Hello, Lonely Mouse Pv Jake Morris Closed

"The Prince of Darkness is a gntleman." - William Shakespeare

Selim knew of one Jake Morris.

Not much, of course (well not much that he trusted), but the Blossom Ball of 2020 had been such a disaster that it would be more surprising if there weren't whispers about everyone included in it coiled down the grapevine. If the rumours of him murdering Victor Moore from the very obscure 'Fight Club' event of Slytherin had gotten out, then anything happening at Blossom Balls was probably pounced on by the gossipers even more, like vultures to a carcass.

But what was said about the Hufflepuff was enough, enough to get him curious. Perhaps Selim would've forgotten all about Jake Morris had the recent Blossom Ball had not reminded him. He had seen the boy that night, it had niggled his memory as he watched the Hufflepuff swiftly disappear into the crowd of students. He had ignored it then, for the head been bigger things to worry about, but afterwards, while he had mulled over everything he had seen, he had recalled the small boy.

Curiosity had inevitably taken over, and he did some digging. Vague bits and pieces of info here, musings about their personalities there. It had been enough for him to bite at the bait dangled before him.

As a result, he began doing what he did best... observing, lurking, figuring out patterns. It all led up to this day, the day he'd step closer to the curious lightworlder, and indulge in his curiosity. A dangerous move, he knew, for the boy had many connections to other lightworlders... dangerous ones, like the briars as Kaegen had called them.

He'd tread carefully. He knew he was always oddly intimidating to some, despite his stature, perhaps it was his eyes? Piercing yellow hues always looked like they were seeing into one's soul, blood-red ones always gave off feelings of danger. He should've taken that into consideration, perhaps, and instead put in his blue contact lenses for this meeting rather than his usual pale yellow ones.

Maybe his rabbit mask would hide it enough so he wouldn't look intimidating...

He was really trying not to seem scary, but he didn't really know how not to. He had forgotten most of his etiquette training while wasting away in the dungeons, all his attempts to smile felt off, fake, like a mannequin. His sallow face no longer held the innocent baby fat of a 12-year-old, eaten away by lack of nutrition, exhaustion, and stress. His eyes were surrounded by dark rings of bruising from lack of sleep, sunk into their sockets giving him sharp features. Lips chapped and face scarred... he'd always look frighting, really.

That's another reason why he kept his rabbit mask on, white with pink skin like a bunny, eyes red like an albino hare. Sure, it gave off a slightly haunting look, but even that was better than his actual face.

The mask would help him keep the monster in check too, now wasn't the time for violent, bloodthirsty urges, now was a time to talk... like a normal human.

Aku laughed harshly at the thought, tone mocking. The ventriloquism used to make him speak was partially unnecessary because no one could see Selim's mouth move, but he did still need to use its skill to throw the puppet's voice.

"'Normal human'? Face it, Selim, you'll never be a 'normal human'. You're practically an eldritch horror and it's hard for eldritch horrors to act 'normal'. No, it's basically impossible." The purple bunny hand puppet scoffed, and Selim frowned slightly behind his mask.

They were walking down the hall, toward the library where Selim knew the Hufflepuff resided. Footsteps neigh soundless, he tried to ignore the sneer in Aku's voice, a now-full set of bone-carved teeth glistening in the puppet's once-empty, black maw. He had a proper smile now, and it looked about as friendly as a crocodile's grin. The grin never left either, for Aku didn't have lips. The teeth had consistency though, all small so the mouth didn't look excessively propped open.. well, there were the feline-like canines breaking the consistency... Selim had thought it prudent to add them because it'd add more damage to the bite of the doll.

"I don't expect to be perfect." The second-year's soft tone commented. It was blank, quiet, level. "I'm not nieve in the slightest, Akuryō, you should know this."

The puppet snorted, "'That doesn't mean you aren't idiotic, boy. Idiocy doesn't equal naivety."

Selim was about to speak in protest until the third voice spoke up within his mind. "Both of you need to silence yourselves or do you want to walk in on the boy talking like a raving madman?" Their tone was cold as if they were observing everything while sipping tea in Selim's mind space, unimpressed by the 'show' they were watching.

