting in the silence of Transfigurations class, with Gem’s work in his hands, he couldn’t help but feel incredibly proud for his boyfriend. It hadn’t even taken him that long to write, and yet, it captured so much emotion and depth. Rafa didn’t even read poems all that much, and yet he felt mesmerized by the text, reading over it multiple times and cherishing every word.

Eventually, he read the rest of the letter:

NOTE: I don't write haikus, but I write dramatic interpretations of our relationship. I love your poetry, maybe you should be shipped off to literary school.

Kisses,
Gem

Part of him didn’t even believe that Gem had actually read his shit attempts at poems – the only reason he had even tried was for comic relief. Yet, here he was, telling him he had an ounce of poetic talent in his body. Gem’s too nice, he decided. He really wanted class to be over right about now, so he could walk up to Gem and wrap his arms around the Ravenclaw in a warm hug. There was no way he could study now - Gem was officially made it impossible.

He took out another sheet of paper, setting it in front of him thoughtfully. He had already come to terms with the fact that there was absolutely no way he could even come close to Gem’s creation. So, he decided that he’d give up on the poems, instead focusing on one of his strengths. With a few careful strokes of his pencil, he began drawing a dog for Gem. He wasn’t sure why he had chosen a dog – his train of thought when he had read Gem’s last letter. So, it could have been anything – the way the air smelled, the way the room was arranged. Or, it could have been the universe sending him a sign or something. He decided that questioning it any more would give him a migraine, so instead of pondering it any longer, he put all his focus on making Gem’s dog the best dog he’d ever seen.

After a few minutes of careful work, he finished his brilliant creation. He was just about to crumple it up in a sloppy ball as he had been doing previously, but as he began his primitive process, he took sight of Gem’s note. It looked as if it were judging him, or something. God, why not? He shook his head at the little piece of paper, taking his own note and attempting to mimic Gem’s folding pattern. To his disappointment, it hadn’t worked – all the seams were crooked and wrong-looking. Sighing slightly, he decided to count his losses, and carefully tossed the little paper over to Gem, this time waiting for the boy to turn around. A playful sort of look played on his lips, his eyes bright with humor.

Gem,
Your poems are so incredibly sexy. Like. How even. You’re the one who needs to go to literary school, because woah.
Also, my poems are total shit. The only reason I write them is to make you happy, because I love looking at your smile
Love you,
Rafa
PS. I drew you this dog. He’s officially yours now.

OOC: DUDE this is pretty damn good O_O

@Rafael D'Spacito

Gem had expected it to be a while until Rafa finished his short story, so he attempted to complete his work to the very best of his ability before dismissal. Not only that, but he'd been itching for a smoke almost as badly as he wanted to turn around and disrupt the whole class by talking to his boy - which was... difficult, to say the least.

It was weird to admit to himself that the feelings were indescribable in a way, the fact they were both familiar and completely different all at the same time. He liked Rafa a lot more than he liked any previous 'romances', if he could even call them that - he still felt like he was too young to feel any type of love yet, but he really, really liked Rafa. He loved his personality, he loved what he saw, but was he in love with him? He didn't know. He didn't know what love felt like, and he certainly didn't know what being properly loved felt like, so... his best bet? Be as corny as humanly possible. Being the type of person Gem was, it wasn't so difficult.

It seemed on cue, that he had finished his assignment right when a piece of paper landed on the edge of his desk. It was a bit bigger than the ones Rafa had tossed his way before, but when he opened it, he swore to God he almost covered his hand with his mouth. He had no idea Rafa could draw like that - it was probably the greatest drawing he'd ever seen one of his friends do... it was prodigy type stuff, that was for sure.

Right as he was about to turn around and whisper about how great that drawing was, they were dismissed. He was relieved, gathering all his stuff holding it up to his chest, his hand reaching into his pocket to retrieve his pack of cigarettes. Before any of that, though, before he even thought to start heading out the door, he waited for Rafa to get himself together. Half expecting a hug, he sort of mentally prepared himself for it - Gem might've been a good hugger, but Rafael was infinitely better. Maybe that was just him being all stupid, liking Rafa and all, but he did feel awfully nice being hugged like that.

"You've got quite e' handle on art, don't you?" He mused, gesturing at Rafa's hand with the tilt of his chin. "I'm jealous, I couldn't draw a proper circle if I tried."