The Slytherin huffed, falling silent as he turned down another hall, pausing upon seeing the door to the library at the end of the corridor. Aku listened to Ronri as well, which was always surprising, he wondered when the imp would decide that he didn't want to listen to either of them anymore.

Casting the troubling thought away, along with the memory of the control Aku actually had over his worst nightmares, the boy focused on the task at hand. There were barely any other students around, and the few that walked past didn't seem to notice, or perhaps just didn't care, about the rabbit-masked boy lurking in the shadows.

It was drawing close to the early curfew that Selim never listened to despite the warnings of the professors. So most were heading to their dorms, Selim would have to act quick, and would have to keep the Hufflepuff engaged enough to remain put of his own free will.

Walking toward the library, he slipped in, swiftly ducking into the rows of shelves, and slithering through the maze of books. He came across the study area soon enough and waited for a lingering student to pack up and leave.

The lazy light of the sunset through the windows was filtered by dust motes, casting everything in both warm light, and dark shadows. Selim remained in the latter, of course, though wasn't as stealthy as he had been during the Blossom Ball. He was not wearing his cloak, the floors above the dungeons were far too warm for that thanks to the rising heat of the summer. So instead the boy defaulted to his usual long-sleeved white T-shirt and baggy grey sweatpants. Bandages wrapped around the soles of his bare feet were good enough for him.

His pale skin was only further washed out by the shirt, but the few scars coiling up his neck in knots could still be seen, discoloration of the scar tissue clear.

Shaggy black hair uncombed, the only defining feature of the boy was his puppet and his mask.

He watched the extra student leave, waiting a few moments afterwards, trying to muster up the courage to actually talk. His gaze drifted toward the small boy, and he took a deep breath, before stepping out of the shadows and finally speaking.

"Hello... lonely mouse." The first words that came to his mind were odd ones, that made him pause in mild confusion. His hazy mind didn't offer up any reason for them, of course, because it was useless. He cleared his throat before continuing, soft voice clear despite its low volume. "You are... Jake Morris... right?" He paused, did that sound too blunt? Too commanding? Should he have offered the apple cider first?

Selim shuffled his feet, mask's snout angled to the floor. How had he fallen so far in his conversation skills?

"What did you expect after avoiding any human interaction for four and half months?" Ronri's voice drawled from within his mind, unheard by anyone other than him and Aku. The puppet in question laughed at it all, stubby paw rising to his fanged mouth in a cartoonish snicker.

The second-year frowned again, spidery fingers clenching in a flash of annoyance. He loosened them once more though, they were left twitching at his side "Ah... I wanted to... talk." He paused, where had the opening speech he had planned gone? Voice still deadpan through the whole awkward, one-sided conversation, he tacked on something else. "I have some... warm apple cider?"

Not alcohol, of course, it was the sort of stuff you got for the Christmas season.

He mused on how to continue, hazy mind blank as his mask, then sighed. "I had a dramatic speech planned... but now I've forgotten it." Whenever in doubt, be blunt. He rubbed the bridge of his mask's muzzle, trying to dredge the memory up, but nothing came of it.

Bluntness was a great tool sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes. Maybe this was one of those times?

He swore he heard Ronri sigh in exasperation.... and Aku was laughing again. Tartly, Selim tried to clamp the rabbit's mouth shut, but the cursed hellspawn abruptly bit him for his troubles. His sharp fangs snapped around one of his fingers like a snake striking prey.

(His own hand was controlling the puppet, how exactly did this happen-?)

Swearing Selim pulled his now-slightly injured finger away, shaking it and then examining the wound... it was bleeding.

The Slytherin hissed. Voice filled with venom.

"You little bugger, why I ought to -" Abruptly he paused in his death threat and looked up to the boy.

He had an audience... right...

Muttering he shoved the sudden burst of rage back down into its cage. Clearing his throat as if that mere action would erase the disruptive scene his hand puppet had caused, he stood upright again, posture slouched slightly. Aku's face was shoved against Selim's shirt in an attempt to drown out his wheezing laughter. "... Sorry."

Smooth, very smooth.