@Gem Stuart

The note had been passed – all Rafa could do at this point was wait. Class was almost over, he realized, the scribbles only crescendoing with the ticking of the clock. Or maybe the noise was all in his head, the result of too much quiet. Whatever the case, he doubted that Gem would even have enough time to send a note back, as depressing as the thought was. He rested his head on the table, slowly digging his fingers behind his temples to relieve his growing headache. The silence was starting to get to him. He needed to hear Gem’s voice, or his own, or even Lian’s, for crying out loud. There was only so much Transfigurations one could take before being driven mad.

He tried not to focus on this too much, though, instead focusing on reigning his thoughts in. The time would pass faster that way. So, to pass the time, he began thinking of Quidditch maneuvers and Harry Potter, trying to get his mind off the deafening silence. True to his thoughts, Lian dismissed them soon after that. At the sound of her voice, he audibly sighed, the noise holding a pleasant sound as it resonated around his head. Transfigurations was over for the day. Just that thought alone brought a bright grin to his face. Plus, he realized, Charms with the Hufflepuffs was next – a class he could actually tolerate. This happy feeling only increased as his eyes wandered over to his boyfriend. The other boy was waiting at the door for him, clutching all of his materials against his chest. The very sight gave Rafa a funny sort of feeling in his chest, the only kind he actually enjoyed.

He quickly stuffed his papers messily in his book, not wanting to waste any time preserving his nonexistent work. He also checked his back pocket, making sure Gem’s story was tucked in carefully for safe-keeping. (He would definitely be reading it over again, on the nights where his thoughts were too loud to sleep.) His single book and pen clutched loosely in right hand, he walked up to the other boy, a bright sort of look on his face.

It was hilarious, because in a single moment, he felt this incredibly strong impulse. He wanted to hug Gem. He didn’t even like hugging that much, unless it was one of his uncles. But, here he was, his fingers twitching in denial to his opinions and feelings. Aw, he thought, screw it. Trying not to think about it too much, he followed his sudden impulse, coming up behind Gem and wrapping his arms around the other boy in a playful sort of way. "How can you even stand Transfigurations?” he told Gem good-naturedly, his chin resting on the other boy’s shoulder. “Now, that should be a class all on its own, don’t you think?”

"You've got quite e' handle on art, don't you?” Gem told him, nodding towards his hands. "I'm jealous, I couldn't draw a proper circle if I tried."

It took him a moment to realize what Gem was talking about – he had partially forgot about the little dog he had drawn. To be honest, he had never thought very high of his doodling skills, being that they were - well, doodles. The fact that Gem had liked them gave him a good feeling, his hand flexing around his books subconsciously. “Oh, the dog?” he said, retracting his arms slowly, and coming to face Gem. “I don’t know why you’re so jealous, it’s just a bunch of scribbles,” he mused. “But, thanks.”

He considered Gem for a moment, his story coming back to his mind subconsciously. He couldn’t exactly be sure what brought this thought along – perhaps it had been Gem’s compliment. Or, it could have been the slight bulge from his back pocket, the result of all of Gem’s notes. Whatever the case, he felt the words come to his mouth faster than he could think them. “I’m rather jealous of your writing skills,” he told Gem. His eyebrow raised at the other boy in slight amusement, and even more impressment. He was sure Gem could hear the dose of truth in his statement. “I’ve never read any of your stories before,” he added, his eyes bright and a steady smile growing on his face. “They’re rather amazing, you know. You’re quite the author.”


A strange sort of idea came to him in that moment. He chewed his lip for a moment, a bit reluctant to ask. He didn’t know how Gem was about other people reading his works, and he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. But he really did want to get his hands on a few more of his stories. They really were quite brilliant. He reasoned, even if Gem said ‘no’, he wouldn’t have lost anything by asking.

Steeling himself, he looked at Gem again, a bright look on his face. “You think I could read some of them another time?” he asked him after a moment. “Y’know, for fun and all?”

@Rafael D'Spacito

Gem's eyes hardly followed Rafa when he swept up behind him, his shoulders all the way down to his arms tensing up. Hugs from behind were a rare occurrence in the Stuart household, or hugs at all, but those specifically. The only thing those three housemates had in common was the fact they all hated being touched by surprise, it always seemed to knock them off their balance.

But even as it made Gem feel emasculated or insecure, he leaned back in it and relished in it, his hands coming up to grip Rafa's arms wherever they could hold. By the time the Gryffindor let him go, he felt a lot less cozy in the open air. Obviously.

"Careful, intricate scribbles," Gem corrected, "seemed more like pointillism, I'm amazed you're able ta move yer hand that quickly in such a short period ov time."

It was always so funny to him, that they shot complements back and forth. His dad always said that was the sign of a good relationship, having things they liked about each other. His dad never complemented his mum, and she never complemented his dad. Funny dynamic, really.

"My writin's sub par, truthfully," He said, sort of leading them outside of the class so they weren't in anyone's way. "Have you ever read Oscar Wilde? I'll never be as good as him, but I can try. I wish I was his son, or sumfin'... wot if I am his distant grandson? Me great, great, great, great, great, great grandpa." If he thought about it enough, he could convince himself that he were related to that poet, but it seemed too good to be true.

"Me writing isn't that great, you know. But... I mean, I write in a journal? I could... lend you that, and stuff, if ya really want to." It was real sweet, all that, it made him feel special. Maybe it wasn't much from someone on the outside, but Rafa brought him a certain type of happiness. Butterflies, still, they hadn't gone away-- but even as they did, it was replaced by a fondness he hadn't felt in forever.

"I'll make ya a deal, right? I show ya my journal," he lifted an eyebrow, "but you have ta show me yer drawings. Okay?" He held a hand out to shake, like a final stamp on the deal. Their art was for them, and he liked it that way. He liked sharing his art with Rafa, as long as Rafa liked showing it with him.

@Gem Stuart

"Careful, intricate scribbles," Gem told him in reprimand to his words. “Seemed more like pointillism, I'm amazed you're able ta move yer hand that quickly in such a short period ov time."

While Gem’s compliment was really rather flattering, Rafa found himself positively stumped. Gem had wrote it in his poem himself – he was pretty stupid. Or, uneducated in art, if he were kind to himself. His brow furrowed in the most confused way, his mouth drawn in a tight line. He couldn’t say that he had ever heard the word ‘pointillism’ uttered into the open air his entire life. It held a sketchy sort of sound to it – no pun intended – its suffix holding an ominous sort of air over the whole word. He didn’t really know what to think of Gem’s words, now, being absolutely and utterly lost. “…Pointillism?” he asked slowly, his words full of an innocent sort of confusion. He hoped Gem wouldn’t judge too much – he would blame it on his English, he decided. Besides, Gem didn’t really seem like the type to laugh at his befuddlement in ill will. He was cool that way.

Gem had continued on a bit, going on about his writing being not as good as Rafa had thought, and some guy named Oscar Wilde. Rafa was rather ashamed to admit, though he had heard the name before, he didn’t actually know who the guy was– if the way Gem talked about him was anything to go by, Rafa would have to guess that he was a pretty cool guy. “Oscar Wilde?” he voiced aloud. “Isn’t he, like, a poet or something?” He scratched the back of his neck, a wondering sort of look on his face. There was an amused grin on his features, subtle but just noticeable.

"Me writing isn't that great, you know,” Gem told him. Obviously lying. It was rather cute, he’d admit. He honestly didn’t know if Gem was bullshitting him, or if he was just that oblivious, but his writing was actually pretty incredible. “But... I mean, I write in a journal? I could... lend you that, and stuff, if ya really want to." His amused grin evolved into a grin of excitement, his eyes widening in the slightest and his body tensing in an anticipating sort of way. He was just about to voice his excitement, when Gem continued. "I'll make ya a deal, right?” he told him. “I show ya my journal, but you have ta show me yer drawings. Okay?" His boyfriend stuck his hand out to shake, to seal the deal.

He wouldn’t tell Gem this, but he really couldn’t care less if the other boy saw his shitty little drawings. He could humor himself with them all he liked. But the fact that Gem cared so much about looking at his pointless doodles did give him a fuzzy sort of feeling. He felt his grin growing, and he had to bite his lip to keep from splitting his own face. He couldn’t help but feel a sudden and undeniable feeling of adoration for the Ravenclaw boy.

Given that he was in a bit of a joking mood, he put on a pondering sort of face, considering Gem’s hand with a scrutinizing gaze. “You drive a hard bargain,” he remarked with a thoughtful shrug. Then, after a moment more of ‘thought’, he continued, “I suppose I can agree to that.” Any feinted seriousness he once had was abandoned, his grin back on his features. He took the hand with a firm shake, looking at his boyfriend with bright eyes. “Fair warning, though. All my art’s on my loose papers. You think you can handle my mess?” He asked this last bit with a playful tone, his eyebrows wiggling in humor. His words held truth – he wasn’t really sure how one could organize such a mess of papers. But he would definitely try to tame his messiness – for Gem’s sake, and for that only.